Right then ERC, time to put up or shut up! READ THIS!!

Forget the HC, or Amlin seperate comps, we need one european competition not only for the elite of the west but for all...

I am proposing 64 qualifiers...

12 Rabo's
12 Aviva
12 T14
6 6N invitational (development)
22 Mainland european invitational teams. IE squads made up of best of leagues, not just clubs. (although leagues would have to be based around comp)

16 groups of 4, based on unions seedings, top 4 Eng Fre teams, top 2 Rabo nation teams top seeds etc...

Teams play each other once.

Top group teams go into a 4x4 elite comp, 2nd placed teams go into a 4x4 2nd tier comp.

All teams get entry pay deals, then extra based on performance. This negates the qual argument, opens up the chance for non elite european rugby teams to progress, and allows for the best performing teams to gain the pay deals deserved, derived of nationality. So in essence every nation has a near equal opportunity of getting more of their teams to the top tables.

Granted the big boys are not going to want to give up a small slice of the pie to allow a european game, but if the tournament is what we want from it we all have to give a little, until the smaller nations are able to offer financial viability anyway.

Yes there will be some mismatches is early rounds, but the minnows will get so much from playing 2/3 big league teams every year, and big league teams could use the early rounds to develop younger players (Eng and Fra should be interested in this especially)

Anyone agree?

Do we need yet another branch topic on this?

there is no thread on my idea, this is not a euro tournament ideas thread, it's an opinion on my idea thread!

It doesn't matter. Because when an Irish team wins it, the PR will whinge that things are still not right until they insist that Leinster players play on one leg and with an arm tied behind their backs..