Ray French - Dual-code International And Iconic Voice Of Rugby League

For millions brought up successful rugby league's tv age, Ray French's sound was synonymous arsenic nan soundtrack to nan glory years of nan athletics successful nan 1980s and 1990s.

It was a clip erstwhile rugby convention was a staple of Saturday day Grandstand, pinch a nationwide assemblage tuning successful to action from places mostly crossed nan northbound of England - Wigan, Castleford, Oldham, Hull.

Indeed, it was a clip erstwhile nan athletics had a wider profile, erstwhile Ellery Hanley, Garry Schofield, Martin Offiah and, further afield, Mal Meninga were family names.

And Ray French was 1 too.

French was acold much than an iconic broadcaster, however. He walked nan locomotion to spell pinch his commentary talk.

Ray was a much-respected subordinate and, employed arsenic a coach successful his autochthonal St Helens distant from nan section - grounding that would beryllium basal successful his early years.

His expertise took a lad from nan moving people northbound into nan constitution elite of English rugby union, earning him world honours successful nan 15-player code.

St Helens saw nan qualities and brought him location to play rugby league, and he was portion of a successful broadside alongside chap Saints legends specified arsenic Kel Coslett, Tom van Vollenhoven and later commentary partner Alex Murphy.

French ended his profession astatine Widnes, and became a dual-code world erstwhile he represented Great Britain and was portion of nan 1968 World Cup squad, playing alongside stars specified arsenic Roger Millward, Neil Fox and Cliff Watson.

There was an intelligence to his play, an oculus for a walk to spell pinch nan robust requirements of playing second-row successful nan hurly-burly of nan 1960s.

For each his on-field excellence, it was nan voice, nan reside and nan lexicon employed successful French's 2nd rugby convention profession which made many, including this boy from beyond nan heartlands successful Nottingham, autumn successful emotion pinch nan crippled and his awesome commentary.

It was a reliable gig, pursuing successful nan footsteps of nan pioneering Eddie Waring, who took rugby convention mainstream and forged a profession successful ray intermezo arsenic a well-known fig successful nan broadcasting world.

French was not for rubbing shoulders pinch Morecambe and Wise. For him, it was astir putting nan athletics successful its champion light.

From his first Challenge Cup last successful 1982 done to nan past successful 2008, and a big of Test matches and internationals, French soundtracked immoderate of nan top players and nan top games successful his inimitable style.

Take 1985, Wigan versus Hull. Arguably nan eventual Challenge Cup final.

"He tin measurement connected a threepenny spot this lad!" French said arsenic John Ferguson worked successful nan tiniest of spaces to decorativeness for Wigan.

The emotive language, nan punching reside agleam pinch enthusiasm and excitement.

Nine years later, Jonathan Davies outstripped Australia's rapid-quick Brett Mullins to people a superb effort - again connected Wembley's expansive stage.

"He's sewage nan caput back! The Welshman is successful for a magnificent try."

One of nan astir memorable Great Britain tries, called perfectly.

Perhaps nan top infinitesimal was his telephone of Martin Offiah's rip-roaring magnitude of nan section effort nether nan copy towers for Wigan successful nan 1994 Challenge Cup last against Leeds, conscionable months earlier Davies' heroics.

Offiah was goosed having touched down, hardly capable to admit his feat arsenic he sank to his knees pinch emotion. French had nan words.

"That must rank among nan finest ever seen connected this ground."

Captured to perfection.

Like each commentators, he had his pet lines. "He's going for nan line!" being a celebrated one, and his penchant for nan combo of a player's weight and amateur nine was different small idiosyncrasy that fans grew to love.

The package of a sing-song voice-note forged by his St Helens upbringing, nan richness of his vocabulary, his authenticity arsenic personification steeped successful rugby convention and his superb rapport connected nan mic pinch Joe Lydon, Maurice Bamford and erstwhile team-mate Murphy, and successful later years those he had called location to people specified arsenic Davies, helped found Ray arsenic an iconic voice.

Beyond each of his abilities successful a master capacity, those who worked pinch Ray successful nan crippled will callback a genuinely beautiful quality being.

Players, coaches, directors, owners, fans encountered an engaging, friendly, humble and benignant man, ever happy to talk astir his beloved game.

For years he was nan main man for rugby convention astatine nan BBC, and yet ne'er forgot his roots and his grounding.

In his later years, Ray kept his manus successful commentary pinch Radio Merseyside often alongside awesome friend Allan Rooney, and it was a joyousness to walk clip listening to nan pair's stories, patter and anecdotes.

It was nan balanced of seeing Barry Davies aliases John Motson down astatine your section club, yet it was conscionable business arsenic accustomed for Ray.

Ray French will ever beryllium rugby convention royalty and a broadcasting legend.