England Rugby chief to hold crunch talks with Stourbridge over Worcester merger February 23, 2023 England Rugby chief Bill Sweeney will tomorrow travel to Stourbridge RFC to hold crunch talks about the club’s potential merger with Worcester Warriors. The chief executive is set to hear the views of a number of clubs in the area before the Rugby Football Union chooses to back or block any plans the Warriors’ new [...]
Worcester and Wasps’ future in doubt as councillors plot to seize Sixways from owners February 22, 2023 The Mayor of Worcester wants the Atlas consortium to be stripped of the Sixways stadium site, plunging the futures of Worcester Warriors and Wasps into fresh uncertainty. Worcester Warriors are set to return to Sixways next year in a controversial deal with Stourbridge RFC, while the club’s new owners say Wasps have agreed to play [...]
Wales coach Warren Gatland calls for compromise as strike threatens England Six Nations match February 21, 2023 Wales rugby coach Warren Gatland has called on his players and the country’s union to compromise in a contract stand-off that has cast doubt on Saturday’s Six Nations match with England. Gatland cancelled a training session and delayed naming his team for the weekend fixture as a result of the row, and insists that the [...]
Premiership Rugby CEO clarifies role of new rugby sporting commission February 20, 2023 Premiership Rugby has announced plans to overhaul its governance with a new sporting commission and financial monitoring panel. The moves are part of sweeping changes at the top of the English game following the downfall of both Worcester Warriors and Wasps. “We’re setting up an independent reporting commission to make sporting decisions on behalf of [...]
MLR’s Utah Warriors CEO: Rugby needs to put commercialism first February 20, 2023 If you were looking for a nation to grab something traditional by the horns and zhuzh it up, it would be the United States wouldn’t it? Well, now rugby is entering the rodeo ring to have that treatment. Because last month, Major League Rugby (MLR) franchise Utah Warriors announced a partnership with five-time European champions [...]
Former City lawyer tasked with reviewing demise of Wasps and Worcester Warriors in Premiership Rugby financial review February 20, 2023 Legal heavyweight Sir Nigel Boardman, a former partner at City law firm Slaughter and May, has been appointed to lead a review of the financial crisis engulfing Premiership Rugby. Boardman, 72, led the government inquiry into the Greensill Capital lobbying row in 2021 and last year called time on a near-50-year stint with the Magic [...]
George Ford back in the England fold after returning from injury February 19, 2023 George Ford has returned to the England Rugby fold with the fly-half being called up to a training squad ahead of this weekend’s fixture against Wales. The Sale Sharks No10 is part of a 36-player squad having played his first Premiership game since last year’s final on Saturday – he hasn’t featured for England since [...]
Sport schedule: What’s on, what time is it on and which channel? February 17, 2023 Spring is on our doorstep and the sports schedule continues to fill up with exciting fixtures and events. Here’s what to look forward to this weekend in sport. Rugby Union: Gloucester v Harlequins, Friday Premiership rugby returns after a two-week hiatus as Gloucester look to get back to winning ways against Harlequins. The Cherry and [...]
A Wigglesworth Leicester Tigers legacy possible, but change needed February 17, 2023 He may only have a matter of months left at Leicester Tigers before he joins the England coaching team, but Richard Wigglesworth has the opportunity to leave a legacy at the club as a coach as well as a player. The Tigers are defending champions but it has been all change in the East Midlands [...]
Explainer: Welsh Rugby’s toxicity and can players strike? February 15, 2023 Toxicity in professional Welsh rugby started 20 years ago when clubs became regions, and since then there’s always been points of friction to keep the discourse over the Severn Bridge ticking over. But in the last couple of years the debate and disagreements over minor administrative issues have given way to a dire set of [...]