Club World Cup.

News broke today that French Rugby Union president, Bernard Laporte, is proposing a radical new world club rugby competition and now the EPCR have responded, confirming discussions have already taken place.

They say they have already held talks about a proposed ‘Club World Cup’ that would take place every four years which they think could possibly complement the Champions and Challenge Cup.

But they also noted that now is not the time to speak about such matter as the world deals with the ongoing coronavirus crisis,

“EPCR has noted today’s media reports regarding a proposal for an annual Club World Cup.

“Discussions have already taken place on an official level between EPCR and its shareholders regarding a global club tournament which could complement the Heineken Champions Cup and Challenge Cup and which could take place once every four years.

“Work on possible formats is ongoing with a collaborative approach and issues of player welfare to the fore.

E“PCR does not believe it appropriate to highlight such discussions while the public health crisis due to COVID-19 continues, and currently, the organisation’s focus is on attempting to reschedule the knockout stages of the 2019/20 tournaments subject to government and local authority directives.”