You may not like him as a pundit...

But that boy Jiffy could play. Union or league there is something for everyone in this lot..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt4AIRMzJ2o

I'd be happy to put up with Jiffy if you could exile Stuart Barnes to somewhere without broadcasting capability !

Should be an interesting weekend. I really wish the Welsh/English sentiment was kinder - not here, I mean generally.

Jiffy was the best 10 I ever saw and I started watching rugby as a kid at the back end of the 70's.

Amazing acceleration, awesome sidestep, shame we lost his best year to league. He was pencilled in as Lions captain before he did a bunk up north.

Phenomenal player. Total Holly Wilaboobie as a commentator.

Jeebus you forget how great Jiffy was! I always remember that try for GB against the Kangeroos. I tell you what he almost puts Shane Williams to shame with some of the welsh wizardry in that video!

charliehesketh wrote:I'd be happy to put up with Jiffy if you could exile Stuart Barnes to somewhere without broadcasting capability !

Should be an interesting weekend. I really wish the Welsh/English sentiment was kinder - not here, I mean generally.

I have many fond memories of the times I've been to Wales, and I'm loving the way Wales are playing rugby again, I think you just have to focus on the positives charlie, they're out there in spades but tend to get overshadowed by more vociferous expulsions of shoite from a minority that exists in equal measures in both camps.

JD was a great player and I don't think he's that bad a pundit to be fair, he's passionately Wales through and through but I don't see that as a crime. I do remember thinking, when he made the move to League, that he was going to get absolutely pumped, but I couldn't have been more wrong. There are a very few players who could or have made it in both codes and he is right up there with the best.

Nice post mckay.

I'm sure others will disagree, but there was a time (perhaps for not too long) when Jiffy was the best rugby player in the world, at either code. Contentious yes, arguable yes, but that's my opinion.

I was in Australia many years ago when he signed for Canterbury Bankstown in League, the media storm surrounding it was huge. It was as if the signed the messiah.

He was a damned fine rugby player (both codes) in his day thats for sure.

Rodders
The try v the Kangaroos - I was there. GB down to 12 men after Shaun Edwards had straight-armed one of the Aussie 2nd rowers after about 15 minute (that happened right in front of me). Offiah got the ball once during the game and made about 30m on a break-out the play before Jiffy's try. Great pace and balance to go round the outside of the Aussie fullback (Slater?), who was talked up coming into the tour as being the best thing since ...

The linked vid shows how quick JD was, particularly over the first 5 strides. Put himself through gaps because of it, and was quick enough that he didn't tend to get caught by the wingers (who were only a fraction faster).

If only he was 1/10th as good a pundit as he was a player - there are more words can be used to describe rugby that 'numbers' and 'massive tackle'

Johnathan is also a fine comedian, something that might not be so apparent during Internationals but is certainly in evidence when he helps out in commentary for Pro12 games.

Can't recall the game - was it the Dragons/Munster one a week or so back? Anyway, he had me in stitches as he mumbled about the ref and his linesman, as they seemed to have to confer with each other before every little decision the ref eventually made.

On one occasion when the ref walked up to his linesman and asked him to rubber stamp yet another decision, Davis was really enjoying himself: "Oh here we go..... what are those two at now? It's Sherlock Holmes and Watson"

Absolutely. As a commentator, he is a very annoying little squeaker.

I think people do forget how good he was as a player. Possibly because of his on-screen presence. Was terrific. He is simply one of that group of humans who should never be allowed to talk. Tis all.

mckay1402 wrote:But that boy Jiffy could play. Union or league there is something for everyone in this lot..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rt4AIRMzJ2o

Shouldn't you have said "Now! Look at this! look at this! just watch what he does here!" ?

i personally like him as a pundit and he was a super player. He does love a shout as well, particular favourites including:

The time-honoured classic, screeching "Numbers!" whenever a team is pick and driving from half a yard out but has a 5 on 1 if only they would give it to the backs. This oft accompanied by "Look at them all! Just LOOK at them all! Look at him there! Screaming for it! Gotta go, surely its gotta go!"

"Look at him there. Scanning, scanning, scanning". A recent addition, usually employed to describe a playmaker seeking out a stranded forward in midfield.

"Just watch him here...he holds, he holds, he holds, NOW he releases the pass..."

French pronounciations:

Jauzion - "Jazz-band"
Poitrenaud - "Poison-ho"
Harinordoquy - "harry-no-donkey"

Certainly prefer him to Barnes/Morris, or to Stephen Jones the writer.

JLyall wrote:i personally like him as a pundit and he was a super player. He does love a shout as well, particular favourites including:

The time-honoured classic, screeching "Numbers!" whenever a team is pick and driving from half a yard out but has a 5 on 1 if only they would give it to the backs. This oft accompanied by "Look at them all! Just LOOK at them all! Look at him there! Screaming for it! Gotta go, surely its gotta go!"

"Look at him there. Scanning, scanning, scanning". A recent addition, usually employed to describe a playmaker seeking out a stranded forward in midfield.

"Just watch him here...he holds, he holds, he holds, NOW he releases the pass..."

French pronounciations:

Jauzion - "Jazz-band"
Poitrenaud - "Poison-ho"
Harinordoquy - "harry-no-donkey"

Certainly prefer him to Barnes/Morris, or to Stephen Jones the writer.

Agree entirely - Jiffy has grown on me. If he wasn't commentating, he'd be in a pub muttering to himself.

My favourite Jiffyisms:

"Gotta got left. Ooooooooooooooooh nooah."

"There you go. Bang. Troi".

"That's just the powah of North".

"I don't want to comment. But that's terrible. Just terrible".

I like Jiffy as a commentator, i think that he is very amusing. Much prefer him over that Andrew Cotter chap.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8qMq8y86Fk

I tried to find some of his funnier clips but this is the best I could find. The first televised rugbygasm

mckay1402 wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8qMq8y86Fk

I tried to find some of his funnier clips but this is the best I could find. The second televised rugbygasm

Fixed that for you
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0NLC3uk5xs&feature=related was a few years earlier

George Carlin wrote:

JLyall wrote:i personally like him as a pundit and he was a super player. He does love a shout as well, particular favourites including:

The time-honoured classic, screeching "Numbers!" whenever a team is pick and driving from half a yard out but has a 5 on 1 if only they would give it to the backs. This oft accompanied by "Look at them all! Just LOOK at them all! Look at him there! Screaming for it! Gotta go, surely its gotta go!"

"Look at him there. Scanning, scanning, scanning". A recent addition, usually employed to describe a playmaker seeking out a stranded forward in midfield.

"Just watch him here...he holds, he holds, he holds, NOW he releases the pass..."

French pronounciations:

Jauzion - "Jazz-band"
Poitrenaud - "Poison-ho"
Harinordoquy - "harry-no-donkey"

Certainly prefer him to Barnes/Morris, or to Stephen Jones the writer.

Agree entirely - Jiffy has grown on me. If he wasn't commentating, he'd be in a pub muttering to himself.

My favourite Jiffyisms:

"Gotta got left. Ooooooooooooooooh nooah."

"There you go. Bang. Troi".

"That's just the powah of North".

"I don't want to comment. But that's terrible. Just terrible".

When you write it like that, I can hear him !

Personally I love the way if Wales have lost he's invariably slumped in his chair making a pyramid out of his hands, but if Wales have won he's sitting on the very edge of his chair waving his arms around. (not a criticism, just an observation). The body language is just so extreme, and yet he attempts valliantly to keep a level impartial tone. If you watch the post-match wrap up without the sound having not watched the game you could almost guess the score.

[quote="mckay1402"]But that boy Jiffy could play. Union or league there is something for everyone in this lot..



What a fantastic talent he was. His transition to League was especially impressive. Every man he faced just wanted to smash him. He commited to making the necessary physical changes but did so without losing any of the speed and skill we had seen in Union.

With his talent and commitment to self improvement he would have been a sensational player in the modern professional era. A bit of a shame really, though I accept it may seem a little greedy to want him now given we are already blessed.

I like him as a pundit and don't see anything wrong with being a little biased (he does try) and also enjoy the barely disguised banter between Butler and Moore (though I can't stand Butler, a slimy psuedo intellectual). As others have said when he is commentating on non mainstream games he is a very funny guy.

I think those to whom he gave such pleasure watching him weave his magic (I was surprised that younger spectators thought him just a pundit) will always forgive him whatever limitations he may have in

I love listening to his commentary on BBC Wales. Always entertaining. I do think he gets too involved when commentating on Wales.

Had largely forgotten about him. Very good player and exciting to watch. Went on well in League in Oz as well. One of the quicker 10's around and that style would go well today.

Jiffy could have should have been a Lions outside half in the late 80's but the WRU wrongly blamed him for a homeWelsh loss to Romania and also refused to listen to a report he prepared following a disaster of a tour to NZ in 88 .Cue the chequebooks and unions loss was leagues gain .

Remarkably slight in build well he was when I stood behind him in a cinema queue and I'm no man mountain but blessed with talent as a player .

To be honest he's grown on me over the last couple of years regarding his commentary. Agree that he can be a bit too much when Wales are playing but I enjoy him on the other games in the 6N and always smile when 'numbers' comes out. I like the fact that he is truly passionate about rugby and don't mind him when he is on 'league' duty either.

He was just about in his prime as a player when I really started watching rugby as opposed to just playing it through school. Great player with ball in hand in either code and also feel he would have gone very well in today's game - thanks for the clip.

George Carlin wrote:

JLyall wrote:i personally like him as a pundit and he was a super player. He does love a shout as well, particular favourites including:

The time-honoured classic, screeching "Numbers!" whenever a team is pick and driving from half a yard out but has a 5 on 1 if only they would give it to the backs. This oft accompanied by "Look at them all! Just LOOK at them all! Look at him there! Screaming for it! Gotta go, surely its gotta go!"

"Look at him there. Scanning, scanning, scanning". A recent addition, usually employed to describe a playmaker seeking out a stranded forward in midfield.

"Just watch him here...he holds, he holds, he holds, NOW he releases the pass..."

French pronounciations:

Jauzion - "Jazz-band"
Poitrenaud - "Poison-ho"
Harinordoquy - "harry-no-donkey"

Certainly prefer him to Barnes/Morris, or to Stephen Jones the writer.

Agree entirely - Jiffy has grown on me. If he wasn't commentating, he'd be in a pub muttering to himself.

My favourite Jiffyisms:

"Gotta got left. Ooooooooooooooooh nooah."

"There you go. Bang. Troi".

"That's just the powah of North".

"I don't want to comment. But that's terrible. Just terrible".

Quality. A+ for both of you!

These made me laugh.

Much as he annoys me, I think I'd miss Jiffy if he gave up the commentry/punditry.