‘It’s all on the line this weekend at the Rugby World Cup’ October 6, 2023 This is the crunch point, where those nations who have not yet secured their spots in the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup find out whether they’ve got any bottle. Because when everything is on the line, and there is no get-out-of-jail-free card in the following week, you really see what you are made of. [...]
Where to watch the Rugby World Cup in London October 5, 2023 It is the final weekend of fixtures in the pool stages of this Rugby World Cup and bars and pubs across London are waiting to be graced with your presence. Here’s where City A.M. are watching this weekend. Tyrwhitt Arms Charles Tyrwhitt, whose ambassadors include former England internationals Matt Dawson and Jason Robinson, occasionally open [...]
Golfers can play for brand value at Olympics and Ryder Cup, not a pay cheque October 5, 2023 This week’s Ed Warner column looks at the Patrick Cantlay “pay or no pay” discussion and how Olympians can only dream of being in a situation where they don’t need payment to compete at the highest level. Can those Ryder Cup golfers simply increase their brand value by rubbing shoulders with Olympians in Paris next [...]
England need best players playing in Premiership, says Care October 3, 2023 England international Danny Care has said he sees the positives of proposed hybrid international contracts if it keeps the country’s top rugby players in the English Premiership. A number of stars, such as Henry Arundell and Jack Willis, have fled overseas after the collapse of the rugby clubs last season while the surviving 10 outfits [...]
Scotland can cause untold World Cup misery to Springboks or Ireland October 3, 2023 The last week of Rugby World Cup fixtures can often be a schedule of dead rubbers and meaningless ties, but there’s a storm brewing in Pool B and it involves two of the home nations. Both Scotland and Ireland are able to qualify for the last eight of the tournament, but it would come at [...]
Blood, sweat and tiers: Rugby needs Tier Two teams, they cannot be banished into shadows October 1, 2023 We have seen England topple debutants Chile 71-0 and New Zealand beat Rugby World Cup stalwarts Italy 96-17 but the biggest issue this tournament has seen is established Tier Two sides such as Romania fall victim to long-term neglect. Because when you look at their last 10 fixtures Romania have scored just 152 points, averaging [...]
Wales momentum could take them to Rugby World Cup final September 29, 2023 If you’d have asked me two months ago whether Wales would get out of their Rugby World Cup pool, I’d have been sceptical. But having watched them in Lyon on Sunday as they dismantled Australia by a record score, I genuinely think there’s a possibility of them making the final this year. Their quarter-final will [...]
RFU must fix Championship funding after Jersey collapse, says Pirates CEO September 28, 2023 Championship Rugby club Cornish Pirates’ chief executive has called on the RFU to review their funding of the second tier following the collapse of Jersey Reds. Rebecca Thomas has told City A.M. that all clubs are in the same financial boat after Jersey ceased trading on Thursday morning and that the governing body must review [...]
Championship Rugby chair slams RFU over response to Jersey downfall September 28, 2023 Simon Halliday, chairman of Championship Rugby, has slammed the RFU over their response to the downfall of Jersey Reds, after the defending champions ceased trading. “The message is that persistent uncertainly over central financial support has made it impossible for them to carry on. “In essence, they have said: if the governing body won;t commit [...]
Uruguay deny Namibia first ever Rugby World Cup win September 27, 2023 Namibia’s hopes of a first ever Rugby World Cup win were dashed by Uruguay last night as the South American side picked up their first victory of the tournament. Namibia looked on for an upset, and their first win in seven World Cup tournaments, when they went into the break leading 20-12. But Uruguay bounced [...]