Independent Television's (ITV) claim that they will show every game live in the forthcoming Rugby World Cup was something of a white lie as far as Ireland is concerned for 17 of the 41 matches will be shown on the stations's pay channel, ITV digital. To further compound matters, in an Irish context, only the Australia game will be broadcast live on terrestrial television by ITV (effectively UTV in this country).

So, therefore Irish viewers should be glued to RTE's comprehensive package that includes the live telecast of 18 matches including Ireland's three Pool E matches. The national broadcaster will also provide a regular highlights programme fronted by Ryle Nugent. The anchor chair for the live programmes has been handed to Tom McGurk and his panel will include studio regulars George Hook and Brent Pope.

New Ireland Under-21 coach Ciaran Fitzgerald will also be on hand to lend his expert views. The commentary team also boasts a familiar look with Fred Cogley, Jim Sherwin and George Hamilton taking the microphone. They, in turn will be assisted by Tony Ward, John Robbie and Ralph Keyes, the latter the highest points scorer in the 1991 World Cup.

Jonathan Davis and former England full-back Jonathan Callard are also expected to make periodic appearances.

RTE will screen a rugby World Cup preview programme on Thursday night (11.15p.m.). On Sunday and Tuesday nights viewers were treated to Haka, and a look back with some of the principal players of Ireland's epic 1918 defeat by Australia at Lansdowne Road in the 1991 World Cup quarter-final, notably Gordon Hamilton and Michael Lynagh.

Veteran broadcaster Jim Rosenthal will anchor much of the ITV studio discussion alongside Nicky Campbell, the latter a former game show host whose principal claim to fame was hosting the television show The Price is Right. Among the guest analysts will be former England scrum-half Steve Smith, former England coach Geoff Cooke, Francois Pienaar, the man who led South Africa to glory in 1995 and Scotland and Lions fullback Gavin Hastings.

Of the above line-up only Pienaar and Cooke are likely to offer any substantial insight: Smith and Hastings are too blokey, too found of trotting out the nicknames in the case of the former and too bland in the case of the latter to offer much stimulation to the viewers.

So, for those who can't get a ticket and that probably includes the majority of the country in the case of the Australian game, RTE seem to enjoy a captive audience.

See Wall chart on page 12 for detailed listings of television coverage,