Monday Night Rugby live on TV

By Mark Stevens
26/8/18

This season brings another significant milestone for Premiership Rugby with news that FreeSports Channel, will provide live TV coverage for the new Premiership Rugby Shield.

One live match per round in the Premiership Rugby Shield – which replaces the A League – will be broadcast on FreeSports starting with last year’s runners-up Exeter Braves travelling to Allianz Park to take on Saracens Storm on Monday, 3 September (7.45pm).

“The Premiership Rugby Shield has gone from strength to strength and an indication of how attractive the competition has become is shown in today’s announcement, which sees live TV coverage for the first time in its history this season,” said Premiership Rugby’s Head of Broadcast, Oliver Lewis.

“Monday Night Rugby will become part of the sport’s landscape very quickly developing an audience on what is a vibrant new sports channel and we are delighted to partner with them.

“The Premiership Rugby Shield plays a vital role within Premiership Rugby, helping develop the country’s best young players and frequently the sides feature Test players alongside them.”

Richard Webb, COO of FreeSports said: “We are thrilled to confirm that FreeSports will be showing the Premiership Rugby Shield live on free to air television in the UK. This deal will allow the league to become more high profile, give it the awareness it deserves and play a crucial role in the development of young rugby players in the UK.”

The live FreeSports coverage of Saracens Storm v Exeter Braves is followed a week later (10 September) with Bristol Bears A making the trip to the Twickenham Stoop Stadium to face Harlequins.

* FreeSports is available in every household across Great Britain on Freeview HD channel 95, Sky channel 422, Virgin TV 553, FreeSat 252, TalkTalk 95, BT Vision channel 95 & via TVPlayer.