Rugby Tonight - Wide of the Mark?

Is it just me or has RT become a bit crap this season?

When it first came in to replace Sky's Rugby Club it was a good mix of humour and information, analysis of tactics and various skills on the pitch broken down in teaching segments, mixed with a few live guests doing silly challenges.

Now it's become an hour of laborious "banter", with a bunch of "lads" larking about for 90% of the show and only lip service paid to the actual rugby. It feels like a lot of the time it's trying to be football focus, or that they presume the viewing public can't focus for more then 5 minutes at a time without a silly stunt. Likewise they seem to assume that the people watching aren't actually interested in rugby analysis, and just want to hear media friendly life stories etc from guests.

More and more I find myself missing Sky's Rugby Club, their special feature on Stu Lancaster leaving was very interesting, likewise the simple format of four men in suits worked really well when you just wanted debate and talking points.

I used to really like RT but to be honest i'll happily miss it now. Their game coverage is still very good, they just need to ease off the gimmicks otherwise.

Agree completely yappy, I very rarely watch Rugby Tonight now.

Never watched it, or Rugby Club (other than a few minutes hear or there in passing) - so unable to comment

Couldn't agree more. Tuned in for half an hour on Monday, and was reminded why I don't watch it. Just wall to wall somewhat less than hilarious banter, with a little rugby thrown in. I know it must have an audience, but it's not up my street at all.

It's a shame, because their match day coverage is very good. As much as I wasn't a fan of Stuart Barnes, I do like the three or four blokes behind a desk (or in front of a monitor at a push) discussing rugby format Sky had with the Rugby Club..

It seems like in their push to get away from Sky's format they've gone too far tbh

I was talking about this with a few people the other day and we couldn't come to a conclusion on whether or not the show has shifted towards being more about banter than analysis, or if it was always this way and we just didn't mind at first as it was a refreshing change from the slightly dour Rugby Club.

Whatever is the case though I'm not much of a fan of the show nowadays. If the perfect middle-ground between the two programmes can't be found then I'd prefer one that leans towards the RC format than RT.

I don't have BT this season so can't comment on the current offering. But previously, I couldn't stand it when it first started. Then either they settled in, or I got used to it and it was good. Although even then I would what the recording and fast forward through some of the bull. But then again, I wasn't a big fan of Rugby Club either. I only watched it for the highlights of the non-televised games (most of them back then).

I think their match day coverage was significantly better than Sky's. But Matt Dawson just does my head in. It's just so forced with him, he makes me want to punch the TV.

HammerofThunor wrote:I don't have BT this season so can't comment on the current offering. But previously, I couldn't stand it when it first started. Then either they settled in, or I got used to it and it was good. Although even then I would what the recording and fast forward through some of the bull.  But then again, I wasn't a big fan of Rugby Club either.  I only watched it for the highlights of the non-televised games (most of them back then).

I think their match day coverage was significantly better than Sky's. But Matt Dawson just does my head in. It's just so forced with him, he makes me want to punch the TV.

This. I fast forward through nearly all of it now and watch about 10 mins.

I'm in the minority in that I don't mind Dawson. It's Ugo and Doyle that wind me up. Ugo is good on match days, but Doyle is just irritating all the time!

Healy, Ben Kay and Dave Flatman are all very good though.

I think some of the more recent hirings in terms of ex pros have been poor choices. Ugo adds nothing to the table and Dayglo is little better. Not that impressed by Doyle or Sara either as sometimes their lack of knowledge is shocking. Thankfully Nick Kennedy seems to have been dropped as he was Barnes level annoying.

I miss nothing about the Sky production but then again I'm an infrequent viewer (at best) to mid week rugby shows.

formerly known as Sam wrote:I think some of the more recent hirings in terms of ex pros have been poor choices. Ugo adds nothing to the table and Dayglo is little better. Not that impressed by Doyle or Sara either as sometimes their lack of knowledge is shocking. Thankfully Nick Kennedy seems to have been dropped as he was Barnes level annoying.

I miss nothing about the Sky production but then again I'm an infrequent viewer (at best) to mid week rugby shows.

I found it to be the opposite at least on match days, Doyles question seem to show a strong knowledge and given Saras family you'd think she'd be well versed in the game

Ben Kay and Flatman seem to know what they are talking about, Flatman has a good sense of humour too.

Dawson is an annoying little so and so. As an aside, in c.2002 there was a charity dinner where Dawson was a speaker and questions were allowed from the audience. One was
' How tall do you think Wilkinson is?... I ask because he is always having to catch the ball like this (arms above head)'
The only time Dawson has been quiet...