French clubs confirm cup boycott

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

Clubs chief Serge Blanco made the announcement to journalists at Paris Orly Airport Hotel, where the board of Ligue Nationale de Rugby have been meeting all day.

England's Guinness Premiership clubs are expected to follow suit after they announced earlier this week they would fully support any French withdrawal, effectively ending next season's tournaments as viable propositions.

Both the French and English clubs are furious about a shareholding issue in European Rugby Cup between Premier Rugby and the Rugby Football Union.

Premier Rugby say an agreement was reached in principle last October for the RFU to hand over some of their ERC shares to them as part of a new tournament accord.

The RFU have consistently denied any such agreement was in place.

English clubs believe the Heineken Cup would not be a worthwhile competition without the French, and confirmation of an English pull-out is expected shortly.

The news will be a hammer blow not only to ERC, who are likely to lose broadcasters and sponsors as a result of the French action, but also competing Celtic teams, who face a potential cash crisis as a result.

It had been hoped that French Rugby Federation president Bernard Lapasset could have swayed the clubs into a rethink, but that has not happened.

French and English clubs have won nine out of the 11 Heineken Cup finals between them. The only exceptions were Ulster (1999) and Munster (2006).