Gloucester Rugby CEO: We were a big club, now we’re a sleeping giant September 5, 2023 In their 150th season, everything should be looking rosy for Gloucester as the Cherry and Whites have spent the last couple of years dodging the financial woes that have caused other Premiership clubs to cease trading. But they aren’t exactly thriving on the pitch. Having never won a top flight professional domestic trophy or claimed [...]
Exclusive: Women’s rugby set for invitational Champions Cup final September 4, 2023 This year’s Champions Cup rugby finals weekend is set to include an invitational women’s fixture for the first time as European chiefs look to take advantage of the growth in the game, Morning Wire can reveal. Gloucester-Hartpury, champions of England, and Stade Bordelais, champions of France, could play each other under plans proposed by European [...]
Exclusive: Middle East and United States bid to host Champions Cup final September 3, 2023 European rugby chiefs are considering bids which would see the Champions Cup final staged in the Middle East or the United States, Morning Wire can reveal. The finals weekend of the world’s premier club rugby competition, the Champions Cup, and its sister competition the Challenge Cup have traditionally housed themselves in core rugby regions. But [...]
Exclusive: European rugby chiefs in Challenge Cup sponsor talks August 31, 2023 European rugby chiefs are in exploratory discussions with companies over a potential title sponsor for the Challenge Cup, Morning Wire can reveal. The relative of the Champions Cup, which on Thursday announced bank Investec as its title sponsor on a five-year deal, the Challenge Cup has not had a sponsor since insurer Amlin partnered the [...]
Investec hand rugby vote of confidence with Champions Cup sponsorship August 31, 2023 Investec has handed rugby a much-needed vote of confidence by striking a five-year deal to replace Heineken as sponsor of the Champions Cup. Europe and South Africa’s premier club competition has been without a sponsor since the Dutch beer brand, involved since 1995, stepped away from the title association in June. It represents a huge [...]
Exclusive: Greenpeace to target Rugby World Cup fan zones August 30, 2023 Greenpeace is planning to target next month’s Rugby World Cup as the campaigning group ramps up protests against “greenwashing” by oil companies. The organisation told Morning Wire it would make its presence felt at the tournament’s official fan zones and outside stadia in France, where the action begins next week. It follows a summer of [...]
Industries tops front of shirt list despite no Premier League deal August 9, 2023 Industries have overtaken consumer services as the chief sector for front of shirt sponsors in England’s top sports with automotive brands facing a new-found slump, according to new research released today. Of the 225 clubs assessed – across men’s and women’s football, rugby union, rugby league and cricket – just under 15 per cent, or [...]
URC side Ospreys to host rugby fixture in London July 31, 2023 Welsh United Rugby Championship side Ospreys will play one of their domestic home fixtures in London next season, the club confirmed today. The Welsh region has not said where in the capital they will stage the URC fixture but they’re expected to announce the venue in the coming weeks. It is understood that the side [...]
British and Irish Lions schedule: 2025 tour to Australia confirmed July 19, 2023 The British and Irish Lions will play nine matches on their tour to Australia, including a fixture against a combined Australia-New Zealand side. The iconic touring side – made up of rugby players from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland (who play as the island of Ireland) – will face the five domestic super Rugby sides [...]
London tops British entries in top 100 sports cities index July 15, 2023 London and Manchester have been named in the top five of a list of the top 100 sporting cities, according to recent data. The BWC 2023 Ranking of Sports Cities placed London in third and Manchester in fifth on the 100-city list. The capital was second on the list in 2021 and third in 2022 [...]