A Sports Law Rugby Blog
New Zealand Rugby (“NZR”) has today announced that it is taking legal action against British petrochemical company, INEOS, over an alleged breach of a sponsorship agreement. In 2021, the parties entered into an agreement under which INEOS (the co-owners of…
Premiership clubs (the “Clubs”) are reportedly in a dispute with agents over the payment of agents’ fees. Traditionally, these have always been paid by the Clubs on behalf of players but, in June this year, the Clubs agreed to end…
Today is the first day of On the Ball: The Rugby Union Conference! I am very excited to be co-hosting this virtual, free event along with Steven Flynn of Kings Chambers. For full details of the event, including the schedule…
The COVID-19 pandemic has created a plethora of legal and administrative hurdles for sport worldwide, and rugby union is no exception. Existing fault-lines have come sharply into focus, as tensions have been exacerbated between the game’s stakeholders and discontent has…
On 11 September, The Times reported that the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (“LNR”) had “filed a legal case” with the European Commission challenging World Rugby’s Regulation 9 on player release. According to the report, the LNR is “seeking to strip…
The Coronavirus pandemic has created a myriad of problems in the Premiership. The difficulties of re-scheduling the season (discussed here) remain significant, and its ongoing economic impact has seen clubs across the league attempt to cut costs by furloughing players…
Over the weekend of 28 June 2020, a public disagreement broke out between two Premiership rugby clubs over the services of coach George Skivington. Mr Skivington was, until Saturday, an assistant coach at London Irish Rugby Football Club (“London Irish”).…
This week, it has been announced that Premiership clubs have voted unanimously in favour of lowering the level of the Premiership Rugby salary cap from the start of the 2021/2022 season. It has also been reported that Premiership Rugby (“PRL”)…
There is increasing discussion about a new rugby players union in England. Leicester and England prop Ellis Genge is at the heart of a new plan to “shake up the rugby scene”, after being disappointed at the advice given to…
Part I of this article analysed the legal and regulatory difficulties of re-scheduling the English Premiership season as a result of the Coronavirus crisis. This second part will consider the challenges faced by the international season. The International Game As…
