Rugby chief suggests French-style governance can save game in England October 16, 2022 England rugby chief Bill Sweeney has insisted the Premiership and Championship should look across the Channel to France for inspiration as the domestic game faces a crisis unlike anything it has seen in the professional era. Two clubs – Worcester Warriors and Wasps – have been suspended from the league after going into administration, with [...]
Wasps teeter on the brink as Premiership club suspended October 12, 2022 One of the Premiership Rugby’s most successful and historic clubs has become the second English side within a month to be suspended from the top flight after Wasps announced that they would likely fall into administration in the coming days. The Coventry-based outfit today said that they had withdrawn from their Premiership fixture against Exeter [...]
Sharks circling: Sale’s unbeaten start testament to mixing talent October 11, 2022 In Sale’s post-Steve Diamond era, no one really knew what to expect from a rugby union outpost written off season after season. But in their third year under former Saracens coach Alex Sanderson, Sale are one of two unbeaten sides in the Premiership and motoring along nicely. With four wins from four, including over the [...]
Former Wasps chief executive interested in bid for club October 9, 2022 Financially troubled Premiership rugby club Wasps could be taken over by a bid headed by former chief executive David Armstrong. The club, who moved to Coventry from High Wycombe in 2014, are facing money woes in relation to tax owed to HMRC, bond repayments and other debt. Sources close to the auction of the club [...]
Ed Warner: F1 needs to fast track its cost cap procedures October 6, 2022 The headhunter was calling me about a CEO role at a top six Premier League club. He was building his long list of possible candidates. One of the lures was that half the salary would be paid outside the UK in a low tax jurisdiction, ostensibly for services rendered directly to the club’s overseas owners. [...]
Worcester Warriors players say ‘don’t take the P’ as contracts terminated October 5, 2022 Worcester Warriors players whose contracts were yesterday terminated have launched an appeal for the club to be allowed to keep a crucial shareholding in Premiership Rugby that could safeguard its future. “P Shares” are owned by each of the 13 Premiership clubs and afford them annual payouts from a central pot of money as well [...]
Worcester players free agents as paying company would up October 5, 2022 Worcester Warriors players are now free agents after the company which was set up to pay them was liquidated at the High Court this morning. The Premiership club have been battling with financial woes since May – when players first went unpaid – but are now in administration amid a series of owed monies. Players’ [...]
Worcester Warriors: Departures confirmed as club crisis continues October 3, 2022 The crisis gripping Worcester Warriors has begun to bite after the top-flight rugby club had two fixtures cancelled by Premiership Rugby and saw the beginning of a possible player exodus. On Monday morning the financially stricken club were informed that their previously postponed match against Gloucester Rugby and their upcoming game against Harlequins have both [...]
Roc Nation Sport president: ‘Change in rugby needs to happen now’ September 29, 2022 Rugby is at a crossroads between growth and crisis point ahead of next year’s World Cup, according to Michael Yormark, president of Jay-Z’s agency Roc Nation Sports. Amid a series of financial woes threatening the sport – not least in England, where Premiership clubs are fighting for survival – there is a consensus among new [...]
Rugby League World Cup offers London chance to shine September 28, 2022 England legend Martin Offiah has championed the decision to take the Rugby League World Cup to the South for this year’s trio of tournaments. The men’s, women’s and wheelchair competitions are due to take place concurrently in the same country for the first time when they get under way next month, a year later than [...]