Brexit threat to Champions Cup

EPCR, the governing body and organiser of the Champions Cup, is expected to raise concerns about the potential impact of Brexit on this year’s competition with the Government.

There are mounting fears that a hard Brexit on March 29, when the United Kingdom is formally due to leave the European Union, could cause travel havoc for clubs and supporters in the knockout stages of the tournament.

The quarter-finals, which are regarded as the competition’s most lucrative round, are scheduled to start on the same day as Brexit.

The impasse over a negotiated settlement is likely to force EPCR to raise the issue at its board meeting this month. Simon Halliday, the EPCR chairman, said: “It is safe to say we haven’t even discussed it. It has not been raised at any level, but I guess we are going to have to discuss it.

“We might have to end up consulting with government officials because I assume they will be talking to sporting organisations who have activities overseas. As we are based in Switzerland, we may not be the first people they talk to. We have a meeting this month and I will be putting it on the agenda.”

Halliday said it was impossible to put contingency plans in place, given the lack of flexibility in the fixture list. “I don’t see how we can,” he added. “The quarter-final weekend is arguably one of the biggest that we have, given it is the first knockout stage, so we won’t be the only organisation worrying.

“It is a bit short-sighted of us not to have looked at that date being the Brexit date, but now with [Brexit negotiations] going to the wire, we need to understand how it might play out.”

Meanwhile, Halliday is to establish a working group made up of key stakeholders from the clubs and unions in order to thrash out how the Champions and Challenge Cups will fit into the new domestic structures from 2019 as part of the global season agreement.

Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Football Union are expected to announce a new season structure by the end of the month, with the new season start date expected to be in late September. “Our board meetings are open and we need everyone to drive that to the next level of speculating what might work,” Halliday said.