By: Matt Hardy

Deputy Sports Editor - City AM Matt Hardy is the City AM Deputy Sports Editor with a specialism in the business of sport. He covers the likes of rugby, cricket, sporting investment and venture capital funds; while also being across golf, cricket, and the politics of sport.

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Vannes shows Top 14 and France are doing it right. England should learn

December 17, 2024

Matt Hardy went to Vannes this December and saw exactly why French rugby and the Top 14 is exactly what every league should aim for. Rounding a grand piano in the courtyard of a music school to reach the turnstiles at the Stade de La Rabine is not something you’d expect – posh boy stereotypes [...]
All BBC Sports Personality of the Year category winners

December 17, 2024

On Tuesday the nation picks its Sports Personality of the Year with a grand ceremony crowning the winner. Jude Bellingham, Luke Littler, Alex Yee, Keely Hodgkinson, Dame Sarah Storey and Joe Root are up for the main gong. But there are a number of awards that celebrate teams, individuals and unsung heroes. An all-female cast [...]
Why Worcester Warriors face a fight for Championship admission

December 16, 2024

Worcester Warriors face a fight for admission to next year’s revamped Championship, with multiple National League 1 rugby clubs vying to beat the relaunched team to the last spot. The Rugby Football Union is set to expand the Championship from 12 to 14 teams but only those who meet a set of strict criteria will [...]
Glasgow Warriors shining light for Scotland in Champions Cup

December 14, 2024

North of Hadrian’s Wall there’s a proud rugby nation in Scotland. Their two flagship clubs, Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh, host the majority of the national team and the nation’s biggest overseas stars ply their trade in the country. But the Investec Champions Cup and its predecessor top level competitions have never been a happy hunting [...]
The best books of 2024: From Sally Rooney to Boris Johnson

December 12, 2024

Okay, that headline is ever-so-slightly misleading – while many of the entries on this list are indeed among the best books of 2024, others earn their place by virtue of being emblematic of their time (Boris Unleashed), zeitgeist-capturing (Bad Girls of Ancient Greece) or simply so utterly bonkers we felt they earned a spot (The [...]
Hundred salaries rise amid rumours of player boycott of cricket competition

December 12, 2024

Salaries for players participating in The Hundred have risen by 25 per cent ahead of the 2025 edition amid rumours players are threatening to boycott the league. Around 50 players are said to be considering snubbing the England and Wales Cricket Board’s flagship short-form competition after restrictions were placed upon where in the world they [...]
Papua New Guinea to join NRL in £301m ‘diplomacy deal’ against China funded by taxpayer

December 12, 2024

A team from Papua New Guinea will join Australian rugby league competition the NRL in a “diplomacy deal” that will cost the taxpayer £301m. It is understood the deal is part of an Australian push to counteract increasing Chinese influence in the Indo-Pacific and follows Australian support for Pacific island rugby union teams participating in [...]
Super League Hull FC get new owners worth reported £500m

December 11, 2024

Super League club Hull FC was taken over on Wednesday by two businessmen who are reportedly worth a combined £500m. The club, which lost its IMG Grade A status after the conclusion of the 2024 season, has been taken over by former Leeds Rhinos president Andrew Thirkill and businessman David Hood. The pair entered into [...]
NFL confirms third European city for 2025 international games

December 11, 2024

The NFL will expand its international game programme with a match in Berlin in 2025, the sporting league has announced. It comes as the NFL announced a “multi-year commitment” to playing games in the German capital following successful stints in Munich and Frankfurt. Berlin’s Olympic Stadium is not new to NFL, having hosted pre-season matches [...]
Premier Sports hit Champions Cup targets, says broadcaster chief

December 11, 2024

Investec Champions Cup broadcaster Premier Sports insisted they hit viewership targets across the opening weekend of action. The Irish broadcaster has taken over the broadcast rights from TNT Sports for Great Britain as part of a three-year deal with the competition’s governing body EPCR. Despite concerns over the coverage, which featured some technical glitches and [...]

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Champions Cup rugby team hacked in ransom attack with player data at risk

A tribute to wine legend Matthew Jukes by his friend Libby Brodie

By: Matt Hardy

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