Challenge Cup brings Northern Ireland club to Scotland

This weekend, viewers can look forward to a sport extravaganza on the BBC ALBA channel. We’re producing three exciting games, starting tonight, Friday 16th February. See below for full schedule:

16/02/2018 PRO14 - Glasgow Warriors v Cheetahs, 19:25
17/02/2018 SPFL Premiership - Hibernian v Aberdeen, 18:00
18/02/2018 SPFL Challenge Cup semi-final - Inverness CT v Crusaders, 17:05

For rugby fans, the Glasgow Warriors v Cheetahs game will be broadcast tonight from 19:25. In our half-time extended feature, Glasgow back-row forward Matt Smith, who this week signed a new contract with the Warriors and his sister Hannah, who juggles her life as a vet and playing for Hillhead Jordanhill and Scotland, discuss their respective rugby careers.

On Saturday at 18:00, you can watch the SPFL Premiership Hibernian v Aberdeen game from 18:00 and find out more about Defender Efe Ambrose, who believes leaving Celtic to join Hibernian gave his career a new lease of life. We also catch up with Aberdeen’s Graeme Shinnie who discusses all the big talking points from Pittodrie this season - including manager Derek McInnes’ decision to stay in the North East and the club’s proposed move to a new stadium at Kingsford.

Finally, don’t miss our SPFL Challenge Cup semi-final live coverage - Inverness CT v Crusaders - from 17:05 on Sunday night. For this programme, we travelled to Northern Ireland to find out more about the club from North Belfast who have won two of the last three (NIFL) (Danske Bank) Premiership titles. The club’s longest serving manager and former player, Stephen Baxter, reflects on his time at Seaview, after being appointed in the club’s darkest hour. Captain Colin Coates and winger Paul Heatley discuss balancing their day jobs and family lives with the demands of success as part-time players and club stalwart Gavin Whyte chats about his dream of moving across the water to play full-time football.