Aspects of the RWC quarters
For all the prowess of England, the All Blacks and South Africa – or maybe better because of it – the only really competitive game yesterday was Wales’ narrow and undeserved victory over France.
Manchester United v Liverpool did not live up to hype.
My strategy was to follow the build up on Radio 5 and then switch to the game on ITV, because it freed up my time and I did not have to listen to adverts on the latter.
I found Sonja McGlaughlan’s radio presentation inadequate.
She failed to identify the key issue in Wales v France: the referee and his style, the erratic nature of French rugby, and why and how Wales won the Six Nations.
Matt Dawson has not made the transition from chirpy Question of Sport captain to well-informed analyst and actually adds very little, whilst the Welsh analyst could not disguise his bias.
For the entirely irrational reason that I could not stick the inevitable welsh hwyl thing should they win and remembering the great France victory over the All Blacks I was rooting for the French.
Mark Pougatch on ITV showed what presentation is about: he got the key issues and directed the discussion skillfully with a dash of humour.
I like Maggie Alfonsi – an articulate and perceptive analyst even though she is a foot shorter than Lawrence Dallaglio.
At half time French fly half Romain Ntamack was fulsomely praised on Radio 5 as the complete number 10 even though – had he converted two relatively easy conversions – France not Wales would have won.
The behemoths of South Africa overcome the superb handling, pacy Japanese. No surprise here but gosh it was hardly absorbing. I’m sorry to see Japan leave the tourney.
Finally I watched Manchester draw with Liverpool.
Pargie texted to say he was backing against Liverpool and it was good call as United deserved their draw.
Again not a hugely entertaining game.
When the home side scored and it went to VAR I thought “Here is the story on the media for the next 48 hours!”
I happened to switch on Radio 5 to hear Robbie savage laying into commentator John Murray on this. No doubt he was whipping up the controversy for his 6-0-6 programme later.
