Saturday 3rd August - Sky Sports 1

Live Super Rugby Final

James Gemmell presented alongside Michael Lynagh and Sean Fitzpatrick

Chiefs v ACT Brumbies - Grant Nisbett and Justin Marshall, with Ian Smith providing "sideline comments" and Scotty Stevenson conducting interviews and hosting the trophy presentation (as Sky Sport New Zealand)

The second leg of the Lions v Southern Kings Promotion/Relegation Play-Off will be on Sky Sports 4's Red Button this afternoon. I'm not sure if it'll have studio presentation or if it'll just be a straight simulcast of SuperSport.

I'd love to know how they go about deciding which local feed to take. When they're showing a Yankees or Red Sox home game, they will always take the home broadcast, and the same is usually true of Giants home games. But otherwise it seems to be a bit of a lottery.

There seems to be certain feeds that they can or can't take, especially with the Cubs. When WGN (the FTA station in Chicago) are showing the game they seem to take the away feed, but when it's a Comcast Sports Net game they are able to take that feed

Martin Gillingham is commentating for BT Sport this evening on the 7's. If Skys apparent attitude towards freelancers appearing on BT is to believed don't be expecting him on any Heineken games this season..

I'd expect Gillingham to be doing BTs Top 14 games as well.

...I still expect Gillingham to be on Sky's Heineken games. I doubt they'd want to promote someone say Andrew Cotter to cover Gillingham's matches (usually 3rd/4th picks). I can't see Scott Hastings doing more main commentaries (or I hope he does none tbh really)

Sky's 'hard line' approach may only apply to Football. They would be foolish to replace Gillingham with someone like Hastings.

I don't know if it's been mentioned here but I see Mark Durden-Smith is now ITV's new rugby presenter. So Durden-Smith and Doyle have basically just swapped jobs.

More money less audience and vice versa

Along with Jill Douglas who's replacing Martin Bayfield. Hardly a like for like replacement!

WTA Tennis
Eurosport
Chris Bradnam and Jo Durie ( First 2 Matches )
Paul Hand and Annabel Croft ( Last Match )

Are Eurosport showing the same tournaments as BT? Seems a bit pointless.

yep for just this year then BT have it all..

Not if you dont have BT

that is true, and i dont have BT sports....

According to Martin Haven, there'll be no Bobsleigh or Skeleton on Eurosport UK this year. Bit odd, what with the Sochi Winter Olympics after it.

I was thinking more for BT.

ATP Tour Tennis Sky Sports
George Gavin and Mark Petchey

could another channel pick it up...

Good-looking, gorgeous, pretty, stunning. And now being replaced by Jill Douglas!

Saturday 3rd August - Sky Sports 4 Red Button

Live Super Rugby Promotion/Relegation Play-Off Second Leg

Lions v Southern Kings - Hugh Bladen and Joel Stransky, with Robbie Kempson providing "sideline comments" and conducting interviews (as SuperSport)


I didn't catch the match live, but going by the Twitter accounts of the various Sky Sports Super Rugby regulars it doesn't sound as if they had studio presentation for this one.

Bit of a shame that Martin Bayfield and Craig Doyle will no long be involved in ITV's Premiership Rugby highlights. I thought they worked very well a duo on the show when I saw it.

I don't think I've ever seen a studio for a Super Rugby game on the red button unless there was one already in place. I.e the 4pm game was on Sky Sports 4 but the 6pm game is on the Red Button.

Normally, If they're just on the red button a message like " Lions v Southern Kings will resume shortly" or "This stream has now ended" at half/full time.

Will be interesting to see if Sam Smith is part of Sky's US Open coverage then. Should be an early indicator?

If Hastings got more games as main comm I'd be turning that TV down!

As I say if Gillingham isn't on Sky's rugby, You just can't see them 'promoting' Andrew Cotter who freelances for them mostly on lower/Scottish red button games.

They can't exactly just give more games to the current Sky Heineken Cup crop. Gillingham usually does 2/3 games a weekend and Sky are at full capacity with Harrison, Hammond, Robson, Ward, Symonds, Cotter, (Occ) Hastings used on more than one game a weekend.

that will be interesting, i hope she is...