French clubs confirm European boycott
France’s top-flight clubs have confirmed their boycott of next season’s Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup competitions following a meeting in Paris.
Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) president Serge Blanco made the announcement to journalists at Paris Orly Airport Hotel, where the board of the umbrella group had met.
The boycott threat was first made in January, but it will now be carried out following a 14-3 vote in favour.
England’s Guinness Premiership clubs are expected to follow suit, after they announced earlier this week they would fully support any French withdrawal, effectively ending next season’s tournaments as viable propositions.
Both the French and English clubs are furious about a shareholding issue in European Rugby Cup (ERC) between Premier Rugby and the Rugby Football Union (RFU).
Premier Rugby say an agreement was reached in principle last October for the RFU to hand over some of their ERC shares to them as part of a new tournament accord.
The RFU have consistently denied any such agreement was in place.
English clubs believe the Heineken Cup would not be a worthwhile competition without the French, and confirmation of an English pull-out is expected shortly.
The news will be a hammer blow not only to ERC, who are likely to lose broadcasters and sponsors as a result of the French action, but also competing Celtic teams, who face a potential cash crisis as a result.
It had been hoped that French Rugby Federation president Bernard Lapasset could have swayed the clubs into a rethink, but that has not happened.
French and English clubs have won nine out of the 11 Heineken Cup finals between them. The only exceptions were Ulster (1999) and Munster (2006).
“The comite directeur can confirm the position it held on January 16 – 14 votes for maintaining the situation that we had reached, and three against,” said Blanco.
“The 14 votes for, represents the syndicates of the players and the coaches, as well as the syndicates of the presidents [of the clubs] and the representatives of the clubs.
“There we have it. Our position is that we are not competing next season in the European Cups organised by the ERC.
“This decision is non-reversible. President Lapasset has done all he can to keep the French clubs in Europe. He came to us and proposed a certain shareholding for the clubs.”
Blanco claimed there was no desire among the French clubs to establish any alternative tournaments next term to either ERC tournament.
“We don’t have the desire to quit, but moreover, we don’t want to suffer,” he said.
“The French clubs have made their choice, and we [LNR] will assume this.
“The English have their own position. We thought we could find an agreement. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case, which has led us to make the first move and accelerate the movement because we have to prepare for next season.
“In 2005, we sent a letter to ERC president Jean-Pierre Lux demanding a meeting where we could speak about the future organisation of the European Cup, and in particular, the shareholding.
“But today, there is a stumbling block, not for the shareholding of the French clubs – president Lapasset was in agreement on that – the problem is that the RFU refuse to let go of their percentage to the clubs. We wanted this competition to go ahead for the sport’s sake.
“We will organise nothing at all next season. Today isn’t about finding another competition.
“Our only desire was to find a common ground which would allow the clubs to exist together for a longer time. We are sad we haven’t found this.
“We love the European Cup as much as anyone else. The French clubs have invested a lot in this competition, but we cannot continue to be walked all over. Either respect us, or don’t respect us.
“The only way to respect us is to give us our shareholding.”
