With rugby season in full swing, most fans are looking for ways to live stream rugby matches. Good news: you can do so for free with a VPN!
We’ve used NordVPN to unblock and livestream the Rugby World Cup matches for free. NordVPN is our highest ranked VPN due to its excellent speeds and fast sever network, which lets us stream different rugby matches globally. Here’s how you can do the same:
The rest of the article goes into more depth on how you can watch rugby online and other free streaming options. Be sure to check it out!
Rugby is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, with increasing popularity in countries like the US and Brazil. However, rugby live streams remain limited to a handful of nations. Rugby fans outside these nations will face difficulty finding ways to watch rugby online.
Luckily, a virtual private network (VPN) can help rugby fans in countries where live streams aren’t available by changing their virtual location. We’ve recently been using NordVPN to livestream the Rugby World Cup 2023 in India, where it’s not otherwise available.
This article explains how you can use NordVPN and other top-rated VPNs to watch rugby online live and for free. NordVPN is our preferred rugby-streaming VPN as it offers great speeds and has servers in countries where free rugby streams are available.
How to Watch Rugby From Anywhere for Free
You can watch pretty much any rugby event online from anywhere if you have a VPN. VPNs encrypt your online traffic and change your IP address, allowing you to access rugby streams from different countries globally. These streams are otherwise geo-blocked.
With a bit of help, you’ll even be able to find an accessible and legal free stream for leading rugby events, such as the Rugby World Cup and the HSBC Sevens.
The following guide walks you through the process of setting up a VPN to watch rugby online for free.
Step-by-step guide: Watch rugby online from anywhere
- Get a VPN subscription. You can’t go wrong with NordVPN, as it offers a balanced combination of speed, security, and server options, making it the ideal VPN for sports streaming.
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- Download and Install the VPN software on your streaming device. NordVPN supports laptops, mobile devices, smart TVs, and more, so you can watch rugby on whatever screen you prefer.
- Sign in to the VPN app. Simply use the email address and password you used when subscribing to the VPN service in step 1.
- Choose which live stream you’d like to watch. We’ve listed some of the best free and paid rugby live streams below. For instance, you can watch Rugby World Cup live streams for free using ITVX.
- Connect to a VPN server in a country where the preferred service is accessible. For ITVX, a UK-based platform, you’d choose a server in the United Kingdom.
- Open up the streaming platform’s website or application. Want to watch the World Cup? Head on over to the ITVX website.
- Find the stream of the rugby match or tournament you’re looking for.
- And you’re done! Sit back and enjoy the enthralling rugby battles!
Best Free Rugby Live Streams for 2023/24
Some countries, like the UK, France, and Australia, offer rugby streams on a free to air basis. While these streams can usually only be viewed if you live in one of these countries, a VPN can help you access these free streams from anywhere.
We’ve compiled a list of some of the best free rugby live streams that are available worldwide. Want to use these with a VPN? Make sure to check your stream’s terms and conditions before watching. Some platforms don’t allow their users to access content with a VPN!
| Free Stream | Country | What You Can Watch |
|---|---|---|
| BBC iPlayer | United Kingdom | Rugby Union World Cup and Six Nations Rugby |
| ITVX | United Kingdom | Rugby World Cup and Six Nations Rugby |
| 7Plus | Australia | Rugby Sevens World Series and Rugby League World Cup |
| RTE | Ireland | Rugby World Cup and Summer Series |
| CBC | Canada | Rugby Sevens |
| Canal+ | France | HSBC World Rugby Sevens and Top 14 Rugby |
Paid Rugby Live Streams
If you’re happy to pay for a rugby subscription, you could give RugbyPass a whirl. RugbyPass is the world’s largest Rugby content network, publishing around 2,300+ content pieces each month. It was recently acquired by Sky Television, Australia’s arm of the UK broadcaster Sky.
Amazon Prime Video is another excellent paid streaming option that offers a free 30-day trial. If you have a Prime Video subscription, you can watch Prime with a VPN for rugby events such as the Autumn Nations Series and Summer Series in the US, UK, and Ireland.
Want a full list of all paid rugby live streams? We’ve listed some of the best in the table below.
| Streaming Service | Country |
|---|---|
| RugbyPass | Asia, Australia, and Europe |
| Amazon Prime Video | UK, US, and Ireland |
| NBC Sports | USA |
| Rede Globo | Brazil |
| NTV Plus | Russia |
| Sky TV | New Zealand |
| Stan Sport | Australia |
Note:
While you can access these paid streams using a VPN, you will still require a subscription to watch rugby online. Some of these services might need a local address or payment method in order for you to create an account, making subscribing to them when you’re not a local a challenge.
The Best VPNs to Watch Rugby Online
To watch rugby online, you’re going to want to use one of the best VPNs for streaming. A good rugby VPN needs to fulfill three main requirements:
- Server network: It should offer VPN servers in the same country as the rugby stream you’re trying to watch. If you choose a UK-based streaming website (like BBC iPlayer), you’ll need to connect to a UK VPN server to change your IP to a UK IP address.
- Speed and bandwidth: It should offer fast connection speeds and no data limits. Using a free VPN or a low-quality VPN could stop you from enjoying the games, as your speed or data allowance could be capped, or your online security could be compromised.
- Usability: It should be user-friendly. The VPN software should just be running in the background, making your online life easier instead of complicating it.
Based on these requirements, we’ve hand-picked the best VPNs for watching rugby.
1. NordVPN: The best VPN to watch rugby online for free
There are few VPNs better than NordVPN for unblocking sports content, especially rugby live streams. NordVPN has been our go-to streaming VPN for the Rugby World Cup and other tournaments, since it has vast server networks in the UK, Australia, and Canada, countries where rugby is streamed for free. On top of that, its unblocking capabilities go well beyond sports: we’ve also used it to watch our favorite shows on Netflix US while being outside the country!
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Why NordVPN is the best VPN to watch rugby online:
- Unblocks ITVX (UK), BBC iPlayer (England), 7Plus (Australia) and several other free rugby live streams with its 6000+ servers
- Easy to set up, install, and use on a number of devices, including streaming and smart devices
- Secure streaming with military-grade encryption and a proven no-logs policy
- Responsive customer support that can resolve any problems you face in using the VPN
2. Surfshark: The fastest VPN to watch rugby online
Surfshark is our fastest VPN, and for good reason. Our live rugby streams did not lag when using Surfshark, even with servers located far from us. It also excels at unblocking, with strong server networks in the US, Europe, and Australia. We highly recommend Surfshark if you want to use a VPN across different devices, as it supports unlimited simultaneous connections.
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- Surfshark 12 months $3.99mth View offer
- Surfshark 1 month $10.99mth View offer
Why Surfshark made our list of the best rugby streaming VPNs:
- Unblocks leading rugby live streams, even in countries with stringent VPN regulation and surveillance
- Lightning-fast speeds across its 3200+ VPN servers
- Unlimited simultaneous connections with a single subscription
- 30-day money-back guarantee lets you try Surfshark for free
3. IPVanish: A great VPN to watch major rugby events
Not happy with NordVPN and Surfshark? Then we highly recommend IPVanish, which is especially useful for unblocking UK-based streaming services. ITVX and BBC iPlayer, both hosted in the UK, are home to most major rugby tournaments – including the Rugby World Cup and Six Nations Rugby. If you’re primarily interested in watching these tournaments, IPVanish’s 100 servers in the UK will serve you well. On top of that, the software is easy to use and works across various systems, including Windows, macOS, Ubuntu Linux, iOS, Android, and Windows Phone.
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Why we think IPVanish is a great VPN to watch major rugby tournaments:
- Extensive server network in the UK, where BBC iPlayer and ITVX stream several major tournaments
- Uses leading encryption protocols, including OpenVPN and WireGuard, to secure user data without affecting streaming speeds
- Supports unlimited simultaneous connections on a single subscription
Upcoming Rugby Tournaments to Watch Online
The rugby calendar is packed over the coming months. Keeping track of all the tournaments can be difficult, which is why we’ve listed the major tournaments and their dates in the table below.
| Tournament | Dates | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Rugby World Cup | September 8 – October 23 2023 | France |
| Premiership Rugby | October 13 2023 – 8 June 2024 | UK |
| World Rugby Sevens Series | December 2023 – June 2024 | Various Locations |
| European Rugby Champions Cup | December 2023 – May 2024 | Final in London, England |
| Six Nations Championship | February 2 – March 16 2024 | Various Locations |
Watch the Rugby World Cup Online for Free
At the time of writing, the Rugby World Cup 2023 is close to its penultimate stages, with the semi-finals slated to begin on October 20, 2023. The two semi-finals and the final will all be played at the Stade de France.
Tournament favorites, New Zealand and South Africa, successfully made it to the last four, as did England and Argentina. Find out which team emerges as the eventual champion by watching the Rugby World Cup final and bronze final for free on ITVX. If you’re outside the UK on the date of the final, use a VPN to access ITVX from anywhere.
The schedule for the remaining matches in the Rugby World Cup is as follows.
| Date | Time (ET) | Event | Pool | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday, October 20, 2023 | 3:00 PM | Argentina vs New Zealand | Semi-Final 1 | Stade de France, Saint-Denis |
| Saturday, October 21, 2023 | 3:00 PM | England vs South Africa | Semi-Final 2 | Stade de France, Saint-Denis |
| Friday, October 27, 2023 | 3:00 PM | Runner-Up Semi-Final 1 vs Runner-Up Semi-Final 2 | Bronze Final | Stade de France, Saint-Denis |
| Saturday, October 28, 2023 | 3:00 PM | Winner Semi-Final 1 vs Winner Semi-Final 2 | Final | Stade de France, Saint-Denis |
Live Stream the 2023-24 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series
Rugby Sevens is growing rapidly in popularity as a format. The HSBC Rugby Sevens is the premier competition featuring 16 teams worldwide. The 2023-24 is slated to start later this year, with New Zealand looking to defend their crown.
Luckily for rugby fans, the HSBC tournament is live-streamed for free on the official app. Connect to an American or Japanese VPN server to catch the live action with English commentary.
Watch the 2024 Six Nations Cup Online
The Six Nations Cup features the best European rugby teams facing off against each other over five grueling rounds. Teams from England, Ireland, France, Scotland, and Wales face off in a league-style format, with each team playing everyone else at least once.
Ireland emerged victorious in the 2023 season, finishing seven points above England in second. With NordVPN, you can watch the free live stream on BBC iPlayer using a UK server.
How to Watch Rugby Online on Streaming Devices
Using streaming devices is a popular way to watch rugby in HD on our television sets. However, setting up a VPN on such streaming devices can be trickier than on a mobile or laptop due to the lack of native applications. We explain the process of installing a VPN on the most popular streaming devices below.
Watch rugby online on Amazon Fire Stick
- Subscribe to a VPN provider that offers a native Fire Stick app. NordVPN’s dedicated Fire Stick app is easy-to-use and can be downloaded directly from the Amazon app store.
- Install the VPN on your Fire Stick.
- Connect to a VPN server in a country where your free rugby stream is accessible.
- Sit back and enjoy the rugby action on your Fire Stick.
Need some more help? Our full guide will explain exactly how to install a VPN on Fire Stick.
Watch rugby online on other streaming devices
Unlike Amazon Fire Stick, other streaming devices, such as Google Chromecast, Apple TV, and Roku, do not have native VPN apps. Instead, you can watch rugby online on these devices by setting up a VPN in one of the following ways:
- Install a VPN on your router.
- Set up a virtual router on your laptop.
- Use SmartDNS, which changes your virtual location but doesn’t encrypt data like a VPN does.
Installing a VPN on your router is the best way to access free rugby streams on streaming devices. Here are the steps involved in setting up a VPN router:
- Ensure your router has firmware that supports VPN installation. If it does not, you will need to replace the built-in firmware with another that supports VPNs, such as DD-WRT.
- Subscribe to a VPN provider. We recommend NordVPN, as it works seamlessly on many routers.
- Configure your router to work with a VPN.
- Select a VPN server in a country where rugby-free streams are available.
- Connect your streaming device to the VPN router’s network.
- Open up the streaming service’s application or website.
- Navigate to the rugby event/tournament you want to watch.
How to Watch Rugby Online on a PC (Windows and Mac)
Setting up a VPN to watch rugby on your PC is a very straightforward process that should take no more than fifteen minutes. Here’s a step-by-step guide:
- Subscribe to a VPN provider of your choice. NordVPN works equally well on Windows and macOS.
- Download and install the VPN application on your PC.
- Sign in to the VPN app using the credentials you created in step 1.
- Find a VPN server in the country where your stream is based.
- Open the streaming provider’s website and find your desired rugby event.
- Enjoy the hard-hitting rugby action.
How to Watch Rugby Online on a Smartphone (Android and iOS)
Smartphones now come with large high-resolution screens, making them perfect for live-streaming rugby and other sports. Installing a VPN to watch rugby on smartphones running Android and iOS entails the following steps:
- Download your VPN application of choice from the AppStore or Play Store.
- Sign in to the VPN application or create a new account if you don’t have one already.
- Select your desired VPN server and connect to it.
- Launch your rugby streaming service’s mobile application and you’re all set!
Final Thoughts: Watching Rugby Worldwide
You could encounter a geo-block when trying to watch rugby online. Since most broadcasters deal with regional restrictions on their broadcasting rights, they use software to block foreign visitors to their platform. However, geo-blocks are no match for a VPN (Virtual Private Network).
When you use a VPN to change your IP address, you’ll be able to get around frustrating online restrictions and watch rugby live and for free. NordVPN is our favourite VPN for streaming rugby matches, since it has so many servers in countries where rugby is shown for free. Its excellent speeds make the streaming experience even more pleasant.
Which VPNs are the best for streaming different sports? We answer this question in the following articles:
- How to Watch Six Nations Online Free from Anywhere
- How to Watch Tennis Online for Free from Anywhere
- How to Watch WWE Live from Anywhere
- Where to Watch F1 for Free
Do you have any more questions about watching rugby online? Check out our FAQ below for some quick and easy answers.
Yes, you can watch rugby online. Many streaming platforms offer free or paid rugby streams. Unfortunately, most streaming websites and TV networks use geographical restrictions, meaning you won’t be able to watch them unless you’re in the country they’re broadcasting in. With a VPN, you can bypass these blocks. This will allow you to watch, for example, the full Rugby World Cup online, no matter where you are in the world!
Some of the most popular streaming services for rugby are:
- Amazon Prime (paid)
- RugbyPass (paid)
- NBC Sports (free, USA)
- BBC iPlayer (free, UK)
- 7Plus (free, Australia)
Since different games are shown in different countries, you might have to use multiple websites. Luckily, a VPN like NordVPN can help you access many streams, no matter where you are in the world! For example, if you connect to a UK VPN server, you can watch rugby on BBC iPlayer.
Yes, it’s possible to watch rugby online with Amazon Prime Video, though it may not apply to every tournament or match. For example, in 2022, Prime Video broadcasted its new “Autumn Nations Series” in the UK, which covered all of Wales, England, Scotland, France, Ireland, and Italy’s matches. Simply download a VPN and get a UK IP address to make sure you don’t miss out on the action.
