TV channels have started the chase for old rugger b*ggers & even those who can balance working a microphone while sounding reasonably intelligent when discussing the “state of play” … Rucks & Mauls, Lineouts & Scrums, Long versus Short Arm Penalties et al …
First cab off the rank appears to be Ex-AB & most-capped halfback, Justin Marshall who, according to his agent Any Hayden, has a contract to commentate the 2011 World Cup.
Always up for a chat about the rugger is beloved rugby broadcaster Keith Quinn who, at 63 years old now, brings with him 40 years experience & the honour of attending every world cup since the tournament’s inception. And in case you are wondering, no, he doesn’t consider himself too old – “not” he says “when I will be younger than the All Black coach” – the man has point 🙂
Others throwing theirs hats into the ring or having them thrown in by Managers, Agents, Journos & the like making noise about their “availability” are :
• John McBeth
• Geoff Bryan
• Sean Fitzpatrick
• Grant Fox
• Alan Whetton
• Jonah Lomu
This got me wondering about who else should be considered & why … For me personally I think Captains, Coaches & Referees of previous RWC teams /games would surely bring an element of insight to the commentary that few others could – an insiders view as it were.
Of course some should also not be considered for their simple inability to make themselves understood – John Mitchell comes to mind – his own players, professional rugby lads no less, often could not even follow him ! In his glory days I believe it was referred to as “Mitch-Speak”. I am also fairly relieved that PDV as a current Coach is therefore unavilable for commentary … His point is, for most outside RSA at least, almost invariably as easy to follow as any of Mitch’s.
Murray Mexted is a must.
But please stay away from SA,s Warren Brosnihan and Joel Stransky plueeeze.
Hugh Bladen can stay away too.
Get Grant Fox, and Jonah Lomu. Have huge respect for both and wouldn’t mind listening to them.
Murray Mexted is one of the worst commentators ever, but entertaining kind of like Hugh Bladen, en Chick Henderson (I don’t think I ever heard a game where Chick didn’t get confused…).
How about Murray & Hugh co-commentating a game where both teams are peppered with REALLY hard to pronounced names – Just the thought of it has me smiling wide 🙂
I have not heard enough of Hugh to give a hard & fast opinion but, what I like about Mex is his sheer love of the game. He is candidly one eyed yes, but he is also unafraid to wax lyrical & heap praise upon a genuinely great piece of play – no matter who makes it. Something I find positively absent in Convict commentary.
3 – Rugby Princess
Yes I really enjoyed Mexted this year when he commentated at the Shark Tank in the S14. Enjoyed his commentary and has a sense of humour too.
1 – SuperBul
Agree, Stransky is just boring, boring. We just don’t have really good commentators here.
2 – Hugh Bladen gets it so wrong sometimes mentions a playes name when commentating and that player is not even playing in the game……hahahaha. He is sometimes very confused.
Hi RP,
I would definitely enjoy Fitzy and already enjoy Fox and Mexted.
Sadly, I can only agree with Puma on the state of our own commentators here. Hugh Bladen just isn’t the same man since he fell off the balcony all those years ago…
But surely you’re going to include some entertaining Aussies? I enjoy Phil Kearns’s sense of humour, particularly when any front ranker does something even minimally good. And of late I also enjoy his sense of disappontment when the Aussies come second. 😉
7-fender
You are right – Fitzy is quite cerebral when it comes to talking rugby. I wont critique your commentators as I have not heard enough of them … although I don’t recall any true horrors of note … then again maybe something slipped in under the umbrella of the dodgy accent or was lost in translation 🙂
I find Eric Rush a very entertaining commentator – terribly UN-PC though … Would no doubt ruffle some feathers, then again that is not necessarily a bad thing 🙂
Convicts … Phil Kearns is momentarily amusing when any front rower stops mauling the half back long enough to pretend he is a wing but quickly reverts to form when anyone else not in a yellow jersey does something good …
Also I once heard Phil Kearns actually whine “I know the scoreboard doesn’t say so but we won that game …”
Made me smile for days 🙂
Fitzy is a nutter. He totally lost perspective, and speaks the biggest load of drivel when it comes to rugby. If you enjoy a Kiwi raving about NH rugby and how great it is compared to SH rugby Fitzy is your man…
Murray Mexted and Grant Fox can liven up the most boreing of games.
#10 vanStraaten
Hey, Fitzy’s cool man – its just that like most hookers you gotta bite their ear before you get any attention!
And on the NH stuff: remember Fitzy like most other hookers, knows where his money’s coming from at the moment and always tries to keep the client happy.
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