EIGHT GAMES FROM this year’s Leinster Senior Schools Cup will be aired live on UK-based channel FreeSports as part of a new television deal announced by Leinster Rugby this afternoon.
FreeSports, which officially launched in Ireland on the Sky network this week, will begin its coverage of the competition on 31 January as Belvedere College face Cistercian College Roscrea in the first round.
In addition to the first round tie, FreeSports will broadcast all four quarter-finals, both semi-finals and the final live on its free-to-air channel.
FreeSports, the sister channel of Premier Sports and owned by former Setanta Sports chief executive Michael O’Rourke, started broadcasting in the UK 18 months ago and is now available in Ireland on Sky channel 429.
The new deal sees FreeSports replace eir Sport as the Leinster Senior Schools Cup broadcaster, ahead of the first round of the 2019 competition.
St Mary’s College take on Terenure College in the opening fixture at Donnybrook on 27 January, before holders Blackrock College begin their title defence against Presentation College Bray the following day.
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I can watch Blackrock College play but I can’t watch Connacht v Sale this weekend?
@Californialov3: Leinster schools cup rugby is of a higher standard than the challenge cup I’m afraid. The gold standard of athletic performance some would say.
@Californialov3: Not enough snotty rich kids out Wesht to justify it. It’s all about that cash money homes
@Big Smoke: B.o.l.l.o.c.k.s
@Californialov3: Tickets are still available for the Sale game
@Californialov3: For some reason only French and Italian home games in that competition are being broadcast
@Big Smoke: in that case Blackrock should cut the BS and enter into the champions cup.
@Californialov3: Leinster Rugby are hardly to blame for that though are they … the Leinster schools cup is quality rugby too , if you haven’t seen any check out St. Fintans 2 years ago or Blacktock vs Michaels in 2013 ( that’s a game filled with current pros)
@Big Smoke: will u go way with your trolling lol
@Limón Madrugada: have to go back 2 years for a quality game??? Doesn’t seem worthwhile televising them so
Nice. Schools rugby was fun to watch on Setanta back in the day, gave you a good idea of who was coming through the system.
Great but would also be good if they covered schools rugby, club rugby in other provinces
AIL, underage club finals, junior adult final.
provincial towns cup is one of the best supported competitions in country and would be great seeing the final stages of the PTC on tv.
@Ormond: Provincial towns cup is actually an incredible competition.
@Ormond: this isnt a public service. Theyre doing it because there is sufficient demand and sponsorship.
@Donal Treacy: Exactly!!
@Californialov3: does the winner of the provincial towns Cup go through to the AIL Round Robin?
@Cormac Ó Braonáin: No. towns cup is a cup competition and doesnt include quite a few junior clubs anyway,
Round Robin for AIL involves winners of the qualifying leagues: Leinster and Connacht Divisions 1A, Munster Division 1 and Ulster Championship Division 1.
@Donal Treacy: And how do we know if there ever has been studies to see if there is demand for other competitions and surely IRFU should be doing more about it especially for the AIL and even highlights of underage club, junior club finals.
And have you ever seen the crowds at provincial towns cup games for example. There certainly is demand for more/better coverage of that competition at least
@Ormond: go raibh maith agat.
@Ormond: The IRFU can’t force TV networks to broadcast games. They should be doing stuff like streaming games online etc but that’s a different matter than a private network buying the rights to the Leinster Senior Cup
@Ormond: I’ve been to Leinster Towns Cup finals and from my experience, generally the crowds are bigger at the average Leinster Schools game.
Sure there are a lot of students there who are not die-hard rugby fans but there would often be 1,000 people at a game in Donnybrook and a full capacity of 6,000 for a final. A Towns Cup Final by comparison would be doing very well to draw 1,000 people.
I think its fair to say that while the Provincial Towns Cup is a great competition, and means a huge amount to junior clubs in particular, the Leinster schools cup draws bigger interest and attendance numbers over a season. TV will always go where the viewing figures are.
Hon Ros!
I think we’d all love it if blackrock won it again this year
Hip Hip Hoorayy