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☆ A lack of representation, careless comments and ‘racial banter’ – how British rugby is facing up to its diversity issues
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-05 | by ( Samuel Joseph | Sam Joseph | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

Just ask Black rugby player and England international Sadia Kabeya, who says a lack of cultural and ethnic diversity in her sport took a toll on her identity. Representation mattersA 2020 report by Sport England showed that the participation share of White British adults in rugby union was more than 90%, 8.2% higher than the national population share. A lack of diversity in the sport in England is also reflected in the demographics of rugby audiences. Kabeya is particularly passionate about the topic of Black rugby players’ hair. Its significance runs deep, given the historical links between Black hair and identity and also resistance.

Persons: Kabeya, ”, “, ” Kabeya, Maud Muir, Lucy Packer, David Rogers, you’re, White, ” “, ” Jatin Patel, weren’t, Luther Burrell, Burrell, ” Patel, Ashton Hewitt –, –, ” Hewitt, Hewitt, Tyler Miller, Liam Scott, Scott, Mike Hewitt, Patel, George Floyd Organizations: CNN — Elite, England, CNN Sport, Rugby Football Union, RFU, Rugby, Rugby Players Association, Nations, Richmond Women, CNN, Six Nations, Getty, Loughborough Lightning, Sport England, Diversity, Daily Mail, Newcastle Falcons, Dragons, United Rugby, Leinster, rugby, Ireland, Twickenham, Pictures Locations: ”, England, London, Richmond, Wales, Dublin, Black

☆ Catherine, Princess of Wales, has become an increasingly important member of the British royals
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Issy Ronald | Sophie Tanno | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Catherine, Princess of Wales, has revealed she has cancer and is undergoing preventative chemotherapy after weeks of speculation over her health and absence from the public eye. She has become all the more important to the British royals since Harry and Meghan quit as senior royals, Prince Andrew became engulfed in scandal, and the death of Queen Elizabeth II. It was there that she met Prince William, then the 19-year-old son of Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, and Princess Diana. Around 1,900 guests attended the ceremony while the British public were granted an extra public holiday to mark the occasion. However, she apologized earlier this month after Kensington Palace released an edited photo the princess took to mark Mother’s Day.

Persons: Catherine, Princess of Wales, Kate –, Harry, Meghan, Prince Andrew, Queen Elizabeth II ., Kate, Prince William, Prince Charles, Princess Diana, William, Middleton, Chris Jackson, Alexander McQueen, seamstresses, Duchess, Cambridge, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Kate Middleton, Kensington Organizations: CNN, Marlborough College, St, Andrew’s University, Africa’s, Media, Westminster Abbey, Vogue, Rugby Football Union, The, Lawn Tennis, Croquet Club, Royal Foundation Centre Locations: Berkshire, London, Fife , Scotland, British, Mount Kenya, England, Buckingham, Westminster

☆ Billy Guyton: First New Zealand professional rugby union player confirmed to have died with CTE
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —A former professional rugby union player, who who died in 2023 at the age of 33, has become the first in New Zealand to be formally diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) – the neurogenerative disease associated with repeated head trauma. Billy Guyton died of a suspected suicide last year, CNN affiliate Radio New Zealand (RNZ) reported, and his family subsequently donated his brain to Auckland’s Neurological Foundation Human Brain Bank which made the CTE diagnosis. CNN has contacted New Zealand Rugby for comment. Around the world, players are grappling to deal with the impact of head injuries sustained during their rugby careers. In the UK, some 450 current and former rugby players have now joined lawsuits to take legal action against global governing body World Rugby and the national governing bodies of England and Wales, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), Rugby Football League Limited, International Rugby League Limited and British Amateur Rugby League Association.

Persons: CNN —, Billy Guyton, Maurice Curtis, John, RNZ, “, ”, Billy, That’s, Australia – Guyton, ” John Guyton, Michael Buckland, Curtis Organizations: CNN, rugby, Radio New Zealand, Neurological, Brain, Auckland Brain Bank, Super Rugby, Australia, Nelson Weekly, New Zealand Rugby, Australian Sports Brain Bank, World Rugby, Rugby Football Union, RFU, Welsh Rugby Union, WRU, Rugby Football League Limited, International Rugby League Limited, British Amateur Rugby League Association . Lawyers, University of Glasgow, Boston University, University of Sydney, Prevention, Befrienders Locations: New Zealand, Auckland, England, Wales

☆ Middle East Football Associations call for Israel ban over war in Gaza
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Caroline Faraj | Sammy Mncwabe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Twelve Middle Eastern football associations have called for Israel’s national team to be banned over the war on Hamas in Gaza, in a letter seen by CNN. Jordan's Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein leads the 12-member West Asian Football Federations. CNN has reached out to the Israel Football Association, FIFA and UEFA for comment. The Israeli Football Association told Sky News it is only concentrating on football matters. “I am trusting FIFA not to involve politics in football,” Israeli FA CEO Niv Goldstein told Sky News.

Persons: Prince Ali bin Al Hussein, Prince Ali, Jordan’s King Abdullah II, WAFF, Jordan's Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein, Emmanuel Foudrot, Isaac Herzog, ” Herzog, Goldstein, UEFA’s, Theodore Theodoridis, ” Organizations: CNN, Eastern, Israel’s, FIFA, UEFA, West Asian Football Federations, Football Confederations, Associations, Israeli Football Association, United, Jordan FA, Qatar, Health Ministry, Hamas, International Court of Justice, Reuters, ICJ, Israel, Israel Football Association, Sky News, Russian Football Union, UEFA Congress Locations: Gaza, Palestine, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Ukraine, Paris, ”

☆ Dementia and sport: These rugby players represented their country in their 20s, by their 40s, they had early onset dementia
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Amy Woodyatt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

Popham’s wife, Mel, would have a conversation with her husband and an hour later he would have “no recollection,” he tells CNN Sport. Richard Boardman, the lawyer representing the claimants, told CNN Sport that this is causing an “existential threat” to the game. “As far as the brain is concerned, it doesn’t matter what sport is played,” Michael Grey, a neuroscientist at the University of East Anglia, told CNN Sport. Nowinski, a WWE wrestler turned neuroscientist, told CNN Sport that head injury protocols need to go beyond treating concussion. The paper, which looked at 412 Scottish former international male rugby players aged 30 and above and 1,236 members of the public who had been matched for age, sex and socioeconomic status, found that the rugby players’ risk of a dementia diagnosis over time was just over twice as high.

Persons: Alix Popham, Mel, ”, Popham, ” Popham, I’ve, Alix Popham of Wales, Pat Riordan of, Stu Forster, Lenny Woodard, Woodard, “, “ I’d, I’d, ” Woodard, Brook Joyner, Richard Boardman, ” Michael Grey, Chris Nowinski, Scott McIntyre, Nowinski, ” Ann McKee, ” Boardman, Roger Goodell, University of East Anglia Boardman, Grey, –, ” Steve Borthwick of, Alun Wyn Jones, Paul Harding, ” Grey, McKee, it’s, aren’t, we’re, shouldn’t, weren’t, ” Alix Popham Organizations: CNN, CNN Sport, rugby, Rugby, Alix Popham of Wales offloads, Pat Riordan of Canada, Wales, Getty, World Rugby, Rugby Football Union, RFU, Welsh Rugby Union, WRU, Springer, University of East, National Football League Players, Wrestling Entertainment, WWE, Washington Post, Boston University CTE Center, British Medical, Exercise, NFL, NFL.com, University of East Anglia, RBS, Nations, University of Glasgow, Boston University, University of Sydney, Scottish, ’, “ Rugby, England Rugby, Boston University’s CTE, CTE Locations: France, Wales, England, Canada, Nantes, Europe, University of East Anglia, American, Woodward, Boston

☆ Letting children play rugby amounts to child abuse, study says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

London CNN —Allowing children to play impact sports, such as rugby or boxing, amounts to a form of child abuse, researchers from three British universities said in a new study. “The child’s brain doesn’t know or care how it was traumatized,” study lead author Eric Anderson, Professor of Sport at the University of Winchester, told CNN. And so we need to stop parents from hitting children in the head as punishment. The study argues that children cannot consent to taking part in highly dangerous activities such as impact sports, nor can adults give informed consent on their behalf. “If we were to invent sports from the get-go today, we wouldn’t be inventing sports that had children hitting their brains,” Anderson said.

Persons: “, Eric Anderson, ” “ It’s, Gary Turner, ”, Keith Parry, ” Anderson Organizations: London CNN, Philosophy, of Sport Association, University of Winchester, Bournemouth University, Nottingham Trent University, Rugby Football Union, RFU, CNN, England Boxing, Sport, United Nations Convention, Department for Sport, Management, University of Bournemouth, soccer’s Football, Athletics, Grassroots Sport Locations: British, England

☆ With Kate, Charles and William out of action, Queen Camilla left to front the family
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Lauren Said-Moorhouse | Max Foster | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

A royal source said they don’t expect any Counselors of State - the senior royals who can stand in for Charles - will be needed next week. Currently, Princes William, Harry, Andrew and Edward, as well as Princess Anne, are able to fulfil Charles’ duties in his absence. The Princess of Wales was seen over Christmas with the family in Sandringham and appeared well at various public engagements, notes CNN royal historian Kate Williams. Her husband, Prince William, will juggle childcare while being by her side as she recovers, another royal source said. With all this in mind, the monarchy still needs a public facing royal and that will come in the form of Queen Camilla.

Persons: King Charles, Catherine, William, Kate, ”, Britain's King Charles III, Mary Magdalene, Adrian Dennis, Charles, Princes William, Harry, Andrew, Edward, Princess Anne, Charles ’, Wales, Chris Jackson, Kate Williams, “, ” Williams, Prince George , Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Prince William, William won’t, she’s, That’s, Dan Mullan, she’ll, She’s, Queen Camilla . Princess Anne, Prince Edward, Sophie, Camilla, it’ll Organizations: London CNN, Daily Mail, “ Royals, Dumfries House, Mary Magdalene Church, Getty, State, CNN, Royal Foundation, Rugby, England Rugby Football Union, British Academy, Commonwealth, Westminster Abbey, Irish Guards, Six Nations Locations: Britain, United Kingdom, Scotland, St, England, AFP, Windsor, Kensington, Sandringham, Marseille

Four years after calling time on his playing career, Berbatov has grand ambitions of reshaping the football landscape in his native Bulgaria. “Bulgarian football is in major crisis,” Berbatov tells CNN Sport’s Amanda Davies from London in a recent interview. Mihaylov re-electedTwo years after submitting his resignation, Mihaylov stood again and was re-elected as BFU president for a fifth term when Berbatov was also a candidate. In the voting, 241 voted for Mihaylov, 230 for Berbatov, eight for a third candidate, and four did not vote. Dimitar Kyosemarliev/ReutersBulgaria last qualified for a major international tournament at Euro 2004, when a squad featuring Berbatov lost all three of its games.

Persons: CNN — Dimitar Berbatov’s, Berbatov, it’s, Amanda Davies, “, – Stiliyan Petrov, Martin Petrov, –, Borislav Mihaylov, Mihaylov, Mihaylov’s, Gareth Southgate, Boyko Borissov, Bulgaria “, ” Mihaylov, Borissov’s, ” Borislav Mihaylov, Georgi Paleykov, Georgi Ivanov, “ I’ve, ” Berbatov, Dimitar Dilkoff, Nikolay Doychinov, ”, Dimitar Kyosemarliev, hasn’t, Simon Holmes, Aleksander Čeferin, Čeferin, “ It’s Organizations: CNN, Bulgarian, –, Manchester United, Bulgarian Football Union, England, Bulgaria, ”, Guardian, Balkan Insight, FIFA, UEFA, CNN Sport, Latvia, Getty, Bulgaria’s, Hungary, men’s, Plovdiv’s Hristo Botev Stadium, Police, Vassil Levski Stadium, Hungarian Football Federation, Reuters, Croatia Locations: Germany, England, France, Greece, India, Bulgaria, Europe, London, Sofia, Bulgarian, “ Bulgaria, AFP, Plovdiv, Reuters Bulgaria, BFU

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Thousands of Bulgarian football supporters on Thursday took to the streets of the capital, Sofia, in protest over the management of the national football union, a demonstration that eventually turned violent. The qualifying match between Bulgaria and Hungary for next year's European soccer championship fell victim to a bitter dispute between the management of the Bulgarian Football Union and soccer fans from across the Balkan country. Political Cartoons View All 1253 ImagesThe Bulgarian national team has failed to qualify for a major tournament for nearly two decades. The decision fueled anger not only amid Bulgarian fans. As they had already planned their trip, they intended to join the Bulgarian fans’ protest, according to BTA.

Persons: “, Bulgarian Football Union Borislav Mihaylov, Mihaylov, ”, BTA Organizations: Bulgarian, football union, Bulgarian Football Union, Media, Bulgarian Football Union Borislav, UEFA, Vasil Levski National Locations: SOFIA, Bulgaria, Sofia, Hungary, European, Albania, Lithuania, Bulgarian

☆ Hungary criticises 'unsportsmanlike' Bulgaria as Euro qualifier venue changed
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 14 (Reuters) - The Hungarian football federation slammed the Bulgarian federation for "unsportsmanlike" conduct as Thursday's Euro 2024 qualifier match was moved from Plovdiv to Sofia on Tuesday. The Hungarian FA called hosts Bulgarian Football Union's (BFU) actions "unprecedented, totally unjustified and grossly unsportsmanlike" in a statement. "It is not even possible to organise a family holiday in this way, let alone an international football match with a huge stake, involving millions of people," it added. "UEFA ordered that the match will be played behind closed doors at the Vasil Levski stadium in Sofia," the BFU said on Tuesday. Bulgaria are bottom with two points as they look to secure a qualifying playoff berth in their remaining matches against Hungary and Serbia.

Persons: BFU, Chiranjit, Christian Radnedge Organizations: Hristo Botev, Hungarian FA, Bulgarian Football, UEFA, Vasil Levski, Hungary, Thomson Locations: Hungarian, Bulgarian, Plovdiv, Sofia, Hungary, Montenegro, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Bengaluru

☆ Springbok hooker Mbonambi cleared to play in World Cup final
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

World Rugby were subsequently asked to review a similar incident in a match between the two teams in London last year. "Any allegation of discrimination is taken extremely seriously by World Rugby...," it said in a statement. World Rugby added that it accepted that Curry made the allegation in good faith, "and that there is no suggestion that the allegation was deliberately false or malicious." "World Rugby is also concerned by the social media abuse that both players have been subjected to this week. There is no place in rugby or society for discrimination, abuse or hate speech, and World Rugby urges fans to embrace the sport’s values of respect, integrity and solidarity."

Persons: Rassie Erasmus, Lorraine O'sullivan, Bongi Mbonambi, Tom Curry, Mbonambi, Curry, Tom Curry’s, Siya Kolisi, Kolisi, Nick Said, Jason Neely, John Stonestreet Organizations: Aviva, REUTERS, Rights, Saturday’s Rugby, Rugby, England, Springbok, New Zealand, South Africa, World Rugby, Rugby Football Union, RFU, Springboks, Twickenham, Thomson Locations: Africa, Ireland, South Africa, Dublin, New, Paris, London, Mbonambi

☆ UEFA axes plan to lift Under-17 ban on Russia teams
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

"The agenda point was withdrawn as no technical solution to allow Russian teams to play could be found," UEFA said of the plan, which was fiercely opposed by Ukraine and other soccer federations. In the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, which Moscow calls a 'special military operation', UEFA decided that all Russian teams - national or club sides - would be suspended from participation in its competitions. There was no immediate reaction from Russia. The Russian Football Union did not immediately respond to request for comment. Reporting by Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber; Editing by Ken FerrisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Denis Balibouse, Gabrielle Tétrault, Farber, Ken Ferris Organizations: Soccer Football, UEFA, Russia's, Russian Football Union, Thomson Locations: Nyon, Switzerland, NYON, Ukraine, Moscow, Russia

☆ Build a stadium, FIFA's Infantino urges Kyrgyzstan
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BISHKEK, May 6 (Reuters) - FIFA President Gianni Infantino urged Kyrgyzstan on Friday to build a national football stadium to host international games and address the lack of infrastructure. The former Soviet republic has no modern stadiums built to international standards that can host FIFA-level matches, and its national team's FIFA ranking has fluctuated between positions 201 and 75, currently standing at 96th. "I spoke to the (Kyrgyz) president (Sadyr Japarov) about the national stadium of football," Infantino said. The men's football team qualified two times in a row for the Asian cup. Reporting by Marlis Myrzakul Uulu Writing by Olzhas Auyezov; Editing by Kim CoghillOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Exeter's Nowell fined 10,000 pounds for tweet criticising referee
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 18 (Reuters) - Exeter Chiefs' Jack Nowell has been fined 10,000 pounds ($12,427) and directed to undertake a referees' course after the England wing criticised a Premiership referee's decision on Twitter, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) said on Thursday. Nowell was charged with committing "conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game" after tweeting criticism of a decision to send off Exeter's Olly Woodburn during their 62-19 defeat at Leicester Tigers on Sunday. Nowell, who did not play in the game, wrote in a tweet that has since been deleted: "I'm actually in shock, like shock shocked. The case was heard on Wednesday by an independent disciplinary panel, who directed the fine be paid to charity. ($1 = 0.8047 pounds)Reporting by Rohith Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken FerrisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Over 150 ex-soccer, rugby players join concussion lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

London sports law firm Rylands Garth said it would issue proceedings in court on Tuesday on behalf of 100 rugby league players, 40 rugby union players and 15 football players, taking the total number of claimants to 380. The players allege that the sports' governing bodies failed to protect them from concussion and non-concussion injuries that caused various disorders including early onset dementia, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease and motor neurone disease. "Acting on the latest science, evidence and independent expert guidance, we constantly strive to safeguard and support all our players – future, current, and former...," World Rugby, the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) said in a joint statement. Rylands Garth represents over 250 rugby union players with brain damage, including England World Cup winner Steve Thompson and former Wales captain Ryan Jones, in a claim against World Rugby and the governing bodies of England and Wales. The firm also represents 100 rugby league players as part of a separate but similar potential claim against England's RFL.

☆ Russia host Iraq in first home match since invasion of Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 26 (Reuters) - Russia's men's team will host their first match on home soil since November 2021 on Sunday, a friendly against Iraq in St Petersburg, having been kicked out of international competition because of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Russia's men have played four friendlies since the invasion, all away from home. Russia won 2-1 away in Kyrgyzstan last September, before draws against Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Iran. The RFU and four Russian clubs had appeals against the bans dismissed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) last July. Most international sports federations have excluded athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus since the invasion, but some are now starting to allow them back into competition.

☆ Another 55 amateur players join concussion lawsuit
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Lori Ewing | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

MANCHESTER, England, March 14 (Reuters) - Another 55 amateur rugby players who are suffering from neurological impairments joined the growing list of claimants in a class-action concussion lawsuit on Monday, claiming that the sport's governing bodies failed to take reasonable action to protect them. "The players we represent love the game," Rylands Garth said in a statement. "(CTE) is a cruel and progressive degenerative disease of the brain found in many players of contact sports leading to repetitive brain trauma," they said. World Rugby pointed to studies in France and South Africa that showed positive advancements in terms of player safety and overall game experience. In 2019, the NHL paid $18.49 million to settle a concussion lawsuit brought by more than 100 players.

☆ Rugby-England women's players to receive maternity cover
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Reuters Staff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The issue of maternity leave for professional athletes has gradually come into sharper focus in recent years. In 2019, sportswear giant Nike introduced a new maternity policy for all its sponsored athletes, guaranteeing pay and bonuses for 18 months around pregnancy. World soccer governing body FIFA introduced 14 weeks of maternity leave in 2020, the same year that the Women’s National Basketball Association announced fully paid maternity leave as part of its collective bargaining agreement for the first time. Rugby Players’ Association general secretary Christian Day described the new policy as a “significant step forward” for the women’s game in England. “This new policy ensures that our women’s players will be better supported through parenthood when representing England,” Day said.

☆ Sale, Worcester conditionally offered spots in Premier 15s in 2023-24
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Feb 1 (Reuters) - England's Rugby Football Union (RFU) has issued conditional offers for Sale Sharks Women and Worcester Warriors Women to join the Premier 15s for the 2023-24 season, it said on Wednesday. Including Sale would help grow the game in the north, the RFU said. There was no place for Sale, Worcester, Wasps and Darlington Mowden Park Sharks, with the RFU saying that teams would still have a chance to join at a later stage. "The RFU has therefore developed a package of support (...), which coupled with a strategy for further investment will allow Sale Sharks to adequately address the feedback from the tender panel." Worcester have recently secured funding to enable them to continue to operate, RFU added, and have also been offered a conditional place in the competition.

☆ RFU to lower tackle height to waist for community game
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 19 (Reuters) - Tackling above the waist will be banned in community rugby matches from next season to "reduce head impact exposure and concussion risk", the Rugby Football Union (RFU) said on Thursday. The RFU added that ball carriers would be encouraged to "follow the principle of evasion" and avoid "late dipping". "Lowering the height of the tackle and encouraging the tackler to bend more at the waist will minimise the risk of this occurring while maintaining the tackle as an integral part of the game." "Players' welfare must always be at the centre of decisions we make about how we play the game of rugby," RFU president Nigel Gillingham said. More than 55 amateur rugby union players sent a letter of claim to World Rugby, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and the RFU on Thursday to begin the pre-action phase of their lawsuit over possible brain injuries.

☆ Amateur players send letter of claim in potential legal action over brain injuries
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 19 (Reuters) - More than 55 amateur rugby union players sent a letter of claim to World Rugby, the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and England's Rugby Football Union (RFU) on Thursday to begin the pre-action phase of their lawsuit over possible brain injuries. The group includes several retired female internationals, elite male players who played before 1995, elite youth players and the family of a deceased rugby player. Richard Boardman of Rylands Garth, which represents more than 275 ex-professional rugby union, rugby league and football players with brain injuries, in July last year brought a similar claim against those rugby bodies and the Rugby Football League. Ahead of this year's Rugby World Cup in France, World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont pointed to the advancement of player and women's welfare in rugby in 2023, a year in which the sport will celebrate its 200th anniversary. "There will also be developments related to the other key pillars of our welfare plan, including our commitment to education and support for former players," he added.

☆ Eddie Jones: England head coach sacked just nine months before 2023 Rugby World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

But the latest two-week review into England's performance has led to his downfall. Eddie Jones has been sacked as England head coach after seven years in charge, just nine months out from the 2023 Rugby World Cup. "It is important to recognise the huge contribution Eddie has made to English rugby, winning three Six Nations Championships, one Grand Slam and taking us to a Rugby World Cup final," said Sweeney. Aside from their run to the World Cup final in 2019, though, they have never reached such heights under the Australian again. Were it not for the last World Cup, it is highly likely Jones would have exited long ago.

☆ Ireland's Henshaw ruled out of South Africa game, McCloskey starts
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

DUBLIN, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Ireland centre Robbie Henshaw has been ruled out of Saturday's test against South Africa through injury, the Irish Rugby Football Union said, with in-form Ulster midfielder Stuart McCloskey coming into the starting lineup. McCloskey, 30, will win his seventh cap since making his debut in 2016. A superb season so far has put him next in line to Henshaw, his centre partner on Saturday Garry Ringrose and the suspended Bundee Aki ahead of next year's World Cup. Leinster utility back Jimmy O'Brien could win his first cap after being added to the bench for the opening test of Ireland's November series. Reporting by Padraic Halpin Editing by Christian RadnedgeOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Players need to join talks on Premiership future, says George
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Oct 19 (Reuters) - Players need to have a say in the future of Premiership rugby after Wasps and Worcester Warriors went into administration, Saracens and England hooker Jamie George said on Tuesday. Wasps made 167 players and staff redundant, British media reported, after going into administration on Monday, while Worcester went into administration last month. England's Rugby Football Union regulations state that a club placed in administration during the season will be relegated for the following campaign. "I think the players need to be at the forefront of it. "I don't have all the answers but I am hoping people behind the scenes at the Rugby Football Union, Premiership Rugby and the Rugby Players' Association are having these conversations," he said.

☆ RFU working with Wasps, administrators to find possible buyers
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Wasps made 167 players and staff redundant, British media reported, after going into administration on Monday, a week after they were suspended by the RFU. The RFU said in a statement that it was speaking daily with administrators and the league to examine whether there was any possibility of a takeover. RFU regulations state that a club placed in administration during the season will be relegated for the following campaign. "The RFU and Premiership Rugby have been working for some time to develop a sustainable model for rugby to deliver long term prosperity for the sport," RFU chief executive Bill Sweeney said. "The RFU and Premiership Rugby have acknowledged the need to set a more sustainable path for club rugby," DCMS committee chair Julian Knight said.

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