Club rugby in new deal with ITV

Rugby Union is set to return to terrestrial television on a weekly basis for the first time in more than a decade after the announcement of a new deal between ITV and the Guinness Premiership.

An hour-long highlights package will be aired every Sunday at 6.30pm on ITV4 and repeated on ITV1 on Tuesday nights.

The deal will run concurrently with the existing deal between Sky and the Premiership to air live matches.

The ITV programme is to be hosted by Craig Doyle and will cover all 22 rounds of the new season, as well as the Premiership semi-finals and final.

Mark Sharman, ITV director of news and sport, said: "It's fantastic to have secured this deal. Top-flight rugby is an exciting made-for-television sport and we're delighted to give it a regular one-hour show on Sunday evenings, as well as a repeat."

The season is due to kick off on 6 September, when London Wasps take on London Irish before Saracens play Harlequins in a Twickenham double header.