European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) will not be organising a third tier European competition alongside the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup this season.

When European Rugby Cup was wound up at the end of last season and replaced by EPCR, the aim was to run three European club competitions.

However, Rugby Europe, the overall administrative body for rugby in Europe, said that third competition will not happen this season.

“Rugby Europe and several member federations were mobilised around the EPCR to create a competition that would genuinely expand European rugby,” a Rugby Europe statement on Friday said.

“That won’t happen for the 2014/2015 season despite the enthusiasm of Rugby Europe’s members.”

The competition – initially proposed as involving eight teams from Italy, Romania, Georgia, Spain, Russia, Portugal and possibly Germany – was due to provide two qualifiers for the Challenge Cup from next season onwards.

For this season’s Challenge Cup, Bucharest will play Calvisano and Tbilisi will take on Rovigo in September home and away legs to decide the two qualifiers.