AS VIEWERS, WE really don’t ask for a whole lot from our commentators. As long as you are enthusiastic, have some idea of what’s going on and try to keep the ‘banter’ to a minimum, we will give you a fair bit of leeway.
The cardinal sin of commentary is doing a Phil Neville. We want to be excited when we watch a game, not be put to sleep by someone with energy levels so low you want to put them on Jason Statham’s diet from ‘Crank’.
Former Australian international and current Stade Francais winger Digby Ioane was introduced to Top 14 viewers during Toulouse vs Toulon last weekend and his casual Aussie delivery didn’t serve him well.
There were a lot of gems there but the best was after a very exciting and physical game, Ioane just mumbles, ‘that was actually a good game to watch’.
Ioane should just make a handy chart for future reference:
Tackling, running, catching – Yes.
Analysis, commentary, insight – No, Digby. Just no.