[Prestwick]

Basically the French league (the Top 14) is considering not including French teams in next year's premier European Rugby Cup: the Heiniken Cup.

France is having problems fitting it's season around the Six Nations, the Summer Internationals, the Heiniken Cup and the World Cup as well as it's Top 14 commitments and as such might not include it's clubs.

Furthermore England might not contribute clubs either, although this is more because of a disagreement between the English Premiership Clubs and the governing body, the RFU over who should represent England on the board of the European Rugby Cup.

This might either leave the HC as a Celtic/Itallian husk or England and French competition with no Celtic or Itallian clubs.

Either way, European Rugby will lose out in 2007.

[danikyvor]

Wow, I didn't hear about that!! That's pretty big.

[Prestwick]

Nothing is confirmed yet, but there are grumblings that some of the Southern Hemisphere nations are pulling out some of their big names for most of the Super 14 season to keep them fresh for the world cup.

Meanwhile, England, France and co will still insist that their players play the rest of this season, the rest of the Heniken Cup, the six nations, the summer internationals, warm up games in the summer and then the World Cup.

Update: Story emerges on BBC Online Sport.