Promotion to Champ could be worth millions as Blackheath fight to go up May 9, 2026 Promotion to English rugby’s second tier Champ could be worth millions as Blackheath and Plymouth fight to go up this weekend. Blackheath, the world’s oldest rugby club, take on their south coast opposition in south east London on Saturday with the winner set to take on one of Richmond or London Scottish for promotion to [...]
Prem Rugby chiefs admit its ‘challenging’ to compete with Top 14 May 8, 2026 Prem Rugby chiefs have admitted competing with the French Top 14 has been “challenging” given English salary cap rules. Clubs across England can spend around £8m per season on their squad, with £6.4m of that the standard cap and the remaining a series of credits and allowances. The French Top 14 will see its salary [...]
In defence of Bristol Bears CEO Tom Tainton’s rugby marketing comments May 8, 2026 “At Bristol Bears, we don’t call ourselves a rugby club. We are a marketing agency that plays rugby. Yes, our players have to be competent and able to deliver on the field, but if they are not bringing any value off the field, that genuinely factors into our recruitment conversations.” Those were the words of [...]
Cornish Pirates announce US investment into Champ Rugby team May 7, 2026 US investors have taken a stake in Champ Rugby club Cornish Pirates as English ovalball continues to be seen as an attractive asset class. The Cornish Pirates, who play their home games at Mennaye Field in Penzance, have become the first known English rugby union club to onboard major American investors. J. Kenneth Moritz and [...]
Exclusive: Two Super League clubs circling Saracens’ Ben Earl May 6, 2026 Rugby league’s biggest clubs are circling England rugby union international Ben Earl after he made comments about switching codes. Morning Wire understands that both Warrington Wolves and Wigan Warriors are looking at the Saracens back-row, potentially targeting the 28-year-old for a move north after next year’s Rugby World Cup. Super League clubs get salary cap [...]
London City 7s returns with capital crying out for live rugby May 5, 2026 Dan James, founder of the London City 7s, pens his first of a new monthly column on short-form rugby in the capital. Rugby sevens has long been the better looking but somewhat inconsequential younger cousin of the traditional 15s game. If you were lucky enough to be one of the 113,000-plus fans in the record-breaking [...]
Gloucester Rugby secure £300k fan investment at £36.5m valuation May 4, 2026 Gloucester Rugby have raised £300k from a fan investment cycle at a valuation of £36.5m as investment in the Prem continues. With 23 days left on their public raise, the Prem Rugby strugglers have achieved a fresh goal of having £300,000 in commitments. The 122 investors have pledged an average of over £2,500 apiece but [...]
Winning Champions Cup players should get mega cash bonuses May 1, 2026 Sometimes I think Investec Champions Cup matches with something on the line could do with even more jeopardy. Bordeaux Begles, Bath Rugby, Leinster and RC Toulon will battle it out this weekend across the Atlantic and Aviva Stadiums. But what if there was a briefcase full of cash pitchside for the winners of each of [...]
Exclusive: London Irish still exploring Prem and URC rugby entries April 29, 2026 London Irish are continuing to explore a return to professional rugby with routes into both Prem Rugby and the URC being assessed, Morning Wire understands. The club filed for administration in 2023 before being purchased last year by the late Formula 1 team owner Eddie Jordan and the ownership is now looking for a way [...]
Four Champ Rugby clubs in talks with new investors April 27, 2026 Nearly a third of Champ Rugby clubs are having conversations with potential new investors, as the wider game looks to capitalise on the incoming franchising of Prem Rugby. Although details are still to be finalised, the English top flight is set to steamroll into an expansionist league much like those seen in North America. Red [...]