Predictably, the Irish Rugby Football Union yesterday reacted indignantly to the revelation that the English RFU had engaged in private dialogue with the renegade English clubs (EFDR) with a view to setting up a largely Anglo-French rival to the existing European Cup.

In a statement issued on behalf of the IRFU president Noel Murphy the Union said it is "greatly perturbed and concerned that the RFU has acted in such a manner without informing its fellow Unions of its intentions. The Unions of England, Scotland, Wales, France, Ireland and Italy are the shareholders in ERC Ltd and as one of such the RFU would be expected to give full and unreserved support to the ERC Ltd competitions, namely the European Cup and Conference (renamed The Shield) to the total exclusion of any other competition.

"By their activity, the RFU and EFDR are likely to endanger and damage the interests of the other unions and clubs willing and anxious to participate in the European competitions this season.

"The IRFU trusts that they will desist from any such further action. The IRFU is hopeful that the unity of purpose of all the participating Unions and clubs will enable the European competitions to proceed under the auspices of ERC Ltd."

Last night, Welsh Rugby Union secretary Dennis Gethin insisted that the WRU would not be giving its backing to any new competition. Scotland's European Cup representative Charlie Bisset remained more conciliatory saying they "would listen to any proposals they put on the table."

The most significant player in this latest round of political brinkmanship is the French, and last night matters were thrown into further disarray when a majority of their clubs voted to play the existing European competition. Brive and Toulouse, two of the nine major clubs pushing to join the English refuseniks, refused to vote and representatives walked out of a meeting with Serge Blanco, head of the French national league, insisting that the ERC competitions were meaningless without English clubs.

"There is no question of playing a European Cup without the English, that would be ridiculous," Toulouse president Jean-Rene Bouscatel said.

"We'll take part in this 24-club French championship but we don't back it."

Blanco remained adamant that France would field sides in the European competitions, even if the top national sides joined English clubs in boycotting the tournaments.

"We'll take part in these two cups, with or without the English," he said. "The French clubs invited that refuse to take part will be replaced automatically by others according to their final positions in the French championship last season.

"At the same time, we'll ask the organisers of these European competitions for financial guarantees. If we don't get anything within six months, we'll pull out," he added.

A French Rugby Federation committee will meet today in Toulouse to give its expected approval to the league's decision.