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LONDON - England's Rugby Football Union (RFU) has insisted it will not give in to "blackmail" after being blamed for the threatened boycott by French clubs of next season's European Cup.
France's National Rugby League (LNR) president Serge Blanco this week announced his country's leading teams were pulling out of the continent's top club competition.
But although the former France full-back cited domestic fixture congestion as one reason for the move, Blanco told French sports newspaper L'Equipe: "No, above all it's the fault of the English Rugby federation (RFU)."
Clubs in France and England want more of a say in running the European Cup, where the national unions hold sway.
During the last few months talks have been taking place to renegotiate the Paris Accord that governs the administration of the European Cup
However, according to Blanco, the RFU refused to hand over any share of its control to English clubs.
"If the RFU, which to begin with had agreed, like the FFR (French Rugby Federation), to give up 50 per cent of it's part (of control) to its clubs, we would have committed regardless of the difficulties it would have presented to our calendar," added Blanco.
However, RFU management board chairman Martyn Thomas countered: "Blanco is wrong to say we went back on our word in refusing to hand over the rights.
"The minutes of the meeting are clear: we agreed to consider the position regarding shareholding and voting as part of an agreement with the clubs on the issues facing the game in England," he also told the Guardian newspaper.
"We are not going to be blackmailed and just as we would not interfere in France's domestic game, we have to be allowed to get on with our own affairs."
Meanwhile Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll pleaded with French clubs not to go through with the boycott, telling the BBC: "I know they take massive pride in their domestic league, but they have to realise pitting themselves against the best teams in Europe is where it's at."
This latest row is yet another of the 'club v country' disputes which have dogged rugby union since the sport went professional more than 11 years ago.
Already clubs lose their top players several times a year for international matches and Blanco is wary of the International Rugby Board's (IRB) chairman Syd Millar's backing for a new tournament to be played between World Cups, which take place every four years.
"They (the IRB) are going to dry up the source. Rugby cannot continue to survive if the economic forces representing English and French clubs are diminished," he said.
The impact of a one-season boycott may not be too extreme. English clubs boycotted the tournament in 1998-99 but returned for the following campaign.
September and October's World Cup in France had a large part to play in the LNR's decision.
The World Cup impinges on the domestic calendar, meaning the season must either be delayed, creating later fixture congestion, or start during rugby union's showpiece event.
That would deprive teams of their best players, something Blanco believes will seriously damage the Top 14 competition.
Although the boycott will hit French clubs financially -- France Television pays 12.5 million euros a year for the television rights for the European Cup -- Blanco is sure it is the right move for his clubs.
"I am convinced that if we didn't do this, our system would become more difficult to defend and we would be dead after 2009," he said.
Most teams have rallied behind the LNR president but not everyone is convinced.
"Serge Blanco's decision was made to provoke a reaction," said Narbonne general manager Samuel Gauthier. "Announcing that we will not play in the European Cup next season is a form of negotiation."
- AFP
