Laporte unveils ambitious club plans

FRENCH rugby powerbroker Bernard Laporte has revealed radical new plans for an annual six-week Club World Cup that could spell the end of the prestigious Heineken Champions Cup competition in Europe.

Laporte, currently the president of the French Rugby Federation, who is aiming to become vicechairman of World Rugby next month, broke news of his aims for a tournament containing the best 20 sides on the globe to a media outlet across the Channel.

Space to accommodate six weeks of the Club World Cup would be generated by removing the European club competitions, which Laporte feels do not generate enough money.

The former Les Bleus boss, who has also coached BordeauxBegles, Stade Francais and Champions Cup heavyweights Toulon, told Midi Olympique: “The European competition is magnificent, with Toulon [as head coach] I was able to lift the trophy three times and I know what it can represent.

“But let’s be frank, it does not generate enough income. If we want to develop this Club World Cup, we have to find dates. Without the Champions Cup, nine weekends are available.”

Laporte, running alongside Bill Beaumont who is seeking re-election as chairman of World Rugby, will be unveiling their manifesto this week before a meeting of the governing body’s council next month.

The format for the global club competition would replicate the structure of the Rugby World Cup, with 20 teams split into four pools of five, followed by quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final.

Six teams would qualify from Super Rugby, four teams each from England, France and the Guinness PRO14 competitions, plus the league champions from Japan and the United States.

“This is only a proposal,” Laporte said. “But I am sure of one thing: we must create this competition and very quickly. It could be a breath of fresh air for the whole of world rugby.”

Laporte told the French newspaper that he has discussed the proposal with Bill Sweeney, the RFU chief executive, along with the presidents of Top 14 clubs in France.

“All are excited by such a project,” Laporte said.

“The goal of my approach is to find the income that will allow [unions] to finance both the professional and amateur world. This crisis must push us to be innovative.

“Let’s make this new competition. I am sure that the public and television will follow.”