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Philip Browne: "absolutely happy" with new deal. Dan Sheridan/INPHO
Champions Cup

'The best deal is a deal where nobody is entirely happy' - The IRFU's take on Europe's new rugby deal

The European Rugby Champions Cup comes into being next season.

AFTER MORE THAN two years of wrangling, common sense prevailed to allow the creation of the new European Rugby Champions Cup, IRFU chief executive Philip Browne said yesterday.

“At the end of the day it’s patently obvious that the supporters of rugby in Europe wanted a European competition, the broadcasters wanted a European competition, the teams competing wanted a European competition so there had to be a European competition,” he said.

“Common sense prevailed.”

The Champions Cup, which replaces the Heineken Cup from next season, will see a reduction in numbers from 24 to 20 teams, a three-way split in financial revenue between the leagues — Premiership Rugby, the Top 14 and the Pro12 — and a three-way split in governance.

That outcome tallies nicely with the original wish list of the French and English clubs but Browne declared himself “absolutely happy” with the deal struck.

At the end of the day you go through a process like that and the best deal is a deal where nobody is entirely happy.

“From that point of view it has been a successful outcome for everyone on that the governance of the game still lies with the unions, and the governance of this tournament lies with the participants, and that is the importance of the decisions that were taken.”

The IRFU will receive a guaranteed minimum of €5.1 million for the first five years but with hopes that the new tournament’s revenues could exceed €120 million by that point, their share could quickly double.

“From an Irish point of view the positive on that side of the situation is we’ll be moving to a situation where there will is a financial distribution on a per club basis within the Rabo in due course when the revenues get to a certain level. That is an advantage for us as we field four teams as opposed to two teams in Scotland and two teams in Italy.

“From that point of view that was important for us and we have achieved that.

We have achieved ensuring that we have representation of all countries involved in professional rugby in Europe, we’ve established meritocracy within the Rabo, so all of these things are important.

“I think the overall governance of the game lies still with the unions and that is recognised within the articles of new association and it’s recognised by all the parties around the table and I think that was important as well.”

He added: “The proof will be in the eating of the pudding as to how the 20-team competition works. Personally I think it will work.

“It also hopefully will also ensure that the secondary competition [the new Challenge Cup] will be more competitive which was something that was of great importance to the French in particular; the proof will be in the eating of the pudding.

“The important thing is agreement is reached, that we have a European competition going forward, that all the parties are still in the competitions, and that professional rugby in Europe still has a set of competitions that underpin international rugby.

“That, ultimately, was the most important thing.”

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