jueves, 29 de agosto de 2013

Cliff Morgan tributes: Gareth Edwards remembers a Welsh rugby legend - WalesOnline

Gareth Edwards today led the  tributes to  Welsh rugby  legend Cliff  Morgan, who has died aged 83.

Edwards called on people to  celebrate the life of Morgan,  who first excelled as a player,  starring for Wales and the British Lions at fly-half, and then  went on to have an illustrious  second career in broadcasting.

"We are all saddened by the  news of Cliff's death," he said.

"But he was such a fun-loving  person, the last thing he would  want is people moping around  and being sad for him.

"I had so many wonderful  moments with Cliff, I can't imagine a sad time.

"Let's celebrate the great  man's life and the fact that we  had the privilege of knowing  him.

"He always underplayed his  own achievements, but they  were all fantastic when you  think of it.

"It's well documented how  much he achieved. He was the  mainstay of Welsh rugby as a  player and in the media he was  well respected and held most of  the top jobs."

Edwards will forever be  linked with Morgan, whose  memorable commentary helped  secure the scrum-half's try for  the Barbarians against the All  Blacks in 1973 a place in rugby  folklore.

 

"What I remember about that  commentary and the way in  which he conducted it is he  came in at the last moment for  Bill McLaren, so he couldn't  prepare for it and he didn't have  his notes with him," he said.

"But he just said it as it  happened and got it absolutely  spot-on.

"It was the commentary of  somebody who knew the  game.

"He captured the moment and  the imagination of everybody  watching.

"It just showed his prowess as  a commentator and his knowledge of rugby from having been  a great player himself.

"He said all the right things  when it really mattered.

"Quite often when you look at  sport on television, it doesn't  need commentary.

"But Cliff, as he always did,  just added to it and it is wonderful.

"He was a fantastic broadcaster. He was as good as anybody in saying it as it was."

Video: Morgan's commentary on THAT try

 

Edwards said he had first  hand experience of Morgan's  broadcasting skills on the 1968  Lions tour of South Africa when  he there working for the BBC.

"When I wasn't playing in midweek or whatever, Cliff always  asked me up to the box to help  him with timings," he said.

"Matches weren't live in those  days, so timings were critical  and he would work with a  stop-watch.

"I was able to watch him work  and listen to how he described  the action and the movements.

"He was so eloquent and so  knowledgeable. When you have  those ingredients, you come out  with the best commentary.

"When you met Cliff, he made  you feel better just by being in  his presence and that is how he  got his commentary over.

"He wanted people to enjoy it  and to be aware of all that was  good about the game.

"Then when I first went into  commentary myself, he was always there to help me."

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