How to Watch United Rugby Championship in Ireland (Free and Live)

The 2023-24 United Rugby Championship, marking its 23rd season, is a professional rugby union competition known as the United Rugby Championship. This thrilling championship kicked off on October 21, 2023, and will conclude on June 22, 2024.

The competition is divided into four regional pools: The Irish Shield, the Welsh Shield, the South African Shield, and the Scottish/Italian ‘Azzurri/Blue’ Shield.

Last season’s URC winner, Munster from the Irish Shield pool, has left Irish fans eagerly anticipating a consecutive win.

You can watch United Rugby Championship in Ireland on RTE Player, TG4, and TVNZ+. These platforms offer live streaming, highlights, full replays, and more without any subscription fees.

However, TVNZ+ is only accessible in New Zealand due to geo-restrictions. To enjoy live free matches on TVNZ+, using a reliable VPN such as ExpressVPN is advisable. It efficiently bypasses geo-restrictions on streaming sites.

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When and where is the United Rugby Championship in Ireland Happening?

Here’s all you need to know about one of the most exciting ongoing United Rugby Championships:

Total no. of Teams: 16 teams 

Total no. of players in each team: 15 players

Location: Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, Wales

Date: Saturday 21st October 2023 to Saturday 26th June 2024

Where to Watch: RTE Player (Ireland and UK), TG4 (Ireland), and TVNZ+ (New Zealand) 

How to Watch United Rugby Championship in Ireland for Free

You can watch United Rugby Championship in Ireland on TVNZ+ for free. However, you will need a trusted VPN to watch live matches on the TVNZ+ website, as it is only available in New Zealand.

Follow these steps to stream United Rugby Championship in Ireland:

Step 1: Subscribe to a safe VPN service (We recommend ExpressVPN)

Step 2: Download and install the ExpressVPN app on your device

Step 3: Open the app and connect to the New Zealand server

Step 4: Go to the TVNZ+ website and click on “Login” 

Step 5: Enter your email address and password if you already have an account. Else, click on Sign up to create a TVNZ+ account.

Step 6: Enter your email address, password, name, year of birth, gender, and agree to the terms and conditions, then click Sign Me Up

Step 7: Select some shows to set your preferences. Otherwise, click on No thanks. 

Step 8: You can also add another TVNZ+ profile for any other family member or kids for free 

Step 9: Verify your email address

Step 10: You will be redirected to the home screen

Step 11: Click on Live TV & TV Guide to watch the United Rugby Championship live matches

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3 Ways to Watch United Rugby Championship in Ireland:

Besides the TVNZ+, several official websites offer the United Rugby Championship. Due to international licensing laws, some services are geo-blocked in Ireland, so you must use a premium VPN.

Below are our recommended official ways to watch United Rugby Championship in Ireland:

1. TVNZ+

TVNZ+ is one of the top streaming services in New Zealand. The service is an official free way to watch United Rugby Championship in Ireland. It airs live matches, highlights, and replays of the URC.  

Unfortunately, the service is geo-restricted and only available in New Zealand. If you want to access it in Ireland, you must connect to our recommended ExpressVPN and connect to the New Zealand server. 

You must create a free account on the website to watch the live matches. The official app of TVNZ+ is available for Apple TVs, Android Phones, iPhones, PlayStation, Xbox, Android TVs, Google Chromecast, etc.

2. TG4

TG4 is one of Ireland’s top live and on-demand video streaming services. It offers a wide range of live TV channels with free content, such as sports, cartoons, music, programs, movies, documentaries, lifestyle, and current events. 

United Rugby Championship airs officially on TG4. You can watch all live rugby matches in Ireland on this free platform. 

3. RTE Player

The third free official United Rugby Championship 2023-24 broadcaster is RTE Player. RTE 2 will broadcast the United Rugby Championship live on the service.

It provides free access to live and recorded RTÉ TV programs, RTE originals, and content from other international broadcasters. RTE Player Ireland and RTE Player International are the two versions of the platform.

However, if you are travelling and want to watch the United Rugby Championship on RTE Player, you must use a VPN, such as ExpressVPN. Because RTE International does not broadcast the tournament.

How to Watch United Rugby Championship in Ireland on Android Phones/TVs

You can live stream the United Rugby Championship on the RTE Player app. The app is available on the Google Play Store in Ireland. This platform doesn’t require any registration.

Follow these steps to watch the United Rugby Championship 2023 in Ireland on Android Phones/TVs:

Step 1: Go to the Google Play store and install RTE Player App

Step 2: Open the app and click on Live

Step 3: Select the channel, i.e., RTE 2

Step 4: Enjoy watching the United Rugby Championship when it is live

Schedule of United Rugby Championship 2023-24

The following is the schedule for the United Rugby Championship Round 8:

Official Broadcaster of United Rugby Championship 2023-24

Following are the official broadcasters United Rugby Championship 2023-24:

Other Sports to Watch in Ireland

If you enjoy watching sports, we recommend some sports:

• Watch Mosconi Cup in Ireland 
• Watch France League 1 in Ireland
• Watch NHL Live in Ireland
• Watch BBL in Ireland
• Watch Bundesliga in Ireland
• Watch FA Cup in Ireland

FAQs – United Rugby Championship  

How many rounds are in the United Rugby Championship?

There are 18 rounds in the United Rugby Championship.

Where else can I watch the United Rugby Championship final?

URC TV is also the official on-demand paid service for the United Rugby Championship, where fans can watch games live on a phone, desktop, or tablet and includes Every URC game live up to and including the final.

Can I watch United Rugby live online for free?

Absolutely, several free platforms offer live United Rugby tournaments, including BBC Wales, RTE Player, TG4, TVNZ+, etc.

Conclusion

The 23rd United Rugby Championship (URC) is ready for its 8th round on 22nd December in Scotstoun Stadium. The winner of the 22nd URC was from the Irish pool. Let’s see which pool’s team will win the trophy. 

You can watch United Rugby Championship in Ireland on free live-streaming services like RTE Player, TG4, and TVNZ+.

However, TVNZ+ is unavailable in Ireland due to geo-restrictions. Therefore, you must use a trusted VPN, like ExpressVPN.