Re: BBC : Sun Oct 18, 2015 2:48 pm  

Not just Inverdale, the whole of the ITV coverage has been poor.

Re: BBC : Sun Oct 18, 2015 6:29 pm  

It could have been worse, they could have poached Jonathan Davies from the BBC.

Re: BBC : Sun Oct 18, 2015 8:09 pm  

Dunno who the commentary team were on R5 for the Scotland game but they left me thinking that Eddie and Stevo weren't actually all that bad

Re: BBC : Mon Oct 19, 2015 11:03 am  

Clearwing wrote:

Dunno who the commentary team were on R5 for the Scotland game but they left me thinking that Eddie and Stevo weren't actually all that bad

Wasn't Gavin Hastings a part of it? Kept seeing his quotes cropping up on the BBC Sport website feed, made Phil Clarke look fair and balanced.

Re: BBC : Mon Oct 19, 2015 11:11 am  

reffy wrote:

It could have been worse, they could have poached Jonathan Davies from the BBC.

What's wrong with Jiffy? At least he understands the game, and is quite prepared to mention Rugby League when it's relevant. Unlike that arch League hater Inverdale.

Re: BBC : Mon Oct 19, 2015 11:39 am  

Andy Gilder wrote:

Wasn't Gavin Hastings a part of it? Kept seeing his quotes cropping up on the BBC Sport website feed, made Phil Clarke look fair and balanced.

Good shout, he was. One of the others appears on A Question of Sport though I forget his name. The level of bile they directed towards the ref, who'd failed to consult the VR over a crucial decision, was unreal. After about ten mins someone in the studio pointed out that he could only have done so had foul play been involved. Which apparently it wasn't. They then spent another age moaning because the ref left the pitch too quickly. Very sore losers, their lack of grace and dignity was worse than I think I've heard in any commentary on any sport.

Re: BBC : Mon Oct 19, 2015 12:13 pm  

Perry wrote:

What's wrong with Jiffy?

He is ab-so-lute-ly dread-ful.

Re: BBC : Mon Oct 19, 2015 12:16 pm  

Clearwing wrote:

Good shout, he was. One of the others appears on A Question of Sport though I forget his name. The level of bile they directed towards the ref, who'd failed to consult the VR over a crucial decision, was unreal. After about ten mins someone in the studio pointed out that he could only have done so had foul play been involved. Which apparently it wasn't. They then spent another age moaning because the ref left the pitch too quickly. Very sore losers, their lack of grace and dignity was worse than I think I've heard in any commentary on any sport.

Was it that idiot Dawson?

Re: BBC : Mon Oct 19, 2015 12:27 pm  

It was all over 5 Live Breakfast this morning - and carried over to Your Call; with everyone wailing and gnashing their teeth over the failure of Northern Hemisphere teams to beat Southern Hemisphere teams; some interesting theories about weather, head injuries and youth development, with no real admission that Southern Hemisphere teams appear to have decided to pass and run more, and score tries.

There was a big focus on the ref failing to consult the VR over the penalty for Australia - until an ex ref came on and pointed out that he wasn't allowed to consult in those circumstances. Then Hastings changed his tack to say it's not the decision he's annoyed about, but the fact that the ref left the field without shaking the players hands - which is against, apparently, Rugby's code of honour.

I texted in to say that the blame for both situations could be laid squarely at Sam Burgess' door - but they didn't read it out.

Re: BBC : Mon Oct 19, 2015 12:38 pm  

Jiffy is indeed terrible, for either code. The commentary has left something to be desired at times, but the studio pundits (esp. Fitzgerald) are generally pretty good.