The tournament has some great looking rugby ahead but the tournament has so much of Ralph Rimmer and so little of NRL razzmattazz.

So far, we've had:
- a broken PA system, with people stood on the pitch holding trophies to silence
- a delay to the start because of that
- the Kaiser Chiefs doing comedy runs to amuse the crowd
- the interviews held with the Scotland and Italy coaches done by cameras seemingly mounted on the end of springs they were moving about that much
- the sound not working when the Scots and Italians coming out
- the game not starting as they have to play a poem on the big screen first, which is spoken over by the commentator and would have more impact if played before the players came out
- a 25 second gap between the video ref symbol being given and any footage actually appearing because of the guff that the video ref has to say to the match director
- the video ref decisions taking an age because the match director has no idea what they are looking for, even though there was a delay so the video ref could tell them

It's as if it's Ralph's first tournament, and as if the BBC have never televised it before. If they're looking for some fizz for the neutrals, they need to get their acts together a bit more.

I could live with all that, but the sight and sound of Jon Wilkins put the tin hat on it for me

The way they do the Anthems is a joke .Should be sung by a professional singer in the middle of the pitch .It is insulting to the country's taking part

While I really like Dave Woods I was impressed with the commentary of the Aussie that covered the New Zealand / Lebanon fixture.
However I agree the organisers do need to get their fingers out (fast).

Surely the PA system would have been that of Newcastle United.

Oh,and by the way the Leeds United / Arsenal match yesterday was halted for over 40 minutes due to electrical issues. These things happen.

Oh,and by the way the Leeds United / Arsenal match yesterday was halted for over 40 minutes due to electrical issues. These things happen.

Sorry about double post. Realised, but does not seem to want to delete.

I agree. That in isolation would be "just one of those things" but the whole thing has had a certain bodge about it.

Andrew Voss is great. Hands down the best commentator, really funny at times. My favourite line of his was during a match last year (think it was Brisbane and Parramatta) - "that scrum was so bad it should be left outside of the front of the house for the council to collect in the morning".

If anyone has got an Apple TV box, the Watch NRL app can be added to that. Every game of the season, on catch up and live, plus all the shows, for £135 a year. I watch more Aussie than UK now, and all the commentators are good.

There was also a comment after 2 consecutive ball strips. Something along the lines of "A pair of strippers in Warrington, who'd have thought it".

Made me laugh talking about the big NZ prop.
If I was his neighbour I would put his bins out for him.
Love him.