Rugby: Europe pull-out rocks England

Stuart Lancaster.

England face the alarming prospect of entering the 2015 Rugby World Cup without players battle-hardened by European competition after their clubs said they would be missing from next season's Heineken Cup.

Premiership Rugby declared yesterday it was "pursuing other options" after owners and chief executives from all 12 top-flight teams said they would not take part in the European competition.

In a repeat of 1998-99, the decision leaves England's clubs isolated from the rest of Europe from next season.

Premier Rugby chief executive Mark McCafferty refused to detail the other options, but an expanded premiership with championship or Welsh sides or a competition involving South African provinces are possibilities.

The development will be viewed by England head coach Stuart Lancaster as the worst-case scenario, as no replacement will match the intensity of the Heineken Cup months before the sport's showpiece begins.

McCafferty insists the Premiership clubs, armed with their lucrative broadcasting deal with BT Sport, are seeking a permanent rather than stop-gap solution.

"The clubs are financially in a better position next season than they are for the 2013-14 season because of our domestic TV deal and other uplifts in revenue we have in place," he said.

"Financially, 2014-15 has never been an issue. The clubs don't have to focus on short-term solutions, they want a solution for the longer term.

"We have a busy six or seven weeks ahead of us and we'll probably call the clubs back in mid-January to take the next phase of decisions."

Owners and chief executives from all 12 clubs met in London yesterday to discuss the decision by their French counterparts to abandon the breakaway Rugby Champions Cup.

Under pressure from its union, Ligue Nationale de Rugby last week committed to the ERC-run format announced by the unions for the 2014-15 season.

Beyond 2014-15, however, LNR wants an alternative competition overseen by a new body that will maximise the commercial interests of its clubs.

- AAP