Waratahs smash fumbling Reds

Red Kev one of the more obnoxious commentators, once again sharing all of your ignorance. You need to get out more. There is a world outside your armchair and people who have feelings and opinions which aren't the same as yours. All of which are as deserving as yours. If this is your input and what you got out of the discussion. Well that is too bad. I wouldn't really expect you to so no real loss.

Ian Smith's brainfart is a bit different than consistently mispronouncing people's names. I do have some sympathy for commentators though as often the players themselves are fairly ambivalent about it, especially if they've grown up in NZ or Aus. Lote Tuqiri for instance didn't seem to mind his name being pronounced 'Tookeree' and even said it like that himself at times despite it being a butchery of the proper pronounciation.

Since you were wrong about how to pronounce Tapuai's name I'm not sure why you think you are any authority on the matter. It isn't a personal insult unless the person says it is, that's what makes it personal. I'll not say anymore, the sense of schadenfreude is too much for me.

Pick & go.... Not sure why Jez's comment about some Polynesians don't pronounce their names correctly in terms of the correct vowels has to do with completely butchering it like the Australian commentators do. The fact that you haven't heard any of your friends or other Polynesians speak up about it, doesn't make it right or any less disrespectful. I haven't normally found Ian a Smith to be consistently sloppy and disrespectful, but I never saw the piece you are talking about and you may well be right and he too deserves to be held to higher standards. By way of example in my life I grew up in a small town called Putaruru as did Wayne Smith and Grant Fox, just 20 mins down the road from Tokoroa. Both of these are Maori place names. Growing up we didn't know that the r's were supposed to be rolled... Anyway there was quite a big movement in the media (starting with the news) to correct this and pronounce the place names correctly. Slowly it has filtered down to the point that now most people speak the place names correctly. I worked in South Auckland for 8 years and it took me a good year or two to read a Polynesian name and get it close to right. These things made me proud on two levels. Through an effort in at least speaking these things correctly I was able to demonstrate respect and was rewarded with their trust. These are small things that make a big difference. Not the only things by any stretch, but if out commentators show such scant regard and respect for others, aren't we saying it is not important to the public? Excusing it by pointing out Ian Smith's mistakes doesn't lessen my point in any way shape or form. Not does it excuse it. Also if we can't do the right thing by those closest to us, living in our own country whether they be celebrities, colleagues or just someone you bump into on the street is pretty average IMO. I don't need to concern myself whether they are doing it in China, NZ or anywhere else. For the record listening to Aussie commentators butcher people's names week after week (as I live in Australia) is I'm my mind a little worse than confusing someone's name in a single interview. But accepting as you say that Ian Smith's interview offended and not having seen it I will take your word on that. Why do you not see that what I am saying has any merit? What excuse for the Australian commentators when the people we are talking of are on television week in week out and are household names?

Chivas, Like jeznez mentioned earlier not even the players them selves know the right, pronunciation of their last names let alone the commentators. I have a lot of Polynesian mates most ex-teammates, & I have never heard them kick a stink about the commentators mispronunciation of Polynesian names. But Ian Smith's post-match interview is the most disrespectful piece of commentating I can remember on rugby. Whether your from NZ, Aust, SA.etc

There will always be a few jibes, but this New South Welshman was very very pleased to cheer for the Reds in the 2011 final - what a game it was. It would be un Australian to support an international franchise over a domestic one!

Beale can be hidden better in the line, rather than behind it, or on the edge of it. His issue with defence I think is not front on, but angles. He cannot defend at fullback, though I think Wing would be slightly better...

Agreed. Has loads of pace and the ability to terrify outside backs. Great off the bench as a game changer.

You know when you think about it Cheik's Changes in Club Culture at da Tahs have been pretty profound - I remember in the just recent past that for upteen seasons ; whenever the Tahs would score it was almost guaranteed that the opposing team would score back quite as fast as the Tahs did , that the Tahs were hopeless at keeping the ball at restarts , were hopeless under the high ball and were poor defensively on too many occasions . None of these are a feature in this season's game . For that alone Cheiks has to be worthy of a standing ovation from the admiring and long-suffering public ;-)

From all the talk of interstate rivalry this game we felt cheated this game was hurrendous apart from a few handbags the Reds displayed 0 passion or enthusiasm and their basic skills of catching, passing and tackling were schoolboy level. This game was so dull it felt like Graham had the players on valium!! There needs to be something done about the length of stoppage time it felt like we were watching paint dry there was sooo more standing around doing nothing with the teams huddling and trainers on the field. For injuries I understand, but after every dropped ball, every kick out it felt as if the ball was out of play longer than it was in play by a country mile, the ref NEEDS to start cutting down on the wasting and yell at them to hurry upm and get on with things this game felt more like gridiron.

Chivas is Buzzard in Spanish FYI!

Not in that case Pick & go, that was an embarrassing mistake, that I am sure Smith would have felt a bit foolish for. I am speaking if an incident directly related to the game the article is about, is why I raised it. A point you may have missed in your desire to point out that a NZ commentator made an error (which in your mind seems to be a counter argument to what I posted), is that I am speaking of players, that are celebrities and citizens of Australia who play week in and week out. I am guessing from this numpty response you think it is ok to live in a country, where a large proportion of the players are Pacific Islanders and you can't even be bothered getting their names right. Here is an idea, take it a step further and make jokes about their names and to highlight the fact that we really don't care. Lord save me from id10ts. And for the record, I don't care who the culprit is Australian, NZer, South African or Eskimo.... it still remains unacceptable IMO.

Chivas, How can you forget an on-air blunder by NZ commentator Ian Smith, who did the post-match interview with French Capt Thierry Dusautoir (who was man of the match calling him Thierry Henry twice)... Would that be "disrespectful to other nationalities and gives the impression that boganism is still revered and accepted in some media/sporting circles."??

You aren't allowed to strip the ball when more than one player is involved in a tacke in league (which is almost every tackle). Not really a relevant comparison.

Apparently Betham will be back too. Volavola has been playing 10 and playing well but from what I remember his defence is terrible.

Yeah fair call but I thought 6 differences was enough to prove the point and getting stripped is a tad different to just poor ball handling.

The thing is Tapuai plays for the Australian team and is Australian and the commentators can't even get that right. As to overseas commentators mispronouncing overseas players names, that is only marginally better and you are right Australia isn't an island, but that does not make it acceptable here and it is no excuse to say "they don't get it right either". It is still disrespectful to other nationalities and gives the impression that boganism is still revered and accepted in some media/sporting circles. My suggestion is they clean up their act and lead by example. As we saw the Americans do it too, like the mispronunciation of Jonah Lomu. It is cringeworthy and embarrassing. A persons name is one of their most important possessions and commentators mispronouncing it show the individual no respect.

Do you recall which part of the game it was? I'll have a closer look. Thought Gill was v accurate, especially when compared to others on both teams. Assuming it did happen: maybe the ref was indeed playing anesthesiologist. Or he was playing home advantage. Or maybe Gill was playing to the ref. In any case, its only a penalty when the ref actually calls it. I believe he did outplay Hooper (and others) when they were both on. But will be happy to be corrected, if otherwise.

Haven't punted in a couple years mate.

I wouldnt be too tough on the Aussie commentators as both Kiwis and Saffas have had their issues over the years. Hearing the gents in SA pronouncing Lachie Turner as Lackie Turner made me shudder, no doubt there are several others.