Rugby Union

Pay-television broadcaster Sky New Zealand has struck a deal in principle to renew a media rights contract with the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU), the national governing body of rugby union, and its Sanzar partners in the southern hemisphere.

The Pitch International agency has extended a deal with the Irish Rugby Football Union for the global distribution of media rights to the Ireland national team’s home fixtures.

France Télévisions last week agreed a deal covering the European Rugby Champions Cup and Challenge Cup, taking European Professional Club Rugby to a strong rights fee from the French market.

Media rights clips from October 2 to 15

The Pitch International agency has renewed an international media-rights distribution deal for the Wales national rugby union team’s home fixtures.

The Court of Appeal in Paris has dismissed an appeal by the Ligue Nationale de Rugby and pay-television broadcaster Canal Plus over the decision to suspend their rights deal for the Top 14 rugby union league.

Australian pay-television broadcaster Fox Sports and commercial broadcaster Network Ten are set to acquire rights for matches involving the Australia rugby union national team, according to the Australian Financial Review newspaper.

French public-service broadcaster France Televisions has finalised a rights deal for coverage of rugby union’s new European club tournaments.

Media rights clips from September 18 to October 1

The Pitch International agency has reached a three-year deal with Scottish Rugby for the national rugby union governing body’s global broadcast rights.

UK pay-television broadcaster BSkyB has agreed a deal to extend its rights contract with Sanzar, the umbrella body for the Australian, New Zealand and South African rugby unions, according to the Telegraph.

Free-to-air broadcaster Nuvolari has acquired media rights in Italy for the Pro12 European club rugby union tournament.

The International Rugby Board, rugby union’s global governing body, is to stream live coverage of the Rugby World Cup 2015 qualifier between Russia and Uruguay on its official website.

Bill Pulver, the chief executive of the Australian Rugby Union, the governing body of rugby union in the country, is confident a recent drop-off in viewing figures for the national team will not have an adverse impact on talks for the next cycle of rights beginning in 2016.

Pay-television broadcaster Setanta Asia doubled the value of European club rugby in Asia this month, adding the new Champions Cup competition to a strong rugby portfolio.

Media rights clips from September 4 to 17