Live Streaming Coverage Begins Tomorrow with Team USA vs. Italy on NBC Sports Gold; NBCSN Coverage Begins Saturday
NBC Sports Gold’s “Rugby Pass” to Stream All Team USA Pool Play Matches, Two Playoff Round Matches and Final Live
Phaidra Knight to Serve as Studio Analyst for NBC Sports Group’s Coverage of 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup
STAMFORD, Conn. – August 8, 2017 – NBC Sports begins its coverage of the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup from Ireland this week on NBCSN and NBC Sports Gold – NBC Sports Digital’s direct-to-consumer live streaming product.
NBC Sports Gold’s “Rugby Pass” will stream all Team USA Women’s Eagles pool play matches live, as well as two playoff round matches, the final of the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup, and full event replays. “Rugby Pass” is available for $59.99, and offers fans more access to the sport they love, including comprehensive coverage of the upcoming the 2017-18 Premiership Rugby season and the 2018 Rugby World Cup Sevens. Click here for more information on NBC Sports Gold.
Coverage on NBC Sports Gold begins tomorrow at 11:20 a.m. ET when the Team USA Women’s Eagles begin pool play against Italy, followed by the Americans’ match vs. Spain on Sunday, August 13, at 9:35 a.m. ET, and their match vs. England on Thursday, August 17, at 9:20 a.m. ET. NBC Sports Gold will also present streaming coverage of two playoff round matches and the final on Saturday, August 26.
NBCSN’s coverage begins on Saturday, August 12, at 11:30 p.m. ET with Team USA vs. Italy, followed by Team USA vs. Spain on Monday, August 14, at noon ET, and Team USA vs. England on Sunday, August 20, at 11 p.m. ET. NBCSN will also televise a semifinal on Wednesday, August 23, at 1 a.m. ET, and the final on Sunday, August 27, at 11 p.m. ET. NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app – NBC Sports Group’s live streaming product for desktops, mobile devices, tablets, and connected TVs – will provide streaming coverage alongside NBCSN’s telecasts.
The U.S. is coming off a sixth place finish at the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup, which featured victories against Kazakhstan and Australia. The Americans will be led by Kimber Rozier, Sylvia Braaten, Katy Augustyn, and Stacey Bridges. Rozier and Braaten accounted for a majority of the team’s points in the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup, while Bridges boasts the most National Team appearances on the club (28), followed by Augustyn (26).
Three-time Women’s Rugby World Cup participant and USA Rugby Player of the Decade Phaidra Knight will serve as a studio analyst for NBC Sports’ coverage of the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup. Knight was an 18-year member of the USA Rugby Women’s Eagles with 35 international caps, and participated in three Women’s Rugby World Cups (2002, 2006, and 2010). She won All-World Team honors in two World Cups, and was named USA Rugby Player of the Decade in 2010.
Leigh Diffey, Danny Pommels, Carolyn Manno, and Amy Fadool, will host studio coverage alongside Knight throughout NBC Sports’ coverage.
Following is NBC Sports’ coverage schedule of the 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup, all times ET.
| Date | Coverage | Time | Network |
| Wed., August 9 | 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup – Team USA vs. Italy | 11:20 a.m. | NBC Sports Gold |
| Sat., August 12 | 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup – Team USA vs. Italy* | 11:30 p.m. | NBCSN |
| Sun., August 13 | 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup – Team USA vs. Spain | 9:35 a.m. | NBC Sports Gold |
| Mon., August 14 | 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup – Team USA vs. Spain* | 12 p.m. | NBCSN |
| Thur., August 17 | 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup – Team USA vs. England | 9:20 a.m. | NBC Sports Gold |
| Sun., August 20 | 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup – Team USA vs. England* | 11 p.m. | NBCSN |
| Wed., August 23 | 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup – Semifinal* | 1 a.m. | NBCSN |
| Sat., August 26 | 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup – Playoff Rounds | TBD | NBC Sports Gold |
| 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup – Final | TBD | NBC Sports Gold | |
| Sun., August 27 | 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup – Final | 11 p.m. | NBCSN |
NBC SPORTS GOLD*denotes delayed coverage
NBC Sports Gold is available on Apple iOS, Android, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast and online at NBCSportsGold.com. NBC Sports Gold is powered by Playmaker Media, NBC Sports Digital’s technology service which provides end-to-end support for companies in need of best-in-class live streaming and VOD solutions. Last year, NBC Sports Gold launched “Rugby Pass,” which offered fans in the U.S. unprecedented commercial-free coverage of Premiership Rugby, live and on-demand, on mobile, tablet and connected TV devices. Click here for more information.
--NBC SPORTS GROUP--