Wales captain Hannah Jones slams latest TV snub to women's rugby

Wales captain Hannah Jones has launched a scathing attack on the lack of TV coverage in women’s rugby and has demanded answers as to why her side’s fixture on Saturday against the United States is not being broadcast by any major channel.

The match at Colwyn Bay is a warm-up for WXV, World Rugby’s new global competition which launches next month, but it will not be shown on mainstream TV.

It is the latest women’s international to be snubbed by broadcasters, after Telegraph Sport last week revealed the BBC had turned down the opportunity to show England’s two September friendlies against Canada, despite being offered both games for free.

The news has sparked outrage among the Wales squad and comes just days after their female football counterparts had their Uefa Nations League match against Denmark shown on BBC Wales, the country’s main network.

A fired-up Jones took umbrage at the non-existent TV coverage in her press conference at Parc Eirias on Thursday, choosing to address the issue before the media had the chance to ask her a question.

With her arms crossed and wearing a wry smile, Jones said: “Sorry, before we start, just a message from the squad, a question. Why isn’t our game this weekend televised?”

One journalist in the room confirmed BBC Radio Wales will provide radio commentary of the match, before Jones turned to a laptop to address those who had dialled into the conference remotely and asked the same question.

The 26-year-old was then informed the Wales Rugby Union would be live-streaming the match on YouTube, which would also be available to watch on S4C’s online platform.

Telegraph Sport understands Jones was fully aware that the game was set to be streamed by the WRU before the press conference took place, but wanted to use the opportunity to point out the glaring disparity in TV coverage between men’s and women’s rugby.

“Okay,” said outside centre Jones, whose fiance, the former Italy under-20 prop Dino Dallavalle, plays in the Wales’ premier division for Llandovery RFC. “Just from our side, we’d like it to be televised and for little girls to watch us.

“Tonight, I can go and watch my fiance play on [S4C’s on-demand service] S4 Clic. He plays in the Welsh Indigo Prem, yet he can’t watch me play an international match [on the TV]. That’s just feedback from the squad. It’s very disappointing.”

Jones’ side have become a regular fixture on BBC Wales during the Women’s Six Nations in recent years and enjoyed their best run in the competition this year, finishing third.