University sport strikes landmark deal with major broadcaster’s transition to elite rugby prioritised
University sport strikes landmark deal with major broadcasters transition to elite rugby prioritised
British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) has struck a deal with Clubber TV to screen all BUCS Super Rugby matches for the 2026-27 season, likely bringing unprecedented visibility to English university rugby.
The BUCS Super Rugby coverage will increase from around 20% to 100% of matches, with every men’s and women’s fixture available to watch live on the streaming service, and 18 matches broadcast free-to-air.
The three-year partnership will see 144 matches streamed live, including the league programme and BUCS Super Rugby Milk Championship phase.
This partnership is likely to create more of a bridge between university rugby and the elite game, with more than 40 players from last year’s BUCS Super Rugby season now playing in Champ Rugby. This link is huge in American football, where the college system is vital in ensuring a transition into the NFL.
BUCS CEO Will Roberts said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Clubber TV for the next three years. Moving from around 20% of BUCS Super Rugby matches being streamed to every men’s and women’s fixture being available live is a huge step forward for university rugby.
“This is about much more than watching matches. It gives players greater visibility, gives universities more content to share, gives families and supporters the opportunity to follow their teams wherever they are and provides a bigger platform for the next generation of rugby talent.
“Clubber shares our ambition to make student sport more accessible, engaging and sustainable, and we’re excited about what this partnership can do for BUCS Super Rugby and university sport.”
Clubber TV have held the rights for Champ rugby for quite some time now, and although the reviews on their coverage have been mixed, there’s no doubt that the increased viewership has been greatly welcomed.
From university to young professional
Promoting their new announcement, a BUCS statement read: “The new partnership will also shine a greater spotlight on the pathway from university rugby into the professional game. Of the players who competed in Men’s BUCS Super Rugby last season, 46 also featured in Prem Rugby or the Prem Rugby Cup, with eight going on to play in the Prem.
“Players from nine of the 10 BUCS Super Rugby institutions were represented across Prem Rugby or the Prem Rugby Cup, underlining the strength of the competition as a pathway into the professional game. Among the leading players to have progressed through the university system are England internationals Alex Dombrandt, Freddie Steward and Fitz Harding, alongside Wales internationals Dafydd Jenkins and Christ Tshiunza.
“The pathway is equally strong in the women’s game. Of the players who competed in Women’s BUCS Super Rugby last season, 49 also played in PWR or the PWR Cup, with 27 featuring in PWR itself.
“Players from five of the seven BUCS Super Rugby institutions were represented across six of the nine PWR clubs, while 15% of all Women’s BUCS Super Rugby players also played in PWR or the PWR Cup last season. The pathway has produced a host of leading internationals, including England stars Ellie Kildunne, Zoe Aldcroft and Emma Sing, Wales internationals Gwen Crabb and Lleucu George, Scotland internationals Lisa Thomson and Rhona Lloyd, and Ireland international Nancy McGillivray.”
Lar Doyle, COO of Clubber TV, added: “There is some outstanding rugby being played in BUCS Super Rugby and we want more people to see it. Covering every men’s and women’s fixture gives supporters the chance to follow their university throughout the season and gives players the platform they deserve.
“We’ve seen through our coverage of Champ Rugby how powerful it can be to give every game and every player a platform. Extending that approach to BUCS Super Rugby is an exciting next step and creates a clear connection between university rugby and the professional game.”