With French clubs monopolising the top places in the Champions Cup for several seasons now, debate is raging about the balance of the competition. Asked by Midi Olympique, Jacques Raynaud, the head of EPCR, offers his view of the issues driving European rugby and refuses to see a threat in French supremacy.

A French cycle, not a structural imbalance

Faced with criticism of Top 14 dominance in the European Cup, the president of the governing body responds by invoking a cyclical phenomenon inherent to elite sport.

Right now, there is a French cycle

Jacques Raynaud | Midi Olympique

That formulation allows Raynaud to play down the situation without denying the reality of the results. The administrator believes that swings in dominance between nations are a natural feature of continental competitions, rather than the symptom of a faulty architecture.

Record audiences and popular success despite the debates

Beyond the sporting question, EPCR can lean on some encouraging figures. The Champions Cup is posting record audiences, while the events staged in Bilbao proved a big hit with the public.

Those economic and social indicators are reassuring for the competition’s governance. They suggest that despite French hegemony, European supporters remain engaged and matches are pulling in the crowds. Public interest does not appear to have been dented by the supposed predictability of the results.

The growing involvement of the South African franchises

Raynaud also insists on the genuine commitment of the South African franchises to the European project.

The involvement of the South African franchises is real

That statement underlines EPCR’s determination to consolidate the participation of South African clubs in the Champions Cup and the URC. It reflects a strategy aimed at enriching the competition through geographical diversity and creating new balances, beyond current French dominance alone.