Phil Gifford: Grant Nisbett reflects on 40 years as the voice of New Zealand rugby

Grant Nisbett at Wellington's Sky Stadium. Photo / Photosport

As a primary school kid in Wellington in the late 1950s, Grant Nisbett was mesmerised by the radio commentaries of Winston McCarthy.

Nisbett, now in his 40th year as the voice of rugby on New Zealand television, first with TVNZ and then with Sky, can still, as he demonstrated when we talked this week, recite the whole opening gambit of the McCarthy album issued after the 1956 Springbok tour here.

Nisbett has called 350 tests around the world since his first, in 1989 when the All Blacks played France in Christchurch. But one of the most likeable men in New Zealand media, the always jovial Nisbett revealed that his career path out of Rongotai College might have taken a very different route.

“I was always keen to be involved in sport. My initial move after school was to go to Otago and do the PE (physical education) degree. I’d actually been accepted to do that. But I had a neighbour who knew Sir Lance Cross who was running the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation’s sporting service. Through them, I ended up getting an interview and was accepted at the NZBC. The plans for Otago went out the window, and I started in late 1968 at the NZBC.”

What training did you get?

“I wasn’t allowed on air for about six months. I had voice training in-house. A lot of the trainers were old BBC announcers. In later years when I heard myself from the late 60s and early 70s, I sound, for want of a better term, very English!”

Is there a test that stands out for you more than any other one?

“The 2015 World Cup final at Twickenham. I covered the 2011 World Cup final at Eden Park, but to be honest, it wasn’t a great game, and it was a hell of a relief when the final whistle went. But 2015 was a different sort of game. Most World Cup finals are fairly dour and boring. The teams don’t want to make a mistake. But when you face a team like Australia, they’re prepared to play rugby. There were two teams, in ‘15, that wanted to use the ball. It was a great spectacle, with its ups and downs. We copped a yellow card. They scored tries, and at the end, Beauden Barrett scored that remarkable try. Overall that’d be my favourite.”

What’s the worst position you’ve ever called a game from?

“The one that I’m picking wins by a mile. In 1979 Argentina toured New Zealand, and they played South Canterbury in Timaru. My commentary position was in a cherry picker, which was actually outside the ground. It was high enough to see over the crowd. It was blowing a stinking cold southerly, and here I was propped up maybe 20 metres in the air. It was that cold I couldn’t hold my pen to write down the scores. I could barely hold the microphone. Plus, I’m not very good with motion sickness. The thing was moving around and I was feeling crook. With hypothermia and motion sickness, I think it rates as the worst position I’ve ever been in. I don’t think Worksafe NZ would allow it today. We got by, but it was a shocker.”

Have you ever had to call a game when you were actually ill?

“I’ve had a couple of situations in South Africa like that. I couldn’t tell you what was wrong with me, but I just felt crook. In Durban and then a couple of years later in Johannesburg, I was basically in bed for four or five days before the games. But there’s nobody else there to do it, so you just have to hope you’ll survive 80 minutes on air.”

Do you prepare for a game by making lots of notes in the previous days?

“I do write a lot down. By that very act, I manage to retain it. I write little relevant notes under each player and general notes about the history between the teams. I once had a chat with (the revered Scottish caller) Bill McLaren, who was famous for having copious notes. He said, ‘You might only use 5% or 10%, but it’s the fact you’ve got the assurance of backup’. I operate pretty much the same way.”

Is there a favourite ground for you in New Zealand?

“Being born and bred in Wellington, Athletic Park was a favourite of mine. I even got to play there a few times, and I enjoyed commentating there. I think you have to say that Eden Park is New Zealand’s best rugby arena by quite some distance. Obviously, a full Eden Park is hard to replicate. The indoor stadium in Dunedin is great, and it’ll be terrific when Christchurch gets a covered stadium. Wellington should have put a roof on, and it’s sad that they didn’t. Hamilton, being a purpose-built rugby ground is really good.”

What about grounds overseas?

“It’s hard to beat the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, especially when it was the old Cardiff Arms Park. I was lucky enough to commentate there before they changed it. As much as we hate to lose at Twickenham, there’s no doubt that it’s a great ground. One stadium that was sensational was the San Siro Stadium in Milan. I’ve only been there once when the All Blacks played Italy in 2009. It’s the home ground of AC Milan and Inter Milan. What a stadium that is. To look around their dressing rooms is staggering. You would not believe how pampered those European footballers are.”

Is there a special throat-saving brew you drink during a game?

“(Laughs). We tend to sip on the most boring drink ever invented, plain water. One thing I did learn early on was to not have a biscuit at halftime. Too often it gets caught in the throat and you’re pretty helpless for the first 10 minutes of the second spell.”

Any thoughts on the two people you’ve worked the most with, Murray Mexted and Justin Marshall?

“Mex would be one of the most passionate people about the game I’ve ever met. He was fantastic to work with. He was a delight to work with. Justin has the same passion, so it’s impossible to differentiate between the two of them.”

All Blacks v Ireland, Saturday 9.10am. Live commentary on Newstalk ZB, Gold Sport and iHeartRadio. Live match blog at nzherald.co.nz