Can rugby union and the Six Nations survive behind TNT paywall? January 28, 2025 For the next two months, up and down the country, you’ll walk into the pub when the Premier League is supposed to be on and instead see Six Nations rugby. It is testament to the reach of a tournament that, despite football being the national sport, kicks off its rivals for the bumper Saturday and [...]
TNT confirms Six Nations rights interest but commits to free-to-air deal January 28, 2025 TNT Sports have confirmed they are interested in taking the Six Nations behind a paywall but insist that some free-to-air coverage will remain. The BBC has broadcast Six Nations matches since its expansion in 2000 and in 2015 teamed up with ITV to keep the tournament on terrestrial television. But TNT Sports, owned by Warner [...]
Investec Champions Cup Barometer: Munster marching on January 27, 2025 In the lead up to the 2024-25 Investec Champions Cup round of 16, City A.M. has put together a barometer in partnership with Investec to assess which teams are hot – and which are not – ahead of April’s knockouts. Team of the week: Munster, Ireland They may have been facing bottom-of-the-league Dragons in the [...]
It’s a shame Premiership Rugby stars aren’t playing this weekend January 24, 2025 Off the back of two brilliant weeks of Champions Cup rugby and just a week away from the start of the Six Nations, it is a shame that this week’s Premiership fixtures will be devoid of all England players set to feature in the looming international championship. Having seen the league drop from 13 teams [...]
English rugby chief Bill Sweeney defends bonus as critics call for his head January 22, 2025 Bill Sweeney, the embattled president of the Rugby Football Union (RFU), insists he tried to defer his controversial bonus but has defended his acceptance of the six-figure payment. Sweeney is facing a vote of no confidence after the bonus took his overall pay to £1.1m in 2023-24, a year in which the RFU made 42 [...]
Ambani family on course for £100m London Spirit in Hundred auction January 22, 2025 The likely destinations of English cricket’s crown jewels in the Hundred auction are taking shape, with the Ambani family’s determination to buy 49 per cent of the London Spirit in a deal expected to exceed £100m forcing other bidders to look elsewhere. A consortium of Californian investors led by Nikesh Arora, chief executive of Palo [...]
Top Kiwi ref to take charge of Gloucester vs Leicester in Premiership January 21, 2025 New Zealand referee Ben O’Keeffe will take to the whistle in the Premiership this weekend in preparation for reffing England at the Six Nations, City AM can reveal. The Super Rugby official, who has officiated on a British and Irish Lions Tour, will take charge of Gloucester’s Premiership fixture against Leicester Tigers on Saturday at [...]
Wales seek Six Nations boost from Principality Stadium roof decision January 21, 2025 Wales have attempted to draw a line under rugby’s roof rows of the past ahead of the Six Nations by announcing that the Principality Stadium will remain covered for all of the team’s home matches until at least 2027. Previously, opponents have had to agree to the roof being closed at the 74,000-seater venue but [...]
Northampton Saints England’s best hope in Investec Champions Cup January 21, 2025 It wasn’t in the 66 points that came before full-time, nor in the sledging match in the stands that decided an all-time epic between Northampton Saints and Munster in round four of the Investec Champions Cup. Instead it was the colossal mitts of one Henry Pollock, the East Mids star quickly forming a rugby reputation [...]
Investec Champions Cup: Benetton shine and Castres shock January 20, 2025 Nearly 50 matches after we began, the great and good of European rugby have been whittled down to 16 teams. The Investec Champions Cup round of 16 will see a number of firsts for the game intertwined with some classic fixtures synonymous with the competition. Because after the four rounds of pool games, South African [...]