In-game adverts rile rugby fans on Six Nations debut

It was a knock-on by Cian Prendergast that cleared the way for a bit of broadcasting history.

After the Ireland flanker's fluffed attempt to gather a loose ball in the 17th minute of his team's defeat by France, ITV's shot switched to a wide, high angle of the Stade de France, the screen split and the audio feed from the commentary gantry was replaced by a soundtrack of orchestral strings.

While the two forward packs prepared for a scrum on one side of the screen, an advert for a Samsung mobile phone, based around a group of friends watching an (advert-free) rugby match, played on the other.

It lasted 20 seconds. By the time it was finished, the set-piece hadn't started. Referee Karl Dickson was still calling the two front rows together.

However, a boundary had been crossed.

While adverts have long bracketed sporting action on commercial television in the United Kingdom, it was the first time they had made a mid-match incursion into the viewing experience.

It is common practice in the United States, with the stop-start nature of American football, for example, giving the chance for broadcasters to create "sponsored moments", as well as play in-vision adverts.

The reaction from some viewers on social media was, perhaps predictably, not positive.

The use of in-game adverts, which was repeated in the second half with a spot for airline Virgin Atlantic, was criticised as intrusive, disruptive to the flow of the game, and "American".

The moment as viewers of ITV saw it

England hooker Jamie George, speaking a few hours before kick-off in Paris, admitted he was "not a massive fan" of the concept, which is being targeted for use around scrums.

"I think there is theatre that comes in scrummaging, it is what makes rugby union special," he told Rugby Union Weekly.

"There is so much stuff that comes with it, you can pick up a bit of chat on the ref's mic.

"I am sure that ITV will do it well, but I think you are missing a trick by not glorifying what a brilliant spectacle scrummaging can be."

ITV has committed heavily to rugby union, securing the rights to the new Nations Championship to add to their Rugby World Cup coverage, meaning every competitive England game over the next few years will be shown on a free-to-air broadcast platform.

Last year, along with BBC Sport, ITV also agreed a four-year deal that means the sport remains accessible to a far wider audience than just those who subscribe to pay services.

The game brought ITV Sport's biggest audience of the year so far, with a peak audience of 3.8m, which is an increase on last year's equivalent figure.