Best rugby commentator

Apologies if this has been done before, but who are you guys' favourite rugby commentators? Presumably all-time it's Bill McLaren, but who is your favourite active commentator?

I'd have to say one of the BT guys, Nick Mullins or Ali Eykyn, with Mullins probably shading it as I prefer his intonation. Having said that, Miles Harrison and Stuart Barnes is still the best pairing for big games.

"Presumably all-time it's Bill McLaren"

Nah, not really.

Brian Moore.

Bill?......................
Em, I know it's considered sacrilege but no, not Bill.  Lovely man.  Loved his rugby.  Loved his poetry.  But, he's in the same bracket as Eddie Butler (who has in a very real sense tried to emulate McLaren and probably shouldn't)
I don't warm to overly soppy, mawkish sing-song poetry/prose.  I know lots of people love it but personally - nope.

Johnathan Davies - full of quirks and twitches (verbally speaking) and full of the frustrating joy of rugby in all its wiry, bad tempered, stubborn, jealous, smirking, pompous, jovial, funny, sneering glory.

SecretFly wrote:Bill?......................
Em, I know it's considered sacrilege but no, not Bill.  Lovely man.  Loved his rugby.  Loved his poetry.  But, he's in the same bracket as Eddie Butler (who has in a very real sense tried to emulate McLaren and probably shouldn't)
I don't warm to overly soppy, mawkish sing-song poetry/prose.  I know lots of people love it but personally - nope.

Johnathan Davies - full of quirks and twitches (verbally speaking) and full of the frustrating joy of rugby in all its wiry, bad tempered, stubborn, jealous, smirking, pompous, jovial, funny, sneering glory.

Agreed, I'd like rugby commentary, not observations on how the schoolboys are having a marvellous day out, or euphenisms about wildebeast on the hoof.

Bill McLaren, by far the greatest commentator ever in any sport. Intelligent and incredible knowledge of the players and rules of the game.

Huw Llewellyn Davies is or sorry was a very very good commentator done most stuf onn S4C over last few years but use to do Club and International on the Beeb in the past.

bedfordwelsh wrote:Huw Llewellyn Davies is or sorry was a very very good commentator done most stuf onn S4C over last few years but use to do Club and International on the Beeb in the past.

He'll definitely be a hard one to replace. The chances of a commentator that good coming along that also speaks Welsh is fairly slim. (I don't know who's taking over his commentary duties, but there can't be an enormous talent pool.)

rainbow-warrior wrote:Bill McLaren, by far the greatest commentator ever in any sport.  Intelligent and incredible knowledge of the players and rules of the game.

If I had to choose between McLaren's anecdotes and the hysterical screeching of Jonathan Davies, i'd choose McLaren. but we're stuck with rat boy Jiffy, so it's moot.

Hugh Dan MacLennan has got a bit of a cult following with Scottish rugby fans for his BBC Alba commentary of the Pro 12. We don't have a clue what he's saying (it's in Gaelic) but he's incredibly passionate and I'd rather listen to him in a language I don't understand than a lot of the BBC Wales / S4c / Jiffy (he kept naming Glasgow players during an Edinburgh-Scarlets game) commentators.

Where else can you giggle at the Gaelic word for penalty (penas) regularly being said, and hear him get as excited as a South American football commentator when a player is making a break for the line:

Horneeee furra lineeeeee (Horne for the line)

Or

Matawaluuuuuuuuuuuuu (Glasgow's Niko Matawalu)


Alba also has injured Glasgow or Edinburgh player as summarisers / someone to speak English.  A lot of them are pretty dull but you get some decent ones, even if they often forget they are commentating and starting cheering on their team mates!


As for the 6N I'm a big Andrew Cotter fan, and I do like Eddie Butler getting all poetic!

OMc wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:Huw Llewellyn Davies is or sorry was a very very good commentator done most stuf onn S4C over last few years but use to do Club and International on the Beeb in the past.

He'll definitely be a hard one to replace. The chances of a commentator that good coming along that also speaks Welsh is fairly slim. (I don't know who's taking over his commentary duties, but there can't be an enormous talent pool.)

Mrs Easterbunny please - http://sport.bt.com/watchnow/ourteam/sarra-elgan-S11374088095145

We expect different things from commentators today.

If Bill McLaren was alive to do a match in the style for which he was famous, you can bet Twitter would be red hot with people wondering why he wasn't questioning referee's decisions or highlighting foul play.

You can't really compare Bill McLaren with Jonathan Davies because they have different roles. McLaren gave a running commentary, Davies is what the Americans call a colour commentator - chipping in with pertinent observations.

Barnes, Moore, Mexted, Kearns, Marshall etc - colour commentary
Eddie Butler, Nick Mullins Greg Clark, Tony Johnson etc - running commentary

We've also seen the emergence of the analyst, who looks at replay footage in real time to identify patters of play. The best can do this on the fly. Austin Healey and Rod Kafer are examples. I suppose you'd call them better-informed colour commentators

I quite like it when a regular commentator gets paired with a colour guy he doesn't know. This happens sometimes at the World Cup when, say, Eykyn will be alongside a former Canadian player. They approach the same game from different angles so you get a better perspective.

And that there is a better-informed colour commentary on this thread.

Austin Healey.

I think there are a number of decent commentators right now. None outstanding, but some real solid play-by-play guys.
My quick thoughts:
Nick Mullins is a nice conversational type, easy on the ears
Eddie Butler tries to come off more authoritative which mostly works, best voice of the bunch
Greg Clark (Australia), who I am watching now doing Reds-Waratahs, is very good
Grant Nisbett (NZ) is a bit long in the tooth but still OK

Cumbrian wrote:Austin Healey.

As a co-commentator I do think he is one of the best, especially his banter with Ben Kay which adds a bit of friendliness to the commentary.

Rugby Fan wrote:We expect different things from commentators today.

If Bill McLaren was alive to do a match in the style for which he was famous, you can bet Twitter would be red hot with people wondering why he wasn't questioning referee's decisions or highlighting foul play.

You can't really compare Bill McLaren with Jonathan Davies because they have different roles. McLaren gave a running commentary, Davies is what the Americans call a colour commentator - chipping in with pertinent observations.

Barnes, Moore, Mexted, Kearns, Marshall etc - colour commentary
Eddie Butler, Nick Mullins Greg Clark, Tony Johnson etc - running commentary

We've also seen the emergence of the analyst, who looks at replay footage in real time to identify patters of play. The best can do this on the fly. Austin Healey and Rod Kafer are examples. I suppose you'd call them better-informed colour commentators

I quite like it when a regular commentator gets paired with a colour guy he doesn't know. This happens sometimes at the World Cup when, say, Eykyn will be alongside a former Canadian player. They approach the same game from different angles so you get a better perspective.

All he ever says is, 'leave it go' and screeches 'Numbers!' at a tone several octaves higher than anyone would think possible for a male human voice.

All the Ozzie commentators and Austin Healy

The best commentator at the moment is Philip Matthews of the BBC. I also like SA's Hugh Bladen. Does he still commentate?

NZ have a good one too but not sure of his name. Brian Moore and Eddie Butler have their moments but both can be quite irritating too.

Michael Corcoran (RTE Radio). Brings the game alive (when you can't see it). He really gets into the game himself, not afraid to give a few digs when necessary in a nice way (i.e., what was so and so thinking of when he did that?). Seems to be very well liked and respected by both players & coaches as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NazVO3WnK0Q

I have good memories of Fred Cogley. He had a good voice for commentry. However, his knowledge may not have been the best.

GunsGerms wrote:The best commentator at the moment is Philip Matthews of the BBC. I also like SA's Hugh Bladen. Does he still commentate?

NZ have a good one too but not sure of his name. Brian Moore and Eddie Butler have their moments but both can be quite irritating too.

 
Yeah Matthews is one of my favourites.

Bill McClaren, sadly they don't make them like they used to.

I think there is a difference between a tv commentator and a radio commentator. On the radio I want the commentating to let me know the atmosphere, who has the ball, where they are on the field, is the defense set and a bit of flavour.

For tv however, you can see most of what is going on so I like my tv commentator to be confident enough to shut up and be quiet at times, to provide audio that complements the visual feed rather than becoming overbearing.

The old greats of the commentating world were of the generation of radio and first generation television (when the images were quite frankly muck most times). They created the game in words and you imagined beyond what the grainy image was showing on the screen.

In my mind, there isn't currently a great rugby commentator. There are potentially some strong people out there and the recently retired players definitely bring some insight and analysis to the table.

Some great lines from another class commentator of his day (Michael O'Muircheartaigh);

"Pat Fox has it on his hurl and is motoring well now… but here comes Joe Rabbitte hot on his tail…. I've seen it all now, a Rabbitte chasing a Fox around Croke Park!"

"Teddy McCarthy to John McCarthy, no relation. John McCarthy back to Teddy McCarthy, still no relation."

"Anthony Lynch, the Cork corner back, will be the last man to let you down as his people are undertakers"


There are mythical lines attributed to him as well, though I can't remember hearing them at the time like;

"His father is a butcher and his mother works with the creamery and that's why he cut through there like a hot knife through butter!" (wish it was a geniune line)

Corcoran is good on the radio. Really passionate. His blood pressure must be off the charts. I can't stand Ryle Nugent. Doesn't ever really do anything except say the players names.
I do like the guy who does the pro12 for RTE. Sounds a bit like Ryann Tubbridy which is strange cos I cant bleedin stand him.

I don't care whether it is on radio or TV, I want the passion for the sport to come through, every commentator should be a little biased, that shows he is human, but not totally biased as he will then ruin it for the opposition fans, some of the Aussie commentators are way to biased and way to relaxed.

I don't mind them being relaxed but the Aussies are too biased for mine. I like Scotty Stevenson as he has a laugh but he's a rugby encyclopaedia and since part of his growing up was spent in South Africa he's not as biased. Show your colours though, but I like it when people are magnanimous and show appreciation for good play. I don't actually mind Hugh Bladen-his voice cracks me up and he does compliment the opposition even though there's obvious resignation in his voice. The other SA lead commentator I like too-forgot his name. Your man Ryal in RTE is ok too. Love the colour guys like Moore, Joffy and Mexted. Mexted was a clown and tried to wind the others up with hilarious innuendo but knows his stuff all right.

Tony Johnson sometimes has cringe worthy moments-the wait for Crotty's try I heard later when he said "They're going to check for a forward pass"-oh that was embarrassing. Though the worst one was John McBeth saying "They won't catch him" when Underwood streaked away to score for the Lions vs NZ in Wellington. He sounded like he was soiling himself with fear and I was glad I was at the game so didn't have to hear that live.

Justin Marshall is from the Daryl Eastlake school of commentary: if in doubt, just really shout. I like commentators to be animated when a game breaks open or a try is scored but I value the gift of hearing and am in constant fear of losing that sense whenever Justin gets excited. What a pass seems to be a favourite of his: Piutau's pass against France, Coles to Crotty against Ireland, Nonu to Savea against England. At least that's what I think he says. Difficult to really know from all the glass breaking around me.

Which is a shame, as I think he is quick to call out injustices on both sides and is happy to celebrate good rugby when he sees it. Ian Smith has no right as a pie-eating wicketkeeper batsman to call rugby from the sideline. He along with Tony Johnson are way too biased and sound like they're furiously masturbating whenever NZ score a try.

The Aussie commentators are a great laugh but Phil Kearns is hard to take at times. I'd hate to think what he'd be like if Australia started getting a run of victories against NZ. Budda Handy was a crack up with his Ov-a catchphrase and reminded me of a pubescent teenager whose voice was clearly incapable of not cracking. I forget his partner in crime who was much drier but had nice turns of phrases like worried into touch.

The Springboks are generally good value. They do compliment the opposition through gritted teeth dc but they're not over the top like Stuart Barnes. It's either sublime stuff or needling the opposition.

Personally I'm quite partial to a bit of humour. For me McClaren reigned supreme over the rugby encyclopedia Keith Quinn. Grant Nisbett is similarly too dry for my tastes. Brian Moore is good, honest fun.

I don't mind some bias. You're appealing to your viewers. I think the French are the worst in that they are merely unashamed French supporters with microphones -Ouiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii - if their team has a shot.

Ultimately, at the end of a game, commentary adds to the emotions of the moment. That's why these awful videos with their nu-metal or rap music representing the mood of the moment do nothing at all for me. I want to be taken more into the moment rather than removed from it. (I have one exception with this tribute of the NZ 2011 RWC victory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfJHeho3l0w but that's a video representing 24 years of disappointment and the songs are well thought out). I guess that's why I find overly-negative commentary - only pointing out faults of one side - frustrating as it's not telling the whole story and it's not reflecting the entire range of emotions at the stadium or the players on the field living it.