Heineken Cup crisis talks in Dublin break up with little progress but will be renewed in new year Even though there was no shift in policy away from the five-nation, 20-team competition proposed for next season without the participation of the England clubs, there was no attempt to prevent English representation at the talks, which were convened under the auspices of the independent mediators appointed by European Rugby Cup, Graeme Mew and Stephen Drymer. The door remains ajar to further negotiations, although it is clear that there is little willingness to move towards the English position. The chief stumbling block remains governance: that is, who runs the European show. The English clubs have accepted, in principle if not yet in deed, the notion of the Six Nations committee acting as the over-riding authority, although the French are pushing for a Uefa football-style body to be set up away from Dublin in Switzerland, with a model related to the Federation Internationale de Rugby Amateur, a conglomeration of smaller European unions. Little progress has been made on the issue. The fractious nature of events in Wales also remains a problem with the four regions at loggerheads with the union. A participation agreement between the factions is due to be signed by Dec 31. There is little doubt that Ritchie had been viewed as being closely aligned to the aspirations of the English clubs. He defends his position as that of an open-minded broker, anxious only to find common ground. There will no attempt to address the conflicting broadcasting deals that are in place, the Premiership with BT Sport, the five other nations with Sky Sports, until such time as agreement has been found on the competition format as well as commercial rights and governance.