Mark McCafferty Q&A: English clubs boss talks to Simon Thomas about the Euro rugby peace deal

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/european-peace-deal-simon-thomas-6991421


As the dust begins to settle on the European peace deal, PRL chief executive Mark McCafferty speaks about the part the Welsh regions played in the saga and his hopes for the Rugby Champions Cup

Q: It’s been a long, long two years to get to where we are today. Did you ever give up on a European peace deal being done?

A: I never gave up on it. There were days when I thought it wasn’t going to happen. There was always a willingness to try and make something happen, but that’s not always enough. Thankfully we got there. People started to compromise and finding a TV solution was crucial. But it’s one thing getting the deal done, implementing it is going to take a lot more work again.

Q: Do you think we would have got to a settlement if the Welsh regions hadn’t backed the Rugby Champions Cup?

A: No. I think we would have been in a different place, not where we are today.

What that started to indicate was there could be some collateral impact on the Pro12 if a European deal wasn’t done.

The decision of the Welsh regions not to renew the Participation Agreement with the WRU at the turn of year was crucial, while the work that had been done on an Anglo-Welsh league also focused people’s minds.

We always said our first preference was to find a European solution. But if that didn’t materialise - and there were times when it looked like it might not - then we were prepared to go with expansion of the Premiership.

So, the Welsh regions were central to it.

The way they have handled themselves over the last six months has been very impressive.

They have been very together and they handled the cards they have got extremely well.

I get a sense of a confidence there now, which is right. They are good clubs and brands and good people involved with it.

Clearly we have been historically pretty close to them, but we have never worked as closely before on issues.

I hope it will allow us to do other things together. They are very like-minded as clubs the English and Welsh.

I am sure the European deal will lead to more money in their pockets and that’s great for Welsh rugby.

We need the Welsh regions back challenging for quarter-final places. In recent years, it’s tended to be just Ireland, England and France occupying the last eight.

We need the Welsh regions back there where they belong in the knock-out stages and hopefully this deal will strengthen them


Q: So, are you confident European revenue will hit the 64m Euros mark required to bring significant additional funding to the Welsh teams?

A: Yes. Hopefully that will help the regions retain the next generation of players they are producing and help them get back into the knock out stages.

In terms of the main revenue streams, the UK and Irish television deals are done. Next will be the French and international TV rights and the commercial sponsor programme.

The TV rights will be done by June, while the commercial sponsorship side will go on through the summer and up to September. That will be the final piece in the jigsaw.

There are more likely to be a number of associated sponsors, based on the Champions League model, rather than one title sponsor.


Q: You hinted at doing other things together with the Welsh regions in the future. What were you alluding to there?

A: We are already involved together through the LV Cup, which, from our perspective, has found a good place from the player development point of view.

It’s always going to be behind the domestic leagues and Europe, but it’s a good competition, so we want to develop that further.

We’ll maybe look to introduce other teams into it and we are talking to the regions about that.

There are a number of countries interested in being involved in the LV.

I know the Irish want more games at that sort of level, while France have a strong U23s competition, so there may be opportunities there.

We won’t change from six weekends and it will still be in the international window, but we can accommodate some expansion.

Next season will be the last of the current competition and it will probably take a break then as I’m not sure we can do it during the World Cup year of 2015-16. There’s not enough space in the calendar, as the World Cup doesn’t finish until the end of October.

But that gives us a natural opportunity to look at what we want to do from 2016-17 onwards. We are looking at starting afresh then. We definitely feel the competition can keep progressing and developing.

One of the other areas where we could work closer with the regions is the world club sevens, which are held at Twickenham in August. They have not been involved in that up now, but that could be on the agenda moving forwards.

People love Anglo-Welsh competition and I think we can build that.


Q: One accusation which has been levelled at the English clubs is you got your way over Europe through bully boy tactics. What would you say to that?

A: Of course we are aware that lots of people don’t agree with what we did and the way we did it.

The only thing I can say is let’s wait until next season. Let’s see what it looks like and make judgement then.

Unfortunately, in order to get progress and change in the game, it seems quite often that can only happen if there is a crisis. That is unfortunate and regrettable.

The game will continue to change and we must be able to evolve without a need for crisis. We have got to try and avoid that.

At least we have a deal now which covers an eight-year period, which gives people stability. But towards the end of that period, we will doubtless have change again and hopefully the new association can evolve with that. It’s all part of sport having to mature and progress.


Q: Another complaint is that the new distribution of European revenue will see England and France get richer again. How do you respond to that?

A: Only in a collective sense.

If we get to 64m Euros, then the income to the English and French teams  - on a per club basis - is going to be less than the income for the Welsh regions by some margin.

If the English and French clubs are individually better off, it’s a function of money they bring in from their leagues, not per share of European money.

I would expect that the attention now needs to turn to how to make the Pro12 stronger.

Part of that is being helped by the new merit-based qualification system for Europe.

It’s been interesting to hear the Scarlets coach Simon Easterby saying how it’s added real spice to the end of season run-in of games.


Q: The Heineken Cup is a hard act to follow. Are you confident the Champions Cup will be better again and, if so, why?

A: If you look at the recent Heineken quarter-finals, that embodied all the good in European club rugby. The colour, the noise, the passion, the quality of games. That is what people love about it.

Hopefully we will have more of that in the pool stages because the competition will be even stronger.

Given the strength of teams involved, I think sides are going to be qualifying for the quarter-finals having won four or maybe even just three games. It’s going to be so tight in the individual groups. It will be interesting whether anyone is able to win six out of six.

Bonus points are going to be even more crucial because the competition in the pools will be even more intense.

And you are going to have three runners-up going through rather than two, which will add further to the mix.

It should lead to more pools going right down to the wire in the fifth and six rounds, which will make those games even more dramatic. I think we will have all-round even stronger pool stages.

The introduction of the new third-tier Qualifying Competition will also be significant.

There will be a pathway through for teams from emerging countries now, countries that can become power houses in European rugby in the long-term.


Q: At present, S4C show highlights of European cup rugby. Will there be scope for that under the new structure?

A: We have to go through that with BT and Sky. We have already reached agreement about main rights. We will need to see whether there are possibilities there with the local language situation in Wales. That is part of moving from Heads of Agreement to long-form agreement. It’s one of the things we have to go through.

Q: Some people have expressed concern that the shift of power from Unions to clubs over commercial issues could see rugby heading down the road of football, with the international game diminished. What would you say to that?

A: I don’t see that at all. The players are always going to want to play for their country and that is the key thing. International rugby is always going to be in the position it is in.

It is inevitable that club competitions will continue to grow and these new agreements will accelerate that growth. It should set new benchmarks for everyone, but I don’t think people should be worried about that.

They should take it as a challenge to make all the other parts of the rugby system as attractive as well.

* Mark McCafferty is chief executive of PRL, the umbrella organisation for the Aviva Premiership clubs.

Interesting. Thx for posting the interview.

Roger Lewis must be gnashing his teeth...LOL

Roger Lewis can do one

Mark McCafferty can do an even bigger one

True dat

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Mark McCafferty can do an even bigger one

I see McCafferty and PRL as the big school yard bully. RRW are that weasly little kid who hands over their sweets every day because they think the bully is their friend. One day they will find out PRL aren't their friend at all. They just got used. And honestly, if they are too stupid not to see it, then they would not be the sort of people I would hand over £millions to run the pro game.

doctornickolas wrote:

AsLongAsBut100ofUs wrote:Mark McCafferty can do an even bigger one

I see McCafferty and PRL as the big school yard bully. RRW are that weasly little kid who hands over their sweets every day because they think the bully is their friend. One day they will find out PRL aren't their friend at all. They just got used. And honestly, if they are too stupid not to see it, then they would not be the sort of people I would hand over £millions to run the pro game.

 

+1

Interesting that he suggests the Provinces and other  could be involved in a new LV cup. I would love to see Leinster in it as its a great way to expose academy players to a decent standard of rugby. Much better than the B&I cup.

Mccafferty won. Roger Lewis emphatically lost and is now dealing with civil war in welsh rugby.

But mccafferry in this interview, if any of u had bothered to read it before venting, is very sensible, gracious and positive about rugby. He was not hired as head of PRL to do the bidding of the unions...

True. He was hired by the PRL to put the AP clubs in the strongest position he could manage. He has been very successful. European club competition now 1/3 controlled by AP club votes. Precedent set for UK & Ireland television rights to be negotiated exclusively by the PRL.

Doesn't mean we all have to agree with a view that is entirely AP club centric.

Of course not. But hating him for doing his job is a bit naive. And plenty did.