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• Claire Stocks - Sport Interactive assistant editor
• 17 Jan 07, 02:06 PM

Four ±«Óătv rugby union commentators and a selection of other ±«Óătv journalists working on our Six Nations coverage on the web & Ceefax in London, Cardiff, Belfast and Glasgow, will be writing on this blog during the tournament.

We also have an international referee who will be posting here and answering questions about the finer points of the game (be nice to him please).

You can find out a bit more about them all here.

John Beattie

I was born in Borneo, and swinging from tree to tree helped me in later years as I ended up playing rugby for Scotland.
This was predicted, funnily enough, by my Malaysian headmaster who said, on the day I left to start his new life in Scotland as an eleven year old: “Beattie, you are the roughest boy we have ever had here - you will surely play rugby for your new country.”
I won 25 caps and went on two British Lions tours and on retiring slid into broadcasting even though Chartered accountancy was tugging at my heart strings..
I play guitar in a rock band for fun, coach West of Scotland rugby club, and host radio and TV programmes North of Hadrian’s wall. I’m, frankly, a bit alarmed that my son, also John, now plays international rugby as it doesn’t seem that long since the child was brought home in a blanket.

Andrew Cotter

I’m one of ±«Óătv Television’s rugby commentators.
I come from Troon on the Ayrshire coast (south-west Scotland) but have lived in London for the past seven years - although I make frequent trips north to “visit the family” (play golf).
My grandfather J.L.Cotter played stand-off for Scotland in the 1930’s, as far as I’m aware was the only minister to have pulled on the dark blue jersey.
My own international sporting recognition was far more limited, representing Scottish Schools at golf against England. Scotland lost.
I started commentating on rugby and golf on ±«Óătv Radio in 2000 before a Bosman-style free transfer to TV.

Sean Davies

I'm a sports writer who's been working for the ±«Óătv out of the Cardiff office for the last seven years, specialising - whenever I get the chance - in rugby and boxing.

The Six Nations has been the highlight of my sporting year for as long as I can remember. Although this working lark does seem to have cut back on my chances to enjoy the full range of the tournament's festivities, my liver thanks me for it and it's a privilege to get so close to the stories and the action.

I'm originally from Tredegar in the south Wales valleys. I have to confess to being a bit soft, though, as I never really took to regular visits to The Rec, and my real love for the game developed in the balmier climes of Swansea where I studied history. I went through my University days there as Mike Ruddock built his great Swansea side of the early '90s, and it will take a lot to convince me that Wales have moved on since sacking the Grand Slam coach.

Phil Harlow

My rugby ‘career’ peaked in the early 1990s as a member of the now-legendary Mitcham junior side which reached - and lost - the Surrey Cup final two years in a row.
Since those heady days I have turned out for Croydon and Chipstead as one of the least prolific wingers in England, while writing on infinitely more talented players on the ±«Óătv Sport website.
I’ve also worked on a variety of other sporting events including the World Snooker championship, Wimbledon and rugby league’s Challenge Cup and Grand Final.
Outside of sport, I love my music and purport to be a DJ. Even if only two people have let me play in public to date.
I’m also getting married in the summer (sorry girls), and am discovering the joys of wedding planning on an almost daily basis.
As for claims to fame, I’m struggling. My mum used to teach Millwall midfielder Neil Ardley, and he was “a nice lad” apparently.

Rob Hodgetts

I'm what's known in rugby parlance as a utility back. Rugby and golf are my main positions but you'll see me pop up in all sorts of other areas, too.
My fondest rugby memory is sitting in the press box at Twickenham covering the 1999 World Cup semi-final between France and New Zealand.
All impartiality went out the window when France began their famous comeback, as the hardened hacks, and me, leapt to our feet to cheer on Les Bleus.
Work over, the party in the pub in Twickenham that night was legendary, with a cocktail of French, Kiwis and British all celebrating a sensational game together.
Now then, call me old-school, but I reckon all modern backs should be made to watch videos of the likes of David Duckham or Phil Bennett back in the days when side-steps (as well as side-burns) were as important as big muscles. They knew how to beat an opponent one-on-one. England backs take heed

Gareth Lewis

I was born in a part of Wales now scandalously denied professional regional rugby, but those days are gone and like everyone else who lives there i'm not bitter now. Honest... Just as well, because that famous ±«Óătv impartiality has to come to the fore in my role presenting Scrum V on ±«Óătv Wales television and radio.

Like all fans of my generation, my rugby highlight came two years ago when Wales ended almost three decades of agony by winning the Grand Slam. Either that or winning the Trignac Sevens under-16 tournament in Brittany, only to be accused by the French of fielding an over-age team. And there's always THAT Gareth Thomas interview, still available on the Scrum V website.

Away from rugby, I follow events at Goodison Park closely (another long wait for a trophy goes on) and spend the rest of my spare time refining the delicate balance between post-match hospitality, and running it off.

Nick Mullins

I’m one of ±«Óătv Sport’s all-rounders. Over the course of a year you might hear me commentating from Centre Court at Wimbledon, the River Thames on Boat Race day or Tower Bridge on London Marathon Sunday.
My day job though is rugby union.
I switched codes - from radio to television - in 2001 to help fill the gap left by Bill McLaren and this will be the seventh year I’ve talked my way through the Six Nations for ±«Óătv Sport.
I’ll spend the majority of the tournament with my head in the ±«Óătv scrum, but when I come up for air I’ll look to spend time with the guitar I’m learning to play, a large film collection and Erin and Rosie - my two young daughters.

Mark Orlovac

“I am one of the team that helps look after the rugby union section on the website and Ceefax but just in case any of the bosses are looking, I do write other stuff as well.
Despite going to a rugby-dominated school, I never played regularly (to be honest I wasn’t good enough) but somewhere in my mind I have an image of myself as a dogged, sniping scrum-half – a bit like Gary Armstrong.
Unfortunately, five knee dislocations led to the premature end of my sporting career in 1997 although I am sure I will be living out my dreams through my two sons – all I am asking for is Scotland and Lions caps.
I started my journalistic career at a local newspaper in Teddington, covering the likes of Harlequins, London Irish, Richmond, London Scottish and London Welsh, before joining the Beeb in 2000.
Away from work, I am a drummer in a 50s jive band and my claim to fame is that my uncle invented hit 80s quiz show ‘Bullseye’ (my eldest son is the very proud owner of a bendy Bully and before you ask, I can’t get you one).”

Nigel Owens

It all began at 16 when a pupil at Maesyryrfa School in Cefneithin, when I refereed my first ever game. That was 18 years ago and I have now been a professional referee for five years.
I have officiated over 20 games in the Heineken Cup and four Internationals - Japan v Ireland was my first and this February I will be refereeing my first ever Six Nations match when England play Italy at Twickenham.
Outside rugby I do entertainment work as a stand-up comedian and singer. I also do television work on a Welsh language programme called 'Noson Lawen', as well as the Jonathan show on S4C with Mr Davies.
My best heckle happened a few seasons ago when one spectator shouted out at a game at Stradey Park: "Owens you're a comedian on the stage but you're a better one on the field!"

Bryn Palmer

I'm a senior broadcast journalist on the Sport website, and responsible for looking after our rugby output. I'm 34, Welsh (don't hold that against me) and have been at the ±«Óătv since early 2002.
My journalism career started with the Press Association in Scotland 10 years ago, writing about everything from the Old Firm to curling, before I moved on to the Scotsman newspaper.
I then spent a wonderful year travelling in Australia and New Zealand, freelancing for various British newspapers, and taking in the Sydney Olympics and the 2001 Lions tour. I've also covered the last two Rugby World Cups, including England's triumph down under four years ago.
Having grown up in south Wales, I'm obviously a Manchester United fan - since I was five, honestly - and have a soft spot for Hereford, who I used to cheer from the home end at Edgar Street. Rugby-wise my heart's with Wales, but I cheer on all the Celtic countries.
My body won't allow for rugby anymore but I still play five-a-side football, a bit of tennis and golf, and love skiing, snowboarding and water-skiing. I'm also a big fan of snooker and darts.

James Standley

I joined the ±«Óătv Sport website back in 2001 and am one of a number of journalists who help out with the rugby union coverage.
I started my career on the Maidenhead Advertiser before joining the-then Mirror Group after a brief spell at the Press Association.
After the failed re-launch of the Sporting Life I worked on a number of Mirror Group publications, including a memorable week on the news desk of the Sunday People.
Like most sports journalists I’m a frustrated player who lacked only the pace, power and ability to get right to the top.
A non-tackling fly-half, my rugby career was stymied at a young age by my inability to last a match without getting injured, although now I am officially a sporting veteran I am considering returning for one last fling.

Jim Stokes

I was always a man of letters ... I worked as postman for two years before changing tack. My first job as a sports journalist over 30 years ago, was as a sailing correspondent at the Belfast Telegraph, that is, until I became becalmed one weekend on Strangford Lough and ended up writing about the wildlife.
That trend continued when I became rugby correspondent. For 16 years, I was a dedicated traveller covering the game from the days of the amateur ethos to the present professionalism of playing by numbers and taking in four World Cups. I finally succumbed to a change of life when I joined ‘Auntie’ six years ago.
It was inevitable that I would end up as a sports journalist. Sport was my life from my early school days with rugby, football, basketball and cricket my tour de force.
I played rugby for my local Belfast team Malone, and captained the club back in the 1972/3 season and collected an Ulster Senior League medal and Ulster Senior Cup gong.
I was a bit of a rare breed who started life as a fly-half one season, and ended up playing number 8 the next.
I don’t think the rugby world was ready for a side-stepping, dummying, two-footed kicker in the back-row who had a penchant for dropping goals from the base of the scrum.
During a short break from rugby, I played for the Northern Ireland Youth international team in the 1962 European Championships as a goalkeeper. But some fella by the name of Pat Jennings strangely got to play in the final against England at Wembley.
They won 4-0. Soon after that, I won two caps in the ±«Óătv International series that year, drawing 1-1 with England at Boundary Park where George Best wore the Northern Ireland jersey for the first time.
Now, my engine just keeps on running, literally. I’m a regular jogger and cyclist, having done a couple of marathons and a stream of 10Ks. I can still give my 24-year-old twins a run for their money, much to their chagrin.

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