Rugby World Cup 2023: Sky TV reveals which RWC games will be free-to-air, rebrands Prime

Six Rugby World Cup games will be broadcast free-to-air live, with another six screened free on a 90-minute delay. Photo / Joe Allison for Getty Images

Sky TV will rebrand its Prime channel as “Sky Open” from next Wednesday.

The broadcaster has also revealed which All Blacks Rugby World Cup games will feature on the free-to-air channel.

There will be six live matches:

• All Blacks v France, from 7.15am, Saturday September 9
• Quarter-final 2 (Winner Pool B v Runner-Up Pool A), from 7.30am, Sunday October 15
• Quarter-final 4 (Winner Pool A v Runner-Up Pool B) from 7.30am, Monday October 16
• Semifinal 1 (Winner QF1 v Winner QF2), from 7.30am, Saturday October 21
• Bronze Final, from 7.30am, Saturday October 28
• Final, from 7.30am, Sunday October 29

And six delayed matches, broadcast 90 minutes after kickoff:

• All Blacks v Namibia, from 8.30am, Saturday September 16
• All Blacks v Italy, from 9.30am, Saturday Sept 30
• All Blacks v Uruguay, from 9.30am, Friday October 6
• Quarter-final 1 (Winner Pool C v Runner-Up Pool D), from 5.30am, Sunday October 15
• Quarter-final 3 (Winner Pool D v Runner-Up Pool C), from 5.30am, Monday October 16
• Semifinal 2 (Winner QF3 v Winner QF4), from 9.30am, Sunday October 22

Other games will only be accessible via Sky Sport or a weekly, monthly or annual Sky Sport Now pass (recently subject to a 12.5 per cent price increase), with no extra charges.

Sky will also be introducing a one-off Rugby World Cup Pass for those without a Sky subscription or Sky Sport Now pass. Pricing won’t be revealed until later this month.

The Prime rebrand will also see the Eric Young-fronted Prime News change its name to News First.

Sky TV shares closed Wednesday at $2.49.

The stock is down 3.3 per cent for the year.

Skellerup lifts profit

Rubber goods manufacturer Skellerup’s full-year profit is up 7 per cent to $50.9 million as the company sees growth in all of its divisions, particularly its industrial portfolio.

• Net profit $50.9m vs $47.8m
• Revenue $333.5m vs $316.8m
• Net debt $26.8m vs $25.2m
• Cash flow $54.1m vs $43.3m
• Final FY23 dividend 22 cents a share vs 20.5 cents a share

Skellerup chief executive David Mair said he was proud of the result amid challenging global economic conditions.

“It reflects the success of our business strategy, purpose and focus,” he said.

The operating earnings of the company’s industrial divisions arm increased 10 per cent due to increased sales of wastewater, high-performance foam, and roofing applications, he said.

“Our industrial division generates 85 per cent of its revenue from international markets,” Mair said.

“FY23 sales revenue growth of 5 per cent was slower than in recent years.

“Strong revenue growth was realised from sales of vacuum systems for wastewater applications (most notably in the USA), sales of high-performance marine foam products (into the USA, NZ and Australia) and roof-flashing products for solar energy installations (in the UK).

“This growth was partially offset by lower sales for potable water and appliance applications as customers reduced inventories; this reflected both lower demand and an easing of supply chain pressures such as raw material shortages and freight congestion prevalent during the Covid-19 pandemic of the preceding two years.”

- Additional reporting RNZ