As part of the new TV deal announced in Australia for Super Rugby, in a first for rugby fans, a game will be replayed in full, on free-to-air television, via Network Ten on Sunday mornings.
Details of which matches will be shown for the first eight rounds have been announced, and are below.
It has also been announced that the game each week will be broadcast from 8am to 10am. Details for the remaining games, from Round 9 through to the end of the season will be announced at a later date by Network Ten and the ARU.
The Waratahs open the season on free-to-air against the Reds, before the Brumbies take on the Waratahs. Interestingly, both of their matches, played in the first eight weeks of the season will be broadcast on Network Ten.
Four consecutive trans-Tasman clashes will be broadcast as the replay between Round 4 and Round 7.
The Waratahs and Brumbies have fared best out of the Australian teams, with four out of their eight games being broadcast on Network Ten, two of which are against each other.
The Reds have two of their games broadcast, while the Force and Rebels will be forced to settle for one game apiece.
ARU CEO Bill Pulver said the increased free-to-air presence was critical for the game.
“Having a presence on free-to-air television is a huge step forward for the Asteron Life Super Rugby competition and we are privileged to have a great partner in Network Ten.”
“Having a full replay of one of the blockbuster matches of the round on Network Ten each Sunday morning will give more Australian viewers a taste of the best provincial rugby competition in the world, and once they’ve sampled the action there’s no doubt they’ll keep coming back for more.”
Network Ten has also committed to showing full replays of any final matches featuring the Australian teams.
Round 1 Sun 28 Feb Waratahs v Reds
Round 2 Sun 6 Mar Brumbies v Waratahs
Round 3 Sun 13 Mar Force v Brumbies
Round 4 Sun 20 Mar Waratahs v Highlanders
Round 5 Sun 27 Mar Rebels v Highlanders
Round 6 Sun 3 Apr Brumbies v Chiefs
Round 7 Sun 10 Apr Reds v Highlanders
Round 8 Sun 17 Apr Waratahs v Brumbies
Frank
Guest
When is there going to be free to air Ruby Union on again as I suffer from Cancer and always look forward to watch as many Games as I can.
peter hughes
Guest
yeah probly good news on no Channel 10 commentary but an 80 minute game will still take 180 mins for them to screen.
Brett McKay
Expert
It'll be a straight replay of the Fox Sports coverage, Ten won't waste money by re-dubbing the commentary..
Brett McKay
Expert
Yep, I'm back on deck again..
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Done better than any of his predecessors have done in the professional era.
Peter Hughes
Roar Rookie
Yeah and it will take 4hrs to view a game cos Channel 10 pile in sooooooo many adverts you'll forget whose playing by half time. And wait for the diabolical commentary team they serve up. It'll be squirm a minute probably with a couple of old league hacks or a soap opera star. Channel 10 are rubbish but better than nothing :)
grapeseed
Guest
That's how it starts Rob, beware!
grapeseed
Guest
It turns out a combination of codeine, an HSBC personal banker, an excellent concierge and an agile consulate in Prague does the trick better than doxy in these situations. I blame myself more than that green-eyed vamp. But mostly I blame Richard Graham.
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
Thanx Brett. Any FTA is good for Rugby so I can't complain. And do we hear your dulcet tones on ABC this year for the Brumby matches?
RobC
Roar Guru
gs, interesting coincidence. The checkin form into the hotel couple nights ago, had me down as a Ukrainian citizen and had a booking for two people. So I wasnt sure whether to expect an Ukranian guest to join me, and what she would look like. In any case, no dice. Maybe because it wasnt a Saturday / Sunday. At least there were Rugby re-runs
ThugbyFan
Roar Guru
Good one Grape, so it was you who got that Ukranian girl? Hope you took those doxycycline tablets with you on the trip. :)
Charging Rhino
Guest
Nice breakdown and explanation Brett. All the right calls appear to have been made.
Charging Rhino
Guest
Ah I see. I thought that may be the case but was too lazy to check :-)
grapeseed
Guest
Sunday mornings are for figuring out where that Ukrainian girl went, and how the hell you're going to get out of the Czech Rebuplic and back to Abu Dhabi without your passport, AMEX or pants. Rugby is best VPN'd through Foxtel Go. I feel I speak for the majority of us here.
Brett McKay
Expert
Peter, back when the broadcast deal was announced, the wording was all about Ten showing the "Australian Super Rugby match of the round". I don't really know why away games weren't considered, to answer your question, but my gut feeling is that Australian home games only means Fox Sports commentary, which given the Foxtel stake in Network Ten, is perhaps all that was palatable. I suppose another angle might be that showing a NZ or RSA (or Jap/Arg of course) home game isn't actually promoting the Australian game, and definitely not Australian sponsors. I can't imagine Asics, for eg, would be thrilled with the Australian MotR being surrounded by Adidas signage in NZ. === And yes, you're right, that's what I get for engaging and giving someone the benefit of the doubt, but I did offer the chance for reasoned discussion. Enough rope, and all that. At least now we've got confirmation that RTK can definitely be viewed as a parody and just for entertainment purposes, so it's not all wasted... :)
Machooka
Roar Guru
Hey me old blue... imagine this. Like bugger off. Change channels. Or find a friend. Geez... enough already. Recidivist or what??
Redderthankevin
Guest
Imagine Sydney with the NRL. Further imagine Friday night footy was the only broadcast on free to air. Further further imagine half the games shown where manly. Who in there right mind would think that would grow the game of league outside of brookvale? This is what the ARU are doing.
PeterK
Roar Guru
Brett - You deserved what you got, you engaged with him.
Redderthankevin
Guest
Right so the ARU could not organise a way to get more than one force or rebels game to be shown on free to air TV but they could get 4 games for the tahs..... This could not have been a last minute negotiation with channel ten. It should have been thought of earlier and approaches made to sanzar in regards to the draw, or maybe this is the way it was wanted....
Bakkies
Guest
Channel 7 used to show the games two hours after they finished which wasn't too bad. People still had VCRs back then so you could tape it and forward the ads.