ITV will not feature in-play adverts during July's Nations Championship matches, scrapping the controversial 20-second slots that aired before scrums. These adverts, which split the screen and dipped stadium audio, return for November Tests and next year's Six Nations. The decision comes as the broadcaster's July schedule prioritizes the expanded 48-team football World Cup.

Blue-chip brands like Samsung and Virgin Atlantic snapped up the ScrumCam slots during this year's Six Nations debut. Each half featured one advert slot, with broadcasters overlaying commercials on the right side of the screen while live action continued on the left. The format generated mixed reactions from viewers who found the interruptions jarring during crucial match moments.

Six Nations chief executive Tom Harrison acknowledged the adverts feel uncomfortable for UK audiences accustomed to traditional broadcast breaks around play rather than during it. Viewers in the US and Australia are more familiar with integrated advertising approaches.

The Nations Championship launches Saturday with six matches, pitting Six Nations teams against southern hemisphere powerhouses including New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, and Argentina. Fiji and Japan join as invited participants. Additional fixtures run July 11 and 18, with the competition concluding in November.