According to bbc.co.uk, the agreement, which has still to be signed, was thrashed out during a meeting at Twickenham this weekend, involving Derek McGrath, chief executive of European Rugby Cup, McGrath, Serge Blanco, president of France's Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR), RFU boss Martyn Thomas, Premier Rugby chief Tom Walkinshaw, IRB president Syd Millar and Jean-Pierre Lux, president of tournament organisers ERC.
McGrath told BBC Five Live: "We have confirmation from all the parties. We're now in the position to say that it is confirmed that the tournament will go ahead next year. The longer-term future of the tournament is down to the details of the document.”
The dispute centred on English Premiership clubs wanting the RFU to grant them a 50 per cent shareholding in the Heineken Cup, which they claim the RFIU has promised them. No details of the settlement formula have yet been made public.
The Heineken Cup will go ahead next season with a full compliment of English and French teams thanks to a settlement reached between European rugby’s key stakeholders.
