O2 pins hopes on England Rugby World Cup 2015 win: CEO Ronan Dunne on playing the long game September 20, 2015 If you were compiling a list of the most successful sponsorship partnerships in sport over the past 20 years, the one between O2 and England Rugby would have to be very near the top. Timing is everything of course, but when Cellnet, O2’s previous incarnation, decided to get involved in rugby union in 1995, [...]
Rugby World Cup 2015: Record crowd witnesses All Blacks suffer fright September 20, 2015 NEW ZEALAND 26 ARGENTINA 16 Rattled New Zealand captain Richie McCaw conceded his team would have to improve to win their third Rugby World Cup after they were given a huge scare by Argentina at Wembley yesterday. A world record crowd for the tournament of more than 89,000 witnessed the powerful Pumas come from 9-0 [...]
Rugby World Cup 2015: Gatland frets over injury count as attention turns to England September 20, 2015 WALES 54 URUGUAY 9 Wales coach Warren Gatland admitted that a number of his walking wounded are in danger of missing Saturday’s showdown with England after injuries blighted their bonus-point victory over Uruguay at the Millennium Stadium yesterday. Centre Cory Allen, who became the fifth Welsh player to score a Rugby World Cup hat-trick, is [...]
Rugby World Cup 2015: England, Australia and Japan give front-runners New Zealand a run for their money when it comes to house prices September 20, 2015 New Zealand may be the front-runners to triumph in the Rugby World Cup, but when it comes to property prices, it's neighbours Australia who are standing ahead at the touchline. Comparing the average house price of each of the 20 nations competing in the tournament, it's the second-placed team in the world rugby rankings who [...]
New Zealand v Argentina: Eight reasons why the All Blacks will win the Rugby World Cup 2015 (and three why they might not) September 20, 2015 The haka, the jet black shirts, the collection of some of the game's best ever players – New Zealand are the Rugby World Cup's scariest side and odds-on favourites to win. Here's eight reasons why they'll lift the Web Ellis Cup for a third time: 1. They're the best… …and have been for six years according [...]
Rugby World Cup 2015 will showcase sport’s booming licensing opportunities for brands September 18, 2015 The culmination of months of sporting excitement aside, there are plenty of business reasons we should be happy about the arrival of the Rugby World Cup in our back garden. One of them is the opportunity within the licensing industry. The licensing industry is booming –the International Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association’s recent Annual Global [...]
Rugby World Cup 2015: All Black is the colour as first match England v Figi kicks off tonight September 18, 2015 For the first time in 24 years, New Zealand have arrived for a Rugby World Cup as champions, finally able to bat away the ‘choking Kiwi’ tag that has haunted them for almost three decades. While England are a tempting bet at 9/2 with Sportingbet, it appears that the only chink in the formidable [...]
Rugby World Cup 2015: Excitement for England reminiscent of 2012 Olympics, says coach Graham Rowntree September 18, 2015 Feverish England are ready to take the first stride towards a historic Rugby World Cup triumph on home soil when they begin their quest against Fiji tonight, says coach Graham Rowntree. Read more: Martin Johnson – This England side will be defined by World Cup Years of preparation and anticipation reach fruition at Twickenham [...]
Rugby World Cup 2015: Jason Robinson says current England side fit to emulate 2003 winners September 18, 2015 There aren’t many days that go by without someone coming up to me in the street and saying ‘I remember’,” says Jason Robinson, a Rugby World Cup winner who walked the tightrope of expectancy and secured his place in history. Read more: Martin Johnson – This England side will be defined by World Cup [...]
Rugby World Cup 2015: All Blacks haka leader Liam Messam shrugs off favourites tag – “nothing’s taken for granted” September 17, 2015 New Zealand flanker Liam Messam has shrugged off the All Blacks’ favourites tag for the Rugby World Cup and insisted the reigning champions will take nothing for granted. Read more: Pressure is all on England and not New Zealand, insists All Blacks legend Jonah Lomu The All Blacks kick off their campaign against [...]