So you want to be a rugby commentator?

1. Practice…practice…practice…on your own time in your own house or wherever feels most comfortable. Watch rugby and commentate over it. Then listen back and refine.
2. Know your audience!
   1. Is this a youth U10s match or an International barn burner? You will more than likely have a different atmosphere and approached based on the audience.
3. Know the rugby laws inside and out, especially the referee signals!
   1. Bonus, be an active referee so you actually know the laws and signals.
   2. There are over 40 referee signals, do you know them all?
4. Get rosters and player stats ASAP
   1. Try to get time with the key players, coaching staff or administrators so that you can get insider stories or details that only they would know.
   2. Name pronunciations…know how to pronounce any name, no matter how many syllables or strangely-pronounced vowel sounds!
5. Review each teams past schedules/results for history or how they got to the event
   1. These are great talking points and can fill “dead time” which we all dread!
6. Know the format of the event the teams are participating in (i.e. overtime rules, what happens if they win/lose).
   1. Viewers will often be wondering this, so have it at the ready to give to them! There’s nothing worse than a stammering host who is looking through all their papers trying to find the right information.
7. Strive for a balance of education vs entertaining your audience
   1. Rugby is still a new mainstream sport so there will need to be some educating, but don’t assume your audience isn’t informed.
   2. Don’t forget that your main job is to entertain! Not a joke teller? Maybe your the data junkie that can recite player stats till you can’t breathe, or perhaps you are a great story teller…know your strengths!
8. Partner with your co-commentator (if you have one)
   1. Don’t talk over your anyone!
   2. Share air time and use leading questions to help the dialogue along.

1. NEVER bash a team, coach, referee or fan.
   1. No one wants to be this guy…Nick Mullins Roasted over Fiji Comments
   2. Don’t be critical of a referee call unless you’re positive that they missed it – and then be incredibly kind.
2. Guess what the referee is signaling or doing. Breathe, watch for the referee signals then help your audience understand.
3. Be sexist or indicate that a team is inferior
   1. “Women’s rugby should really use a size 4 ball, due to their small hands.” heard at the Women’s Rugby World Cup in 2014. Are you kidding me??
4. Say what you would have done, i.e. “If I was playing…”
5. Cough, yawn, burp, laugh or make other bodily noises…
6. Be monotone or seem bored
7. Don’t get too far off topic, a story is great but a diatribe isn’t.

Some of these “Don’ts” seems obvious but we’ve witnessed them in the last few weeks and couldn’t believe it. Remember, your commentating is supposed to enhance the broadcast and make it a better experience overall for the viewers.  As a commentator, you have a unique opportunity to help viewers fall in love with our sport, don’t ruin that by being flippant or unprepared!

I’m not naive enough to think that all broadcasts will be perfect, as mistakes happen, but I think we need to strive to be the best we can be. Lets not take our 15 minutes with the mic and flush it down the toilet.

Happy commentating!