Review continues as French threaten boycott
Heineken Cup chiefs have offered no major response to the threat of next season’s flagship competition being decimated by a French boycott.
Three-time European champions Toulouse, twice runners-up Stade Francais and last year’s beaten finalists Biarritz could move into cold storage for the 2007/2008 tournament if the mass withdrawal is carried out.
The full-blown French rebellion has been mooted for some time, with the country’s leading clubs unhappy about the effect this year’s World Cup in September and October will have on their domestic league fixture schedule.
A spokesman for European Rugby Cup (ERC), which organises the Heineken Cup, said: “ERC is aware of the statement issued by the LNR with regard to the French clubs and next season’s Heineken Cup.
“ERC’s six stakeholder nations are currently undergoing a process of reviewing and negotiating the Paris Accord, which is the agreement detailing the structure of the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup tournaments.
“The current accord runs until July 2007.
“The last stakeholders’ meeting took place in Dublin on January 10, and following the meeting a draft document is being produced for consideration by all parties.
“The next stakeholders’ meeting is scheduled for early February.”
If the proposed French boycott goes ahead, ERC would be left with a greatly diluted competition in terms of quality.
Currently a 24-team event, a reduction to 16 for next season would have to be considered.
Such a scenario would be akin to a Champions League in soccer without clubs like Manchester United, AC Milan, Barcelona or Bayern Munich participating.
Alternatively, the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup competitions could be scrapped.
Blanco underlined a need to prioritise the French domestic league next term.
League games could take place during the World Cup, but clubs are fearful of drastically-reduced income from television and sponsorship revenues because they would be without their top international players.
