Any chance you will stop posting?
That would be 70 years too late...

You are are rude and unpleasant... Ray French has never been that!

This is very harsh - he is no worse than Eddie

And he has forgotten (Half his problem) more than Eddie has ever known. He is a dinosaur though with that said which I think is his problem as he cannot connect with the modern game or a younger audience.

I'd point out Ray could still tell you where each player comes from and the local Rugby scene in that area. It's a depth of knowledge that other commentators will not be able to bring with them. Yes his speed of delivery has waned over the years but I think that is down to the editor to sort out. They should have moved him to more of a pundit in the studio type. But maybe the face did not fit for TV.

Sky do put out a more slick performance, but they also use a lot of graphics and music to add to the output.

It's not something the Beeb have gone with, I think the output suffers for this, when people compare it to SKY.
I've not seen the premier sports coverage, so not sure what they bring to their broadcasts.
But the Auzzies bring all that too with their coverage, but there is also a more positive spin put on the game. Not just by saying it's the greatest game, but enthusiasm for the tackles and skill. It maybe fake, but they fake it well.

I think the Beeb do tend to play it with a straight bat. That comes from the Beebs culture. They are not there to promote or denigrate the game, just call it.

He might not be the best commentator but why do you have to post that, show the bloke some respect kidder.

I have only been watching rugby league regulary for about 10 years or so, so I never heard him in his pomp. Although when he speaks about rugby league in general he does come across as a knowledgable character. The problem with Ray French as a commentator is the same problem that boxers have with thinking they can go for one more fight and they cant, for whatever reason.

IMO it should have been told to him years ago and something could have been done such as a more punditry capacity. The only sad thing to come from this is that him and Davies are not a double act and taken the irritating nasal voiced prat with him.

I am always in two minds about Ray French

Firstly, I do not think he was a good commentator and I think he got worse in recent years. It is nothing personal but I don’t think having French as the voice of RL on the BBC has done the game any favours

But… this is a man who has dedicated much of his life to Rugby League as a player, ambassador and journalist so I would say thank you for that. He is interesting and enjoyable to read in the press and that was his best medium as far as I am concerned

Agree with this.

There is a bit of a problem with RL commentating in that there is a tendency to let commentators and pundits hang around too long. This leads to people remebering how they were at the end rather than the begining.

Eddie Waring is seen as a joke by many but he was about 50 years ahead of his time in respect to RL and marketing.

We need to learn from Soccer where pundits etc have a half life of about 10 years before someone newer and fresher comes in to the team.

Thanks for everything Ray and enjoy watching the greatest game as a hobby rather than a job

He's retired from television commentary, he will still be around doing radio commentary.

You can't deny he's lived a life devoted to the sport, but he's a poor commentator (unless you really ache to find out a player's weight or which amateur team he came from). I'd hate to rely on his radio commentary.

David Doyle Davidson from Hull was just as bad. Spent more time waffling about a refereeing decision fro 5 minutes previously and you never knew whereabouts on the field the ball was.

I remember Ray playing, with his trade-mark one-handed, overhead passing technique.

I remember Ray French coming to a function and part of it was allowing members of the audience to commentate on a video clip as if it live,. My friend, who thought Ray French had an easy job, had a go as did several others.
Well the lesson was learned, it is not an easy task and as Ray French pointed out your preparation has to be good and the information sound. However things happen that can catch you out and then you fly by the seat of you pants.
He admitted mistakes happen, but he also pointed out that players never make mistakes as is often pointed out on these forums .
Why people denigrate those who have put a great deal into the sport and championed it relentlessly I don't understand but then I suppose they seem to like those who take everything out and give nothing back.

It's the internet age, everyone's an instant expert - the idea of taking a lifetime to absorb and assimilate culture, knowledge and wisdom is no longer fashionable, who needs that when we have google and wikipedia?

Internet messageboards attracts the sort of know-it-alls who were once confined to boring strangers in pubs. Criticism of presenters is one of their favourite topics. I suppose it must annoy the know-it-all that someone else has an opinion, other than their own, and is given a forum in which to air those opinions.

You only need to watch the fans' commentary on Sky football matches to see how difficult it is to commentate and what a mess of it the pub bore makes.

I wish Mr French a long and happy retirement and thank him for his decades of service to the Greatest Game.