The Rugby Broadcast Report Issue 3: TV Guide April 18-20
Never miss a game
This weekend promises a thrilling lineup of rugby action, with 44 fixtures across the URC, Gallagher Premiership, and Top 14 — and much more. After the break for the European competitions, domestic leagues are back in full swing, offering fans plenty to look forward to.
Friday
The first of the weekend’s URC action kicks-off at 7:35pm as Edinburgh host the Sharks. Edinburgh are currently 8th in the table and will aim to build on their Challenge Cup momentum against a Sharks side littered with Springboks. A struggling Newcastle take on Northampton in Round 14 of the Premiership at 7:45pm.
Saturday
In a jam-packed day on Saturday, the action starts at 12:30am with Anthem Rugby v Free Jacks and ends with Old Glory DC v Miami at 10:00pm, with plenty of exciting fixtures in-between.
A number of Round 10 Super Rugby fixtures are being shown from 3:05am on Sky Sports but the standout fixture is Chiefs v Highlanders at 8:05am. Moving to Saturday afternoon, Stormers v Connacht should be a high scoring affair at 3:00pm, while Munster will play the Bulls at 5:15pm - both sides will be hoping to get back to winning ways after being knocked out of Europe.
In the Premiership, Exeter host Bath at 3:00pm. Bath have been impressive in their Challenge Cup campaign and will look to carry that momentum into this game and maintain their position on top of the Premiership table.
At 5:30pm, Saracens host Gloucester and this fixture marks the first trial of Premiership Rugby's new initiative to designate away supporter zones.
There is also plenty of Top 14 action across the day — Toulon v Clermont at 8:05pm should be a cracker. Toulon will hope to get back to winning ways after their disappointing loss to Toulouse in the Champions Cup QF last weekend.
Sunday
In the Premiership, Bristol host Leicester at 3:00pm. This match is crucial for both teams' playoff aspirations. To finish off an exciting weekend of rugby there’s Sunday Night Rugby at the slightly later kick-off time of 8:15pm with Stade Français facing Toulouse.
Fixture of the weekend (admittedly biased)
The Judgement Day fixtures take centre stage this weekend, and while ticket sales have been disappointing (at time of writing), the fixtures still carry significance, particularly at a time when Welsh rugby is struggling both on and off the pitch.
The Welsh Rugby Union recently assumed ownership of Cardiff due to financial and other difficulties that the club is currently facing. As such, their fixture against Ospreys at 3:00pm on Saturday is this week’s fixture of the weekend. Let’s hope a good crowd shows up and gets behind Cardiff.
Quote of the week
I definitely got into the habit of saying this isn’t my area of expertise but I’ve seen enough scrums — I need to start explaining what I’m seeing…. Flats is actually helping me out
This week’s quote of the week is courtesy of former Ireland international Ian Madigan, who has taken a conscious decision to provide more insight and analysis of scrums during games that he’s commentating on. In the Indo Sport Podcast this week, Madigan shared that he was inspired by David Flatman’s recent touchline scrum analysis during Bath v Gloucester.
Madigan admits that he’s fully aware that he doesn’t possess the same expertise as Flatman, but he’s willing to learn and use what he does know to improve the viewing experience for fans — hopefully this is the beginning of a trend. Watch the full clip below.
Rugby media rights news
It’s been a significant week in media rights news: Premier Sports has secured a 4-year deal to continue broadcasting the URC in the UK and Ireland until 2029. The URC also confirmed that TG4 will become the only free-to-air broadcaster of the URC in Ireland from next season, having recently signed a new 4 year deal. So, what are the main changes to the new agreements?
In the UK, only 20 URC games will be available on free-to-air TV, while 131 of 151 fixtures will be exclusive to Premier Sports.
It seems likely that the BBC will no longer show any fixtures and that S4C will be the only free-to-air broadcaster in the UK.
In Ireland, RTE will no longer show URC games - all free-to-air games will be shown by TG4.
This has yet to be confirmed but it seems likely that URC TV will no longer show games live in the Republic of Ireland.
There will be no free-to-air coverage of the URC finals in 2026 and 2028
Overall, it is likely that Premier Sports will be the only broadcaster with rights to English commentary in both jurisdictions.
TV Guide April 18-20
Friday April 18
8:05am – Crusaders v Blues (Super Rugby Pacific) – Sky Sports Action / NOW
10:00am – Wales v Italy (U18s Six Nations Festival) – YouTube
12:15pm – Ireland v Georgia (U18s Six Nations Festival) – YouTube
3:15pm – Scotland v Spain (U18s Six Nations Festival) – YouTube
4:00pm – Bulgaria v Moldova (Rugby Europe Conference) – RugbyEurope TV
5:30pm – France v England (U18s Six Nations Festival) – YouTube
7:35pm – Edinburgh v Sharks (URC) – Premier Sports 1 / NOW / URC TV
7:45pm – Newcastle v Northampton (Premiership) – TNT Sports 1 / Discovery+ / NOW
Saturday April 19
12:30am – Anthem Rugby v Free Jacks (MLR) – Premier Sports 1 / NOW
3:05am – Fijian Drua v Waratahs (Super Rugby Pacific) – Sky Sports Action / NOW
3:30am – Seawolves v Chicago Hounds (MLR) – The Rugby Network
5:35am – Moana Pasifika v Brumbies (Super Rugby Pacific) – Sky Sports Action / NOW
8:05am – Chiefs v Highlanders (Super Rugby Pacific) – Sky Sports Mix / NOW
10:35am – Force v Hurricanes (Super Rugby Pacific) – Sky Sports Mix / NOW
11:00am – Montenegro v Slovenia (Rugby Europe Conference) – RugbyEurope TV
12:00pm – Ireland U18 Women v Wales U18 Women (U18s Six Nations Festival) – YouTube / IrishRugby+
12:45pm – Lions v Benetton (URC) – Premier Sports 1 / NOW / URC TV
1:00pm – Italy v France (Women’s Six Nations) – RTÉ Player / BBC iPlayer
1:00pm – Sweden v Netherlands (Women’s Rugby Europe Championship) – RugbyEurope TV
1:30pm – Pau v Bordeaux (Top 14) – Premier Sports Rugby (unavailable live in ROI)
2:00pm – Denmark v Latvia (Rugby Europe Conference) – RugbyEurope TV
2:15pm – England U18 Women v France U18 Women (U18s Six Nations Festival) – YouTube
2:30pm – St Mary’s v Cork Constitution (AIL) – IrishRugby+
3:00pm – Ospreys v Cardiff (URC) – BBC1 Wales / Premier Sports 1 (URC TV only in ROI)
3:00pm – Stormers v Connacht (URC) – RTÉ 2 / Premier Sports 2 / NOW / URC TV
3:00pm – Exeter Chiefs v Bath (Premiership) – TNT Sports Extra / Discovery+
3:05pm – Harlequins v Sale (Premiership) – TNT Sports 1 / Discovery+ / NOW
3:30pm – La Rochelle v Bayonne (Top 14) – Premier Sports Rugby (unavailable live in ROI)
4:30pm – Italy U18 Women v Scotland U18 Women (U18s Six Nations Festival) – YouTube
4:30pm – Clontarf v Lansdowne (AIL) – IrishRugby+
4:45pm – England v Scotland (Women’s Six Nations) – Virgin Media 2 / BBC 2 / BBC iPlayer
5:15pm – Munster v Bulls (URC) – RTÉ 2 / Premier Sports 1 / NOW / URC TV
5:30pm – Dragons v Scarlets (URC) – S4C / Premier Sports 2 / NOW / URC TV
5:30pm – Saracens v Gloucester (Premiership) – TNT Sports 1 / Discovery+ / NOW
6:30pm - Watsonian v Hillhead Jordanhill RFC (Sarah Beaney Cup Final) - BBC ALBA / iPlayer / YouTube (outside UK)
7:35pm – Leinster v Ulster (URC) – TG4 / Premier Sports 1 / NOW / URC TV
7:35pm – Zebre v Glasgow (URC) – Premier Sports 2 / NOW / URC TV
8:05pm – Toulon v Clermont (Top 14) – Premier Sports Rugby (unavailable live in ROI)
10:00pm – Old Glory DC v Miami (MLR) – Premier Sports Rugby / The Rugby Network
Sunday April 20
1:00am – SaberCats v NOLA Gold (MLR) – The Rugby Network
3:00am – San Diego Legion v Utah Warriors (MLR) – The Rugby Network
3:00pm – Wales v Ireland (Women’s Six Nations) – RTÉ 1 / RTÉ Player / BBC1 Wales / BBC iPlayer
3:00pm – Bristol v Leicester (Premiership) – TNT Sports 1 / Discovery+ / NOW
8:15pm – Stade Français v Toulouse (Top 14) – Premier Sports 2 / NOW / URC TV