Rugby World Cup on TV3

[45GoneShort]

Am I the only who noticed that TV3 are showing the Rugby World Cup, can't believe RTE let this slip along with the Heineken Cup.  If TV3's live soccer coverage is anything to go by then i can't see many people watching it on TV3 when they can watch a more professional coverage on BBC or SKY.

[GweylTah]

The Rugby World Cup isn't on Sky or BBC TV.

In the UK, it's live and exclusive on ITV.

[ziggysego]

The Rugby World Cup isn't on Sky or BBC TV.

In the UK, it's live and exclusive on ITV.

Don't you mean UTV

[GweylTah]

UTV, STV, Granada, Anglia, Tyne Tees, etc, all of them, yes, depending on where you live in the UK.

[GalwayBayBoy]

TV3 have the Irish terrestrial rights but will only be showing the Ireland games and knock out games. Setanta will be showing all the games. Would wonder about TV3's coverage alright. The have no history of covering rugby and their football coverage is to be frank, shite. Hopefully the TV3 curse on the Ireland football team doesn't transfer to the rugby lads.


TV3 will be Ireland's national broadcaster for the 2007 Rugby World Cup. The Ballymount-based station have announced their plans to broadcast the tournament's top ten matches live, including all of Ireland's games.

TV3, Ireland's leading commercial broadcaster, today announced details of its exclusive terrestrial rights for the much-anticipated 2007 Rugby World Cup, offering coverage of all of Ireland's games as well as the tournament's opening match (France v Argentina), two quarter-finals, both semi-finals and the final.

All live games will be hosted by Matt Cooper, presenter of 'The Last Word' on Today FM. Matt will be joined in the studio by three pundits for each game including Paul Wallace, Trevor Brennan, Jim Glennon, Michael Cheika, Jim Williams and Victor Costello.

The station's commentary team will consist of BBC Radio Five Live's Conor McNamara and former Ireland international Phillip Matthews.

TV3's team in France will also include sports reporter Sinead Kissane and news reporter Laura Ryan who will be based there for the duration of the tournament, providing daily reports from the Irish camp and on the ground with the fans.

In addition to the live coverage, TV3 will air a series of special rugby programmes in the run up to and during the tournament. TV3 will broadcast four preview programmes on Thursday evenings from August 9 onwards. Over the six weeks of the tournament, TV3's Sports Tonight team will present 'Rugby World Cup Weekly' - a round-up of the major stories coming out of the tournament.

TV3 have also announced that it has secured a major deal with significant rugby sponsors Heineken to be the exclusive broadcast sponsor of all TV3's Rugby World Cup coverage.

David McRedmond, TV3's CEO, said: "As the national broadcaster of the Rugby World Cup, TV3 will provide the best Irish coverage ever for this tournament. We have secured a world-class commentary team and panel to have the broadcast appeal for the widening rugby fan base. We are delighted to have Heineken as a brilliant sponsor."

Heineken Ireland's National Event and Sponsorship manager Pat Maher added: "Heineken is delighted to sponsor TV3's coverage of the 2007 Rugby World Cup to add to our continued involvement in quality rugby events. While we are an official sponsor of the 2007 World Cup, we are proud to play a role in bringing all of the action closer to the fans in Ireland.

"Heineken enjoys a long-standing involvement in the Rugby World Cup, which stretches back to the 1995 World Cup in South Africa. More recently Heineken was a worldwide partner to the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia."

DETAILS OF TV3'S 2007 RUGBY WORLD CUP COVERAGE:

Thursday, August 9 - 'All Blacks: Behind the Legend'
Thursday, August 16 - 'History of the Rugby World Cup'
Thursday, August 23 - 'Road to the Rugby World Cup'
Thursday, August 30 - 'RWC Preview Documentary'
Thursday, September 6 - 'RWC Studio Preview'
Thursday, September 6 - 'Chasing the Lions'
Thursday, September 13 - 'Rugby World Cup Weekly'
Thursday, September 20 - 'Rugby World Cup Weekly'
Thursday, September 27 - 'Rugby World Cup Weekly'
Thursday, October 4 - 'Rugby World Cup Weekly'
Thursday, October 11 - 'Rugby World Cup Weekly'
Thursday, October 18 - 'Rugby World Cup Weekly'

LIVE MATCH DATES:

Friday, September 7 - France v Argentina, 8pm
Sunday, September 9 - IRELAND v Namibia, 7pm
Saturday, September 15 - IRELAND v Georgia, 8pm
Friday, September 21 - France v IRELAND, 8pm
Sunday, September 30 - IRELAND v Argentina, 4pm
Saturday, October 6 - Quarter-final (1), tbc
Sunday, October 7 - Quarter-final (2), tbc
Saturday, October 13 - Semi-final (1), 8pm
Sunday, October 14 - Semi-final (2), 8pm
Saturday, October 20 - Final, 8pm
                                         

[45GoneShort]

Wit all due respects to TV3 - I'll b watching all games on UTV as I don't have Setanta.  I'd be very sceptical of any TV channel who are too scabby to even buy the rights to show clips of Rugby and GAA games for their news reports!! I'm a bit sick of watching training sessions on the sports news on TV3.

[corn02]

Sweet Jesus UTV and TV3, I was looking forward to the World Cup too.

[magpie seanie]

I have oft vented my spleen about RTE on this board but then there's TV3. I don't think anything needs to be said about them. I guarantee you I'll watch less of the World Cup now than if it were on RTE and the Beeb or Sky.

[corn02]

Absolutely, I can not believe BBC or Sky are not showing. I remember the final being on ITV in 03 but did BBC not show some as well? It will be painstaking.

[Declan]

Don't worry lads we'll only have to watch 3 games on TV3 anyway

[Teeling Gael]

I wasn't looking forward to TV3's coverage either but in fairness they have recruited a way higher calibre of person than for their soccer coverage. Matt Cooper is a seasoned professional journalist used to live broadcasting as is Conor mac Namara. Paul Wallace is an excellent analyst again with alot of experience with Sky and Today FM. Disagree with alot of Glennons articles but in fairness at least he is articulate. Looking forward to Cheika and Williams. Think Costello is way better at analysing than playing and Brennan is the novelty act than may or may not work. All in all this is incomparable to their soccer coverage whereby most of those been paid are neither professional , articulate nor at all interesting.           

[Hardy]

Christ that's going to be the worst collection of unlistenable-to accents ever assembled in one place. A Cork whine, a double Strine vowel-mangling assault on the eardrums and, possibly worst of all, Wallace sounding like Ross O'Carroll-Kelly only worse because he's from Cork, roish. Jim Glennon's flat North-County-Dublinese will sound mellifluous by comparison.

But all of them talking at the same time will still be better than having to listen to Ryle Nugent!

[GweylTah]

Absolutely, I can not believe BBC or Sky are not showing. I remember the final being on ITV in 03 but did BBC not show some as well? It will be painstaking.

The BBC haven't had the rights to the RWC since 1987, when they showed very few games.  Sky has never shown it.  ITV's main commentary team will be borrowed from Sky.

[Uladh]

Jaysus lads give them a chance. we can only hope that having pushed the boat out to secure the rights, they will spend the extra few bob to present the package professionally. Cooper is an interesting departure and could work. i don't read the rest too regularly but wallace is my favourite pundit at the minute. he's very astute and not afraid to criticise, which is the failing of most bland sports coverage. the thing about large sports tournaments is that host broadcasters will do most of the work in terms of the overall package and feel of the coverage. if tv3 can allow those ho we want to listen to time to articulate their thoughts, it could be a good development. we all do enough complaining about sports coverage on other stations so maybe tv3 might be a fresh air with this one.

build up programs look interesting and comprehensive anyway.

[corn02]

Yes but it would be typical TV3 to push the boat out to secure the rights and then take the attitude that 'we have the audience f**k getting a very good presentation.'