ESPN and Sky Sports have announced the latest set of live Aviva Premiership matches that will be broadcast over the festive period.
Covering rounds 10 to 13 of the 2012/13 regular season, defending champions Harlequins’ annual trip to Twickenham, this season against London Irish, has been chosen as one of seven live matches on ESPN, while Sky Sports will screen five games.
Full details of both channel’s live Aviva Premiership coverage during Christmas and New Year below:
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ESPN has announced the next set of Aviva Premiership Rugby fixtures that it will televise exclusively live from November 30 until the opening weekend of the New Year.
A top versus bottom clash as Sale Sharks host Northampton Saints at the recently built Salford City Stadium, and this fixture is followed up a day later when Bath travel to Welford Road to face the Leicester Tigers.
The action continues into December as Bath again features on ESPN as they welcome Saracens on December 22. London Wasps host Sale Sharks on the following day in what is already looking like a key battle to avoid relegation.
Champions Harlequins will then feature on the channel against rivals London Irish at Twickenham, as they look for a win to cap their year of success.
The following day, Saracens and Northampton continue their rivalry with England winger Chris Ashton set to feature against his former side at the MK Stadium in Milton Keynes.
Worcester Warriors and Leicester Tigers play each other on January 4 in the first Aviva Premiership Rugby fixture of 2013.
ESPN’s live Aviva Premiership coverage is broadcast on-site at all the grounds, with lead presenter Mark Durden-Smith alongside analysts Austin Healey and Ben Kay, as well asa special guest from the world of rugby each week.
Match commentary comes from Nick Mullins together with Healey and Kay, and Sarra Elgan will continue as ESPN’s chief rugby reporter, bringing all the news and player interviews from pitchside.
ESPN will have exclusive live coverage of one semi-final and the Aviva Premiership Final at Twickenham at the end of the season, and will also continue to air extensive Aviva Premiership highlights, with a 60-minute programme airing each Monday evening.
Jeroen Oerlemans, VP & Channel Manager, ESPN, Europe, Middle East and Africa said: “This Aviva Premiership Rugby season has continued where last season finished, with a high amount of drama and excitement.
“Champions Harlequins and rivals Saracens, Leicester and Northampton are locked in what is set to be a fierce battle to finish the regular season in first place.
“ESPN will continue to bring fans as close to the action as possible and give them the inside track on all the key news stories and action.”
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Sky Sports will screen five matches over a busy festive season of live rugby, complimenting its extensive live Heineken Cup output and following on from exclusive coverage of England’s Autumn Internationals.
The pick of Sky live games sees Northampton Saints, who topped the table after six rounds after an impressive start to the season, facing champions Harlequins at Franklin’s Gardens.
Gloucester will feature on the channel twice during December, including their away clashes with Saracens and Leicester Tigers.
With ESPN committed to showing three live FA Cup games on the first weekend of 2013, Sky viewers will be able to watch two live Aviva Premiership games on the weekend of January 5-6.
Aviva Premiership rugby forms part of Sky’s rugby union coverage during the 2012/13 season, featuring domestic, European and international matches
Live broadcasts are supported by the weekly magazine show The Rugby Club, now in its 19th year, which features in-depth previews, analysis and reaction throughout the season.
Alex Payne presents Sky’s rugby coverage, with analysts including Dewi Morris, Will Greenwood, Ieuan Evans, Scott Quinnell, Dean Ryan and Paul Wallace, along with Southern Hemisphere legends Sean Fitzpatrick and Michael Lynagh.
Respected Sky Sports commentary duo Miles Harrison and Stuart Barnes will be behind the microphone for many of the big games during the season.
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