Bill McLaren of Hawick passed away on the 19th of January
and rugby lost one of its greatest servants. Bill was popularly
known as the “voice of rugby” and this moniker was an apt
description for somebody who like a Picasso created a vivid flowing
canvas of the happenings on the field.
Growing up in the seventies and eighties in South Africa there was
very little access to television and international sport, especially
rugby. The television only made its appearance in the mid seventies
and live sport as we know and watch it today was a taboo. Unless of
course it was the Currie Cup.
Saturdays meant “braaivleis” and rugby with the country firmly
divided between Northern Transvaal or “die Blou Bulle” and Western
Province. Yes there were the Banana Boys (Natal) and “die
Rooibontes” or Transvaal and even the Free State managed a victory
in 1976 but enlarge it was all about North vs South. Sports
isolation was at its peak.
But ever so often, unadvertised and as a complete surprise the SABC
would screen a month old match involving the Five Nations. For this
young rugby fanatic the Five Nations consisted of only 3 people;
Jean-Pierre Rives, Gareth Edwards and the great Scot, Bill McLaren
and if they were all present in one match – heaven.
Bill’s secret of success was a combination of factors and not just
his dulcet Scottish tones. The man set the bar for professionalism
with his brilliant knowledge about the players and the game. He did
his research on each and every player and expressed an intimacy of
“knowing” the player, his origin and abilities as if an old friend,
favourite uncle or revered schoolboy coach. More importantly, he
rarely got it wrong and this was way before the days when player’s
names were on their jumpers.
Today, commentating is often confused with “knowledge” of the game
hence ex internationals adding their superfluous comments to viewers
who can plainly see Richie McCaw slowing the ball down. Also, too
many commentators are intent on disagreeing not just with the
referee but their commentating colleague, spreading criticism like a
veld fire with no thoughts on being unpartisan... Brian Moore
springs to mind.
Bill McLaren never needed anybody else or the ease of critique to
describe a game – he was the greatest rugby commentator of all time
and his immortality will live on as he was usurped in the rugby hall
of fame in 2001 as the only commentator with the best players of
their generation. We will never see his like again.
