South African involvement in European rugby has given competition lease of life May 27, 2024 “It was international rugby versus club rugby,” said one person at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after the South African Hollywoodbets Sharks beat Gloucester Rugby 36-22 in the EPCR Challenge Cup. That’s not entirely true, both sides had their international representatives, but the point is a good one. The addition of the Sharks into the European [...]
Investec Champions Cup: The final of a generation May 27, 2024 It was billed as the final we deserved, between two powerhouses of the Investec Champions Cup meeting in a showpiece for the first time ever. And what a match fans were served up. At the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, seen by many as one of the world’s greatest arenas, Leinster and Toulouse went toe-to-toe; the Dublinners [...]
Intensity at centre of Investec Champions Cup final between Toulouse and Leinster May 24, 2024 Without getting you all too excited, I do believe this weekend’s Investec Champions Cup could be one of the few finals that matches last year’s epic comeback by La Rochelle, who rallied from 17-0 down inside the opening quarter. Because Leinster versus Toulouse isn’t just Leinster versus Toulouse; it’s four-time winners against five-time winners, Ireland [...]
Challenge Cup can be cure to desperate seasons for Gloucester and Sharks May 23, 2024 Before the start of the current rugby season both Gloucester and the Sharks, from Durban, would have been full of hope for their domestic campaigns. But soon into their Premiership and United Rugby Championship campaigns, things began to unravel and any hopes of winning a league title disappeared over a cliff. It left the two [...]
Slade named Premiership rugby player of the season at London award dinner May 22, 2024 Henry Slade was last night named Premiership Rugby’s player of the season at a glitzy Central London awards dinner. The Exeter Chiefs centre has been pivotal for a West Country team on a major rebuild having suffered an exodus of top players across the last 12 months. Premiership RUgby chief executive Simon Massie-Taylor said: “Henry [...]
What lessons can business learn from the Investec Champions Cup? May 22, 2024 As Leinster and Toulouse get set for their Investec Champions Cup showdown this weekend, what lessons can business learn from rugby? Tim Burnell, Chief Marketing Officer of UK & International at Investec Bank takes a look. Success in business and sport is much more than a numbers game. Profit figures and points tallies are important, [...]
New Zealand All Blacks could MUTINY ahead of England Test series May 21, 2024 Rugby in New Zealand is on the verge of mutiny just a month before their two-Test series against England. Leading past and current All Blacks players including Richie McCaw, Sam Whitelock and Sam Cane are signatories on an ultimatum letter from the New Zealand Rugby Players Association to the directors of the NZ Maori Rugby [...]
Premiership gets shot in arm as league attendances grow for most May 21, 2024 Premiership Rugby has received a welcome shot in the arm after the average match attendance across the league grew by almost 300. Excluding one-off matches at the likes of Twickenham and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the average attendance for regular home games – according to crowd data published by Premiership Rugby – rose from 12,569 in [...]
England prop Kyle Sinckler named in Barbarians team for Fiji clash at Twickenham May 21, 2024 The fixture on 22 June, which is part of a double-header that sees South Africa take on Wales beforehand.
Investec Champions Cup finalists Leinster and Toulouse have varied preparations May 19, 2024 The four clubs set to contest this weekend’s Investec Champions Cup and European Challenge Cup had mixed fortunes in their domestic leagues at the weekend as each side prepares for the showpiece finale at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Friday and Saturday night. The English team Gloucester will face South African franchise the Sharks on Friday [...]