European Cup faces breakaway threat

A group of rebel clubs from England and France have served notice of their intention to quit the European Cup and organise a rival competition, according to a report on Thursday. The frustrated English and French teams believe the European Cup's current format is weighted in favour of the Celtic nations as Leinster and Munster have won five of the last seven editions between them. Leinster have won three of the last four European Cups and their rivals in England and France claim that is partly a result of a qualification system that allows them to rest their players during the Pro12 season. Premiership Rugby chief executive Mark McCafferty told the Guardian: "Most of the Ireland squad will not be released for the Pro12 until rounds three or four, something they could not do if they depended on their finishing position in the league for European qualification. "The clubs in England and France have served two years' notice that we intend to pull out of Europe because there needs to be a level playing field. "So far, the response from the other countries has been slow, even though we are not sabre-rattling. We have not been locked in talks and there is no meeting about the issue until the end of next month. "Our view is that the qualification process needs to be changed so that it is entirely merit-based - the top teams in all three leagues as well as the winners of the Heineken Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup should make up 20 sides taking part." The English and French sides believe no more than six Pro12 teams should qualify, although that would put at risk the involvement of Scottish and Italian sides who currently qualify automatically. "I think those countries have effectively made that decision by forming the Pro12," McCafferty added. "It is like me saying that the Premiership has to provide a qualifier from the south-west. It cannot be good for the competition that you do not have the best sides qualifying. "Aironi were disbanded at the end of the last season and the newly-formed Zebre go straight into the Heineken Cup." McCafferty said he was not prepared to do anything to damage the Premiership in order to change the qualification system for the European Cup, as the Premiership accounts for 80 percent of revenues compared to 20 percent from Europe. "ERC should know that we are serious and while the issue has to be resolved, everyone has to realise we cannot carry on as we are," he said. "If it is not, we would go to an Anglo-French competition and if others wanted to join us, fair enough."