With one month to go until kick-off, Spark Sport encourages Kiwis to get ‘rugby ready’ now

One month from now, New Zealand rugby fans will be getting ready to tune into the first match of Rugby World Cup 2019™. Coming to New Zealand live and on demand, direct from Tokyo Stadium Japan, the Pool A clash between Japan vs Russia will also debut Spark Sport’s Rugby World Cup coverage.  

Although Spark Sport expects a large number of people will buy their Tournament Pass close to the start of the tournament, it is urging people not to wait to purchase their pass or activate a pass that they have already purchased.  

Jeff Latch, Head of Spark Sport, is encouraging everyone to try watching some sport on Spark Sport well in advance, whether through the app or via sparksport.co.nz.   

“Whether you are familiar with using the likes of Netflix or Lightbox – or whether you’ve never streamed before – the best way to ensure you get a good experience on the night is to watch some sport on the platform in advance.”  

Latch says he hopes to see crowds of people activating their Tournament Passes and trying out the app well before kick-off.  

“Plenty of people have bought their pass, which is great, but they should also make sure they’ve logged in and watched the already impressive lineup of content available to them to ensure their in home set up is working well.  

 “This week we’ve just added a new RWC – The Unforgettables section. This has a range of the best content from past Rugby World Cups. Including Top 5 All Blacks tries, Top 5 Controversial RWC calls, Top 5 Upsets, Top 5 Drop Goals and more that’s sure to please rugby fans.  

“Watching the historic footage also gives viewers the chance to test their internet connection and tech set up. We’ve had a lot of queries around in-home tech set up through our channels – and we are on hand to answer these questions as we grow our customer service teams to meet the expected demand. However, we encourage customers not to leave it to the last minute as they may find it trickier to get support – we expect high demand on our customer service teams around the first few matches.”  

Here’s a quick checklist to make sure you’re Spark Sport rugby ready: 

1. Check that your current internet connection is streaming ready by streaming some content at peak hours – if you have issues, talk to your internet service provider.
2. Make sure you have the compatible tech to stream Spark Sport on to your TV or devices – to check head to help.sparksport.co.nz.
3. Go to sparksport.co.nz and get your early bird RWC Tournament Pass before 11 September, as the price increases after that date.
4. Log in to the platform and watch some content.