[Arthurlie1981]

Bill McLaren the voice of Rugby has passed away aged 86.

RIP Bill you brought rugby to several generations.

[flyingscot]

Arthurlie1981, on 19 January 2010 - 15:42, said:

Bill McLaren the voice of Rugby has passed away aged 86.

RIP Bill you brought rugby to several generations.

Yep as I said in the dead pool he was to Rugby what Murray Walker was to F1- Ledgendary and could never be replaced!

[heedthebaa]

RIP, Shame, always loved his passionate commentary's. Good innings though 86, i'd take that

[dogma]

RIP but for illness he would hace played for Scotland.Truly great commentator though - always faithfully neutral and every stat going long before computers were around. His voice and Erica Roes chebs are my earliest rugby memories.

[ICTChris]

I honestly think he was the best commentator I have ever heard in any sport. Absolutely fantastic, as said above - every statistic, real deep, rich knowledge of the game and really fair and neutral. On the news just then they played the footage of his son-in-law scoring a try for Scotland against England and his former pupil Tony Stanger scoring the try that won us the Grand Slam in 1990 - none of the whooping and nonsense you get in other sports.

A great Scot. RIP.

[lichtie23]

Sad news.

Had some quality lines.

"There like cattle trucks in a shunting yard" was my personal favourite.

RIP Sir

[MB]

A truly legendary commentator whose passion for rugby brought the sport to a generation of fans. I'm deeply saddened by his passing, but thankful for his exquisite commentary. Great man.

[La_Leyenda]

Had the pleasure of interviewing Bill McLaren a few years ago. Being just a young lad on work experience at the time, his "agent" who was with him wasn't too keen on letting me speak to him.

Ever the gentlemen though, and against the wishes of the manager of the book store we were in, McLaren invited me into a back room before a book signing. With an agent and store manager glaring at me, they were nearly sent over the edge when McLaren suggested someone should get me a cup of tea. I politely declined.

I only needed to ask him two questions as he talked and talked - and that was no bad thing for whether you were into rugby or not, he was one of those people you could sit and listen to all night, even softening up the mood of our two foes in the corner as they listened to his stories.

An absolute gent. Very sad to hear this news today.

[sky+remote]

It is very sad news, the six nations, have never been the same since 2002. Watching his DVD is great, brings back great memories.

RIP

[Savage Henry]

The BBC Obit is very well written.

How did he describe Doddie Weir once? Like a leaping gazelle?

[Pink Freud]

Tremendously dignified, intelligent and humble man. The most entertaining sports commentry I've ever heard. What cracking life he seems to have led. THanks for the memories.

[Shawfield Stallion]

"Mercy me what a tackle!!!"

RIP Bill

[Swarley]

Sad news indeed, watching rugby hasn't had the same 'feel' since he retired.

There was always one or two stramashes every game and he really didn't like the crowd heckling the goal kicker.

[Shengus Khan]

He was a true legend. One of those voices that I grew up listening to.

Here's some of his best quotes from the Telegraph today.

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: "I'm 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."

Other favourites:

"It’s high enough, it’s long enough AND IT’S STRAIGHT ENOUGH."

"He’s like a demented ferret up a wee drainpipe."

"He’s like a raging bull with a bad head."

"That one was a bit inebriated – just like one of my golf shots."

"He kicked that ball like it were three pounds o’ haggis."



"The All Blacks that day looked like great prophets of doom."

"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 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."

"I’ve hardly ever had to pay to get in (the best thing in his view about 50 years of commentary at rugby matches)."

[Convenor]

Swarley, on 20 January 2010 - 07:02, said:

he really didn't like the crowd heckling the goal kicker.

" ill-mannered booing" he called it

[flyingscot]

Swarley, on 20 January 2010 - 07:02, said:

Sad news indeed, watching rugby hasn't had the same 'feel' since he retired.

There was always one or two stramashes every game and he really didn't like the crowd heckling the goal kicker.

The SRU used to make announcements at Murrayfield for people not to do it.

[dogma]

Jim Pansy, on 19 January 2010 - 21:35, said:

The BBC Obit is very well written.

How did he describe Doddie Weir once? Like a leaping gazelle?

Lol, he said Weir ran like a mad giraffe which was entirely accurate. Been some good stuff on him in the Scotsman, didnt realise he had seen such action in WW2. Sadly the horrors of what he experienced and saw were affecting him up to his last days - he had dementia but the clearest memories he had were from the war and the stuff he saw at Monte Cassini.

[SaintGroanin']

Unfortunately my favourite quote from him was missing from the obituaries; (On the Welsh front row) "They're no oil paintings, but they can certainly scrummage."
His passing is a sad loss to rugby, but a sad loss to sport as well.

[capybara]

Tremendous and knowledgeable commentator. I grew up watching and listening to him in the 70,s.He got me interested in rugby,and i played a bit at school.

Synonymous with the game.

[Mackie The Staggie]

This made me smile, sadly we will never see his likes again.

[Laid Back Maverick]

La_Leyenda, on 19 January 2010 - 20:27, said:

Had the pleasure of interviewing Bill McLaren a few years ago. Being just a young lad on work experience at the time, his "agent" who was with him wasn't too keen on letting me speak to him.

Ever the gentlemen though, and against the wishes of the manager of the book store we were in, McLaren invited me into a back room before a book signing. With an agent and store manager glaring at me, they were nearly sent over the edge when McLaren suggested someone should get me a cup of tea. I politely declined.

I only needed to ask him two questions as he talked and talked - and that was no bad thing for whether you were into rugby or not, he was one of those people you could sit and listen to all night, even softening up the mood of our two foes in the corner as they listened to his stories.

An absolute gent. Very sad to hear this news today.

I met him on the pitchside at Murrayfield before the Scotland-Ireland match in 1999 (when we won the last Five Nations). Total gent and we had a blether about the weather and how the game would go. I could only have been about 16 at the time, and remember how much in awe I was that I was actually speaking to him.

Swarley, on 20 January 2010 - 07:02, said:

Sad news indeed, watching rugby hasn't had the same 'feel' since he retired.

There was always one or two stramashes every game and he really didn't like the crowd heckling the goal kicker.

To think the BBC replaced him with Jonathan Davies *shudder*. I don't like the crowd heckling anything, especially the kicks, spoils what is usually a very good friendly atmosphere.

[dogma]

Laid Back Maverick, on 19 February 2010 - 10:51, said:

I met him on the pitchside at Murrayfield before the Scotland-Ireland match in 1999 (when we won the last Five Nations). Total gent and we had a blether about the weather and how the game would go. I could only have been about 16 at the time, and remember how much in awe I was that I was actually speaking to him.




To think the BBC replaced him with Jonathan Davies *shudder*. I don't like the crowd heckling anything, especially the kicks, spoils what is usually a very good friendly atmosphere.

The BBC coverage is unrelentingly dire now - Davies, Moore, Dawson, Healy n Guscott all try to outdo each other on the 'controversial' and partisan stakes - McLaren would be devastated to see how they are 'following' him. John Beattie is the only one worth listening to and he mostly does the radio now. McLaren was stoicly neutral even if we were getting gubbed in it made for a better viewing experience. Can remember him saying how chuffed he was at being given the reins for the 84 match against Ireland as it was his 1st chance to commentate on a Triple Crown ( we got the Grand Slam that year ) yet his commentary was utterly fair and unbiased. The BBC video of his best bits brought a wee lump to my throat.