30 September 2014
Welsh channel S4C has won the exclusive terrestrial rights to show extended highlights of Australia’s National Rugby League Grand Final on Sunday, 5 October.
S4C’s new Sunday sports show Clwb will broadcast a 30 minute highlights package of South Sydney Rabbitohs v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs just hours after the NRL Premiership Grand Final 2014 is played.
The coverage will start at 2.30pm on Clwb and will be followed by highlights of the French Top 14 and then Clwb Rygbi’s live coverage of the Guinness Pro 12 rugby union Welsh derby Scarlets v Dragons.
S4C is available on Sky 104, Freeview 4 and Virgin TV 166 and Freesat 104 in Wales. Outside Wales, the coverage will be available on Sky 134, Freesat 120 and Virgin TV 166 in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Viewers across the UK can also watch S4C live on s4c.co.uk/clic, tvcatchup.com and TVPlayer.com.
Llion Iwan, S4C Content Editor for Sport and Factual Programmes says,
“The NRL Grand Final is the biggest rugby league club match in the world and one of Australia's most popular sporting events and winning the terrestrial highlights rights is a huge scoop for S4C and its new sports flagship Clwb.
“Traditional rugby followers in the North of England and the rest of the UK will hopefully tune in on Sky, Freesat and on-line. There is a huge following for rugby league in Wales too and many rugby union followers and players are sure to turn in before the live Pro 12 rugby union match.”
The reigning premiers are the Sydney Roosters, but it’s their city rivals South Sydney Rabbitohs who start as slight favourites against Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in front of an expected bumper 83,000 plus crowd at the Australia Stadium, Sydney.
South Sydney Rabbitohs, backed by stellar actor Russell Crowes, reached the biggest game in the NRL calendar after defeating the Roosters 32-22, while the Bulldogs beat the Panthers 18-12.
It will be the first time the two sides have played in a grand final since 1967, when the Rabbitohs defeated the Bulldogs 12-10 in the then NSWRL competition.
The teams have one win each this year, with the Rabbitohs beating the Bulldogs by seven points in Round 25, while the Bulldogs won their earlier clash, with a tight 15-14 victory.
Rugby commentator Alun Wyn Bevan will provide match commentary, with former Wales rugby league and union hero Brynmor Williams providing additional commentary and expert analysis in a Rondo Media production for S4C.
