Originally Posted by The Difference:
“Alan worked for BBC Wales between 1987 and 1998 (he presented the first edition of Scrum V with Eddie Butler in 1995), worked for ITV on the Rugby World Cup in 1999 before joining ESPN Star Sports the following year.”
Bit late this, but he also commentated on, I think, two England matches for ITV in November 1998, back when they were live on Sky with highlights straight after on ITV, because John Taylor was commentating on live Scotland qualifiers on ITV those weekends.
I wonder if we've ever had a definitive list of Rugby World Cup presenters and commentators on ITV. In 1991, Frank Bough presented the live games and David Bobin the highlights, while according to the Radio Times, the commentators were Alistair Hignell, John Taylor and Bob Symonds.
In 1995, Hignell presented - rather badly, the rugby equivalent of Matthew Lorenzo - with Trevor McDonald joining him for the opening match and final as it was an important news event too, with Mark Austin and Mary Nightingale doing the highlights, several years before they both appeared together reading the news. The RT bills just Taylor and Chris Rea as commentators, I dunno who the others were - Bob Symonds again?
In 1999, Jim Rosenthal presented for the first time, with Nicky Campbell doing the highlights and Taylor, Symonds, Wilkins and Helm commentating. In 2003, Rosenthal and Angus Scott presented, with Gabby Logan in Australia, and the main commentators were John Taylor, Nigel Starmer-Smith and Mark Robson. ITV also used the world feed commentator, whoever that was, on the only day there were four live matches, and I also remember they lost the commentary on one game and Bob Symonds took over from London, and on the highlights that night, Symonds commentated from the start.
Finally in 2007 it was Rosenthal and Martin Bayfield presenting, with Miles Harrison, Jon Champion, Bob Symonds and John Taylor commentating.