Rugby

Heineken Cup crisis deepens as ERC fail to sanction payments to clubs

Heineken Cup organisers have refused to sanction scheduled tournament appearance payments, plunging European club rugby into deeper crisis.

Heineken Cup organisers ERC have voted to postpone any decisions on the future of the competition, plunging it into further crisis
Heineken Cup organisers ERC have voted to postpone any decisions on the future of the competition, plunging it into further crisis
Thu Feb 06 2014 - 01:00

Heineken Cup organisers have refused to sanction scheduled tournament appearance payments, plunging European club rugby into deeper crisis.

The European Rugby Cup (ERC) board voted unanimously to postpone any decisions, including releasing tournament appearance payments owed to clubs.

Already overdue
The second instalment of five seasonal appearance payments is already overdue.The ERC board will reconvene on Wednesday, February 19th.

ERC will end up defunct if a top-flight European club competition is organised and run by another body next season.

The English clubs want the Six Nations committee to assume European knockout rugby governance, and the Welsh regions and French clubs would accept that move.

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The board of ERC are now understood to be withholding money as they seek to clarify what liabilities they would suffer should the company be forced to wind upr.

ERC confirmed this latest move in a statement following the Dublin meeting last night.

The ERC statement read: “The vote to postpone any decision followed preliminary advice received by the Board, and was taken in the best interests of the company after lengthy discussions.

The Counter Ruck

The Counter Ruck

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