WHEN THE RUGBY unions with a stake-holding in the RaboDirect Pro12 last week issued simultaneous statements apparently backing the status quo, it was apparent they had left some loopholes open.
Missing from the plans were the ERC, who currently operate the Heineken and Amlin Challenge Cups which are under threat of extinction as English and French clubs vow not to reopen negotiation to change factors which have long left them disgruntled.
“We’re not concerned at all, ERC will stand on its record,” said chief executive Derek McGrath at today’s Heineken Cup launch in Dublin, before suggesting the omission of his company could encourage the rogue parties back to the table.
“If you’re recognising that one of the aspects of the proposals that the clubs wish to discuss (format, qualification, finance, but also) governance; how we make decisions together. That is one of the questions on the table and, clearly, we represent that to the clubs.
“So if you’re a union coming out to say ‘this is how it’s going to be done’, and you put a precondition to say ‘it’s going to look exactly like we’ve done it to date’, then that’s not going to encourage people to take it up.
“So that may be the reason it’s not mentioned specifically by the Celtic unions plus Italy, but the FFR did mention ERC when they made their statement. It’s certainly intended that the current institutions of the game, under the current regulations are the best may to find an accommodation and take this forward.”
McGrath also expressed a confident stance that, although the RFU were the only group yet to issue a public statement, they would share similar goals to the existing ERC structure.
“There has been an awful lot of things said publicly. What I’m more interested in is progress. There have been a lot of activity behind the scenes. The RFU are in a difficult position, they’re looking to support their clubs and at the same time they are looking to recognise they’re responsibilities to the wider game and to their partner unions.
“They’ve got a World Cup coming 2015, so they know there are risks for themselves and they want to find solutions that will work. But through the context of working with the RFU we’re happy with what they want to achieve, even if they’re not saying that publicly.”
The ERC boss admitted that an agreement was “not close” as Premiership Rugby and LNR stick by their stance of refusing further talks. However, as the proposed Rugby Champions Cup would not feature a vastly different competition structure, McGrath spoke in terms of ongoing negotiations to determine the ‘division of spoils’.
“If you look at the proposals that have been made, even the alternative so-called breakaway, they look pretty close to what we have today and really what we have is a division of spoils – how we’re going to share the benefits in a different way and how we’re going to qualify in a different way.”
