Ed Warner on the sporting year that was December 22, 2022 And so we reach the end of a year of sporting excess, or at least an excess of sport. Sunday’s FIFA World Cup Final was the calorific dessert that may well have caused you to come over all Mr Creosote, exploding under the temptation of just one more dish of must-see sporting competition. While we [...]
Steve Borthwick announced as England Rugby’s new head coach December 19, 2022 The Rugby Football Union (RFU) have announced Steve Borthwick as the next coach of England Rugby. The 43-year-old will succeed Eddie Jones, who was sacked in early December following a poor year where his England side won just five of their 12 Test matches. Former England captain Borthwick is heading to Twickenham from Leicester Tigers [...]
Quins postpone showpiece Big Game over rail strike chaos December 16, 2022 Premiership rugby club Harlequins’ cash cow showpiece event of the season – Big Game – has been cancelled due to the fall out from South Western Rail’s strikes over the Christmas Period, as reported first by Morning Wire yesterday. The game – which regularly attracts over 70,000 fans to Twickenham Stadium across the winter festive [...]
Ollie Phillips: European rugby, McGuigan and Laporte December 16, 2022 The opening round of European Champions Cup action left me slightly confused; there were some cracking matches but also some really disappointing results. The SA Sharks’ win over Harlequins down in South Africa was proper entertainment, as was Lyon’s loss to the Bulls on the African continent. But Leinster’s demolition of Racing 92 was disappointing [...]
It’s all change at the Rugby Players Association come the new year December 15, 2022 It’s due to be all change at the Rugby Players Association come the new year with a raft of new non-executive directors and a new general secretary of the union coming in. Having dealt with the impact of the pandemic on its members, the RPA has recently had to spring into action following the downfall [...]
Harlequins’ Big Game in doubt over train strikes December 14, 2022 Premiership rugby club Harlequins’ showpiece annual game, Big Game, has been thrown into doubt over rail strikes on 27 December. In an alleged email seen by Morning Wire and posted into a fan forum, fans were told that the club had taken the “extremely difficult decision to postpone the Big Game 14 fixture at Twickenham”. [...]
European rugby attendances point to major issue for the sport December 14, 2022 Hopes of a newfound interest in the European Champions and Challenge Cups took a hit this weekend as home sides struggled to fill their terraces for what some argue are the best club competitions in world rugby. Attendances peaked at a bastion of European rugby in Munster’s Thomond Park where 21,884 watched the province lose [...]
World Rugby No2 Laporte and club owner Altrad guilty of corruption December 13, 2022 World Rugby vice-chairman Bernard Laporte and president of Top14 champions Montpellier Mohed Altrad have been found guilty of corruption-related charges at the Paris Criminal Court this afternoon. The duo – along with three others – went on trial in September over a number of bribery and corruption allegations and were sentenced today. Mohed Altrad was [...]
Key Laporte-Altrad court decision could send rugby into a pit of chaos December 12, 2022 The world order of rugby could descend into a pit of chaos should World Rugby vice-chairman Bernard Laporte and Top14 club Montpellier’s billionaire owner Mohed Altrad – as well as three others – be convicted of bribery and bribery-related charges in the French courts tomorrow. Rose-Marie Hunault, the president of the 32nd courtroom, is due [...]
Eddie Jones sacked: England Rugby coach axed after team’s worst year since 2008 December 6, 2022 England Rugby have sacked head coach Eddie Jones after seven years in charge following a review of the team’s dismal form. The move comes just nine months before he was due to lead England at another Rugby World Cup, having guided them to the final in 2019. England forwards coach Richard Cockerill is to take [...]