Away ends in Premiership Rugby have arrived, but what do fans think? April 18, 2025 One of the commandments of the “Rugby Values” brigade is the ability for home and away fans to sit next to each other, enjoy a beer and have some healthy banter. For the vast majority of rugby fans this approach is the preferred one, with the kettling of supporters pre-and post-match – as is the [...]
Premiership clubs cannot get bored of Champions Cup failures, it’s the pinnacle April 8, 2025 Looking across the results from the Investec Champions Cup and EPCR Challenge Cup at the weekend with a focus on the seven English teams, there were six results that went the way many expected and one that didn’t. Gloucester’s victory in France against Montpellier was a real surprise, but wins for Northampton Saints and Bath, [...]
Which English teams can win this weekend in the Investec Champions Cup? April 3, 2025 There’s always a fuzzy feeling when the Investec Champions Cup returns to the calendar, especially during the knockout stages. There are six French teams, five English sides and five URC outfits left in the competition but I do fear for the Gallagher Premiership contingent this weekend. Usually the five competing teams – Northampton Saints, Saracens, [...]
Investec Champions Cup Barometer: Munster ready for La Rochelle March 31, 2025 In the lead up to the 2024-25 Investec Champions Cup round of 16, Morning Wire has put together a barometer in partnership with Investec to assess which teams are hot – and which are not – ahead of this week’s knockouts. Team of the week: Munster, Ireland It hasn’t been a smooth season for Munster: [...]
Investec Champions Cup Barometer: Quins lay down Leinster marker March 24, 2025 In the lead up to the 2024-25 Investec Champions Cup round of 16, Morning Wire has put together a barometer in partnership with Investec to assess which teams are hot – and which are not – ahead of April’s knockouts. Team of the week: Harlequins, England Before the London derby between Harlequins and Saracens at [...]
Joe Marler on Saracens, standing up for England players and Six Nations March 15, 2025 Former England international prop Joe Marler is no stranger to saying what he thinks and doing what he wants. The recently retired 34-year-old has ridiculed the Haka and was famously banned for groping then-Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones. But now – speaking to Morning Wire from a greyhound rehoming project, naturally – he went after [...]
Investec Champions Cup Barometer: Daring Dupont dismisses doubters February 3, 2025 In the lead up to the 2024-25 Investec Champions Cup round of 16, Morning Wire has put together a barometer in partnership with Investec to assess which teams are hot – and which are not – ahead of April’s knockouts. Player of the week: Antoine Dupont, Toulouse The Six Nations got underway on Friday night [...]
Investec Champions Cup Barometer: Munster marching on January 27, 2025 In the lead up to the 2024-25 Investec Champions Cup round of 16, Morning Wire has put together a barometer in partnership with Investec to assess which teams are hot – and which are not – ahead of April’s knockouts. Team of the week: Munster, Ireland They may have been facing bottom-of-the-league Dragons in the [...]
Investec Champions Cup: Leinster, Glasgow and Toulon secure home ties January 13, 2025 There may be a round of Investec Champions Cup matches to go but for some clubs their future has already been decided. For South African side the Bulls, it’s done and dusted with the Pretoria-based outfit unable to reach the round of 16 in April, no matter how good or bad their result against Stade [...]
Ahead of the Game: Man United cuts could be copied by other clubs December 30, 2024 Manchester United’s controversial move to slash the funding it provides to its charitable foundation as part of cost-cutting measures introduced by Sir Jim Ratcliffe could be followed by other Premier League clubs. The Manchester United Foundation are set to be the latest victims of Ratcliffe’s drive to cut costs at Old Trafford, with Sky News [...]