The Festival of Words: From Gyles Brandreth to Anthony Scaramucci – all you need to know about the Fleet Street Quarter festival
Lions Tour: Rassie Erasmus picks established Springboks XV featuring 21 of World Cup final squad for first Test with British and Irish Lions July 20, 2021 South Africa coach Rassie Erasmus has announced his matchday 23 to face the British and Irish Lions in the first Test on Saturday at Cape Town Stadium. Handre Pollard will make his return to the international stage earning his 50th cap in a momentous opening test. The playmaker, who has spent much of the last 12 [...]
British and Irish Lions Tour: Warren Gatland’s three big selection headaches ahead of first Test July 19, 2021 After months of concerns over whether the series would go ahead, the British and Irish Lions will finally face South Africa in the first Test in Cape Town on Saturday. Lions coach Warren Gatland has given all of his tourists a chance to impress and must now pick 23 men to face the world champions. [...]
Covid-19 outbreak in British and Irish Lions camp threatens tour match against Sharks and plunges tour deeper into doubt July 7, 2021 The British and Irish Lions have been hit by a Covid-19 case in their camp in South Africa. One unnamed member of the management tested positive in a round of testing carried out on Wednesday. He and four other people – two players and two staff – are isolating and the rest of the squad [...]
British and Irish Lions tour plunged into more chaos as tour match is axed and Covid cases continue in South Africa camp July 7, 2021 Fears are growing over the British and Irish Lions’ Test series in South Africa after a spate of Covid-19 cases hit both teams’ warm-up matches. The Lions were due to play the Vodacom Bulls on Saturday in their third tour match but that has now been postponed indefinitely after five Covid cases in their opponents’ [...]
Sport sees steep fall in gambling sponsorship as government considers ban and demand grows for social responsibility, says new study July 3, 2021 Gambling sponsorship in sport has fallen sharply ahead of a possible ban, a new report has found. The number of betting companies sponsoring sports teams in England has almost halved since 2019, according to the study by consultancy Caytoo. Gambling’s share of the market has dropped from 15.3 per cent to 8.1 per cent and [...]
English rugby scraps relegation until 2024 but chiefs insist Premiership is not being ringfenced June 29, 2021 English rugby chiefs have scrapped relegation from the Premiership until 2024 as part of wide-ranging reforms to the game. The pausing of relegation and expansion of the Premiership to 14 teams is designed to stem the losses suffered by most clubs and exacerbated by the pandemic, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) said. But the RFU [...]
Doubts resurface over British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa as country enters strict measures and Springbok trio test positive for Covid-19 June 28, 2021 The British and Irish Lions’ summer tour to South Africa has been plunged into fresh doubt just as the team is due to arrive in Johannesburg. The country’s president Cyril Ramaphosa has warned of a “massive resurgence” in Covid-19, with cases on course to overtake the peak of 2020. Three South Africa players tested positive [...]
Ollie Phillips: Alun Wyn Jones and Dan Biggar have points to prove in historic Lions clash with Japan June 24, 2021 The British and Irish Lions kick off their summer against Japan this weekend and everything about it excites me. A home Lions match is a rare treat and the fact that 16,500 fans will be back at Murrayfield on Saturday afternoon makes it even more special. A first ever match against a Japan side that [...]
Saracens mark return to Premiership by announcing club record kit deal with British sportswear brand Castore June 22, 2021 Saracens have announced a kit deal with British brand Castore believed to be the most lucrative in the club’s history. The five-year agreement replaces Sarries’ contract with Nike and follows their successful promotion back to English rugby union’s top division. Saracens join a fast-growing roster of teams and athletes to partner with Castore, which includes [...]
Ollie Phillips: Why I fancy Sale and Bristol to progress in Premiership semi-finals June 18, 2021 The Premiership Rugby semi-finals this weekend are a fascinating collision of contrasts – and I can’t wait. While Exeter and Sale will look to knock 10 bells out of each other, Bristol and Harlequins promises a feast of fast, flowing rugby. And in Sale and Quins we have two teams transformed by coaching changes this [...]