Here’s a story of one of the great RL tours, when Great Britain travelled down under in 1946. It involves a 23,000-ton aircraft carrier, thanks to the Australian gov, an epic train journey and a team that went unbeaten despite all the adversity.
#bbcrl
@daraobriain
I had to pay 90 quid or so to release my own mobile phone which I had stupidly lost in Düsseldorf and had been posted back to me by Rheinbahn. It still annoys me now!
As a kid I was borderline-obsessed by this team. I read that Littlewoods Cup final programme over and over again, and I knew every name in
@OfficialOAFC
's class of 1989-90. It was a pleasure to write this. Huge thanks to Joe and Andy for great anecdotes.
@AJemaineClement
Hope you told him: "Be more constructive with your feedback, please."
My personal favourite - "My rhymes are so potent that in this small segment I made all of the ladies in the area pregnant..."
Last night's game between
@CTRLFC
and
@Saints1890
marked the last pages in my commentary notes book. I'm not very good keeping them aligned for each season so there's a bit of 2020, all my 2021 games and a bit of 2022 as well. Thought a time lapse might be nice.
Just a note for my fellow
#rugbyleague
friends attending
#MagicWeekend
over the next two days - the roadworks on the A1 into Newcastle are a pain in the backside so give yourselves a bit of extra time. Public service message over.
Had some really kind words sent my way after tonight’s
@hullkrofficial
v
@CTRLFC
which was a proper cup tie and I hope we did it justice. I know commentators are ‘marmite’ though so there’ll have been plenty who think my voice is like nails on a blackboard or worse! Ha ha!
One of my favourite bits of Frenchy commentary and of my favourite tries in history. David Topliss, Hull FC v Widnes, Challenge Cup final replay at Elland Road. Genuine magic trick play try.
Was a huge occasion for BBC Sport yesterday as
@superleague
was shown live for the first time. Weather could have been better. Cas not helped by the dismissal of Watts, Wigan had been in a real game before that but their class told in the end. Huge night to follow this Saturday.
My favourite memory of Rob Burrow from a personal level was interviewing him after his penultimate Rhinos game, and his last competitive appearance at
Headingley before retirement. Hearing it takes me right back to his smiling face and makes my heart ache.
Johnny Whiteley was doing 20km on his bike in half an hour right into his nineties and every time I got on my Wattbike that was in my head. Have to try to match Johnny, even though he's more than twice my age. What a bloke. What a rugby league icon. RIP Johnny. Sad day for RL.
Think Dom Young will be impossible to leave out for
@England_RL
on first half evidence v Fiji. Athletic, skilful, great out of backfield and pacy. Really encouraging on a chilly night.
This is something the new Wembley lacks, albeit it does have a staircase to the Royal Box. This, though, watching a team snaking up the 39 steps and walking along, feels far more magical than the current one. I'm sure there are people who will say it's just one of many!
Wouldn’t have minded who came up out of
@TOwolfpack
or
@FevRovers
as I love elements of both. Why do people create divisions? Who cares if Toronto are new and ‘don’t have history’. Who cares if Fev is ‘just’ a small, traditional rugby town? Celebrate it all. All adds to the pot.
What a soundtrack on
@HowardsWayFilm
- great football and superb music. Big Audio Dynamite, The Cure, Lotus Eaters, China Crisis... superb. I’m not even an Everton fan and I keep watching it!
Rugby league has had a long association with
@bbc5live
in the station's 30 years and gives the sport a great platform to reach traditional and new audiences. The buzz of the Challenge Cup or Super League Grand Final on
@5liveSport
is one of the highlights of any year.
#5LiveAt30
What an absolute gem of a bloke, who just happens to be a supreme rugby league player. Huge weapon for
@Giantsrl
. Tomorrow could be his time to shine and this time, pick up a trophy too.
#bbcrl
Really chuffed for London, but also hope that Toulouse can be back again next year to challenge. Clearly the Championship requires a lot of investment, which has been maintained, and would be a shame if this was a sliding doors moment for TOXIII.
Looking forward to commentary from Headingley on Friday night.
@leedsrhinos
v
@hullfcofficial
on
@5liveSport
Extra. Just dusted off my notes book out since the
@RLWC2021
final - seems like years ago. Hope this weekend matches the opening round!
Sat outside
@SalfordDevils
ground in my car staring longingly at the ABK beer bus like a dog at the window waiting for its owner. Sadly no beer for me tonight. Commentary of the visit of
@WiganWarriorsRL
instead on
@5liveSport
Extra with
@kevjonbrown
will have to do instead.
🏉 Every Rugby League World Cup game to be broadcast on the BBC for the first time
🏉 All 61 games from the men’s, women’s and wheelchair tournaments will be broadcast live & free to air
🏉 New rugby documentary commissions announced
Up early to finish the notes for today and we're done. Won't be able to read half of it and probably won't look at it but hopefully some nuggets were absorbed somewhere, and it looks nice doesn't it?
@CTRLFC
v
@hullfcofficial
on
@BBCTwo
this afternoon from 14:35 BST
#bbcrl
You can't see any kick that goes up, it's 10 degrees colder than the rest of Wakefield and the wind whistles through it like a tunnel but I will miss
@WTrinityRL
's old East Stand. What is promised is exciting for the club to grow but I've fond memories of calling games there.
Just catching up with
@BBCSport
build-up to last weekend’s
@TheChallengeCup
semi. How good is
@markchapman
- the Lance Todd Trophy winner of presenters without a doubt. Brilliance.
James Roby. The only thing at the age of 40 which I'm doing better at than him at a mere 37 is hairline, and even that's debatable. What a human being.
What a day. Two great finals, one fantastic Wembley occasion. When players ran out for both
@The1895Cup
and
@TheChallengeCup
there was a wonderful crackle of energy and excitement. I actually didn't get a single photo inside Wembley as I was scrambled but here's a better view.
Tonight's
@SuperLeague
derby between
@WTrinityRL
and
@CTRLFC
could be a stomach-churning, agonising affair. But it's one you won't want to miss. So tight at the bottom and a win here is a big boost. We're live on
@5liveSport
Extra tonight and second half on 5live itself.
#bbcrl
If everyone had a reserve grade and named squads like this, surely you'd get plenty of people going along to watch the games and generate some interest. That's a strong line-up worth watching.
Oh to see the oval ball at the City Ground! Magic Weekend in Nottingham would be the crowning glory for this rugby league-loving midlander. Though
@hullkrofficial
fans of a certain age might have walked over Trent Bridge for a game before...
(Thanks to
@Forty20LIVE
for the pic!)
Thank goodness for rugby league’s warriors in 2020. I could easily be overwhelmed by how crap the various lockdowns were but my overriding memory is of Challenge Cup excitement and Grand Final drama. Saved my year. Fingers crossed it’s a better 2021 for everyone. Cheers.
My local butcher just waxed lyrical about
@snozzer_gale
’s heroics at the end of Leeds-Huddersfield last weekend. Ever since Magic came to the north east, he’s watched as much as he can. Just a small example but good to know that bringing top level RL to the region can grow fans.
I know the rugby league community loves and respects
@markchapman
greatly. I can only echo that, he made me personally made me feel so welcome when I joined the
@BBCSport
RL team. Great to have Mark back.
From 100-plus commentaries on 5 Live and Extra to coverage across Super League, Championship and League One on local stations like Leeds, Humberside, Manchester, Merseyside and Cumbria. The latter do loads of community game coverage too from Wath Brow, Kells and Hensingham etc.
Despite it being a tough year for Salford I have loved watching Elijah Taylor. Bends his back and seldom misses. I love the willo-the-wisp halves and FBs, the dynamic hookers and pace-to-burn fliers but toughies like Taylor are always my real favourites. They don't stop grafting.
What great ambassadors for rugby league Wigan's Matt Peet and Bevan French were in their hits into the BBC Breakfast and 5 live output this morning. Eloquent, engaging and personable. Hopefully they'll have caught the attention of some new viewers for Saturday's huge game.
Meet
@Georgiaroche00
- Humble, down-to-earth... but a star of rugby league. Women’s Super League Woman of Steel and an inspiration to players everywhere.
#bbcrl
Cancelled flights couldn't prevent me making it thankfully. It's warm (to my freaky thermostat) but some gloomy skies ahead.
@England_RL
double-header less than a couple hours away here in Toulouse. Ninety years of rugby league in France to celebrate for
@FFRXIII
#bbcrl
Sky Sports today confirms the incredibly sad news that legendary Sky Sports rugby league commentator, Bill Arthur, has died at the age of 68 after a long battle with prostate cancer.
Bloke walks up to the ticket office at the MKM Stadium and says "Two tickets please for Hull Derby." Bloke behind glass says "Hull-Derby or Hull Derby?" "Hull Derby." Yeah... Not as funny as I thought it was that, on reflection.
#noronniecorbett
#hullderby
#hullvderby
Great for
@OfficialHavenRl
to get the holders and Super League champions
@Saints1890
to the Rec. Might have to order a few extra pies for that cracking little snack bar at the top of the Kells End.
Really enjoyed the
@SuperLeague
launch today. Some great chats with some of the biggest personalities in the game and some of the most impressive players in the world and they were all so approachable and engaging. Hopefully BBC output that follows will promote them accordingly.
Opted for DVD of Great Britain 2007
@NZRL_Kiwis
Test series tonight because I want to see
@Rob7Burrow
tearing it up in his prime. His kick that sat up perfectly for Gareth Raynor in first Test and then tries in next two. He ran the show in 2007 and won the George Smith Medal.
About last night. How good was that
#grandfinal
?!
@DragonsOfficiel
were so impressive for much of it, brains and brawn to the fore. Made it a wonderful showpiece. But,
@Saints1890
were champion-standard. How do you stop them? They can mix it, slug it out or outthink you. Superb.
Funny to think if it weren't for Joe Greenwood going to Gold Coast, Zeb Taia might not have come to Saints. They could face each other tomorrow. Taia a genuine bargain pick-up on that basis. Been outstanding. Runs tough lines, makes subtle plays. One of my favourites in SL.
The morning after. Spellbinding night. Skill, speed, physicality, controversy, guts. Everything. Two teams that gave it their all. So gutted the Bevan French try was chalked off. Pure ingenuity. And I didn't realise how many M-People/Heather Small songs I actually like...
Thought Brad Fash was superb last night. Plays beyond his size. And this mullet is absolutely magnificent. It's more than just a little tuft at the bottom. It's unashamed. It's the hair equivalent of a Pantera riff. Full-on.
What a career James Graham has had in the
@NRL
, and if it comes to an end here and he's back in
@SuperLeague
soon, can absolutely hold his head high. Showed modern-era props can have brains and brawn; a ball-playing, never-back-down class act.
#bbcrl
Thanks to everyone who got involved or read our
#bbcefl
live text tonight and lives/reports/features throughout the season. The team behind our coverage are so passionate about it. Unfortunately, we've been told there's 'no rationale' for our team to be producing this material.
So good to have
@SuperLeague
back up and running. Will be great to see a packed out Jungle - one of the most atmospheric grounds to watch RL - on TV with
@CTRLFC
hosting reigning champs
@WiganWarriorsRL
with coverage from 17:00 GMT live on
@BBCTwo
.
#bbcrl
More than a year since this was finally published. One of my proudest pieces of work. We might never see a Lions tour again full stop, and regardless this still remains one of the finest hours.
Here’s a story of one of the great RL tours, when Great Britain travelled down under in 1946. It involves a 23,000-ton aircraft carrier, thanks to the Australian gov, an epic train journey and a team that went unbeaten despite all the adversity.
#bbcrl
I've had the pleasure of about 10 visits to the Stade Gilbert Brutus, and other than Henson Park (the pic is a little tip of the hat to the Bluebags) it's outright best match day experience I've ever had. The job they've done under Steve Mac is next level.
Absolutely gone. Out of voice, heart racing. What a game. What a contest.
@England_RL
finally, just, make it to the big dance. The intensity ramps up again next week -
@Kangaroos
in Brisbane. But at least we're there.
#bbcrl
#RLWC2017
@Le_Treiziste
@4020pix
My favourite pic of my own is the one on the left. Leichhardt in the sun. Instantly transported back to beers on the hill. Generally, it’s this pic of Kevin Ward, looking like he’s entering a lion’s den having just eaten a raw steak. They don’t make them like that any more...