Justin Marshall gone

@taniwharugby Yep, I agree with that. As annoying as he can be as a commentator, as an analyst Marshall offers much more than Mils.

I assume there will still be a programme dedicated to the RWC produced in NZ , so maybe they'll use Marshall for that.

The biggest upside of the Sky team for the RWC is that shouty John Kirwan won't be in it!

I prefer Marshall to Wilson these days. Wilson is so bloody cringe and always contradicts himself.

I actually don’t mind Mils, he seems to be level headed where most of the other guys on TV get a bit carried away.

@MiketheSnow

I’m sure Marshall will think he’s better than everyone

The problem is Sky has done a terrible job at refreshing it’s talent over the years

I can understand Nisbett. He’s not the best commentator anymore (probably McTanish) but no one else has been given a chance at higher levels apart from TJ

I normally like Wilson although in recent years he’s made some strange comments.. maybe trying to do the blokey thing that Sky encourages

Expert co-commentators is where the big weakness is. They are all varying shades of wrong or bland. Maybe Te Nana because he sounds like he enjoys watching rugby.. just keep him off camera

@taniwharugby said in Justin Marshall gone:

I've always felt Marshall is a much better analyst than commentator, particularly when he used to do articles for stuff or the herald.

Obligatory mention of the article he wrote suggesting rugby should ban pushing in scrums

@Stargazer Cullen lives up to his stereotype for me. There are enough ex-players out there who could offer insightful comments. Someone like Conrad Smith would be good.

Jeff McTainsh should be used more often.

Wilson has really improved as a presenter.

@Duluth said in Justin Marshall gone:

@MiketheSnow

I’m sure Marshall will think he’s better than everyone

The problem is Sky has done a terrible job at refreshing it’s talent over the years

I can understand Nisbett. He’s not the best commentator anymore (probably McTanish) but no one else has been given a chance at higher levels apart from TJ

I normally like Wilson although in recent years he’s made some strange comments.. maybe trying to do the blokey thing that Sky encourages

Expert co-commentators is where the big weakness is. They are all varying shades of wrong or bland. Maybe Te Nana because he sounds like he enjoys watching rugby.. just keep him off camera

Please no. Karl Te Nana is as cringe as they come.

@Bovidae said in Justin Marshall gone:

@Stargazer Cullen lives up to his stereotype for me. There are enough ex-players out there who could offer insightful comments. Someone like Conrad Smith would be good.

Jeff McTainsh should be used more often.

Wilson has really improved as a presenter.

Cullen doesn’t commentate anymore anyway. He’s busy selling real-estate and playing golf.

@Canes4life I just suggested him as someone that sounds like they enjoy watching rugby. Most of the others just complain about scrums, laws they dislike etc etc

I'm struggling to think of a good co-commentator currently used by sky. Do you have suggestion from their current group?

Grant Fox would have been good, I liked him in 2011.

Thought he might have been available now he's out of the national setup.

@Bovidae said in Justin Marshall gone:

Jeff McTainsh should be used more often.

He needed more big games to be a serious option. Sky screwed up by not giving him bigger opportunities so far

Surely he should be ahead of TJ by now.. but he’s not

Further to @foobaNZ 's post.

What recent coaches are about? Get someone whose career has actually been analysis and countering tactics.

@Duluth said in Justin Marshall gone:

@Bovidae said in Justin Marshall gone:

Jeff McTainsh should be used more often.

He needed more big games to be a serious option. Sky screwed up by not giving him bigger opportunities so far

Surely he should be ahead of TJ by now.. but he’s not

I think there is a pecking order and Nisbo is still at the top. He's now in his early 70s so can't have too much longer in that position, for obvious reasons mentioned on here. McTainsh is one of the new guard along with Swannell. Their time will come soon.

@booboo said in Justin Marshall gone:

What recent coaches are about? Get someone whose career has actually been analysis and countering tactics.

In the past we've had Hart, Mains and Kirton do this. Some of them before they became the AB coach, and others after. An ex-coach would be good, as long as they are a little removed from the current players.

I wonder if Stevenson will come back to rugby once Spark shut up shop? He seemed to be next in line until he left.

Of the newer guard McTainsh seems the best option, but I wonder if when Nisbo calls it a day TJ will get the role.

@Rancid-Schnitzel said in Justin Marshall gone:

@Bovidae said in Justin Marshall gone:

Mils isn't an improvement in that role. Slim pickings in the current Sky rugby crew.

They could put a plank of wood on screen and you wouldn't even notice Mils wasn't there.

Yeah I think when God dished out Rugby dynamism in some of these guys he made sure to diminish the personalities to balance things out.

Am I the only one who didn't really mind Marshall, plus I'd rather see Nisbett gone. I think he's now worse than Aussie league commentators at pronouncing Poly names.

As it's a RWC and Crusaders/Canterbury, Ta$man, and Auckland aren't playing I would rather they had taken Johnson.

@chimoaus said in Justin Marshall gone:

@Bones said in Justin Marshall gone:

@Tim he'll be welcomed to the England coverage I'm sure.

He has to be better than SBW, maybe Stan will throw him a bone.

I still think SBW being so unbelievably bad and calling everyone ‘bro’ makes him good to watch in a cringy way.

@Nepia said in Justin Marshall gone:

Am I the only one who didn't really mind Marshall, plus I'd rather see Nisbett gone. I think he's now worse than Aussie league commentators at pronouncing Poly names.

As it's a RWC and Crusaders/Canterbury, Ta$man, and Auckland aren't playing I would rather they had taken Johnson.

Yeah agree with you on Nisbett, he is becoming painful to listen to, also he gets the players mixed up a lot now.
Which is frustrating when watching, it is one of my pet hates identifying the wrong players.

@Chris said in Justin Marshall gone:

@Nepia said in Justin Marshall gone:

Am I the only one who didn't really mind Marshall, plus I'd rather see Nisbett gone. I think he's now worse than Aussie league commentators at pronouncing Poly names.

As it's a RWC and Crusaders/Canterbury, Ta$man, and Auckland aren't playing I would rather they had taken Johnson.

Yeah agree with you on Nisbett, he is becoming painful to listen to, also he gets the players mixed up a lot now.
Which is frustrating when watching, it is one of my pet hates identifying the wrong players.

Now? I think I've been complaining about this since I joined the Fern in 2007.

I like Angus T, Joe Wheeler and Bryn Hall as the up and coming, Wheeler made that one racist error but he seems down to earth. Hames is horrid also. I actually don't mind Morgan T in Australia, seems fair and knowledgeable.