{"id":204992,"date":"2025-06-22T11:30:10","date_gmt":"2025-06-22T11:30:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/204992\/"},"modified":"2025-06-22T11:30:10","modified_gmt":"2025-06-22T11:30:10","slug":"world-rugby-owned-streaming-platform-described-as-a-cowboy-outfit-planet-rugby","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/204992\/","title":{"rendered":"World Rugby-owned streaming platform described as a ‘cowboy outfit’ : Planet Rugby"},"content":{"rendered":"

The World Rugby-owned RugbyPass TV platform has been written off as a \u201cshambles\u201d by disgruntled fans who couldn\u2019t log on to watch live coverage of Saturday\u2019s England XV v France XV international from Allianz Twickenham.<\/strong><\/p>\n

RugbyPass TV stepped in last year when none of the established TV channels bought the UK rights to England\u2019s tour match away to Japan. The quality of the service they provide has been regularly criticised, but its reputation was shredded by this weekend\u2019s latest damaging gaffe. <\/p>\n

Having heavily promoted the match in the build-up, RugbyPass TV couldn\u2019t cope with the number of viewers looking to watch Steve Borthwick\u2019s team in action. <\/p>\n

Saturday\u2019s match \u2013 which France won 26-24 with two late tries<\/a> \u2013 was nearly over by the time a grovelling apology was posted to the RugbyPass X social media site, but such was the level of vitriol this message received the post was soon deleted. <\/p>\n

An earlier \u2013 and still visible \u2013 RugbyPass post advertising that the match was scheduled to the streamed via their app also received an online hammering from people fed up with the much-criticised streaming platform. Here is example of the negative commentary that was posted:<\/p>\n

\n

Except I can\u2019t watch it because your platform has collapsed.<\/p>\n

\u2014 David Parsley (@DavidParsley50) June 21, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

@howes_the: \u201cSort this out, RugbyPass. You can\u2019t consider yourself a serious rugby media outlet if no one can log on to watch the games you\u2019ve secured the rights to. Absolute amateur hour.\u201d<\/p>\n

Alan Moratelli: \u201cWhat a joke your sign-up and application is\u2026 None of the tech works. The most inadequate signup process I\u2019ve experienced, and nothing works on a TV, iPhone, your app or even the PC. Doing rugby proud!\u201d<\/p>\n

@mentasmuk: \u201cPathetic service. RFU keeps bleating on about growing the game, then gives the rights to a cowboy outfit like this. Can\u2019t even handle the requests.\u201d<\/p>\n

Richard Barber: \u201cAbsolute joke, RugbyPass. Inconvenience of it only being streamable from laptops\/mobile devices is enough but not being to watch the England game at all is pathetic. No wonder we can\u2019t grow the game.\u201d<\/p>\n

@Chads201: \u201cAny chance you could increase your app throttle to let me log in and watch the rugby?? This is so poor!! RFU, great, great choice in platforms\u2026 NOT!!!\u201d<\/p>\n

Steve Nixon: \u201cIt\u2019s rubbish! I just get an error saying too many requests try later. Guess I will be watching cricket instead then.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael J Chapman: \u201cComplete embarrassment by RugbyPass\/England Rugby. Can\u2019t log in to watch the game. Pathetic.\u201d<\/p>\n

Matt Selwyn: \u201cAbsolute bollox of a company. England Rugby choosing chaff for their sponsors, not their fans.\u201d<\/p>\n

@Robyreu754: \u201cCan I suggest you hire a platform engineer? A little bit late now\u2026 but as I see, you\u2019ve got exclusive rights to the game and your platform can\u2019t deal with the load.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

England XV player ratings v France XV: \u2018Nightmare\u2019 0 mark for Feyi-Waboso on his comeback and bench also struggle in a defeat snatched from jaws of victory<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

James Ackroyd: \u201cSort it out, RugbyPass. Lots of people unable to log in to watch this match in the one place it\u2019s being shown. Ridiculous.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jess March: \u201cWhat a load of rubbish. Been looking forward to watching this match and your website has crashed. Shambles.\u201d<\/p>\n

@leebetts18: \u201cWhat an absolute shambles. Completely useless website, Very, very, very poor, RugbyPass TV.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thomas Kerrigan: \u201cTerrible website, can\u2019t handle the traffic. Nobody can log in to watch. Get in the bin.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ben Hughes: \u201cYou can stream anything. RugbyPass is a joke and England Rugby are just as bad. Grow the game? Give me a break.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chris Pratt: \u201cTrying to watch my national team. Absolute shambles. RFU should be ashamed. The game gets further and further away from easy viewing.\u201d <\/p>\n

@steveearle7: \u201cAbsolutely rubbish. Come on RFU, get this sort of stuff on a proper free channel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rob Sullivan: \u201cNot the best decision to give the game to shambles of a website.\u201d<\/p>\n

James Firth: \u201cYou can\u2019t watch it because your app and website can\u2019t deal with the traffic. Embarrassing.\u201d<\/p>\n

@rugbycoachrob: \u201cWas kind of pathetic to be the only broadcaster and then not have enough bandwidth. No game plan at all, boys!\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

Opinion: \u2018Dismal day\u2019 for England and Feyi-Waboso as World Rugby\u2019s \u2018nonsensical regulation\u2019 comes into question<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Chris Turpin: \u201cHaving a laugh. System has crashed. Well done England Rugby for partnering with clowns, but wouldn\u2019t expect anything else. Disgrace. Couldn\u2019t organise a party in a brewery!\u201d<\/p>\n

@tallyt99: \u201cWhy advertise it if you can\u2019t cope with the volume wanting to watch?\u201d<\/p>\n

@iHubbbb: \u201cAny plans to fix your website before the second half?\u201d<\/p>\n

John Warner: \u201cAbsolute shambles. How can you run a service like this, and the basics don\u2019t work? Embarrassing.\u201d<\/p>\n

@InfiniteFreques: \u201cIt crashes. Too little resourcing?\u201d<\/p>\n

Deam Mason: \u201cWhy would you use a service that can\u2019t deal with the amount of people wanting to watch it?\u201d<\/p>\n

David Vickers: \u201cWhat is the point in you showing this? None of your technology works. What a shambles once again.\u201d<\/p>\n

@Griff0Zero: \u201cWas watching and got kicked out and can\u2019t get back in. Try was just scored. Lovely way to spend an afternoon.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

A ridiculous choice of showing the match in the first place #sportforall<\/a> #not<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Susanne Garrod (@MortgageSusanne) June 21, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Reacting to the commotion online with people unable to watch the action, @EnglandRugby posted on their X account: \u201cApologies to anyone having difficulties watching live on RugbyPass TV, you can now watch England XV v France XV on England Rugby YouTube.\u201d<\/p>\n

Susanne Garrod: \u201cA ridiculous choice of showing the match in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n

@LawrenceHuggler: \u201cWell done. Good, quick solution.\u201d<\/p>\n

@Takethe3: \u201cFinally, some acknowledgment from someone\u2026 RugbyPass on their lunch break?\u201d<\/p>\n

@cazzam8: \u201cThanks for sorting it out as I\u2019m still stuck on reset password screen. RugbyPass TV is an absolute shambles.\u201d<\/p>\n

@Andrewpow101: \u201cNever use RugbyPass again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chris Beddow: \u201cAnd that [YouTube] is where it and the rest of the summer games should be. Get rid of RugbyPass!\u201d<\/p>\n

Nicholas Wright: \u201cMissed the first 39 minutes trying to log on.\u201d<\/p>\n

@clueclucks: \u201cThe quality on YouTube is terrible for some reason. Pixels, blurred and jumpy.\u201d<\/p>\n

@RugbyEng: \u201cWhy is it not available on RugbyPass? Missed all the build-up and the first 15 minutes. This whole fixture has been a giant mess: why isn\u2019t it a full-capped Test? Why isn\u2019t it on a regular channel? Watching it on low-res YouTube is a poor fan experience. Answers Sweeney?\u201d<\/p>\n

Steven Dickens: \u201cThe sooner you and the Premiership do a global deal with Netflix or Prime the better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Over on the World Rugby<\/a> X account, there were more negative comments from disgruntled fans:\u00a0<\/p>\n

@oldtwohats: \u201cWhat\u2019s the point? Your crap website won\u2019t even let existing members log in. You haven\u2019t got the capacity to handle it. Why is it everything you lot are involved in turn to s***?\u201d<\/p>\n

Duncan Herring: \u201cNot able to watch as your infrastructure isn\u2019t up to the job\u2026 Keep getting \u2018too many requests\u2019 error.\u201d<\/p>\n

@1008amb: \u201cAfter a really tough time logging in we managed to get the stream going, watched the first 10 minutes and RugbyPass logged us out saying too many requests. We were mid-watching!? Put it on TV or another site if it can\u2019t even keep people on it once the game is on!?\u201d<\/p>\n

READ MORE<\/strong>: England v France XV: Five takeaways as bench fires French to \u2018unlikely\u2019 win despite \u2018pretty harsh\u2019 red under World Rugby directive<\/a><\/p>\n