The Rugby Broadcast Report Issue 25: Rugby Media Rights Update & TV Guide
Premier Sports secures Ireland XV v England A
Welcome to the Rugby Broadcast Report, a weekly newsletter covering the latest developments in rugby media rights, alongside a broadcast and kick-off guide.
It has been another busy week for rugby media rights: ITV has confirmed a major broadcast deal for the UK, EPCR’s direct-to-consumer approach pays off in Italy and Premier Sports picks up more rights – more on all of these stories below.
If you’re looking for rugby to watch this weekend you can find the full Irish and UK TV guide listed below, along with links to various streaming platforms.*
Story of the week
CONFIRMED: ITV has secured the exclusive Nations Championship TV rights. ITV’s commitment to rugby has injected some much needed competition into the rugby media rights landscape. A number of media outlets had reported that TNT Sports were in contention to acquire the rights, particularly after shifting its focus from the Champions Cup to international rugby. However, it seems that TNT Sports dropped out of the race to acquire the rights due to the size of the bid submitted by ITV.
Quote of the week
I was sitting behind some of the Premier Sport lads in the press box. Madigan and Zebo, mainly. Those guys love this game. Madigan was roaring on Leinster all game, and I love that. Authentic. – Tom Savage (Three Red Kings)
While not all rugby fans may be a fan of the reactions of Simon Zebo and Ian Madigan during their co-commentary on Premier Sports, they are still bringing something authentic – and something different – to their roles. Their style may not be for everyone but it has been refreshing to see Premier Sports allow both of them to express themselves during commentary. Although it may not come across fully on live TV, it is clear that they have a passion for the game and the clubs they come from.
The broadcast number
124 – the minimum of live internationals games that will be broadcast on free-to-air TV on ITV in the UK over the next four years.
Viewership performance
In an interesting piece in the Irish Times this week, Gerry Thornley noted that Connacht could achieve the largest URC TV audience reach in Ireland this season and potentially in the following three seasons. Thornley highlights that all but two of Connacht’s games will be shown on free-to-air broadcaster TG4. In contrast, Premier Sports is exclusively broadcasting eight of Munster’s fixtures and 10 of Leinster’s games. As part of the new rights agreements in place, Premier Sports has secured exclusive rights to a Leinster or Munster game in each round, as well as two Connacht games during the season. Consequently, Connacht could reach more viewers overall due to the higher number of fixtures shown on TG4.
Thornley also provides insight into viewership so far this season and notes that rugby viewership on pay TV is no longer a niche market: Munster v Leinster in December 2025 attracted 163,000 viewers during the most watched 15 minutes of the game.
In October 2025 the same fixture drew 283,000 viewers during the most watched 15 minutes on TG4.
Separately, it has been reported that TG4 grew its audience share for the firth year running. The Irish language broadcaster achieved an average audience share of 2.3% in 2025 and reached 77.2% of the Irish TV population. TG4’s Rugbaí Beo also attracted strong audiences throughout the year.
Premier Sports to show Ireland XV v England A and launches in Canada
Rights watch
In an interview with SportsBusiness, EPCR CEO Jacques Raynaud revealed that the governing body’s direct-to-consumer service has resulted in EPCR “making twice as much” from the Italian market, compared to the previous deal with a pay TV provider. Raynaud also revealed that Ialy, Australia and Germany are the top markets for EPCR TV in terms of subscription revenue.
ITV has released its presenter and pundit team for the 2026 Six Nations. Notably, Japan coach Eddie Jones has been replaced by Ronan O’Gara, whose commentary with Dan Biggar during the 2025 Lions Tour attracted much praise from viewers. The full ITV line-up is as follows: Mark Pougatch, Jill Douglas, Brian O’Driscoll, Ronan O’Gara, Rory Best, Jonny Wilkinson, Dan Biggar, Jamie Roberts, John Barclay, Sergio Parisse, Benjamin Kayser, Ugo Monye, Maggie Alphonsi, Greig Laidlaw, Nick Mullins, Miles Harrison, Gordon D’Arcy, David Flatman, Ben Kay, Shane Williams, Scott Hastings and Nolli Waterman.
German broadcaster ProSiebenSat.1 has announced a significant rugby media rights portfolio after securing the broadcast rights to the following tournaments: the Men’s and Women’s Six Nations, the Nations Championship, the Summer Nations Series and Autumn Series, the Women’s Lions Tour, the RWC in 2027 and the Rugby Europe Championship.
RTÉ will provide Irish‑language commentary in this year’s Men’s and Women’s Six Nations for the first time.
Here’s your full TV guide for this weekend’s action:
Friday 30 January
8:35am – Western Force v Brumbies (Super Rugby Pacific Pre-Season) – Facebook
3:00pm – Blackrock College v St Vincent’s Castleknock College (Leinster School Senior Cup) – Leinster Rugby Plus
7:30pm – Trailfinders Women v Harlequins Women (PWR) – BBC iPlayer
7:45pm – Benetton v Scarlets (URC) – BBC iPlayer / S4C & Clic / YouTube / Premier Sports 2 & Online / NOW / URC TV
7:45pm – Glasgow v Munster (URC) – TG4 & Player / Premier Sports 1 & Online / NOW / URC TV
Saturday 31 January
12:30pm – Lions v Bulls (URC) – Premier Sports 1 & & Online (UK only) / URC TV
1:30pm – Montpellier v Stade Français (Top 14) – Premier Sports Online / Unavailable live in Ireland
1:30pm – Ampthill v Worcester Warriors (Champ) – Clubber TV
2:00pm – Caldy v Nottingham (Champ) – Clubber TV
2:00pm – Glasgow v Clovers (Celtic Challenge) – YouTube / TG4 Player
2:30pm – Doncaster v Cornish Pirates (Champ) – Clubber TV
2:30pm – Hartpury RFC v Bedford Blues (Champ) – Clubber TV
2:30pm – Terenure v Clontarf (AIL) – YouTube
2:30pm – UCD v Old Belvedere (AIL) – YouTube
2:30pm – Trinity v Garryowen (AIL) – YouTube
3:00pm – Coventry v Chinnor (Champ) – Clubber TV
3:00pm – Ealing Trailfinders v Richmond (Champ) – Clubber TV
3:00pm – London Scottish v Cambridge (Champ) – Clubber TV
3:00pm – Edinburgh v Brython Thunder (Celtic Challenge) – BBC iPlayer
3:00pm – Zebre v Connacht (URC) – TG4 & Player / Premier Sports2 & Online / NOW / URC TV
3:00pm – Sharks v Stormers (URC) – Premier Sports1 & Online (UK only) / URC TV
3:05pm – Northampton v Leicester (Prem Rugby Cup) – TNT Sports 1 / discovery+ / NOW
3:35pm – Montauban v Bordeaux (Top 14) – Premier Sports Rugby & Online / Unavailable live in Ireland
5:30pm – Leinster v Edinburgh (URC) – Premier Sports 1 & Online / NOW
7:45pm – Ulster v Cardiff (URC) – Premier Sports 2 & Online / NOW / URC TV
7:45pm – Ospreys v Dragons (URC) – S4C & Clic / BBC iPlayer / YouTube / Premier Sports 1 & Online (UK only) / URC TV
8:00pm – Toulouse v Bayonne (Top 14) – Premier Sports Rugby & Online / Unavailable live in Ireland
Sunday 1 February
12:30pm – Wolfhounds v Gwalia Lightning (Celtic Challenge) – BBC iPlayer / TG4 Player
1:00pm – Exeter Chiefs Women v Leicester Tigers Women (PWR) – YouTube
1:00pm – Bristol Bears Women v Sale Sharks Women (PWR) – YouTube
3:00pm – Gloucester-Hartpury Women RFC v Loughborough Lightning (PWR) – TNT Sports 2 / discovery+ / NOW
8:05pm – Pau v Toulon (Top 14) – Premier Sports 2 & Online / NOW
Useful links
YouTube (Pro D2)
YouTube (URC – UK only)
Clubber TV (Champ)
YouTube (PWR)
YouTube (Celtic Challenge)
YouTube (AIL)
epcrugby.tv (Challenge Cup)
Leinster Rugby Plus (Leinster Schools)
Final thoughts
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*TV guide subject to change. The website version of this newsletter will be updated if required.