Auckland Rugby is proud to announce an exciting new partnership with Sportway, marking a significant step forward in the way domestic club rugby is captured, shared, and experienced across the region. The partnership will officially launch at the AR Cup Finals this Saturday, 7 June, showcasing a new era of accessibility and innovation for our grassroots game.

In collaboration with Sportway, Auckland Rugby is installing state-of-the-art AI-powered cameras on the Number One field across 16 of our affiliated clubs. Several of these cameras are now live and already capture every aspect of the game, bringing grassroots rugby directly to fans' screens across Auckland and beyond.

For the first time, all the action will be available in one place, live or on demand, providing a dedicated hub for fans to follow every match, every weekend, from anywhere in the world

“This partnership represents a major investment in our game,” says Jarrod Bear, CEO of Auckland Rugby. “We’re not only amplifying the exposure of club rugby but creating new ways for whānau, friends, and fans to stay connected to the action – whether they’re on the sideline or watching from afar.”

Michael Craig, CEO and Partner of Sportway NZ, shared his excitement about the partnership, stating: "We're thrilled to be working with Jarrod and the team at Auckland Rugby  to bring AI-powered broadcasting to the heart of New Zealand rugby. Our mission is to enhance the viewing experience, showcase the incredible talent within Auckland's rugby scene, and deepen fan engagement through smart, scalable technology."

What’s New:

• Live Streaming:   A selection of games on the Number One field at several clubs will now be live streamed via a dedicated Auckland Rugby Site.
• On-Demand Access: Missed a match? Games will be available for replay, allowing players, coaches, and supporters to relive key moments.
• As part of a trial phase, the service will initially be offered free of charge so that people can sign up and get a taste for the platform.
   

This initiative also provides each club’s Premier Men’s and Women’s teams with a dedicated analysis platform, enabling them to access a full suite of AI-generated analysis tools. The benefits don’t stop there—content captured on any Sportway camera is also being used to support the ongoing development of our referees, while providing another valuable resource for our Talent Identification programme.

This initiative underscores Auckland Rugby’s ongoing commitment to innovate and grow the community game, and we are thrilled to roll out this new feature for our clubs.

Next week our Community Spotlight games will showcase the finals of our new knock out series, The Auckland Rugby Cup. The following games will be available to view:

• Community Spotlight
  • Pakuranga Vs University – AR Cup Final
  • Pakuranga vs Ponsonby – Patrick Tuipulotu Cup Final
• The streaming site will go live this weekend, and you can register for access at www.aucklandrugby.tv.

For more information, please contact Bernadette Machell Bernadette.machell@aucklandrugby.co.nz.

Article added: Thursday 05 June 2025