The pity of the 1895 petition was that it made the BBC more defensive about Eddie waring and kept him on longer than they should have done. By the end, he couldn't keep up with what was happening on the pitch.
Eddie Waring was a personality that brought rugby League to the fore in the 60s & 70s. Some people forget their roots but most rugby league fans have a bit of Eddie Waring in them. He stayed around for a tad too long, with the Rugby Union oppositions delight in highlighting the northern flat cap image without saying a word. The BBC have continued this north south divide, with their insistence there is only one rugby – union. Rugby Union is never referred to as Rugby Union, but simply RUGBY, and doesn’t belong to Rugby League. Because the people at Twickenham had a bit of foresight, they stole and protected the Phrase “RUGBY WORLD CUP” even though the inaugural Rugby League World Cup was held in France in 1954, It was the first Rugby World Cup . This was 33 years before the inaugural Rugby union World Cup in 1987. The Rugby Football league are not allowed to use the the phrase Rugby World Cup
I grew up in the 1970s in Surrey watching Rugby League on Grandstand on a Saturday afternoon with Eddie commentating. I don't watch the other code these days, prefer to watch my Rugby played with 13 players. Eddie Waring was a big part of that. Not everyone liked him, but he helped me understand the game and for that I am eternally grateful.
It’s easy with hindsight but an understudy should have been on the roster to gradually replace Eddie in the late 60s, early 70s. The RFL as administrators of the professional game often ran it in an amateur fashion. Some say they still do!
Such a shame that the superior code hasn't been able to become the national game. When I watch Rugby Union, I just can't understqnd how people can be so easily pleased, with such a scrappy game that is so reliant on kicking for field position and also seeing so many games won with penalty kicks.
Eddie was a very good coach at Dewsbury and was a throughly decent man. The arrogance of some of his critics was palpable. Im a Union man a front row forward No 1 for 28 years. Eddie did a good job and he was ill for his last 4 seasons. The snobbery from some says alot about them. I remember him from the floodlit league. The Don Fox commentary was compassionate and said alot about Eddie Waring.
This is a very good documentary. The really sad thing is that all the the stuff about Rugby League's 'new age' with the Murdock millions was gold plate on a cow pat. Murdock was in a life and death with with Kerry Packer. Rugby League was an Australia Vs GB test going cheap. Bradford Northern/Bulls shows how Sky's money destroyed tradition and got flushed away. The only real hope for all rugby is for Union to make itself 13 man; and then both codes could prosper.
The “ snobbery” referred to came just as much from Rugby League “ insiders” as outside it. The likes of Brian Redhead and Colin Welland with their sanctimonious sniping at Waring were behind much of nastiness.
Waring was soundly booed every time he climbed the gantry to the commentary box at Hull KR’s Craven Park. Modern RL scrums are an embarrassment to the game.
Eddi Waring had a huge heart. In the 1960s, I was at Nottingham university and trying to start a rugby league team. There was no university money available, so I wrote to Eddy to see if he could help. He arranged for Arthur Clues who owned a sports store in Leeds to send us kit and balls. He also arranged for Fred Lindop, the top referee at the time, to come to Nottingham and coach us. At no cost. I'll never hear anything negative about Eddie Waring.
He was the voice of Rugby League As soon as you heard Eddie's voice you knew up and under was on the telly very knowledgeable person on the subject of Rugby league I miss that voice 👍👍👍
My uncle used to play for Wakefield Trinity in the 60's and he told me that Eddie Waring was barred from the dressing room because, in his words, he was a 'willy-watcher'.
I would not have played union if it wasn't for Eddie Waring, living in the south there was no league but Eddie brought rugby to us on Saturday afternoons so I had to play union. I had a wonderful time playing union but still prefer watching league..Fortunately my daughter married alad from Hull and I get up there as often as possible to support Hull FC .Thank you Eddie
I wasn't born when Eddie Waring was commenting, the commentator I didn't like was Ray French, even my Mam said "what's he talking about, Friendly boos when he gets the ball"
I used to watch Rugby League on Grandstand when there were two divisions.Then it changed. They added silly American suffixes onto the names of the clubs and stopped playing in winter. I simple couldn't find the results and lost interest.
24 Comments
I luved listin to Eddy here in New Zealand in the early 1970's. Eddie had a much bigger background than I ever thought
The pity of the 1895 petition was that it made the BBC more defensive about Eddie waring and kept him on longer than they should have done. By the end, he couldn't keep up with what was happening on the pitch.
Eddie Waring was a personality that brought rugby League to the fore in the 60s & 70s. Some people forget their roots but most rugby league fans have a bit of Eddie Waring in them. He stayed around for a tad too long, with the Rugby Union oppositions delight in highlighting the northern flat cap image without saying a word. The BBC have continued this north south divide, with their insistence there is only one rugby – union. Rugby Union is never referred to as Rugby Union, but simply RUGBY, and doesn’t belong to Rugby League. Because the people at Twickenham had a bit of foresight, they stole and protected the Phrase “RUGBY WORLD CUP” even though the inaugural Rugby League World Cup was held in France in 1954, It was the first Rugby World Cup . This was 33 years before the inaugural Rugby union World Cup in 1987. The Rugby Football league are not allowed to use the the phrase Rugby World Cup
I grew up in the 1970s in Surrey watching Rugby League on Grandstand on a Saturday afternoon with Eddie commentating. I don't watch the other code these days, prefer to watch my Rugby played with 13 players. Eddie Waring was a big part of that. Not everyone liked him, but he helped me understand the game and for that I am eternally grateful.
Thanks for posting this..not seen it since its original showing
It’s easy with hindsight but an understudy should have been on the roster to gradually replace Eddie in the late 60s, early 70s. The RFL as administrators of the professional game often ran it in an amateur fashion. Some say they still do!
Such a shame that the superior code hasn't been able to become the national game. When I watch Rugby Union, I just can't understqnd how people can be so easily pleased, with such a scrappy game that is so reliant on kicking for field position and also seeing so many games won with penalty kicks.
Eddie was a very good coach at Dewsbury and was a throughly decent man.
The arrogance of some of his critics was palpable. Im a Union man a front row forward No 1 for 28 years.
Eddie did a good job and he was ill for his last 4 seasons.
The snobbery from some says alot about them. I remember him from the floodlit league.
The Don Fox commentary was compassionate and said alot about Eddie Waring.
This is a very good documentary. The really sad thing is that all the the stuff about Rugby League's 'new age' with the Murdock millions was gold plate on a cow pat. Murdock was in a life and death with with Kerry Packer. Rugby League was an Australia Vs GB test going cheap. Bradford Northern/Bulls shows how Sky's money destroyed tradition and got flushed away. The only real hope for all rugby is for Union to make itself 13 man; and then both codes could prosper.
The days when the bbc only televised rugby league when there was no horse racing or wrestling to put on
The “ snobbery” referred to came just as much from Rugby League “ insiders” as outside it. The likes of Brian Redhead and Colin Welland with their sanctimonious sniping at Waring were behind much of nastiness.
Waring was soundly booed every time he climbed the gantry to the commentary box at Hull KR’s Craven Park. Modern RL scrums are an embarrassment to the game.
Eddi Waring had a huge heart. In the 1960s, I was at Nottingham university and trying to start a rugby league team. There was no university money available, so I wrote to Eddy to see if he could help. He arranged for Arthur Clues who owned a sports store in Leeds to send us kit and balls. He also arranged for Fred Lindop, the top referee at the time, to come to Nottingham and coach us. At no cost. I'll never hear anything negative about Eddie Waring.
I started watching Rugby league due to Eddie waring ,some people get jealous when people become bigger than a sport wake up ,a great personality,
I always loved his commentary
How come there’s always somebody happy to moan and whinge about people doing a great job
He was the voice of Rugby League
As soon as you heard Eddie's voice you knew up and under was on the telly very knowledgeable person on the subject of Rugby league
I miss that voice 👍👍👍
Cheerleaders will come.Brits follow their yank masters always.😊
My uncle used to play for Wakefield Trinity in the 60's and he told me that Eddie Waring was barred from the dressing room because, in his words, he was a 'willy-watcher'.
Eddie was often found frequenting transexual interludes
The only thing my grandfather couldn't stand about Rugby League, he would watch with the sound turned off.
I would not have played union if it wasn't for Eddie Waring, living in the south there was no league but Eddie brought rugby to us on Saturday afternoons so I had to play union. I had a wonderful time playing union but still prefer watching league..Fortunately my daughter married alad from Hull and I get up there as often as possible to support Hull FC .Thank you Eddie
I wasn't born when Eddie Waring was commenting, the commentator I didn't like was Ray French, even my Mam said "what's he talking about, Friendly boos when he gets the ball"
I used to watch Rugby League on Grandstand when there were two divisions.Then it changed. They added silly American suffixes onto the names of the clubs and stopped playing in winter. I simple couldn't find the results and lost interest.