Bill Mclaren dies aged 86

[hibsbollah]

Best commentator ever.

[Hibbie_Cameron]

This is awful news.

RIP Bill

[khib70]

Best commentator ever.
:agree:RIP. Never a rugby fan myself, but Bill was a genuine, honest, and impartial commentator, and a great fount of knowledge on the game he truly loved. A great Borderer, and a giant of Scottish sport.

[thekaratekid]

Best commentator ever.

Agreed.

A great man.


RIP Bill

[Golden Bear]

Bill was a guy who earned the respect of both the players and fans alike.

A true gentleman and one of the few commentators who had the art of remaining impartial - even in the games involving Scotland.

You'll be sadly missed but fondly remembered.

RIP Bill.

[stu in nottingham]

Sad news. I always greatly admired Bill and thought he was one of the greatest sports commentators of them all.

Rest in peace 'The Voice of Rugby'


They'll be sad in the streets of Hawick tonight...

[heretoday]

One of the old school - Coleman, Moore, Carpenter etc - who were fanatic and knowledgable about sport and a pleasure to listen to.

Most of today's commentators are worse than Alan Partridge and are always trying to make funny remarks to appear laddish.

[steakbake]

He made even rugby exciting. What a voice he had for commentary. It will take a long time to find anything like that, if ever, again.

[hibsdaft]

:agree:RIP. Never a rugby fan myself, but Bill was a genuine, honest, and impartial commentator, and a great fount of knowledge on the game he truly loved. A great Borderer, and a giant of Scottish sport.

the same.


Most of today's commentators are worse than Alan Partridge and are always trying to make funny remarks to appear laddish.

so true.

[Danderhall Hibs]

Best commentator ever.

:agree: The best. When they replay old games with his commentary you can tell straight away how good it is. Different class.

[TheEastTerrace]

I'm sure they'll raise a glass to him in the streets of Hawick tonight. The term 'legend' is banded around too easily these days, but never was there more fitting a term for a man who was simply 'the voice of rugby'. RIP Bill.

[Toaods]

:agree:RIP. Never a rugby fan myself, but Bill was a genuine, honest, and impartial commentator, and a great fount of knowledge on the game he truly loved. A great Borderer, and a giant of Scottish sport.


:agree:...Probably OK to go as far as saying World Sport, he's a legend in the Southern Hemisphere also.

A true Scottish icon, earned through honesty and respect for the opposition in defeat (something I'm not too capable of myself).

I was a lad when he was in his commentating prime and as alluded to elsewhere, he made the game exciting for the least enthusiastic of rugby-sorts.

[ancienthibby]

I'm sure they'll raise a glass to him in the streets of Hawick tonight. The term 'legend' is banded around too easily these days, but never was there more fitting a term for a man who was simply 'the voice of rugby'. RIP Bill.

That'll be 15,000 glasses or more then!!

Wish I was there for a wee glass (or 3 or more!) of 'the water of life'!!:greengrin

Man was a real legend!

[bawheid]

Terrible news. Some of his commentary at the link below:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/8468749.stm

[lyonhibs]

Absolutely gutted at this news.

I watched the Six Nations every year growing up, and Bill Mclaren's voice is absolutely imprinted on my memory.

A fantastic turn of phrase, an ability to pronounce foreign names that would shame literally 99% of all British sports commentators these days and a knowledge and passion for the game that were absolutely unparelled.

The Greatest Sports Commentator ever, and will never, ever be rivalled IMHO.

[thekaratekid]

"I'm no hod carrier but I'd be laying bricks if he was running at me."

Bill McLaren on Jonah Lomu

[Mibbes Aye]

A day out of Hawick is a day wasted

Mon the Teries :greengrin

Great, great commentator who I'm sure made the game accessible and enjoyable for many who wouldn't consider themselves followers of rugby and that's perhaps one of the highest compliments he could be paid.

[the_ginger_hibee]

Could double the quality of even the dullest game. Quite easily the best commentator I've heard in any sport. Such a shame he didn't receive a full knighthood in the end.

A true great.

[Dashing Bob S]

The real giant of sports broadcasting, his class, dignity and integrity really puts so many of today's tiresome, egotistical, serve-serving bores to shame.