Rugby World Cup blunders leave broadcasters fuming
11/09/2007 |
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The International Rugby Board's hapless start to France's World Cup tournament continued this week when a series of blunders adversely affected television coverage and left broadcasters fuming.
ITV was left severely embarrassed at the start of the England-United States game on Saturday afternoon when it missed the kick-off of the match, a blunder it claims was caused by the IRB ignoring its own agreed protocol on kick-off times.
In an agreement with broadcasters the IRB had promised that no match would start within two minutes of the end of the national anthems, giving TV stations time to take a final ad break before kick-off.
On Saturday, however, the IRB official in the stadium signalled to the referee to start the game only a minute after the anthems, leaving ITV to return from the ad break with eight seconds already on the clock. Its commentator Miles Harrison, on loan from Sky, was forced to hurriedly explain that the US had kicked off and no significant action had been missed.
There was also a gaffe in the Wales-Canada match when cameramen, briefed that the Canadian anthem would be played first, lined up on the Canadian players only for the Welsh anthem to come through the speakers and prompt a swift change of shot.
ITV has made its displeasure at the mistakes known to the IRB and has been told that the teething troubles will be sorted out.
(Source: Guardian.co.uk)
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