No Heineken Cup deal before season kicks off

The chief executive of the ERC has admitted the dispute over the Heineken Cup, which is threatening the tournament’s future, is unlikely to be resolved by the time the domestic rugby season kicks off in September.

Derek McGrath was speaking at the draws for the 2013/14 Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup at the Aviva Stadium, the last such occurrences before the existing accord governing the European competitions comes to an end next May.

The English and French clubs have been bullish in their demands for changes to structures, qualifying criteria and, in the former’s case, TV broadcasting rights, and little progress has been made between them, the Celtic nations and Italy after considerable and lengthy talks.