PRO 14 TV DEAL REVEALED
THE PRO14 has confirmed little-known pay-TV channel Premier Sports have won the rights to broadcast all of the league’s 152 matches live in the UK from next season.
Twenty-one matches (one per round) will also be shown on the company’s free-to-air sister channel, FreeSports.
The deal ends the BBC’s association with the competition, with the corporation and Sky Sports both being replaced. The new subscription channel will cost viewers £9.99 per month.
The combined value of the new deal, plus the separate deals in Ireland (Eir) and South Africa (Super Sport), is understood to be around £30m.
This is thought to represent a big increase in revenue from previous years and will mean a significant financial boost for each of the four Welsh regions. It remains unclear whether S4C will have any rights to show matches with Welsh language commentary as negotiations continue.
The PRO14 have described the new deal as “a quantum leap for the league”, with Premier Sports now set to launch another channel, Premier Sports 2, and promising to make PRO14 coverage their number-one priority.
Martin Anayi, CEO of PRO14 Rugby, said: “The partnership with Premier Sports will be a watershed moment for the Guinness PRO14, our clubs and their supporters.
“As an innovative global rugby championship full of world-class players we are always looking to raise our game and this relationship is a bold step for us. By better resourcing our clubs through increased central revenue, we will ensure sustainability so they can further invest from the ground up to drive success on and off the pitch so they can retain supporters and attract new fans of all ages.
“Now rugby fans will be able to watch every game in the Guinness PRO14, which offers them more action than ever and that’s a terrific achievement.
“The bidding for broadcast rights showed us just how much interest there is in the Guinness PRO14 since our expansion into South Africa and the significantly-increased revenue will allow us to invest back into our clubs, a figure which has doubled over the last three years.”
PRO14 bosses maintain the increased revenues generated by the deal are vital to funding the growth of the competing teams. They also believe the fact Premier Sports are less restricted in their scheduling than network TV channels means kick-off times will now be better suited to what the teams want.
Pro Rugby Wales chief executive Mark Davies and Welsh Rugby Union boss Martyn Phillips have joined together to hail the three-year deal.
“In the digital era, the pace of change in delivery of sports content to supporters across multiple platforms, is relentless and the PRO14 team has worked hard over a period of many months to reach a balance of subscription and free-to-air coverage over the next broadcast cycle,” said Davies, who represents the interests of the four professional rugby teams in Wales – Cardiff Blues, Dragons Rugby, Ospreys and Scarlets.
“The significant increase in revenues achieved from a diligent, competitive tender process will be a major contribution to the regions’ objectives of developing Welsh talent and retaining Welsh players in our professional game.
“Our four regions are a vital part of an increasingly-successful and growing competition, encompassing five great tier-one rugby nations and with the strongest performance in European rugby this season.
“Our new broadcast partners have exciting plans to add real value for our supporters through new initiatives and high-quality coverage that will showcase the excitement of PRO14 rugby across every broadcast and digital platform and device.”
Phillips added: “We welcome the move to Premier Sports, as not only will it be a new and fresh offer for Welsh supporters, it will importantly include free-to-air matches which is critical given the importance of rugby to the Welsh public.”
JUDGEMENT Day on Saturday and National Finals Day 24 hours later... it was an actionpacked rugby weekend in Wales.
But the Principality Stadium wasn’t the only hive of activity with plenty of Welsh rugby winners and losers elsewhere.
We give you our pick of the bunch ..... said Locke. “But he’s here now and fit and healthy. It’s my first baby, so I’m over the moon.
“I looked at George and thought if I win the Cup it will be for him as well. It was good to write a bit of history for Merthyr and get a nice win. It takes me back to when I was with Pontypridd.
“When we lost to Newport at home in the league there was always next week, but you only get one shot in a final.”
PEMBROKE AND PORTHCAWL
THERE couldn’t be any losers in the National Bowl final even though Pembroke did come a cropper 33-31 when Porthcawl No.10 Josh White sent over the winning penalty with the last kick of the game.
Welsh internationals lauded the game on social media and you would struggle to put up an argument after a rip-roaring 80 minutes of non-stop action.
Porthcawl captain Richard Hynda was almost lost for words after lifting the silverware.
Having led 27-5 at one stage the Seaweeds – inspired by wing Jordan Fox’s hat-trick – found themselves 31-30 down with the clock ticking towards full time when fly-half Josh White sent over the winning penalty with the last kick of a quite unbelievable final.
“What a game,” said Hynda. “I’m still a bit speechless actually just coming off the pitch – I really thought Pembroke might have just pipped us at the end.
“But that just summarises our season really – that belief, that drive and that determination; what a fantastic day.”
ALED BREW AND RHYS PRIESTLAND
THE Bath duo made the pundit’s Aviva Premiership team of the weekend as the west country outfit kept alive their top-six and Champions Cup hopes with a 43-20 demolition of arch rivals Gloucester at Kingsholm.
Priestland sliced through for Bath’s second try after a neat onetwo with flanker Francois Louw, while an interception pass sent Brew on a leg-pumping 60 metre run to the line.
It was a double celebration for wing Brew as later on he was named Bath’s players’ player of the season.
“Massive thanks for all the messages. It’s a huge honour to be players’ player of the season,” said Brew on Twitter.
“We may not have achieved what we set out to do this season but I’m positive that next season we will! One last push to make top six.”
TOMAS FRANCIS
THE Welsh prop hasn’t been a firm fixture in the Exeter starting line-up this term with England tighthead Harry Williams also on the Sandy Park books.
But the 26-year-old 31-times capped front-rower was the main man when the Chiefs ensured they would end the season top of the Premiership for the first time in their history as they ended Sale’s faint play-off hopes with the 34-19 victory in the west country.
The victory means Exeter have an unassailable lead at the top of the Premiership and means they are likely to face either Wasps or Newcastle in the semi-finals.
ALUN WYN JONES
THE Welsh warhorse is more a Grand National winner than a Derby champion these days with staying power second to none.
Despite a gruelling season with the Lions, Wales and the Ospreys, world’s rugby’s very own self-made Duracell Bunny is showing no signs of fatigue judging by his performance against the Blues on Saturday.
Aside from the high-energy graft there were also the moments of skill, imperious takes at restarts, passes and offloads, with a try thrown in for good measure. what the paying punters in Cardiff wanted to see – one reset scrum after another eating up the clock and entertainment value.
NEWPORT RFC
AFTER two hard-fought Plate and Bowl finals, the WRU National Cup clash between Merthyr and the Black & Ambers was supposed to be the Mayor’s Show – the blue riband encounter.
But it was a huge disappointment for those making the journey down the train tracks from Newport as the Ironmen strolled to a 41-7 victory.
Newport’s Principality Premiership win at The Wern earlier this season promised for a nip-and-tuck encounter.
What we got was Merthyr racing into a 20-point lead in as many minutes for the final to be decided long before the half-time whistle.
CARMARTHEN QUINS
THERE was double delight for Merthyr on the weekend as their nearest challengers for the Principality Premiership crown came a cropper, 24-20 at Pontypridd.