Rugby Union

European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) has announced a series of changes to the qualification process for the Champions Cup, one of its showpiece club rugby union competitions.

Premiership Rugby has agreed a new four-year deal with sports and live entertainment company AEG and US broadcast rights-holder NBC Sports which will commence with Newcastle Falcons and Saracens playing a regular season game in Philadelphia on September 16.

Ian Ritchie has informed the Rugby Football Union’s (RFU) board of directors that he will retire from his position as chief executive of England’s governing body for rugby union at the end of the summer.

SA Rugby, the governing body of rugby union in South Africa, has today (Tuesday) received a major boost in its efforts to land the 2023 World Cup after the government reversed a ban on it and two other national federations bidding for, and hosting, major sporting events.

The Melbourne Rebels Super Rugby franchise is preparing a lawsuit against the Australian Rugby Union after it emerged that the governing body is trying to buy back the team’s licence to compete in the rugby union competition.

Altrad Group chairman, Mohed Altrad, has hit out at Premiership Rugby and France’s National Rugby League (LNR) after the two bodies moved to block a significant investment from the businessman in English Premiership club Gloucester.

The Melbourne Rebels has become the latest Super Rugby franchise to attack the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) over its handling of the decision to reduce the number of teams in the club competition by stating it is seeking compensation from the governing body.

The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) has stepped back from an initial promise of a quick decision over which of its Super Rugby franchises will be axed from the club competition, as the Western Force commenced legal action against the governing body.

The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) and South African Rugby are considering their options after Sanzaar confirmed that the Super Rugby club competition will be cut from 18 to 15 franchises for its 2018 season.

European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR) has announced that the Spanish city of Bilbao will host its showpiece Champions Cup, Challenge Cup and Continental Shield finals in 2018, while Newcastle in England will stage the events in 2019.

SA Rugby, the governing body of rugby union in South Africa, has blamed a downturn in sponsorship revenue after posting a pre-tax loss of R23.3m (€1.67m/$1.79m) for the year ending December 31, 2016.

Super Rugby franchise Western Force has today (Monday) hit out at multiple reports suggesting it will be the Australian team cut as a result of a reduction in size of the southern hemisphere rugby union tournament.

The chairman of Ireland’s bid to stage the 2023 Rugby World Cup has insisted that Britain’s impending exit from the European Union will not have a detrimental impact on the country’s efforts to stage the national team tournament.

The Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) has today (Wednesday) moved to assume control of Newport Gwent Dragons in a move that is set to herald a rebrand for the Pro12 club.

The French Rugby Federation (FFR) has selected the 12 host venues for its bid for the 2023 Rugby World Cup, with seven applicants falling by the wayside.

A proposed merger between French rugby union giants Stade Français and Racing 92 has been called off after the plan was met with widespread opposition.