Scrum V only tends to show highlights from the games involving the Welsh regions, although they do occasionally show tries or brief edits of top of the tables clashes. While I wouldn't be against a networked Pro12 highlights show, I think Scrum V is an excellent programme the way it is now with its combination of highlights from both the Pro12 and the club game in Wales, strong features and intelligent discussion and analysis. It's been the main rugby union show of its kind in Wales for a long while now - S4C doesn't have an equivalent show - and I don't think it should or will change from its current format. I don't see the benefit in it being more Pro12-centric than it already is.
Good to know that the Leinster v Ulster game was on the BBC Red Button tonight. I noticed that "Scrum V" was listed on channel 301 on Freeview this evening and thought they might have been replaying the Dragons v Scarlets match after Final Score. Clearly that was just a typo as it wouldn't have made a great deal of sense to have re-run that against S4C's coverage of the Blues v Ospreys match.
Rightly or wrongly, I think Scrum V will always take priority over Ulster Rugby Live or BBC Alba's coverage on the Red Button because of the audio options aspect of their coverage (specifically the Welsh language service) barring weeks like last week where the Ulster game wasn't on BBC Two Northern Ireland and thus needed to be on BBCi. But even though I am personally primarily interested in Welsh rugby, I wouldn't be against the odd deviation from this rule on Friday nights when one of the regions are against an Italian team while Ulster, Edinburgh or Glasgow are taking on one of the other British sides (ideally a Welsh region). That being said, I think for the last three Fridays of this league season BBCi should stick with Scrum V as the Pro12's biggest focus at the moment has to be the battle between the Ospreys and Scarlets to get the final play-off spot. I think few would argue with me on that.
Seeing as we have struck up a discussion about the Pro12, does anyone know how the television rights for the play-offs work? From having had a scan over the current and previous parts of this thread and from checking out Scrum V's BBC website listing, I notice that in Wales, S4C broadcast the 2010 and 2012 Magners League/Pro12 Grand Finals live, while BBC Two Wales broadcast the 2011 Grand Final. Over the first three seasons under the new format, the Ospreys have been the only Welsh region to make the semi-finals and have done so each year so far, with coverage of their semi-finals being the inverse of the three finals, with their 2010 and 2012 semi-finals going out live on BBC Two Wales while their semi-final in 2011 was on S4C.
Therefore going by that pattern, it stands to reason that in 2013 S4C will have first refusal on the semi-finals (and will likely show the one involving either the Ospreys or Scarlets) with the Grand Final being on BBC Two Wales. Would anyone be able to confirm that for me? Also, how do the rights work in the Pro12's other "home" territories? I presume BBC Two Northern Ireland and BBC Alba will show any games involving Ulster or the Scottish teams respectively, but would they show the Grand Final should their teams not make it? How are the games divided out between RTE Two and TG4 in the Republic of Ireland? And even though it is highly unlikely an Italian team will make the top four, would Sportitalia be able to show the three play-off matches?
I know Glasgow and Ulster have leapfrogged Leinster this weekend but were Leinster to clinch top spot it would probably work out quite well for the broadcasters, as I suspect we'd see Ulster and Glasgow facing off on a Friday night which is the norm for BBC Two NI and BBC Alba's coverage, while Leinster v Ospreys or Scarlets would be on in the Saturday evening S4C/RTE Two timeslot. Judging by the nights the Ospreys have played their semi-finals over the past three years, I guess TV has some say over the days in which the semi-finals are assigned to.