Wales V France (Rugby World Cup Semi Final)

BBC Radio Wales - Owen Money (hosting from Merthyr RFC) with Gareth Lewis giving updates every few minutes or so. Analysis from Kingsley Jones, Adrian Hadley and Peter Johnson. Simon Davies was reporter at the Millennium stadium.

BBC Radio Cymru - Rhodri Llewellyn hosting from Eden Park with commentary from Gareth Charles and Ken Owens. Alun Thomas at the reporter at the Millennium stadium.

That's a lot of co-commentators! Surely they could have given Campese the day off!

Sunday 16th October - talkSPORT

Mark Saggers presenting Rugby World Cup Breakfast from Eden Park (6-11.30am) joined by Micky Quinn in London between 6-8am

Rugby World Cup 2011 Semi-Final
Australia v New Zealand - John Taylor, Brian Moore and David Campese (9am commentary)

I think David Campese was only contributing occasional bits of analysis during yesterday's game, with Moore and Quinnell being the two co-commentators.

Friday 21st October - talkSPORT

Mark Saggers presenting Rugby World Cup Exclusive from Eden Park (8.15-10.30am)

Rugby World Cup 2011 Bronze Final
Wales v Australia - John Taylor and David Campese with Brian Moore (8.30am commentary), with Andrew McKenna reporting

I posted earlier on that I thought John Taylor was struggling a bit to remember he was commentating on Radio rather than TV. I had hoped he would improve as the tournament progressed. However listening to the third place final I found there were gaps in his commentary and I found myself asking what's happening John?

Mooro and Campo were fine summarisers. Saggers is a good liink man if at times over hysterical.

BBC Radio Wales - Gareth Lewis reporting (but commentated on the late Wales try) with for some reason, Kayleigh Thomas at Edwards Coaches HQ in Llantwit Fadre. There was someone at the Millennium stadium as well, but I've forgotten who that was

BBC Radio Cymru - Cennydd Davies (studio host) with Brynmor Williams as analyst, with Rhodri Llewellyn hosting from Eden Park. Gareth Charles and Ken Owens commentated.

There was an amusing slip of the tongue from GC when Australia scored their second try, saying 'ma dau caws i Awstralia', before correcting himself to say 'cais'

When translated 'Ma dau caws i Awstralia' comes out as 'There is a second cheese for Australia' rather than 'second try'.

Sunday 23rd October - talkSPORT

Mark Saggers presenting Rugby World Cup Breakfast from Eden Park (6-12noon) joined by Micky Quinn in London between 6-8am

Rugby World Cup 2011 Final
France v New Zealand - John Taylor, Brian Moore and David Campese (9am commentary), with Andrew McKenna reporting

Impressed by talkSPORT all tournament, will be interesting to see what rights they target next.

Nice to see the BBC sending out Inverdale and Robertson and wasting a few more pounds when all they can do are the 20 seconds or whatever the rights allow.

Must admit I have been incredibly impressed (and surprised) by Talksport's coverage, especially the last week, since Wales were knocked out.

The commentary has been a step up as well and done in a much better way than they do football commentary.

I've done this for talkSPORT's football coverage in the annual Radio Football Commentators and Reporters threads at the end of previous football seasons, so I thought I would compile some statistics as to who's done what on talkSPORT's Rugby World Cup coverage throughout the tournament:

Presenters:

Mark Saggers - 26 games
Mike Bovill - 10 games
12 games were broadcast on talkSPORT.co.uk only

Commentators:

John Taylor - 16 games
Rupert Bell - 13 games
John Anderson - 7 games
Russell Hargreaves - 7 games
Andrew McKenna - 5 games

Co-commentators:

Brian Moore - 14 games
Jeff Probyn - 13 games
David Campese - 10 games + 1 as an analyst
Chris Sheasby - 8 games
Michael Owen - 5 games (he also did 5 games for ITV1)
Scott Quinnell - 2 games + 2 as an analyst and post-match pundit on Ireland v Wales
Gavin Hastings - 1 game + 1 as an analyst
Paul Wallace - 4 games as an analyst and post-match pundit on Ireland v Wales

Reporters:

Andrew McKenna - 5 games
Roger Hughes - 5 games
David Brady - 5 games
Stuart Cameron - 4 games
Mike Bovill - 3 games

Great stats thanks. I am surprised that Hamish Stuart wasn't there covering Wales.

Yes, the commentary team has been fine, but Saggers not so. They needed a true rugby presenter (like Inverdale who has played the game at a reasonable level). I lost count of the number of times Saggers made inaccurate or ignorant comments, and was put in his place by Brian Moore. Rugby Union is a complex game, and to have someone presenting from a soccer background was a significant, and at times embarressing, error.

Other than that, they did well....but can they sustain it now the RWC is over?

Well, Full Contact is now an established part of their schedule, with the two-hour show being broadcast either once or twice a week depending on whether or not there is a 5.30pm Saturday Premier League commentary. I'm sure that will continue as will the reports they take from Talking Rugby on international and club rugby union.

My hope is that the commentary team of John Taylor, Brian Moore and David Campese will be reunited on the talkSPORT airwaves in less than two years, as I am hoping the station will pick up rights to the British & Irish Lions tour to Australia in 2013 as they did for their last tour of that country in 2001. As was the case at this Rugby World Cup, talkSPORT can offer more in-depth coverage of the tour than BBC Radio 5 Live can under its remit, such as commentaries on the midweek tour matches. Glad you liked the stats Ian.