Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill warns RFU not to oppose clubs ...

At the official launch in Cardiff on Monday of the 19th year of the Heineken

Cup it was as if the Mary Celeste were being dispatched down the slipway,

with all on board aware that this could be the last edition of the

competition in its present guise.

The English and French clubs are adamant that they will have no more truck

with the competition’s governing body, European Rugby Cup. They have already

formulated the name of their own new competition, the Rugby Champions Cup,

and have no intention of attending the next scheduled board meeting on Oct

23.

Despite the gloomy prognosis, Roger Lewis, chief executive of the Welsh Rugby

Union, offered to act as a go-between, acknowledging the rights of the

dissident clubs to have a more meritocratic format and a more equitable

distribution of money.

Lewis knows that the situation of his four regions is parlous should there be

no European competition next season.

He has been closely involved in monitoring developments involving two of his

country’s star players, captain Sam Warburton and Leigh Halfpenny, both of

whom are being courted by clubs in France. Halfpenny has had serious

interest from Toulon. With an uncertainty over finances, the players are

ever more vulnerable to offers.

“We need players of the calibre of Sam and Leigh to be playing in Wales,”

Lewis said.

“I will do absolutely everything I can to ensure that they stay here. Keeping

them here would be more difficult without a Heineken Cup. We are in danger

of losing the plot here. We have the finest competition in world rugby under

threat and it is incumbent on everyone to fight for it. Let us sort the

competition format and let us sort the monies. We believe in meritocracy and

we believe in a fair distribution of monies.”

Is it time for back-door diplomacy? “We have to use any door, or window or

chimney,” Lewis quipped.

The players have little option but to heed their paymasters. In England and

France, the principal employer is their club. That is also where their

instinctive affiliation lies. The RFU has good relationships with its clubs

and is busy trying to broker a solution.

One of the gripes of the English and French is that they have to qualify for

the Heineken Cup every season whereas the Celtic and Italian sides have

guaranteed entry.

“There is pressure on us every week to win to ensure that we qualify for next

season so that budgets can be set and season tickets sold,” Cockerill said.

“Why is it all right for a Leicester or a Bath not to be involved in a

Heineken Cup and it is not all right for a Munster or Leinster not to be

involved?”

The terms of reference for this stand-off have changed. The details of format

and finance have an importance but the nub of the issue comes down to

control and power.

After half an hour dancing round the subject on Monday highlighting the

sterling work done by ERC over the past 18 years in building the value of

the tournament, with the €45 million (£37.6 million) distribution to

stakeholders expected to rise by at least €10 million (£8.3 million) next

year, McGrath cut to the chase.

“The one reason why they [the English clubs] do not want ERC to continue is to

frustrate our Sky contract,” said McGrath, whose organisation signed away

the rights to the broadcaster even though the English clubs had already

announced their own deal with BT Sport.

“That is very clear to us. It is not about performance, it is not about what

the competition is, it is about winding down a company [ERC] in the

expectation that contracts will fall away. Clearly, that is not something

ERC is prepared to accept.” For all the talk of seeking dialogue and

settlement, the prospect of it seemed further away than ever on Monday.

Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/24319354

Leicester director of rugby Richard Cockerill warns RFU not to oppose clubs ...