European Rugby Champions Cup

So European rugby has its solution after months of tense stand offs and months of negotiations we finally have a competition for next year to replace the Heineken Cup, in fact it will be in place for the next 8 years so now we can finally get down to what matters playing rugby instead of talking about it.

The competition will be broken down into 6 teams from the Pro 12, 6 from the Top 14 in France and 6 from the Aviva Premiership with the last two places being given to end of season place off winners. This compromise will not suit everyone and people have already said that a gulf will develop between the top French sides and the rest. This competition does offer two things competitive games all the way through the competition and also no meaningless games in any league because every team will be fighting for a place in their league’s top 6.

In the past we have seen teams winning the Pro 12 with games to spare but since the introduction of the play off system back in 2010 we have seen better quality games right through the season. Premiership Rugby was complaining that there was no threat of relegation in the Pro 12 so that teams could rest players for big European ties but one feels this will no longer be the case. Teams will now have to fight until the end of the season to make sure of a European place.

It has also been suggested that this format will only make the stronger teams even stronger and the weaker teams will get weaker but I disagree with this based on the fact that all teams are now back on an even keel, if Clermont Auvergne were to have a bad season next year and finish outside the top 6 in the Top 14 they would not have European rugby next season. In the Pro 12 you will have the scenario if Leinster were to do the same as Clermont they would not have European rugby either next season.

Also next season we will have two other competition in the form of a European Rugby Challenge Cup and also a third competition for teams in the developing rugby nations like Portugal, Spain, Uruguay and many others. So in three years’ time you could have a team from any of those nations in the Top tournament playing with the likes of Leicester, Munster, Clermont and other european  heavyweights. Who could have seen that coming only a few short months ago.

So at least for the rest of the season we can now concentrate on the rest of the domestic league’s and also the last Heineken Cup semi-finals in their current format.  To those people that got each party around the table for talks to solve this crisis I think I speak for all rugby fans when I say thank you.

The TV rights will be split between BT Sport and Sky Sports. This will offer the viewer more chose when deciding what games to watch. Let’s hope that the new European Champions Cup lives up to the billing and delivers what the Heineken Cup has done for 18 years top quality games, and also great players and supporters.

By

Cian Mc Gibney

14/04/2014.