EUROPEAN PROFESSIONAL CLUB Rugby (EPCR) say they’ve already talked to their shareholders about holding a global club rugby competition every four years that would “complement” their flagship tournament and the second-tier European Challenge Cup.
Earlier today, French Rugby Federation president Bernard Laporte made headlines when he called on World Rugby to create a Club World Cup to replace the European Champions Cup.
The Champions Cup organisers responded this evening by confirming that a global club tournament is already under consideration, but not at the expense of the Champions Cup.
“EPCR has noted today’s media reports regarding a proposal for an annual Club World Cup,” the statement says.
“Discussions have already taken place on an official level between EPCR and its shareholders regarding a global club tournament which could complement the Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup and which could take place once every four years. Work on possible formats is ongoing with a collaborative approach and issues of player welfare to the fore.
But with rugby worldwide suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak, EPCR added it “does not believe it appropriate to highlight such discussions while the public health crisis due to Covid-19 continues”, insisting its “focus is on attempting to reschedule the knockout stages of the 2019/20 tournaments subject to government and local authority directives.”
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