SkyWatch programmes Thursday night rugby

SkyWatch magazine has published live coverage of Air New Zealand Cup matches from next Thursday.

However, Sky's head of sport Kevin Cameron said the magazine had "jumped the gun" as nothing was confirmed regarding midweek cup matches.

He expects the decision when Sky meets the New Zealand Rugby Union again on Sunday, after the first stage of the cup competition is completed.

The union and Sky have discussed midweek matches from the second stage of the competition which starts next week and will include an extra match.

"I guess our SkyWatch folks at the rugby channel might have jumped the gun a wee bit. At the very least they should have had it confirmed. It's certainly not confirmed, it can't be until all the (first stage) matches are played out this weekend," Cameron told Radio Sport

"We'll be meeting with the rugby union (on Sunday) to see what can actually pan out. They have a problem. As you know there are six games played at the moment each weekend. From the second round it's going to be seven, so the big question is where are they going to slot that seventh game. The bottom line is that all the regular slots have already been taken up."

Cameron said the options were 12.30pm on Sundays, which the provinces didn't like, an additional Friday night game which Sky was not in favour of and neither were provinces or a clash of games.

"It's difficult enough getting people to the grounds at 7.30pm (on Fridays), so that kind of leaves us really with one other alternative apart from having clashing games, and I don't think anyone wants that so we were very comfortable with Monday night or Thursday night.

"I expect it Thursday if anything, based on the feedback from the rugby unions and it will be on SkySport 1, absolutely, as well as the Rugby Channel."

September's SkyWatch has programmed live cup matches on the Rugby Channel on Thursdays from next week.

Provincial unions generally oppose midweek games, saying gate revenue and player welfare will be jeopardised.

Screening two matches on Friday night has been looked at, but that would put the games in direct competition with the evening news bulletins on TV One and TV3.

Hawke's Bay Rugby Union chief executive Mike Bishop thought the issue had been resolved at a meeting with the NZRU and provincial unions five months ago.

"We made it pretty clear we were unhappy about it," Bishop said.

While a loss of gate revenue was a worry, Bishop said player welfare was the key concern.

Otago Rugby Union chief executive Russell Gray's opinion has not changed since the idea was first mooted.

"We certainly still pitch for Saturday afternoon irrespective of it being a winner for Sky -- it's a winner for us in terms of people turning up at the ground," he said.

Gray's counterpart in the Waikato, Gary Dawson, agreed.

- NZPA