ITV - the World Cup Pool stages

Before the big matches on the last weekend I thought I'd reflect back to ITVs coverage of the Pool stages.

I don't know about anyone else, but I was very disappointed that the pundits were obviously not in New Zealand at this stage (correct me if I'm wrong). I felt that the programme atmosphere was lacking - no pundits outside the stadium interviewing fans, no Brian Moore's scrum half challenge, etc. I would also have liked a regular show at night with experts, studio audience, bit of nonsense going on, etc. Maybe I was expecting too much from ITV?

'A regular show at night with experts, studio audience, bit of nonsense going on' - that sounds like a description of international Scrum V these days, which is rubbish. It was so much better when they had informed pundits in a studio having a proper review / discussion of the game. Honestly now, what does a studio audience add apart from whooping and clapping?

Well said Luckless - I'm always shocked when the Scrum V Pro 12 (or Magners as it was) coverage spends half the programme showing the Brian Moore challenge (which is funny) chatting with rugby club members from some village somewhere and chatting with random people and then shoehorns in about 5 mins of coverage per region of highlights and almost none of the Welsh Premiership.

Still I think the main comment about the ITV coverage is how universally awful the commentary, puniditry and coverage was.

Smirnoff, at least Andy Gomarsall and Phil Vickery weren't paid from the public purse, that's all I'll say!

Thats a very small silver lining I'd say. Personally I'd have rathered it to have been shown on BBC so we could have had coverage which wasn't interrupted every 10 mins (of the pre-game and halftime punditry) with adverts. IMO if it was on BBC it would have been higher quality.

luckless_pedestrian wrote:'A regular show at night with experts, studio audience, bit of nonsense going on' - that sounds like a description of international Scrum V these days, which is rubbish. It was so much better when they had informed pundits in a studio having a proper review / discussion of the game. Honestly now, what does a studio audience add apart from whooping and clapping?

The least ITV could have done was to keep the interest and perhaps atmosphere of the World Cup bubbling over?? These were some suggestions as an alternative to the DRY atmosphere of highlights ans suits in a London studio.

What about the match day atmosphere - even standing in front of the stadium showing that you are there makes a difference.

Anyone got any positive suggestions for ITV improvements (as they will always be broadcasting it - BBC = no money!)?

I'd agree with that. I could even have tolerated Sonja McLaughlin!

Anyone got any positive suggestions for ITV improvements (as they will always be broadcasting it - BBC = no money!)?

Get a linkman that knows about the laws and ethos of rugby. Steve Ryder is too steeped in the 'professionalism' of footie and just looking for sensationalism.

That's ok in football when the thrills and spills on the pitch are few and far between (in my opinion) but setting up a debate to slag off the ref when you know next to nothing about the laws and directives from the IRB just isn't on.

at least Andy Gomarsall and Phil Vickery weren't paid from the public purse

oh yes they were - just in a more insidious fashion than us coughing up for a TV license.

luckless_pedestrian wrote:Smirnoff, at least Andy Gomarsall and Phil Vickery weren't paid from the public purse, that's all I'll say!

Genius.