Super Rugby will return to UK television from this Friday following the announcement of a new broadcast deal between Sky Sports and Sanzaar, with the broadcaster also showing England’s tour to Australia this summer.
Ireland and Wales’ tours of New Zealand and South Africa will also be shown by Sky, along with the Rugby Championship plus domestic rugby including the Currie Cup in South Africa and National Provincial Championship in New Zealand.
The first game back on Sky will feature the Brumbies and the Reds on Friday morning, with Sky set to broadcast at least 150 fixtures each year as part of the new agreement.
Jonathan Licht, Sky Sports Managing Director, said: “Sanzaar rugby has been in Sky Sports’ DNA for almost 30 years and we’re pleased to continue our important and valued partnership with Sanzaar to give our customers the very best rugby the southern hemisphere has to offer.”
Sanzaar CEO Brendan Morris said: “We welcome Sky aboard once again as our broadcast partner in the UK and Ireland. Sky has been a broadcast partner of Sanzaar for a very long time and we have a very strong and professional relationship that has seen our tournaments delivered into this major rugby market.
“Super Rugby Pacific continues to be a world class tournament featuring some of the best players in the world. It is followed by The Rugby Championship when current world champions South Africa will battle the All Blacks, Wallabies and Pumas for southern hemisphere supremacy.”
Analysis: Super Rugby’s return to Sky brings welcome nostalgia in exciting new era
Even if Super Rugby is not quite the grand competition of old with the South African franchises now playing in the United Rugby Championship, the positive reaction to Super Rugby’s return on Sky should tell you everything about how highly valued the competition remains in the UK and Ireland.
The additions this season of Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika, joining the Australian and New Zealand franchises, has given the competition a welcome, fresh look.
Fijian Drua have already picked up a first win, too, over the Melbourne Rebels, although if supporters are being honest, it’s the inter-New Zealand matches which have made Super Rugby must-watch viewing in recent years, particularly given the Crusaders’ recent run of success under Scott Robertson. The chance to see the best All Blacks in action every week will be a key part of Sky’s package.
Spare a thought, however, for punters who took out a £50 subscription through Sanzaar to watch Super Rugby this season and may now find themselves paying for both that package and their Sky subscriptions for the same content. Some sort of compromise for customers who have paid for both products needs to be reached there.
The return of northern-hemisphere teams’ summer tours will give Sky its first rugby coverage since the British and Irish Lions tour last summer, given that the autumn Tests are now being shown by Amazon Prime and the URC, which was previously on Sky during its Pro14 phase, is now being shown by Premier Sports. BT Sport currently broadcasts both the Gallagher Premiership and Champions Cup exclusively.
Keeping those summer tours, plus the Rugby Championship and action from the Currie Cup and NPC in New Zealand all on Sky, feels welcomingly nostalgic having carried the content for so long in the past. Even if the lack of coverage for the women’s competition, Super Rugby Aupiki, and the fact that the Sky will only start broadcasting matches from Round 5 of Super Rugby Pacific are notable missteps.
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