Almost two million tune in to ABs semi-final

The RWC semi-final was watched by 1.9 million viewers across the country, according to the official agency that monitors television ratings, AGB Nielsen. This means it took over as the number one TV event ever from the opening ceremony and All Blacks vs Tonga game, which lured 81 percent of all viewers. 

That equates to almost half of NZ’s population watching the game on television (48.7 percent of all people five years or more nationwide).

The match also attracted a massive share of the television audience. 89 percent of all viewers watched the rugby live on one of the four channels simulcasting the RWC Semi-Final leaving only 11 percent of viewers watching different programming.

BREAKDOWN BY CHANNEL (thousands of viewers):

TV ONE               659,400

Sky Sport             653,300

TV3                      397,800

Maori TV             262,700

Source: Nielsen TAM (Measurement: All people five years and over – average audience nationwide)