In a brand new series for Sport On The Box, guest contributors will pass on their forthright opinions and eagle-eyed observations on the latest sports coverage.
In our first instalment, rugby fan Tom Leese gives us his take on ITV’s Rugby World Cup offerings.
By Tom Leese Twitter: @TLeese
England’s stuttering start to their 2011 Rugby World Cup campaign has made for agonising early morning viewing over your bowl of corn flakes.
Their inconsistent and ill-disciplined performances on the field have been mirrored by ITV in their coverage of the tournament from New Zealand.
Whilst the studio production has been relatively slick thus far, and the rousing ‘World In Union’ opening title sequence always stirs emotions, your expectations are swiftly brought back down to earth.
ITV’s match commentary, a basic component in all competent sports coverage, is desperately uninspiring.
As if watching England is painful enough, the misery of the experience is compounded whenever Phil Vickery’s microphone is being subjected to another of his monotone inputs.
“I think that’s harsh on Simon…Shaw,” was his intuitive comment when England conceded yet another penalty.
It is always uncomfortable when commentators consider themselves on first name terms with the players, but Vickery is trying to curb his obvious friendship for the boys he captained just a year ago.
Yet although the prop is probably as animated as every England fan when his old teammates attack, his dreary West Country accent doesn’t portray the enthusiasm he has for the cause.
Add to that his lack of glowing insight – “Good try there, great pass and great run,” – and it all leaves Nick Mullins trying to overcompensate for his Vickery’s ineptitude with some extravagant turns of phrase.
“Romania looking to be the weakest of the teams in this pool. They were kebabed by Argentina,” said the astute Mullins, who is an experienced and perfectly capable big match caller.
They brought in much needed gravitas and honest opinions which both rugby purists and casual viewers respected.
The Mullins/Vickery combination is clearly lacking in that department.
Regular rugby viewers must be tempted to mute the television and listen to the eternally pessimistic but always entertaining Brian Moore have his weekly 80-minute rant on talkSPORT.
Proceedings are a lot smoother back at ITV’s London-based studio where Steve Rider, the man who could make sitting on a bed of nails look comfortable, heads up a plethora of World Cup experience.
The four prominent pundits, all with winner’s medals to their name, are assured and accurate in their pre and post match comments.
Ignoring his baffled expression when using the temperamental touch-screen, Lawrence Dallaglio has looked at home when giving his analysis on where England can improve. Again.
In comparison, the live matches lack the detailed observations that the likes of Dallaglio, Sean Fitzpatrick and Francois Pienaar provide in the studio.
Perhaps the soothing South African tones of Pienaar would serve ITV better in the commentary box better than the dull Devonshire drone of Vickery.
Who knows, when we get to the business end of the tournament he may shock us all and start to sound excited about the whole thing.
But the most frustrating part of the coverage of all? Find out, after this commercial break.
ITV’s coverage is tragic . The commentators have all the insite and charisma of yesterdays washing. There is no passion amongst any of them. Phil Vickery might have been an amazing player but that did not qualify him to be a commntator , if only Bill McClaren was still with us !! . ITV seem to suck all the energy out of any sport they cover , my husband is still recovering from their F1 coverage , they have even made Lawerence soung dull .
Phil Vickery was a great player, and I’m sure is a great bloke to have a pint with, but he really should be kept away from the microphone. He has an uncanny knack of stating the bl..ding obvious. I have become irritated enough by the content and monotonous tone of his commentary that I now mute the volume on the TV. Does anyone have a similar problem with Mr Vickery?
ITV coverage has been and always is quite awful, roll on the day (if it ever happens) when BBC get the contract, they are head and shoulders above anything else out there.