Like I said above, I wasn't picking people who I knew (or even thought) were the first, just contemporary examples.

Commentators shouldn't mention, or sarcastically make reference to, them being Australian, no. It makes the game a joke and casual fans, who wouldn't know why he was allowed to be picked, think the International game a joke. I

Mentioning it sarcastically (and that's open to interpretation) is not what makes the international game a joke. You're right to think that casual fans might think its at best, a bit odd, and at worst a sorry state of affairs - and that's because it is.

Still, you gotta hold out some hope McNamara knows what he's doing and we won't have any idea about that until this time next week. They're yet to come up against quality opposition but there's enough lads in that side who should be straining for a crack at the big two.

If you listened on the "red button" after the game Ray French et al tried to talk up RL's development on Wales. When they went over to JD he basically laughed and said they needed to be realistic.

I agree.

JD is union born a bred i dont care what anybody says if you had seen him during the union world cup on osn sports you would understand why, half way through the game the development was mentioned and he didnt praised it he just said well yeah when you grow older you decide which code! are you for real mr davies so if i played league all my life i would decide to play professional union? hes an idiot which should be nowhere near RL on bbc hes ties with union or massive and for that comment alone he annoyed me. 54 schools in the south wales playing league to me is a decent development not sure what they was before but thats ok by me aslong as it keeps growing.

I watched him on the OSN coverage of the Yawnion WC and he was terrible. Just pure negativity even for his first love

Not someone that should be in the media from what I've seen

Great player but a very poor pundit. Maybe we should get Garry Schofield!!!!!

Probably someone who realised that the Aussie clubs train their players to be natural, relaxed, positive interviewees, whereas our guys come across as robotic and boring.

The casual fans who perceive international RL as a joke are entitled to that opinion, largely because it's true. The sarcy comments of a commentator are not the cause of that perception, they're a symptom.

It wasn't just hes negativity what winds me up its the fact he shown all that passion for welsh rugby union but couldn't care less about rugby league in wales he should be bigging it up if he really cared about it.
I am glad it wasn't just me who thought that. The commentary from osn studios was good i think i would love for sky to be able to pull some x profesionals who have the rugby knowledge and also have a laugh about it.

Garry schofield commentating haha even the leeds fans would turn it off. You could just imagine it couldn't you nothing but negativity for tomkins and calling for richie boy mathers for the number 1 jersey haha.

Could be worst you could watch his chat show.

I think Davies is pretty good when doing a bit of analysis or comment in the pre/post match or half-time bits, but when he's a commentator he is just far too negative about nearly everything.
The same goes for Ray French really, ok when doing bits of comment in the studio but as a commentator is embarrassing really.

Quote: Chorlton RL " www.s4c.co.uk/adloniant/e_jonathan.shtml

Quote: Chorlton RL " www.s4c.co.uk/adloniant/e_jonathan.shtml

Funnily enough I was discussing this with a Wigan steward at the game on Saturday and in Wales everyone thinks exactly the same. He has his own Welsh language RU version of the 'Footy Show' where he spends half the time flirting with the bimbos and the other waxing lyrical about how his beloved Scarlets are so. Analysis and comment fine but the actual commentary is dire, in both codes. We all respect him as a player but to see him every time there's 'rugby' on involving a Welsh team is part of the reason I watched the game live rather than stay in Splott and watch it in the pub.

Ultimately, he is out of step with Rugby League now. He is not contemporary enough to be commentating on these kind of games.
He is chosen because he is a name, and he doesn't have a 'thick' northern accent. Unfortunately that is not good enough.

We need a good quality commentator, regardless of a history in Rugby League and an expert who can talk about the game.
Eddie and Stevo are this except that Stevo is trying to be a character rather than an expert. When you have the likes of Cullen, Clarke, McDermott talking they give you an insight to the game that most don't see. Stevo generates excitement but not necessarily knowledge.

BBC show rugby league so infrequently that they don't need to invest in the team like Sky do.
They pick up a name for a one off.

If it were my choice I would set this as part of the contract with BBC and RFL should vet/choose the summarisers.
I would then put something in place to develop them. It wouldn't take much to change the perception of our players if they went to the same "schools" that changed Farrell and Robinson in to well spoken Rugby Union players. The change is amazing.