Rugby players need better media skills

thought as much

yeah it was harmless

It's a game. Spectators watch it if they will. Why on earth do we expect athletes who thrill as they run, pass and kick to communicate in any other form? Oratory should not be required to be in the footballer's skill set.

must be all the thanking of God...

True Brett - but I always wonder why it is that American athletes always seem to make more sense ?

It's not that though. Every player, coach etc are media trained to the extent where they generally can't say anything controversial. I think both points we are making are slightly irrelevant to the original post Brett, but I find there's a mix of shy and outgoing (in a sense) rugby players, which I would thought would have been the case in the pre-professional era. I've spoken to quite a few rugby guys who speak well. In terms of the article, I don't personally see how rugby players can 'dumb' down their comments. Terms such as breakdown, lineout, mauls etc are basic rugby terms (which is what I think is the point the author is making) which I don't see how you can alter.

Search for the interview on the net and have a listen. I think he was taking the piss and knew the interviewer reasonably well because the interviewer was laughing through the whole thing. It was a bit of fun that i reckon Nonu didn't think would ever make it to air.

i said you have a fore-*comment deemed poor by Roar*-in. Kui lou kef*.. lou mea faipapa'u..

It is in the interest of the network to select the interviewee who will best promote the game and their broadcast. If they just grab anyone then they may well be dong the game and their channel a disservice. I doubt if this observation had not occurred to them before. Maybe coaches and team managers better nominate potential 'Talent' so the goofballs with the mike can provide a decent moment. Saying that however it is a mistake to think most viewers are as close to the game as the 'Roarers' are, some people are happy just putting a voice to the face, seeing the strain in the eyes, the sweat etc. There are many intelligent people in the industry and they have a pretty good idea on what will please their audience.

As a long-standing rugby player, official and spectator I could quite easliy do without ANY player interviews, either watching at the game or on television. Why oh why do the media think I/we want the game dressed up with artificial intervention from commentators. FOXTEL, start with this ridiculous half-time "interview".

It's not like these interviews are only being done on television. There are some of us who listen to radio commentary too. But what is distressing is when the interviewer - like most of them - refuses to ask open-ended questions. Example would be to a player just after the whistle: So you seemed to run out of gas towards the end there mate? It should be: Why did you run out of gas towards the end? To the first question the player could easily just answer a polite yeah ... and leave it there. Why, what, where, when, how should be the line of questioning not making statements during interviews. The stupidest question there ever can be: "Good game mate" or to tha effect. Please it's not the players who should only be taught how to respond at post-match interviews, the networks should send their people on how to courses that will help commentators/on-field analysts and the myriad of media personnel on how to do their jobs properly. Well Ma'a Nonu's abusive reply in a recent match-interview on radio, is probably the worst it can get. I didn't listen to the interviews myself - I'm South African - but looking at the transcripts he must have used the 'f' word about five times? What was this blike thinking, I'm an AB supporter, but that shocked me to my socks. It just shows how ignorant players are about the correct protocols, and don't tell me he said what he did because English is not his first language! Fitzie was the best ever interviewee from AB way!

Richard Brown is the best , he speaks his mind

"Most people don’t understand what “losin’ the pill at the ruck” or “takin’ it up the guts” means." if they used those terms in a league interview, the viewer would know. Why is it that rugby suddenly takes on a Freemasonic touch where no one supposedly understands anything? The commentators need to explain more, but the post match interviews are the ones I am least worried about for translation.

Mick, my personal favourite currently - and it applies to all team sports - is when interviewer heaps praise on the team performance, particularly if it involves a mid-match change of tactic, and the player wants to agree. But because player only has a conditioned response that refers to the opposition and not their own team, we get that wonderful but confused hybrid, "yeah, and full credit to us..."

Interesting piece, Nathan, good on you. John Eales is to blame. He started that "We'll take something out of this loss going forward" and I hold him personally responsible for the way Comrade Dear Leader Rudd, Comrade Brown in England and Comrade That Other Galah in the USA "communicate". They noticed that the crowd would roar approval every time perfection itself, John Eales, said the same old hackneyed stuff after every game - "We'll take something out of this loss going forward" - and they reckoned that bullship was all the masses needed! Ealesy got to the point that I didn't bother listening - he sounded like a public service committee chairobject, "engaging" with all holders of steaks in a caring, inclusive manner! Don't recall him ever hoping for banishment of famishment and world peace, but he came bloody close at times! I favoured the way Anton Oliver spoke - "We were rubbish and they were too good for us"; and Reuben Thorne - a subdued, minimalist "Yeah, we lost" and quietly walk away. No embellishment or hyperbole from those blokes! Buck was alright - real, and Sean Fitzpatrick was more articulate by a mile than anyone from his era. Only a few of the current crop, some of whom you name, are good. Schalk Burger and John Smit, after scragging, biting, scratching and thieving there way through every ruck for an hour and a half sound and look like the charming ruffian kid from next door, 'cos they smile mischievously when interviewed. Matfield is good because he never forgets to thank his people in Afrikaans. As Brett Mackay reminds above, one sees imperfect but polite and honest stuff from Club captains. Monster and Tim Dalton from the Mighty Woods were worth a hearing, if one wanted to properly understand the true stuff of rugby.

No, kovana, I can't tell by your user name that you're from the south pacific. You sound a little eastern European to me. "Kovana Ivanisavic", you'd make a fine tennis player with a name like that! So enlighten me, what is it you are calling me behind the anonymity of your username?

English is not my mother tongue.. You faipapa'u.... frick.. cant you tell by my username that i come from the south pacific...specifically the same islands as the guys im teasing.. In samoa its called 'Tausua'. I can speak some pretty mean tongan too.. Fule'i Kai laho..

These interviews are pretty meaningless anyway - even when the speaker is eloquent and erudite I gain nothing from these. I normally turn off by that stage. From the modern era I make one exception - Andrew Mehrtens. During one interview he was asked how their preparations would change for the next match. He launched completely straight-faced into a detailed explanation of using a different flavour mouthwash to ensure extra minty freshness. Left the interviewer with nowhere to go - priceless! Treated the process with the contempt it deserves.

Warren if you've seen a few decades like some of us have, you'll also recall that: * post match reviews at club level were done standing on a table in the clubhouse with a schooner in hand (refs too); and * touring international teams would attend a slap up dinner as guests of the host national / provincial team I hope the former still applies; the latter has disappeared entirely. Brett & Warren have picked up 2 massive differences between now & back then. Just about anyone in government, corporations, the ADF, etc who is expected to front the media gets coached to within an inch of their lives. NOTHING must be said that isn't an anodyne, bland sound bite. Stay on message. Stick to the key point.

I should add too, the Shute Shield captains, from what I see each Sat arvo, all come across quite intelligently, and I suspect in a lot of cases, that's without the media training. "Full credit to them" too! Goes back to my point above about day jobs, I guess...