''Scrum V'' (pronounced ''Scrum Five'') is the brand used by

BBC Cymru Wales BBC Cymru Wales is a division of the BBC and the main public broadcaster in Wales. It is one of the four BBC national regions, alongside the BBC English Regions, BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Scotland. Established in 1964, BBC Cymru Wales is b ...

for its

rugby union Rugby union, commonly known simply as rugby, is a close-contact team sport that originated at Rugby School in the first half of the 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. In it ...

programming. The brand extends to BBC Wales' live coverage, ''Scrum V Live'', highlights and discussion programmes, radio discussion and website.

Television

Prior to the introduction of ''Scrum V'', BBC Wales broadcast a discussion-based rugby union programme called '' Rugby Special Wales'' which had been on the air since 1986. In September 1995, this was replaced by ''Scrum V''. In addition, live rugby matches in Wales that are not shown across the UK are shown under the title ''Scrum V Live''. This primarily consists of games in the

Pro12 The United Rugby Championship (URC) is an annual rugby union competition involving professional teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales. The current name was adopted in 2021 when the league expanded to include four South Af ...

Pro14 The United Rugby Championship (URC) is an annual rugby union competition involving professional teams from Ireland, Italy, Scotland, South Africa, and Wales. The current name was adopted in 2021 when the league expanded to include four South Afr ...

league to which the BBC held rights to. The ''Scrum V'' Red Zone available via the

red button Red button may refer to: *Red Button (digital television), a button on the remote control for certain digital television set top boxes in the United Kingdom and Australia, and used to access interactive television services **BBC Red Button BBC ...

on satellite TV was hosted by Rick O'Shea. However, after the BBC lost the rights to the league, the programme was scaled back – the only games currently shown are in the

Welsh Premiership The Welsh Premier Division, () known for sponsorship reasons as the Indigo Group Premiership, (''Uwch Gynghrair grŵp indigo'') is a rugby union league in Wales first implemented by the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) for the 1990–91 season. Comp ...

alongside

S4C S4C (, ''Sianel Pedwar Cymru'', meaning ''Channel Four Wales'') is a Welsh language free-to-air public broadcast television channel. Launched on 1 November 1982, it was the first television channel to be aimed specifically at a Welsh-speaking ...

. The show was initially presented by Alan Wilkins and Eddie Butler. Graham Thomas joined the presentation team in 1998. In 2006, following disputes between the Welsh Rugby Union and the BBC, both Thomas and Butler left the show. Gareth Lewis took over presentation of both the live match coverage and discussion show. In 2011, Ross Harries took over as presenter when Lewis took up a new role with

BBC Radio Wales BBC Radio Wales is a Welsh radio station owned and operated by BBC Cymru Wales, a division of the BBC. It began broadcasting on 13 November 1978, replacing the 'Radio 4 Wales' opt-out service (previously the Welsh Home Service). Radio Wales b ...

. Alternative commentary for live matches is also broadcast via the Red Button, and is available outside Wales on Freeview even though the ordinary programme is not available on Freeview outside Wales.

Website

The ''Scrum V'' website contains information about the programme, further features centred on Welsh rugby as well as the ability to watch previous editions of the show. The ''Scrum V'' website also houses the BBC Rugby Union messageboards. Like the television programme, the website uses a different visual style to that of the rest of

BBC Sport BBC Sport is the sports division of the BBC, providing national sports coverage for BBC television, radio and online. The BBC holds the television and radio UK broadcasting rights to several sports, broadcasting the sport live or alongside f ...

, although quotes from the ''Scrum V'' messageboard are incorporated into the main BBC Sport website. The original website was produced and run by Welsh historian and author Sean Davies and later continued by Welsh writer Dave Lewis.

Radio

For the 2006/07 season it was announced that a Thursday night discussion programme would be broadcast on

under the ''Scrum V'' branding.Aberdare Online:New four-year broadcast deal for Welsh rugby
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Footnotes

External links

*{{BBC programme, b006mwb6
Breakaway Forum
BBC Cymru Wales television shows Sports television in Wales BBC Sport Rugby union on television 1995 British television series debuts 1990s Welsh television series 1990s British sports television series 2000s Welsh television series 2000s British sports television series 2010s Welsh television series 2010s British sports television series 2020s Welsh television series 2020s British sports television series English-language television shows