RFU to hold out olive branch to Premier clubs

Crisis! What crisis? There will be a European club competition next season, with or without the creme de la creme from England and France, but the Rugby Football Union is hoping the Heineken Cup can proceed in its present form. By tinkering with the small print of the Paris Accord, the national unions have their own contracts with their respective clubs or regions which could yet mean the RFU thrashing out a deal with Premier Rugby rather than facing them in court.

"We've got a flexibility that wasn't there before and it's bought us time," said the RFU chairman, Martyn Thomas. "Each union can do what they want in their own country so this is between the RFU and the Premier clubs and nobody else." Today Thomas will hold out an olive branch to Mark McCafferty, chief executive of Premier Rugby, at the EDF Energy Cup final.

Denied an equal partnership in Europe, McCafferty led England's top clubs in joining the French boycott but Thomas hinted the shareholding issue is not a fait accompli. It comes back to the RFU negotiating more time with England's elite squad. "We want England to develop and we want our players in Europe," he said.

The RFU have not had written confirmation of a withdrawal and say most French clubs, who have been denied a vote, want to carry on playing. As a contingency the union have contacted England's First Division clubs. "We've got brassed off sponsors and TV companies and maybe a severely damaged competition," Thomas said, "but we can't let this go. Nor can we make people play, and there's little point dragging them through the courts. It would only damage the game."

If the English and French pull out, they will not be allowed to stage an alternative event.

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