Rugby Europe Super Cup: New second-tier competition for clubs from Israel, Belgium and Russia kicks off effort to raise standard in emerging nations September 23, 2021 It largely slipped under the radar here but across the continent last weekend the Rugby Europe Super Cup kicked off its inaugural season. The competition for emerging rugby nations saw teams from the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Spain and Russia clash in the opening round. But just what is the Rugby Europe Super Cup, and why [...]
Ryder Cup 2021: History shows that being the underdog has never stopped Europe, who have upset the odds in five of the last nine matches with the USA September 22, 2021 Anyone paying even the slightest attention to this week’s Ryder Cup cannot have missed the fact that the USA are red-hot favourites. Steve Stricker’s team boast eight of the world’s top 10 players and have home advantage,a factor likely to be amplified by the Covid-enforced absence of many European fans. Listen to some of the [...]
Eddie Jones’ squad offers glimpse into England’s World Cup future September 21, 2021 Eddie Jones has given a glimpse of his plans for the Rugby World Cup in 2023 after England’s head coach excluded several senior players from his autumn training squad. The Vunipola brothers, Billy and Mako, plus George Ford, Jamie George and the injured Elliot Daly were omitted from the 45-man squad, who are set to [...]
Legal Q&A: What uncertainty around the Ashes means for England, the players, contracts, sponsors and broadcasters September 21, 2021 Lawyer Jamie Horner examines the legal issues around this winter’s Ashes series between England and Australia, which remains in the balance due to Covid-19 restrictions Down Under. What are some of the key legal issues around this Ashes series? The key issue is the difference between Covid-19 restrictions in the UK and the more draconian [...]
Anthony Joshua signs new deal committing to Eddie Hearn’s Matchroom Boxing for the rest of his career September 21, 2021 British boxing superstar Anthony Joshua has ended speculation about a split from Matchroom by committing to a new deal with the promoter for the rest of his career. Joshua signed the contract today, five days before his heavyweight world title defence against Oleksandr Usyk at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. “I have heard that [...]
Legal Q&A: How referees’ pay could be hit by a tax dispute with HMRC and why this could have wide-reaching effects on the gig economy September 21, 2021 Lawyer Kevin Barrow explores the implications of an ongoing case between referees and HMRC. What’s this case about? It’s about whether PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) needs to deduct income tax and National Insurance Contributions (NICs) from payments it makes to referees whom it has engaged on a self-employed “gig worker” basis to officiate at [...]
Exeter’s chief problem: Why don’t they have a main sponsor? September 20, 2021 On Saturday, Exeter Chiefs’ Premiership campaign began with a 34-19 loss at Leicester Tigers. Remove the result, the return of the roaring terraces and professional rugby’s big kick-off, and you may have noticed a commercial anomaly in the away side’s kit: Exeter’s shirt was missing a main sponsor. Little more than a year ago, Chiefs [...]
Opinion: Why Derby County’s financial woes show that football is broken and needs fundamental change September 20, 2021 The unfolding disaster at Derby County should never have been allowed to happen, but sadly this is just the latest example of a game that has increasingly allowed itself to lose touch with reality. We have seen the collapse of FA Cup winners Bury and the demise of Macclesfield, while others, such as Wigan and [...]
England withdraw from World Cup warm-up tour games in Pakistan September 20, 2021 The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) have withdrawn their men’s and women’s sides from the October tour to Pakistan. The men were due to play two warm-up games prior to the T20 World Cup, which begins in late October. England women were due to link up with the men and play two T20 double [...]
Why boosting physical activity is key to speeding up London’s pandemic recovery, by Prof Kevin Fenton of Public Health England September 20, 2021 In this guest column, Professor Kevin Fenton, London regional director at Public Health England, calls on businesses to prioritise employee health ahead of London Sport’s Active London conference this week. As we emerge from Covid-19 and set out to repair its impact globally, the success of London’s post-pandemic recovery will ultimately depend on the physical [...]