RTÉ’s top team lined-out in Dublin city centre this evening (Tuesday 10 September 2019) to announce details of RTÉ’s comprehensive cross-platform Rugby World Cup 2019 coverage.
RTÉ will bring fans closer to the action as Joe Schmidt’s team bid for Rugby World Cup 2019 glory with all Ireland games live across RTÉ, along with the entire knockout series live on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player including the Rugby World Cup Final in Yokohama on Saturday 2 November.
Former Irish internationals Jamie Heaslip and Stephen Ferris will provide their expert opinion and analysis throughout the tournament alongside World Cup-winning Australian captain Michael Lynagh, Irish 6 Nations-winning captain Fiona Coghlan, former Ireland head coach Eddie O’Sullivan, Brent Pope, Bernard Jackman, Ian Madigan, Rob Penney and Alastair Kellock completing RTÉ’s line-out.
Daire O’Brien will present coverage of all the live games on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player with Donal Lenihan alongside Hugh Cahill on commentary. Clare MacNamara will present 16 highlights programmes.
Declan McBennett, RTÉ Group Head of Sport said: “We are delighted to follow the Irish journey in a hugely anticipated World Cup. Across all platforms RTÉ will bring the best coverage, the best analysis and the most comprehensive overview of the Irish performance. Together with total coverage of the knockout phase the tournament promises to deliver amazing moments and stories to match.”
For fans with FOMO, RTÉ Player and 2fm will be turning Japanese with original shows and specially themed segments.
Brand new RTÉ Player shows include Trying Japanese, a challenge-based studio show where Ireland’s biggest rugby fans, including a host of familiar faces get a taste for all things Japanese.
Punter V Pundit in which well-known faces go head-to-head with RTÉ Sport’s top analysts to give their match predictions. In The Opposition in 60 Seconds with Greg O’Shea, the Love Island winner and Ireland Rugby 7s International will breakdown all you need to know about the team Ireland next face, and the Game in 60 Seconds will see our rugby know-it-alls break down each 80 minutes of action in just one minute.
2fm will also line out in support of Ireland’s role in the RWC. Over in Breakfast, Doireann and Eoghan will challenge some of Ireland’s best known acts to step it out in their Sumo Wrestling tournament.
Jennifer Zamparelli has a challenge of her own called Jen’s Yen, while Jenny Greene will be sampling sushi, Japanese traditions and turning Japanese in her daily competition, Bonkers.
Opening ceremony
Kicking-off with the Opening Ceremony and Japan v Russia in the tournament’s opening game from Tokyo on Friday 21 September, RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player will have live coverage of 14 games in total including Ireland v Scotland from Yokohama on Sunday 22 September, Ireland v Japan on Saturday 28 September in Shizuoka, Ireland v Russia on Thursday 3 October in Kobe and Ireland v Samoa on Saturday 12 October in Fukuoka.
Michael Corcoran will have live commentary of all of Ireland’s games on RTÉ Radio 1 and he will be joined on commentary by Bernard Jackman, former Munster head coach Rob Penney and for Ireland v Scotland, former Scottish international Alastair Kellock. Ian Madigan, Fiona Coghlan and Bernard Jackman will make-up the RTÉ Radio 1 panel.
RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player will also have live coverage of France v Tonga on Sunday 6 October along with all of the knockout stages – quarter-finals, semi-finals, the bronze final and the final itself on Sunday 2 November from Yokohama.
RTÉ.ie is the online hub for the most comprehensive coverage of the tournament. Live blogs, match reports, reaction and expert analysis from our columnists Jonny Holland, Stephen Ferris, Fiona Steed and more.
News and interviews from our team in Japan as well as twice weekly podcasts featuring the likes of Daire O’Brien, Eddie O’Sullivan, Donal Lenihan and Bernard Jackman.
RTÉ News will report on all the World Cup team news and excitement around the Irish camp at one of the biggest sports events of the year.
