Decision day on Europe for isolated English Premiership clubs

A decision on English clubs playing in Europe next season is expected to be made at a meeting of Premiership Rugby’s shareholders in London today.

Owners and chief executives from all 12 Aviva Premiership clubs – as well as delegates from shareholders Leeds and Bristol – will convene for what has been described as “effectively an emergency meeting” following Ligue Nationale de Rugby’s (LNR) announcement last Thursday that French clubs would be pulling out of a proposed Rugby Champions Cup.

After consulting its clubs at the weekend, Premiership Rugby called a 10am meeting for today where the European issue will be top of the bill.