Speaker by Various Artists

As someone without Sky and having had to listen to Hamish McKay on the delayed TV3 coverage for years I was dreading his commentary on Saturday. I was all set with the radio ready by the TV to switch over audio if it got unbearable but it wasn't too bad. He has no insights to offer on the intricacies of the game but at least he toned himself down and didn't get into verbal diarrhoea mode. A pass mark - just.

Lovely to see Mehrts back on the silverscreen - I think he has a future doing the McEnroe style former great providing insight and wit to the current game. And he takes a lot of the deathly seriousness out of the NZ game as well - a community service.

Obviously extremely early days and weaker opposition, but the Wallabies are already making me nervous as they start perfecting their patented World Cup defensive screen and mechanical game plan. Nice refereeing job from George as well.

And a possible quarter-final against a cornered France takes a few more centimetres off my cuticles as well.

Please, please, please ..... (its going to be a long tournament)

Don't worry Richard France are going (er, staying) home.

Actually after watching Ireland this morning... that is a little hard to swallow.

Hmmm, the plot thickens, so with Ireland now top of Group Death with a bonus point win, if Ireland beats Argentina (entirely possible) and then loses to France (quite probable based on 6 Nations form), that will leave France, Ireland, and Los Pumas all equal on wins, and dependent on bonus points and differentials to sort out who goes through. And as France got a bonus point for losing within 7 against Argentina, they could still easily finish top of their group. Confused?, I am.

France can still finish top if Ireland does them a favour. That bonus point might prove very important.

All charity aside, I thought McKay was awful. Mind you, when ITV broadcast the last world cup for the Poms, they were way worse. No experience or insight. Just point the camera & talk.

Is it just me or is the camera work rubbish as well?

Too much wide frame stuff taking in 1/2 the field like they're expecting the 1/2 back to flick it to the far wing in one move when halving that frame give would be better view.

As someone without Sky and having had to listen to Hamish McKay on the delayed TV3 coverage for years I was dreading his commentary on Saturday. I was all set with the radio ready by the TV to switch over audio if it got unbearable but it wasn't too bad.

I did find myself concentrating on the quality of the commentary. About halfway through I started listening for Grant Fox saying something positive - anything, about anyone. He didn't.

I'd happily have cut a couple of mikes and let AJ Whetton and Mehrts do the whole thing by themselves.

Well I for one really enjoyed the use of the Wide shot as it gave a much more natural picture and showed what variations could be played and were
The normal close in shots may give a players view of play but if you actually go to a game that's not what you see and that is what I am used to.....don't have sky so it has been sometime since I watched whole game on TV

Is it just me or is the camera work rubbish as well?

Too much wide frame stuff taking in 1/2 the field like they're expecting the 1/2 back to flick it to the far wing in one move when halving that frame give would be better view.

Yep, the wide shots were just too wide. I got used to it eventually, but it was irritating.

The coverage in the opening game seemed to be a cut above the others.

And don't the French directors love their slow-mo?

Is it just me or is the camera work rubbish as well?

Too much wide frame stuff taking in 1/2 the field like they're expecting the 1/2 back to flick it to the far wing in one move when halving that frame give would be better view.

That wide shot annoys the hell out of me. It's been bad with the delayed sky coverage on prime for a year or two, but the world cup stuff is horrendous. My TV is a decent size, but I can't see a thing when they do that wide show from across the room. I end up yelling "I can't see anything!" at the TV until they go back to the closer up shot. It seems to take them a while to hear me.

There also seems to be a tendency for the ball to keep going with a player, and the camera to stay focused on the last ruck or some tiny push between two forwards, rather than... y'know, the guys running down the field with the ball.