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French Top 14 boss offers 'no guarantees' for first Club World Cup / Photo: Anne-Christine POUJOULAT - AFP/File
French Top 14 boss offers 'no guarantees' for first Club World Cup
French Top 14 president Yann Roubert said on Monday rugby union's inaugural Club World Cup is not guaranteed unless southern hemisphere teams work to accommodate the wishes of their European counterparts.
The tournament is set to be held in 2029 with clubs from the Champions Cup, organised by European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR), facing sides from Australia and New Zealand in Super Rugby as well as one from Japan in a 16-team set-up.
The competition originally planned to begin in 2028 is to be held every four years from June 2029, which would clash with the end of the domestic French campaign.
"We would obviously be keen for the Club World Cup (to happen) but without it affecting our season schedule," French National League (LNR) boss Roubert told AFP at the launch of the new Top 14 season.
"We need it to finish in June and the last weekend of June.
"We would like our partners, particularly in the southern hemisphere, to stick to that position.
"That is not guaranteed right now, so discussions are ongoing to see if we can wrap things up by 2029 at the latest.
"It's under the authority of EPCR, who will make announcement in due course when it's ready," he added.
Bordeaux-Begles and France fly-half Matthieu Jalibert is just one France-based player to welcome the idea of a Club World Cup after he said he would love to face Super Rugby champions the Hurricanes after he helped his side to a second Champions Cup in May.
Y.X. Gagnon--SMC
