Paul O'Hehir

30/06/2005: Sky Sports television has secured exclusive live coverage of European Cup matches involving Irish teams from the start of the 2006/07 competition up to and including the 2010 final.

The deal means RTÉ can not screen live matches involving the Irish provinces in the Heineken Cup during those four seasons. 

"Obviously we’re disappointed," says RTÉ Head of Sport Glen Killane,". . .but we have made great efforts to ensure that the public has access to these games free-to-air."

RTÉ will continue to screen Munster and Leinster’s home games live next season and will then broadcast deferred coverage of the Irish provinces home and away from 2006/07.

Both Sky and RTÉ have covered Irish teams in recent seasons but the ERC - organisers of the European Rugby Cup - finalised a fresh deal with the former today, ensuring exclusive rights.

Sky Sports say they will broadcast up to seven live matches during each of the six pool weekends and will show all of the quarter-finals, semi-finals and finals live.

RTÉ will screen a comprehensive highlights package to facilitate coverage of all games from the 2006/07 pool stage to the 2010 final.

Derek McGrath, ERC Chief Executive said: "RTÉ are an excellent partner to the Heineken Cup and have provided wonderful coverage of the tournament in Ireland over the past number of years. 

"We look forward to continuing our strong relationship with them in the seasons ahead as they will now be able to broadcast all games involving Irish teams in the Heineken Cup."

The opening games of next season's competition take place on the weekend of October 21st-23rd.

Munster, find themselves in Pool 1 alongside Castres Olympique, the Newport Gwent Dragons and English Premiership side, Sale.

Leinster are once again pitted against Bath and Bourgoin while they also play Glasgow. Ulster face Biarritz, Saracens and Treviso.