The Champions Cup is on life support and if European rugby chiefs don’t act now, the unthinkable will happen. Here are four ways to save the jewel in the sport’s crown from extinction, writes ALEX BYWATER

Alex Bywater argues that rugby's Champions Cup is on life support and urgently requires major structural reforms to avoid extinction. He highlights that clubs increasingly rest star players—such as Bristol Bears wing Louis Rees-Zammit—and field weakened teams for away matches, leading to non-competitive fixtures and blowout scorelines during the pool stages.

To revitalize the tournament, the writer proposes reducing the field from 24 teams to 16, cutting South African sides, restoring traditional home-and-away pool schedules, and fixing disjointed calendar windows. Bywater notes that French clubs have dominated the last six titles while English Premiership teams have struggled to compete against larger continental budgets.