Harlequins’ Big Game in doubt over train strikes December 14, 2022 Premiership rugby club Harlequins’ showpiece annual game, Big Game, has been thrown into doubt over rail strikes on 27 December. In an alleged email seen by City A.M. and posted into a fan forum, fans were told that the club had taken the “extremely difficult decision to postpone the Big Game 14 fixture at Twickenham”. [...]
European Super League: Will ECJ resurrect breakaway or prove final nail in its coffin? December 14, 2022 Abandoned by most of its supporters in the face of widespread outcry, tied up in red tape, and then undermined by the financial problems of its remaining backers, the European Super League has never looked more dead. But the controversial breakaway football competition could be dramatically resurrected on Thursday when an advocate general delivers their [...]
European rugby attendances point to major issue for the sport December 14, 2022 Hopes of a newfound interest in the European Champions and Challenge Cups took a hit this weekend as home sides struggled to fill their terraces for what some argue are the best club competitions in world rugby. Attendances peaked at a bastion of European rugby in Munster’s Thomond Park where 21,884 watched the province lose [...]
Calvin Lo interview: Billionaire on finding a way into Formula 1 December 14, 2022 Hong Kong businessman and billionaire Calvin Lo wants to deepen his roots in Formula 1. The Michael Schumacher fanboy is the latest wealthy individual looking at the motor racing circus that is F1 as a major sporting investment. “If whoever comes in plays their cards right, there are lots of opportunities,” Lo told City A.M. [...]
Putting the Atlas Lions on the map: Morocco aiming to ‘do a Greece’ at the World Cup December 14, 2022 It may not quite be in the realms of Leicester City’s 5,000-1 Premier League triumph, but Morocco’s progress to the last four of this World Cup still represents a minor miracle. In reaching the semi-finals, the Atlas Lions have gone further than any previous African or Arab nation on international football’s biggest stage. Were they [...]
World Rugby No2 Laporte and club owner Altrad guilty of corruption December 13, 2022 World Rugby vice-chairman Bernard Laporte and president of Top14 champions Montpellier Mohed Altrad have been found guilty of corruption-related charges at the Paris Criminal Court this afternoon. The duo – along with three others – went on trial in September over a number of bribery and corruption allegations and were sentenced today. Mohed Altrad was [...]
Premier League: Bournemouth is latest club to be bought out by a US businessman December 13, 2022 Premier League strugglers Bournemouth have been bought out by a US-led consortium including actor Michael B Jordan. Owner Maxim Demin has sold his 100 per cent stake in the firm to Black Knight Football Club (BNFC), managed by American businessman Bill Foley. The bid also has a number of high profile backers, including award-winning actor, [...]
ITV scores best Saturday night ever as record 23m Brits witness England getting trashed by France December 13, 2022 England’s World Cup Quarter Final match was watched by a peak audience of 23m across ITV and ITVX on Saturday evening as the Three Lions were narrowly defeated by France. The game drew the biggest audience of the tournament and the highest peak on any channel this year, the biggest since the final of last [...]
Key Laporte-Altrad court decision could send rugby into a pit of chaos December 12, 2022 The world order of rugby could descend into a pit of chaos should World Rugby vice-chairman Bernard Laporte and Top14 club Montpellier’s billionaire owner Mohed Altrad – as well as three others – be convicted of bribery and bribery-related charges in the French courts tomorrow. Rose-Marie Hunault, the president of the 32nd courtroom, is due [...]
England keep riding the cricket wave with another Test series in the bag December 12, 2022 England’s last overseas Test cricket tour was a shambles. Two draws and a loss to the West Indies ended a run of international Test cricket few were proud of. Joe Root left the captaincy, Chris Silverwood was already sacked as head coach and the remaining void lingered for a number of months. But less than [...]