World Cup material?

Scrum.com, a rugby site, has just been purchased by Disney-owned sports network ESPN.

Scrum, which was launched by Emap in 1997, is expected to tide the network over nicely when the Rugby World Cup comes around the corner.

ESPN currently holds the rights to air '07 and '11 Rugby World Cup coverage in Latin America, as well as a deal to air Heineken Cup Rugby in Australia, the Middle East, North Africa, Latin America and New Zealand.

The acquisition follows ESPN's purchase of cricket site Cricinfo last June. Last year, the network also purchased London's North American Sports Network to draw a stronger European audience for US sports, according to The Guardian.

The Scrum purchase was made for an undisclosed sum.