Tour `free' on Irish TV

Communications giant NTL was yesterday unveiled as the £1 million sterling sponsors of next year's Lions tour to Australia. A big bonus of the sponsorship for those interested in following the tour in Ireland is the confirmation that the 10 matches will be screened free of charge in areas where the company is the cable operator.

NTL will dedicate a channel early in the new year - it coincides with their launch of digital options - on which the matches can be viewed and these will be available to their regular subscribers.

Sky television will also have broadcasting rights, but not the exclusive rights that they enjoyed in 1997 when the Lions travelled to South Africa, winning a memorable series 2-1. The matches will be available on Sky Sports and Sky Digital but the deal is not an exclusive one.

NTL customers will also be able to view eight one-hour programmes of unique behind-the-scenes access to the players (it will be available on video later that year). It will incorporate access to the dressing-room, treatment room, team meetings and the team bus. The series will be produced by Premium TV, a wholly-owned subsidiary of NTL.

As part of the lucrative deal, the company will have their logo on the Lions' jerseys, training kit and replica merchandise. The Lions join a host of other household sporting names, including Newcastle, Celtic and Aston Villa football clubs who have tie-ups with the company.

The announcement of the sponsorship deal was made at a news conference in central London attended by Lions coach Graham Henry, his assistant Andy Robinson and tour manager Donal Lenihan and a number of players, including Ireland captain Keith Wood.

Lenihan also announced back-up staff to the coaching team. England's Phil Larder, the former England Rugby League coach, will be in charge of defence, with Newcastle Falcons' Steve Black taking fitness duties.

Black previously worked with Henry in Wales, while former Wales flanker Alun Carter will make the trip as technical assistant.

Tour doctor James Robson and physiotherapist Mark Davies have been re-appointed after working with the Lions during the successful 1997 tour of South Africa.

Included in the management team are two further Irish representatives in baggage manager Pat O'Keeffe and Joan Moore, who will act as administrative assistant to Lenihan. O'Keeffe is the 43year-old former team manager with Cork Constitution, having joined the club in 1992.

"It is absolutely fabulous and the opportunity of a lifetime," O'Keeffe admitted, before paying tribute to his employers Lombard and Ulster bank.

Galway native Moore is the international squads manager in the IRFU. She is a daughter of John Moore, the IRFU president in the 1981-'82 Triple Crown-winning season.

"I'm honoured and I would like to thank the IRFU who have been very supportive," she said yesterday.

The tour will involve a personal sacrifice for Moore. She was due to get married in June of next year but has had to postpone the wedding until October because of the clash of dates.

The Lions leave for Australia on June 2nd, playing 10 matches, including three Tests in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney against the world champions Wallabies. Six of the matches will be against Super 12 and District sides while Henry's men will also take on Australia A.

"The Lions represent the best elements of the game of rugby - determination, integrity, team work, but most of all passion," said Lions committee chairman Dr Syd Millar.

"The support that NTL is giving to the tour will have a huge effect, both on and off the pitch, and helps provide a sound base for what promises to be a classic series between the Lions and Australia next year."

The Lions management will be interested spectators at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff this weekend to watch several potential squad members playing for the Barbarians against South Africa. Potential tourists such as Ireland's Brian O'Driscoll and Malcolm O'Kelly, Neil Jenkins, Lawrence Dallaglio and Iain Balshaw will be in action.

Meanwhile, Wood is expected to be out of action for a fortnight to three weeks after scans on a chest injury sustained against South Africa showed nothing more than severe bruising.