The Ligne National de Rugby said its clubs would not participate in the next edition of the competition because the row in England between the Rugby Football Union and the Premiership clubs has led to uncertainty over the event's future.
Premier Rugby, the umbrella organisation representing top-flight clubs in England, wants its clubs to become direct stakeholders in European Rugby Cup Limited (ERC), the body that runs the competition. The RFU will not agree, saying it wants first to negotiate a new agreement with the clubs over the management of elite players.
The French clubs are also concerned at the impact next season’s European competition will have on their domestic schedules because of the 2007 World Cup. France hosts the World Cup in September and October, delaying the start of the domestic Top 14 season, and the clubs say there is no room in the fixture list to include the Heineken Cup.
ERC said it was reviewing the structure of the competition with the six stakeholder nations and the next meeting due to take place on February 14.
