S4C will broadcast a live rugby double-header from Twickenham this summer, with Wales taking on the Barbarians in both men’s and women’s fixtures.
The matches will be shown live and exclusively on Friday, June 27, with the men’s game kicking off at 2:00pm and the women’s match following at 5:00pm.
Both fixtures will be available across S4C, S4C Clic, BBC iPlayer and S4C Chwaraeon’s YouTube channel, with Welsh and English-language commentary.
Sarra Elgan will present the coverage, with Lauren Salter reporting pitchside.
Gareth Charles will commentate on the men’s match, with analysis from Ken Owens and Elinor Snowsill. Siwan Lillicrap will also join the team for the women’s fixture, with further members of the broadcast line-up to be announced.
Tomos Grace, WRU Chief Commercial Officer said: “We’re delighted that S4C will bring coverage of Barbarians v Wales at Twickenham to supporters across the country and beyond.
“This fixture is always a celebration of rugby’s spirit and tradition, and it’s fantastic that fans will be able to enjoy it free-to-air, with comprehensive Welsh-language coverage at its heart alongside English provision, which is hugely important for the game in Wales.
“We look forward to what promises to be a memorable summer occasion for Welsh rugby.”
Sue Butler, Head of Sports at S4C, said the broadcaster was pleased to have secured exclusive rights to the event.
She said: “We are delighted to have secured the exclusive broadcast rights to this double-header, bringing Wales together with the Barbarians for a special day of summer rugby.
“These fixtures promise a great Wales day out, and we’re pleased that S4C’s coverage will be available across all platforms.
“This agreement underlines S4C’s commitment to delivering premium live sport exclusively to audiences across Wales and the UK, in both Welsh and English, and to showcasing the very best of international rugby on a global stage.”
John Spencer, President of Barbarian F.C., said: “Barbarian F.C. and Wales have an intertwined history, with supporters of both teams enjoying the spirit and values of the game.
“This summer’s double-header against Wales is a hugely exciting fixture and the announcement that the matches will be on S4C, on free-to-air TV, broadcast by a national broadcaster, with huge rugby experience, is really important.
“We want to showcase the very best of rugby and having the fixtures on S4C will allow us to reach a large audience for what will be a great day of rugby.”
Fans will also be able to attend the double-header at Twickenham, with tickets available through Ticketmaster and England Rugby.
The coverage will be produced by Whisper Cymru.
