Nations Championship: Monzo makes first move into rugby, with Allianz and ITV July 1, 2026 Monzo have broadened its sponsorship portfolio, joining Allianz in sponsoring ITV’s coverage of rugby union’s Nations Championship competition. The challenger bank and insurance giant have each signed deals with the free-to-air broadcaster to be part of the channel’s coverage of the inaugural inter-hemispheric tournament. It is Monzo’s first step into rugby union and comes after [...]
Exeter Chiefs deal done as Bournemouth owners complete ‘£45m’ takeover June 30, 2026 AFC Bournemouth owner Bill Foley’s Cannae Holdings have completed the purchase of Prem Rugby club Exeter Chiefs for a reported £45m. The American – who controls the Premier League club as part of a Black Knight consortium that includes Michael B Jordan – will become the majority owner of the Devonshire rugby union team, and [...]
Women’s rugby in England is way ahead, and the RFU deserves credit June 26, 2026 In a phrase many thought a rugby fan would never utter: The RFU, the governing body of the sport in England, is doing a world-leading job. Hold the front page, it surely cannot be true given recent controversies surrounding bonuses and the structure of the men’s game below Prem Rugby. But it is true. But [...]
Prem Rugby needs to switch up its calendar to stop final being banished to fringes June 19, 2026 Ollie Phillips argues that on this super weekend for sport in the capital, Prem Rugby could do more to be noticed. London is on its very best form this weekend: some of the world’s most exciting male tennis players will contest the HSBC Championships semi-finals and final at The Queen’s Club in Baron’s Court; England [...]
Do the Prem Rugby semi-finals need a Welsh URC team? June 12, 2026 Ahead of this weekend’s Prem Rugby’s semi-finals, Ollie Phillips assesses whether they could do with a hint of Wales. Picture the scene: next year’s Prem Rugby semi-finals feature the top three teams from this year – Northampton Saints, Bath Rugby and Exeter Chiefs – plus one of the Scarlets, Ospreys, Dragons or Cardiff. This would, [...]
Rugby needs its Premier League to step up and take control, Raine says June 9, 2026 Merchant bank Raine Group has warned that professional rugby is not big enough for “five or six leagues” and that it is “time for someone to put the hammer down” and become the sport’s equivalent to the Premier League. Rugby union has been going through a crisis of late, with different leagues using different structures [...]
Why investors will be keeping a close eye on rugby’s Nations Championship June 7, 2026 The Nations Championship begins in a month and it will be a stress test for investors looking at rugby, Neil Barlow says. International rugby tournaments have always been the sport’s biggest draws. There is nothing quite like the Six Nations to bring out classic memes of rugby fans wearing bootcut jeans and loafers filling pubs. [...]
McCall or Rowe: A Prem Rugby titan will bow out this weekend June 5, 2026 City AM rugby columnist Ollie Phillips discusses the last weekend of Prem Rugby fixtures, and how a major giant of the game in Tony Rowe or Mark McCall will bow out come full time. Tony Rowe, Rob Baxter, Nigel Wray and Mark McCall: the four men who have, arguably, defined English club rugby over the [...]
Champ Rugby: Bedford vs Worcester shows strength of second tier May 29, 2026 This Sunday afternoon at Bedford Blues’ Goldington Road could be pandemonium. The home team take on Champ Rugby giants Worcester Warriors looking to be crowned winners of English rugby’s second tier. But what’s the point, when you cannot get promoted? Well it is the continued proof that the Champ is and can be competitive, where [...]
Bilbao, Amsterdam, Milan: Where should Champions Cup rugby go next? May 22, 2026 The best thing about the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup finals weekend is its location: Bilbao. It is not the first time the two premier continental fixtures have ventured to El Botxo – the San Mames Stadium hosted Leinster’s victory over Racing 92 in 2018 and Cardiff’s Challenge Cup win over Gloucester a [...]