By Paul Jones
Welsh rugby fans can get an immediate look at how Warren Gatland gets on when Super Rugby returns to New Zealand this weekend.
The former Wales coach will be sending his Chiefs team out to meet the Highlanders on Saturday in the new Super Rugby Aotearoa tournament.
With crowds allowed in after New Zealand declared it was free of new cases of coronavirus, there is the possibility of sold-out grandstands when the Highlanders host the Chiefs in Dunedin on Saturday and the Blues face the Hurricanes at Eden Park on Sunday in the first round.
The competition has been set up as a temporary replacement for the international Super Rugby tournament, which is suspended due to the pandemic.
The five teams – the Blues, Hurricanes, Crusaders, Highlanders and Gatland’s Chiefs – will play against each other home and away over 10 weeks, with two matches being played each weekend.
Throughout the competition, S4C’s Clwb Rygbi will be showing a weekly programme with extended highlights from both matches, following an agreement with UK broadcaster Sky Sports.
Coverage will start on Sunday 14 June at 10.00pm. The programme will also be available to watch on demand at S4C Clic following the broadcast.
🚨 RYGBI YN ÔL AR S4C | RUGBY IS BACK! 🚨
Pwy sy’n barod i weld bach o rygbi? 😏
Who’s ready for some rugby? 😏
📝 https://t.co/Z4tQxtTKsF#SuperRugbyAotearoa
— S4C Chwaraeon 🏴 (@S4Cchwaraeon) June 8, 2020
Gareth Rhys Owen, Clwb Rygbi presenter, said: “It’s a huge privilege to be able to show highlights from one of the best rugby union competitions in the world. Super Rugby represents an exciting brand of rugby, full of tempo and fantastic skills, which will appeal not only to rugby fans but to anyone who enjoys sport.
“The likes of Beauden Barrett, Rieko Ioane and now Dan Carter are playing there, Warren Gatland is coaching the Chiefs and Mark Jones is in the Crusaders coaching team, so there are plenty of familiar faces to viewers in Wales. But we will also see the next generation of rugby stars, because the talent in New Zealand is phenomenal.
Sue Butler, S4C Sports Commissioner, said: “While we wait for rugby to resume at home, we’re delighted to be showing the only rugby union being played on the planet at the moment. We hope that rugby fans will enjoy watching the New Zealand’s world class teams in action in this new and exciting competition.”
Clwb Rygbi: Super Rugby Aotearoa
Sunday 14 June, 10.00pm
On demand: S4C Clic, iPlayer and other platforms