ESPN has announced it will televise exclusive live coverage of the JP Morgan Asset Management Premiership Rugby 7s this summer. The competition is set to feature some of the Aviva Premiership’s most talented young players taking part in the high-octane, fast-flowing rugby format.
The competition is played out over four weeks, starting on Friday 13th July, with teams in groups of four competing in three regional pools before the top six teams move on to play in the final at The Recreation Ground in Bath on Friday 4th August.
The competition follows on from a thrilling regular season which reaches a climax exclusively live on ESPN at 2pm next Saturday 26th May as Harlequins take on Leicester in the Aviva Premiership Final.
ESPN will bring viewers coverage of every stage, starting in London at the Twickenham Stoop as Aviva Premiership Finalists Harlequins, take on London Irish, London Wasps and 2010 7s winners Saracens in a round-robin format.
ESPN will be live from Edgeley Park on 20th July as Sale play host to Aviva Premiership Finalists Leicester Tigers, Northampton Saints and current 7s champions Newcastle Falcons. The following week sees the final group stage take place at Kingsholm on Thursday 26th July. Bath Rugby, Exeter Chiefs and Worcester Warriors will join Gloucester for the games.
ESPN’s coverage will be live from the stadia on each match night, as it broadcasts six 14-minute matches back to back.
Jeroen Oerlemans, Vice-President TV Channels, ESPN EMEA said: “ESPN is delighted to continue its association with the core of English club rugby and bring fans this hugely entertaining form of the game in the summer. We eagerly await the JP Morgan Asset Management Premiership Rugby 7s Series on ESPN.”
“We are delighted that we have once again finalised an agreement with ESPN to broadcast the 2012 JP Morgan Asset Management Premiership Rugby 7s live. It’s a sure sign that the demand for top class English club rugby is growing every year,” said Premiership Rugby Commercial Director, Dominic Hayes. “The tournament, now in its third year, gets better and better and we are expecting big crowds at each of the series events, starting at the Twickenham Stoop on 13 July.”
For details and to buy tickets for one of the four events head to: www.jpmorgan7s.com
The JP Morgan Asset Management Premiership Rugby 7s is part of ESPN’s established rugby coverage in the UK and worldwide. In the UK, ESPN delivers live coverage of Aviva Premiership Rugby and French Top 14 Orange rugby as well as international matches featuring France, Italy, Australia and Argentina. ESPN also has an agreement to show archive matches and footage from each of the six Rugby World Cup tournaments to date on ESPN Classic in the UK, Europe, Middle East and Africa.
ESPN.co.uk/rugby and ESPNscrum brings fans breaking Aviva Premiership Rugby, French Top 14 Orange and international rugby news along with features, opinion and analysis.
