Durden-Smith joins ESPN's rugby coverage

Former ITV, BBC and Sky Sports presenter Mark Durden-Smith has joined ESPN's rugby presentation team for the new season.

Durden-Smith, who has covered rugby union for more than six years, will act as lead host on ESPN's Aviva Premiership Rugby coverage, alongside expert contributor Austin Healey.

After starting his broadcasting career in the BBC's regional newsrooms, Durden-Smith has since established himself as an adaptable sports and entertainment presenter, including stints on ITV1's I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here! and Sky1's The Match.

He will be joined on ESPN's coverage team by experienced rugby reporter Sarra Elgan, who has previously presented Celtic League Rugby for Welsh broadcaster S4C.

Completing the presentation lineup will be chief commentator Nick Mullins, who has covered the last four Rugby World Cups, and former England and Leicester forward Ben Kay, who will act as his co-commentator.

Durden-Smith said: "I'm delighted to be joining ESPN at such an exciting time as it prepares to be the lead UK TV broadcaster of Premiership Rugby."

ESPN EMEA vice president of TV channels Jeroen Oerlemans added: "Both Mark and Sarra bring a wealth of expertise to our rugby coverage. Alongside Austin Healey, Ben Kay and Nick Mullins we are building an authoritative and authentic broadcasting experience for rugby fans."

The appointments come as ESPN prepares for its inaugural season of live coverage of Aviva Premiership Rugby, which gets under way next month.

In December last year, ESPN agreed a multi-year deal for exclusive live rights to 43 Premiership Rugby matches per season, including coverage of the final and one of the two semi-finals. The deal also enables ESPN to run on-demand highlights on its digital media sites, such as ESPNScrum.

ESPN's first televised match of the new season will feature Saracens taking on London Irish on September 4, with coverage starting from 2pm.

Over the first 13 rounds of the tournament, ESPN said that it has "handpicked" a selection of matches featuring the Premiership's top sides, including current champions Leicester Tigers and runners-up Northampton Saints.

Also today, ESPN has confirmed plans to broadcast a weekly rugby highlights programme every Monday at 8pm, starting from September 6.