Premiership's Heineken Cup plan 'breaches agreement'

By Simon AustinBBC Sport

Last updated on .From the section Rugby Unioncomments198

Heineken Cup

Premiership clubs could be in breach of contract if they implement a Heineken Cup breakaway plan, says former Rugby Football Union chief Martyn Thomas.

to show live European matches from 2014, raising doubts over the future of the Heineken Cup.

Thomas says an agreement between the RFU and clubsexternal-link prevents this happening.

"It stipulates the clubs must play in the two European competitions up to and including 2015-16," he told BBC Sport.

"If they go ahead with this breakaway they could be liable for a legal challenge and having to pay substantial damages."

Thomas, a former lawyer, was chairman of the RFU when the agreement was signed in November 2007, securing an estimated £110m for Premiership clubs.

The agreement "governs the professional game in England" from 1 July 2008 until 30 June 2016.

Stakeholders in European Rugby Cup (ERC), the organisation charged with governing the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup, will meet in Dublin on Tuesday to discuss the future of European competition.

Martyn Thomas
Martyn Thomas: Chairman of RFU when the 2007 agreement was signed

A spokesman for Premier Rugby told BBC Sport he "did not recognise" the clause in the 2007 agreement that Thomas was referring to.

"The clubs will still be competing in European competition anyway, although under a different guise, and the meeting in Dublin is about defining a new European competition," he added.

The RFU refused to comment, referring back to the statement it released last week, which read: "Whilst the RFU has not given consent to Premiership Rugby to grant European broadcasting rights, we believe it is important to work with them and with all parties involved to find common ground."

ERC responded to Premier Rugby's announcement last week by declaring their own new four-year deal with Sky.

But Premier Rugby argues that ERC's right to negotiate broadcast deals on behalf of unions is only valid until the start of the 2014-15 season.

On Saturday, Premiership Rugby chief executive Mark McCafferty had said: "The context everyone has to remember is that there is no European competition after 2014 for anyone, because notice has been served on the accord so there is a vacuum in 2014.

"We are trying to decide - everyone is trying to decide - what should replace it. Whichever way, there will be new competitions after 2014."

Meanwhile, Brett Gosper, the new chief executive of the International Rugby Board, is confident that the future of European club rugby will be resolved.

"It's an issue between the RFU and the PRL and we're pretty certain they will sort that out," he told BBC Sport.

"The good news for rugby is there are some powerful media interests that are interested in the sport of rugby and that's a good thing to take out of it.

"We're hoping and we're sure that the RFU and PRL will sort out the issues that will put this back on track."

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198 comments

  • Comment posted by Amiga500, at 23:14 17 Sep 2012

    I think the arrogance of the PR bunch is breathtaking.

    For instance, the meeting in Dublin is now about defining a new competition?!? No, the meeting was supposed to be about talking about the problems with the current system, up until PR throw a grenade into the works.

    For the good of rugby over Europe as a whole, I hope the RFU slap them down, this greed serves no-one but themselves.

  • Comment posted by Science, at 22:59 17 Sep 2012

    Thumbs up to all of you. As an Ulster fan I find these comments (1-5) refreshing in light of the complaining about the "unfairness of the heineken cup" going on in other threads.

  • Comment posted by U9363407, at 11:11 18 Sep 2012

    A group of us have launched a campaign to 'Save The Heineken Cup'. Look us up on Facebook.

  • Comment posted by jocktamsinsbrains, at 07:51 18 Sep 2012

    England has biggest no. registered players in world so why can't Pr tap into that? No excuses PR, grow up and just stop playing turgid rugby like Sarries v Tigers, then you might have a chance in HC. And administrators please sort out the disjointed mess of the calendar - a few weeks of Domestic then Eur then internationals (and 2nd XV domestic) and so on. Learn from S Hemisphere

  • Comment posted by U14979597, at 23:57 17 Sep 2012

    We passively sat back and allowed this to happen since the demise of the County system and the rise of the Clubs (been good rugby to watch)
    Clubs are now being run as business's for the interest of individuals - the RFU must slap these individual hard NOW, like the Monarchy RFU can easily handle a turbulent period and knock these leaches into shape, as long as they are not aligned with them!

  • Comment posted by sweens58, at 23:05 17 Sep 2012

    PR must have the worst set of lawyers on the planet. Once again they are trying to rewrite contracts for a bigger profit. You would have thought they'd learnt a lesson after the London Welsh fiasco.

  • Comment posted by U7367876, at 22:51 17 Sep 2012

    PR may have brokered the breakaway deal, but I don't believe that they represent the majority of Eng club fans.
    I've yet to have visited any Eng (or any of the other nations) clubs, spoken with their fans, and heard them want out of the HEC, or even a massive revamp of the comp.
    The money men, who no doubt get a slice of the BT money, have a lot to answer for.

  • Comment posted by Rach1985, at 22:44 17 Sep 2012

    Always about money. This is all its about. As a tigers fan I would be gutted if PR did breakaway. The Heineken cup is the ultimate and we were in the final not long ago. We could've won it but that day Leonster were the better side and deserved the cup. I would prefer to lose in a final against a good Irish team than lose in a mickey mouse cup. We need to catch up, not anyone else's fault.

  • Comment posted by U15429078, at 11:23 18 Sep 2012

    The basis for the EPL clubs negotiation technique seems to be brinksmanship and belligerence. They are also grotesquely arrogant. They appear to view the HC as existing because of them... one can almost imagine them believing that they have some divine right to annual success in the competition.

  • Comment posted by U7868199, at 10:47 18 Sep 2012

    Nimrod. Your greed is typical sour grapes. England's population is much bigger than Ireland, Wales and Scotland's so obviously you have bigger viewing figures. That does not mean English teams derseve more money. England has a much bigger player pool than the other nations so use it and develop your players to win the HC. Stop whining as its sounds childish and pathetic.

  • Comment posted by Callum, at 10:26 18 Sep 2012

    The idea that relegation is a hindrance is surly absurd as all the English teams that make the HC are usually at the top of the table. I think it would take more than 5 extra matches for tigers to get relegated. A new format that would always guarantee English teams/French teams a place but then not the other nations is obviously biases and should not be supported. Just play better in the HC!

  • Comment posted by U13860838, at 10:05 18 Sep 2012

    twb, you really don't know your stuff m8. Name me one Welsh team with a budget the same as a top French or English club.

    England and France had no problem being there when they were winning, what they have a problem with is that the Irish have stolen the march, and are dominating their clubs.

    Like a spoilt child in school, now they don't want anyone to play with their ball. Grow up.

  • Comment posted by Jonzy, at 01:54 18 Sep 2012

    Bob you are talking crap the Irish welsh and Scottish teams beat the English team consistently so why should u have more teams in the comp give it a rest!! Just the English being greedy as usual

  • Comment posted by U7367876, at 00:19 18 Sep 2012

    The HEC should be run as it was first envisaged, to improve European Rugby.
    I understand that people want the best teams, no matter where they are from.
    But even as an Irishman, who would still see Munster/Ulster/Leinster compete under such as system, would hate to see Wal/Scot/Ita teams suffer.
    We all need either other. The SH teams have an even split, and 100 years of dominance.

  • Comment posted by Rach1985, at 00:09 18 Sep 2012

    @17 it is true.

    Also another point, theFrench want fair play and a level playing field fine, but then their teams should have salary caps like the rest of us. They thought they could buy their way to success, but so far it hasn't worked.

  • Comment posted by U14469349, at 00:04 18 Sep 2012

    its nothing to do with the celts having an advantage. wales have always been poor in the HC despite winning 3 GSs recently.

    the only teams who do well are munster & leinster because the irish national squad is mostly in those 2 teams, with a sprinkling of foreign excellence.

    they probably have as hard a time physically due to the international commitments, but they are just better and have depth

  • Comment posted by U15422076, at 22:02 17 Sep 2012

    Given the comments made by the VP of the French equivelent of Premier Rugby earlier today its becoming clear that the whole breakaway is about the English clubs (ie Leicester) not being top dog anymore

  • Comment posted by U15429342, at 13:54 18 Sep 2012

    I agree that there is something wrong with the likes of Zebra walking straight in while teams like Stade Francais are left in the Amlin but the idea of reducing the size of the HC seems backwards whenever it is getting more and more popular every year. So why not increase it to 32 teams like Champs league? 10 rabo (worked to include all nations), 10 AP and 12 Fre? This would also free up the......

  • Comment posted by Rach1985, at 13:44 18 Sep 2012

    @112 I dunno if english clubs would be classed as rubbish. Two losing finalists on the past few years isn't rubbish. Just Irish sides have been better, fair play to them.

  • Comment posted by frudiro21, at 13:38 18 Sep 2012

    I know it is odd that all Rabo teams qualify, but for some of them, it is easier to win the HC than the Rabo.

    To win the Rabo you need to beat Munster and Leinster in consecutive weeks. To win the HC Sarries run would have been Clermont, Leinster, Ulster (IMO a tiny bit more possible)

    Therefore it is sensible while Rabo teams are guaranteed qualification, they sacrifice the league to HC.

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