Roubert's agreement with the English clubs' proposal aims to heighten the quality of competition. "We are in favour of having a more elite European competition, maybe by coming down to 16 clubs rather than 24, so we have only very high-level matches," Roubert elaborated in an interview with The Telegraph.
He also commented on the distribution of the reduced slots, suggesting, "We would provide five or six [teams], because we are three leagues, so we should have at least five, plus the winner [of the Champions Cup]." This means a potential cut from eight teams per league under the current setup.
The proposal's impact extends beyond the European borders, directly affecting the South African teams that joined the EPCR through the URC in 2022. Despite their participation, no South African team has reached beyond the Champions Cup quarter-finals. Roubert pointed out the necessity to review their involvement, stating, "They have never made it to the semi-finals and we do not know what happened, because for sure they’ve got the players to succeed."
Any major revamp of the tournament will need to be carefully assessed, given that the current competition arrangements are set until 2030. Discussions regarding the next format are anticipated to occur within EPCR, where more selective criteria may be considered. "This is where we might think of being maybe a bit more selective, elitist," Roubert added, hinting at a more rigorous selection process for future tournaments.
The Champions Cup fixtures have already been confirmed, setting the stage for what could be one of the last iterations of the current format if the proposed changes gain further traction. As the debate continues, the potential reshaping of one of Europe's premier rugby competitions hangs in the balance, with stakeholders aiming to elevate the level of play and exclusivity of the Champions Cup.
