A commentator’s voice cracks, a Super Rugby Pacific curse, and the rise of young talent
After 15 years of calling the thrilling action of rugby, a commentator’s voice finally gave out on live television. It wasn’t for lack of near misses. A rather unfortunate encounter with some chain-smoking French cameramen during the 2018 Under-20 World Championships had a significant impact a week later at the London Sevens.
During a crucial moment calling Semi Radradra, the commentator was reduced to a hoarse whisper, managing only a strained “Go get ‘em Semi” before being pulled by the producer. Earlier, a dodgy satay stick had led to a bout of food poisoning in the commentary box at Suncorp Stadium during the Brisbane Tens, forcing a hasty exit. More recently, colleagues have also faced similar vocal challenges. Nick McArdle, while hosting Sports Sunday, experienced voice gremlins, and Tony Johnson of Sky NZ had to step away before a crucial All Blacks Test last year.
However, losing one’s voice just 20 minutes into a Super Rugby Pacific game? “Absolutely shithouse,” as the commentator put it. Thankfully, a good mate, Andrew Swain, who had shared a ride home from Canberra the night before, was in the producer’s chair and seamlessly transitioned to the microphone. The situation was so intense that ex-Wallaby Cam Shepherd, sitting nearby, reportedly turned ghost white, fearing he might have to jump into the play-by-play role. Swain, who is currently juggling his Olympic Games curling aspirations with commentary and production duties, is set to call the Queensland Reds vs Western Force game in Brisbane this weekend.
The HBF Park Conundrum
The Western Force, based in Perth, are undoubtedly a team with grit and a quality squad. However, a significant challenge they’re currently facing is their scoring rate at HBF Park. In their last five home games at the venue, their scores have been a modest 14, 24, 17, 14, and 17 points. Saturday’s match saw noticeable frustration from their passionate “Sea of Blue” supporter base.
Sporting teams around the world have broken their share of performance curses through unconventional means. The Boston Red Sox famously enlisted a witch doctor to break the “Curse of the Bambino” before their triumphant 2004 World Series victory. While it’s uncertain if any such spiritual advisors are readily available for the Force’s next HBF Park outing, it might be worth exploring.
The Ice-Cold ‘Narrabri Kid’
Waratahs fullback Sid Harvey displayed remarkable composure and accuracy from the tee, kicking his team to a significant victory against the Brumbies on Friday night. This win was particularly momentous, considering the Waratahs had lost 17 of their previous 19 encounters against the Canberra-based team. To put Harvey’s performance into perspective, the last time the Waratahs secured a win at that venue, he was just 12 years old.
Hailing from Narrabri, a town located approximately 520km north-west of Sydney, Harvey grew up dreaming of representing the Waratahs. He delivered a flawless kicking performance that could prove to be a season-defining victory for his team. Beyond his rugby prowess, the 20-year-old is also a highly talented cricketer. He would likely be a top pick in any hypothetical Australian rugby XI, joining the ranks of Harry Wilson and former sevens teammate Aden Ekanayake.
Reds Swept Away in Wellington
While the Waratahs ended a long-standing drought in Canberra, the Queensland Reds were aiming to break their own 28-year winless streak at Wellington’s Cake Tin. Trailing 24-14 at halftime, there was still a glimmer of hope for Queensland. However, a disjointed second half saw the home team score 28 unanswered points, securing an easy victory.
A positive note for the Reds was the return of Tom Lynagh, who had been absent from the field in 2026. The Wallabies fly-half, who has battled a few Head Injury Assessments and injuries in recent seasons, showed steady form after coming off the bench. The hope is that he can continue his progression back to consistent, injury-free rugby. The Hurricanes’ dominant win has propelled them to tournament favouritism, ahead of the Chiefs.
Winning Wallaroos
The Australian women’s rugby team kicked off their Test season in impressive fashion, defeating Fiji 33-15 in Canberra on Friday. Interim coach Sam Needs handed debuts to six players, including exciting sevens prospect Piper Simons, who had no prior experience in XV-a-side rugby. As anticipated, Fiji kept the scoreline tight for a period before the speed and agility of Aussie wingers Desi Miller and Maya Stewart sealed the result for the Wallaroos. Stewart, who recently made her sevens World Series debut in Singapore, is already the all-time leading try-scorer for the Wallaroos and, based on her performance last week, looks set for a significant 2026 season.
‘Goog’ Delivers Gold Commentary
Stan Sport commentator Justin Harrison has been dropping some memorable lines recently. His standout quip came in reference to the Brumbies’ Rob Valetini, who was back to his formidable best in Canberra. “He’s terrifying. He’s the sort of bloke who visits you in your dreams but you still wake up injured,” ‘Goog’ quipped, perfectly capturing Valetini’s intimidating presence on the field.
Royals Down Whites in Golf Clash
In a departure from their usual rugby encounters, the Canberra Royals took on the Queanbeyan Whites at their joint golf day last week, with the Royals emerging as the victors. Led by Brumbies star Andy Muirhead, the Royals secured a comfortable win on the picturesque and challenging course. Muirhead was joined by teammate Hudson Creighton and former Wallaby Sam Norton-Knight for what is expected to be the first of many friendly clashes between the clubs. Each of the three players demonstrated a decent golf game. The day was overseen by golf professional Jake Nagle, who was in the same playing group as ex-Wallaby Rod Kafer last year when the former fly-half famously landed a hole-in-one at Federal. “Was never missing,” Nagle remarked, highlighting Kafer’s impressive shot.
