Have to say I expected him to be in SA, covering England Saxons with Dewi Morris and Ireland with Alan Quinlan or Shane Horgan.

Interesting to see them split up their usual pairings.

I'd guess it's down to the timeslot? A SA game at 4pm will get a lot more viewers than a NZ game at 8.30am. Hence the number two in Robson getting that series.

Lleyton Hewitt and Jim Courier have joined the BBC for its coverage of Wimbledon 2016. Annabel Croft is another addition to the BBC TV team, led by Sue Barker.

Joining them will be the BBC’s full team of expert television analysts and commentators, including Tim Henman, John McEnroe, Tracy Austin, Pat Cash, Andrew Castle, Lindsay Davenport, John Inverdale, Martina Navratilova, Virginia Wade, Jamie Baker, Chris Bradnam, James Burridge, Andrew Cotter, Matt Chilton, Barry Davies, Jo Durie, Peter Fleming, Paul Hand, John Lloyd, Guy McCrea, Ronald McIntosh, David Mercer, Alison Mitchell, Nick Mullins, Jonathan Overend, Mark Petchey, Louise Pleming, Sam Smith, Elizabeth Smylie, Simon Reed, Charlie Brougham and Dan Lobb.

At the close of play, Clare Balding will present BBC’s staple highlights programme, Today At Wimbledon, alongside two expert guests every day on BBC Two.

World Rugby U20s

RSA v JPN: Simon Ward & Carlo del Fava


Sky Sports 1 coverage presented from the studio by James Gemmell, alongside Stephen Ferris, Alex Corbisiero and Nicky Robinson. Commentary appears to be the world feed.

I think the Sky main commentators of Harrison/Barnes on England, Robson on Ireland and Hammond on Wales makes sense. Robson tends to do Irish games/club games in Europe. I guess Sky will utilise Ward/Gillingham on the Saxons as they are UK based on the world feed of the IRB U20s.

Good to see Carlo get the gig - he covered the Grand Slam game for Wales U20 in the spring and seemed to have really done his homework on players etc.

Wales v Ireland (SS1) - Wyn Gruffydd and Shane Horgan

U20s at AJ Bell stadium
Argentina v France - Scott Hastings and Rob Vickerman
Scotland v Australia - Jonathan Harris-Bass and Rory Lawson

Terrible that SCOvAUS isn't on Sky.

World Rugby U20s – Tuesday 7 June (Sky Sports 1 and online)

James Gemmell in the studio with Stephen Ferris, Alex Corbisiero and Nicky Robinson.

Games not on Sky can be live-streamed via the World Rugby website.

Pool C – South Africa v Japan: Simon Ward & Carlo del Fava
Pool C – France v Argentina: Scott Hastings & Rob Vickerman

Pool A – Wales v Ireland: Wyn Gruffydd & Shane Horgan
Pool B – Australia v Scotland: Jonathan Harris-Bass & Rory Lawson

Pool B – England v Italy: Martin Gillingham & Dewi Morris
Pool A – New Zealand v Georgia: Hugh Cahill?? & Kingsley Jones


World Rugby U20s – Tuesday 7 June (S4C)

Pool A – Wales v Ireland

Owain Gwynedd at the Manchester City Academy Stadium with Steffan Hughes.

Commentators: Rhys ap William & Steffan Hughes

First comms for Rhys or has he done these more minor games before? I guess the U20 is seen as breeding ground for presenters and comms - similar to players and refs.

S4C must be a bit thin on the ground for Welsh comms these next few weeks as I assume a couple will be in NZ for Saturday, Wyn Gruffydd on U20 duty and the rest in France.

Hammond has Ieuan Evans with him for NZ v Wales. To be honest I was fully expecting host comms for the Wales game with strong Welsh studio presence in the UK.

No chance Sky would have taken the host feed commentary, unless they worked a deal with Sky NZ to have a welsh voice in it. Half a thought I had is they may have offtubed the commentary as they are cutting costs but I fully expected them to have their own voices on the commentary (and studio). On-site comms is good!

It is only Scottish rugby they are not arsed about.

Sunday 19 June- Gaelic Football on BBC Two NI

Tyrone v Cavan- Mark Sidebotton presents.. With commentary by Thomas Niblock and Martin McHugh, and analysis by Oisin McConville and Paddy Bradley.

Gaelic Football and Hurling on RTE One

Tyrone v Cavan and Tipperary v Limerick- Presented by Michael Lyster, with analysis from Colm O'Rourke, Pat Spillane and Ger Loughnane, and pitchside reports by Eddie Brennan.

Friday 24 June- Challenge Cup Rugby League on BBC Two

Warrington v Widnes- Mark Chapman introduces. Commentary comes from Dave Woods.

Saturday 25 June- Challenge Cup Rugby League on BBC Two

Wigan Warriors v Castleford Tigers- Tanya Arnold presents. Commentary comes from Dave Woods and Jonathan Davies with analysis from Brian Noble.

Sunday 26 June- Athletics on BBC Two

Jonathan Edwards presents live coverage of the 2016 British Championships from Birmingham. Analysis comes from Colin Jackson, Paula Radcliffe and Denise Lewis with commentary from Andrew Cotter, Steve Backley and Steve Cram.

Are we seeing a lightening up of the Sky production cost cutting? The England Saxons game has got a Studio of Alex Payne, Delport and Easter.

Seems pretty standard as per to me.

A couple of years ago maybe, in more recent times a match like this would be going straight to the host feed.

Host feed if it is a Super Rugby game maybe... This is England Saxons, they'd have had studio coverage. 100% I know it is an away fixture but It's England. Every England Saxons game i've seen seems to have studio coverage.

It wouldn't surprise me if they didn't do a studio on a busy mid-season weekend, but this is at the end of the season so resources at home are not spread too thinly.

I didn't get to see the game, did Sky do their own commentary?

No took the Supersport feed of Hugh Bladen and Joel Stransky.

Matthew Pearce and Bob Skinstad are doing the SA-Ireland games for Supersport.

Wow, didn't realise Hugh Bladen was still commentating!

Pleased Owen Nkumane is not involved in commentary though.

Only seen bits of it but Bladen kept calling Cipriani something like Ciprati and mentioned 'London' Wasps once or twice.

Hugh Cahill is a Rugby commentator for RTE and has done some sevens world feed commentary this year so it's probably him,

From what I can remember of him it sounded like him.

Just had a quick listen on the website and it's him alright!

International Rugby Union – Saturday 11 June (Sky Sports 1)

1st Test – New Zealand v Wales

Alex Payne in the studio with Will Greenwood, Scott Quinnell and Sean Fitzpatrick.

Commentators: Johnnie Hammond & Ieuan Evans

Reporter: Graham Simmons

Sky have introduced their new football graphics to their rugby coverage now.

Grant Nisbett, Justin Marshall & Ian Smith for Sky NZ.