September retail sales smash economist expectations paving the way for a record UK Black Friday 2015 October 22, 2015 There was good news for the high street after retail sales surged in September, boosted by the late August bank holiday weekend and beer sales related to the Rugby World Cup. Retail sales volumes jumped by 1.9 per cent on the month, smashing economist expectations of a 0.3 per cent rise, the Office for National [...]
London hotels helped by Cup scrum September 24, 2015 LONDON hoteliers saw a record 2014 and while 2015 has so far failed to live up to last year, the Rugby World Cup could take total annual occupancy to a 10-year high, according to new data from PwC. PwC expects London to see occupancy growth of one per cent, for 2015, taking it to 84 [...]
Rugby has a brilliant, unique brand – it should do more to showcase it at the World Cup September 28, 2015 Three years ago, I was engaged by the RFU to look at their brand identity and it was then that my preconceptions of rugby as a studious game for privileged southerners challenged (I’m originally from the North West of England and a lifelong fan of Everton). But rather than becoming an evangelical convert, my apathy [...]
Manchester City’s technology partner explains how data can help tackle the staggering cost of sports injuries October 17, 2015 Rugby fans of all nations will have sympathised when Irish Captain Paul O’Connell’s career came to a shattering and premature end at the Rugby World Cup last weekend. But his early exit was but one in what has been an injury-riddled start to the tournament – by the end of the pool stage, 22 players [...]
All Blacks star Dan Carter reveals NFL approach from New England Patriots November 14, 2015 Dan Carter has won nearly all there is to win in rugby with an unrivalled CV in rugby that includes two World Cups, three World Player of the Year awards and four Super Rugby championships. Yet he came very close to adding another rare accolade to that list from a different sport entirely after being approached [...]
Aviva Premiership Rugby salary cap to rise to £7m but still trails France’s Top 14 October 23, 2015 Premiership Rugby clubs have had their salary cap shackles loosened in order to "drive the next phase of growth in English club and international rugby". Clubs' limit on wage spending will be lifted by £1m to £6.5m next season and £7m in 2017/18, bringing the Premiership closer to the spending power enjoyed by French clubs, which are currently capped at [...]
England flanker James Haskell could miss autumn internationals after being sidelined for up to six months July 12, 2016 England boss Eddie Jones will be without flanker James Haskell for this year's autumn internationals after the Wasps captain was ruled out for up to six months. The 31-year-old requires reconstructive surgery on his toe due to an injury sustained in England's second test in Australia last month. Read more: Wasps make Kurtley Beale the highest paid player in Premiership Rugby [...]
First Great Western apologises to customers for underestimating need for services for World Cup game September 19, 2015 Train company First Great Western has issued an apology after acknowledging it did not prepare a sufficient amount of service to take customers to Cardiff for a world cup game. https://twitter.com/FGW/status/645178705980063744 Rugby fans at Paddington were attempting to travel to Cardiff to a rugby world cup match between Ireland and Canada, held at the Millennium [...]
First Great Western apologise to customers for underestimating need for services during World Cup game September 19, 2015 Train company First Great Western has issued an apology after acknowledging it did not prepare a sufficient amount of service to take customers to Cardiff for a world cup game. https://twitter.com/FGW/status/645178705980063744 Rugby fans at Paddington were attempting to travel to Cardiff to a rugby world cup match between Ireland and Canada, held at the Millennium [...]
Premier League economic impact: Competition contributed £3.4bn to UK GDP according to EY report November 18, 2015 Premier League football kicked £6.2bn into the UK economy in a single season, according to a new study from Ernst & Young (EY). In a study commissioned by the league, EY estimate that English football's top tier division contributed £3.4bn to UK GDP in the 2013/14 season, paid £2.4bn in taxes to the Exchequer and [...]