View source for The Rugby Channel

{{Short description|New Zealand TV channel}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=November 2024}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox television channel
| name              = The Rugby Channel
| logo              = The Rugby Channel logo.svg
| logo_size         = 150px
| logo_alt          =
| image             = 
| launch_date       = 2002
| closed_date       = 31 July 2019
| picture_format    = [[16:9]] ([[SDTV]])
| network           = 
| owner             = [[Sky Network Television]]
| country           = New Zealand
| area              = 
| headquarters      = 
| former_names      = 
| replaced          = 
| sister_channels   = 
| timeshift_service = 
| website           = [http://www.skysport.co.nz/Default.aspx?tabid=68 www.skysport.co.nz]
| terr_serv_1       = 
| terr_chan_1       = 
| sat_radio_serv_1  = 
| sat_radio_chan_1  = 
| adsl serv 1       = 
| adsl chan 1       = 
| online_serv_1     = 
| online_chan_1     =  
}}

'''The Rugby Channel''' was New Zealand's only channel dedicated to the national sport of [[rugby union]]. When live matches were not on, the channel screened classic games and documentaries relating to the sport. It was the only channel committed to showing all major matches in the [[widescreen]] 16:9 ratio popular with newer television sets, but from August 2008 Sky Sport changed to widescreen as well after [[SKY Network Television|My Sky HDi]] was launched.  However, Rugby Channel viewers could exclusively watch the press conferences following major rugby matches, and could watch most major European rugby games as well. It also screened live and exclusive [[National First XV Championship (New Zealand)|college 1st XV]] matches then replayed on Sky Sport later in the week.

==Closure==
The Rugby Channel closed on 31 July 2019. From 1 August 2019, all of The Rugby Channel's programming was moved to [[Sky Sport (New Zealand)|Sky Sport 1]], making Sky Sport 1 a 24/7 rugby channel. The final program aired on The Rugby Channel was a documentary, Greats of Super Rugby: Christian Cullen.

==External links==
*{{official website|http://www.skysport.co.nz/}}
*{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20041020235632/http://www.lyngsat-address.com/or/Rugby-Channel.html The Rugby Channel at LyngSat Address]}}
*[http://rugbystream.net/ The RugbyStream Channel at UK]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Channels on Sky Network Television}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rugby Channel}}
[[Category:Defunct television channels in New Zealand]]
[[Category:Sports television networks in New Zealand]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 2002]]
[[Category:English-language television stations in New Zealand]]
[[Category:2002 establishments in New Zealand]]


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