Rugby: The Henry hype is far from a load of Pollocks, he’s class April 18, 2025 I did laugh to myself when I saw the abuse Northampton Saints star Henry Pollock got for his celebration during his side’s Investec Champions Cup victory over Castres last weekend. I thought: “What a load of bollocks!” The 20-year-old has a swagger about him, he reminds me of a cross between Lewis Moody and Lawrence [...]
Away ends in Premiership Rugby have arrived, but what do fans think? April 18, 2025 One of the commandments of the “Rugby Values” brigade is the ability for home and away fans to sit next to each other, enjoy a beer and have some healthy banter. For the vast majority of rugby fans this approach is the preferred one, with the kettling of supporters pre-and post-match – as is the [...]
Premier Sports to show 400 rugby games per year after new deal April 17, 2025 Premier Sports is set to show 400 rugby games per season after agreeing a new deal to broadcast the United Rugby Championship (URC). The agreement, which will last four years and take the Irish challenger brand through until 2029, will see the multi-national URC broadcast on a dedicated Premier Sports Rugby channel alongside the likes [...]
Allianz Stadium: What could Twickenham rugby arena look like after facelift? April 17, 2025 We’ve all been there, kettled into Twickenham station after a day out at Allianz Stadium watching England Rugby take on top international opposition. The 82,000-seat national stadium is the biggest purpose-built rugby arena in the world and sits behind only Wembley Stadium’s 90,000 in terms of UK capacity. But Allianz Stadium and its surrounding area [...]
Don’t be dazzled by the hype around The Hundred April 17, 2025 Ed Warner looks at the start of the County Championship season and whether an upcoming ECB review could see new influence from Hundred investors. The ice cream van was doing a steady trade, even at £4 for a Magnum. Made the twenty quid ticket feel especially good value. Around 2,500 people basked in the April [...]
Championship Rugby: Coventry for sale but club has Premiership future April 15, 2025 Benefactor of Premiership hopefuls Coventry Rugby Jon Sharp sits down with City AM to discuss why he’d sell up and walk away if the right party came along. A brief poke under the bonnet of rugby union’s financials would be enough to frighten even Formula 1’s greatest mechanic away. In so-called perfect France losses are [...]
URC side Cardiff Rugby to enter administration in blow for Wales April 8, 2025 Two-time European Challenge Cup winners Cardiff Rugby are set for an emergency takeover by Welsh rugby’s governing body the WRU. Players and staff at the United Rugby Championship club were informed on Tuesday by chief executive Richard Holland that the club were poised to go into administration. The decision by Helford Capital Limited, whose investment [...]
How club revenue turns Champions Cup into cash of the titans April 4, 2025 This weekend’s Investec Champions Cup round of 16 may be about getting the win in one of Europe’s most iconic stadiums, but in reality competitions such as this – seen by many as the top club rugby competition in the world – can have a monumental impact on rugby finances. The classic cliches in rugby [...]
Which English teams can win this weekend in the Investec Champions Cup? April 3, 2025 There’s always a fuzzy feeling when the Investec Champions Cup returns to the calendar, especially during the knockout stages. There are six French teams, five English sides and five URC outfits left in the competition but I do fear for the Gallagher Premiership contingent this weekend. Usually the five competing teams – Northampton Saints, Saracens, [...]
England Rugby captain Itoje sees £1m jump in wealth April 3, 2025 England Rugby captain Maro Itoje has seen his wealth jump by nearly £1m, according to his company’s latest accounts. Oghene Limited, whose sole director is England captain Itoje, saw total assets rise from £2.6m to £3.4m in the year to 30 June 2024. The Saracens forward is one of the highest paid players at his [...]