Sir, – It is over. I have to say goodbye. No more will I admire Paul O’Connell flying through the air to secure the ball. No more shouting at Doug Howlett or Keith as they race up the pitch to score. No more will I see Peter Stringer hand-tapping a larger player or Sean O Brien once more crossing the gain line. It is sad. I feel like shedding a tear.
My TV will be silent in future mainly because the highlights will be shown on TG4 instead of RTÉ 2. I have tried everything, including turning off the commentary in Irish which grates on the nerves and spoils our enjoyment of the game. Sky Sports is very expensive.
After 45 years of watching the game and five years playing, I cannot watch rugby any more. Instead I will have to take up push penny, knitting or tiddlywinks as a hobby. Goodbye lads, I will miss you, but I wish you all the best in the Heineken Cup. I will be with you in spirit, if not in person. I thank you for many hours of enjoyment before this catastrophe befell us. Thank you very much TG4. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – I read with interest your report (Hold the Back Page, Sport, November 12th) on the complaints made by Neil Francis that he could not understand what the commentators were saying during the broadcast of the recent Leinster/Munster match on TG4. One can only imagine the poor guy’s dilemma when he goes to see live matches and there is no commentator to tell him what is going on. – Yours, etc,