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Showing posts with label Heineken Cup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Heineken Cup. Show all posts
Wednesday, 24 August 2016
Thursday, 27 March 2014
Griffiths Questions Welsh Union
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Saracens CEO Edward Griffiths has praised the Welsh regions for their role in brokering a new European deal but has questioned the role of the Welsh Rugby Union.
The new European competition which will replace the Heineken Cup is expected to be confirmed in the next couple of days. Reports say the French and Italians are the last to sign the new accord but a deal is still set to be announced imminently.
The news will bring to an end two years of discussions over the future of European rugby and while Griffiths praised the Welsh regions for their part in the talks, he seemed less impressed with the WRU.
"I think some of the Welsh Rugby Union's behaviour has been erratic and unpredictable," Griffiths told the BBC. "Maybe they've come round to see a little bit of sense."
The new competition will be a 20-team format with six representatives from the Aviva Premiership, six from the Top 14 and seven from the RaboDirect PRO12. The final place will go to either the seventh-placed side in the French league or the English top flight.
Griffiths claims the new competition is "good news" for European rugby.
"I think everybody should be happy," Griffiths said. "The Welsh regions have been clear and been clear-minded in the whole process and deserve a lot of credit for sticking to their guns. At the end of the day this isn't good news for just the English clubs, or the French clubs, or the Welsh regions, it's good news for European rugby.
"We've got a competition with a fairer format and with a fairer financial distribution, and in fact there's no reason why this format won't actually generate more money for everyone. So it is truly a win, win, win competition and I think once the egos got out of the way it was fairly easy to find a solution.
"At the end of the day it's our responsibility as rugby administrators is to put the best possible competition on the table for the coaches and players to play in and the supporters to watch."
Thursday, 17 October 2013
Gatland Warns of Failure
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Warren Gatland has warned that English and French clubs' attempts to set up a breakaway tournament from the Heineken Cup will fail.
The Rugby Champions Cup, due to start next season, is a result of Anglo-French frustrations with Heineken Cup qualification and revenue sharing.
"I don't see an Anglo-French competition being successful or lasting that long," Gatland told BBC Jersey.
"I think all parties want full representation from all the countries."
The new tournament could yet include teams from Scotland, Wales and Ireland, but the Pro12 sides need their unions' approval to take part. The Welsh, Irish and Scottish unions are, in turn, waiting on the International Rugby Board's (IRB) endorsement.
New Zealander Gatland, who was appointed to the Wales post in 2008 after spells with London Wasps and Connacht as well as Ireland, believes a tournament that includes only English and French clubs will damage the international game in the northern hemisphere.
"There needs to be some sort of protection for a Scottish or Italian team potentially," he added. "Without their involvement we could see an impact going into the Six Nations."
The 50-year-old also believes that plans for the Rugby Champions Cup may have overlooked difficulties in securing officials for matches.
The English Rugby Football Union (RFU) are still uncommitted to the new tournament and their French counterparts actively oppose it.
"The referees are controlled by the unions and France have said they would not support a new competition, while the RFU have sort of stood on the fence," Gatland added.
Quentin Smith, the chairman of England's top-level Premiership, andTim Lopez, agent to the likes of Wales and Cardiff full-back Leigh Halfpenny, have warned that the uncertainty over top-level European rugby is affecting players' decisions over contracts at Welsh regions.
Sunday, 22 September 2013
Rugby Champions Cup
The proposed replacement for the Heineken Cup will be called the Rugby Champions Cup, English and French clubs have announced.
They will quit the Heineken Cup at the end of this season because they object to the current set-up for a number of reasons.
The issues include qualification and the way revenue is shared.
A Premiership Rugby statement said: "The competition will be based on the principles of qualification on merit."
Premier Rugby added the new tournament will have "a strong competition format, equality between the leagues, higher commercial values for the teams and expansion into new European markets".
A statement concluded: "The Top 14 and Premiership Rugby clubs have already confirmed their participation in the new competition and a joint working group has been created to prepare all necessary elements in good time for the 2014-15 season."
The International Rugby Board said it will only back the new pan-European club idea if the French and English unions approve it.
Premiership Rugby chairman Quentin Smith told BBC Radio 5 live he does not expect them to stand in the clubs' way.
"They are probably sitting on the fence at the moment and keeping an eye on what's happening," he said. "I can't see any reason why the unions wouldn't agree to, approve and support the initiative."
According to Smith, the English and French clubs have had "extremely positive responses" from other clubs and unions about joining the new competition, and he will be "astonished" if there is not a big take-up.
"We are moving at a very good pace," he added. "The name demonstrates there is something real that we have created. This isn't living in a world of concepts anymore.
"We have put a stake in the ground and said: 'We are here and moving forward from here'. There is no purpose in continuing to play with one's food, eventually you have to eat."
Smith reiterated that the English and French clubs will not be involved in any competition operating under the auspices of European Rugby Cup (ERC) next season, despite ERC scheduling further talks - mediated by barrister Graeme Mew - on 23 October as they seek an agreement.
However, the French Rugby Federation (FFR) subsequently released a strongly-worded statement giving its backing to ERC.
"No meeting or international competition involving French clubs can be organised outside the framework of the FFR and without its prior agreement," it read.
"The FFR has always been and will remain a major player in the European cups organised by ERC and backs proposals to permit the continuity and development of these."
The Aviva Premiership and Top 14 clubs believe the current Heineken Cup structure favours teams from the RaboDirect Pro12, which is made up of sides from Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Italy, who will be allowed to join the potential new tournament.
Only the top six in England and France are guaranteed a place in the Heineken Cup, whereas at least 10 Celtic League outfits - including both Scottish, both Italian and a minimum of three sides each from Wales and Ireland - have certain entry into the competition.
With the Pro12 having no relegation, it is argued teams can rest players for league matches to keep them fresh for Europe, while Premiership and Top 14 teams have to fight hard just to qualify.
The English and French clubs are also unhappy with the way revenues are split between the three leagues and want to keep a greater share.
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