French clubs urged to abandon the RCC

http://www.theguardian.com/global/2013/nov/09/french-rugby-heineken-champions-cup

The saga continues, although admittedly there is no response/quote from Goze or the LNR on the attempts of the FFR. Interesting point at the end of the article, if Camou is successful the extra money from the BT deal goes up in smoke - do Sky step into the breach with more money?

The FFR appear to be going through the stages that RFU went through, a few years back with the english clubs.

R12 fans no doubt will be hopeful on the FFR attempts which are only partly euro comp related. However when the LNR conclude their next tv deal shortly, the LNR will be in control of french rugby. Time will tell if that is a good thing.

Getting a little bored with how long this is dragging on and generally shows how poor the Unions who are supposed to control the game have been. The Test calendar is completely saturated and has reached its natural limit and has left no room for development by the blazers.

Too many Unions/leagues have grabbed the available cash rather than develop the grass roots of the game. The first twenty years of professionalism have been a sugar rush with the longer term left to a future generation to sort out. All very disappointing.

To me, this sounds like the FFR position all along - I can't see too much different here.

I'm with you Rec - it's getting very frustrating how long this is taking. To be fair there is now a good offer on the table to progress matters. You would have thought that it would not be beyond everyone to set up an ERC v2 and get things progressing again.

Looks like to be sorted by this article here in the Scotsman.


Iain Morrison: Camou fends off Heineken Cup rebels
by IAIN MORRISON

Published on the 10 November
2013
00:00
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WITH all the focus on the autumn Tests, it is little wonder that last Tuesday’s meeting between the French and English clubs and their respective unions slipped under the radar.

When the dust finally settles, it may yet prove the turning point in the long-running battle for control of the soul of European rugby.

If that turns out to be true, we will have a grumpy Frenchman by the name of Pierre Camou to thank. The president of the French Rugby Federation (FFR) once again manned the barricades on behalf of ERC, the body which runs the Heineken Cup and is danger of losing control of the tournament as English and French clubs circle.

Camou, right, seemingly unperturbed by the fact that he appears to be the leader of an army of one, is said to have made himself crystal clear on the subject of the rebel clubs’ plans to set up a breakaway Rugby Champions Cup competition next season. For the first time, Camou faced down the dissident clubs’ bodies – Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) and Premier Rugby Ltd (PRL) – and told them that he would not let the French clubs take part.

He then pulled an ace from his sleeve – four of them had already sided with him and ERC. We know one is Heineken Cup holders Toulon. Mourad Boudjellal, the comic book magnate who owns Toulon, is furious with LNR plans to restrict the number of foreigners his club fields. Biarritz are rumoured to be one of the other clubs supporting Camou. That may have something to do with the fact that the Biarritz president Serge Blanco, a long-time and vociferous champion of the clubs, is keen to take Camou’s place as FFR president once his term is up, so he suddenly has a lot less to say for himself.

PRL’s boss Mark McCafferty and the English clubs’ principal mover and shaker, Bath owner Bruce Craig, were not best pleased. There is a certain irony at work because, after everyone else has spent the last two years second guessing PRL’s strategy, they now have a tricky task trying to work out whether Camou is bluffing or whether the cantankerous, old-school Frenchman is serious about derailing their plans. Those who know him best suggest the latter and, since the clubs already have almost everything they want regarding finance and qualification, perhaps they will reason that the fight over governance can wait for another day. That would just leave the TV deal to sort out and, if Sky and BT were locked in a room, they would probably split things amicably.

A question remains over why Camou is so insistent on defending the ERC when pretty much everyone else on either side of the fence has given up on them and Irish boss Derek McGrath.

The clue may lie in the controversial postponement in March 2012 of the France v Ireland match ten minutes before kick-off due to a frozen pitch. Camou took much of the blame for that farce and a good few of the barbs that came his way were fired from the Dublin offices of the Six Nations.

Should the ERC fold, the new competition would move lock, stock and barrel under the wing of… the very same Six Nations organisation.

http://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby/latest/iain-morrison-camou-fends-off-heineken-cup-rebels-1-3182188

Interesting Sin...

Sounds like that move would cut down on a bit of bureaucracy too which can only be a good thing IMO.

stub wrote:Interesting Sin...

Sounds like that move would cut down on a bit of bureaucracy too which can only be a good thing IMO.

The company is in the same building as the ERC (& IRB) in Dublin so they could retain most of the staff  . I think they also run the B&I Lions as well.

I doubt if the clubs will get any repesentation in that organisation!

Sin é wrote:

stub wrote:Interesting Sin...

Sounds like that move would cut down on a bit of bureaucracy too which can only be a good thing IMO.

The company is in the same building as the ERC (& IRB) in Dublin so they could retain most of the staff  . I think they also run the B&I Lions as well.

I doubt if the clubs will get any repesentation in that organisation!

 
 
I would think that there would have to be club representation on any agreed body to be honest otherwise the clubs are unlikely to get on board IMO. That said, I still quite like the idea of an European body that is already in existence having it's remit extended to oversee (in partnership with all stakeholders) European club rugby. As both organisations are currently based in Dublin then it's rather neat if some staff can move across. I don't think it's honest Irish working folk where the obstacles are but rather some of the more senior and "larger" personalities from what I read!
 
To be honest though Sin, there are still a lot of ifs and buts and maybes around so I think we'll just have to wait and see what transpires. Getting frustrating though isn't it?

I was hoping Henry would have a great game but unfortunately he went off injured. POM and O'Brien were both good individually. Especially POM. But i just don't like the balance of that backrow. I'd prefer someone like Henry or Jennings there.

Heaslip is the best 8 of the home nations. But I don't think he's a good captain.

Woops. I posted that on the wrong thread.

Feckless Rogue wrote:I was hoping Henry would have a great game but unfortunately he went off injured. POM and O'Brien were both good individually. Especially POM. But i just don't like the balance of that backrow. I'd prefer someone like Henry or Jennings there.

Heaslip is the best 8 of the home nations. But I don't think he's a good captain.

Woops. I posted that on the wrong thread.

A bit random on this thread Feckless!! Did you have a good night last night? Congratulations on the result by the way. Didn't see the match but result looks impressive.

stub wrote:Did you have a good night last night?

I drank a large amount of beer, a couple of gin and tonics, lost multiple games of pool and darts, tried to chat up some lovely girls, and woke up alone, fully clothed with a half eaten kebab on my pillow.

I had an awesome time.

Feckless Rogue wrote:

stub wrote:Did you have a good night last night?

I drank a large amount of beer, a couple of gin and tonics, lost multiple games of pool and darts, tried to chat up some lovely girls, and woke up alone, fully clothed with a half eaten kebab on my pillow.

I had an awesome time.

 


Sounds a top night! Hope you are hydrating today - or have a least finished off that kebab!!

Sin é wrote:

stub wrote:Interesting Sin...

Sounds like that move would cut down on a bit of bureaucracy too which can only be a good thing IMO.

The company is in the same building as the ERC (& IRB) in Dublin so they could retain most of the staff  . I think they also run the B&I Lions as well.

I doubt if the clubs will get any repesentation in that organisation!

fyi, it is PRL and LNR that proposed the administration of the competition be moved to the 6N bods. Camou is proposing it stays with ERC. Has nothing to do with the governance/shareholder/voting structure of the company that will be set up to run RCC if i remember correctly. this is just about administration.