Final Farewell to Bard of Scottish Rugby

You may have had to make a "wee shimmy" today in Hawick to get a glance at the coffin carrying the voice, nae the bard, of Rugby Bill McLaren on his final home match.

On the birthday of the Bard of Ayrshire what more appropriate day to lay to rest the Bard of Hawick. There may be dancing of the streets all over Scotland tonight at Burns' suppers up and down the land. It will not be because McLaren told them so, but it seems a fitting way to mark his final journey earlier to day. I just hope nobody is like they have "kicked 3 lbs of haggis" tonight that is for the eating tonight.

Thankfully the hearse didn't "take off like a frightened" anything but carried the voice, now silent, at a sedate pace.

They'll Be Mourning on the Streets of Hawick this Evening

The voice of Rugby, especially Scottish Rugby, but the Five/Six Nations as well Bill McLaren has passed away aged 86. From 1953 when he first commentated on Rugby Union on the Radio through the migration to television 6 years later until he retired in 2002 he was the voice that many people associate with Rugby Union in the same way that Eddie Waning's was with Rugby League.

He is the only non-player to have been invested into Rugby's Hall of Fame and there is good reason for that.

Of course he was famous anytime a Scot performed a particularly spectacular play that looked like leading to a certain win but saying:

"They'll be dancing in the streets of [insert appropriate home town of player] tonight."

No doubt tonight they'll be mourning on the streets of Hawick, one of the homes of Rugby in the Scottish Borders, tonight for a true gentleman, scholar, legend an authority of the game.

Bill McLaren 1923-2010

UPDATE: The following is a compilation of some of the phrases he would come up with on the hoof.



Further Update: Here is a Keith Wilson poem as featured on BBC TV about the six nations, of course we only hear the voice of one commentator. Of course none other than the voice of Rugby.