The most important thing to do right now is check you have a good broadband connection at home. To watch Spark Sport, your internet connection needs to be fast enough. If you are able to watch video content in the evening on the device that you want to watch on, you should be ok.
If you have a laptop, home computer or mobile phone, these are likely all connected to the internet. Even if your internet is fast enough to read emails or browse social media, you should still check you can stream quality video content over your connection.
There are a few different types of broadband connections in New Zealand: Fibre, 4G Wireless Broadband, ADSL and VDSL. All of these broadband options may be capable of playing Spark Sport but depend on a few things - like your location and surrounding environment, so speeds vary from household to household.
If you want to do your own testing, you'll need to find out what the speed of your internet connection is in the evening. Internet speed is measured in megabits per second (Mbps). If you want to watch Spark Sport on a smaller screen, like a mobile or tablet, you'll need a minimum download speed of 6Mbps. If you want to watch on a larger screen, like your Smart TV, you will need a download speed of 15Mbps. You can check your speed by going to www.speedtest.net.
If you're still not sure if your broadband connection is up to task – get in touch with your Internet Service Provider and ask for help.
2. Decide on device
There are several different ways to watch Spark Sport. Traditional TV means you watch only from the spot where your TV is situated. With Spark Sport, you can watch from a device of your choice - from a smartphone right through to a big screen TV.
• Mobile devices - Make sure your phone or tablet is up-to-date, then head to the App Store (for iPad or iPhone) or the Play Store (for Android or tablets) to download the Spark Sport app. Open the app, log in with your details and watch live or on demand.
• Laptop and desktop - you can also catch the action from the Spark Sport website, either on your laptop or desktop computer. Spark Sport is available on the latest Windows and Apple Mac operating systems with the following browsers: Chrome, Firefox and Safari.
• TV via a casting device – if you don't have a smart TV and want to watch the match on your TV, you can easily "cast" the sport playing on your device through to your TV with a Google Chromecast.
• Smart TVs - A Smart TV is simply a TV that connects to the internet and has the ability to use internet-connected apps. Spark Sport Is compatible on 2017+ models of Samsung, Sony, and Panasonic Smart TVs, 2019 models of LG Smart TVs and Apple TV.
• The Freeview SmartVU X (rrp $139) also connects to older TVs to provide direct access to Spark Sport. Just be sure your TV has an available HDMI port.
To check if your TV or chosen device is currently compatible with Spark Sport, head to help.sparksport.co.nz
3. Buy your tournament pass
Spark Sport Rugby World Cup 2019 Tournament Pass is purchased as a one-off payment and gives viewers access to all 48 Rugby World Cup 2019 matches, live and on demand, as well as a heap of extra content - including iconic matches from previous tournaments, interviews with players, ex-All Blacks and coaches and content from The 1014.
To buy it, head to sparksport.co.nz on your mobile, tablet, or computer using a Chrome, Firefox or Safari browser. Click 'Buy Now' in the Rugby World Cup banner or click on the Rugby World Cup 2019 tab at the top. Set up an account by giving us some basic information, like your name, email, phone number, address and credit card details.
Once you've signed up, you'll get an email from Spark Sport to confirm. Click the link in the email if you want to start watching in your browser or follow instructions to download the Spark Sport app on your preferred device (Just head to the app store on your device, search for 'Spark Sport' and hit download).
Once the Spark Sport app has downloaded, open the app, log in with the same details you used to sign up and start watching.
