Leinster v Ulster (RaboDirect Pro12 RU Playoffs Semi Final)

Gareth Roberts hosted from their studios, with Rhys Patchell and Derwyn Jones. Commentary is from Huw Llewellyn Davies and Dr. Gwyn Jones, with interviews taken from RTÉ.

This is Huw's final ever commentary before taking on retirement,.

GAA: Ulster Senior Football Championship Round One: Tyrone v Down (Omagh, 1600)
RTE2
Host Michael Lyster
Analysts Colm O'Rourke, Joe Brolly, James O'Se
Commentators Ger Canning and Tom Carr

BBC2 Northern Ireland
Host Austin O'Callaghan
Analysts ?
Commentators Mark Sidebottom and, on the sidelines, Thomas Kane

European Rugby Champions Cup - Sunday 17 May (BT Sport 1)

London Wasps v Stade Français - Playoff 1st Leg

Martin Bayfield presenting from Adams Park alongside Serge Betsen, Matt Dawson and Lawrence Dallaglio.

Commentators: Nick Mullins, Lawrence Dallaglio & Matt Dawson

Reporter: Sarra Elgan

According to the commentators this was treated like a regular Premiership match as it is a competition set up jointly by the Premiership and Top 14 to decide who qualifies for the Champions Cup next season. As a result the referee (John Lacey) wore normal Premiership attire and the billboards were the normal Premiership ones. Likewise next weekend's second leg will be treated like a normal Top 14 match.

Question for those following BT Rugby more closely than I, Have Mullins and Eykyn shared the matches equally in terms of quality/quantity? Who's likely to get the final?

Tennis - Sky Sports - ATP Rome

The Final - Nadal v Djokovic

Marcus Buckland presenting with Greg Rusedski and Barry Cowan. Commentary from Mark Petchey and Peter Fleming.


Over on ESPN Sam Smith and Nigel Sears called Williams v Errani in the WTA final.

Yes, Mullins and Eykyn have shared commentary duties fairly equally all season (if I can get the videos to work on Premiership Rugby TV I might put together the stats). I would expect Mullins to do the final with Ben Kay and Austin Healey as they did the main match when they all kicked off simultaneously last weekend, as well as having done the final for ESPN when they had it. Having said that, Eykyn is used as the example of "great commentary" in their advert for the coverage.

In any case, I would expect whoever doesn't do the Premiership final to do the Top 14 final that evening, although they may give that to Gillingham for consistency's sake (although both Eykyn and Mullins have done some Top 14 commentary this season).

Who presents most of the tennis on BT ? I know it is on at funny times sometimes due to time differences

sometimes no one, ive seen Sam Smith present,

I didn't see today but Lynsey Hipgrave is the main presenter though as coventrywooo says Sam Smith has done some hosting as has Guy McCrea.


Thanks for answering, looking at the dates if it is Mullins he will have to return from ITVs French Open tennis coverage for the day.

That suggests it will be Eykyn, although I would have thought BT Sport takes priority for Mullins as they employ him (I believe). How has Mullins managed in previous years?

Looking at the dates, for the last two years the Premiership final has been the day before the French Open starts allowing Mullins to do that match before heading to Paris, this year the final is on the middle Saturday of the French.

Looks like Eykyn will be doing the Premiership final and Gillingham the Top 14 final then.

According to the website


http://sport.bt.com/our-team-01363818965358

Which would suggest he is their lead man.

I agree that Eykyn is the more likely, but I wouldn't completely rule out Mullins especially given that Paris to London and back isn't a hugely difficult commute

After the question over whether Mullins or Eykyn is #1, I've collected the stats on the Aviva Premiership commentators for BT Sport from Round 10 to the Semi Finals. The number of games covered are as follows:

Main Commentator:
Nick Mullins (20), Alastair Eykyn (20)
Co-Commentator (Forward):
Ben Kay (24), Lawrence Dallaglio (12), David Flatman (1), Alex Corbisiero (1), Gary Gold (1), no forward (1)
Co-Commentator (Back):
Austin Healey (23), Matt Dawson (13), Paul Grayson (3), Matt Perry (1)

So Mullins and Eykyn are neck-and-neck in terms of games covered since Round 10. If I can get hold of names/videos for Rounds 1-9 I'll compile the stats for them too.

Having just seen the advert I get what you mean now, Eykyn is actually featured in person as supposed to it just being a recording, which pretty much seals that it'll be him.

I suppose it's not out of the question that if BT wanted to do commentary on site for the Top 14 final they could use Nick Mullins, seeing as he'll already be in Paris.

That clarifies things a bit I think. Eykyn will presumably do the Premiership and Mullins will be on-site in Paris (hopefully with one of the main 4 pundits surplus to requirements at Twickenham - presumably Matt Dawson - alongside him).

I really hope they do the Top 14 final justice, what with it being Wilko's last game (another reason Dawson should be there) and having a commentator out there anyway, and they don't give it to Gillingham off-tube. I've got nothing against Gillingham, but I'd like a commentator there.

Predictions then (in the hope the actual report is a copy-and-paste job):

Aviva Premiership Rugby - Saturday 31 May (BT Sport 1)

Saracens v Northampton Saints - Final

Craig Doyle presenting from Twickenham alongside Lawrence Dallaglio, Ben Kay and Austin Healey.

Commentators: Alastair Eykyn, Ben Kay & Austin Healey

Reporter: Martin Bayfield

Top 14 Rugby - Saturday 31 May (BT Sport 1)

Toulon v Castres - Final

Jill Douglas presenting from the Stade de France / the studio alongside ???.

Commentators: Nick Mullins & Matt Dawson

Reporter (if used): Sarra Elgan

Or Gillingham could be on-site.

Mullins is contracted first for BT. He will surely do the Aviva final. It's one day of 2 weeks on ITV. Petchy etc will be fine.

Possibly Gillingham will be on site, personally I'd prefer Mullins but Gillingham is their main Top 14 commentator so the final is rightfully his. I just hope they don't do it off-tube. The fact that they're making a day of 31 May with the Prem final, the Clare Balding Show at Twickenham and the Top 14 final has helped to alleviate that fear somewhat.

The absence of any hierarchy between Mullins and Eykyn has created this debate, as well as Eykyn being used as the example of "top commentary" for the trailer. I would expect Mullins but I'm not too bothered about who does it. For me Eykyn is the better commentator but Mullins has the better voice to listen to.

Tyler's probably going to retire I suspect.

My initial thoughts were the exact same as yours, would seem the logical process, but seeing Eykyn and how he's used in the advert for the Final last night has thrown me and made me changed my mind.

Assuming there's a commentator on-site for the Top 14 final it depends whether that commentator is Martin Gillingham or if they go for their main two of Nick Mullins and Ali Eykyn.

If it's Gillingham, then either Eykyn or Mullins will do the Premiership final (some evidence points to Mullins, some to Eykyn).
If it's not Gillingham, it would be madness to send Eykyn to Paris and bring Mullins from Paris back to London so it will in all likelihood be Eykyn doing the Prem final and Mullins doing the Top 14 final.

1. I've got no idea why anyone would expect the Top 14 final to be done on-site.

2. Eykyn and Mullins I expect will be on contract whilst Gillingham is presumably freelance. Gillingham will only get the final if one of the other 2 are prior engaged.

3. Its quicker to get from Paris to London than certain parts of the UK. If BT want Mullins on the final.. He'll be there.

There's more of an argument for doing it after today's news - it's Jonny Wilkinson's last game in rugby. I'd like to think BT will at least give it (and him) the respect of having a commentator out there. Alas, I don't think they will.

Commonwealth Games

BBC TV Team


BBC One and BBC One HD presentation team

Hazel Irvine, Gary Lineker, Mark Chapman, Clare Balding, John Inverdale, Gabby Logan, Mishal Husain, Jason Mohammad and Jonathan Edwards

BBC Three and BBC Three HD presentation team

Dan Walker, Dougie Vipond, Lee McKenzie and Manish Bhasin

BBC and HD Commentary Team

Ceremonies

Huw Edwards, Hazel Irvine

Athletics

Presenters: Gabby Logan, Jonathan Edwards

Commentators: Steve Cram, Brendan Foster, Andrew Cotter

Guests: Michael Johnson, Colin Jackson, Denise Lewis, Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson, Paula Radcliffe

Reporter: Phil Jones

Swimming

Presenters: Clare Balding, Helen Skelton

Commentators: Andy Jameson, Adrian Moorhouse, Marc Woods

Guests: Rebecca Adlington, Mark Foster, Ian Thorpe

Reporter: Sharron Davies

Diving

Presenter: Clare Balding

Commentators: Bob Ballard, Leon Taylor

Reporter: Gavin Andrews

Gymnastics

Presenter / Commentator: Matt Baker

Commentators: Mitch Fenner, Christine Still

Guest: Beth Tweddle

Cycling

Presenter: Jonathan Edwards

Commentators: Simon Brotherton, Chris Boardman

Guest: Sir Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton

Reporter: Jill Douglas

Boxing

Presenter: John Inverdale

Commentators: Ronald McIntosh, Jim Neilly, Richie Woodhall, Lucy O’Connor

Triathlon

Commentators: Matt Chilton, Steve Trew, Annie Emerson

Reporter: Sonali Shah

Rugby 7s

Presenter: John Inverdale

Guests: Jonathan Davies, Andy Nicol

Reporters

Sir Matthew Pinsent, Katherine Grainger, Ore Oduba, Rishi Persad

Commentary for the remaining sports will be provided on the international feed produced by the Games' host broadcaster, SVGTV. Their final list is TBC.

Big question: Where's Paul Dickenson?

Hugh Porter too, I assume he has been pensioned off.

To complement BBC One and BBC Three coverage, viewers will have the choice of up to seven extra streams on BBC Red Button.
Those with BBC Connected Red Button will have access to the full range of up to 17 streams.