Channel 4 Agree Deal To Screen British & Irish Lions On Free-to-air TV

Channel 4 will screen live free-to-air coverage of the British & Irish Lions for the first time in almost 30 years after picking up the rights to the representative team’s Vodafone Lions 1888 Cup match against Japan.

The match will mark the first time the Lions have played on home soil since 2005, and will serve as a warm-up for the Tour which is set to take place in South Africa.

Channel 4 will broadcast the game – set to take place in front of fans at BT Murrayfield in Edinburgh on 26th June – but will also show highlights of all three Castle Lager Lions Series Tour Tests against South Africa later in the summer. Highlights will also be shown on-demand on All4.

Coverage will be presented by Lee McKenzie, and will be the latest addition to Channel 4’s live rugby portfolio, which also includes live coverage of the Heineken Champions Cup Final between La Rochelle and Toulouse on 22nd May as well as Ireland’s Autumn Internationals against the New Zealand, Argentina and another as-yet unconfirmed nation.

“We are delighted that Channel 4 are our broadcast partners for our first match on home soil since 2005,” said Ben Calveley, Managing Director, British & Irish Lions.

“I am looking forward to the excellent coverage and analysis that Channel 4 will no doubt provide and going on the recent squad announcement I’m sure the interest and numbers tuning in will be considerable for this clash.”

Channel 4’s Head of Sport Pete Andrews added: “This is set to be a mouth-watering contest with Alun Wyn Jones leading the Lions against the reigning World Champions.

“It’s fantastic news for rugby fans who will relish the opportunity of seeing the British & Irish Lions in action on free-to-air television.”

The deal is the latest foray into live sport for Channel 4 Sport, which brought Test cricket back to free-to-air TV for the first time in 16 years with coverage of England’s tour of India in February and March.