The Pitch: Value of Irish audience set to keep Six Nations rights free-to-air

Suggestions that it's a done deal between the Six Nations and TNT Sports for future television rights are wide of the mark, particularly given that the negotiations process has not formally started.

FREE-TO-AIR: New Minister for Sport Patrick O' Donovan is expected to make a decision this year on whether the Six Nations is designated as an event which must be available on terrestrial television in Ireland. Pic: Brendan Moran, Sportsfile

This weekend, more than one million people will watch Ireland v England in the opening game of the Six Nations live on Virgin Media, with another 200,000 expected to stream the game.

RTÉ’s coverage will pull in similar numbers for its fixtures - part of a shared deal between the two broadcasters - and the kind of figures occasionally matched by All-Ireland football finals.