Sky has been around a while with Simon Lazenby being the main man along with a host of ex-rugby playing experts but ESPN is “the new kid on the block” having agreed a deal with the Premier Rugby back in 2009 with Mark Durden-Smith fronting up the ESPN presenting team.

Sky’s best features are it’s in depth tactical analysis from the likes of Dean Ryan, Will Greenwood, Dewi Morris and more. Sky also has a selection of former international stars which include Michael Lynagh, Sean Fitzpatrick, Will Greenwood and many more who all provide their own knowledge and insight into the game of rugby union.

But Sky Sports does lack in some key aspects, they often have to end their programmes just minutes after the end of the match because they have “run out of time.” This means the viewing audience miss out on post-match interviews from players and coaches which is usually a common feature of live sports on television.

Sky Rating: 7/10

ESPN, however, does have more time after matches. The ESPN presenters are often joined by one of the coaches in their studio. Their studio is usually situated on the corner of the pitch or just outside the pitch which means the fans can gather around the presenters which creates an atmosphere with some banter! The ESPN presenters tend to be quite humorous, especially when discussing Austin Healey’s clothing!

Sometimes, though, the ESPN humour gets a little bit over the top and goes on for a bit too long but another thing that makes ESPN better than Sky is that their experts, Austin Healey and Ben Kay, usually join commentator, Nick Mullins, for the game which means they get to provide their analysis and opinion during the game whereas on Sky, experts like Will Greenwood and Dewi Morris are not involved during play whilst Dean Ryan is occasionally asked to provide his opinions outside of the stadium on "the front line."

ESPN Rating: 9/10

So our winner is ESPN! It is £10 a month, but it is certainly worth it with regular rugby broadcasts, ESPN is the channel for rugby. Sky currently shows all of the Heineken Cup and some Amlin Cup matches but ESPN is certainly No.1 for Aviva Premiership coverage.