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Classic phrases from commentator Bill McLaren - The Independent Eddie Butler: The remarkable life of the 'voice of rugby' Eddie Butler was a rarity in top-class sport. There must have been something inside me that wanted to describe rugby football to people, he once said. His expressions and the sound of that unique Scottish burrrr, remain vivid memories for a generation who grew up to enjoy and admire his commentaries during the 50 years of his tenure. In 2000 Bill and Bette lost their daughter Janie to cancer. Over the following five decades he became one of the most recognisable and favoured voices on radio and television. Here are the next 15 unique quotes from Bill McLaren: On French forward, Cristian Califano, built like a bicycle shed, And theres Beaumont in that English scrum looking like a man who enjoys his food , Theres a few stone o Border beef in that scrum, There goes 18 stones of prime Scottish beef on the hoof (anyone know who Bill is referring to here?). add Bill McLaren to 'my astro' Biography Scottish rugby union commentator, teacher, journalist and one time rugby union player. McLarens final commentary was the game between Wales and Scotland at the Millennium Stadium in 2002, when the crowd sang For Hes a Jolly Good Fellow and one Welsh supporter displayed a banner claiming Bill McLaren is Welsh. He had some tests along the way, especially when his son-in-law, the scrum-half Alan Lawson, or later his grandson in the same position, Rory Lawson, were playing for Scotland. Well, no dancing in the streets of Hawick tonight but Scotland were unlucky to lose by a 14 pt margin. In this case, the kicker is Peter Brown, who played 27 times for Scotland between 1964 and 73. A flanker, he had a trial for Scotland in 1947 and was on the verge of a full international cap when he contracted tuberculosis, which nearly killed him. After retirement, McLaren wrote the book Rugby's Great Heroes and Entertainers in 2003. He was known as 'The Voice Of Rugby'. The beloved commentator sadly passed away in 2010 but his legacy will live on forever. Hes up there with great commentators like John Arlott [cricket], Henry Longhurst [golf], Dan Maskell [tennis] and Peter Alliss [golf].. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. Until his retirement in 2002, he was known as 'the voice of rugby'. *My goodness, that wee balls gone so high therell be snow on it when it comes down. As well as building a replica of the famous Murrayfield scoreboard that sat above the East terrace, the exhibition will allow visitors to sit inside the original commentary gantry from the national stadium. McLaren is describing the kicker action. Renowned throughout the sport, his enthusiasm and memorable turn of phrase endeared him to many. Here is McLaren watching a lock forward making a break up the field. He would never have said anything about himself in such a way, for he was famously modest, a son ofHawick for whom adayaway from his home town was aday wasted. 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, horoscope for birth date 16 October 1923, born in - Astro The beloved commentator sadly passed away in 2010 but his legacy will live . But despite an internet campaign last year, he was never knighted. Monmouth, though, knew they had a real talent long before their pupil went to Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, to read French and Spanish (1976-79). He used to say about my speed, If you blink youd miss him and If you knock a light off he could jump into bed quicker than the light goes off. New on @Playing_Pasts today A DRAGON AMONGST 'LIONS'! This refers to Finlay Calder, who won 34 caps for Scotland between 1986 and 1991. Bill McLaren's career behind the microphone began with BBC radio in 1953. William Pollock McLaren CBE (16 October 1923 - 19 January 2010) was a Scottish rugby union commentator, teacher, journalist and one time rugby player. Known as 'the voice of rugby', he retired from commentating in 2002. Oct 20 Celebrate what would have been Bill's 100th year with fantastic company & storytelling from @JiffyRugby & @MrAndrewCotter, plus special guests! Bill believed passionately in sportsmanship. Brown was a forward who took the place kicks. When Bill McLaren helped Scotland enjoy the sweetest of victories [2] Contents Early life And what about Stradey? 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. McLaren would have chuckled at that notion, but the love of rugby in Wales was something he always . But he was broad-shouldered and had a big physical presence. Bill McLaren - Scotland On Air Murray Watson is going through Bill's vast archive ahead of this autumn's exhibition. And tributes to Bill McLaren poured in last night from some of the greatest players to have ever graced the. In the modern defensive game, locks are less likely to make breaks. Stradey Park was the home ground for Llanelli RFC. This refers to Scottish fullback Gavin Hastings. Orwhen some of his former pupils, suchas Jim Renwick, Colin Deans orTony Stanger, scored for Scotland. That feared Welsh team of the seventies won three Grand Slams, with Davies tearing up the wing in each of them. McLarens final commentary in Cardiff eight years ago the 2002 Six Nations clash between Wales and Scotland saw the Millennium Stadium crowd sing For Hes a Jolly Good Fellow in his honour. The secret mine that hid the Nazis' stolen treasure. They beat the world once by 70-3.. Sometimes you had to tug away for a wee while. The image would haunt him for the rest of his days. Butler became a published author in 2014. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. *Hes like a raging bull with a bad head. He knew it meant that the opposition feared him. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? In the Cambridge team, Butler brought a physical edge to a pack coached by the former Scotland international Ian Robertson, who was also to become a well-known rugby voice on the BBC. *I was there (at Twickenham) in 1938 when Scotland won 28-16. I just love this quote. During the exhibition at Hawick Museum, thousands of previously unseen artefacts and photographs will help tell Bill's story from his early years, through his playing career and into his military service during World War Two. He was a very special person., Welsh Rugby Union group chief executive Roger Lewis said: When he retired from the game he was missed in the manner that many of the greatest players in Welsh rugby history have been, which is some accolade in itself, before you consider he was a Scotsman.. The study of the "voice of rugby" was where match-day preparations took place during his 50-year career. Scott had a longer career at the top end of international rugby. Hes like Bambi on speed. What a description of one of Irelands greatest wingers. He was unbiased, clear . This quote aptly describes most days when I watch the All Blacks take on my national team. When he was discharged, he supplemented his work as a PE teacher with rugby reports for the Hawick Express, and was recommended from there to the BBC, joining the corporation in 1953. 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. Max Boyce whose home village of Glynneath has played annual matches against McLarens hometown of Hawick for more than 56 years called for a minutes silence at Wales Six Nations clash with Scotland at the Millennium Stadium on February 13. Tell a coach or teacher. 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. I suppose somebody had to be alongside him, to offer the odd jarring note, but once the game and Bill were in full flow, they were best left to themselves. But this quote always comes back to me when a tall and ungainly youngster breaks free. [1] Renowned throughout the sport, his enthusiasm and memorable turn of phrase endeared him to many. Bill Mclaren would never be so uncouth. Bill McLaren, a gentleman with passion and a rare gift for description. I think it might be easier to tackle a snooker table than Lomu. The disease nearly killed him and forced him to give up playing. The great man from Hawick thrilled both radio and television listeners for almost half a century as a national broadcaster before retiring back in 2002. Arguably the greatest sports commentator ever, certainly the greatest rugby commentator, Bill McLaren, known as The Voice Of Rugby believed passionately in sport and sportsmanship. Heres another interesting fact about Finlay. McLaren was born in Hawick, in the Scottish Borders, in 1923 to a knitwear salesman from Loch Lomond-side who had moved down to the area. See less. McLaren had wanted to stay at her bedside but she insisted he go and carry out a commentating duty in Edinburgh on the Saturday afternoon. Bill McLaren Rugby Quotes (With Explanations) - Rugby Dome Dinner plates cant clasp a ball. This means that we may include adverts from us and third parties based on our knowledge of you. Geoghegan was one of the best wingers of his generation but had to retire early due to a foot injury. We won't even try and break down this Steve Fenwick try for you: nobody could do it better than the inimitable Bill McLaren . These included Murray Walker (motor racing/Formula One), Peter O'Sullevan (horse racing), Harry Carpenter (boxing and rowing), Dan Maskell (tennis), David Coleman (athletics), Peter Alliss (golf) and John Arlott (cricket). Welsh fly half Dan Biggar has a lengthy pre-kick ritual of repeatedly twitching and touching his hair as he stares at the ball on the tee. He was tough and willing. After their divorce, he married Susan Roberts, with whom he had a further three children, Jacob, Nell and Seth. Meads grew up on a sheep farm and raised his own family on a farm. As a rugby player, he was, to borrow one of his phrases, a "tearaway flanker", a forward with the Hawick first XV, hugely promising by all accounts and fanatical from the day his father took him to see the New Zealand All Blacks at Mansfield Park, Hawick. Siege Gun a gem. I used to go with my father to see matches at a very early age, the great Hawick heroes including Willie Welsh, Jock Beattie and Jerry Foster, so I had an all-consuming desire to wear the green jersey of Hawick.[4]. 329 pages, Hardcover First published October 1, 2004 Book details & editions Loading interface. Im a little unsure on how to unpack this quote. When he hits you, you think the roof has just fallen in. Bill McLaren followed the likes of Peter O'Sullevan, John Arlott, Harry Carpenter and Murray Walker into retirement and a generation of BBC commentators had finally fallen silent. Join us to celebrate what would have been Bill's 100th year with this fantastic line up: Welsh rugby legend and Bill's former commentary box colleague JONATHAN DAVIES and pitch p . Rugby greats from past and present gathered at Murrayfield last night to remember veteran commentator Bill McLaren. A statue was unveiled in Wilton Park in Hawick in February 2013 followed in November that year by a bust of McLaren in the main reception area of Murrayfield Stadium. I think the jink is dying in modern rugby certainly the Welsh are trying to keep it alive lets hope its never lost. *Ive hardly ever had to pay to get in (the best thing in his view about 50 years of commentary at rugby matches). Barry John, yes, maybe. 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Farewell to Bill McLaren 'the voice of rugby' - Logo of the BBC I was desperately ill and fading fast when the specialist asked five of us to be guinea pigs for a new drug called Streptomycin, McLaren said in 2001. [5][6], He played in a Scotland trial in 1947 and was on the verge of a full international cap before contracting tuberculosis.

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bill mclaren on welsh rugby