A Sports Law Rugby Blog
Following the winding up of WRFC Players Limited on 5 October 2022, the RFU announced that Worcester Warriors (“Worcester”, the “Club”) would be suspended from the remainder of the 2022/23 Premiership Rugby season, and would then be relegated to the…
On Friday 25 March 2022, Gloucester Rugby (“Gloucester”) was scheduled to host Worcester Warriors (“Worcester”) in the Gallagher Premiership (the “Match”). However, the Match was cancelled that afternoon because Worcester was unable to field six fit and able front row…
On 11 February, Jonathan Joseph, Elliott Stooke and Gabriel Oghre were sanctioned by the RFU for breaching the UK Government’s COVID-19 regulations and rugby’s COVID-19 Minimum Operating Standards. In what is now rugby’s second COVID-19 disciplinary case (see previously the…
On Friday 12 February, the RFU Council approved a moratorium on relegation from rugby’s Premiership for the 2020-21 season. Citing the impact of COVID-19, the decision has been taken with the financial stability of the Premiership clubs in mind, with…
On 8 December 2020, an independent RFU disciplinary panel (the “Panel”) chaired by Phillip Evans QC handed down its decision (the “Decision”) in the case of the 13 Barbarians players charged with breaching COVID-19 protocols. The players’ actions had resulted…
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…
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…
The Coronavirus pandemic has brought sport to a stand-still globally. Many competitions have been postponed, and many have been cancelled altogether. Most elite professional rugby competitions have been postponed, including the English Premiership, the Pro14, the Champions Cup, the TOP14,…
As the Coronavirus crisis continues, the sports industry has emerged as one of those to be worst affected economically. With no way yet to play matches, clubs’ revenues are down, and many may be fighting for survival in the coming…
The Coronavirus pandemic has created an unprecedented crisis for sports administrators. My first article on the legal implications of the pandemic in rugby considered the wage cuts being imposed on players in the English Premiership and the question of whether…
