The French Rugby Federation is set to block clubs such as Toulon from playing in any European competition that isn't organised by ERC © Getty Images

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The French Rugby Federation (FFR) looks set to block any move by the Premiership and Top 14 clubs to form an alternative to the Heineken Cup.

The leading English and French clubs are planning to launch the Rugby Champions Cup next season having failed in their attempts to re-shape the current European club rugby landscape - although the tournament will be open to their current rivals from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. The Premiership and Top 14 sides had hoped to force a number of changes to the Heineken Cup and also the distribution of revenue but have opted for a more radical approach having grown frustrated at the lack of progress in negotiations.

The militant clubs are also keen to wrestle back control of any future tournament and insist that they will no longer work with the union-dominated European Rugby Cup Ltd, the organisers of both the Heineken Cup and second tier Amlin Challenge Cup. However, any new cross-border tournament requires the approval of the respective unions with earlier reports suggesting that both the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and their French counterparts would not give the new tournament the green light.

RFU chief executive Ian Ritchie has since offered his conditional support for the English clubs but stated his preference for competition that 'embraces all of Europe'. But the FFR has taken a more hard line approach, on the eve of the launch of this season's Heineken Cup, that appears to set them on a collision course with the English and French clubs.

"No meeting or international competition involving French clubs can be organised outside the framework of the FFR and without its prior agreement," the FFR said in a statement. "The FFR has always been and will remain a major player in the European cups organised by ERC and backs proposals to permit the continuity and development of these.

"If the FFR is in favour of an improvement in the European cups, their organisation can only be envisaged under the edict of the European federations which make up ERC. The statement released by the clubs appears therefore irrelevant and inappropriate."