Wales’ regions have been warned they risk âfinancial oblivionâ if they do not join the proposed rebel Rugby Champions Cup.
Bath chairman Bruce Craig â who is also vice-chairman of Premiership Rugby â claimed, in what might be seen by union powerbrokers in Wales, Ireland, Italy and Scotland as a desperate attempt to win them over, the consequence for those countriesâ professional entities would be âcatastrophicâ.
He maintained: âCeltic teams would be without significant revenues. The Heineken Cup is finished, itâs over. The Rugby Champions Cup is a way to save European rugby.â
Craig threatened legal action by the organisers of the Champions Cup if the new tournament is blocked by the union.
He claimed: âIf all 38 (European) clubs were given the opportunity to come into the Rugby Champions Cup, I believe all 38 would probably agree.
âItâs basically the Celtic unions that would stop them from participating.â
PRL and its French counterparts Ligue Nationale de Rugby have put in place a structure for a breakaway European competition to replace the Heineken Cup next season which will be club-run instead of being under the control of the unions-owned European Rugby Cup Ltd.
They have gone ahead with their plans despite being warned it wonât be sanctioned by the French Rugby Federation.
The International Rugby Board is also unlikely to give its approval because it would be effectively ceding control of the sport to the clubs.
But multi-millionaire businessman Craig warned of court action if the controversial Anglo-French club plan is blocked.
âEveryone would prefer that we didnât go down the legal route,â he said.
âWe all want a competition that is a fabulous European competition. The reality though is that if there was to be a blockage there are obvious questions around restraint of trade.
âThis new Champions Cup would generate in the region of £60m to £70m minimum, which would cut out a big percentage of the English and the French clubsâ losses.
âThe reality of it is that if the Rugby Champions Cup doesnât happen, then the Celts will not be playing in a competition and they wonât have those distributions from that competition.â
âPeople say the English and French clubs are greedy. The fact is we are losing money.
âIn terms of sustainability and the future of the game, this is an opportunity for us to increase revenues into the English and French club game which gives it more viability.
âThe unions should be approving that so there is continuity in English, French and Celtic rugby, because if there isnât, there would be financial oblivion for the Celtic countries.â
Welsh regions warned they face "financial oblivion" without rebel European cup
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