Tributes pour in for commentator McLaren

TRIBUTES have poured in for legendary rugby union commentator Bill McLaren, who died yesterday morning, aged 86.

McLaren, from Hawick, was known as the ‘voice of rugby’ after almost 50 years as a national broadcaster.

He suffered with ill health in recent years and died peacefully at the local hospital at 10.30am.

Tributes followed from the worlds of rugby, broadcasting and politics for a man who became the most famous and well respected commentator in the game before retiring in 2002.

Scotland legend Gavin Hastings, who McLaren commentated on before later working alongside, said: “First and foremost, Bill was a very proud and passionate Scot but such was his professionalism that you never really have known that.

“He always remained very unbiased in his commentary and I think that that was unquestionably one of his endearing qualities. He was just such a gentleman as well.

“I had the good fortune to be alongside him in the commentary box on a number of occasions.

“One of the times that I will always remember being there, he said, ‘Now son, if you want to speak, just tug away at my coat’.

“I was keen to say something so I kept tugging away at his coat for what seemed like about five minutes before he allowed me to speak.

“It was just the sort of passion of the man that he got so much into the game and that was just the way he was.”

Former Scotland and British and Irish Lions player and coach Ian McGeechan said: “You will never know how many people Bill brought to the game by the way he commentated. Bill didn’t just have a massive impact because of rugby. It was also because of his knowledge and understanding of people.”

Rugby Football Union president John Owen said: “He was a man everybody thought of as their friend and he was a true friend to rugby.

“It is unsurprising that the crowd sang ‘For he’s a Jolly Good Fellow!’ at his last match commentating – for that is exactly what Bill was.”

Prior to becoming a commentator, McLaren was a player with Hawick.

BBC Head of TV Sport Philip Bernie said: “His brilliance, dedication and sheer love of his sport made him one of the most recognisable commentators ever; and the sport of rugby in turn both loved and respected him as their television champion, not least for some of the wonderful phrases he could conjure up in the course of a live broadcast.

“Beyond that, he was one of the warmest and kindest of men, and no one who met him could fail to be impressed by him.”