Rugby Union
IMG lands Premiership Women’s Rugby digital remit
IMG has successfully pitched for a digital content and analysis role with Premiership Women’s Rugby (PWR), England’s rebranded domestic rugby union clubs competition.
Vodafone extends with Irish Rugby in ‘fast-paced telco market’
Vodafone Ireland has extended its principal sponsorship of the Ireland men’s rugby team in a four-year deal with the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU).
Saracens appoints Pitch International as exclusive sponsorship sales agency
Saracens Rugby Club has appointed Pitch International as its exclusive sponsorship sales agency
RWC opener drives record figures for TF1
France’s 27-13 win over New Zealand in the opening match of the 2023 Rugby World Cup generated record viewing figures in the host country, vindicating the move by commercial broadcaster TF1 to hold on t…
As World Cup kicks off, revamped RugbyPass shows the way for rugby’s stakeholders
Revamped content formats and platforms are at the heart of World Rugby’s push to change the game’s image over the course of the tournament, and it hopes that RugbyPass TV, its revamped D2C OTT service, can play its part in the reconnection.
IRFU extends Canterbury kit deal on eve of Rugby World Cup
The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) has signed a four-year extension to its kit deal with sportswear manufacturer Canterbury.
United Rugby Championship lands on Sky Italia for first time
Sky Italia, the pay-television broadcaster, is to show the United Rugby Championship for the first time, after picking up rights for the next two seasons
Heineken to continue Champions Cup relationship as second-tier sponsor
Dutch brewing company Heineken will continue its sponsorship of European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR)’s Champions Cup after it was replaced by banking and wealth management services brand Investec as the title partner of the competition.
SABC and SuperSport at impasse over Rugby World Cup deal
Public-service broadcaster the SABC has been unable to secure a sublicensing deal with pay-television broadcaster SuperSport for South Africa's matches at the forthcoming 2023 Rugby World Cup in France
NZR review delivers scathing attack on Super Rugby’s commercial appeal
A review of the governance of New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has warned that the Super Rugby competition must be overhauled in order to become a viable commercial proposition
Investec replaces Heineken as Champions Cup title sponsor
Banking and wealth management services brand Investec has taken over the title rights to the European Rugby Champions Cup in a five-year deal, ending Heineken’s long-standing naming association with t…
Greenpeace calls out TotalEnergies’ France 2023 RWC sponsorship as ‘greenwashing’
Environmental group Greenpeace has condemned TotalEnergies’ sponsorship of the upcoming Rugby World Cup in France with the release of an animated video that depicts oil flooding the pitch at the Stade de France, the venue for the opening match of the tournament on September 8.
World Rugby lights up dark markets with global streaming platform launch
World Rugby has moved to plug gaps in the sport's global reach through the launch of free streaming platform RugbyPass TV in time for next month's Rugby World Cup
Starzplay follows beIN as RWC rights-holder in Mena
The forthcoming Rugby World Cup in France is to be streamed exclusively in the Middle East and North Africa (Mena) by Starzplay, the subscription video-on-demand OTT service in the region
Venues chosen for England’s expanded women’s Rugby World Cup
World Rugby and the Rugby Football Union (RFU) have named the eight venues that will host England’s staging of an expanded Rugby World Cup in 2025, with the goal of creating the most accessible edition of the women’s national team tournament to date.
Sky NZ brings Stuff into 2023 RWC fold
Sky New Zealand has announced that 12 matches from the 2023 Rugby World Cup will be simulcast on news platform Stuff, with the pay-television operator appearing to favour the tie-up plus coverage on its…
NZ Rugby recruits Google’s Fenton to lead commercial operations
New Zealand Rugby has appointed Google executive Craig Fenton to head up its commercial activity after the recent departure of Richard Thomas.
Tributes paid to World Rugby head of broadcast Chris Synnott
Tributes have been received from across the sports industry for Chris Synnott, World Rugby’s head of broadcast and media rights, following his recent passing at the age of 51.