After a five-month wait the Guinness PRO14 is back this weekend and the team at Premier Sports will be bringing rugby supporters every minute of six live matches from across Italy, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
Premier Sports is the home of Guinness PRO14 and as games take place behind closed doors will be the only place for rugby fans to watch a dozen dazzling derby games and the Final Series live as the 2019/20 season concludes.
Premier Sports is celebrating with a special offer for rugby supporters to cover the remainder of this season and next for just 50p a game.
The PRO14 broadcaster has teamed up with Ulster, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Cardiff Blues, Dragons, Scarlets, Ospreys and Guinness PRO14 to provide a unique £80 offer(*) with £10 from each subscription going straight back to supporters’ club from Premier Sports as a contribution to their favourite team during difficult times. All supporters need to do is use their club’s promotion code on subscription.
Former Scottish international Jim Hamilton, who lifted three English Premiership titles and two European Cups as well as 63 caps for his country joins the Premier Sports team this weekend.
He said: “It’s brilliant to see rugby back with a bang and these games are as good as they get. We know the finale to our PRO14 season may look and feel different without fans in the grounds, but the positive is that these are derby games and they bring so much energy and focus from teams. There is the history, the rivalry and that means everything to all of us in rugby. Add in that these games are seen as test trials and we have a lot to look forward to.
“It will be really interesting to see how players have adapted. The first games will be tough of course but I’m sure the teams will be fully charged ready for this moment.
“For me the game of the weekend will be Glasgow against Edinburgh with some contrasting styles and pressure on both teams as Edinburgh have been the form team and need to hold onto their lead but Glasgow will be firing under Danny Wilson. I’ve played in a few great derbies in my time, Leicester against Northampton, Saracens & Quins but the Glasgow v Edinburgh battles were the most physical and intense I’ve known and it brings out the very best rugby.
“It’s a great moment to see games up and running again. Never in a lifetime would we have expected for sport to be paused. People live for sport and human interaction - and for rugby, which you can argue is the ultimate team sport, it’s only when it’s gone you appreciate how much you’ve missed it and how big a void it can leave. I hope supporters enjoy these amazing games and it just feels good to say ‘we’re back!’.”
Premier Sports has a top team of rugby’s best presenters and commentators to bring fans all the inside track and analysis this weekend:
- Scarlets v Ospreys: Ross Harries, Eddie Butler, Lauren Jenkins, Shane Williams, Philippa Tuttiett
- Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh: Dougie Vipond, Rory Hamilton, Jenny Drummond, Jim Hamilton, Chris Paterson, Al Kellock
- Leinster v Munster: Graham Little, Stephen Ferris, Bernard Jackman
- Ospreys v Dragons: Ross Harries, Wyn Gruffydd, Lauren Jenkins, Shane Williams, Sean Holley
- Connacht v Ulster: Graham Little, Stephen Ferris, Andrew Trimble
There is plenty of drama to look forward to from Round 14 this weekend with teams desperate to earn the bragging rights over their fellow countrymen, none more so than Munster who could spoil Leinster’s unbeaten record with victory at Aviva Stadium - the venue for all of the remaining Irish fixtures.
The return kicks off with Benetton v Zebre on Friday night (6.55pm live on Premier Sports 1) followed by a trio of fascinating derbies with Scarlets v Cardiff Blues from Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli on Saturday afternoon (2.30pm live on Premier Sports 1) followed by Glasgow Warriors against Edinburgh and then Leinster v Munster.
Scarlets sit in third and have won five of their seven last encounters against Cardiff Blues but form books don’t always apply in Welsh derby battles. Glasgow Warriors will be determined to seal 1872 Cup glory from Edinburgh who are title-chasing and have won their last five Championship encounters. To add to Saturday’s entertainment on Premier Sports 1, will be a showdown between defending champions Leinster, who have not been defeated since April 2019 in the Championship, and rivals Munster.
The On Sunday, Ospreys host Dragons at the Liberty Stadium (Premier Sports 1 from 1.45pm) with the last three meetings between the two teams won by the home team. The weekend wraps up with Connacht against Ulster (Premier Sports 1 from 4.15pm) with the Belfast-based side having lost just once in the last five rounds of Guinness PRO14 and have the upper hand in the last two encounters against Connacht.
Every minute of all 6 of PRO14’s return to rugby fixtures this weekend will be shown live on Premier Sports:
- Fri 21 Aug Benetton v Zebre KO 7pm Live on Premier Sports 1 (from 6.55pm)
- Sat 22 Aug Scarlets v Cardiff Blues KO 3pm Live on Premier Sports 1 (from 2.30pm)
- Sat 22 Aug Glasgow Warriors v Edinburgh KO 5.15pm Live on Premier Sports 1 (from 5pm)
- Sat 22 Aug Leinster v Munster KO 7.35pm Live on Premier Sports 1 (from 7.25pm)
- Sun 23 Aug Ospreys v Dragons KO 2.15pm Live on Premier Sports 1 (from 1.45pm)
- Sun 23 Aug Connacht v Ulster KO 4.30pm Live on Premier Sports 1 (from 4.15pm)
Premier Sports customers can now enjoy an even bigger package of great live sports coverage with all 152 Guinness PRO14 games live on Premier Sports 1, Premier Sports 2 and FreeSports plus La Liga, Serie A, Scottish Cup football, Eredivisie, MLS, NASCAR and NHL.
Premier Sports is available in 16 million UK homes across Sky and Virgin platforms and to everyone via the Premier Player https://www.premierplayer.tv/ while FreeSports is available to 22 million UK homes across six different platforms. Premier Sports has also launched LaLigaTV which is available free of charge to Premier Sports customers on Sky and the Premier Player.
Premier Sports, is the home of the Guinness PRO14 in the UK and shows all 152 games from the Guinness PRO14 season. Rugby fans can subscribe on Sky or the Premier Sports Player.
Visit www.premiersports.com to sign up to see all the live action.
