Premier Sports set to renew TV deal to cover PRO14 rugby

Premier Sports is poised to strengthen its coverage of rugby with a new deal to show the Guinness PRO14.

The Premier Sports PRO14 rugby coverage is presented by Dougie Vipond, with analysis from Chris Paterson and Jim Hamilton. Picture: Gary Hutchison/SNS

The pay-TV channel has had a successful broadcast partnership with the league for the past three years and it is understood that this is set to continue with live coverage next season and beyond.

The PRO14, which includes Edinburgh and Glasgow Warriors as well as clubs from Ireland, Wales and Italy, could be expanded next season to include the four South African Super Rugby franchises.

The inclusion of the Bulls, Sharks, Lions and Stormers would make it a PRO16 following the departure of the Cheetahs and Southern Kings.

Premier Sports has a growing profile in Scottish sport and was announced last month as the new title sponsor of the League Cup. Its football portfolio also includes live coverage of the Scottish Cup.

The broadcaster has also secured TV rights for French rugby’s top flight competition, the TOP 14, for two years with immediate effect, meaning it will be able to show the final stages of this season’s competition, starting with Friday’s match between Stade Francais and Lyon.

The presence of Finn Russell at Racing 92 has increased interest in Scotland in the TOP 14 in recent years.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article. We're more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by Coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

If you haven't already, please consider supporting our trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription