BOULDER, Colo. – USA Rugby has updated its list of rugby matches televised in the United States for the month of March. Not counting the sixth and seventh rounds of the IRB HSBC Sevens World Series in Hong Kong and Tokyo, respectively, 46 rugby matches from around the world will be broadcast live across five different networks.
Men's Eagles Sevens
Alexander Magleby's Eagles Sevens excited the home crowd in Las Vegas last month with inspiring performances and a Plate Semifinals berth. They are not done yet, however, as the Hong Kong Sevens and Tokyo Sevens both take place this month.
Universal Sports and NBC Sports Network will double-up on coverage duties for each round. In Hong Kong, Universal Sports will take 9:00 to 11:00 p.m. ET and NBC Sports Network will cover the 11:00 PM to 1:00 AM time slot. The Eagles play France, Kenya and New Zealand in the largest round of the year.
In Japan, Universal and NBC Sports again share two-hour coverage times from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. ET. Look for the pool draw for the Tokyo Sevens in the coming weeks.
Six Nations
BBC America is the exclusive carrier of the annual Six Nations Championship in America, though Universal Sports airs replays (check here for Universal's schedule).
Ireland, who will come to Houston, Texas, in June for a test match against the Men's Eagles, is currently in fourth place in the competition and will face France on March 9.
Last year's champion Wales will have its final match – against England – on BBC America on March 16. As of March 1, England tops the Six Nations table with six points to Wales' four, good for second place.
RaboDirect Pro12 Rugby
Fox Soccer Plus will air three RaboDirect Pro12 matches in March. Pro12, which runs through May, features 12 teams from Italy, Scotland, Ireland and Wales.
Italian team Zebre made its debut in the competition this season, and will get airtime on Fox Soccer Plus on March 1 against the Irish side Connacht.
Connacht will also feature in an all-Ireland match against Munster on March 23, while Glasgow and Leinster, currently second and third, respectively, in the table, will play later that same day.
Aviva Premiership
Fox Soccer Plus will also air four of the English top-flight Aviva Premiership matches this month, including Men's Eagle Chris Wyles and the Saracens against newly-promoted London Welsh on March 3. The three other matches scheduled for Fox Soccer Plus are to be determined, but will air on March 22, 23, and 24. The Rugby on TV schedule will be updated when those fixtures are announced.
LV= Cup
Featuring the four Welsh Pro12 teams and all twelve Aviva Premiership teams, the LV= Cup knockout competition is in its final stages this month. Fox Soccer Plus will have the Final live on March 17, with Harlequins, Bath, Sale and Saracens each in the semifinals.
Super Rugby
One of the world's largest rugby union leagues, Super Rugby and its 15 teams from Australia, New Zealand and South Africa begin Week 3 of the 2013 season on March 1 on DirecTV's channel 490. In all, DirecTV will air 33 matches live in the United States this month. Because matches are played in the three previously-mentioned countries, start times range from early morning to late at night.
New Zealand's Chiefs, last year's Super Rugby Champions, have five matches on the schedule, while South Africa's Sharks, the runners-up, have four.
