The rugby union season kicks off this Friday night with the Queensland Reds taking on the NSW Waratahs.

Saturday night Super Rugby games will air on 9Gem, while Nine’s new subscription offering Stan Sport will air every match.

Former Wallaby and Stan Sport rugby commentator Tim Horan told Mark Levy he’s excited for the game to earn a “new audience”.

“You go to these country areas, whether it’s a Longreach or a Gunnedah, and a lot of these people now can actually access rugby free to air, which is fantastic.

“The first three or four weeks we’ve got a bit of clean air, so there’s no rugby league, no AFL on, and … we want to try and keep [sport fans] in rugby.

“We want them to fall back in love with the game again.”

Click PLAY below to hear Tim’s preview