Super 15 rugby only on Sky

Fans and followers of Super 15 and Tri Nations rugby will not be able to view games on local free TV this year.

Only Sky Pacific will be broadcasting international rugby in the Cook Islands.

There’s also talk that the Rugby World Cup tournament in New Zealand later in the year may also only be shown on Sky Pacific.

Fiji Televisions manager for Sky Tamarisi Digitaki says that matches from SANZAR (South Africa, New Zealand and Australia Rugby), the body which operates the Super 15 (formerly Super 14) and Tri Nations, are not being licensed to terrestrial broadcasters in the Pacific islands.

“Fiji TV has made a business decision to keep this on its satellite service, SKY Pacific,” says Digitaki.

He says that Fiji TV’s bid for SANZAR rights was won in a competitive bidding process and Sky Pacific will be the only network to carry it through to 2015.

“With the Rugby World Cup, Fiji TV is still going through the sub-licensing process and no decision has been made yet for Cook Islands.”

Cook Islands Television chief executive Jeane Matenga has lodged a complaint with SANZAR over Fiji Televisions decision to ‘lock out’ small Pacific nations like the Cook Islands to buy rights to air Super 15 matches.

“This is predatory and we have no way of buying the rights and whether we can afford it or not is a different matter,” says Matenga.

“We’ve voiced our concern with SANZAR but that’s all we can do.”

Matenga says that what most upsets her is that the local television has been denied the opportunity to buy the rights in the first place.

“People like Sky know that we are not a threat – they are a threat to us.”

So for hardcore rugby fans – Sky Pacific will be the only place to catch the Super 15 action.

The first week of the competition starts on Thursday February 17 with the Hurricanes taking on the Highlanders at (local time) 8.30pm followed by the Rebels and Waratahs match at 10.40pm.