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2014–15 Premiership Rugby
The 2014–15 Aviva Premiership was the 28th season of the top flight English domestic rugby union competition and the fifth one to be sponsored by Aviva. The reigning champions entering the season were Northampton Saints, who had claimed their first title after defeating Saracens in the 2014 final. London Welsh had been promoted as champions from the 2013–14 RFU Championship at the first attempt. The competition was broadcast by BT Sport for the second successive season. Highlights of each weekend's games were shown on ITV. Summary Saracens won their second title after defeating Bath in the final at Twickenham after having finished fourth in the regular season table. London Welsh were relegated after losing all of their games. It was the second time that London Welsh have been relegated from the top flight since the leagues began and the first time since the 2012–13 Premiership Rugby season. As usual, round 1 included the London Double Header at Twickenham, the eleven ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Premiership Rugby
Premiership Rugby, officially known as Gallagher Premiership Rugby, or the Gallagher Premiership for sponsorship reasons, is an English professional rugby union competition, consisting of 10 clubs, and is the top division of the English rugby union system. Premiership clubs qualify for Europe's two main club competitions, the European Rugby Champions Cup and the European Rugby Challenge Cup. The winner of the second division, the RFU Championship, is promoted to the Premiership and until 2020, the team finishing at the bottom of the Premiership each season was relegated to the Championship. The competition is regarded as one of the three top-level professional leagues in the Northern and Western Hemispheres, along with the Top 14 in France, and the cross-border United Rugby Championship for teams from Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Italy and South Africa. The competition has been played since 1987, and has evolved into the current Premiership system. The current champions are ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
BT Sport
TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport) is a group of pay television sports channels in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Now owned by Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe, Warner Bros. Discovery and BT Group, they first launched as BT Sport on 1 August 2013. The channels are based at Warner Bros. Discovery's complex in Chiswick Business Park, London, having been based at Here East, the former International Broadcast Centre in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London until July 2023. The channels are available on the EE TV, Sky UK, Sky and Virgin Media television platforms in the UK and Sky Ireland, Sky and Vodafone Ireland, Vodafone TV in the Republic of Ireland. The networks were established in 2013 after BT Group's acquisition of rights to the Premier League. BT also acquired the operations of previous rightsholder TNT Sports 4, ESPN prior to launch, integrating them with BT Sport. In 2022, BT Group announced an agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery to form a joi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mike Ford (rugby)
Mike A. Ford (born 18 November 1965) is an English rugby union coach and rugby league footballer. He is currently the Head coach of the Belgian national rugby union team. Background Ford was born in Oldham, Lancashire, England. He was a pupil at Saddleworth School in Uppermill, Greater Manchester, from 1976 to 1981, where he was taught, and coached by Phil Larder. Larder later recommended Ford to Ireland when Larder was defence coach of England. Three of his sons play rugby union – George plays for Sale Sharks, and England. Joe is head coach of Doncaster Knights and his youngest son Jacob was the attack coach for Loughborough Students before being named as head coach for Westcliff Rugby Club In August 2019. Playing career Ford played rugby league as a , playing for Wigan, Leigh, Oldham (two spells), Sydney Roosters, Castleford (two spells), South Queensland Crushers, Warrington, Wakefield Trinity and Bramley. He won 10 caps for Great Britain. Ford played in Wigan's 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harlequin F
Harlequin (, , ; , ) is the best-known of the comic servant characters (Zanni) from the Italian commedia dell'arte, associated with the city of Bergamo. The role is traditionally believed to have been introduced by the Italian actor-manager Zan Ganassa in the late 16th century, was definitively popularized by the Italian actor Tristano Martinelli in Paris in 1584–1585, and became a stock character after Martinelli's death in 1630. The Harlequin is characterised by his checkered costume. His role is that of a light-hearted, nimble, and Tricky slave, astute servant, often acting to thwart the plans of his master, and pursuing his own love interest, Columbina, Columbine, with wit and resourcefulness, often competing with the sterner and melancholic Pierrot. He later develops into a prototype of the romantic hero. Harlequin inherits his physical agility and his trickster qualities, as well as his name, from a mischievous "Devil in Christianity#Early Middle Ages, devil" character ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Western Europe, with a population of 14.9 million. London stands on the River Thames in southeast England, at the head of a tidal estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a major settlement for nearly 2,000 years. Its ancient core and financial centre, the City of London, was founded by the Roman Empire, Romans as Londinium and has retained its medieval boundaries. The City of Westminster, to the west of the City of London, has been the centuries-long host of Government of the United Kingdom, the national government and Parliament of the United Kingdom, parliament. London grew rapidly 19th-century London, in the 19th century, becoming the world's List of largest cities throughout history, largest city at the time. Since the 19th cen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sale Sharks
Sale Sharks are a professional rugby union club from Greater Manchester, England, United Kingdom. Its team play in Premiership Rugby, and have been in England's top division of rugby union continuously since 1995. Originally founded in 1861 as Sale Football Club (which is now a Sale FC Rugby Club, distinct amateur club), it is one of the Oldest football clubs, oldest existing football clubs. It adopted the nickname ''Sharks'' in 1999. Since 2012 Sale have played their home games at the Salford Community Stadium in Barton-upon-Irwell, Eccles, Greater Manchester, Salford which they share with Salford Red Devils rugby league club. Between 1905 and 2003 they played at Heywood Road in Sale, Greater Manchester, Sale, before moving to Edgeley Park in Stockport where they stayed until 2012. Historically one of the leading teams in the Northern England, north of England, their traditional colours are blue and white. Domestically, Sale were Premiership champions in 2005-06 Premiership R ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Newcastle Falcons
Newcastle Falcons is a rugby union team that play in Premiership Rugby, England's highest division of rugby union. The club was established in 1877 as the Gosforth Football Club. Around 1882 the club merged with the Northumberland Football Club and briefly assumed their name until 1887. In 1990, the name was changed to Newcastle Gosforth and the club began to play at Kingston Park stadium in Kingston Park, Newcastle upon Tyne. In 1996, following the start of professionalism the club briefly adopted the name Newcastle Rugby Club before adopting its current name. Newcastle have won five major titles. They won the Premiership in 1998 and four domestic cups in 1976, 1977, 2001 and 2004. Newcastle was the only English club of Jonny Wilkinson, where he played from 1997 to 2009, and as well as Wilkinson in 2003 Newcastle saw three players in the 2007 Rugby World Cup Final with Mathew Tait starting and Toby Flood appearing from the bench. Mark Wilson played in the 2019 Rug ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
London Irish
London Irish RFC is a professional rugby union club that most recently competed in the Premiership Rugby, Premiership, the top division of rugby union in England. The club also participated in the European Rugby Champions Cup, European Champions Cup, and the European Challenge Cup. While competing in the RFU Championship, the second tier of English rugby, during the 2016–17 and 2018–19 seasons, London Irish also took part in the British and Irish Cup and the RFU Championship Cup. For twenty years, the club played its home games at the Madejski Stadium in Reading, Berkshire, before relocating to the Brentford Community Stadium in Brentford, West London, for the 2020–21 season. The club was founded in 1898 following the creation of London Scottish F.C., London Scottish, London Cornish RFC, London Cornish and London Welsh RFC, London Welsh for the same reason, allowing Irishmen the chance to play rugby with fellow countrymen in the English capital. They won their only major t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers (officially Leicester Football Club) are a professional rugby union club based in Leicester, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby. The club was founded in 1880 and since 1892 plays its home matches at Welford Road Stadium, Mattioli Woods Welford Road in the south of the city. The club has been known by the nickname Tigers since at least 1885. In the 2024–25 Premiership Rugby, 2024–25 Premiership Rugby season Tigers finished 2nd, losing the Premiership final, this entitled them to compete in the 2025–26 European Rugby Champions Cup. The current head coach is Geoff Parling who will join for the 2025–26 Premiership Rugby season. Leicester have won 21 major titles. They were European Champions twice, back-to-back in 2001 Heineken Cup Final, 2001 and 2002 Heineken Cup Final, 2002; have won a record 11 Premiership Rugby, English Championships, five RFU Knockout Cups and three Anglo-Welsh Cups, most recently in 2016-17 Anglo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gloucester Rugby
Gloucester Rugby are a professional rugby union club based in the West Country city of Gloucester, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby. The club was formed in 1873 and since 1891 has played its home matches at Kingsholm Stadium in the north of the city. In the 2024–25 Premiership Rugby season, Gloucester finished 5th which earned them a space in the 2025–26 European Rugby Champions Cup. The current director of rugby (DOR) is George Skivington who took the role of head coach in the summer of 2020 before being promoted to DOR in the Autumn of 2023. Gloucester have won 8 major titles; four RFU Knockout Cup's in 1971–72, 1977–78, 1981–82 and 2002–03, one Anglo-Welsh Cup win in 2010–11, and one Premiership Rugby Cup win in 2023–24. The Premiership Rugby Cup win in 2024 meant they became the first club to win all three iterations of the English domestic cup competition. Outside of England, Gloucester has also seen succes ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Worcester Warriors
Worcester Warriors are a professional rugby union club based in Worcester, England. They most recently played in Premiership Rugby, the top division of English rugby union, before being suspended by the Rugby Football Union, RFU in September 2022 due to financial insolvency. Following a period of administration, the club was reformed and is set to and will play in RFU Championship, Champ Rugby from the 2025–26 Champ Rugby, 2025–26 season. Overview Using the colours gold and blue, they are based in Worcester, England. In 1975, the team moved to Sixways Stadium, located to the north of the city. Placed in the eighth tier of English rugby with the advent of the English rugby union league competition, the club were able to build a strong team due to extensive financial support from their backer and chairman Cecil Duckworth, being promoted repeatedly through the league system. Worcester were first promoted to the highest tier, the Premiership, in 2004, and returned there on two ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
London Double Header
The London Double Header ran between 2004 and 2017 and typically opened the season of Premiership Rugby (currently known as the Gallagher Premiership due to sponsorship), the top rugby union league in England. Two games were played consecutively at Twickenham Stadium, originally involving the 'big four' London origin teams of the Premiership, Harlequins, London Irish, Saracens and Wasps (London Wasps until the 2014–15 season). Harlequins were relegated from the premiership at the end of the 2004–05 season and thus for the 2005–06 season Leeds Tykes were included instead. The same applied to London Irish in 2016 who were replaced. The matches form part of the regular season fixtures, with one team nominated as the home side for each match. Since 2008 (2016 being an exception) and the inception of The Big Game, Harlequins only compete in the double-header as an away side in order to reduce the number of home games they play away from Twickenham Stoop. From 2015 and followin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
