BBC bags Premiership rugby

Every Premiership match will be broadcast on BBC Sport Online

Click here for details of this weekend's live coverage

English rugby union goes world-wide from this season on BBC Sport Online.

Fans round the world can log onto special webcasts of every Zurich Premierships match, thanks to a ground-breaking new deal between the BBC and the 12 premier English clubs.

Under the arrangement, which will run for the next three seasons, English local radio stations will be providing full commentary on each of the 139 Premiership matches every season.

These will then be broadcast on BBC Sport Online, the respective club websites as well as BBC local radio.

Trials last season proved highly successful, with last season's Leicester v Bath and Bristol v Bath games attracting thousands of listeners.

Andy Griffee, Controller BBC English Regions, said: "This is great news for rugby union fans around England and all over the globe, who will be able to follow the Zurich Premiership action live.

"It's yet another coup for BBC Local Radio and Online, adding to our rich portfolio of sports covering all levels, from local to national as well as global."

Leo Mindel, whose company LS Sport works with seven of top clubs' websites, explained the background behind the deal.

"We were convinced there is a world-wide audience out there who want to log on and hear top English club rugby," he said, "and we hope it will grow in the coming years".

For rugby union fans, webcast details can be found weekly on BBC Sport Online's Rugby Union index.