World Rugby Partners Stan Sport in Australia

(26 August 2022, 11:08 +07)  World Rugby and Stan Sport have entered into a wide-ranging deal that will see Stan become the exclusive home of Rugby World Cup for sports fans in Australia.

The deal combines the power of Stan, one of Australia’s leading local streaming services, and its parent company Nine, one of Australia’s largest media companies. It expands a comprehensive portfolio of existing international and domestic rugby rights and means that fans will be able to watch live coverage of every match from the women’s Rugby World Cup 2021 and men’s Rugby World Cup 2023.

With 45 days to go until the world’s best women’s teams go head-to-head in New Zealand, Stan will bring fans closer to the action with the Wallaroos kicking off their campaign against champions New Zealand on 8 October at Eden Park in front of what could be a record crowd for a women’s test match.

The women's and men's Rugby World Cups

The top men’s teams in the world will take centre stage next year as France plays host to Rugby World Cup 2023 and an event that looks set to smash all previous attendance records. The Wallabies kick-off the hunt for a third Webb Ellis Cup against Georgia on 9 September and Stan will bring fans closer to the action with a comprehensive content offering. Wallabies matches and the final will also be simulcast live on the Nine Network.

“We are delighted to be partnering with Stan Sport to provide fans in Australia with unrivalled access to our men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups. Stan Sport is the home of rugby in Australia and we are excited by their plans to showcase the sport to new audiences through their innovative content and leading digital platforms,” said World Rugby Chief Executive, Alan Gilpin. “We are entering what will be a golden decade for rugby in Australia, culminating in hosting of the men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups in 2027 and 2029 respectively. The excitement is building and we are looking forward to working with Stan Sport and our friends at Rugby Australia to get all of Australia excited about rugby once again.”

The addition of both Rugby World Cups further cements Stan’s position as the Home of Rugby in Australia, with more world-class rugby available in the one place than ever before, including The Rugby Championship, Spring Tour (Autumn Nations Series), Six Nations and Super Rugby Pacific.

Stan Chief Executive Officer, Martin Kugeler, said, “Since Stan Sport’s launch in February 2021, we have invested significantly to build a new rugby offering that delivers for fans. From grassroots, world-class internationals and now the pinnacle of the game, Rugby World Cup, Stan Sport continues to deliver more men and women’s rugby content than ever before. With the great partnership we have forged with Rugby Australia, together we have grown rugby domestically and this announcement further highlights our commitment to the game. We are uniquely positioned to showcase Rugby World Cup to more Australians than ever before utilising Stan and Nine’s Total TV offering. There is no better place to showcase one of the biggest events in global sport and we can’t wait for the women’s Rugby World Cup 2021 action to kick-off in New Zealand this October.”

The men’s Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan was the most watched rugby event ever with more than 857 million people tuning in around the world, an increase of 26 per cent from the previous tournament in England.

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