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[url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/south_of_scotland/8468319.stm ]The Voice of Rugby[/url]
Rest in peace old chap, rest in peace.
I hope they'll be raising a glass to him "in the streets of Pontypool tonight!"
The world is a poorer place today.
Doddie Weir thru the middle like a galloping giraffe"
He's like a rampaging rhinoceros
No side on a rich and full life.
Aye - sad news.
Some of his comments....
*It’s high enough, it’s long enough AND IT’S STRAIGHT ENOUGH.
*He’s like a demented ferret up a wee drainpipe.
*He plays like a runaway bullet (description of New Zealand wing Grant Batty).
*He’s like a raging bull with a bad head.
*That one was a bit inebriated – just like one of my golf shots (description of a missed goal kick).
*He kicked that ball like it were 3 pounds o’ haggis.
*Would ye like a Hawick ball, son ? (McLaren offering a friend a mint).
*They’ll be dancing in the streets of Hawick/Selkirk/ tonight???
*His sidestep was marvellous – like a shaft of lightning (description of Welsh wing Gerald Davies).
*The All Blacks that day looked like great prophets of doom.
*I was there (at Twickenham) in 1938 when Scotland won 28-16.
*‘Tweet, tweet, tweet’ – commentary on Scottish full-back Peter Dods’ strange run up to a penalty kick.
*My goodness, that wee ball’s gone so high there’ll be snow on it when it comes down.
*He’s as quick as a trout up a burn.
*Those props are as cunning as a bag o’ weasels.
*A day out of Hawick is a day wasted.
*And it’s a try by Hika the hooker from Ngongotaha (Wales v New Zealand 1980).
*I’m no hod carrier but I’d be laying bricks if he was running at me (description of Jonah Lomu).
*They’ll be simply chuffed to bits down at??.
*I look at Colin Meads and see a great big sheep farmer who carried the ball in his hands as though it was an orange pip.
Very sad. Best commentator on any sport ever, anywhere.
Its coming down with snow on it!
Legend, another childhood memory turned into just that, I'm getting old.
RIP.
RIP to a true gentleman and absolute legend.
Gave me one the famed Hawick Balls as I was warming up for Hawick 7s in my heyday. Asked if we fancied our chances - I said "Well we're no bad" but as last minute call-ups from the junior circuit I suspect he and I both knew I was putting on a brave face. No surprise when we were humped by eventual beaten finalists Gala in the second round.
Every year when the Six Nations come around you are reminded just how good a commentator he was, a proud Scot he was never biased or Jingoistic like most of the tools{Butler, Moore etc} are now. Sad day.
He will be missed...truly was THE voice of rugby, it was a sad day when he retired...todays even sadder
I'm no rugby fan but I've strong memories of sitting in front of the fire with Lego or something on a Saturday while my Dad would be watching a 5 nations match. There was something about his voice that kind of made me want to watch the screen.
Oh no! 🙁
MussEd, nice tale!
There was something about his voice that kind of made me want to watch the screen.
Indeed. Hard to define, really, isn't it? Some people just have a voice like that.
One of the all time legendary commentators of any sport since broadcasting began - great memories of his commentaries over the decades -he will be sadly missed!
Most of the current crop of broadcasters and commentators in every sport, and indeed presenting in general, could learn many a lesson from Bill McLaren.
Did any of you ever see one of his research chart things he had in front of him at each game?
Massive chart with meticulous level of detail{that he dug up himself} on each and every player involved. Handwritten in different colours to make it all intelligible.
Andy Gray with your wee video chalkboard? You're having a laugh...
Oh no! Sad news indeed.
For me, as a rugby obsessed child growing up in England (son of a Welsh mother), he had the capacity to make even the most rain sodden, line-out ridden game a thing of warmth, excitement and poetry.
RIP Mr McLaren.
And the banner at his final commentary in 2002 was right: "Bill McLaren is Welsh".
Not too much else to add other than it is a very sad day indeed. So many great chidhood memories of watching the 5 nations with him commentating. As has been said before, he was utterly impartial and to this day the 5 or 6 nations has never been the same. Will his like ever be seen/heard again?
One of the all time legendary commentators of any sport since broadcasting began - great memories of his commentaries over the decades -he will be sadly missed!
Have to agree; a sad day indeed.
he was a delight to listen to, and i am a league man...
and while we are on the subject....do you rugger boy's want jonathon davies back as a commentator. 😉
[i]Rugby[/i] please - 'rugger' is surely only said by people that wear a clean Barbour and I'm sure wouldn't have been uttered by Mr McLaren 😉
do you rugger boy's want jonathon davies back as a commentator.
Steady on - one of the greatest players of either code that has graced the turf.
And, though he has a silly squeaky voice, he doesn't half talk sense about either game.
+1 for psling as posted above!:-)
OMITN speaks sense as well. Jiffy's something special.
proper upset now.
a very sad day. It's a very overused word but he was a legend.
On Jonah Lomu...
"I'm no bricklayer, but I'd be layng bricks if he was running at me" (or words to that effect).
Aye, a great voice...a voice from when Triple Crowns used to matter...heard Keith Wood talking about when the training sessions went "closed" on a Friday evening before a game, but nobody said no to Bill when he wanted to come in to view...so he could see the "shape of the players' heads"... 😀
RIP indeed.
That's a real shame - he will be missed and he's a great loss to Rugby. An objective commentator - he spent a lot of his own time teaching kids to play rugby in Hawick too - pity I was so crap at it!
Very sad day, one of the voices of my childhood. From watching internationals in the rugby club on Saturday afternoons after mini rugby sessions in the morning.
A true gent and a proud Scot and a gentleman.
Rest in peace Bill.
Sad, sad day 🙁
Was a true rugby fan, and a humble man. A voice from my childhood and much of my life - thanks Bill for all the matches you lit up with your commentary.
RIP
Unlike most commentators, he knew his stuff, the laws, the players, their clubs, their families, their other hobbies, and wasn't afraid to say when he didn't know what was going on - the typical line out or maul stuff with the response of "and take your pick what the offence was there". I can't stand it when current commentators authoritative tell you the ref has blown up for something he clearly hasn't.
And unlike most commentators he seemed to be revered by most of the players, but never seemed to let it go to his head.
Simply the best sports commentator I have ever heard.
A voice from my childhood and much of my life - thanks Bill for all the matches you lit up with your commentary.
+ 1
especially the chidhood bit, his voice brings back memories of my oldman cracking open a can settling down for a game and me sat on the floor wathching...
Rest in Peace Bill. A sad day indeed
He lived around the corner from my mum when she was a schoolgirl. As the school hockey captain, she had to write match reports and take them to him when he was the sports reporter on the Hawick News. She said he was a wonderful family man always full of fun. Great commentator, sadly missed.
I'm an English man through and through, but there has/was/is/never will be a better commentator than Bill McLaren.
I'm a bit young to have caught most of his career, but I grew up in a rugby mad family, so never missed an international if it was on the telly. To say he had a way with words was an understatement, he never failed to raise a laugh out of an audience!
RIP
So pleased to see so many comments that echo exactly what I've been thinking...a voice (actually beyond a voice, a sound even) of my childhood, sitting in the lounge in the winter when it was too dark and cold to play outside watching my Dad watch the rugby.
As algavebairn said, the sound of his voice made you want to watch what was going on. That and the lure of sips of my dad's mcewans export!
RIP Mr. McLaren 🙁
Ah well, at least we still have Eddie useless Butler & Brian am I that biased Moore 😆
But seriously, I have raised a glass (or 2) to the voice of a thousand players. I echo every comment here, a true legend.
RIP
My first touch of a rugby ball was under Bill's watchfull eye in the park (lot of teries on this thread). He was looking old last time i saw him.
Away like a baggie up a burn.
Bill Mclaren RIP, last time I shed a tear for a sportsman was Sir Bobby Robson, both absolute gents of their games.
Just waiting for that last garry owen to come down
Yeah i know its the Telegraph but watch the vid. Some classic sevens with Bill commentating.
[url] http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/scotland/7027996/Bill-McLarens-most-famous-quotes.html [/url]
As many above.
His commentary is one of my earliest memories as I sat down with my grand dad and uncles for 5 nations matches.
I was too young to fully appreciate the genius of the man at that time but he captivated me nonetheless. So many could learn from his example.
Best commentator ever.
RIP
Kevonakona - great link there and I'm really surprised at the number of teries here - good to see.
Brought tears to my eyes when I heard. His voice was so much part of the memories of saturday afternoons sat in the house with my dad, curtains drawn and watching the rugby. Coke floats as a treat initially then progressing onto a shandy!
Sadly missed with his deep understanding of the game and the people who played it. Totally professional in an amateur era of the game.
His autobiography is a good read too.
Rip Bill
Well, I have to say that I don't and never have followed rugby, but Bill McLaren's voice was totally recognisable and something familiar and reassuring. And there's always something to be said for someone as obviously passionate about something as he was about rugby.
Top bloke .. RIP
Its amazing how many people have the same memories conjured up by the great man's voice: saturday afternoon, at dad's feet, etc.