Well, the nearest they got to discussing the Magners League was a question to Warren Gatland about whether he would like to see Gavin Henson playing again, which lasted a whole 50 seconds.

So Boves only needs to set his stopwatch for a minute's worth of talk directly about the Magners League to provide better coverage than his 5 Live opposite number did?

In all seriousness though, if Full Contact is anything like talkSPORT's old Rugby Show from a couple of years ago, their coverage of the Magners League and celtic rugby in general should be quite strong, they never struggled for guests from the regions then so they should do a bit better than 5 Live in that respect.

One good move BBC Radio have made though is to put commentary on the final of the Women's Rugby World Cup on 5 Live Sports Extra this Sunday.

It's an England v New Zealand final at the Stoop and is due to kick-off at 5.15pm, although Sports Extra's coverage is scheduled to begin at 5.45pm.

For me that's an odd decision seeing as 5 Live will be doing commentary on England's Twenty20 International with Pakistan that day (which is a smart move due to the lack of live football this Sunday) - surely the cricket doesn't need to be on both platforms (on top of Radio 4 LW as well), meaning they should be able to do commentary on the WRWC Final in full on Sports Extra?

Hopefully the cricket will be all over by 5pm negating this point null and void.

Cardiff Blues V Edinburgh (Magners League RU)

BBC Radio Cymru - Gareth Charles (also hosting) and Mefyn Davies (all platforms)

Gareth Rhys Owen reporting from the Racecourse for the Crusaders V Hull KR Super League match.

and did solo commentary of last 6 minutes.

talkSPORT


Saturday 28th August

Rugby League: Challenge Cup Final
Leeds Rhinos v Warrington Wolves - Graham Courtney

Sunday 29th August

Formula 1: Belgian Grand Prix
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps - Andy Clarke

Golf: European Ryder Cup squad announcement
Gleneagles Hotel, Perthshire - Rupert Bell

Saturday 4th September

Rugby Union: Premiership
London Irish v Saracens and London Wasps v Harlequins (Wembley double header) - Russell Hargreaves

Sunday 5th September

Cricket: First Twenty20 International (Sophia Gardens)
England v Pakistan - Jack Bannister

Rugby Union: Premiership
Northampton Saints v Leicester Tigers - Russell Hargreaves

BBC Bristol / Somerset

Leeds Carnegie V Bath - Richard Hoskin hosting with commentary from Andrew Sheridan (and having to shout out the team names over a PA rendition of Nessun Dorma) and Mike Tremlitt (94.9FM / 95.5FM / 104/6FM / DAB / Online)

BBC Radio Leicester

Charles Dagnall presenting Radio Leicester Sport live from Franklin's Gardens

Northampton v Leicester Tigers - Bleddyn Jones and Steve Johnson (commentary)

5 Live

Rugby Union

Northampton v Leicester Jonny Saunders, Martin Corry & Ian Robertson
Leeds v Bath Conor McNamara

US Open Tennis

Jonathan Overend, Alastair Eykyn and David Law are there.

Sports Extra have had commentary on Andy Murray's first two matches.

In round 1 Law & Eykyn were joined by Stephen Huss and for round 2 by journalist Barry Flatman.

Brilliant ending to the coverage of Murray's first match.

David Law: Thanks to Stephen Huss for joining us and good luck in the doubles this tournament

Huss: Er, We played yesterday and lost

NFL

Details of Sports Extra's plans

Week 1 Vikings @ Saints with Darren Fletcher and Greg Brady (Thursday night), 49ers @ Seahawks with Arlo White
Week 2 Patriots @ Jets (from studio)
Week 3 Colts @ Broncos (from studio)
Week 4 Redskins @ Eagles with Darren Fletcher and Greg Brady

and further ahead

Week 8 Broncos @ 49ers with Darren Fletcher and Greg Brady ay Wembley
Week 11 Colts @ Patriots with Greg Brady and Neil Reynolds

Thanks for posting those details about the NFL on 5 Live, Shaun.

One match I notice is...


Which is a 4.15pm kick-off local time, which means a 9pm start our time - like the first three scheduled Sunday games for that matter.

I wonder if this is set in stone? Given that it's got the broadcasters pencilled in rather than (in studio) after it suggests that Darren and Greg will be on-site.

I'm quite disappointed by this, as Week 4 of the NFL clashes with the final Sunday of Major League Baseball's regular season, so I was hoping Sports Extra would be able to keep a flexible schedule in order to provide commentary on a match from the pennant race rather than a dead rubber.

As for the October 3rd MLB schedule, as there is no 8pm (1am our time) game, it looks like we will probably hear a 1pm (6pm) game. Of the six teams playing in games starting just after 1pm, only the Reds are still in play-off contention and they may well have wrapped up the NL Central by that point.

They could go with the 1.35pm game between Philadelphia Phillies @ Atlanta Braves, the top two teams in NL East at present, although that might cut into the American football which is something they might be unwilling to do.

Either way it looks a bit short-sighted to decide to do an NFL OB on this day, given that the Padres @ Giants game at 4pm (9pm here) could well be the one that decides the two final play-off berths, so an ability to change to an earlier NFL game should it be necessary would have been welcome.

But then maybe they are contractually obliged to do 9pm NFL games, similar to how the FIA require 5 Live to put the F1 on their main platform in all bar the most notable of circumstances.

On a more positive note, it looks like they haven't determined their schedule from Week 5 onwards, so hopefully they may be planning to work their NFL commentaries around play-off games seeing as on most postseason Sundays they won't have a choice as to which timeslot they put the baseball in.

Sunday 5th September - BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

Cricket: First Twenty20 International (Sophia Gardens)
England v Pakistan - Simon Mann and Simon Hughes with Marcus Trescothick and Rameez Raja (commentary)

Reporter on BBC Radio 5 Live - Alison Mitchell


Rugby Union: Women's Rugby World Cup Final
England v New Zealand - Sara Orchard and Katy Storie (commentary)*

Reporter on BBC Radio 5 Live - Will Perry


Tennis: US Open Third Round
Andy Murray v Stanislas Wawrinka - Jonathan Overend, David Law, Neil Harman of The Times and Chris Jones of the Evening Standard (commentary)

Reporter on BBC Radio 5 Live - Alastair Eykyn


*They cut to The Stoop for commentary on the closing stages of the first half at the conclusion of the cricket. At half-time, they joined up with 5 Live to take five minutes or so of 606 with Steve Claridge before returning to take full commentary on the second half.

At full-time, Sara Orchard (who didn't namecheck herself once) handed over to the baseball at 7pm sharp only for the audio to throw over to the usual rolling Sports Extra trailer.

Obviously no-one had told her that 1) the start of their planned live baseball commentary game, Texas Rangers @ Minnesota Twins, had been delayed by an hour and 2) the baseball had been cancelled anyway due to the Andy Murray US Open tennis match.

Regarding the baseball, according to the MLB on 5 Live Facebook page they were planning to join the Colorado Rockies @ San Diego Padres game (a 9pm start our time) in progress as soon as the Murray match ended, but with the tennis showing no sign of finishing any time soon, producer Phil Spooner has posted on there that they "are going to give up on this one." Sounds like they're not opting to take the San Francisco Giants @ LA Dodgers game at 1am.

Apparently they will be back next Sunday at 6pm, despite the scheduled game being St Louis Cardinals @ Atlanta Braves at 1am. So maybe they are planning to make up for tonight with a live MLB-NFL-MLB triple header?

They've now slotted in Wigan v Leeds Super League Play Off Match at 6:45pm on Sunday. NFL at 9pm and Baseball following at 1am.

MLB on 5 Live producer Phil Spooner has since posted another message on the shows Facebook page, where he asked people to ignore his message from last night and confirmed that Sunday's game will be Cards @ Braves with coverage starting at 12.30am (or whenever the NFL on 5 Live is wrapped up).

Going back to Week 4 of the NFL season/the final day of the MLB regular season, I've noticed that at 1pm local time (6pm ours) the Pittsburgh Steelers are due to host the Baltimore Ravens, which is arguably a better game than their scheduled Redskins @ Eagles match at 9pm.

Now I know travelling between cities in Pennsylvania takes a bit longer than crossing the Pennines, but the two games are being played in the same state. If an issue with the baseball occurs (ie they find themselves facing the choice of covering a dead rubber at 6pm or a pennant decider at 9pm), would it be possible for them to switch to the Steelers game around a week in advance?

Would it be logistically possible for Darren and Greg to get a connecting flight to Pittsburgh and space in the pressbox at Heinz Field at such short notice?

I know I've voices my concerns about the BBC's decision there (I'm not going to criticise them for cancelling the baseball last night though - that Murray's match fell on a Sunday night can't be helped, and it wouldn't be right to expect their MLB team to stay around between 12.30-4/5am to do the late game if they were planning to work 7-10/11pm), but to cut them some slack I do think it's good how they've not scheduled any live NFL games between Weeks 5 and 7 of the season yet, seeing as those Sundays clash with the MLB play-offs. Picking NFL games in certain timeslots on those Sundays beforehand may prevent them from doing any live baseball at all on those evenings.

Tuesday 7th September - BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra & BBC Radio 4 LW

Cricket: Second Twenty20 International (Sophia Gardens)
England v Pakistan - Simon Mann and Alison Mitchell with Vic Marks and Rameez Raja (commentary)

Reporters elsewhere:
talkSPORT - Jack Bannister
BBC Radio 5 Live - Kevin Howells
IRN/Sky Sports News Radio - Guy Swindells

A few more bits about the NFL coverage. combining info from the facebook group and a NFL UK article.

There will be more commentaries than last season, with doubleheaders possible as the season goes on and the aim is to do more commentaries on site.

Tony Husband will be joining the team as occasional presenter.

So long as these double headers so don't interfere with their baseball coverage (they can do them from Week 8 onwards), then I'm quite happy about that.

Speaking of which, this would indicate that they can opt to go with a 6pm NFL game rather than a 9pm match should the MLB play-off schedule dictate they do this, which is clearly a good thing.


I'm a little surprised by this - with them having brought Nat Coombs in as an occasional presenter on their MLB coverage and with his role on Five's NFL coverage coming to an end, I'd have thought he'd have been the logical choice to step in for Arlo or Darren on the occasions when they are both away.

I know Tony Husband has been reporting on football for 5 Live on and off for a few years now, but what with them losing football rights this season it seems an odd time to bring someone from local radio up to the national stage.

That said, good luck to him.

A request - I'll be away this weekend, so could someone listen in to MLB on 5 Live (Sports Extra) this Sunday in order to post the coverage team on here?

I understand Nat Coombs and Josh Chetwynd will be presenting their coverage of the St Louis Cardinals @ Atlanta Braves game from 12.30am, but I'd be interested to know whether 5LSE are taking ESPN Radio's national commentary or one of the Cards/Braves local radio feeds.

I have the feeling that Full Contact is going to be an occasional series: only being aired on Saturdays when there is no live PL commentary.

This would be in line with TS preference for all things football at the expense of other sports.

When they had commentary rights for England away cricket tours, the commentary was shunted on Saturdays to DAB only in order to allow Around The Grounds to air on Medium Wave.

Similarly, I have a feeling that if the 2011 Rugby World Cup was being staged in Europe or South Africa then TS would not have been so keen to acquire the commentary rights. With New Zealand hosting, however, all of the games will be finished by lunchtime UK time, so the usual weekend football coverage will be unaffected.

The one added benefit of TS having these rights is that the listener will be spared Mickey Quinn and/or Jason Cundy on the weekend sports breakfast.

Bristol V Doncaster Knights (RFU Championship)

BBC Bristol - Ed Hadwin hosting with commentary from Damien Derrick and Mark Reagan (1548MW / DAB / Online)

Cricket Coverage

Durham v Somerset
BBC Five Live Sports Extra Kevin Howells and Vic Marks
BBC Radio Bristol Rob Scanlon

Hampshire v Warwickshire
BBC WM Mike Taylor

Lancashire v Notts
BBC Five Live Sports Extra Alison Mitchell and Warren Hegg
BBC Radio Nottingham Dave Bracegirdle

Yorkshire v Kent
BBC Five Live Sports Extra Kevin Hand and Ian O'Brien
BBC Local Radio in Yorkshire Dave Callaghan
BBC Radio Kent Matt Cole

Gloucestershire v Surrey
BBC London 94.9 Mark Church

Worcs v Sussex
BBC Hereford and Worcester Dave Bradley

Kick-Off times have now been released, with England's pool games kicking-off at 09:30, 07:00 and 07:00 (all weekend matches).

Trevor Owens was also reporting/commentating for BBC H&W.
Kevin Smith (who I associate with BBC Radio Solent) was on duty for BBC Sussex at Worcester.

Friday 17th September - BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra & BBC Radio 4 LW

Cricket: Third One Day International (The Oval)
England v Pakistan - Jonathan Agnew, Simon Hughes and Christopher Martin Jenkins with Phil Tufnell, Angus Fraser, Rameez Raja and Mark Butcher (full commentary on Sports Extra, interrupted commentary on LW to accommodate coverage of The Pope's visit to Westminster Abbey)

Unsure of the reporter at this one for 5 Live, but Jack Bannister has covered all three one-dayers so far for talkSPORT.


Saturday 18th September - BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra & BBC Radio 4 LW

Cricket: Clydesdale Bank 40 Final (Lord's)
Somerset v Warwickshire - Simon Mann, Kevin Howells, Christopher Martin-Jenkins with Dougie Brown and Vic Marks (commentary)


BBC WM and BBC Coventry & Warwickshire

Cricket: Clydesdale Bank 40 Final (Lord's)
Somerset v Warwickshire - Mike Taylor and Clive Eakin (full commentary on the BBC Sport website, commentary on the Warks innings on FM and DAB)

No reporter on the final for talkSPORT, disappointingly.

Anyone know who covered last Saturday's CB40 Semi-Finals for 5 Live Sports Extra? I believe Mike Taylor reported on the Yorkshire v Warwickshire semi-final for WM and C&W.

Sunday 19th September - BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

MLB on 5 Live with Jonny Gould (in London) and Josh Chetwynd (in Tucson, Arizona)

Baseball: National League
Atlanta Braves @ New York Mets - Howie Rose and Wayne Hagin (commentary provided by WFAN 660AM - "The Mets radio network")


Commentary on this game is being streamed on the BBC Sport website, which is the first time they have been able to do this to my knowledge unless they did this last Sunday as well.

Speaking of last weekend, I take it no-one has the details from 5 Live Sports Extra's coverage of the Cards @ Braves game? I'm not that fussed about who the commentators were (although if anyone knows that would be great), but it would be interesting to know whether or not they took the available ESPN Radio coverage rather than a local radio feed.

Next Sunday, a yet to be announced 6pm game (our time) will be broadcast with the NFL following at 9pm. Given the fixture list, their game will surely be Minnesota Twins @ Detroit Tigers.

It was Alison Mitchell for 5L, fresh from 4 wet days at Old Trafford.

She was part of the team covering the climax of the LVCC for 5LSE. Kevin Howells anchored the programme as well as providing commentary from Chester-le-Street. A new voice to me, Kevin Hand, was the commentator at Headingley.

Various summarisers were on hand at the 3 venues: among those I heard were Vic Marks, Warren Hegg and Richard Blakey.

Over the 4 days this was a terrific listen and the kind of thing that 5LSE covers with aplomb. There must be similar occasions, in cricket and other sports, where this digital station can be used to the same good effect.

Thanks Charlie and also Ian Fergus for the 5 Live/Sports Extra cricket details from last week.

Being on holiday I didn't get chance to listen to any of it but it sounds like 5LSE's county cricket coverage has been superb over the past eight days. Great to hear that the culmination to the County Championship and CB40 were afforded so much airtime.

It has been a great summer of cricket, both domestic and international, on BBC Radio this year.