Sky Sports to show live European rugby union coverage of the 2013/2014 Heineken Cup beginning October 11th

24-7-2013 — /EuropaWire/ — SKY SPORTS will show all 24 teams and almost 24 hours of exclusively live European rugby union coverage in one weekend during the first round of the Heineken Cup.

Viewers can enjoy 45 live televised fixtures from the first four rounds of the 2013/2014 Heineken Cup beginning October 11th including every British and Irish team exclusively live at least three times in the first four rounds. Each of the first four rounds will see up to twelve live ties across Friday, Saturday and Sunday on Sky Sports HD channels and on the red button.

On the first weekend there will be twelve live fixtures available to Sky Sports viewers. In one of the first live matches of the season, Northern Irish side, Ulster, take on Premiership champions, Leicester Tigers. At the same time viewers will be able to watch last year’s European semi-finalists Saracens face Connacht and Toulouse face Italian side Zebre, now in their second season of European rugby.

Saturday 12th October will see six matches throughout the day with Edinburgh against Munster and the Ospreys against RaboDirect PRO12 champions, Leinster. Reigning Heineken Cup champions Toulon begin the defence of their title on the Sunday when they welcome Glasgow Warriors in their first match of the European season.

Gus Williamson, executive producer, Sky Sports rugby union said: “This summer has been fantastic for rugby union fans and now the Lions have returned victorious, we can’t wait for the exciting new European season to start. The opening weekend is going to be immense with all twenty four teams shown live. Add this to an unprecedented schedule from the international and domestic game and it’s going to be an incredible rugby season for Sky Sports viewers.”

Derek McGrath, ERC chief executive, added: “The Heineken Cup has once again thrown up an intriguing series of high-quality fixtures for the coming season, and the expertise of Sky Sports, along with our other broadcast partners, is a major factor in the promotion of the tournament both across Europe and to a wider global television audience.”

After a compelling summer of Lions action and Super Rugby, the new rugby union season promises yet more top class rugby on Sky Sports. The world’s leading teams compete in The Rugby Championship from August and the autumn brings the start of the pinnacle of European rugby, the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup. England continue their journey to the World Cup 2015 and face the southern hemisphere greats in the QBE Internationals live from Twickenham in November. There will also be live coverage of the England women’s team, IRB Sevens World Series, plus domestic offering from the RFU Championship and LV=Cup.

The punditry line up on Sky Sports boasts some of the biggest names in rugby union with over 550 caps between them. Expert analysis is provided from Will Greenwood, Dewi Morris, Ieuan Evans, Scott Quinnell, Scott Hastings and Paul Wallace. Coverage is presented by Alex Payne and James Gemmell with commentary from Stuart Barnes, Miles Harrison, Mark Robson and Johnnie Hammond. Additional faces will also appear in the Sky Sports rugby union studio throughout the season.

Sky Sports subscribers can watch all of Sky’s Heineken Cup matches online through the Event Centre. Available from skysports.com, all Sky’s live matches are available simultaneously and all tries can be viewed as they happen with Try Alert. With Match Centre, any single moment from any game can be accessed and users can pause, replay and watch the action in slow-motion whilst keeping up to date with stats and information as the matches happen.

Viewers can also keep up-to-date live across mobile devices with Sky Go. 24/7 coverage is available on skysports.com, plus the breaking news, views and scores round the clock on Sky Sports News HD. Highlights, analysis and a comprehensive round-up of the weekend’s matches will also be shown on European Rugby Special every Sunday of the tournament, plus The Rugby Club, featuring in-depth previews, analysis and reaction throughout the season.

For further information please contact:
Sky Sports Publicity – 0207 032 1445
ERC – Mark Jones on 00 353 1 676 9286
Monday 22 July 2013
www.skysports.com

OCTOBER
Round 1
Friday 11 October
Connacht Rugby v Saracens LIVE 20:00
Toulouse v Zebre LIVE 20:00
Ulster Rugby v Leicester Tigers LIVE 20:00

Saturday 12 October
Edinburgh Rugby v Munster LIVE 13:35
Benetton Treviso v Montpellier LIVE 13:35
Harlequins v Scarlets LIVE 15:40
Castres Olympique v Northampton Saints LIVE 15:40
Ospreys v Leinster Rugby LIVE 18:00
Gloucester v Perpignan LIVE 18:00

Sunday 13 October
Exeter Exeter Chiefs v Cardiff Blues LIVE 12:45
Toulon v Glasgow Warriors LIVE 15:00
Racing Metro 92 v ASM Clermont Auvergne LIVE 20:00

Round 2
Friday 18 October
Saracens v Toulouse LIVE 19:455
Leicester Tigers v Benetton Treviso LIVE 20:00

Saturday 19 October
Cardiff Blues v Toulon LIVE 13:355
Zebre v Connacht Rugby LIVE 13:35
Leinster Rugby v Castres Oympique LIVE 15:40
Montpellier v Ulster Rugby LIVE 15:40
Munster v Gloucester LIVE 18:00
Scarlets v Racing Metro 92 LIVE 18:00

Sunday 20 October
Northampton Saints v Ospreys LIVE 12:455
Perpignan v Edinburgh Rugby LIVE 12:45
ASM Clermont Auvergne v Harlequins LIVE 15:00

DECEMBER
Round 3
Friday 6 December
Cardiff Blues v Glasgow Warriors LIVE 20:000
Castres Olympique v Ospreys LIVE 20:00

Saturday 7 December
Exeter Chiefs v Toulon LIVE 13:355
Zebre v Saracens LIVE 13:35
ASM Clermont Auvergne v Scarlets LIVE 13:35
Racing Metro 92 v Harlequins LIVE 15:40
Northampton Saints v Leinster Rugby LIVE 18:00
Ulster Rugby v Benetton Treviso LIVE 18:00

Sunday 8 December
Munster v Perpignan LIVE 12:455
Leicester Tigers v Montpellier LIVE 15:00
Toulouse v Connacht LIVE 15:00

Round 4
Friday 13 December
Ospreys v Castres Olympique LIVE 20:000
Glasgow Warriors v Cardiff Blues LIVE 20:00

Saturday 14 December
Toulon v Exeter Chiefs LIVE 13:355
Scarlets v ASM Clermont Auvergne LIVE 15:40
Perpignan v Munster LIVE 15:40
Connacht v Toulouse LIVE 18:00
Leinster Rugby v Northampton Saints LIVE 18:00

Sunday 15 December
Harlequins v Racing Metro 92 LIVE 12:455
Gloucester v Edinburgh Rugby LIVE 15:00
Montpellier v Leicester Tigers LIVE 15:00

Fixtures correct at time of announcement – July 22 2013