"The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) (Irish: Cumann Rugbaí na hÉireann) is the body managing rugby union in the island of Ireland (both Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland)."

Ulster Rugby (Irish: Rugbaí Uladh) is one of the four professional provincial rugby teams from the island of Ireland. They compete in the Pro14 and the European Rugby Champions Cup.

I asked the question as I genuinely didn't know (or care really as it's RU and I have no interest in that game) a little time on Google has clarified what you and and a couple of other posters have said, and although yes the IRFU represents all the provinces of the island of Ireland, the international game is quite clearly an Eire product hence their current deal with RTE, but I accept that they do represent Northern Ireland

Couldn't give a toss which rugby union country they show, I won't be watching.

Considering channel 4 is a commercially-funded network they can show what they want. The idea that they should be supporting UK sport over Irish is ridiculous. Anyone who thinks they should be supporting the Championship over Irish international games over some loyalty to the UK is crazy. The network is a business that needs to make money and is not a charity.

No...you're fishing!
If you have no interest, then why ask?

Great move by the IRFU. In 2013, the Ireland v All Blacks game on the Sunday drew a larger TV audience than the day's prior Epic RLWC semi-final between England and the Kiwis and they must genuinely believe that whatever they have paid for this (and the European club rugby comp) they will get back in advertising revenues...........and as other have said, instead of faux outrage, we should be asking why we are not pressing hard for more FTA coverage.

This is a nonsense. C4 should be broadcasting what is best for C4. Whether thats the Irish Rugby Union side or a bunch of guys running around in outer Mongolia.

The idea that they are duty bound to broadcast something 'British' is absurd.

Indeed......their biggest program of the week August 21-28th was the Belgium GP.......sooner we leave the EU the better



EDIT: Is this a cunning plan by World Rugby to strangle the Dublin Blues at birth

What kind of viewing figures do you think a Championship RL game would get on sky compared to a Championship RU game?

Why do sky show Championship RU but not Championship RL, even though they have the tv rights.

I'd suggest that it's largely down to them knowing how many subscriptions may depend on RU content.

Sky are probably only interested in the England internationals, but they'll invariably question whether that delivers enough value to RU supporters on its own for them to justify their subscriptions. They have no Premiership, no Pro 14 - things like Super Rugby, Top 14 and Championship RU gives them relatively cheap content to keep the RU fans happy until the Autumn Internationals come around.

And let's not forget the audience that RU will tend to pull in. 150,000 people (I don't know what the real figure is) watching Ealing vs Yorkshire is probably worth a lot more to them than 150,000 watching Batley v Dewsbury.

I'd go further saying that SKY tv know exactly what it pays them to show and no amount of teeth gnashing from north of watford will impact on their share prices.
If RL was such a valuable asset, we'd having TV execs kicking down doors....instead we had a take it or leave deal offered.......there was no option to negotiate, because are 100% reliant on SKY........the only way to change that is to demand FTA games in the next deal.....or take a huge cut and sell the entire comp to someone like C4 and hope to god the clubs can fill the stadiums.

I would guess because sky do not have any rights for the rugby union premiership. Rights for the rugby union Championship are cheap and it's gives them content to fill time slots.

Yes I also agree they should be showing the rugby league championship. Pointless holding the rights and only showing the Blackpool Weekender.