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RIVALRIES REIGNITED AS TNT SPORTS BROADCASTS INTERNATIONAL RUGBY FOR THE FIRST TIME

29 October 2024

• All 21 matches from the Autumn Nations Series, starting when England take on New Zealand on 2 November, will be broadcast live on TNT Sports and discovery+
• Host of former internationals to offer expert analysis across each fixture
• Brand new original documentary and midweek rugby show to complement the live action

Feel the fire this November as international rivalries are ignited and the Autumn Nations Series comes to TNT Sports in the UK and Ireland for the very first time.

All 21 matches featuring the likes of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales as well as France and Italy, will be broadcast live on TNT Sports and its streaming platform discovery+ as world champions South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Fiji and Japan all travel north to take on the best nations the northern hemisphere has to offer.

Throughout the month – starting with England taking on the New Zealand All Blacks at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham on Saturday 2 November - live coverage will be fronted by Craig Doyle, Orla Chennaoui and Emma Dodds. Expert analysis will be provided by some of the finest minds in rugby boasting nearly 900 international caps between them, including Danny Care (101 caps for England), Austin Healey (51 caps for England), Ben Kay (62 caps for England), Brian O’Driscoll (133 caps for Ireland), Simon Zebo (35 caps for Ireland), Dan Biggar (112 caps for Wales), Sam Warburton (74 caps for Wales), Jamie Roberts (94 caps for Wales), John Barclay (76 caps for Scotland) and Bryan Habana (124 caps for South Africa).

David Flatman and Sarra Elgan will be the reporters with Nick Mullins, Ali Eykyn, Jamie Lyall and Claire Thomas on commentary duties.


TNT Sports will also introduce a host of innovations for viewers to enjoy during the 2024 Autumn Nations Series, such as:

• Specialist cameras, such as SpiderCam, WireCam, CineCam, Robotic Jib, CartCam, Super-wide and Eagle-view tactical cameras and RefCam 2.0 used in all host broadcast fixtures
• Walk and talk interviews with players during the pre-match warm ups
• On-pitch demonstrations ahead of selected matches, including the blockbuster clash between England versus New Zealand
• Enhanced access to changing room areas
• Users watching on discovery+ can use the timeline markers function for an international match for the first time – enabling them to catch up on the action in real-time as they wish

Complementing the live action will be a midweek show reviewing and previewing the best of the action on the pitch. Hosted by Craig Doyle, The Autumn Nations Rugby Show will air every Thursday on Warner Bros. Discovery’s free-to-air channel Quest starting on 31 October at 10:00pm, running through to 5 December. TNT Sports will also broadcast the programme each Friday until the end of the Autumn Nations Series.

Scott Young, Group SVP Content, Production and Business Operations at WBD Sports Europe, said: “The eyes of the rugby world will be on the Northern Hemisphere this November and to be entrusted to deliver 21 matches over the course of a month is an incredible opportunity for our business.

“The Autumn Nations Series is a natural continuation of our Premiership Rugby and Premiership Women’s Rugby coverage where we are already telling the stories behind the players and clubs and now we have the chance to transfer that approach to the international game.

“Since the launch of TNT Sports our mission has been to do right by the fans. By leaning on the expertise of some of the best experts in rugby, we will continue to engage viewers - as we break down this complex sport thanks to some of the best in the sport. We will deliver the most entertaining rugby viewing experience possible.”

To whet the appetite of viewers eagerly awaiting the return of international rugby, Lomu: The Lost Tapes, will premiere on Quest on Thursday 31 October, TNT Sports on Friday 1 November and then be available on-demand via discovery+ from Saturday 2 November. The new 75-minute documentary, narrated by All Blacks great Sean Fitzpatrick, will present hours of exclusive unseen footage, where Jonah Lomu speaks openly and intimately about his life. With unprecedented access to these tapes, and a cast of those closest to him and opponents, this landmark documentary opens up the world of an all-time sporting great.

Warner Bros. Discovery announced in April that it had secured the rights to broadcast every single 2024 Autumn Nations Series fixture in the UK and Ireland, supplementing an action-packed season of world-class rugby on TNT Sports that includes all 93 Gallagher Premiership Rugby fixtures, selected Premiership Women’s Rugby matches as well as the HSBC SVNS Series.

Full list of fixtures, kick-off times and channels (all times GMT, channels subject to change, check local listings):

Week 1
• Saturday 2 November, England vs New Zealand, Twickenham Stadium, coverage from 2pm on TNT Sports 2, KO 3:10pm on TNT Sports 1, TNT Sports 2 and discovery+
• Saturday 2 November, Scotland vs Fiji, Murrayfield Stadium, coverage from 5.30pm (KO 5:40pm), TNT Sports 1 and discovery+

Week 2

• Friday 8 November, Ireland vs New Zealand, Aviva Stadium, coverage from 7pm (KO 8:10pm), TNT Sports 1 and discovery+
• Saturday 9 November, England vs Australia, Twickenham Stadium, coverage from 2pm (KO 3:10pm), TNT Sports 1 and discovery+
• Saturday 9 November, Italy vs Argentina, Stadio Friuli, Udine, coverage from 5.30pm (KO 5:40pm), TNT Sports 2 and discovery+
• Saturday 9 November, France vs Japan, Stade de France, Paris, coverage from 7.45 (KO 8:10pm), TNT Sports 2 and discovery+
• Sunday 10 November, Wales vs Fiji, Principality Stadium, coverage from 1pm (KO 1:40pm), TNT Sports 1 and discovery+
• Sunday 10 November, Scotland vs South Africa, Murrayfield Stadium, coverage from 3.45pm (KO 4:10pm), TNT Sports 1 and discovery+

Week 3
• Friday 15 November, Ireland vs Argentina, Aviva Stadium, coverage from xx (KO 8:10pm), TNT Sports x and discovery+
• Saturday 16 November, Scotland vs Portugal, Murrayfield Stadium, coverage from 2pm (KO 3:10pm), TNT Sports 1 and discovery+
• Saturday 16 November, England vs South Africa, Twickenham Stadium, coverage from 5.15pm (KO 5:40pm), TNT Sports 1 and discovery+
• Saturday 16 November, France vs New Zealand, Stade de France, Paris, coverage from 8pm (KO 8:10pm), TNT Sports 1 and discovery+
• Sunday 17 November, Italy vs Georgia, Stadio Luigi Ferraris, Genoa, coverage from 1pm (KO 1:40pm), TNT Sports 1 and discovery+
• Sunday 17 November, Wales vs Australia, Principality Stadium, coverage from 3.45pm (KO 4:10pm), TNT Sports 1 and discovery+

Week 4
• Friday 22 November, France vs Argentina, Stade de France, Paris, coverage from 7.30pm (KO 8:10pm), TNT Sports 1 and discovery+
• Saturday 23 November, Ireland vs Fiji, Aviva Stadium, coverage from 2.30pm (KO 3:10pm), TNT Sports 2 and discovery+
• Saturday 23 November, Wales vs South Africa, Principality Stadium, coverage from 5.15pm (KO 5:40pm), TNT Sports 2 and discovery+
• Saturday 23 November, Italy vs New Zealand, Allianz Stadium, Turin, coverage from 8pm (KO 8:10pm), TNT Sports 2 and discovery+
• Sunday 24 November, Scotland vs Australia, Murrayfield Stadium, coverage from 12.30 (KO 1:40pm), TNT Sports 1 and discovery+
• Sunday 24 November, England vs Japan, Twickenham Stadium, coverage from 3.45pm (KO 4:10pm), TNT Sports 1 and discovery+

Week 5
• Saturday 30 November, Ireland vs Australia, Aviva Stadium, coverage from 2pm (KO 3:10pm), TNT Sports 1 and discovery+

HOW TO WATCH TNT SPORTS
TNT Sports is available across all major TV platforms including EE TV, Sky and Virgin Media. discovery+ is the streaming destination for TNT Sports in the UK, presenting many of the world’s most celebrated sports events live together with an extensive selection of original documentaries.

HOW TO WATCH QUEST
Quest is one of WBD's largest channels in the U.K., serving viewers with a wide range of entertainment shows, including well-loved classics such as Wheeler Dealers, Salvage Hunters and Aussie Gold Hunters and recently announced talent-led shows, James May and the Dull Men Club and Ant Anstead: The Naked Mechanic. Quest is available on Sky 144, Virgin 137, Freeview 12, Freesat 167 and available to stream on discovery+.

Contacts

WBD Sports (Europe)

Contact us here.


TNT Sports (UK)

Contact the press team here.