Rupert Macey-Dare’s Post

World Rugby to limit influence of lawyers World Rugby plans to overhaul the red card disciplinary system and restrict any advantage enjoyed by richer nations who can employ expensive lawyers. Standard bans of two or four weeks are to be handed down for red cards during a trial in the Under-20 World Championship, WXV and Pacific Nations Cup. World Rugby's plan recognises the difference between a rugby incident (punished by a ban of two weeks) and reckless conduct such as a shoulder charge (four weeks). The governing body expects 70% of all disciplinary cases to trigger one of the two automatic bans, reducing substantially any influence of lawyers on the outcome of disciplinary hearings. World Rugby wants to remove any perception of the disciplinary system being rigged against developing nations.

Ulster Rugby: Iain Henderson and Rob Herring sign contract extensions Ireland internationals Iain Henderson and Rob Herring have signed contract extensions with Ulster. Ulster captain Henderson, whose central Irish Rugby Football Union [IRFU] contract will expire at the end of the season, has penned a two-year extension with the province until 2027. Herring's new deal will keep the hooker at the Belfast-based club until 2026. - https://lnkd.in/d5Br5tZz

Here is a short article I have written regarding the RFU's current policy of not selecting overseas-based players for the England Rugby team. Following the recent controversy over the rule, as a number of current England stars move overseas, the piece considers whether the policy could be considered a restraint of trade and/or anti-competitive, and therefore susceptible to a legal challenge. It is a multi-faceted issue, but one which would appear to have significant harmful effects for English players (and their agents), as well as the wider rugby ecosystem. The article therefore concludes that the policy may well be legally challengeable. Let me know what you think. #SportsLaw #Rugby #EnglandRugby

A very disappointing day for rugby in Australia. It seems history is set to repeat itself with another Australian Super Rugby Team ceasing to exist. It is naive to think reducing the professional contracting opportunities by 20% will increase depth and competition. The NRL and AFL have 17 and 18 teams respectively, Rugby will have 4. Which code do you think juniors will steer towards? A 1/4 chance or a 1/17 or 1/18, less career opportunities will equal less depth as potential players seek certainty and better odds of making it professional. How could a governing body be ignorant to a franchise operating insolvent for multiple years? I question whether this failure of corporate governance raises more concerns for the future of professional rugby in Australia.

🏉🧑⚖️ A very interesting piece discussing the Restraint of Trade doctrine and anticompetitive behaviour in the context of professional rugby. The ability for players to be selected to represent their country when playing overseas is a point of discussion that is being raised more often than ever, particularly in New Zealand as more and more players look overseas for greater ¥€£$ and experiences. On a similar topic: Looking to the future ➡️ of Super Rugby and the ongoing discussions of what the competition could look like in the years to come: ▶️ Would removing some control that NZR currently has over the Super Franchises foster a greater level of competition? ▶️Is the extent of control NZR has over the Super franchises and All Black players during Super season arguably anti-competitive? ▶️ Would a shift from central contracting to greater privatisation foster greater competition for player signatures and revenue streams? ▶️Could a draft system bridge the talent gap between franchises? Anyone who has been involved in sport knows that competition is healthy… food for thought 💭

Excited to launch Australian Rugby’s strategy for 2025 - 2029 yesterday. Australian Rugby’s “From Green To Gold” strategy towards 2029 - formed in collaboration with stakeholders across the game including member unions, Super Rugby clubs and the Rugby Union Players’ Association - features three key pillars: performance excellence, participation growth and promotion effectiveness. Performance excellence: To consistently build winning teams in Gold, connecting and inspiring Australians and our rugby community. Participation growth: To increase support for clubs, schools, coaches and match officials to enable growth in participation and strengthen the rugby community. Promotion effectiveness: To leverage major events and engage bigger audiences across platforms increasing visibility, support and interest in rugby and driving commercial value.

Given the current schism in New Zealand Rugby, Roger Mitchell's well-articulated recent article on #Rugby & talk of #Saudi money coming to create a Rugby version LIV Golf on The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast (with Mark Foster), the storm clouds of #disruption seem imminent. For me, it comes down to the fact that when compared to other high-profile sports, elite Rugby players play too much, get absolutely battered week-in week-out for quite frankly relatively pitiful remuneration. No matter how much tinkering is done with rules, governance, player vs country contracts, concussion protocols, etc. this lack of money going to its stars leaves the sport more vulnerable than ever for someone to come along with a big cheque and mix things up a bit. The inevitability of this is almost palpable but the nuanced cause and effect, fragmentation and revolution it may cause is up for debate. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to a nice day out on Saturday attending European Professional Club Rugby (EPCR)'s showcase Championship Cup, final Stade Toulousain Rugby v Leinster Rugby at Tottenham Hotspur Football Club, who knows I might have to go to #Riyadh to watch it next year! 😉 RugbyDAO World Rugby AYNE - are you not entertained? podcast Public Investment Fund (PIF)

Legends of English Rugby are bowing out tonight when Northampton Saints host Saracens in the Premiership semi-final. It’s going to be au revoir for either Courtney Lawes and Lewis Ludlam from Northampton or Owen Farrell, Mako Vunipola and Billy Vunipola. The winners will only have 1 more week before they are across the channel too. Whichever side of the fence you sit on it's going to be an emotional evening. The bigger picture is that these 5 players are going to be lost to the English Club Game. They have a lot still to offer, they don't want to go but their clubs can't afford them. This is the real sadness. From what's been reported all 5 would rather stay here and see their career out over the next number of years. Questions have to be asked of the RFU and Premiership Rugby. How has the Premiership been overtaken by France and Japan as the richest places in the world to play rugby? Why can't we afford to pay our players more than France and Japan?

I am delighted to be featured in this month's Sportin Wales magazine. You can find the digital version on their website at https://lnkd.in/eMdiuSGm Take a look at page 31 for guidance on navigating commercial property leases in Wales and England for prospective tenants. #LegalAdvice #CommercialProperty #NewColumn #CommercialLease

According to website Rugby365, the sale of Newlands Rugby Stadium - to an undisclosed buyer - was voted on, and approved, at a recent Western Province Rugby Football Union council meeting. Following the move of Western Province Rugby’s professional teams to DHL Stadium in early 2022, Newlands Rugby has ceased to be a rugby venue. When Western Province Rugby was placed under administration by SARU in October 2021, one of the major tasks assigned to the administrator was to finalise the sale of the stadium. One of the obstacles included a proposal to have the stadium declared a heritage site however, an independent report by a heritage specialist suggested otherwise. Rugby365: https://bit.ly/4bKLJPr Western Province Rugby: https://bit.ly/3LiXRfR The independent report by Bridget O’Donoghue: https://bit.ly/3LiXRfR #newlandsrugbystadium #sport #rugby #commercialrealestate #rugbystadium #realestateinvestment #capetownproperty #assetmanagement #capetown #propertydevelopment #realestatenews #propertynews