Why the smart money should be on rugby sevens Sport Business Why should we be taking more notice of rugby sevens at the moment, asks former player Jim Hamilton. There are different versions of rugby, and while the 15-a-side game will always be my Everest, sevens offers something completely different. The sport is simple to follow, fast and incredibly athletic, and it allows individual personalities and [...]
Qatar Airways-backed airline Airlink defends Springboks flypast manoeuvre Sport Business The Qatar Airways-backed airline, Airlink, have defended a double flypast over South Africa’s rugby union match against New Zealand after online backlash. Two passenger jets flew above the DHL Stadium in Cape Town with flight tracking website Flightradar24 stating that one of the two planes cleared the arena’s roof by less than 15 metres. And [...]
South Africa need cash from New Zealand Tests but All Blacks fans not like Lions Sport Business It is quite simple really: the Greatest Rivalry series between South Africa and New Zealand, which starts on Saturday, needs to be a real money-spinner for the Springboks. It should see every seat occupied for the three Tests – in Johannesburg and Cape Town – and healthy crowds for the All Blacks matches against the [...]
London City 7s sign up Springbok-producing powerhouse varsity team August 19, 2026 In less than a month a Springbok-producing university team will join Bordeaux at the London City 7s. This Saturday the Greatest Rivalry resumes as New Zealand take on South Africa at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. It is the first time the All Blacks have undertaken a full tour of South Africa in 30 years. Up [...]
Ticket price hikes proof Wales Rugby Union is tone deaf to loyal fan concerns August 14, 2026 Earlier this month the Wales Rugby Union announced ticket price hikes for the Six Nations and if nothing else it is utterly tone deaf. Over the Severn Bridge the sport is in turmoil, with regions fighting for their lives not only because of difficult macroeconomic factors but because their own governing body is actively trying [...]
Exclusive: Rugby League monitoring Henry Pollock amid £1m Hearn wage demands August 12, 2026 Henry Pollock could find himself at the centre of a rugby bidding war with top flight league clubs monitoring the union star amid uncertainty over his future, City AM can reveal. The 21-year-old flanker has emerged as one of England rugby’s most popular players, earning a reported £150,000 per year at Prem Rugby champions Northampton [...]
Prem Rugby team ditch Big Game fixture at Premier League ground August 10, 2026 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 [...]
Champions Cup rugby team hacked in ransom attack with player data at risk August 7, 2026 Champions Cup rugby club Stade Francais has said it is the victim of a cyber attack, with reports stating players’ identity documents are being held to ransom. Cybercriminals have reportedly threatened to release documents relating to players, having already unveiled a number of identifiable documents belonging to 18 players. “Immediate containment, investigation and recovery measures [...]
Sorry Hearn, Northampton Saints idiots if they pay Pollock £1m August 7, 2026 Is Henry Pollock worth £1m per season? No. Sorry to burst an Eddie Hearn-shaped bubble but it is just not realistic in the world of rugby union. The business of rugby – especially in England – is to fund a squad of more than 30 players within a salary cap of just over £6m, rising [...]
How sevens and Olympics can be commercial rugby lifeline August 6, 2026 Dan James argues that rugby sevens is a developmental step for some of the best players, and that can be a boon for a struggling sport. The rugby rumour mill has been turning again, as reports have circulated over the last fortnight that some of England’s young stars – Henry Pollock, Marcus Smith, Tommy Freeman, [...]