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 [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
European rugby returns with a smidge of South African summer December 11, 2022 England may have lost to the French in the football but in the weekend’s European Champions Cup rugby the English sides won five matches while the French could muster just four. Here are some talking points as the two European rugby competitions returned – this time accompanied by five South African teams. THE BIG EUROPEAN [...]
Ollie Phillips: Loss of Eddie Jones gives England Rugby mega opportunity December 9, 2022 Well last week I said I didn’t think the Rugby Football Union had the bottle to sack head coach Eddie Jones despite me saying that he should go. How wrong I was. I do think the call to sack the Australian has come a couple of years late – he himself has said previously about [...]
You can still reach the Qatar World Cup final. Here’s how December 8, 2022 It may be coming home in nine days’ time, but what if you want to be anywhere but home when England lift the World Cup in Doha next Sunday? City A.M. got the travel magazines out and scoured the web to see just whether it was still possible to get to Qatar. Where in the [...]
The rise, rise and fall of Eddie Jones at the helm of England December 6, 2022 He has the best winning percentage of any coach to have been in charge of England and he took a team from one of their lowest points in recent times to an unlikely World Cup final, but Eddie Jones is down and out – and English rugby is poorer for it. Whether it was his [...]
England head coach runners and riders: Borthwick, Smith and McCall December 6, 2022 With Eddie Jones given the boot by the Rugby Football Union yesterday, attention quickly turned to who could take over one of the biggest coaching jobs in world rugby. While many of the favourites are shackled in coaching jobs with other teams, there’s no doubt England will do all they can to get the man [...]
Eddie Jones sacked: England Rugby coach axed after team’s worst year since 2008 December 6, 2022 England Rugby have sacked head coach Eddie Jones after seven years in charge following a review of the team’s dismal form. The move comes just nine months before he was due to lead England at another Rugby World Cup, having guided them to the final in 2019. England forwards coach Richard Cockerill is to take [...]
Premiership half-way review: Stylish Saracens and bottom three bonanza December 4, 2022 It was not supposed to be occurring at this point in the year but the Premiership season has reached its half-way stage. Given the downfall of Worcester Warriors and Wasps, the 11 remaining sides hit the milestone at the weekend – albeit there were only four fixtures played. There are just eight points separating second [...]