Maro means business: Itoje on Saracens’ European Cup final, England captaincy, his new clothing range and his NBA role models May 9, 2019 There will only be one thing on Maro Itoje’s mind when Saracens take on Leinster this Saturday: claiming a third Champions Cup title and regaining the club’s status as the best in Europe. It is an encounter that will see the England forward line up opposite James Ryan in what is sure to be a [...]
Ollie Phillips: Champions Cup qualification would be fitting end to groundbreaking campaign for Bristol May 2, 2019 The Premiership’s top two sides, Exeter and Saracens, may be meeting this weekend but with just two games to go the drama lies elsewhere. The two outstanding teams are streets ahead and I think will meet in the final on 1 June but the other 10 sides still have lots to play for. Read more: [...]
Ollie Phillips: Newcastle face do or die fixture against Northampton in bid to beat the Premiership drop April 25, 2019 What a difference a year makes. Last season Newcastle were toasting a Premiership semi-final place; this time they are staring down the barrel of relegation. It has reached do or die time for the Falcons, who are bottom of the table, seven points behind 11th-placed Worcester with just three matches remaining. Newcastle still have their [...]
London Irish will return from exile with move back to the capital as they bid to secure their Premiership status April 25, 2019 After 20 years in exile, London Irish are returning to their roots. The club bounced back into the Premiership at the first time of asking at the weekend with a 46-7 Good Friday win against Richmond, and after a difficult few years they are looking to their past for inspiration as they build for the [...]
Legal Q&A: Why Rugby Australia can terminate Israel Folau’s contract – and what he can do about it April 17, 2019 Lawyer JJ Shaw explains the regulatory workings behind Rugby Australia's decision to terminate Israel Folau's contract over anti-gay social media posts, and how the player can contest the sanction. What grounds do Australian rugby chiefs have for terminating Folau’s contract? Rugby Australia’s code of conduct obliges players to “treat everyone equally, fairly and with dignity regardless of gender [...]
Munster looking to break their semi-final curse against Saracens in the European Cup April 17, 2019 Steeped in history, with a rich European pedigree and where passion for the game cannot be bested – giants of club rugby don’t come much bigger than Ireland’s Munster. But when they face Saracens on Saturday in the Champions Cup semi-final they will not only be burdened with their fans’ expectations but also the knowledge [...]
FCA to investigate Wasps rugby club over financial statements April 12, 2019 Wasps Rugby Club is reportedly under investigation by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) over whether it misled the market about its financial position. Read more: City watchdog strengthens post-Brexit ties with Australian regulator The UK's financial regulator is looking into the Premiership side's financial results from 2017 after it was revealed that the club had [...]
Premiership Rugby’s relegation battle is set to go down to the wire, so why ring-fence the league? April 8, 2019 English top-flight rugby has rarely been more competitive than it has this season yet talk of ring-fencing the competition continues to loom large. Premiership Rugby is set to provide an update to its board on Tuesday regarding the proposal to ring-fence the league, despite the fiercest relegation battle for many years currently raging on. The [...]
Ollie Phillips: Mike Ford needs to galvanise Leicester to move them away from Premiership relegation April 4, 2019 There are five games left in the Premiership season and it’s crunch time at the bottom where four teams are battling it out to avoid the dreaded drop. Of the four it’s Leicester Tigers who are most unused to their standing, having slumped to 10th place and five points above the drop through a run [...]
Ollie Phillips: Home advantage weighs heavy for Saracens, Edinburgh, Leinster and Racing 92 in the Champions Cup March 29, 2019 The Six Nations finished two weeks ago but the tournament remains relevant as we head into the quarter-finals of the Champions Cup this weekend. The relationship between club sides and their countries is an interesting one and it’s born out when looking at the fixtures for Europe’s premier club competition. Wales won the Six Nations [...]