17 replies to this topic

[drelly]

Has the rugby league ever had a better ambassador than Clare Balding? I,ve supported the game since 1946 (way before TV realised RL existed). Having lived through the Eddie Waring years,Ray French and many others I could never envisage myself praising a female presenter,but I feel she deserves all the praise heaped upon her. I have no idea which part of the country she hails from but i,m pretty sure she is from a public school ,favoured background. So what she has embraced our game fully and her presentations outstanding .She obviously does her homework and appears to love the game and the people associated with it. Perhaps the game could , in some way , recognise her

[Padge]

She comes from Kingsclere, Hampshire and went to Downe house Boarding School and then did English at Cambridge.

[MrPosh]

Has she left the Beeb now?

I know it was on the cards (do they show any racing any more?) and I notice she was doing the Paralympics on C4.

I hope they can bring her in freelance if she's not there any more.

[Padge]

Has she left the Beeb now?

I know it was on the cards (do they show any racing any more?) and I notice she was doing the Paralympics on C4.

I hope they can bring her in freelance if she's not there any more.

She works freelance, she works for channel four racing but will still do work for the BBC when required (i.e. for rugby)

[bearman]

Her father is Toby Balding the racehorse trainer.

[Victoria Dawson]

Having lived through the Eddie Waring years,Ray French and many others I could never envisage myself praising a female presenter,but I feel she deserves all the praise heaped upon her.

Out of interest, why could you never envisage yourself praising a female presenter?

[Ant]

it is quite a baffling statement.

[Red Willow]

Her father is Ian Balding, Toby is her uncle.

Just finished reading her book,

Edited by Red Willow, 08 October 2012 - 09:10 PM.

[gingerjon]

Out of interest, why could you never envisage yourself praising a female presenter?

Because 66 years ago things were a bit different?

I don't care about her gender but it annoys me that she's so damn good that I have to bury my class prejudices when she comes on.

[bearman]

Her father is Ian Balding, Toby his her uncle.

Just finished reading her book,

Whoops!

[Number 16]

Because 66 years ago things were a bit different?

I don't care about her gender but it annoys me that she's so damn good that I have to bury my class prejudices when she comes on.

Class prejudices? Are you so shallow?

[gingerjon]

Class prejudices? Are you so shallow?

You wouldn't have any preconceived notion about how a cousin of the queen would judge rugby league and its supporters?

[Saintslass]

You wouldn't have any preconceived notion about how a cousin of the queen would judge rugby league and its supporters?

I wouldn't but clearly you would.

Clare Balding once said that she first came to appreciate rugby league watching Wigan with I think it was her uncle in one of their many Challenge Cup trips to Wembley back in the day. She clearly at least listened to the match on Saturday, presumably watched it, given her comments about Sinfield. She was superb on C4 for the Paralympics and great in the aquatics centre during the Olympics. Thankfully she has confirmed that she will be staying with the Challenge Cup now that she has followed the racing over to C4.

[walter sobchak]

I enjoy watching Clare balding's raw passion for the game and she comes across as very passionate and enthusiastic about our game, even to the point in which she try's to explain the game as much as she can too neutral non hardcore rugby league fans. I also enjoy her interaction with Jonathan Davies and brain noble, she opens doors and introduces rugby league too a certain section of society that you wouldn't associate with rugby league which is all positive in my book.

[JohnM]

...class prejudices ....

What? On here? Never!

[Amber Avenger]

She clearly at least listened to the match on Saturday, presumably watched it, given her comments about Sinfield.

She was at it - she presented the BBC highlights of the final, it was on this the Sinfield comments were made. Hopefully this means she'll also front the internationals as well.

[bearman]

What? On here? Never!

Oh, their his. This forum is full of lower class hoiks. One wonders sometimes why one bothers.
Some of the plebs on here are worser than my fag at school in arror.

Edited by bearman, 09 October 2012 - 08:26 AM.

[Futtocks]

Another link, before she got into the sport, is that her dad was a friend of Lord Derby.