Two biggest bullies in the yard make European power play

The future of the Heineken Cup, as it’s presently constituted, appears doomed after England’s Premiership clubs yesterday directed their representative body to take “immediate action” to put in place a new European competition for the 2014/15 season.

It followed a statement from the French clubs proclaiming solidarity with their English counterparts.

Premiership Rugby claimed ongoing discussions with the ERC and other stakeholders have been unsuccessful. “The clubs can only conclude that negotiations on any new European agreement have now ended,” it said.

It follows an earlier communication from the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR), in which the French Top 14 clubs confirmed: “Taking into account the gravity and urgency of the situation, the Top 14 clubs would like to remind the interested parties that we will only participate in competitions also involving the English clubs.”

Further highlighting their assumed position of power, as well as their unity with Premiership Rugby, the French clubs stated they have asked the LNR to take measures to put in place a competition for the 2014/15 season, involving the English clubs and French clubs, and which will be open to other nations.

In immediate response, the English clubs stated “given the importance and urgency of the current position, and the reconfirmation that the French clubs will not participate in any competition unless it includes the English clubs, the clubs have now asked Premiership Rugby to take immediate action to put in place a competition for 2014/15 to include the French and English clubs but which will also be open to teams from other countries”.

The final parts of both statements are ominous for the Irish provinces. While a re-negotiation of the current Heineken Cup format would have seen the IRFU maintain some semblance of power, a new competition run by the French and English clubs would mean the Irish provinces joining as a lesser party in any commercial and sporting decision-making.

This breakaway stemmed from the English and French clubs’ desires to make changes to the format and compensation on offer in the Heineken Cup. The current participation deal ends in May 2014, and Premiership Rugby and the LNR demanded that the PRO12 clubs qualify for Europe based on league position, rather than the current system of allocating places by country. They also wanted the Heineken Cup reduced from its current 24-team format, into a 20-team competition.

Further complicating the matter is the ERC, organisers of the Heineken Cup, have a TV deal in place with Sky Sports, while Premiership Rugby sold rights for their games to BT Sport. The overriding impression is that the English and French clubs wanted a bigger slice of the Heineken Cup money pie and arguments about merit-based qualification were a more acceptable form of expressing their displeasure.

The Top 14 clubs have now rowed in behind Premiership Rugby and all the indications are the two biggest bullies in the yard are making their power play.

Heineken Cup revenue is a vital part of the IRFU’s annual income and life without it could be hazardous. Questions of how the IRFU let itself get into this position of weakness, while Premiership Rugby and the LNR have strengthened, need to be addressed.

It now appears the IRFU have to decide whether the provinces are better served accepting an ‘invitation’ to join the new European competition under the rule of the English and French clubs, or to focus on improving the PRO12 as their stand-alone competition.

For supporters accustomed to the magic of Heineken Cup weekends, that would take some getting used to.