rossie wrote: Apparently ffr have told French Clubs/ LNR that they will not sanction their move to RCC. In addition they have offered them 2m each and/or central contracts for internationals similar to irfu system if they continue with erc. Interesting few days ahead.

It's all fairly irrelevant anyway the big nut cracker will be the legal battle between BT & SKY over broadcast rights, whcih probably won't kickoff until such a time as there is clarity over which way the Pro12 sides will roll.

Despite all the PR from PRL (which is the primary driver in the media) it needs to be borne in mind that the Pro 12 sides are already signed up with SKY for four years for TV coverage from 2014-15 so SKY will be holding onto the collective Pro12 cojones while they're making up their minds...

Apparently ffr have told French Clubs/ LNR that they will not sanction their move to RCC. In addition they have offered them 2m each and/or central contracts for internationals similar to irfu system if they continue with erc. Interesting few days ahead.

Morning all. Twitter page is looking a bit better. Getting the hang of it now. Hit 700 signatures overnight, happy with that. Keep sharing and linking and have a great Monday.

www.change.org/en-GB/petition...e-heineken-cup

twitter.com/SaveTheHCup

www.facebook.com/saveeuropeanrugby?fref=ts

OK, Twitter account is now up and running. I'm not used to Twitter, so excuse any problems.
twitter.com/SaveTheHCup

Yeah, unfortunately I didn't see the appetite for it in the people in England. I think I'll have to just leave it the way it is. I've been contacted by an English gentleman who has started a Facebook page a few months back and ha has shared it to his page. Feel free to have a look and a like if it grabs you. He seems like a good man anyway.

[img]http://https://www.facebook.com/saveeuropeanrugby[/img]

2emerep wrote: Thanks a million for the signature, Diom. Excellent idea, the only thing is that the wording of the blurb would have to be changed to accommodate the English fans, maybe add in a passage about how their teams have been diluted over the years since privatization. In your opinion, would this upset people who had already signed? Would it perhaps damage the legitimacy of the petition? Any opinions on this would be very welcome.

I think you could legitimately speak about how clubs with decades of history are becoming financial tools, and that necessarily these businesses are interested in profit not the game itself. That is not overstating it, or really saying anything controversial. As for modifying a petition once it has been signed, yeah I can see your point. It might be best to leave it alone as it is, in case someone who had previously signed might have an issue with it.

Thanks a million for the signature, Diom. Excellent idea, the only thing is that the wording of the blurb would have to be changed to accommodate the English fans, maybe add in a passage about how their teams have been diluted over the years since privatization. In your opinion, would this upset people who had already signed? Would it perhaps damage the legitimacy of the petition? Any opinions on this would be very welcome.

I signed it with this:

The ERC have run a competition which every year has gone from strength to strength. 10 years ago the English clubs complained that the Celtic sides should be jettisoned in favour of and Anglo-French cup, because they had not won it and thus "contributed nothing". NOW the Celtic sides are being jettisoned because they win too often, which has led to allegations of a biased system. We all know that really this is about control, and if they win this control they will find another excuse to break the bonds of the rugby fraternity that the ERC has built up across Europe.

I'm glad that the petition is being directed to all the 6 nations participant unions as well. I also think that you should direct it more to English supporters. They have seen their club game become less and less familiar over the last 15-20 years and a lot of them are not okay with how it has been hi-jacked by high-rollers.

Morning all, 50 more signatures over night. I'm sure everyone is tired and looking forward to the weekend after a long week, but hopefully a big push over the weekend will bring us close to a thousand before Monday. Keep sharing the link and letting people know, I have to say the response has been 99 percent positive so far, very little wumming and trolling. Thanks again for everyone's patience and commitment.

That's 500 lads. I'm absolutely over the moon. It's a rush to see so many people passionate about it and that's the truth. Well done to everyone on here who has signed, it's great to see so many of your names up there. Brilliant. And now the Italians have arrived!

Oh and rock salt the reason it wasn't negotiated last season is simple. It was never the prls intention to compromise and always their intention to see out their notice and end the erc. Negotiation involves the principle of compromise and at no stage have they ever shown a willingness to do that.

Rock salt if this goes the way PRL/ lnr have said the RCC will be owned and run then connachts very existence is potentially under threat again.
What happens when prl want to increase their revenue again?

The following are their option and possibly a combination of both.

A. Squeeze the Pro12 share even more using the justification that its their TV deal as collective bargaining will be gone.
B. Increase fixtures domestically or in Europe/ southern hemisphere specifically south Africa.

Option a is a real threat to connacht as central funding is reduced and Connacht don't generate enough of their own income.
Option b is a real threat to the 6ns and international rugby. The schedule is full as we speak but they won't care and will control the registration of the top players. Lorenzetti and wray have already said this is where they see the future.

2emerep- while your petitition is admire able it is unfortunately too late. The Heineken cup as we know it is dead and the battle ground now is between the unions and prl/lnr for control. Connacht will never see Heineken cup action again.

IMO the Scots and Italians will lose 1 vote each in the final outcome, we and the welsh will retain our 2 votes. The PRL/ RFU will gain 1 and prl will control 2 of those with RFU retaining 1. Lnr/ ffr will also have 3 and I wouldn't be surprised to see lnr controlling 2 of these also. The wru will give 1 of theirs to RRW as part of their new agreement

Sky and BT will do a deal and the competition will continue. The new board will be called something other than ERC and RCC. Oh and most of the staff in ERC headquarters will lose their jobs unfortunately.

Fair dues, you're entitled to your opinion. That's the beauty of an equal forum, your opinion is just as valid as mine. The thing is, though, that if PRL/LNR get their way, our opinion won't matter at all as they will be controlling everything, from TV rights to publicity.

It is interesting that the demands of the English and French clubs were completely ignored for 12 months after they gave notice that - unless the distribution and participation levels were renegotiated - they would quit, then suddenly taken VERY seriously when they said they meant it!

If the ERC (as announced last week) are now prepared to renegotiate the qualification and financial levels, why didn't they do this last year? I think the Rabo will be massively enhanced by being more competitive, one qualifier from each country and the next 3 or 4 teams in the Cup rather than the current structure.

I won't be signing any petition to save the Heineken - I believe (if the Provinces threw their lot in with the Welsh Regions who've backed the new competition) and the TV rights can be sorted, there will be a better and fairer European Cup next year - and you can thank the 'selfish' poms & frogs for that.

Of course, I might be very wrong!

Please take a few moments to stick your name on this. This petition is urging the IRFU to stand up to the selfish interests of PRL and LNR. The only voice that truly matters in sport is the supporters and ironically, it's the one least heard in this whole sorry affair. It's time for all supporters of all Irish teams to forget rivalries and fight together for the future of our game.

www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/irish-rug...ton_action_box&utm_m