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Irish Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Lions match highlights on free-to-air TV this summer
The British and Irish Lions' tour to Australia will be available to watch free-to-air on TV this summer – but for now, only in Welsh. The Guardian has learned that the Lions have agreed a deal for a highlights package with Welsh language channel S4C, which will be available via S4C's iPlayer service and YouTube channel. S4C is understood to have bought highlights rights for all three Test matches and the Lions' six tour games, which will be broadcast in Welsh. S4C will also broadcast full live coverage of the Lions' send-off Test against Argentina in Dublin on June 20th, available in English and Welsh. The bespoke Welsh TV offering may raise eyebrows as there are just two Welshmen in Andy Farrell's 38-man squad – flanker Jac Morgan and scrumhalf Tomos Williams – but illustrates S4C's commitment to rugby at a level that is not matched by other terrestrial broadcasters. READ MORE The Welsh contingent is their lowest ever, meaning they join Ireland in 1993, and Scotland in 2009 and 2017, as the least represented countries on a Lions tour. Sky Sports has the exclusive live rights for its eighth successive Lions tour and will also offer its own highlights show. The Lions remain hopeful of securing a free-to-air highlights deal in England, but have yet to do so three weeks before their first official tour game in Dublin. Channel 4 bought UK highlights rights for the Lions' last tour, to South Africa four years ago, but has not made an offer on this occasion, while ITV, BBC Sport and Channel 5 have also yet to bid. The BBC has also failed to secure live radio rights this year, with the Lions partnering with TalkSport for the fourth successive tour. The BBC's priority this summer is the women's European Championship, as well as saving resources for next summer's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, which will be an expensive undertaking. ITV also has live rights for the European Championship, Channel 4 is covering the men's Under-21 European Championship and Channel 5 has agreed to sublicence 23 Club World Cup matches from DAZN, so the terrestrial channels are committed elsewhere. The BBC has reduced its rugby coverage in recent years, with ITV securing the rights to all of England's Six Nations matches until 2030 in a joint deal signed earlier this year. As part of the new contract ITV will show 10 matches from each year's Six Nations to the BBC's five, which will feature Wales and Scotland's home fixtures, provided England are not involved. The Lions and S4C declined to comment. – Guardian
Wales Online
2 days ago
- Sport
- Wales Online
Tonight's rugby news as S4C strike Lions tour deal and Welsh 'maestro' reminds Wales he's available
Tonight's rugby news as S4C strike Lions tour deal and Welsh 'maestro' reminds Wales he's available The latest headlines from Wales and around the world Highlights of this summer's Lions tour are set to be shown on free-to-air TV (Image: PA ) These are your evening rugby headlines on Friday, May 30. S4C strike Lions tour deal This summer's British & Irish Lions tour is reportedly set to be shown on free-to-air TV with S4C understood to have agreed a deal for a highlights package. The Welsh language channel is believed to have bought highlights rights for all three of the Lions' Test matches against Australia, as well as their six tour games, with those highlights set to be broadcast in Welsh only, according to the Guardian. S4C are also set to provide full live coverage of Andy Farrell's side's clash with Argentina in Dublin on June 20, which will be available in both English and Welsh. While it will only be shown in Welsh, the highlights package will be available to watch across the UK via S4C's iPlayer service and YouTube channel. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. For the eighth successive Lions tour, Sky Sports has the exclusive live rights for the touring side's matches, while it will also broadcast its own highlights show in addition to the live action. However, while there are just three weeks to go until their opening game of the summer, it is believed that Lions bosses are also hopeful of securing another free-to-air highlights deal in England. For the 2021 tour to South Africa, it was Channel 4 that bought the UK highlights rights, but the broadcaster has not made an offer this time around. BBC, ITV and Channel 5 have also not made a bid as it stands, with the former also failing to secure live radio rights for the tour of Australia. Instead, the Lions have partnered with talkSPORT for the fourth successive tour. The reported S4C deal comes despite just two Welsh players being named in head coach Farrell's 38-man squad. Jac Morgan and Tomos Williams are Wales' sole representatives in the squad, in what is the lowest Welsh contingent on a Lions tour in nearly 90 years. As it stands, there will be one Welsh representative within Farrell's coaching team, with Carmarthen-born Aled Walters appointed as head of athletic performance. Analyst Rhodri Bown, doctor Geoff Davies and physiotherapist John Miles have all also been included in Farrell's staff for the tour of Australia, as has soft tissue specialist Susie Gill, who joined the WRU earlier this year from Gallagher Premiership side Harlequins. Welsh 'maestro' reminds Wales he's available Grenoble star Sam Davies has issued a pointed reminder to Wales over his Test eligibility following his heroics for the French side in their Pro D2 play-off semi-final win over Provence. The former Ospreys and Dragons fly-half produced another remarkable performance as his side moved a step closer to the Top 14 with a 38-17 victory on Thursday night, pulling the strings and contributing 18 points with his boot. As well as nailing three conversions and three penalties, Davies also landed a stunning 40-metre drop goal towards the end of the first half, while a moment of magic saw him set up his side's third try with an inch-perfect crossfield kick minutes after the break. The 31-year-old rightly earned the plaudits from his team-mates, fans and the media after the match, with reports in France hailing him as "impeccable" and "a maestro". His consistently impressive performances have led fans to question why Davies - who won the last of his eight Welsh caps in 2017 - has not been called back into the Wales squad, with the man himself insisting he is still eligible to represent his country. The outside-half attracted interest from English and Welsh sides earlier this season but opted to sign a new deal to remain at Grenoble. However, while he falls short of 25 caps there is a loophole in the controversial law which could make him eligible. Immediately following the win over Provence, Davies retweeted an X post that put forward his eligibility claims and featured quotes from his appearance on the Rosbifs Rugby Podcast earlier this year. "A great opening 40 for both @FCGrugby and Sam Davies," the post read. "What a drop goal that was!! Let's not forget that Davies believes he is eligible to represent Wales despite signing a new contract with Grenoble and falling short of 25 caps. "Speaking on the @RosbifsRugby podcast, he said: 'I think I am allowed really because the rule around whether you get an offer from a region or a fair one is related to the cap rule. 'There's an argument to say I never got a fair offer and before this contract I've just signed, a couple of Welsh clubs were trying to talk to me but I didn't even entertain it so there were no offers.'" Cult hero lands new job Former Cardiff flanker Olly Robinson has landed a new job as head of rugby at Collegiate School in Bristol. The 33-year-old, who also represented Bristol Bears and Leicester Tigers during his career, became a fan favourite during his five years at the Arms Park and captained the side on a handful of occasions before leaving by mutual consent in 2022. The son of former England, Scotland and Lions coach Andy Robinson, the ex-back rower also had coaching spells as Cardiff and Vale College, the University of South Wales and the University of Bristol. After leaving Cardiff, he also worked as Collegiate as a coach, but is now set to start a new role at the private school in August, ahead of the new school year. Sharing the news on X, Robinson said: "Really looking forward to September and getting started with @CollegiateSB! Delighted to be back involved in the game, and looking forward to working with the students and staff to build on the school's fantastic rugby history." He also told the school's website: 'I am delighted to be joining Collegiate School as Head of Rugby. The school is especially meaningful to me, having lived on site as a child when my dad worked here, and I feel privileged to contribute to the school's proud and rich rugby history. 'I am excited to support every student to achieve and expand their potential both on and off the pitch, whilst aiming to inspire a lasting enjoyment of the game.' Headmaster Jeremy McCullough added: "We were fortunate to attract a very strong field of candidates and were delighted to have had direct input in the process from Bristol Bears. "What really impressed us all was Olly's determination and desire to pass on his knowledge and experience in the game to our next generation of players, helping to improve their understanding of, and love for, the game of rugby. "This combination of leader and educator is a strong one and we look forward to seeing him in action soon.' Cardiff star signs new contract Cardiff have confirmed that playmaker Rory Jennings has signed a new deal to stay at the Arms Park. The 29-year-old, who signed for the region from Newcastle Falcons last summer, made 17 appearances for Matt Sherratt's side in his first season in the capital, featuring in the centre and at fly-half. A former England U20s international who has also played for Bath, Clermont and London Irish, Jennings will continue to compete with Ben Thomas while also helping to bring through the likes of young talent Stef Emanuel. 'I'm really excited to be staying at Cardiff for another year," he said as his new contract was confirmed. 'It was an easy decision for me to make in the end. We have a squad with a huge amount of talent and potential, and I have been impressed with the staff and players from the moment I joined. 'I'm now looking forward to contributing in any way I can to help the club win, during the season ahead." Article continues below Head coach Sherratt added: "Rory has added massive value to the club both on and off the field. His input to our game off the field has been excellent and most importantly he has brought exactly what we'd hoped for on the field. 'He adds to our game model in that second receiver role where he can connect our game with his voice and skill set. I'm delighted that we have been able to keep him at Cardiff."
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Lions match highlights on free-to-air TV this summer
The British and Irish Lions tour to Australia will be available to watch free-to-air on S4C this summer. The British and Irish Lions tour to Australia will be available to watch free-to-air on S4C this summer. Photograph:The British and Irish Lions' tour to Australia will be available to watch free-to-air on TV this summer – but for now only in Welsh. The Guardian has learned that the Lions have agreed a deal for a highlights package with Welsh language channel S4C, which will be available throughout the UK via S4C's iPlayer service and YouTube channel. S4C is understood to have bought highlights rights for all three Test matches and the Lions' six tour games, which will be broadcast in Welsh. S4C will also broadcast full live coverage of the Lions' send-off Test against Argentina in Dublin on 20 June, available in English and Welsh. Advertisement Related: The Breakdown | Trash-talk and rough sleeping: following the 2001 Lions' tour of Australia The bespoke Welsh TV offering may raise eyebrows as there are just two Welshmen in Andy Farrell's 38-man squad – the flanker Jac Morgan and the scrum-half Tomos Williams – but illustrates S4C's commitment to rugby at a level that is not matched by other terrestrial broadcasters. The Welsh contingent of two is their lowest ever, meaning they join Ireland in 1993, and Scotland in 2009 and 2017, as the least represented countries on a Lions tour. Sky Sports has the exclusive live rights for its eighth successive Lions tour and will also offer its own highlights show. The Lions remain hopeful of securing a free-to-air highlights deal in England, but have yet to do so three weeks before their first official tour game in Dublin. Channel 4 bought UK highlights rights for the Lions' last tour, to South Africa four years ago, but has not made an offer on this occasion, while ITV, BBC Sport and 5 have also yet to bid. Advertisement The BBC has also failed to secure live radio rights this year, with the Lions partnering with TalkSport for the fourth successive tour. The BBC's priority this summer is the women's European Championship, as well as saving resources for next summer's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, which will be an expensive undertaking. ITV also has live rights for the European Championship, Channel 4 is covering the men's Under-21 European Championship and 5 has agreed to sulicense 23 Club World Cup matches from Dazn, so the terrestrial channels are committed elsewhere. The BBC has reduced its rugby coverage in recent years, with ITV securing the rights to all of England's Six Nations matches until 2030 in a joint deal signed earlier this year. As part of the new contract ITV will show 10 matches from each year's Six Nations to the BBC's five, which will feature Wales and Scotland's home fixtures, provided England are not involved. The Lions and S4C declined to comment.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Lions match highlights on free-to-air TV this summer
The British and Irish Lions tour to Australia will be available to watch free-to-air on TV this summer – but for now only in Welsh. The Guardian has learned that the Lions have agreed a deal for a highlights package with Welsh language channel S4C, which will be available throughout the UK via S4C's iPlayer service and YouTube channel. S4C are understood to have bought highlights rights for all three Test matches and the Lions' six tour games, which will be broadcast in Welsh. S4C will also broadcast full live coverage of the Lions' send-off Test against Argentina in Dublin on 20 June, available in English and Welsh. The bespoke Welsh TV offering may raise eyebrows as there are just two Welshmen in Andy Farrell's 38-man squad – flanker Jac Morgan and scrum half Tomos Williams – but illustrates S4C's commitment to rugby that is not matched by other terrestrial broadcasters. The Welsh contingent of two is their lowest ever, meaning they join Ireland in 1993, and Scotland in 2009 and 2017, as the least represented countries on a Lions tour. Sky Sports have the exclusive live rights for their eighth successive Lions tour, and will also offer their own highlights show. The Lions remain hopeful of securing a free-to-air highlights deal in England, but have yet to do so three weeks before their first official tour game in Dublin. Channel 4 bought UK highlights rights for the Lions' previous tour to South Africa four years ago, but have not made an offer on this occasion, while ITV, BBC Sport and 5 have also yet to bid. The BBC have also failed to secure live radio rights this year, with the Lions partnering with TalkSport for the fourth successive tour. The BBC's priority this summer is the women's European Championship, as well as saving resources for next summer's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, which will be an expensive undertaking. ITV also have live rights for the European Championship, Channel 4 are covering the men's under 21 European Championship and 5 have agreed to sub-license 23 matches from DAZN from the Club World Cup, so the terrestrial channels are committed elsewhere. The BBC have reduced their rugby coverage in recent years, with ITV securing the rights to all of England's Six Nations matches until 2030 in a joint deal signed earlier this year. As part of the new contract ITV will show 10 matches from each year's Six Nations to the BBC's five, which will feature Wales and Scotland's home fixtures, provided England are not involved. Sign up to The Breakdown The latest rugby union news and analysis, plus all the week's action reviewed after newsletter promotion The Lions and S4C declined to comment.
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
A rugby tour 12 years in the making: Australia awaits the British and Irish Lions
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — A huge economic boost, 40,000 British and Irish visitors in a swathe of red supporter gear, and the combined rugby might of four countries set to take on Australia. The 10-match British and Irish Lions tour — a once-every-12-year occasion for Australia — kicks off next month and local organizers are already primed for the influx of rugby-loving visitors from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The first of three test matches is 50 days away, in Brisbane on July 19. The second test is scheduled for July 26 in Melbourne and the third in Sydney on Aug. 2. 'The Lions is something that tends to reach beyond just the rugby union fans,' Australia head coach Joe Schmidt said during a visit Friday to Suncorp Stadium, 'because it's such an infrequent tour, people just get interested and we'd love to earn the support of all those folk by being really competitive. 'I'd love to think we're in the hunt.' Who are the Lions? The first Lions tour in 1888 comprised mostly English players and included matches in Australia and New Zealand. The tradition grew and since 1989, a Lions squad featuring Irish, England, Scottish and Welsh players has toured every four years on a rotational basis to Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Andy Farrell is head coach of a 38-man squad for the 2025 tour, with England lock Maro Itoje selected as captain. Recent history Australian rugby has declined since its historic 2001 series victory over the Lions. The 1999 Rugby World Cup champions recovered to clinch that series with back-to-back wins in Melbourne and Sydney after a first-test loss in Brisbane, when the Wallabies were stunned by a crowd overwhelmingly dominated by visiting fans. In 2013, the Lions — coming off a mid-week loss to the Canberra-based Brumbies in a tour game — edged Australia 23-21 in the first test in Brisbane and then, after losing 16-15 in Melbourne, rallied for a comprehensive 41-6 victory in Sydney. Wallabies resurgence After failing to make the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals in 2023, Australia has been in a rebuilding phase under New Zealand-born Schmidt, a former Ireland coach. The Wallabies had six wins in 13 tests in a 2024 season that ended in a 22-19 loss to Ireland in Dublin, but an influx of new players and some improved performances have increased expectations for 2025. Schmidt, who will start assembling his squad next month as domestic teams bow out of the Super Rugby Pacific championship, knows that the Wallabies need to start being more consistent to win back the support of an Australian public which has a vast number of sporting choices. The Wallabies are No. 8 in the World Rugby rankings for men's international teams and need to improve quickly to get a good seeding for the 2027 World Cup, which Australia is hosting. We 'need a series of really good performances and, and it's something that we're aspirational about and we work really hard behind the scenes to try to get into the mix,' Schmidt said. 'I think some of the promising signs, the way the Wallabies finished off last year, the way the Super Rugby teams have competed this year, and so it's our challenge to try to continue that.' Seeing red James Horwill, Australia's captain in the 2013 series, has seen enough red when it comes to Lions tours. His enduring memory of the 2001 series, when he was a teenager watching the first test on TV? 'It felt like a home game for the British and Irish Lions just with just with the red shirts and the crowd,' he said. He said there was more obvious support for Australia 12 years ago with more fans in gold, but the red of the Lions still stood out. 'You walk out of the hotel, there was red everywhere. It's almost like the British and Irish Lions fans don't bring anything else other than red t-shirts,' he said. 'They wear it everywhere, so we need our fans here to step up to the mark because we know they're coming in droves from the U.K.' ___ AP rugby:
