RUGBY CANADA ANNOUNCE BROADCAST PARTNERSHIP WITH PREMIER SPORTS FOR FIRST ROUND OF RUGBY WORLD CUP QUALIFICATION PATHWAY

August 26, 2021 (Langford, BC) – Rugby Canada has announced a new broadcast partnership with Premier Sports who will carry the first two matches of the Rugby World Cup 2023 Qualification Pathway versus the USA exclusively live in Canada on their online platform. Canada’s Men’s Rugby Team will take on the USA in St.John’s, NL on September 4 with the return match of the two-game series slated for September 11 in Glendale, CO.

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Premier Sports has been broadcasting in the UK and Ireland since 2009 with exclusive live rights to LaLiga, Premier League, TOP14, United Rugby Championship, NHL, NASCAR and more. Premier Sports were recently the Canadian rights holder for the British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa this Summer. Premier Sports also launched a dedicated online rugby channel in 22 Asian countries during 2020 with exclusive live right to the Six Nations, British & Irish Lions, Gallagher Premiership, Rugby Championship and Super Rugby.

“We’re excited to partner with Rugby Canada for these two important qualification pathway matches,” stated Ryle Nugent, CEO Premier Sports Asia/MENA. “We were encouraged by the number of Canadian rugby fans that tuned into the Lions tour coverage on Premier Sports and would like to be part of growing the sport further in the North American market.”

New customers can watch every minute of the action from the games online via the Premier Sports website – www.premiersports.tv with both games exclusively live now for just $14.95 USD.

“Rugby Canada are looking forward to working with Premier Sports, and our production supplier Mediapro, for the first round of the Rugby World Cup 2023 qualification pathway,” said Rugby Canada’s Managing Director of Business Operations, Jamie Levchuk. “We hope all Canadian rugby fans show their passion and tune in to support our Men’s team, and that these two games may serve as the start of a growing partnership with Premier Sports.”

The winner of the two-match North American series is determined by an aggregate score across both games. The winner will move on to face Uruguay on October 2 and 9, with the victor of this series qualifying for Rugby World Cup 2023 as Americas #1. The loser of the two-match North American series will move on to face Chile on October 2 and 9. Full details on the Rugby World Cup 2023 qualification pathway can be found here.

Match details:
Canada v USA Saturday, Sept 4 St.John’s NL K/O 1:30pm ET/10:30am PT
USA v Canada Saturday, Sept 11 Glendale, CO K/O 9:00pm ET/6:00pm PT

About Rugby Canada:
Rugby Canada is the national governing body of the sport of Rugby Union in Canada. They administer and operate Men’s and Women’s Senior and Junior National programs in both rugby XV’s and 7s, as well as govern the Club and community game for more than 30,000 registered participants from coast to coast in conjunction with ten Provincial Union members.

Rugby Canada is headquartered at the Al Charron National Training Centre in Langford, BC, with staff also working from Vancouver, Toronto and Ottawa. Rugby Canada business operations, programs and events are delivered nationwide, including the internationally recognized HSBC Canada Sevens annual tournaments.

For more information, please contact: media@rugby.ca.

About Premier Sports:
Premier Sports launched an online platform in Canada this Summer with exclusive rights to the British and Irish Lions Tour of South Africa 2021 including every warm up game.

For more information: please contact shane.hogan@premiersports.com