“Total Rugby” will run from February to the end of November, and the first programme will coincide with the opening round of matches in the RBS Six Nations Championship on February 4/5.
In addition to coverage of the IRB's own tournaments and events - Rugby World Cup, Under 19 and Under 21 World Championships and IRB/RWC Sevens - the programme will contain action, news, features and profiles from around the world.
Produced by TWI and sponsored by the international catering and support services organisation, Sodexho, Total Rugby will be distributed worldwide.
Chris Rea, the IRB's head of communications whose broadcasting career has spanned more than 25 years, said: “Rugby on television is vital not only for the promotion of the game, but also for its development.
“With the IRB's contacts and Sodexho's generous sponsorship, we will be seeking to make a significant impact in those territories where rugby is played and watched and, even more important, in new markets and in countries where there is presently little or no coverage of the game.”
