Rugby World Cup - UK host broadcaster

As the UK digital switch-over should be complete by 2015, and that it will be hosted on on a free-to-air platform, it seems to me that the broadcaster could be potentially anyone.

Presuming that there is no long-term IRB/ITV stitch-up.

Sky, ESPN and any other digital supplier could set up an additional free-to-air channel at least for the duration and bid for the rights.

I don't think that ITV is a good rugby broadcaster and certainly wasn't last year not least because they chose Steve Rider as anchor man - a man who knows nothing about the game (remember the the Warburton pillockry?).

My preference would be the Beeb as they can chose to dedicate a channel/red button to the event. Even with potentially Inverdale as anchor. However I don't find him as irritating as others do on this board. Plus Auntie (providing there's no intervening political intervention) if advert-free.

The beeb also has ready made home punditry, however anoying people find Jiffy, Eddie Butler, Gareth Charles, Brian Moore, John Inverdale, Jerry Guscott, Andy Nicol, Keith Woods, they are all there ready and waiting, I would love to watch a world cup final with the Brian Moore and Eddie Butler commentry.

LordDowlais wrote:The beeb also has ready made home punditry, however anoying people find Jiffy, Eddie Butler, Gareth Charles, Brian Moore, John Inverdale, Jerry Guscott, Andy Nicol, Keith Woods, they are all there ready and waiting, I would love to watch a world cup final with the Brian Moore and Eddie Butler commentry.

The Beeb has some experience at least in choice of commentary. It would be great if you could watch a game with the choice of commentary/crowd noise/fanzone and re-watch with a different one.

I recall watching a Newcastle v Liverpool footy match on Sky with fanzone commentary - priceless wit!

Sorry guys ITV have the rights to the next Rugby World Cup

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rugby_World_Cup_2015#Media_Coverage

Good luck to anyone wanting to making a complaint to ITV then.

Or to the ombudsman either for that matter.

They are bomb-proof and I have (somewhere) the emails to prove it. Criticism is met with a wall of obfuscation.

Shame, looks like i will be watching it on the internet then...

Just in case people didn't know, in the last world cup after each game they had the games replay up on the IRB website for free.

ITVs performance at the last world cup was a disgrace, especially the behaviour of their pundits.

Peter Seabiscuit Wheeler wrote:ITVs performance at the last world cup was a disgrace, especially the behaviour of their pundits.

Which one's ?

What did they do wrong?

HERSH wrote:What did they do wrong?

Not a lot Hersh as a pundit only has to speak his mind about rugby based on rugby knowledge. Some of them might be perceived individually on personal preference.

But Rider, as anchorman, has no rugby brain nor background.

Plus he's got a face better suited to South Park.

My ideal commentary team would be Moore, Butler, Jiffy and Barnes

For me:
Commentator : Miles Harrington / John Taylor
Match analyst ('co-commentator') : Moore / Healey
Technical analyst (the caravan) : Kay
Studio pundits* : Jiffy, Wood, Fitzpatrick, Lynagh, Dally and Mooro (after his commentary stint) for front row analysis.
Anchor : Inverdale

*Worth a trial : MJ, PSA, BOD, an as-yet untried Scot (there may be someone there who'd be reasonably objective) , Shane

I think Chris Paterson will step forward as a decent Scots pundit. Smart guy, thoughtful, bags of experience and a good knowledge of several positions in the backline as well as kicking experience. I've only seen him on TV a couple of times so far, but he's light years ahead of Andy Nicol.

Jiffy is good provided Wales aren't playing. Jiffy and Keith Wood work well together. I also rate Will Greenwood highly as a pundit, although as a co-commentator he's a bit silly if England are involved. Lynagh is always excellent.

I've no issues with Barnes as a co-commentator. Brian Moore has character, but his argumentative style can be pretty annoying after a while. He does bother to look up the rules though.

In terms of an anchor, I hate Inverdale. Arrogant, one-eyed and manages to shoe-horn a reference to 2003 regardless of context and who is playing. The Beeb needs to sort that out. Someone with a modicum of humility and wit would be a start.

Inverdale & Lineker spoilt the Olympics for me, you could see the other pundits thinking who are you/why are you here.

Jonathan Edwards, Sue Barker or the Scottish bird (does the Golf) would have been better.

My all time worst imaginable commentating pair up would be: Zinzan Brooke and Brian Moore doing the live comments with half time analysis by Murray Mexted, Jonathan Davies and Phil Kearns, anchored by John Inverdale. Sideline comments to be covered by Eddie Butler and Jill Douglas.

HERSH wrote:Inverdale & Lineker spoilt the Olympics for me, you could see the other pundits thinking who are you/why are you here.

Jonathan Edwards, Sue Barker or the Scottish bird (does the Golf) would have been better.

Think Hazel Irvine is the "Scottish bird".

Thought Gabby Logan was awesome at the Olympics and thinking about it I'd replace Inverdale with her. She is excellent, and really knows her stuff.

The anchorman job is tricky. Hardly since David Coleman, has there been a truly good one - with the ability to seamlessly work with the production team ,working the panel/commentators with some underpinning of the sport involved whilst all the time being impartial and mindful of his viewer makes it a tough gig.

Who?

anotherworldofpain wrote:My all time worst imaginable commentating pair up would be: Zinzan Brooke and Brian Moore doing the live comments with half time analysis by Murray Mexted, Jonathan Davies and Phil Kearns, anchored by John Inverdale. Sideline comments to be covered by Eddie Butler and Jill Douglas.

Agreed on Zinzan Brooke. Such a wonderful player. Such a plonker.

Gabby Logan I forgot about her, you're right she did pretty well on the late night Olympic show, plus she’s slightly better looking than Inverdale and doesn't ask such silly questions.

I say string Inverdale up, but then again he doesn't have a neck!
so what else could we use?

Can we just get the Aussie commentators from the Super XV/Rugby Championship? They may be more-than-a-tad biased, but at least they're good for a laugh.

I'm planning to propose Tracey Pigot and Bill O'Herlihy as the dumb blonde. Perfect combo.

Conor O'Shea, Paul Wallace, BOD, Shaggy, and the peerless Liam Toland on the panel.

Send George and Brent to Britain.

funnyExiledScot wrote:

HERSH wrote:Inverdale & Lineker spoilt the Olympics for me, you could see the other pundits thinking who are you/why are you here.

Jonathan Edwards, Sue Barker or the Scottish bird (does the Golf) would have been better.

Think Hazel Irvine is the "Scottish bird".

Thought Gabby Logan was awesome at the Olympics and thinking about it I'd replace Inverdale with her. She is excellent, and really knows her stuff.

Gabby "tax avoidance" Logan? Not likely

No rugby coverage is complete without Sonja McLaughlan, Austin Healey and John Inverdale. Just class.

I think each major nation's match should have a commentator from each team, with someone filling in for nations without major commentators-

I just want Castagneide as the French commentator

I would have said "anyone but ITV" before, but after seeing Inverdale's performance at the Olympics and being put down multiple times by Michael Johnson, I'm not that keen on the Beeb's front either.

There's a lot of people putting Inverdale and his alleged referals to 2003 down here. I've no real problem with that because I happen to agree that he's a bit of a wally.

However, bias is hardly the preserve of the 'English' BBC, one only has to tune into Scrum V to enjoy vomit inducing Welsh biased sycophancy.

I like Dean Ryan when he's on Sky. He always gets technical and gives a generally balanced view. Michael Lynagh is another great pundit, he's not always leaping on bandwagons like the usual tat Barnes spouts.

My ideal commentary/pundit team would be:

Harrison/Moore

Lynagh, Fitzpatrick, Ryan, Greenwood, Guscott

Guest Comments from: Dayglo and Ibanez.

Special Appearance from: Martin Johnson to contrast the 2011 RWC!

Here is Moore's justification alone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTQWT-B0EBw - they actually cut his mic halfway through this.

I miss Bill McLaren.

Jimpy wrote:There's a lot of people putting Inverdale and his alleged referals to 2003 down here. I've no real problem with that because I happen to agree that he's a bit of a wally.

However, bias is hardly the preserve of the 'English' BBC, one only has to tune into Scrum V to enjoy vomit inducing Welsh biased sycophancy.

What it also reveals is just how withered and bitter many people are regarding anything English that they overlook the desperate attempts the BBC makes to fall all over the Welsh/Scottish/Irish in the 6 nations build up, including a 20 minute potted history of why the Welsh should hate the English rather than just getting over themselves.

Jimpy wrote:There's a lot of people putting Inverdale and his alleged referals to 2003 down here. I've no real problem with that because I happen to agree that he's a bit of a wally.

However, bias is hardly the preserve of the 'English' BBC, one only has to tune into Scrum V to enjoy vomit inducing Welsh biased sycophancy.

It's true! At least ENG won a RWC once.

After the way the Beeb handled the Olympics with all its HD live streaming, live video on demand playback, lack of adverts and overall good presentation I cannot see another non-pay per view broadcaster ousting them for anything.

But money does all the talking.

I thought the BBC coverage of the Olympics was magnificent, with their multi choice red button option and excellent website link.

I would love to see what they could do with the RWC.

maestegmafia wrote:I thought the BBC coverage of the Olympics was magnificent, with their multi choice red button option and excellent website link.

I would love to see what they could do with the RWC.

Coverage was good, but the likes of Lineker, Barker, and Inverdale were cringeworthy.

I am sure it is only Inverdale who will be there to savour the ghosts of Stammer-Smiths past...!

Only Steve Ryder can make Inverdale look impartial.