Bill McLaren 1923-2010

He’d been ill for some time, so the news that Bill McLaren, the “Voice of Rugby” has died is sad but neither surprising nor shocking. For nearly half a century, from his debut in 1953 until 2002, his voice dominated the game. No other rugby commentator came close. Nor, in this multi-channel age, will any again.

The voice – a mild Hawick burr – was only part of what made McLaren so distinctive. McLaren’s commentary combined great colour with precision. He gave viewers a sense of the drama of the game and relished the physical confrontation that lies at the heart of rugby and without which it is, if not nothing, then a much-reduced game. He was a trusted, kindly guide who taught many of us much of what we know about the game. Above all, there was a rare warmth about Bill’s commentary.

This generosity of spirit meant that he almost never second-guessed either players or coaches.