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 [...]
Glasgow Warriors can use Scotland’s Twickenham heroics for inspiration against Saracens in Champions Cup quarter-final March 28, 2019 Glasgow may not have beaten Saracens in Europe in five attempts but the Scottish side can take solace from their national team’s historic clash against England just two weeks ago as they prepare for this weekend’s Champions Cup quarter-final. Scotland were down and out after half an hour at Twickenham, with England 31-0 up, only [...]
Up in the air: Rugby is facing big decisions over the future of the Six Nations March 24, 2019 Wales may have won the battle for the Six Nations on the pitch but off the field the fight for control of the tournament rages on. A proposal from World Rugby, the sport’s governing body, to create a global competition has ignited interest in the Six Nations, which is subject to two sizeable investment offers. The [...]
Ollie Phillips: Grand Slam winners Wales show England and Ireland the benefits of impeccable leadership March 21, 2019 Like most teams, England want to win the World Cup and become the No1-ranked side in rugby union. The dramatic conclusion of the Six Nations last weekend showed just how lofty those ambitions currently are. Eddie Jones’s side flew out of the blocks against Scotland and held a 31-0 lead after as many minutes, but [...]