Sabato 4 febbraio, ascolti record per la gara d’esordio degli azzurri al Sei Nazioni 2012 di rugby: 221.972 spettatori medi (559.303 contatti unici)* hanno seguito il match Francia-Italia, trasmesso in diretta esclusiva dalle 15.20 circa su Sky Sport 2 HD.
Si tratta del miglior risultato di sempre per una gara del Sei Nazioni su Sky: il dato supera infatti il record precedente stabilito da Italia-Irlanda del 5 febbraio 2011, match d’esordio della passata edizione del Sei Nazioni, visto da 200.200 spettatori medi.
Gli arbitri del fine settimana
Six Nations
Italy vs England at Stadio Olimpico
Referee: Jérôme Garces (France)
Assistant referees: George Clancy (Ireland), Neil Paterson (Scotland)
Television match official: Tony Redmond (Ireland)
France vs Ireland at Stade de France
Referee: Dave Pearson (England)
Assistant referees: Wayne Barnes (England), Andrew Small (England)
Television match official: Geoff Warren (England)
Wales vs Scotland at Millennium Stadium
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: Peter Fitzgibbon (Ireland), Simon McDowell (Ireland)
Television match official: Giulio De Santis (Italy)
Assessor: Tappe Henning (South Africa)
Six Nations Under-20
France vs Ireland in Grenoble
Referee: Neil Hennessy (Wales)
Assistant referees: Rhys Thomas (Wales) , Chris Williams (Wales)
Television match official: Derek Bevan (Wales)
England vs Italy in Rovigo
Referee: tbc (France)
Wales vs Scotland at Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay
Referee: Ian Tempest (England)
Assistant referees: Greg Garner, Robin Goodliffe (England)
Television match official: Brian Campsall (England)
Six Nations Women
Wales vs Scotland at Cross Keys
Referee: Clare Daniels (England)
Assistant referees: Simon Rees (Wales), Julian Smith (Wales)
France vs Ireland in Pau
Referee: Sherry Turnbull (Canada)
Italy vs England
Referee: Itziar Diaz (Spain)
Assistant referees: Federica Guerzoni, Barbara Guastini
Le scelte di Planet Rugby
15 Rob Kearney (Ireland)
14 George North (Wales)
13 Jonathan Davies (Wales)
12 Wesley Fofana (France)
11 Julien Malzieu (France)
10 Greig Laidlaw (Scotland)
9 Mike Phillips (Wales)
8 Louis Picamoles (France)
7 Chris Robshaw (England)
6 Ryan Jones (Wales)
5 Jim Hamilton (Scotland)
4 Cornelius van Zyl (Italy)
3 Nicolas Mas (France)
2 Rory Best (Ireland) menzione per Leonardo Ghiraldini: “was consistent for Italy”
1 Cian Healy (Ireland)
Il Grillotalpa 