European Champions Cup chiefs have confirmed they are in talks with Super Rugby bosses about a possible fixture between the winners of each competition.
European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR), who oversee both the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup tournaments, say plans are at an early stage.
In a statement, EPCR said: “Following reports in some sections of the media, EPCR can confirm that it is actively formulating a strategy on how best to organise and market a match in the future between the winners of the European Rugby Champions Cup and the winners of the Super Rugby competition.
“As EPCR continues to develop the concept, it has to not least ensure that any such match would be incorporated into the global season at the appropriate time, and that it would also involve full-strength squads from both competing clubs to reflect the elite nature of the Champions Cup and Super Rugby tournaments.
“To that end, EPCR is in discussions with SANZAR, which runs the Super Rugby competition, with a view to working on a joint proposal regarding the match.
“With planning at an early stage, EPCR will be making no further comment until it is in a position to do so at a future date.”
This season’s Champions Cup competition reaches its quarter-final stage next month, with five English clubs – Saracens, Northampton, Wasps, Exeter and Leicester – in contention for silverware, along with French trio Toulon, Racing 92 and Stade Francais.
The Super Rugby tournament, meanwhile, is ongoing in the southern hemisphere, featuring top teams from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, plus newly-formed Argentina representatives, the Buenos Aires-based Jaguares.
