The Irish Times

English clubs set for windfall as Premiership Rugby sells £230m stake

Each club will receive windfall of around £18 million after deal goes through

Wed Dec 19 2018 - 20:57

Premiership Rugby aiming to finalise £230m CVC deal by Christmas

Deal would give private equity firm a 35% stake in competition with each club receiving £18m

Tue Dec 11 2018 - 21:36

Sponsors can toast being winners in Champions Cup U-turn

Despite talk of more commercial partners, brewer remains title sponsor once more

Thu Sept 27 2018 - 06:00

English Premiership could be ring-fenced if Pat Lam’s Bristol don’t thrive

Charles Piutau one of three big-money signings made to try and cement top flight status

Fri Aug 31 2018 - 11:35

Gerry Thornley: What rugby needs is more Lions, not less

English clubs’ attempts to curtail or undermine the tours must be faced down

Tue Jul 11 2017 - 06:45

Gerry Thornley: It’s baby steps to begin with for Irish provinces

Champions Cup likely to be Anglo-French carve-up again with odds against Pro12 sides

Fri Oct 14 2016 - 01:00

Empty seats show Champions Cup still in search of identity

The New tournament was supposed to rescue the European game. So where is everyone?

Tue Apr 26 2016 - 22:30

JJ Hanrahan holds nerve to secure points for Saints

Former Munster back kicks late penalty as Northampton edge contest with Bath

Sat Dec 05 2015 - 17:47

London Irish to play Saracens fixture in New York

Aviva Premiership sides will face each other at the Red Bull Arena on March 12th 2016

Tue Oct 27 2015 - 11:27

No sponsors for inaugral Champions Cup

Red faced officials have not been able to name sponsors weeks before play begins

Fri Sept 19 2014 - 10:21

Premiership Rugby raises salary cap

Each club will now be able to nominate two ‘excluded players’ whose salary is not included

Wed Sept 17 2014 - 17:35

Here’s hoping pivotal EPCR meeting comes up with some answers

It will be interesting to see if new cup competition embraces the past

Tue May 13 2014 - 12:00

IRFU ‘absolutely happy’ with Champions Cup format

Chief executive Philip Browne stresses potential benefits for Irish clubs in new financial distribution

Thu Apr 17 2014 - 01:45

Mood music between warring factions appears to be more pleasing to ears

Key is finding a resolution to biggest stumbling block toward continuation of a pan-European tournament, namely television rights

Tue Feb 11 2014 - 14:14

Welsh Rugby Union to offer regions new deal

Timetable of discussion drawn up ahead of January 31st deadline

Thu Jan 02 2014 - 19:27

Here’s looking forward to the best Super Duper year ever

Irish Times rugby correspondent Gerry Thornley has a whimsical look at what the next year holds for players, clubs and countries

Tue Dec 31 2013 - 01:00

Rugby unions make concessions in bid for compromise

But agreement on 20-team format is prelude to bigger stumbling blocks on governance and televsion coverage

Fri Oct 25 2013 - 09:01

ERC chief insists door remains open for talks on future of European competition

McGrath calls on English and French clubs to engage in negotiations

Mon Sept 30 2013 - 15:42

Anglo-French clubs to boycott Heineken Cup talks

Breakaway clubs insist there is nothing to discuss as the ERC is finished

Fri Sept 27 2013 - 11:03

Anglo-French club alliance means war over future of European rugby

Increasingly easy to envisage a huge schism in the game

Tue Sept 24 2013 - 12:00

English and French leagues ‘lack respect’, says ERC chief

Ireland lock Paul O’Connell hoping for ‘right people make the right decisions’

Mon Sept 23 2013 - 17:45

Simple truth – English and French clubs never wanted to salvage Heineken Cup

Tactics of English clubs suggest it was about power and control all along

Tue Sept 17 2013 - 11:30

Celtic and Italian clubs won’t join any new competition

But representatives tell ERC meeting they’re open to compromise with English and French clubs

Thu Sept 12 2013 - 01:00