With a year to go until the final showdown of the World Cup, due to take place from September 19 to October 31, Universal and NBC announced that nine of the tournament's 48 matches will be broadcast alongside pre-match, half-time and post-match studio analysis.

Universal Sport will broadcast live coverage of seven matches, starting with the Opening Ceremony and England's first match with Fiji on September 19.

It will also provide live coverage of all of the US pool play matches, the second semi-final on October 25 and the bronze medal playoff on October 30.

NBC will broadcast the October 24 semi-final match one week before live coverage of the World Cup Final on Saturday, October 31 at 12 pm Eastern Time.

"The Rugby World Cup is one of the biggest sporting events in the world and we are excited to showcase it to an American audience," said Scott Brown, President of Universal Sports Network.

"Interest in the sport of rugby has never been higher, and with unprecedented coverage across multiple platforms, both longstanding and new fans of the sport will be able to follow every minute of the action from England."

Universal Sports first acquired media rights to the Rugby World Cup in 2010, allowing fans from the US to watch live coverage of the tournament for the first time in 2011 ©Getty Images


In addition to broadcast and cable television coverage, all 48 of the tournament's matches will be made available live on a pay-per-view basis from cable and satellite providers.

Action from all 48 matches will also be available online via live and on demand streaming services at UniversialSport.com.

This service requires a paid subscription with fans able to purchase a full-tournament package or pay to watch individual matches of their choice.

"We're proud to present live coverage of the 2015 Rugby World Cup to a national audience," said Jon Miller, President of programming at NBC Sports and NBC Sports Network.

"The 2015 Rugby World Cup Final on NBC will serve as a great platform for the continued growth one of the world's most popular sports."

Universal Sports acquired multi-platform media rights to the Rugby World Cup in a multi-year deal with the International Rugby Board (IRB) prior to the 2011 edition, giving fans from the US an opportunity to watch the event live for the first time.

Following the announcement, IRB chief executive Brett Gosper said: "Rugby is taking off in the US, and we are excited to be partnering with Universal Sports Network to broadcast our Rugby World Cup 2015 tournament across the country.

"Through Universal Sports' and NBC's superb production values, extensive broadcast and digital platforms and passion for sport, I am sure that more Americans than ever before will interact with and be inspired by rugby.

"With one year to go until the final, we are confident that Rugby World Cup 2015 will be a very special, record-breaking global celebration of Rugby that will reach, engage and inspire new audiences around the world.

"It really will be too big to miss."

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