S4C has been awarded the rights to broadcast exclusive free-to-air TV highlights of the Lions’ five-week tour of South Africa, which starts in May.
S4C’s coverage will include highlights of all three test matches on the British and Irish Lions’ Tour, which take place on 20 June (Durban), 27 June (Pretoria) and 4 July (Johannesburg). Highlights of the seven other tour matches will also be shown.
S4C’s Content Editor, Sport, Geraint Rowlands, said: “With such a prominent Welsh contingent among the playing, coaching and management staff of the Lions, this once again demonstrates our commitment to providing quality coverage of sporting events that have both a Welsh and global interest.
“With S4C also broadcasting live coverage of Wales’ test match against the US Eagles as well as highlights of Canada v Wales, it will be a great summer of rugby on the Channel.”
Former Welsh captain and regular S4C pundit, Gwyn Jones, added: “We haven’t had such a large Welsh contingent since the heyday of the 1970s, so the level of interest in the tour among Welsh supporters will be phenomenal. We cannot underestimate the task ahead for the Lions. The series will be full of tension and drama and hopefully the very highest level of international rugby.”
S4C will shortly be inviting companies to tender for the production of the highlights programmes of the South Africa Tour.
