Sky's Heineken record

Sky Sports and ERC have announced record live coverage of the first four rounds of the Heineken Cup.

Sky Sports and ERC confirm more live games than ever before

Sky Sports and ERC have announced 37 live televised fixtures from the first four rounds of the 2009/10 Heineken Cup - more than ever before. Viewers can watch up to ten live ties from each of the first four rounds, with all 24 competing teams featuring at least twice. At least one match will be screened each Friday, three each Saturday, and two each Sunday, with extra select Heineken Cup matches available live to Sky Digital viewers through the interactive function by pressing the red button. Many games will also be shown exclusively live throughout the UK and Ireland in High Definition, with Sky+ HD viewers offered a cinema-like experience with sharper, clearer, more vibrant pictures. The live Heineken Cup fixtures for the first four rounds include: LEINSTER RUGBY vs LONDON IRISH - Friday 9 October: This season's coverage kicks off with Leinster opening the defence of their title against last year's Guinness Premiership finalists London Irish. LEICESTER TIGERS vs OSPREYS - Sunday 11 October: The Guinness Premiership holders, and last year's defeated Heineken Cup finalists, take on the Ospreys in a rematch of the 2007/08 EDF Cup Final - a match which the Welsh side won. USA PERPIGNAN vs NORTHAMPTON SAINTS - Friday 16 October: Exclusively live coverage as Perpignan, winner of France's Top 14 take on last year's European Challenge Cup winners, Northampton Saints.

Great television

Announcing the fixtures, Martin Turner, executive producer for rugby union at Sky Sports, said: "The Heineken Cup is Europe's premier club rugby tournament, and it's fantastic to be able to provide viewers with even more games to choose from, with every team being shown at least twice. Our extensive live match schedule and highlights, previews and analysis means that we're giving this tournament the coverage it deserves." Derek McGrath, ERC Chief Executive said: "With the quality of the teams competing packed with internationals players from across the globe, European rugby fans have a wealth of world-class rugby to look forward to when the 15th Heineken Cup kicks-off in October. Sky Sports' innovative and comprehensive coverage of the Heineken Cup continues to drive the appeal of the tournament and fans will once more be spoilt for choice for live Heineken Cup action each European weekend." Highlights, analysis and a comprehensive round-up of the weekend's matches will be shown on European Rugby Special, a weekly programme broadcast every Sunday of the tournament. The Heineken Cup is part of a non-stop season of live rugby union on Sky Sports, from international, European and domestic levels. Alongside the Heineken Cup, Sky Sports will broadcast exclusively live coverage of England's Autumn internationals, the Guinness Premiership, Anglo-Welsh Cup, Tri Nations, Super 14s, Currie Cup, Air New Zealand Cup, and the Varsity match. Live broadcasts are supported by The Rugby Club, now in its 13th year. The weekly magazine show features in-depth analysis and reaction throughout the season, with presenter Simon Lazenby joined in the studio by Dewi Morris, Stuart Barnes, Will Greenwood and Ieuan Evans. Viewers can also keep up-to-date through Sky Player (live match coverage is simulcast on the internet, with edited match highlights also available) and by Sky Mobile TV (with live streaming of every Sky Sports channel available to select 3G subscribers). There is 24/7 coverage on skysports.com, plus the breaking news, views and scores round the clock on Sky Sports News.

Sky Sports' live Heineken Cup fixtures

Stage	Date	Game	Kick-off
OCTOBER
Round 1	Friday 09	Leinster v London Irish	8pm
Round 1	Friday 09	Gloucester Rugby v Newport Gwent Dragons*	1.35pm
Round 1	Saturday 10	Cardiff Blues v Harlequins*	1.35pm
Round 1	Saturday 110	Stade Français Paris v Edinburgh Rugby *	1.35pm
Round 1	Saturday 10	Glasgow Rugby v Biarritz Olympique	3.45pm
Round 1	Saturday 10	Northampton Saints v Munster	6pm
Round 1	Sunday 11	Leicester Tigers v Ospreys	12.45pm
Round 1	Sunday 11	Toulouse v Sale Sharks	4.00pm
Round 2	Friday 16	Sale Sharks v Cardiff Blues	8.00pm
Round 2	Friday 16	USA Perpignan v Northampton Saints*	9.00pm
Round 2	Saturday 17	Munster v Benetton Treviso	1.35pm
Round 2	Saturday 17	Biarritz Olympique v Gloucester Rugby*	2.45pm
Round 2	Saturday 17	Viadana v Leicester Tigers*	2.30pm
Round 2	Saturday 17	Edinburgh Rugby v Ulster*	5.30pm
Round 2	Saturday 17	CA Brive Correze v Leinster Rugby	4.45pm
Round 2	Saturday 17	Harlequins v Toulouse	6.00pm
Round 2	Sunday 18	Ospreys v AS Clermont Auvergne	12.45pm
Round 2	Sunday 18	Bath Rugby v Stade Français Paris	3.00pm
DECEMBER
Round 3	Friday 11	Munster v USA Perpignan	8.00pm
Round 3	Saturday 12	Ulster v Stade Français Paris	1.35pm
Round 3	Saturday 12	Viadana v Ospreys*	2.35pm
Round 3	Saturday 12	Cardiff Blues v Toulouse	3.35pm
Round 3	Saturday 12	Llanelli Scarlets v Leinster Rugby	6.00pm
Round 3	Saturday 12	CA Brive Correze v London Irish	7.00pm
Round 3	Sunday 13	Harlequins v Sale Sharks	12.35pm
Round 3	Sunday 13	Biarritz Olympique v Newport Gwent Dragons*	1.35pm
Round 3	Sunday 13	AS Clermont Auvergne v Leicester Tigers	4.00pm
Round 3	Sunday 13	Bath Rugby v Edinburgh Rugby*	3.00pm
Round 4	Friday 18	Newport Gwent Dragons v Biarritz Olympique	8.00pm
Round 4	Saturday 19	Edinburgh Rugby v Bath Rugby	1.35pm
Round 4	Saturday 19	Benetton Treviso v Northampton Saints*	2.30pm
Round 4	Saturday 19	Toulouse v Cardiff Blues*	2.35pm
Round 4	Saturday 19	Leinster Rugby v Llanelli Scarlets	3.35pm
Round 4	Saturday 19	Stade Français Paris v Ulster*	4.45pm
Round 4	Saturday 19	Leicester Tigers v AS Clermont Auvergne	6.00pm
Round 4	Sunday 20	Gloucester Rugby v Glasgow Rugby	12.45pm
Round 4	Sunday 20	USA Perpignan v Munster	4.00pm
* denotes interactive match choice via the red button