[7]. Commentators today cannot match the wit and the speed of his comments. Bill McLaren - Wikipedia Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. On Jonah Lomu Its like trying to tackle a snooker table!, Now Im not a hodman, but if I saw Jonah Lomu running at me Id be putting down bricks, Ill tell you. [on Jonah Lomu]. Enter your email address below and we will email you new posts: 60 Of The Best Great Quotes from Bill McLaren (part 1 of 4) Celebrations, Fisticuffs, Tough Guys, Big Boys and Bills Daughter, Linda, The Triumph Of Human Spirit Wins African Cup Of Nations, 60 Of The Best Great Quotes from Bill McLaren (part 1 of 4) | Great Moments Of Sportsmanship, 60 Of The Best Great Quotes from Bill McLaren - Part 2, 60 Of The Best Great Quotes from the Late Great Bill McLaren (part 3 of 4) | Great Moments Of Sportsmanship, 60 Of The Best Great Quotes from the late great Bill McLaren (part 4 of 4) | Great Moments Of Sportsmanship. Bill McLaren - Scotland On Air We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. The Quinnell name is famous in Welsh rugby. Rugby for orchestra and full voice, and nobody made a sound quite like Bill McLaren. Invite us to tell stories in your school or club. News, views and all the moves in the world of Rugby Union, On Phil Bennett:They say down at Stradey that if ever you catch him [Phil Bennett] you get to make a wish., On Jonah Lomu:Im no hod carrier but I would be laying bricks if he [Jonah L] was running at me., On Grant Batty:He plays like a runaway bullet., On Gerald Davies:His sidestep was marvellous like a shaft of lightning., Its high enough, its long enough AND ITS STRAIGHT ENOUGH.. Three of his grandchildren went on to play rugby, with Rory Lawson and Jim Thompson both current professionals. The son of a knitwear salesman, during the second world war Bill found himself in Italy, a second lieutenant in the Royal Artillery. Renowned throughout the sport, his enthusiasm and memorable turn of phrase endeared him to many. The beloved commentator sadly passed away in 2010 but his legacy will live . Bill McLarens spirit lives on here in this blog and in The Bill McLaren Foundation. Aidan Smith's Saturday Interview: Welsh wizard John Taylor on one of rugby's great contests, Bill McLaren, standing against apartheid and his worry that Scotland are "building something". Gareth Edwards whose 1972 try for Wales against Scotland in the Cardiff mud was the inspiration for one of McLarens most well-known commentaries called him one of the great commentators, if not the best, in the world of rugby. 20 of the best quotes from the 'Voice of Rugby' Bill McLaren But he was broad-shouldered and had a big physical presence. Former Wales captain Gwyn Jones, 37, said McLaren was famous for dispensing Hawick balls Scottish butter mint sweets to everyone he met. Craig Quinnell was a giant (and I mean giant) lock. Over the. The prop blithely stepped out of his breeks and bent over to put on the pristine pair. "And he was loved for his knowledge as well as his humour. Bill McLaren was a legendary commentator on rugby matches. He merely points out that the two brothers were well-fed! The one-time captain of Wales was the natural heir of the voice of rugby, Bill McLaren, with whom he shared the BBC commentary box in his early days as a broadcaster. The depth of McLarens research became legendary, and he would spend days watching teams train in the week before a match, and then spend nights practising with his own special packet of cards. The late great, Bill McLaren was simply the world's best rugby commentator ever. McLaren, now in his 86th year, lives quietly at his home in Hawick, in the beautiful Scottish borders. He toured with the Lions in 1977 to South Africa. He was educated at Monmouth School and Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, where he studied French and Spanish between 1976 and 1978.Butler played as a number eight and gained Cambridge Blues in 1976, 1977 and 1978, Butler played in 16 matches for the Welsh national side between 1980 and 1984 and captained the side in six of those matches. It was just that Bill, given the choice of two television monitors, liked to hunch over the one closer to him. It simply did not matter. In the summer break the teenager was introduced to the Pontypool club, a more villagey, earthy Valleys side than the traditional east Wales big clubs, Cardiff and Newport. McLaren is describing the kicker action. Eddie Butler: Former Wales rugby captain and legendary broadcaster dies When they get going, its like watching cattle stampede, huge fellows who thunder about the paddock like mad rhinos. *The All Blacks that day looked like great prophets of doom. The All Blacks that day looked like great prophets of doom. But it was from the table-tennis commentary that the desire to call the shots on rugby union came. Born in Hawick, in the Scottish Borders, in 1923, McLaren started out as a player and made the Hawick first XV prior to the Second World War, during which he served with the Royal Artillery. Last weeks 15 Quotes from Bill covered Celebrations, Fisticuffs, Tough Guys & some Big Boys. Eddie Butler (rugby union) - Wikipedia His nickname was Pine Tree. Well, no dancing in the streets of Hawick tonight but Scotland were unlucky to lose by a 14 pt margin. It troubled him that he was not by her side when she died, but Janie had ordered him to the commentary box. Its like trying to tackle a snooker table. He received an OBE, CBE and MBE for services to the sport and combined his work as a broadcaster with that of a PE teacher until 1987. Bennett had also played against New Zealand for the Barbarians in 1973. No, coo isnt a typo. Seeking inspiration for his first team talk as Scotland captain in November 2010, Rory Lawson decided to head for Hawick where his grandfather, World Rugby Hall of Fame inductee Bill McLaren, had taught and encouraged so many children to play rugby in a lifetime devoted to the sport. He loved the characters in the game. But in truth, he was much more than rugby's voice, more its full-blown orchestra, devoted to the works of the Romantic movement, and only the Romantic. Scotland always won. When Bill McLaren helped Scotland enjoy the sweetest of victories Davies scored twenty tries in 46 tests, an impressive feat both then and now. He did so, rushed back to the hospital, but she had died that afternoon while he was on air. Known as 'the voice of rugby', he retired from commentating in 2002. There was also an internet campaign last year to give McLaren, from Hawick in the Scottish Borders, a knighthood for his work. Monmouth, though, knew they had a real talent long before their pupil went to Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, to read French and Spanish (1976-79). Known as 'the voice of rugby', he retired from commentating in 2002. After that tour, he switched to playing league but then returned to union. BILL McLaren will be remembered simply as the voice of rugby. Brown was a forward who took the place kicks. I dont care! A look back at the glorious career of the BBC's world-renowned rugby commentator Bill McLaren, who passed away in January 2010 at the age of 86.John Inverdal. Scottish rugby union player, sports broadcaster & journalist, Scottish rugby commentators and journalists, "Tributes paid to woman behind Hawick's voice of rugby, Bill McLaren, after his widow Bette dies at 93", Vale Bill McLaren, we'll never see your like again, "Book review: Rugby's Greatest Heroes And Entertainers, by Bill McLaren", Bill McLaren: Scotland's legendary voice of rugby mourned across world The Scotsman, "Bill McLaren, the 'voice of rugby', dies aged 86", "Hundreds gather for funeral of Bill McLaren, the voice of rugby", "Characters from centre stage gather again to say last farewell to Bill McLaren", "Thousands gather at Murrayfield to pay tribute to Bill McLaren 'the voice of rugby', "Bill McLaren statue to be unveiled at Murrayfield", "Scottish Rugby Hall of Fame Inductees 2010", "Legends inducted into World Rugby Hall of Fame at Rugby World Cup 2015", Bill McLaren: Legendary 'Voice of Rugby' was a family man above all, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_McLaren&oldid=1124949584, Commanders of the Order of the British Empire, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Sports commentating, sports journalism, rugby player, This page was last edited on 1 December 2022, at 11:21. was described as being like a siege gun.., I recall that Bill M often used the phrase now did ye notice.. when he was getting comment from Beaumont and referred to modern rugby boots as carpet slippers .Brings back such fond memories of watching 5 nations as it was then with my old man..priceless. Most populous nation: Should India rejoice or panic? How well will you do? Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. He became a columnist and journalist who was not. All rights reserved. Here is McLaren watching defenders bouncing off legendary All Black winger Jonah Lomu. This is how it sounds when McLaren says cow. He was a forward spotter deep in hostile territory, often on his own, identifying enemy targets and relaying the information back to his unit. One day, drawn by the smell ofdecay to a village cemetery, he rounded a corner and was confronted by a mound of 1,500 corpses. Comments. #WALvENG75: We won't even try and break down this Steve - Facebook Fri Feb 3 2023 - 10:29. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. The switch to television came six years later, and it was throughout the following four decades and more that McLaren came to be seen as the foremost authority in rugby commentary. Historians in Hawick are working through thousands of books, videos and clippings in a bid to recreate Bill McLaren's "chaotic" research room. It was there that Bill became music. Here is McLaren on two sturdy brothers who were giants of Welsh rugby in more ways than one. *His sidestep was marvellous like a shaft of lightning (description of Welsh wing Gerald Davies). Perhaps Gibbs most famous try for his country was the one that secured a Grand Slam against England in 1999. *Tweet, tweet, tweet commentary on Scottish full-back Peter Dods strange run up to a penalty kick. This refers to Finlay Calder, who won 34 caps for Scotland between 1986 and 1991. However, there was a time when he lined up a kick as McLaren was commentating on a Scottish test. He has two famous sons-in-law, Linda married former Scotland rugby scrum half Alan Lawson and Janie married horse racing commentator Derek Thompson. (This usually doesnt end up well for the catcher!). McLaren studied in Aberdeen and taught PE until 1987, coaching three players who went on to star for Scotland: Jim Renwick, Colin Deans and Tony Stanger. But despite an internet campaign last year, he was never knighted. Regarding He could sidestep 3 men in a telephone box would this be a welsh wizard, Barry John? Bill McClaren Rugby at its Greatest - YouTube Video unavailable 0:00 / 0:31 Video unavailable This video contains content from Six Nations Rugby, who has blocked it in your country on. I remember interviewing him once about his early influences, and he mentioned being impressed by the great Jack Manchester, captain of the All Blacks, in 1935. 60 Of The Best - Great Quotes from the late great Bill McLaren (part 2 His funeral took place on 25 January at Teviot Church in Hawick, followed by a private burial at the town's Wellogate Cemetery after his hearse was applauded through the town of Hawick by hundreds of well-wishers who lined the streets to pay their respects. But McLaren isnt too impressed with the flankers ball-handling skills! He merely points out that the two brothers were well-fed! Bill McLaren obituary | Rugby union | The Guardian *Im no hod carrier but Id be laying bricks if he was running at me (description of Jonah Lomu). When he hits you, you think the roof has just fallen in. However, he said it was fair to describe the room as "chaotic" and added: "It was an absolute tip. From next spring, the Bill McLaren 100 exhibition will share Hawick Museum with a display charting Hawick Rugby Club's 150 years. In McLarens 2005 autobiography he talked frankly about the greatest tragedy of his life: the death of his younger daughter, Janie, from cancer at 46, the three years of agony and the trauma of her final day.
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