"He's got Alan Tait to beat...

..Surely he's going to go the length...

...That is the one sensational try...

...That must rank amongst one of the finest ever seen on this ground"

Does seem a strange time to retire, hope all's well with Ray and enjoy your retirement.

"Cunningham for the liiiiiiiiiiiiine"
"Reeay, it's Leon Pryce"
"You're right Jonathon, my eyes decieve me"

Legend Frenchy. If he told once, he told us a million times that Apollo was brought up on a diet of sweet potato in the 96 cup final.

Did I read somewhere that Eddie Waring, Ray French and Dave Woods all called their first Wembley Challenge Cup Final at the same age?

As David Coleman might have said: 'Remarkable.' 'But at least you've won the Lance Todd Trophy so you must be delighted with that.'

Excellent print journalist, author and public speaker.

Terrible commentator.

Hopefully this will give him more time to focus on the areas where he does excel and allow the BBC to bring their presentation of the game into the 20th century.

Do they still do those wide aerial shots before games looking for some back-to-backs with washing strung between them?

Why on earth would they do that? They replaced Waring with French, who helped emphasise the stereotype Eddie had created, so I see no reason why they'd change now.

LOL

No it won't. It'll be better MUCH MUCH BETTER.






NOW, HAS HE GOT THE LEGS?

I fail to see how Dave woods will improve things.

a couple of posters have taken the p1ss out of him for telling us which amature clubs players came from but i for one think it's great that he does/did at least he's giving the clubs that brought these players up a mention we wer'e all amatures wern't we?

Ray French has forgotten more than most people on here know about the game of RL, and should be respected.

Sorry but that whole professional northerner style is cringemakingly awful. When Waring went we had a chance to modernise the image of the game, but with Ray French the whole flat cap and whippets view of the sport was further embedded.

He is responsible for the "dark ages" view of RL for anyone South of Sheffield.

Hopefully he will take his Flat Cap, Terrier and drive as far as he can before falling into the sea.

They're all awful from the BBC crew to the Sky massiv'.

I either watch it at home with the sound down or with some music on.

AFAIK he doesn't put it on, so I'd baulk at calling him a "professional northerner". It's just who he is.

The logical choice some years ago was John Champion, before ITV lured him away with European football commentary.

He's no more stereotypically northern than Barrie & Terry on Sky's Championship coverage.