Premier Sports will celebrate a major broadcasting milestone this weekend as it airs its 1,000th BKT United Rugby Championship (URC) match live, marking its eighth consecutive season of bringing every game from the league to fans across five nations.
Since partnering with what was then the PRO14 in 2018, Premier Sports has become the home of live URC coverage, delivering every game from every round, live and in full, with 151 games every season.
The 1000th game will be Leinster v Hollywoodbets Sharks this Saturday, live on Premier Sports 1 from 5 pm with Graham Little, Ian Madigan, Andy Goode, Ryle Nugent, Bernard Jackman and Sarah Mulkerrins kicking off the broadcast celebrations and bringing all the live action.
Many of the original Premier Sports frontline TV team who opened coverage at the start of the 2018/19 season are still showcasing the best action from the league, including Chris Paterson, Stephen Ferris, Shane Williams, Andrew Trimble, Ross Harris, Graham Little, Rory Hamilton, Lauren Jenkins and Mark Robson.
“Reaching our 1,000th live URC match on Premier Sports is a proud moment for everyone involved,” said Richard Sweeney, Premier Sports CEO.
“When we first partnered back in 2018, our goal was simple – to give rugby fans one trusted home for every live game from every round of the competition.”
“Now we’re into our eighth season, that sense of consistency and connection with fans has only grown stronger. Together with the URC, who have been an exceptional partner, we’ve helped bring the stories, rivalries and communities of this great competition to life.”
“I’d like to express a big thank you to everyone who works tirelessly behind the scenes at Premier Sports – both in production and across our commercial teams — and to all our customers who have been part of the journey.”
“As we celebrate this milestone, it’s also important to reflect and remember two great rugby men who were part of our original broadcast team, Eddie Butler and Doddie Weir. Their trusted voices and expertise helped shape Premier Sports’ early rugby coverage, and their legacy continues to live on.”
On to the Future
With a third consecutive broadcast deal between URC and Premier Sports now in full swing, Sweeney said the ongoing evolution of the competition and coverage shows the strength of the partnership.
“We were delighted to extend our partnership with URC earlier this year for the third time and to remain part of one of the most exciting leagues in world rugby — supported by passionate fans across Scotland, Ireland, Wales, South Africa and Italy.”
“The diversity, competitiveness and quality of rugby on show every weekend in the URC is exceptional. It’s been a thrilling journey to see how the Championship has grown and how rugby audiences have reached record levels.”
“We are fortunate to have a frontline TV team that is second to none – made up of world-class former internationals with unrivalled insight into this league, its players, clubs and supporters. Their passion and connection with the game shine through every week,” he added.
“Our aim is to be an integral part of the rugby communities we broadcast to. Like everyone involved in the game, we’re committed to attracting new audiences and younger fans while continually evolving our coverage to reflect the passion and diversity of modern rugby.”
Premier Sports now has a 30-strong team leading live coverage with special guests joining every weekend: John Barclay, Stephen Ferris, Tom Shanklin, Ryan Wilson, Simon Zebo, Ian Madigan, Chris Paterson, Andy Goode Andrew Trimble, Philippa Tuttiett, Alan Quinlan, Bernard Jackman, Shane Williams, Alex Cuthbert, Ian McKinley and Thinus Delport. That’s longside leading presenters and reporters Ross Harries, Graham Little, Connie McLaughlin, Jenny Drummond, Paul Marshall, Sarah Mulkerrins, Owain Gwynedd and commentators Rory Hamilton, Martin Gillingham, Connor Morris, Ryle Nugent, Jamie Lyall, Rhys ap William and Mark Robson.
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