The EPCR have selected Twickenham as the destination to host the finals of the European Rugby Champions Cup and European Rugby Challenge Cup tournaments for the 2014/15 season.

The Challenge Cup decider will go ahead at the Twickenham Stoop on Friday, 1 May 2015 with the Champions Cup final played the following day at the 82,000-capacity Twickenham Stadium as the culmination of the 20th season in the history of European club rugby.

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) was awarded the inaugural finals by the EPCR Board following a competitive tender process which was open to the six countries which provide the clubs for the Aviva Premiership, the Top 14 and the Guinness PRO12 competitions. 

Next year’s showpiece match will be the fifth time that Twickenham Stadium has staged a major European final and the iconic venue set an attendance record for a European decider in 2012 when 81,744 fans packed in to witness Leinster Rugby’s victory over Irish rivals, Ulster Rugby.

The atmospheric Twickenham Stoop will also be hosting a European final for the fifth time when the Challenge Cup kicks off EPCR’s weekend festival of rugby next May. On the last occasion that The Stoop staged a Challenge Cup decider, Biarritz Olympique defeated RC Toulon in 2012.

Tickets for the two finals which will showcase the best of European professional club rugby will go on public sale from Monday, 18 August, while previous purchasers of European finals tickets and epcrugby.com ezine subscribers will be eligible to buy Golden Tickets which cover both games from today (Tuesday, 12 August).

EPCR Director and Executive Committee member, Bruce Craig, said: “In the inaugural season of the tournaments, the Board of EPCR took the view that fairest and the most commercially-sound approach was to award the finals based on a competitive tender process.

“The RFU’s bid was extremely strong and the fact that we are going to London for the 2015 finals is hugely positive for European club rugby. Twickenham Stadium and the Twickenham Stoop tick every box for fans wishing to attend both the Champions Cup and Challenge Cup finals next May and with both venues steeped in rugby history, we are certain that the weekend will be an unforgettable experience.”

RFU Chief Executive, Ian Ritchie, said: “We are delighted to have been chosen as host for EPCR’s inaugural finals. This is a particularly exciting time for European club rugby as we move into a new era, and we see both games as constituting one marvellous event which will bring tens of thousands of supporters from across Europe into London and Twickenham.”

David Ellis, Harlequins Chief Executive, commented: “We’re really pleased to be hosting the inaugural final of this competition in conjunction with EPCR and the RFU. This will be the fifth time The Stoop has staged a Challenge Cup final, more than any other venue in the 20 years of European professional club rugby, and something that Harlequins is very proud of. We are determined to make this event the best yet and look forward to welcoming the finalists next May.”

Global nutrition company Herbalife, ailment in partnership with Brand Ambassador Cristiano Ronaldo, sale have launched a new social media campaign called CR7 Driven to Perfection.

The new campaign calls on fans from around the world to submit videos describing what drives them to succeed. The winning video will be highlighted on Ronaldo’s Facebook page.

Rob Levy, here executive vice president, worldwide sales and marketing, Herbalife, said: “Partnering with Ronaldo in this campaign gives our members and athletes around the world an opportunity to show their training regimens, workout techniques and commitment to healthy living. We look forward to seeing first-hand how consumers of our product perfect their games – whatever they may be.”

“Good nutrition is at the core of my success and the team at Herbalife help me understand the importance of what I need pre-, during and post-game, as well as how to maximize my training regime as I look to continually improve,” said Ronaldo.

Wasserman Media Group has announced that British Super Middleweight boxing star George Groves has joined the agency.

The announcement comes ahead of the much anticipated rematch against Carl Froch for the WBA and IBF World titles at a sold-out Wembley stadium on 31st May. 

Wasserman will be responsible for developing his commercial & PR opportunities and he joins the unbeaten Anthony Ogogo in the agency’s boxing division.

Groves (pictured right) said of the news: “I’m really excited to be joining Wasserman. Their client list is unrivalled and I’m looking forward to working with them. My sole focus now is getting myself in the best possible shape for 31st May. Everything for a reason.” 

Dean Baker, Head of Wasserman’s boxing division, added: “We are thrilled to welcome George to Wasserman. We believe that he will go on to become a multiple World Champion for years to come, starting with the biggest fight in the history of British boxing, and we are looking forward to the journey.”

The European Tour’s end of season Race to Dubai series will continue until 2017, the organisers have announced.

The Race to Dubai replaced the Order of Merit in 2009 and this year’s event was won by Sweden’s Henrik Stenson who captured the lucrative prize. 

The next edition of The Race to Dubai will once again conclude with the season-ending finale at Jumeirah Golf Estates, which will carry with it an increased Bonus Pool of US$5 million. Furthermore, at least one staging of the championship will be on the complex’s Fire course between 2014 and 2017.

As a further symbol of the committed partnership between The European Tour and Jumeirah Golf Estates, The European Tour will establish an International Office within the new clubhouse, which will be operational by the staging of the 2014 tournament, as well as acquiring a property within the grounds of what is destined to become one of the world’s pre-eminent residential communities.

George O’Grady, Chief Executive of The European Tour, said: “It was 25 years ago that I came to Dubai for the first time for the first Dubai Desert Classic. Since then, we have helped to grow the game here and throughout the whole of the UAE while, in addition, we are also hugely supportive of Dubai’s bid to win the right to host Expo 2020.

“They have rewarded us with an incredible growth of courses alongside the facilities they provide for all our players. Thanks to the leadership and vision of DP World, the tremendous contribution of everyone at Jumeirah Golf Estates, and the continued commitment of our partners, the future of The Race to Dubai is exceptionally positive.

“We have announced today extending The Race until 2017 and I’ve said many times that this is the perfect venue to finish our year. The climate is excellent, the facilities here are superb, and the welcome from everyone here in Dubai is simply outstanding.”

Yousuf Kazim, General Manager of Jumeirah Golf Estates, said: “We are delighted to be extending the agreement for The European Tour’s Race to Dubai and hosting the season’s final event in Dubai at Jumeirah Golf Estates until at least 2017.

“This partnership with The European Tour includes the hosting of the DP World Tour Championship as well as Jumeirah Golf Estates being part of the European Tour Properties family, including the recently opened European Tour Performance Institute (ETPI).

“We look forward to staging the championship on the Fire course at Jumeirah Golf Estates and showcasing it to the world of golf at least once in the three year extension.

“This long term commitment mirrors the sustainable growth of Dubai and we are all very excited with this mutually beneficial partnership and where it is taking us.”

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The Indian Grand Prix may be in doubt after an Indian Supreme Court agreed on Thursday to hear a petition seeking the cancellation of this weekend’s race because organisers have allegedly not paid entertainment taxes for the 2012 event.

India’s Supreme Court has executive powers and ordered organisers two years ago to freeze 25 percent of ticket revenues until they had settled a tax dispute with the state where the racetrack is located.

“We will hear the petition tomorrow,” Chief Justice P. Sathasivam said in court, announcing a new legal snag for Formula One in India.

That ruling came in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by campaigner Amit Kumar, who is also behind Thursday’s petition seeking the cancellation of the race on Sunday.

Kumar successfully argued in 2011 that Formula One was entertainment, not sport, and should not benefit from tax exemptions granted by the state of Uttar Pradesh, which borders the capital New Delhi.

Entertainment tax, applicable for large-scale shows and sponsored festivals, has been levied on tickets this year.

India is already not on the 2014 schedule for “logistical” reasons but were expected to return in 2015.

The event itself has been plagued with poor attendances with Jaypee, the race organiser, revealing only last week that they had sold only 20,000 tickets for the coming event.

Sauber F1 Team Principal has even suggested they have been missed an opportunity as they have failed to entice the local crowd.

“We have missed an opportunity,” Sauber team boss Monisha Kaltenborn, an Austrian who was born in Dehradun, is quoted as saying.

“We have not been able to sell F1 well enough in these parts,” she admitted.

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Euroleague Basketball has announced a partnership with IMG Media, a division of IMG Worldwide, for the global sports agency to market the rights to the Turkish Airlines Euroleague.

IMG were instrumental in the recent deals in Spain, Italy, South Africa, the Netherlands and Georgia and is working with Euroleague Basketball to secure broadcast contracts across all forms of the media in other key territories.

These include Belgium (Flemish Region), Africa, the UK from the 2013/14 season and subsequently the Asian Pacific regions from 2014/15.

Ioris Francini, EVP of IMG Media, said: “The Turkish Airlines Euroleague is growing in popularity, not only in Europe, but around the world. The quality of the players and teams, and the excitement they generate on a weekly basis makes it an outstanding asset to media around the world.

“We are delighted to be working with Euroleague Basketball to help them grow the competition, enhance the image and increase their exposure globally.”

Jordi Bertomeu, President and Chief Executive Officer of Euroleague Basketball, said: “IMG Media is well known for providing their partners with hard to match knowledge and expertise within the sports field. IMG Media manages the rights of some of the most prestigious sports properties in the world, and we are delighted that the Turkish Airlines Euroleague is amongst them.

“IMG’s philosophy perfectly fits with Euroleague’s strategy for the next years. I am confident this deal will help us reach our goals, taking the League to the next level, both sports wise and commercially.”

The Turkish Airlines Euroleague tips off on October 11 and features 24 top teams from 18 countries in Europe. They will compete on 31 competition dates over an eight month period leading to the Final Four event in Milan, Italy from May 16-18, 2014.

Last season saw Greek side Olympiakos Piraeus beat Spanish giants Real Madrid 100-88 at London’s O2 Arena to win the title for the second successive year.

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