English clubs join French rebels

England's top clubs have confirmed they are joining their French counterparts in deciding to boycott next season's Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup competitions.

The clubs are unhappy over the Rugby Football Union (RFU) not giving English clubs an equal stake in the tournament.

Premier Rugby's decision follows a mass French boycott of both tournaments, which was confirmed at a meeting of Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) in Paris on Thursday.

LNR president Serge Blanco said French clubs had voted 14-3 in favour of pulling out.

"We are not competing in the European Cups organised by European Rugby Cup - that is non-reversible," he said.

The French clubs are also thought to be unhappy at their domestic championship being disrupted by the World Cup.

The powerful Anglo-French alliance has almost certainly sounded the death knell for European club rugby's most coveted prize next term.

Premier Rugby issued a statement after discussions with LNR.

It read: "The current agreement for the European Rugby Cup (ERC), which has been in place for the last eight years, comes to an end after this season.

"This agreement did not include any shareholding for the tournaments' participants - the clubs.

"Negotiations on a new agreement have now been taking place for over 12 months, during which such club shareholdings were a fundamental principle.

"ERC is Europe's foremost international club tournament and all clubs have contributed substantially, alongside the Unions, to its sporting and commercial success over the last eight years.

"It is appropriate that they should become equal partners with the Unions in any future agreement.

"LNR and PRL both believe a position was clearly reached last year which confirmed that clubs would have a much greater say in any minimum seven-year agreement, and that they would both hold shares in the new ERC.

"The clubs remain by this position reached in October 2006 as the basis for any future agreement.

"Regrettably, while the Federation Francaise de Rugby (FFR) and the Federazione Italiana Rugby (FIR) have confirmed this position, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) appears no longer to accept this.

"As a result, LNR and PRL clubs are not willing to participate in the absence of a new agreement based on last year's position, and which is inclusive of all parties."

More to follow....