You Talkin' to Me??

Sébastien Chabal, not selected for RWC 2011, is in the commentary team for TF1,a channel that NEVER shows rugby,along with Thierry Lacroix, Olivier Magne, Xavier Garbajosa, Christian Califano, Pierre Berbizier, Jean-Baptiste Lafond, Eric Champ and Jean-Pierre Garuet.

And you guys think that mercenaries play rugby, they now talk it for a football/F1 channel!

Anything worse elsewhere? OK, they are financially trying to bring the sport to the masses,and have bought 20 live games,but do dream teams exist(in France there is Bayle/Sella et al), and I suppose there are other examples chez vous.

What would be your ideal national(not nationalistic) commentary partnership, and the worst?

Bob Symonds and Jonathan Davies would be the best team I can think of.

Eddie Butler and JJ Williams would be the worst!

I know you said not nationalistic, but I love listening to the Pitbull and Butler needling eachother, I'd hire them for parties.

Austin Healey and Justin "big ape" Harrison?

How about just the crowd noise?

I like the two Aussies commenting on this one, no idea who they are but they are funny.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqIiCq2U2cI&feature=player_detailpage

For RTE, while it has its many faults, I wouldn't really change what they have going. The Hook/Pope/O'Shea trinity feeds off each other and works well. I like that they don't try to bring in current or recently retired rugby players.

I think the only thing I would change is let Tom McGurk go and bring in either Joanne Cantwell or Craig Doyle.

Craig Doyle? Surely you jest!?

Whats about RTE's dream team of Daire O'Brien, Frankie Sheehan and Victor Costello. They bring new meaning to the phrase 'as boring as watching paint dry.'

Check out the Alternative Rugby Commentary some time.

http://www.arcrugby.co.nz/

The RTE team are great, mainly because they are great communicators and journalists rather than great former players, down here in aus watching tim horan and the boys (incredible players) but they just seem stilted and boring on camera. After the grandslam ryle really grew on me, he was great in that final game.

PJHolybloke wrote:I like the two Aussies commenting on this one, no idea who they are but they are funny.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqIiCq2U2cI&feature=player_detailpage

the one commentator says 'Harin-a-doorkey'

can anyone say this guys name right?

When England play Ireland I listed to Eddie and Brian during the match and Watch RTE for the anlysis. Agree McGurk is useless at least Hook is funny

I like the guy that does the BBC Alba rugby commentary - the gaelic is a beautiful language to listen to, even if I only understand a v small fraction of it!!

Eddie Butler and Brian Moore are a great pairing. I've listened to some Australian commentators recently and they just talk / cheer over each other. It's rubbish. Gordon Bray was great, is he still around?

Brian Moore and Murray Mexted commentating on an England v New Zealand match would be interesting...

I like Ian Smith too, whether it's rugby or cricket.

Huw Llywelyn Davies on S4C is my favourite commentator, but he's not half as good when he commentates in English (he did for BBC Wales years ago).