Published: Friday, 22nd January, 2010 11:28am

The Voice of Rugby falls silent

TRIBUTES have been paid to Bill McLaren, the "Voice of Rugby" who has passed away after a long illness - aged 86.

The veteran BBC commentator died, surrounded by his family, at the community hospital in his home town of Hawick, on Tuesday morning at 10.30am.

He was hailed as rugby's most distinctive and authoritative voice and his stature was marked with the awards of MBE, OBE and CBE.

However, the former PE teacher was also the subject of a massive internet campaign to be knighted which attracted thousands of messages of support from across the world.

Paying tribute this week, Peebles President Jim Currie, who revealed the club was "saddened" by the news, said: "Bill was a real rugby man, a true legend of the game, and our thoughts are with his wife Bette and their family at this time.

"He generated so much enthusiasm for the sport and his commentaries made the hair on the back of your neck stand up - our television screens will never be the same, without him."

He was renowned for watching rival teams train before a big game in order to commit every player's name, position and number to memory.

And, with many an international team staying at the Peebles Hydro Hotel, club officials revealed he could often be found at Hay Lodge Park in Peebles - handing out his mints.

Peebles Director of Rugby Robert Hogarth said: "I was privileged to meet Bill on a number of occasion. I can remember when internatioanl teams used to train in Peebles before a big game he was there doing his homework and handing out his Hawick Balls. He was an institution in the game."

But he added: "He will be remembered by most in the Borders as The Voice of Rugby."

McLaren stood down from broadcasting in 2002 but remained one of rugby's best loved and respected figures.

His first radio commentary was made in 1953 when he covered Scotland's defeat by Wales.

McLaren also worked as a PE teacher throughout his broadcasting career, resisting a number of overtures from the BBC and others to take up commentary full-time.

He coached rugby in his home town of Hawick and his former pupils included such Scotland international players as Colin Deans, Tony Stanger and Jim Renwick.

But McLaren once said he would have traded his entire media career for a single Scottish cap.

A fine loose forward, he was denied that opportunity when he contracted tuberculosis in 1947, the diagnosis confirmed just a few days after he had made an impressive contribution playing in that year's Scottish international trial at Murrayfield.

He did have the consolation of watching his son-in-law Alan Lawson play for Scotland on many occasions in the 1970s.

His grandson Rory has also won a number of full caps over the past few seasons.

Another grandson, Jim Thompson, is on the books of Edinburgh and has played international sevens for Scotland.

Hawick RFC secretary John Thorburn said: "We are all devastated. He was a huge part of the furniture in Hawick.

"The rugby club at Mansfield Park was a second home to him and there is even a room named after him here. There are a lot of good memories of Bill here. It is a sad day for rugby, he was an icon all over the world.

"We are having a club meeting to discuss any memorial tribute to Bill but this would need to be discussed with his family first."

Born in Hawick in 1923 he grew up to be a useful flank forward. He made the Hawick first XV before serving with the Royal Artillery in Italy during the Second World War.

After his rugby career was cut short he studied Physical Education in Aberdeen and went on to teach PE in different schools in Hawick right through to 1987.

It was through his junior reporting with the Hawick Express newspaper that he launched himself into a career in commentary.

In 1953 he made his national debut for BBC Radio covering Scotland's 12-0 loss to Wales.

The switch to television came six years later. Recognition of his services came in November 2001, when he became the first non-international to be inducted into the International Hall of Fame He was awarded an MBE in 1992, an OBE in 1995 and a CBE in the 2003 honours list.

Before the start of the 2002 Wales v Scotland match in Cardiff, the stadium announcer asked people to stand and acknowledge Bill McLaren's great contribution to the sport.

One fan unfurled a banner which stated: "Bill McLaren is Welsh".

He met his beloved wife Bette on a blind date at Hawick Town Hall in 1947 and the couple had two daughters Linda and Janie.

Mclaren described the greatest tragedy of his life was when Janie died from cancer at 46 in 2000.

On her final day he wanted to stay at her bedside but she insisted he go and carry out a commentating duty at the Scottish Cup Final in Edinburgh on the Saturday afternoon.

He did so, rushed back to the hospital, but she had died that afternoon while he was on air.

Watsonians RFC coach Bruce Aitchison, from Galashiels, who launched a campaign on social networking site Facebook to have him knighted, said: "This is really sad news. It is a greater loss for his family but the whole world of rugby will be feeling sore.

"He had gone into hospital to give his wife Bette a break but unfortunately he never made it out.

"The knighthood campaign on Facebook had 6000 members with more pledges of support from all over the world.

"Unfortunately the paperwork was not in on time for the New Year Honours List and we will never know now I suppose whether it was going to happen.

"But Bill will always be remembered affectionately whether he was Sir Bill or not."

McLaren was famed for his phrases which just tripped off the tongue and assumed legendary status delivered in his distinctive Borders brogue.

They included: It's high enough, it's long enough and it's straight enough; He's like a demented ferret up a wee drainpipe; He plays like a runaway bullet (description of New Zealand wing Grant Batty).

He's like a raging bull with a bad head; That one was a bit inebriated - just like one of my golf shots (description of a missed goal kick); He kicked that ball like it were 3 pounds o' haggis ;Would ye like a Hawick ball, son ? (McLaren offering a friend a mint).

They'll be dancing in the streets of Hawick/Selkirk/tonight?; His sidestep was marvellous - like a shaft of lightning (description of Welsh wing Gerald Davies).

The All Blacks that day looked like great prophets of doom; I was there (at Twickenham) in 1938 when Scotland won 28-16; 'Tweet, tweet, tweet' - (commentary on Scottish full-back Peter Dods' strange run up to a penalty kick).

My goodness, that wee ball's gone so high there'll be snow on it when it comes down; He's as quick as a trout up a burn; Those props are as cunning as a bag o' weasels; A day out of Hawick is a day wasted; And it's a try by Hika the hooker from Ngongotaha (Wales v New Zealand 1980).

I'm no hod carrier but I'd be laying bricks if he was running at me (description of Jonah Lomu); I look at Colin Meads and see a great big sheep farmer who carried the ball in his hands as though it was an orange pip.