Rugby chief suggests French-style governance can save game in England October 16, 2022 England rugby chief Bill Sweeney has insisted the Premiership and Championship should look across the Channel to France for inspiration as the domestic game faces a crisis unlike anything it has seen in the professional era. Two clubs – Worcester Warriors and Wasps – have been suspended from the league after going into administration, with [...]
Ollie Phillips: A good culture can give a side that extra one per cent October 14, 2022 “Rugby values” aren’t always renowned by those who look at the sport from the outside, but few could deny that the development of culture within a squad can be paramount to positivity on and off the field. We have seen in recent days and weeks how Worcester Warriors and Wasps have been smothered with wellwishers [...]
Wasps teeter on the brink as Premiership club suspended October 12, 2022 One of the Premiership Rugby’s most successful and historic clubs has become the second English side within a month to be suspended from the top flight after Wasps announced that they would likely fall into administration in the coming days. The Coventry-based outfit today said that they had withdrawn from their Premiership fixture against Exeter [...]
Sharks circling: Sale’s unbeaten start testament to mixing talent October 11, 2022 In Sale’s post-Steve Diamond era, no one really knew what to expect from a rugby union outpost written off season after season. But in their third year under former Saracens coach Alex Sanderson, Sale are one of two unbeaten sides in the Premiership and motoring along nicely. With four wins from four, including over the [...]
Former Wasps chief executive interested in bid for club October 9, 2022 Financially troubled Premiership rugby club Wasps could be taken over by a bid headed by former chief executive David Armstrong. The club, who moved to Coventry from High Wycombe in 2014, are facing money woes in relation to tax owed to HMRC, bond repayments and other debt. Sources close to the auction of the club [...]
Ollie Phillips: West Country derbies can resurrect bad week for Premiership October 7, 2022 Premiership Rugby has not covered itself in glory off the field this week but the product on the pitch is still gripping fans. The situation at Worcester is dire and is a reminder of how fragile professional sport can be. But with this week’s fixtures, there’s no way I cannot discuss a pair of mouthwatering [...]
Ed Warner: F1 needs to fast track its cost cap procedures October 6, 2022 The headhunter was calling me about a CEO role at a top six Premier League club. He was building his long list of possible candidates. One of the lures was that half the salary would be paid outside the UK in a low tax jurisdiction, ostensibly for services rendered directly to the club’s overseas owners. [...]
Worcester Warriors players say ‘don’t take the P’ as contracts terminated October 5, 2022 Worcester Warriors players whose contracts were yesterday terminated have launched an appeal for the club to be allowed to keep a crucial shareholding in Premiership Rugby that could safeguard its future. “P Shares” are owned by each of the 13 Premiership clubs and afford them annual payouts from a central pot of money as well [...]
Worcester players free agents as paying company would up October 5, 2022 Worcester Warriors players are now free agents after the company which was set up to pay them was liquidated at the High Court this morning. The Premiership club have been battling with financial woes since May – when players first went unpaid – but are now in administration amid a series of owed monies. Players’ [...]
Kat Merchant on England crop, World Cup favourites and strong women October 4, 2022 On Saturday, England Women will begin their Rugby World Cup campaign against Fiji at Eden Park in Auckland, New Zealand. They are overwhelming favourites, and it’s a tag they haven’t been able to shake in recent years. Simon Middleton’s Red Roses head to the Land of the Long White Cloud on a 25-match winning run [...]