THE BBC have axed their radio coverage of England’s Six Nations clash against Italy.
The crunch clash will be shown on ITV1, which means it will not appear on the Beeb at all.
GettyThe BBC will not broadcast England vs Italy on radio[/caption]
That is because the broadcaster will not air the match on 5 Live or 5 Live Sports Extra.
Instead the two channels will broadcast the Premier League clash between Chelsea and Leicester and India vs New Zealand in the Champions Trophy final respectively.
And audio coverage of England’s Six Nations clash will only be found on the BBC Sport website or app.
That means the BBC will break a promise they made in 2021 when they announced the rights for 2022-25.
A statement then read: “As per previous years, every home nation game throughout the competition will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 5 Live or 5 Live Sports Extra.”
BBC sources reportedly explain the reason for their decision is the fact England vs Italy is already free-to-air.
They have also covered the Champions Trophy throughout its entirety, but the decision has still been met with dismay from some
Ex-England head coach Clive Woodward voice his opposition to the move, saying: “It’s a sad day for me. This is a reflection of where rugby is at right now. It’s a bit of a punch in the gut. The Six Nations is normally sacrosanct.
“The big debate at the moment is about the Championship staying on terrestrial television or moving to a subscription service. But I thought radio was a given on the BBC. It’s a big loss.
“I could possibly understand the BBC choosing to broadcast the Champion Trophy final ahead of the rugby if England were in the final. But they’re not. So, it seems odd to me.
“It’s worrying because it’s these sorts of decisions that are the thin end of the wedge. Once things like this start happening, you worry about what’s to come next.
“I’m sure it won’t have been a decision made lightly by the BBC, but I don’t think it’s the right one.”
England have made a big decision for the match with talisman Marcus Smith dropped to the bench – he will be replaced by Elliot Daly.
The BBC have been contacted for comment.
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