ITV RWC coverage

First topic message reminder :

Thoughts on how ITV are doing?

LondonTiger wrote:And you are entitled to your opinion, even when it is wrong. 

Personally I would rather listen to someone who talks sense and actually knows the laws, rather than a blowhard like Dayglo XXXXXXX who has never known the laws and thinks being a good bloke is all you need.

Fixed!

The Oracle wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:And you are entitled to your opinion, even when it is wrong. 

Personally I would rather listen to someone who talks sense and actually knows the laws, rather than a blowhard like Dayglo XXXXXXX who has never known the laws and thinks being a good bloke is all you need.

Fixed!

Edited.

LondonTiger wrote:

TightHEAD wrote:Anyone else find Maggie a bit over the top, yes we get it you played a game of rugby before!

Rather listen to Care and Dallaglio.

Disagree 100%.

Dallaglio never has anything useful to say.
Care is a bit meh.
Alphonsi is able to explain things in a way that the bulk of the viewers can understand. I would also like to point out that I once observed her giving a coaching session to an academy team on the breakdown that was better than any coaching session I have ever seen (including Andy Farrell on defence and a Graham Rowntree scrum session). It helps that she was an expert at this but she could get the information across in a way the lads understood. My favourite bit was when she offered up two tickets to a 6Ns game at Twickenham (mens) for the first person who could clear he off the ball. None managed it before the tackled player would have been pinged for holding on - despite one of the lads having captained England U20s since.

Maybe they were going easier on her because they didn't want to embarrass the teacher? Men are chivalrous old dogs still when all is said and done.

SecretFly wrote:

LondonTiger wrote:

TightHEAD wrote:Anyone else find Maggie a bit over the top, yes we get it you played a game of rugby before!

Rather listen to Care and Dallaglio.

Disagree 100%.

Dallaglio never has anything useful to say.
Care is a bit meh.
Alphonsi is able to explain things in a way that the bulk of the viewers can understand. I would also like to point out that I once observed her giving a coaching session to an academy team on the breakdown that was better than any coaching session I have ever seen (including Andy Farrell on defence and a Graham Rowntree scrum session). It helps that she was an expert at this but she could get the information across in a way the lads understood. My favourite bit was when she offered up two tickets to a 6Ns game at Twickenham (mens) for the first person who could clear he off the ball. None managed it before the tackled player would have been pinged for holding on - despite one of the lads having captained England U20s since.

Maybe they were going easier on her because they didn't want to embarrass the teacher?  Men are chivalrous old dogs still when all is said and done.

First couple thought it would be easy. Rest piled in as they wanted to win the prize and were desperate to get one over on their mates.

LondonTiger wrote:And you are entitled to your opinion, even when it is wrong. 

Personally I would rather listen to someone who talks sense and actually knows the laws, rather than a blowhard like Dayglo who has never known the laws and thinks being a good bloke is all you need.

You sound a bit Salty, did he refuse to sign your 2003 RWC shirt?

"Look, Larry, you just don't really have a clue about the rules of the game. Be honest, you're a chancer in that department. And to cap it, you think just being a good bloke is sufficient for being on de telly. - now it's nice to meet you and could you please sign my 2003 RWC shirt?"

Yep, I think he refused.

LondonTiger wrote:Alphonsi is able to explain things in a way that the bulk of the viewers can understand. I would also like to point out that I once observed her giving a coaching session to an academy team on the breakdown that was better than any coaching session I have ever seen (including Andy Farrell on defence and a Graham Rowntree scrum session). It helps that she was an expert at this but she could get the information across in a way the lads understood. My favourite bit was when she offered up two tickets to a 6Ns game at Twickenham (mens) for the first person who could clear he off the ball. None managed it before the tackled player would have been pinged for holding on - despite one of the lads having captained England U20s since.

Good stuff. Not surprised she's good. Has that intimidating, ex-military attitude to her. Don't really have any views on her as a pundit, but as with 'friends' who are racist and sexist about her at any opportunity, the criticism smacks of sexism. There's a time and a place for criticising the hamfisted approaching to shoving women in to the mens' game and asking them to bring their playing experience and translate it to the mens' game - Waterman strikes me as that, through no fault of her own, perhaps - but don't really think Alphonsi is out of her depth/bad when you consider some of the trite commentators/pundits on TV.

There is something to be said for having the proper male leaders who actually know - not just think they know, or relate fro second hand experience - what it takes in specific pressure situations. That's why Warburton is so interesting to listen to, he spells it out. And, basically, a woman pundit isn't going to have the knowledge of those small things in relation to the game being played - but nor do many of the men. Woodward is shocking, an absolute hot air merchant, a lot of the players played under completely different laws, so...at the end of the day, who cares.

Punditry is for kids and casual fans. If a young black girl in South London sees Alphonsi and wants to play rugby despite all the negativity and barriers - as Genge himself alluded to, and can still obviously occur - then it's worth every user on here being a little bit annoyed that she isn't a perfect pundit. Again, who cares. Most of us (most...) know enough about the game to not need pundits. If you want hard hitting analysis...well...that's where the internet comes in. The entertainment for rugby fans is the sport, not the media surrounding it.

SecretFly wrote:Maybe they were going easier on her because they didn't want to embarrass the teacher?  Men are chivalrous old dogs still when all is said and done.

In all fairness, if they were 14-16, I wouldn't be surprised. 18+ you're getting in to man strength territory, but the way she's built, I doubt even a well-bred and well-built 'colt' could overpower her in the way they were challenged to.

I knew it would be a matter of time before someone started on Alphonsi, and for what reason? She is very good at the punditry side, and very knowledgeable. Better her than Sonia, she’s clueless.

She's a pundit. All pundits get it. It's part of the job. Even World Cup winning heros get it.

I feel that those wanting to pedestal Alphonsi as a negative aspect are the predictable minority we have left in this country, the ignorant and bigoted that want to hold on to the insufferable injustice that is modernisation of British culture to accept that we are a nation of coloured people black brown yellow and pink.

She is a breath of fresh air, a revelation, I applaud ITV for having the balls to appoint her, she was a brilliant rugby player and a fantastic pundit, one of my favourites up there with the other superb appointees like O’Connoll, O’Driscoll, Wilkinson and Warburton.

It is obvious the respect amongst the pundits mentioned above for each other, for what they have achieved together and against each other

Spot on.

I do believe she is being targeted for a specific reason though. If she’s a biased pundit it would be deserved; look what happened to Jiffy...

maestegmafia wrote:I feel that those wanting to pedestal Alphonsi as a negative aspect are the predictable minority we have left in this country, the ignorant and bigoted that want to hold on to the insufferable injustice that is modernisation of British culture to accept that we are a nation of coloured people black brown yellow and pink.

She is a breath of fresh air, a revelation, I applaud ITV for having the balls to appoint her, she was a brilliant rugby player and a fantastic pundit, one of my favourites up there with the other superb appointees like O’Connoll, O’Driscoll, Wilkinson and Warburton.

It is obvious the respect amongst the pundits mentioned above for each other, for what they have achieved together and against each other

Yep.

A bit disappointing to see SCW and Dayglo as pundits alongside the excellent Wilkinson. Some more impartiality, even an Argentinian would have been better.

I expect will have Roberts and Williams ripping into England in a bit to balance it out

TightHEAD wrote:I expect will have Roberts and Williams ripping into England in a bit to balance it out

When have they ever done that? They are two of the most respectful pundits, if not the most interesting, on ITV...!

French Johnny is fearsome.

SCW, wipe that nose!