Premiership Rugby chief Mark McCafferty says the biggest hurdles "are yet to ...

This season, the 20th place would be decided through a play-off match between

the seventh placed English and French clubs. In following seasons the 20th

club would qualify via play-offs from the seventh-placed English and French

clubs and the two next non-qualifiers from the Pro12.

However, significantly, the statement from Mew and Drymer made no mention of

governance or broadcasting rights, or made any reference to the Rugby

Champions’ Cup being set up by the English and French clubs – and supported

by the Welsh regions – to replace the Heineken Cup.

The mediators said instead that all parties had agreed to meet up within 10

days to discuss the implementation of the agreed principles and “important

operational and management issues”.

Mark McCafferty, the Premiership Rugby chief executive, told The Daily

Telegraph on Thursday night that while he welcomed the endorsement of their

reforms for competition structures and revenue distribution, he reiterated

that new governance structures were critical.

The ERC board is presently made up of two directors from each of the six

countries, giving the Pro12 clubs a majority of the 12 votes. Premiership

Rugby is demanding that the three leagues are instead represented equally on

a new board.

“I think the biggest hurdles have yet to be overcome,” McCafferty said. “We

have gone a long way to meet the needs of the number of RaboDirect teams in

the Rugby Champions’ Cup, the presence of each country and making sure that

there is at least as much money guaranteed in it for the RaboDirect teams as

they had previously had enjoyed under the ERC-run competitions. In that

sense it [the statement] is an endorsement of everything that we are doing

on those two fronts but the governance issue is central to all of that.

“We can’t give any guarantees to anyone unless there is the right structure

that is capable of driving the values in the Rugby Champions’ Cup to the

level they can be.

“It has to be run by the three leagues. If the French and English clubs are

going to be on the hook for giving a guarantee, which is what we proposed to

the RaboDirect Pro12 teams joining the Rugby Champions’ Cup, then we have

got to have the ability in management terms to be able to generate those

returns.

“We can’t be in a position where we are hamstrung that was historically the

case under ERC.”

McCafferty added that preparations for the Rugby Champions’ Cup would

continue. “Because of all the time that has been wasted, we are cracking on

with what needs to be done – the commercial deals around the Rugby

Champions’ Cup and that work is progressing,” McCafferty added.

“The England, French and Welsh teams are coming into it, this is really about

if other teams are joining, are they prepared to join on a basis that works

for them.

“They have indicated on a competition level and monetary level that they would

do, but the other elements are part of the package as well.”

Article source: http://www.express.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/438471/Lions-skipper-Sam-Warburton-reinstated-as-Wales-captain-for-November-Tests

Premiership Rugby chief Mark McCafferty says the biggest hurdles "are yet to ...