Ireland Vs Italy Encounter Breaks Television Record

Ireland’s victory over Italy at the Olympic Stadium was a landmark occasion for Irish broadcaster TV3, as it achieved the highest ratings in the channels 17-year history.

The audience peaked at 1.18 million viewers in the final moments of the game as 14-man Ireland clung on to claim a 16-9 victory, representing 70pc of the available audience.

There was an average audience of 956,600 and 1.38 million tuned in over the course of the game.

The figures dwarfed the 1,080,000 people who watched Dublin’s All-Ireland final victory over Kerry on September 20.

The Sunday Game coverage of the final was the most viewed sporting broadcast on RTE in 2015.

Australia’s dramatic victory over England, which saw the hosts exit the tournament, also hit a ratings high, reaching 1.12 million viewers. The match commanded a 685,800 average with a 42pc Adults share, and peaked at 802,300 viewers.

To date, TV3 Group’s Rugby World Cup 2015 coverage has reached 3.06 million viewers which is almost 75pc of the total potential TV audience.