really? any proof of this other than heresay?

here is an exerpt from an interview he gave to the big issue magazine.

Q: Halifax is a rugby league town as well. Did you ever play the other code?
A: I did play rugby league sometimes, although you could never let anyone find out. I really enjoyed it. The players never had a problem with the rival codes. It was the administrators and some fans.

I've heard Moore praise league a number of times.

If we're talking ex-ru, why not give Gareth Thomas a trial?

There are loads of great analysts on local radio, why not use these guys?

Thanks for your post Mr Moore, however you will have to stay with BBC for now.
Regards,
SkySports

you know otherwise?
Fairly recently tweeted saying "tough game rugby league" (with regards to a french Rl player having his knob partially ripped off during a game), he's had more than a few good words to say about RL but then some think they know people because of x association. He certainly dabbled with league in his younger days though had to keep it on the QT due to the way the RFU meted out punishments.
He also does a rugby league section on his radio show that he co-hosts 'Full Contact', in fact this sunday at 6pm it includes I think Ryan Brierly to talk about the start of the SL season.

Maybe I'm thinking of the other fella who commentates on yawnion? Stuart Barnes is it? Certainly one of them is so anti-league its untrue. He did nothing, but slate Sam Burgess off when he swapped codes and i also seem to remember him slagging off a State Origin game a few years ago claiming it was boring



If this wasn't Moore than happy to admit I was wrong, but it was definatley an ex player that now commentates on Union.

He's a good man, i know that for a fact, but he is a cr@p commentator.

I think Sky/Radio need to get away from the whole "He's an ex player so he must be a good commentator/summariser" and find people who actually know what they're taking about!

Wasn't it Barnes who came up with that patronising "league is draughts, union is chess" bollix that people unthinkingly parrot as if it's the source of all wisdom? And which begs the question, of course, that if union is such a game of tactical complexity, and league is such a simple game, how come they all want our coaches (and players) ?

Barnes was even in his playing days obese and unfit so wouldn't have lasted 5 minutes in RL. That's why he probably feels the need to slag it off to hide his own inadequacies. As a yawnion player he remained in the shadow of the very ordinary Rob Andrew throughout his career. Not someone whose opinions are worth much.

Tez is absolutely quality.

Sinfield offered nothing last night as a guest- He was dull

Why the BBC use Peacock and Crabtree is beyond me. Neither can string a sentence together.

To be fair Wells, Clarke and Carney are all articulate

Tez needs to get his nose unblocked.

Put the Letter "D" in front of every word and that's Tez


day don't doo do day do laaaaa................... scouse accent..

O'Connor is painful, he doesn't understand that the reason Leigh were 'exciting' in the Championship is because they were a full-time team running through part-time defences.

If you read this Neville, can you look into Sky's position on the ethics of Phil Clarke being allowed to give ridiculous praise and promotion to players who just happen to be contracted clients of his/his brother's company. Raving about Hampshire tonight with comparisons to the great Matty Smith, who both happen to be clients of a certain brother.

I only watched part of the game last evening, but did any of the commentators happen to ask Clarke.... Hey Phil, why isn't Solomona playing for Cas tonight...

Get rid of hemmings, Macdermot and O Conner and get Woods in from the BBC
Job done

Better still, his mouth blocked.

I'm sure O'Connor is a good guy but he's a bloody awful commentator and it's not just his way of speaking, he offers nothing insightful at all.

McDermott is just about passable but still isnt great.

If Phil Clarke can be calmed down a bit I don't mind him (Though I agree on the issue with him and Solomona, IIRC it's not the first time there's been an issue with Clarke and a potential conflict of interest. I'm sure it was spotted by some on here a few years ago that Clarke was excessively praising players who just happened to have his brother as agent.)

Carney and Wells are great and somewhat rescue what would otherwise be a pretty terrible broadcast.

Eddie I quite like but restrict him to just main commentator, nothing else at all, and no opinions please Eddie, just commentate.

I can't quite believe we've STILL got Stuart Cummings there. It's embarrassing and unnecessary. Not to mention the fact he's occasionally wrong in his bizzarely desperate attempts to defend the officials and backup any decision they make. Get rid. Now.

If additional people are needed then I'd maybe be looking to someone like Luke Robinson or if Jon Wilkin is available I'd put him on. He's usually very good on the BBC. Though I don't see why they can't manage with Eddie, Clarke, Carney & Wells.

Agree with all that HIM, I had the misfortune to listen to the first 30odd minutes of the Wales/England game, Eddie Butler can only state the players name and throw in the occasional 'out to' xxx, it's almost the same with John Motson, he can't commentate to save his life, no description of live action but describes it upon replay.
Jiffy is increasingly losing the plot, he started to say something three times and then just stopped without actually making any point, basically inane babble that made no sense.
The only one of the three involved in the live match commentary that says anything worth listening to was Brian Moore though doesn't get much time on the mic these days.

Would just like to hear someone just commentate properly, Eddie used to be able to do this quite well BITD, now not so.
Cummins is an embaressment all round, IF you must discuss the finer points of decisions, during live play is not the time to do so.
Much prefer to listen to local commentary over the top.

Agree with all that. Moore is easily the best RU commentator, understands the game and explains it well. Clive Tyldesley used to do league commentary back in the day, didn't he? I'd like to see him get a go. He couldn't be worse than Jiffy, Eddie, etc etc.

Have no commentators, and just have the sound of the crowd.

We're Leeds Rhiii-nnnoos, we're Leeds Rhhiinnooss
Go down well, that will

Didn't he say at one point something along the lines of "he has the pace to be one of the best players in the game?" Even to my unprofessional ears, it was a bit of a stretch...

Get Clare Balding in. He would be grest