Yoda
Dick Tooth (41)
Yes. Classic!
RWC 2027 Australia
- Thread starter liquor box
- Start date
Dan54
Jason Little (69)
must admit, I am same, though with fantasy etc makes a difference.
Spamnoodle
Jim Clark (26)
The latest soccer WC draw has been notable for all the wrong reasons.
Spamnoodle
Jim Clark (26)
Robert Craddock
Jim Tucker
Yoda
Dick Tooth (41)
Jim Tucker was very good. If that is Crash Craddock I haven't read any of his stuff. Greg Growden was another I remember.
JRugby2
Colin Windon (37)
What defines a good writer anyway? Is it their longevity? Their connections? Their ability to break news?
Jim and Craddock maybe but in recent times Craddock doesn't give rugby much attention (most likely an editorial decision made by the CM) and Jim has really only written about the Reds (even going back to before he was employed by them). Not that I disagree they are good - but if you don't write about the game in a holistic sense can you be considered a 'great'?
Gideon Haigh in cricket could be considered a great writer for his eloquence and his lawyer-like ability to construct a thought or an argument - but the criticism he gets is usually around his regularly pessimistic approach to things, or the way he writes.
Very much an each to their own I think.
Jim and Craddock maybe but in recent times Craddock doesn't give rugby much attention (most likely an editorial decision made by the CM) and Jim has really only written about the Reds (even going back to before he was employed by them). Not that I disagree they are good - but if you don't write about the game in a holistic sense can you be considered a 'great'?
Gideon Haigh in cricket could be considered a great writer for his eloquence and his lawyer-like ability to construct a thought or an argument - but the criticism he gets is usually around his regularly pessimistic approach to things, or the way he writes.
Very much an each to their own I think.
wamberal99
Phil Hardcastle (33)
Growden never had anything positive to say. Bill McLaren was the best TV commentator. Only said what had to be said, but said it clearly and knowledgeably. Too many commentators these days forget that we have eyes.
Strewthcobber
Phil Kearns (64)
Anyone who remembers Growden fondly didn't read enough of his stuff.
I'm not the first person to note how many great cricket writers there have been, and great books written, with no rugby union journalism or literature coming close.
Even rugby league has "This sporting life"
I'm not the first person to note how many great cricket writers there have been, and great books written, with no rugby union journalism or literature coming close.
Even rugby league has "This sporting life"
Yoda
Dick Tooth (41)
What channel did Bill McLaren commentate on?
Adam84
Tim Horan (67)
Not sure the way “holistic” is being used here is really appropriate. Holistic doesn’t mean “writes about every other state or country.” It means covering the full picture of whatever area you’re reporting on, and I’d argue Tucker did that better than most.
He covered Queensland rugby in genuine depth: schools, clubs, pathways, Reds, politics, history, player movement; that’s a holistic view of the code in this state, his target market. Spreading yourself thin across multiple regions isn’t automatically more “complete,” it’s just broader. Tucker went deep, and depth of his knowledge in Queensland is what make/made him good writer.
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Spamnoodle
Jim Clark (26)
They're great to me. That's all I care about.
I haven't picked up the Curious Snail for a bunch of years so couldn't say who writes what these days. Just what I find online. This joint fills the void in a strange way.
Spamnoodle
Jim Clark (26)
Very eloquently put.
wamberal99
Phil Hardcastle (33)
He was a BBC employee.
brokendown
Bill McLean (32)
black and white TV,lol
rugbyAU
Jim Lenehan (48)
Anyone feel that we shouldn't be expanding to 24 teams
- there's no pool of death when 4 out of 6 third-place teams out of 4 advance
- in the rd of 16 which two-thirds of teams make there will no doubt be blowouts
- some people have been rolling their eyes at fixtures like NZ v China/Hong Kong and Eng v Zimbabwe
- keeping at 20 teams for now can make the qualifying more competetive and some of the minnows have to earn their spot a bit more
- there's no pool of death when 4 out of 6 third-place teams out of 4 advance
- in the rd of 16 which two-thirds of teams make there will no doubt be blowouts
- some people have been rolling their eyes at fixtures like NZ v China/Hong Kong and Eng v Zimbabwe
- keeping at 20 teams for now can make the qualifying more competetive and some of the minnows have to earn their spot a bit more
Mr Pilfer
Bill McLean (32)
Yeah it doesn’t appear great now and 16 teams out of 24 moving through is definitely too many, but I guess the idea is that this is the worst it will be and then those teams will get stronger by being in the World Cup and the gaps will narrow. Remember in earlier World Cups Japan were losing by 100 points. Teams like Portugal, Uruguay have been able to play against the big guns and not get embarrassed
Slim 293
George Smith (75)
No…
Dan54
Jason Little (69)
I agree on Gordon Bray, wasn't a huge fan until I lived in Aus, and heard him more on Ch 10 (I think). I then realised he was a very good caller with a bloody good understanding of the game .
Spamnoodle
Jim Clark (26)
Does that make the commentator less relevant somehow?