- England faces Italy in the penultimate clash of Six Nations on Twickenham on Saturday
- Steve Borthwick's team still has the possibility of winning the tournament
- However, the BBC has chosen to convey the Champions Trophy final in place
England's rugby fans will not be able to listen to comments on Six Nations's clash of their team with Italy on the radio, despite the fact that the promising listeners of the BBC would issue each game.
In a surprise movement, the Beeb has chosen to convey the final of the Crick Champions Champions Trophy between India and South Africa or New Zealand on Radio 5 Sports Extra on Sunday, with 5 live taking the game of the Premier League of Chelsea against Leicester.
It means that the audio coverage of the penultimate game of the six nations of England has been relegated to the website or application of BBC Sport, in a blow to the followers who cannot see on television or access the Internet.
The movement is controversial since Steve Borthwick's team is still disputed to win the tournament, while the Champions Trophy final does not involve England, who came out in the group stage.
The BBC sources insist that the decision is based on the fact that the Premier League and Champions Trophy are behind a television payment wall, while Six Nations's game is available to see for free on ITV.
They also point out that they have covered the Champions Trophy as a whole throughout the tournament.
England's rugby fans will not be able to listen to comments on Six Nations's clash of their team with Italy on the radio
The BBC has chosen to transmit the Cricket Champions Trophy final between India and South Africa or New Zealand
The movement is controversial since Steve Borthwick's team is still in dispute to win the six nations
However, in 2021, when Beeb assured audio rights for the six male nations from 2022 to 2025, he declared: “According to the previous years, each nation game at home throughout the competition will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 5 Live or 5 Live Sports Extra.”
In January, the OFCOM broadcast regulator issued a statement on the coverage of the six nations and said: “The BBC will transmit the live radio coverage of all parties in the six six nations of 2025 in BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.”
An BBC announcement the same day insisted that there would be 'live audio comments of each home nations match at BBC Sounds, BBC Radio 5 Live and 5 Sports Extra'.
The Beeb issued the three previous games of England against Ireland, France and Scotland in 5 Sports Extra Live or 5 Sports.
When asked about Sunday's calendar, a BBC Sport spokesman told Mail Sport: 'BBC Sport is providing the public with a multiplatform comprehensive coverage of the six nations that cover all nations of origin, including Scotland V Wales game this Saturday. England's party comment against Italy will be on the website and the BBC Sport application.