Rugby: Sky Sport upping the ante on first XV coverage

Sky Television is upping the ante on its first XV rugby coverage this season. For the first time, all Sky sports subscribers will be able to view live broadcasts rather than only those who subscribe to the Rugby Channel.

The move, in Sky TV's 10th year of covering schools rugby, is another offensive in what is likely to be a new battleground for subscribers. Although Sky will have all the traditional fixtures when the season starts early next month, they do not have the rights to Auckland Grammar v King's College which is understood to have been secured by TVNZ.

That live match on free to air television could attracted a big viewership if it is promoted correctly by an organisation deep into its preparations to showcase the Rugby World Cup.

It is a minor loss Sky will have to take on the chin. No one owns the rights to schools rugby in New Zealand but overall Sky are positive about the season ahead.

"While it [Grammar v King's] is an important match for these two Auckland schools, there will be first XV matches played all around the country that day, and the Sky crew will be in Hastings covering the St John's College [Hastings] v St John's College [Hamilton] match," said Sky's new director of sport Tex Teixeira.

Starting with Takapuna Grammar v Massey High School on May 4, Sky will screen a total of 33 first XV matches from Invercargill to Auckland, plus a further four matches featuring New Zealand Schools and NZ Barbarian Schools.

"We're exceptionally proud to reach this 10-year milestone supporting and broadcasting New Zealand first XV rugby," Texeira said. "And moving the matches to Sky Sport channels this year means that more Kiwi sport fans will watch these talented young players, some of whom will be future All Blacks, battle it out on local rugby fields up and down New Zealand."

Sky's change in approach is significant, too, because it follows several others since the installation of Martin Stewart as its chief executive.

Stewart has made several personnel changes since his arrival as John Fellet's replacement as he attempts to turn around a declining subscriber base. He has slated the high price and inflexibility of Sky's Fan Pass app — which was heavily discounted today — and says he wants Sky to return as "the home of sport".

Stewart hinted at his unhappiness at Sky not bidding for the Rugby World Cup rights, won by Spark/TVNZ, telling the Herald in an interview a fortnight ago: "I can't second-guess history but I'm determined that Sky Sport will be seen as the home of sport. And that means retaining and building on the key rights that we have — not letting them go."

Promoting first XV rugby rather than hiding it on the Rugby Channel, which only a fraction of subscribers would pay extra for, appears to be another step in that direction.