RTÉ Sport announces Six Nations coverage

RTÉ Sport has announced details of its comprehensive RBS 6 Nations package, with over 90 hours of coverage including 45 hours on RTÉ Two television, 40 hours of live streaming on RTÉ.ie, and seven hours of live commentary on RTÉ Radio 1.

Following the huge success of RTÉ's coverage of the RBS 6 Nations in 2006, this year RTÉ Sport will be delivering its most comprehensive coverage of the tournament to date.

RTÉ's coverage of RBS 6 Nations 2007 includes:
 
All 15 matches across the five weekends of the tournament broadcast live on RTÉ Two television

For the first time, all 15 matches will be streamed live on RTÉ.ie within the island of Ireland

All of Ireland's matches broadcast live on RTÉ Radio 1 FM

Hour-long highlights programme after each of Ireland's games on RTÉ Two television

Glen Killane, RTÉ Group Head of Sport, said: "Last year, RTÉ's RBS 6 Nations coverage attracted the biggest ever audiences for the tournament on Irish television and I'm delighted that this year RTÉ Sport will be delivering our most comprehensive RBS 6 Nations coverage yet. We constantly strive to deliver the big competitions to the widest possible audience and with coverage across RTÉ Two television, RTÉ Radio 1 and RTÉ.ie, we are also offering greater choice and flexibility to sports fans".

RTÉ's coverage of last year's Six Nations attracted the highest Irish audiences ever for the tournament, with a peak of 821,000* viewers tuning in to see live coverage of Ireland's Triple Crown clincher on RTÉ Two television.

The Six Nations is rugby's most competitive tournament, and with the added dimension of Ireland's home games being played in Croke Park, this year's championship looks set to be one of the most exciting and memorable yet. Ahead of the historic Croke Park games, RTÉ Television will broadcast a specially commissioned half-hour programme entitled 'Croke Park- The Opening Hour', which celebrates the moment when Ireland unites in sport as the Irish rugby and soccer teams play in Croke Park for the first time.

RTÉ's unrivalled team of presenters and panellists will be providing their expert analysis and opinion at every stage of the tournament.  On RTÉ Two television, anchorman Tom McGurk will be joined by George Hook, Brent Pope and Conor O'Shea, with Tracy Piggott reporting from the sidelines and commentary by Ryle Nugent, Tony Ward, George Hamilton, Ralph Keyes, Tony Clement and Gary Moran live on RTÉ Two television.

RTÉ Radio's in-house rugby expert Michael Corcoran will be joined by former Ireland internationals Ciaran Fitzgerald, Victor Costello, Donal Lenihan, David Humphreys, Conor McGuinness and Emmet Byrne for live on-air reaction and analysis of all of Ireland's games.

RTÉ.ie will be hosting a comprehensive and highly interactive Six Nations microsite at www.rte.ie/sport. The site will feature regular webchats with RTÉ's rugby experts, a dynamic player rating system and a Fans' Forum, which will give fans the opportunity to voice their views and opinions on the tournament.

Further to the RTÉ Television's extensive live coverage of the tournament, Tom McGurk will also present an hour-long late night highlights programme after each of Ireland's matches. There will also be live coverage of Ireland A and Club Internationals as well as the return of Against The Head, the weekly rugby magazine programme on Mondays at 8.00pm on RTÉ Two.