World Rugby’s relationship with the English and French leagues is reaching breaking point with Bath owner Bruce Craig threatening to block player release if international matches are staged in October.
After being blindsided by the suggestion of Bernard Laporte, the World Rugby vice-chairman candidate, to scrap the Heineken Champions Cup, Premiership Rugby and the Top 14 have been incensed by World Rugby’s lack of consultation over re-staging postponed international matches.
Proposals, including replaying the July tours – which are certain to be postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic – or staging a second Six Nations would involve Test matches being played in October in dates typically reserved for club rugby.
Under World Rugby regulation 9, clubs are only obliged to release players to play for their countries during set international windows. Yet Craig, who is understood to have widespread support of other club owners, has no intention of releasing England stars such as Sam Underhill and Anthony Watson to the RFU unless a fresh agreement is reached.

“The leagues need to defend our rights and defend our competitions and defined blocks allocated by World Rugby under Regulation 9,” Craig told Telegraph Sport.

“Last week World Rugby indicated an intention to take the club October window which cuts straight across the European club and domestic seasons.
“We will defend our legal and structural position. Next season’s calendar is formally in place which has been signed off by the Professional Game Board. We will respect our obligations to the RFU and the Professional Game Agreement and the regulations set out by World Rugby.
"We have got television contracts and sponsorship deals that we need to fulfil. The reality is we will be unable to release our players during October for international duty otherwise we will be in breach of existing contracts.”
Both Bill Beaumont and Agustin Pichot are standing for election as World Rugby chairman next week promising to establish a global calendar. Yet that goal will be stillborn if they cannot gain the agreement of the powerful English and French club factions.
 
Much of their anger stems from the lack of direct contact from World Rugby. As current chairman Beaumont told Telegraph Sport last week “our main dialogue is with (RFU chairman) Bill Sweeney.” The RFU, however, have a very different agenda to Premiership Rugby, particularly when it comes to the importance of rearranging international fixtures.
European Professional Club Rugby, organisers of the Heineken Champions Cup, had already earmarked two weekends in October to potentially fulfil this season’s semi-final and final matches, which could clash with rearranged international matches.
“No one has indicated that we can’t or shouldn’t play those games in October because that is an established window for the club game,” Simon Halliday, the EPCR chairman, told Telegraph Sport. “We have not been consulted in an appropriate fashion by World Rugby. We are finding out most information second hand. We need our voice to be heard. That has not been the case. The contracted obligations of the club game in Europe are significant and that has not been fully explained to World Rugby.”
There is understandable urgency for both sides. Unions such as the RFU are projected to lose up to £50million, which will further impact the grassroots game, while many Premiership clubs will be sailing close to bankruptcy if the lockdown extends through the summer. Even the debate over the October matches is a hypothetical one, assuming sporting matches will be played.

A significant part of the problem, according to both Craig and Halliday, is World Rugby’s lack of understanding of the club game. Craig argues the solution lies in giving Premiership Rugby and the Top 14 voting rights on the World Rugby Council.
“At the moment there is no structure in place for our voice to be heard formally,” Craig said.
“Both Premiership Rugby and the LNR have asked for a seat at the table at World Rugby for the last four years, which we have not been given. The leagues are treated unfairly even though we represent more than 50% of the global revenues in rugby. There are 51 votes and LNR and PRL have no voice or vote. This can in no way be seen as fair or democratic.”