Newcastle Red Bulls can be model for Prem Rugby franchising August 15, 2025 This week Steve Diamond joked that Newcastle Red Bulls – formerly Newcastle Falcons – would not have a motorbike jumping off the roof of one of their stands… yet. But in a week where a major sports player has chosen to invest in Prem Rugby, clubs should be champing at the bit to get their [...]
Australia put on British and Irish Lions tour of a lifetime August 8, 2025 Before leaving a rainy Sydney to return to (a sunny!) Blighty, I sat down with fellow rugby fans in a Darling Harbour bistro to dissect a British and Irish Lions tour which, by all accounts, blew everyone away. It is fair to say that I was within the group of those who had questions as [...]
Lions profit share gives players buy-in and shows the future of rugby July 25, 2025 British and Irish Lions players will be hoping that the MCG gets close to capacity for Saturday’s second Test against Australia – and not just for the sake of a good atmosphere. This tour is the first in which Lions players will receive a share of profits, a move expected to bump their pay up [...]
Can British and Irish Lions tour save rugby in Australia? July 18, 2025 It is a crying shame to see rugby union drop so far behind Aussie Rules, the NRL and football Down Under, even as the British and Irish Lions get set to take on the Wallabies in the first of three Tests this weekend. But I am not surprised, given the state of Australian rugby at [...]
Lack of Welsh Lions shows stark reality of systemic failures July 11, 2025 Ahead of Wednesday’s British and Irish Lions midweek game against the Brumbies in the Australian capital of Canberra I came across a shocking statistic. The match was the first since 1899 not to include a Welshman from the matchday 23. I am not surprised that it has happened on this tour given only two Welshmen [...]
British and Irish Lions should tour France and Argentina July 4, 2025 While watching the British and Irish Lions take on the Queensland Reds on Wednesday, I started thinking about what other sides across the world would make good opponents for the touring team. The Lions of late have always ventured to the same three nations – South Africa, Australia and New Zealand – and they will [...]
British and Irish Lions player row doesn’t short-change fans June 27, 2025 Seeing the war of words erupt between the British and Irish Lions and Rugby Australia this week has given me a bit of a buzz for the tour. This is what the quadrennial series is all about, the niggle of pre-Test series angst. But when push comes to shove it is all bravado and showmanship, [...]
British and Irish Lions ticket prices teeter on verge of greed June 20, 2025 I love the British and Irish Lions but quite frankly the touring side is teetering on becoming a black hole of greed, pulling fans’ precious pennies and pounds into a vortex of commercial excess. Take Friday’s exhibition match against Argentina at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium. There were a number of single tickets still available just yesterday [...]
Bath favourites for Premiership title but you cannot write off Cheika June 13, 2025 Saturday’s sell-out Premiership final between Bath Rugby and Leicester Tigers feels like something from the 90s, when these two – alongside Wasps – were the powerhouses of English ovalball. But looking at the two squads set to clash at the 82,000-capacity Allianz Stadium in Twickenham this weekend, they couldn’t be any further from those teams [...]
Premiership play-offs: Bath and Leicester to set up old school final June 6, 2025 The final day of the Premiership was a brilliant advert for English top-flight rugby, but this weekend’s play-offs will turn that up another notch. On Friday night runaway league leaders Bath take on local rivals Bristol Bears while, on Saturday, Leicester face Sale Sharks in the East Midlands. The Premiership semi-finals are always a series [...]
