You are in > manchester.com  > News > European tournament confirmed

Rugby Union

European tournament confirmed

11/04/2007

The European Rugby Cup (ERC) announced an agreement has been made between all six of the current participating nations to stage a European-wide club competition next season.

In a meeting held in Dublin, the English and French Unions agreed to supply teams to compete in a tournament but it is not yet clear whether they will be from the top tier of each country's league system.

An ERC statement said: "Following a meeting of ERC's shareholders in Dublin today, it was agreed that a European club rugby tournament will be staged in the 2007/08 season, to include teams from all six of the current participating nations.

"The structure of the tournament will be discussed and agreed by the ERC board in the coming weeks."

English and French clubs announced plans to pull out of the tournament last week after a long-held disagreement with the Rugby Football Union (RFU) over revenue sharing and could be replaced by second-tier sides instead.

RFU management board chairman Martyn Thomas said: "We are delighted that there will be a European club rugby tournament involving English clubs next season.

"We hope that these will be from the Guinness Premiership and as rugby's national governing body we are committed to English club participation in the competition."

The current Heineken Cup contract expires after this season and the English clubs had hoped to restructure the tournament and expand it from the current 24 sides to 36 in a similar format to football's Champions League.

Welsh Rugby Union chief executive Roger Lewis said he was pleased that a tournament of some sort would take place next season as it guaranteed the financial security of the Welsh provincial sides which had been put under pressure by the boycott.

© Adfero Ltd