The Sunday Times Launches the Ultimate Guide to the 2011 Rugby World Cup
The Sunday Times Celebrates the Rugby World Cup by Giving you an Exclusive Guide to the Action, Free With This Weekend’s Edition
This weekend, The Sunday Times launches its definitive 32-page guide to the Rugby World Cup; featuring predictions, analysis and comment on all the players and nations competing in New Zealand.
As the first match of the Rugby World Cup draws closer, The Sunday Times is offering a stellar line-up of rugby analysts and commentators such as ex-England international heavyweights; Stuart Barnes and Lawrence Dallaglio who will write alongside ex-All Black captain Sean Fitzpatrick, as well as award-winning rugby correspondents like Stephen Jones.
In addition, a pre-World Cup round table debate featuring Lawrence Dallaglio, Stuart Barnes, Michael Lynagh, Jeremy Guscott and Stephen Jones will be published in The Sunday Times and will also be available online for thesundaytimes.co.uk subscribers to watch first hand.
Detailed coverage will continue throughout the seven week tournament with Sean Fitzpatrick writing a weekly column, and Dallaglio, Barnes and Jones will cover every match right up to the final whistle at Eden Park on the 23rd October.
Chicago to launch First Youth Rugby Club
Chicago has a new game in town for kids: rugby.
On Sunday afternoons through mid-June, children ages 4 – 14 are playing touch rugby at Revere Park through a partnership between the Chicago Wapiti Rugby Football Club (CWRFC) and the Chicago Park District.
With a series of clinics last summer and fall, CWRFC launched the first youth rugby program in Chicago. Wapiti RFC now has players in U14, U10, U8 and U6 programs learning Rookie Rugby, a game of two-hand touch played by seven-member teams with no tackles, rucks, mauls, scrums or lineouts. Rookie Rugby is a simple form of rugby which teaches the fundamentals of ball handling, spatial awareness, movement, decision making, tactics, and strategy – skills that translate well to all sports. It’s an inclusive game for girls and boys of all shapes, sizes and skill levels.
“It is great to see how much the kids enjoy playing, as well as learning about the sportsmanship and camaraderie that are so much a part of rugby tradition,” notes Sean O’Conor, CWRFC President and one of the four Wapiti club founders. “As a group of fathers, we wanted to pass along our love of the game to our kids, but the excitement has caught on in a very big way.” Read more
BBC AMERICA and Foursquare Team Up for 6 Nations Rugby
Live 6 Nations Rugby Coverage Begins This Saturday on BBC AMERICA
BBC AMERICA and Foursquare are teaming up to help Foursquare users discover the best spots for 6 Nations Rugby watch parties. Every year across the globe, people unite in pubs and restaurants to watch RBS 6 Nations Rugby Championship matches, one of Europe’s biggest annual sporting events. BBC AMERICA is elevating its coverage this year with digital partnerships and broadcasting five live matches wrapped with new pre- and post-game shows, beginning with 2010 Champion France versus Scotland on Saturday, February 5, 11:30 a.m. ET / 8:30 a.m. PT.
Perry Simon, General Manager, Channels, BBC Worldwide America commented: “Teaming up with Foursquare is the perfect way to connect BBC AMERICA’s 6 Nations coverage with the U.S. rugby community, and to help new viewers suffering from NFL withdrawal learn how to appreciate this great sport.”
Starting today, Foursquare users can follow BBC AMERICA at Foursquare.com/BBCAMERICA to discover tips at over 100 rugby spots all over the U.S. and at key locations in the six host countries of England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. Users can unlock the “BBC AMERICA Rugby” badge by checking into rugby institutions, share their own tips with #Watch6Nations and post their party photos.
“One of the most powerful aspects of Foursquare is its ability to guide users to new experiences based on their interests,” said Jonathan Crowley, Director of Business Development for Four square. “We’re thrilled to partner with BBC AMERICA to enable rugby fans to easily coordinate 6 Nations watch parties across the U.S. and around the globe. Rugby viewing is a very social activity, and this partnership will bring the rugby community together at some of the best viewing spots.”
The partnership with Foursquare is part of BBC AMERICA’s expanded coverage of 6 Nations, which includes the new pre- and post-game shows and digital content produced by Embassy Row. Foursquare activity is being supported by on-air promotion, a Public Viewing Locales feature on BBCAmerica.com and a national sports bar marketing/promotion campaign in partnership with Bottle Rocket Marketing Group. Sports bars in BBC AMERICA’s top markets are being blanketed with promotional messaging to watch the broadcasts and engage with BBC AMERICA on Foursquare.
NBC Sports and Universal Sports to Broadcast HSBC Sevens World Series of Rugby Live for First Time
Top 16 International Teams To Face Off At The Premiere North American International Rugby Event in Las Vegas
NBC Sports and Universal Sports will broadcast eight hours of live rugby coverage of the 2011 HSBC Sevens World Series event in Las Vegas the weekend of February 12-13. This marks the first time that the tournament has had live television coverage in the United States. The HSBC Sevens World Series is played throughout the world at seven other venues: Dubai, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, London and Scotland.
“Rugby Sevens is an exciting, fast-paced sport that is growing in global popularity, participation, and interest,” said NBC Sports executive vice president Jon Miller. ”NBC had the privilege of broadcasting the inaugural 2010 Rugby Sevens Collegiate Championship and is excited to expand its coverage of rugby by bringing the HSBC Sevens World Series to live network television for the first time.”
Broadcast Schedule: Read more
Setanta Sports to Launch Soccer and Rugby Channel on Cox Communications Lineup
Free preview will be offered to Cox Arizona customers April 10-26, 2009
Setanta Sports, a leading international sports broadcaster, announced the availability of Setanta on Cox Communications lineup in a move which reinforces the tremendous growth in popularity of soccer and rugby in the US. Setanta Sports brings quality and depth of programming of more than 1,000 live events, including UK and European soccer, as well as world-class rugby, highlight shows and other international sports programming.
Airing seven days per week, 24 hours per day, Setanta Sports will be available to Cox subscribers in Arizona, including the Tucson and Phoenix metro areas, for $14.99 per month starting on April 10th. Through their subscription to Setanta Sports, sports fans will receive live and exclusive international sports presented in their original format, including the world’s top soccer such as the Barclays English Premier League, the UEFA Champions League, the FA Cup, the FIFA 2010 World Cup qualifiers and the UEFA 2012 European Championship qualifiers, combined with top flight rugby including the annual Tri-Nations and Six Nations tournaments and The Heineken European Cup.
“We are in an exciting part of the soccer season right now. Watching the closing stages of the UEFA Champions League, FA Cup, and Barclays Premier League, along with the race to see which country will make it to South Africa for the World Cup, we are thrilled to be able to give this top notch programming to Cox Communications’ customers in Arizona,” said Roger Hall, Managing Director of Setanta Sports International.
“Cox is happy to offer subscribers access to sports programming they can’t see anywhere else on TV with the availability of Setanta Sports,” said Ivan Johnson, Vice President of Community Relations, Cox Arizona. “Offering Setanta Sports to our customers opens the door for soccer fans to get more of what they are in to.”
As a special offer, Setanta will be made available to Cox Arizona subscribers for free from April 10th-26th. After this free preview, Setanta will be offered as a premium network for $14.99 per month. For more information about how to order Setanta Sports from Cox, call Phoenix subscribers call 623-322-1294 and Tucson customers dial 520-344-7954.
Source: Setanta Sports