Rugby – Sports Gazette

World Rugby takes back control from mega-rich clubs

Rugby Union

by Daniel Gallan - 15 March 201915 March 2019 031

World Rugby’s new proposal for a Nations Championship - pencilled in for 2022 - is a necessary development to grow the international game by providing context to otherwise meaningless cross-hemisphere friendlies. In addition, it will take back some of the power away from mega-rich clubs in England and France who

‘How it got to this stage is staggering’: Former Belgian coach Simon Leader talks player ineligibility and Belgium rugby

Rugby Union

by Danny Ruddock - 24 May 201824 May 2018 01055

Rugby Europe needs to be seriously looked at in the wake of the player ineligibility scandal, according to former Belgian assistant coach Simon Leader. Leader said: “They cleared each and every one of those players to play in the games as they have to do the checks before each game. How

ESPN releases new streaming app

American Sports

by Louis Olvera - 12 February 201814 March 2018 0765

U.S. based global cable company ESPN has announced a new streaming service called ESPN Plus that will cost $4.99 per month and will launch this spring. ESPN, owned by The Walt Disney Company and Hearst Communications, says the offering will be built into ESPN’s main mobile app which will go

Don’t Crack Podcast: Episode 6 – Scottish World Cup Woes

by Adam Samuel - 20 November 2017 0866

In the sixth addition of the Don’t Crack Podcast, we discuss the continued failure of the Scottish men's football team in their quest for a first World Cup appearance in nearly 20 years! For this episode we were joined by Sports Gazette editor and proud, if long suffering, Scotsman Matt Horsman. LISTEN

Project players and Bundee Aki

Rugby Union

by Danny Ruddock - 10 November 201710 November 2017 01780

Rob Herring, CJ Stander, Bundee Aki, Nathan Hughes, WP Nel and Cornell du Preez. These are all players with no familial connection to the country they will represent this weekend. Taking out the smallest six nation country, Italy, these players represent the total amount of "project players" representing the five largest

Sports Gazette’s Champions Cup Predictions

Rugby Union

by Matthew Horsman - 15 October 201722 November 2017 0796

With the Champions Cup starting this weekend, Sports Gazette’s two rugby correspondents Danny Ruddock and Matt Horsman give their predictions for the season ahead. Pool Winners Pool 1 Danny - La Rochelle Going to go with La Rochelle here. They play a fantastic brand of rugby and have picked up where they left