DEALS OF THE WEEK 09.08.2001

Record-breaking deal: Eversheds acted for Diageo on its 45.5 million sale of the Guinness World Records business to Gullane Entertainment, advised on intellectual property issues by Rowe & Maw, and corporate and financing issues by SJ Berwin.Most oddly shaped deal: Denton Wilde Sapte advised the Rugby Football Union on the creation of England Rugby Limited, a 50/50 joint venture with Premier League Rugby, advised by The Simkins Partnership.

The company will administer and manager professional rugby.Most gaseous deal: Allen & Overy supported BG Group's in-house team on the 421 million sale of BG Storage - which provide gas storage services in the UK - to US company Dynergy, advised by Clifford Chance.Most acidic deal: Fox Brooks Marshall and Australian firm McCullough Robertson acted for Australian environmental company Virotec International - distributor of green technology Bauxsol, which neutralises acid and extracts heavy metals in various industries - on its Alternative Investment Market (AIM) listing.

Hobson Audley acted for the nominated adviser, Nabarro Wells & Co, and broker WH Ireland.

Most chemical deal: Farrer & Co acted for biochemical company Zylepsis on a 4 million private placing.

Masons acted for the receiving agents, Beeson Gregory.Most virginal deal: Ashurst Morris Crisp advised Virgin Group Investments, while Slaughter and May acted for AMP Virgin Holdings, on the sale of their interests in Virgin Direct Personal Finance - the Virgin One account flexible mortgage business - to the Royal Bank of Scotland, represented by Scottish firm Dundas & Wilson.Most odds-on deal: Wallace & Partners acted for Enic Gaming on its 6 million sale of ukbetting.

com to Eric Semel, a former director of a top Las Vegas casino.

Stringer Saul represented Mr Semel, who intends to float the company on AIM.Best timed deal: Herbert Smith and US firm Cravath Swaine & Moore advised magazine publisher Time on its purchase of UK magazine publisher IPC Media in a deal which values IPC at 1.15 billion.

Ashurst Morris Crisp advised Cinven and the other institutional vendors.

The deal is conditional on EU regulatory clearance.Safest deal: Marriott Harrison acted for Safeonline, a leading specialist insurer for digital risks, on a 'significant' investment by VeriSign Capital Management, advised by Allen & Overy.

Gouldens represented existing investor Catalyst.