URC

TG4 and RTÉ will bring the United Rugby Championship to Free-to-Air audiences in Republic of Ireland

Published

3 years ago

June 16, 2021

The United Rugby Championship will be available on Free-to-Air broadcasters in Ireland for the next four years with RTÉ and TG4 agreeing to share rights to 52 of the 60 Irish fixtures every season.

The United Rugby Championship kicks off in September where four of South Africa’s elite teams will join the 12 existing Guinness PRO14 teams to form a world-class league. This agreement with RTÉ and TG4 (subject to contract) will open the door to greater audiences in the Republic of Ireland for Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster.

RTÉ has secured the rights for live TV, radio and online coverage of 26 games featuring the Irish provinces in the league, plus additional knockout matches. TG4’s Rugbaí Beo will continue to be the station’s flagship rugby programme and will broadcast 26 URC games live. The URC Grand Final will also be delivered free to air with RTÉ and TG4 broadcasting it live on alternate years.

TG4 will also have live rights to a further 16 non-Irish fixtures in addition to the 26 Irish games.

Additionally, the United Rugby Championship and RTÉ will team up to offer a domestic and international OTT (Over The Top) service called URC TV, details of which will be announced later in the summer.

The collaboration between the two national broadcasters in the Republic of Ireland presents great news for sports fans and the provinces. TG4 continue to build on their 20-year association with the league with RTÉ returning to the competition for the first time since 2014.

Martin Anayi, CEO of United Rugby Championship: “Free-to-Air coverage is hugely attractive to all sports in terms of reaching the widest possible audience and in TG4 and RTÉ we have two partners who are really excited about launching the United Rugby Championship.

“Both TG4 and RTÉ have proven track records of delivering marquee international sporting events and they are both innovators in their own spaces. TG4 have added a new dimension to our games with their referee briefings from the dressing rooms and their mic’d up coaching interviews during warm-ups which bring fans behind the scenes.

“RTÉ have experienced big sporting occasions for decades and our decision to partner with them on our OTT player – URC TV – is evidence of a broadcaster that can adapt to market demands and provide a very creative offering for rights holders. We also cement the legacy of TG4’s association with us since the first days of the Celtic League and welcome back old friends at RTÉ to provide a very powerful offering to the widest audience in Ireland ahead of the first URC games in September.”

Director General of TG4 Alan Esslemont said: “TG4 is delighted to have agreed the broadcasting rights to this new and exciting rugby competition. We look forward to delivering world class rugby to Irish audiences over the next four seasons. Rugbaí Beo has become part of the essential fabric of the station’s sports offering, and as an independent public service broadcaster, we’re proud to continue our commitment to bringing all this action to the sports fans of Ireland, free-to-air on TG4.”

Dee Forbes, RTÉ Director General said: “We are really excited to be part of the new United Rugby Championship. RTÉ is delighted to partner with URC and TG4 to ensure that the new Championship and our provinces get maximum exposure and Irish audiences enjoy the action free-to-air. It’s a team effort from URC, RTÉ and TG4 and a great result for Irish rugby fans. We’re also delighted to collaborate with URC on the launch of an innovative new global OTT service to ensure fans enjoy the best URC action across the world.”

Please note: These agreements are subject to contract with long-form negotiations nearing completion.

Source – Ulster Rugby

Related Topics:Connacht Featured Ireland Leinster Munster Pro14 Ulster Ulster RSS

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Ulster ready to take on Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria

Published

2 hours ago

October 4, 2024

Huge Rugby

Ulster ready to take on Vodacom Bulls in Pretoria

10 minutes ago

News

Ulster Head Coach, Richie Murphy, has named his Ulster side to take on Vodacom Bulls at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Round 3 of the BKT United Rugby Championship.

The starting XV features three players who make their first competitive starts in an Ulster jersey.

Hooker, James McCormick, and centre, Ben Carson, are given the nod for their first starts, with academy lock, Charlie Irvine, in line for his Ulster debut, starting in the second row alongside captain, Iain Henderson.

Joining McCormick in the front row is loosehead prop, Andrew Warwick, and tighthead prop, Corrie Barrett, who scored his first try in an Ulster shirt last weekend against Emirates Lions.

The back row features Development talent, James McNabney, at blindside flanker, with Sean Reffell starting on the openside and David McCann coming in at eight.

The half-back partnership sees Nathan Doak start at scrum-half alongside fly-half, Aidan Morgan, who last weekend made it two tries in his opening two appearances for the province.

Jacob Stockdale starts on the left wing, with Werner Kok starting on the right wing. Kok also scored his first try for the province in last weekend’s match in Johannesburg.

Outside Centre, Stewart Moore, joins Ben Carson at twelve, to form the midfield partnership.

Mike Lowry completes the starting XV at full-back.

Murphy opts for a 5:3 split for the reinforcements on the bench.

Two replacements, hooker Tadgh McElroy and development fly-half, James Humphreys, are also in line to make their debuts for Ulster’s senior side.

Eric O’Sullivan, Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor and Nick Timoney form the forward options from the bench, with Dave Shanahan and Ben Moxham providing the back options.

Vodacom Bulls v Ulster Rugby, Saturday 5th October, 3pm, Round 3, BKT United Rugby Championship, Loftus Versfeld Stadium (Live on Premier Sports)

(1-8) Andrew Warwick, James McCormick, Corrie Barrett, Iain Henderson (C), Charlie Irvine, James McNabney, Sean Reffell, David McCann

(15-9) Mike Lowry, Werner Kok, Stewart Moore, Ben Carson, Jacob Stockdale, Aidan Morgan, Nathan Doak;

Replacements: Tadgh McElroy, Eric O’Sullivan, Tom O’Toole, Alan O’Connor, Nick Timoney, Dave Shanahan, James Humphreys, Ben Moxham.

Images & Content – Ulster Rugby

URC

Gavin Coombes Set For 100th Munster Appearance

Published

7 days ago

September 27, 2024

Huge Rugby

Tomorrow’s Round 2 clash away against Zebre Parma will see Gavin Coombes make his 100th Munster appearance.

Gavin started his rugby career at Skibbereen RFC before lining out with Bandon Grammar School in his teenage years.

Coombes then joined the Munster Rugby Academy ahead of the 2016/17 season where he lined out for Young Munster in Division 1A of the men’s All Ireland League and played a large role in Munster winning the B&I Cup in 2017.

The Skibbereen man made his Munster debut as an Academy player in the opening game of the 2018/19 season against the Cheetahs and went on to make eight Guinness PRO14 appearances over the campaign. The following year he also made a brief appearance in the PRO14 semi-final.

He had an outstanding 2020/21 season, after scoring 15 tries in 22 appearances, a new record for the most tries in one season for the province, and included a try on his Champions Cup debut against Harlequins. He was then named Munster Rugby’s youngest ever Player of the Year at the end of that season.

He missed the start of the 22/23 season due to injury, but returned to full training in October, and ended up scoring 14 tries in 22 Munster appearances in the club’s title winning year.

Last season he played in all 25 games, with 20 of those in the starting XV, playing at number 8 and in the second row. He continued is try-scoring prowess and finished the season with 7 tries to his name.

He has represented Ireland internationally on numerous occasions, including with the U20s, Ireland A, and the Ireland senior squad.

He was called up to the Ireland senior squad during the 2021 Six Nations, made his first two appearances against Japan and the USA in the 2021 Vodafone Summer Series, played against the Maori All Blacks in their 2022 New Zealand tour, and was then selected as part of the wider 2023 Six Nations and World Cup Squads.