Gloucester Rugby CEO Lance Bradley: Scrap relegation this season, it’s not right and would be catastrophic for any Premiership club January 21, 2021 “It would be catastrophic,” says Gloucester Rugby chief executive Lance Bradley, matter-of-factly, about the prospect of relegation. Gloucester sit bottom of the Premiership table after six rounds of fixtures, raising the spectre of another swingeing financial blow as all clubs count the cost of the pandemic. It hardly bears thinking about – and Bradley doesn’t [...]
Head coach Eddie Jones among three England rugby staff forced to self-isolate ahead of Six Nations January 20, 2021 England’s preparations for the Six Nations have been further disrupted by head coach Eddie Jones needing to self-isolate for 10 days. Jones and attack coach Simon Amor must isolate as they have been deemed close contacts of forwards coach Matt Proudfoot, who has tested positive for Covid-19. It follows the news that skills coach Jason [...]
English rugby clubs handed two-week break after European competitions suspended amid French boycott January 11, 2021 Premiership rugby clubs have been handed a two-week break after European competition was suspended. Heineken Champions Cup and Chellenge Cup games due to take place on the next two weekends have been called off due to the French government telling its teams not to take part while Covid-19 cases remain on the rise. Premiership Rugby [...]
Saracens announce four-year stadium and shirt sponsorship deal with StoneX and City Index January 10, 2021 Saracens have announced a major new sponsorship deal with financial services company StoneX Financial and its subsidiary City Index. The four-year agreement will see the club’s north London home named the StoneX Stadium. Trading platform City Index will appear on the front of the shirts worn by both Saracens’ men’s and women’s teams. Saracens’ men’s [...]
Northampton Saints v Leicester Tigers cancelled as fifth Premiership rugby fixture in a fortnight is axed due to Covid-19 cases January 6, 2021 Northampton Saints’ derby against Leicester Tigers has become the latest victim of Covid-19 outbreaks in English rugby union. The fixture, which was due to take place on Saturday, is the fifth since Christmas to be cancelled in such circumstances. Northampton said they had reluctantly agreed to cancel the match after “a number of positive tests” [...]
How Covid is affecting sport in 2021: Will Premier League, Tokyo Olympics, England’s Test series in Sri Lanka and the Lions tour go ahead? January 5, 2021 The first wave of Covid-19 saw professional sport grind to a halt as countries across the world imposed lockdowns. With cases on the rise again, particularly in England, some sports – including football, rugby union, boxing and snooker – have already been disrupted. So how is elite sport in 2021 being affected by the pandemic [...]
What to expect from sports technology in 2021 January 1, 2021 After the sporting chasm that was 2020, things are definitely looking up in 2021. In prospect are Olympics and Paralympic Games, football’s European Championship and the return of a plethora of iconic annual fixtures, such as Wimbledon, Royal Ascot and The Open. But as we embrace the new normal of live sport next year, what [...]
Ollie Phillips: Rugby in 2020 had fairytale triumphs and falls from grace, but it could all be derailed in 2021 December 23, 2020 Rugby in 2020 has been a mixed bag, with both fairytale triumphs and causes for real alarm. The club game delivered gripping storylines in the rise of Exeter from second-tier to European champions and the demise of Saracens. International rugby has suffered, though, and questions about concussion and dementia leave the sport in a vulnerable [...]
The Big Sport Quiz of 2020: How well were you following the action this year? December 22, 2020 Roll up, roll up: it’s City PM’s Big Sport Quiz of 2020! Yes, a lot of it was severely disrupted and most of it happened without fans present, but there was still plenty of vintage sport and some intriguing storylines to follow. So test your knowledge on our selection of questions covering all major sports [...]
Rugby World Cup 2023 draw: England to face Japan and Argentina in pool stage December 14, 2020 England have been drawn to play Japan and Argentina in the pool stage of the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France. It is a relatively kind draw for Eddie Jones’s team, who were runners-up last year and were among the top seeds. Ireland and Scotland face a battle to escape from Pool B alongside holders [...]
