Prem Rugby needs a draft, but not one for the very best players Sport Business Top flight domestic rugby is back this weekend in the form of the Prem Rugby Cup – the former Anglo-Welsh, British and Irish, and inter-Prem/Champ competition that is now just a little bit of a nothing league. But that’s for another day. Because the return of rugby in England feels underhyped. We’ve had an entire [...]
Prem Rugby team ditch Big Game fixture at Premier League ground Sport Business Prem Rugby club Gloucester have cancelled a planned fixture at Aston Villa’s Villa Park after its inaugural staging last season was criticised by fans. A Slater Cup fixture between Gloucester and Leicester Tigers was held at the Premier League ground last season, with a number of discounted tickets helping the attendance top 20,000 – around [...]
Gloucester Rugby warn of risk to future as losses jump 450 per cent Sport Business Gloucester Rugby’s accounts warn they face a “material uncertainty” after the Prem Rugby club saw losses spiral by more than 450 per cent last year. The Gloucester Rugby Limited accounts, filed this week with Companies House, posted a loss of £2.9m for last season, up from £500,000 the year prior – an increase of 464 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
Prem Rugby chiefs admit its ‘challenging’ to compete with Top 14 May 8, 2026 Prem Rugby chiefs have admitted competing with the French Top 14 has been “challenging” given English salary cap rules. Clubs across England can spend around £8m per season on their squad, with £6.4m of that the standard cap and the remaining a series of credits and allowances. The French Top 14 will see its salary [...]