Bill McLaren, the BBC commentator known fondly as the voice of rugby, has died in his hometown of Hawick, Scotland at the age of 86. Here are a selection of the quotes which made him such a beloved figure throughout the game taken from The Telegraph (link)On Phil Bennett: "They say down at Stradey that if ever you catch him [Phil Bennett] you get to make a wish."
On Jonah Lomu: "I'm no hod carrier but I would be laying bricks if he [Jonah L] was running at me."
On Grant Batty: "He plays like a runaway bullet."
On Gerald Davies: "His sidestep was marvellous – like a shaft of lightning."
Other favourites:
"It’s high enough, it’s long enough AND IT’S STRAIGHT ENOUGH."
"He’s like a demented ferret up a wee drainpipe."
"He’s like a raging bull with a bad head."
"That one was a bit inebriated – just like one of my golf shots."
"He kicked that ball like it were three pounds o’ haggis."
"The All Blacks that day looked like great prophets of doom."
"My goodness, that wee ball’s gone so high there’ll be snow on it when it comes down.
"He’s as quick as a trout up a burn."
"Those props are as cunning as a bag o’ weasels."
"A day out of Hawick is a day wasted."
*And it’s a try by Hika the hooker from Ngongotaha (Wales v New Zealand 1980).
"I look at Colin Meads and see a great big sheep farmer who carried the ball in his hands as though it was an orange pip."
"I’ve hardly ever had to pay to get in (the best thing in his view about 50 years of commentary at rugby matches)."
RIP the Voice of Rugby - we will miss you!
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