End of EDF Cup

[TrapperChamonix]

from Western Mail

Welsh regions set to face cash blow as English threaten to quit EDF Energy Cup
Jan 15 2009 Western Mail

WALES’ regions are poised to take a financial hammer blow with England’s top clubs set to quit the EDF Energy Cup at the end of the season.

The Anglo-Welsh tournament is understood to be more lucrative to Welsh participants than the Heineken Cup – unless a team reaches the semi-finals in Europe.

The WRU and the Blues, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets were anxious for it to be retained next term with tentative plans to stage it as a development tournament on international weekends.

But the credit crunch has prompted a radical rethink in England with its 12 Guinness Premiership clubs last night agreeing to freeze their annual £4m salary cap for the next two seasons.

They also agreed, at a meeting of club chairmen and shareholders, to implement “a series of other cost control measures” in an effort to preserve jobs.

Premier Rugby, the body which represent Guinness outfits, additionally want to increase the number of Premiership fixtures.

Any games on top of the existing schedule though would require Rugby Football Union consultation and agreement under a new long-term deal thrashed out last year between the Rugby Football Union and Premiership clubs.

But a real possibility could see teams playing league fixtures on current Anglo-Welsh weekends, adding up to five rounds of league action to the 22-game Premiership programme.

Under the formula considered by Premier Rugby, some sides would face each other three times a season in the Premiership.

The future of the Anglo-Welsh tournament, currently sponsored by EDF Energy, has been under scrutiny for some time.

It also decided to retain the Premiership at its existing size of 12 clubs, scuppering the dream of the Welsh regions that they might be invited to join the English League.

The Premier Rugby board will discuss proposals further next Tuesday