Rugby World Cup the SuperSport way

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ZnipIt was Francois Pienaar who once said there is no vision in sport without television.

Smart man.

We get our fixes from all sorts of mediums, but when the big events come round, short of attending the matches, we assemble around the television. It’s a tribal custom among sport tragics everywhere. We do it because, well, it’s what we do.

The World Cup starts in 17 days’ time and will herald a call to arms to rugby fans everywhere. The colour, pageantry and competition will draw us all in yet again to watch the unfolding of rugby’s great shindig. Much beer will be drunk, many tears will flow.

I’ll be getting my kicks from SuperSport (disclaimer: it’s where I work) which has put together an outstanding offering. Today, a 24-hour rugby channel cranks up and will run until October 31, the day of the World Cup final.

It will have something for everyone. Apart from the action guaranteed from 48 matches, SuperSport will have eight different magazine shows, ranging from hard core analysis (Master Plan) to soft features and colour (Show Me Your Passport). There will be something for everyone.

SuperSport itself could probably assemble a World XV of fantastic quality using its pundits, who will pop up in a variety of places and guises.

A couple who come to mind include Sean Fitzpatrick, Lewis Moody, Nick Mallett, Bobby Skinstad, Justin Marshall, George Gregan, Ashwin Willemse, Taine Randell, Colin Charvis, Gavin Hastings, Joel Stransky, Johan Erasmus and Breyton Paulse.

There are a couple of caps and World Cup winners’ medals among that lot.

SuperSport will also have regular access to the Springboks, ensuring fans get to see what goes on behind the scenes.

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Aware of the clamour for commentary options, SuperSport will offer four language options for Springbok games: international English; SA English; Afrikaans; isiXhosa.

All others will have three options: International English; Afrikaans; isiXhosa.

Happily, most of the matches take place during “down time”, but there are agreeable options for those who can’t catch the action live.

DStv premium PVR subscribers with a DStv Explora will be treated to 26- and nine-minute highlights available on CatchUp for every match. All knockout and Springbok games will be available in their entirety.

Also, every RWC match will be streamed live to subscribers (who have a DStv connect ID linked to their DStv Premium PVR subscription) via supersport.com or through the DStv Now app and SuperSport App.

It’s the fifth such tournament SuperSport will be broadcasting. Even if the Boks don’t bring Bill home, I reckon SuperSport will smash it.

The William Webb Ellis Cup at Pool A game between Ireland and Argentina at the Adelaide Oval. The victory assures Ireland of thier place in the Quarter Finals. NO MOBILE PHONE USE. INTERNET SITES MAY ONLY USE ONE IMAGE EVERY FIVE MINUTES DURING THE MATCH. 22/11/03: England and Australia were battling out in the rugby world cup final, and the chance to lift the William Webb Ellis Cup. According to legend, schoolboy William Webb Ellis picked up a football and ran with it during a game at Rugby school in 1823, thereby inventing the game.