Heineken Cup set to be salvaged
08/05/2007 |
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A European Rugby Cup meeting on Tuesday in Dublin is expected to announce the Heineken Cup will go ahead next season.
A deal is close to being brokered that will see the tournament continue in its current format, with the leading English and French clubs.
"We're cautiously optimistic, but there is still discussion to take place this (Tuesday) morning," Welsh Rugby Union boss Roger Lewis told BBC Sport Wales.
"The area we need to resolve surrounds the English clubs and the RFU."
England's top clubs had joined French teams in boycotting the Heineken Cup and European Challenge Cup next season.
The Premiership clubs are in dispute with the Rugby Football Union, which they accuse of turning its back on a deal to give them a stake in the European competitions.
For its part, the RFU would regard a boycott as a termination of an agreement it has with Premier Rugby, the umbrella body for England's elite clubs, and would be inclined to withhold the £25m a year it currently gives to the clubs.
"We need to ensure that we arrive at an agreement that both those parties are happy with and doesn't impact on any further discussions those parties have to have regarding their relationship," Lewis added.
But the WRU group chief executive is confident enough of success on Tuesday to have made a bid to host the 2008 final in Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.
"What we're heading towards is a competition that will be, in effect, the same as this year," Lewis said.
"Syd Millar of the International Rugby Board was pivotal, he's knocked a few heads together and got some common sense going, while the Celtic nations have also helped to encourage dialogue.
"The expectation is that we can move forward in the meeting on Tuesday, but there's many a slip between cup and lip and a lot more talking to be done.
"This tournament is something so special that we can't lose it and it's important that we move together on this in partnership, with no triumphalism or noses rubbed in things.
"If things go ahead as hoped, I've put in a tender for next year's final to be held at the Millennium Stadium.
"The proposal is up against bids from France, Scotland and one other European country, but I will be bullish in trying to secure the deal in Tuesday's meeting."
The Irish Rugby Football Union has welcomed the news of a possible breakthrough with "cautious optimism".
"There has been a huge amount of work behind the scenes over the last number of weeks by all parties to find a solution," said IRFU chief executive Philip Browne.
"We can now look forward with cautious optimism that an agreement may be signed to secure the long-term future of the competition.
"This is important news for the game on a global level but most importantly for rugby in Ireland.
"The importance of the competition to the professional game and in turn its influence on all over levels of the sport cannot be underestimated.
"The work of the IRB and its chairman, Dr Syd Millar, cannot be overlooked in bringing all the parties to this point.
"Hopefully we will have an agreement in place as soon as possible."
(Source: BBC.co.uk)
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