RFU chief gives provinces hope

RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie has demanded an ‘urgent’ resolution to the argument over the Heineken Cup as ERC chiefs called a meeting between all parties for October 23 in Dublin.

Ritchie, the man who oversees rugby in England, has revealed his belief that any new tournament must contain representatives from all major countries rather than just an Anglo-French league.

But he has insisted he is yet to make a decision over whether to support Premiership Rugby in their quest to break away from the current Heineken Cup format and set up their own competition, starting next season.