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Press Releases
New faces join 91Èȱ¬ television line-up for Six Nations
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Recently retired from international rugby, French captain Raphael Ibanez and 2003 Rugby World Cup winner Lawrence Dallaglio, join 91Èȱ¬ television's team of pundits for the 2008 RBS Six Nations.
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Jake White, coach of 2007 Rugby World Cup-winning team South Africa, also joins the studio team.
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2007 Six Nations winning French captain, Raphael Ibanez gained 98 caps for France, including 41 as captain, and won successive Grand Slams in 1997 and 1998.
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Rugby World Cup winner with England in 2003, Lawrence Dallaglio gained 85 England caps in total, with 22 as captain.
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They join the current line-up of studio analysts – Jonathan Davies, Jeremy Guscott, Austin Healey, Andy Nicol and Keith Wood.
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Presenter Gabby Logan joins John Inverdale and Jill Douglas to host TV coverage.
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Since her return to 91Èȱ¬ in 2007, Gabby has presented new 91Èȱ¬ One show, Inside Sport, been part of the Match Of The Day team and will present The Gabby Logan Show on 91Èȱ¬ Radio 5 Live beginning on 24 February. Gabby has previous rugby broadcasting experience gained working on the Rugby World Cup.
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Every game of the tournament will be shown live on 91Èȱ¬ television. The coverage will include all England, Wales and Scotland home games available in High Definition for viewers with HD-enabled televisions.
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Also this year, every match apart from France v Italy is on 91Èȱ¬ One, with the France v England match a rarity in primetime Saturday night television at 8.00pm on 91Èȱ¬ One.
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91Èȱ¬ Sport's interactive forums will be also be available via the red button after at least one match each weekend.
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The two matches from Twickenham will also feature footage captured by a new camera – Spidercam. This will bring a unique perspective as it is mounted on wires attached to each corner of the stadium, and the system will allow the camera to travel at high speeds (10m/sec) to any point above the pitch and at any height.
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This ever-changing top shot will offer the viewer a bird's-eye view of the action which will highlight patterns of play, tactics, as well as the dynamism of the sport. As the camera travels with the play, the viewer will experience the pace of play and get a real sense of gaps opening and angles of play. Viewers will also be afforded a unique view of penalty and conversion kicks as the camera travels towards the posts.
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The 91Èȱ¬ Sport website will carry a live simulcast of each game, and highlights will be available on demand after matches. Live text updates will be on the website and are also available to mobile phones.
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There will be live audio from 91Èȱ¬ Radio 5 Live and statistics will update as matches go on. There will be a unique opportunity to put questions to player pundits from each nation and gain their view from in the camp.
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The site will also carry rugby tips, tactics, and skills in a series of masterclasses. There's a squad selector where you can pick your own team, and an opportunity to play your own Six Nations where you can kick, pass, score tries and take part in line-outs from the comfort of your desk.
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91Èȱ¬ Head of TV Sport Editorial, Philip Bernie said: "We're delighted to sign players of the stature of Raphael Ibanez and Lawrence Dallaglio to the team. Last year, the competition wasn't decided until the final weekend, and I believe this year will be equally as competitive. I wouldn't like to pick a winner at this stage."
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In 2007, 91Èȱ¬ television audiences to the Six Nations were at their highest level for eight years – since the Five Nations became the Six Nations – with an average of 4.3 million watching each match. The highest peak audience was eight million for the Ireland v England match.
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