English clubs join Euro boycott

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Premier Rugby's decision follows a mass French boycott of both tournaments, which was confirmed at a meeting of Ligue Nationale de Rugby in Paris.

Premier Rugby issued a statement after discussions with LNR, which read: "The current agreement for the European Rugby Cup (ERC), which has been in place for the last eight years, comes to an end after this season."

It continued: "This agreement did not include any shareholding for the tournaments' participants - the clubs. Negotiations on a new agreement have now been taking place for over 12 months, during which such club shareholdings were a fundamental principle.

"ERC is Europe's foremost international club tournament and all clubs have contributed substantially, alongside the Unions, to its sporting and commercial success over the last eight years.

"It is appropriate that they should become equal partners with the Unions in any future agreement.

"LNR and PRL both believe a position was clearly reached last year which confirmed that clubs would have a much greater say in any minimum seven-year agreement, and that they would both hold shares in the new ERC.

"The clubs remain by this position reached in October 2006 as the basis for any future agreement.

"Regrettably, while the Federation Francaise de Rugby (FFR) and the Federazione Italiana Rugby (FIR) have confirmed this position, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) appears no longer to accept this.

"As a result, LNR and PRL clubs are not willing to participate in the absence of a new agreement based on last year's position, and which is inclusive of all parties."