My life in sport: Gordon Bray

Gordon Bray. Photo / Supplied

Veteran Aussie rugby commentator Gordon Bray turns up on our screens this year as the face of Six Nations rugby.

The 62-year-old has been in limbo since Channel Nine grabbed the rugby rights off Channel Seven in Australia.

When American giants ESPN secured rights to the European international rugby championship, Bray was signed as host with World Cup-winning Wallabies Matthew Burke and Andrew Blades his cohorts.

Bray will be a Sky commentator in the early stages of the World Cup and as this momentous year for New Zealand sport kicks into life, the Herald put a few questions to the renowned Aussie rugby observer.

You've been at the Australian tennis open - is Roger Federer the best player ever?

I'd say so ... mind you I was a huge fan of Rod Laver; a boyhood hero. Federer is a wonderful ambassador and sportsman with a lovely perspective on his tennis and life. He's the envy of all of us.

That's the token non-rugby question out of the way - so how are the Wallabies shaping?

They took a big step forward downing the All Blacks in Hong Kong although the All Blacks were underdone - a lucky victory, but we'll take it. A loss at that stage won't have done the All Blacks any harm either. The Wallabies are still developing and have a very dangerous backline, but the tight forwards and particularly the front row are our Achilles heel.

That's not exactly news Gordon ...

We have had safety laws with scrummaging [for teenagers] in Australia for over a decade. They are only allowed to push up to 1.5m forward. Our senior teams are a bit under-developed in that area - they don't enjoy the wrestle.

The Wallaby scrum would kill to push one-and-a-half metres - moving on, are the Aussies any hope in the World Cup?

Of course - we've never lost to NZ in World Cup history and that's one big plus.

Ouch. That hurts. Has Robbie Deans fallen short or is a long-term plan coming together?

Most definitely the latter ... we've become very competitive against New Zealand and should be reaching the desired level at the right time. In that sense he's done an outstanding job. He's learnt about the Australian character and invested in young guys and encouraged them to do their own thing.

The South African coach Peter de Villiers does his own thing, but is that good for the Springboks?

I haven't had a lot to do with him but he certainly wears his heart on his sleeve. He has a lot more knowledge than he is given credit for. But his selections are erratic and his press conferences are all over the place. South Africa's victory against England at Twickenham saved his bacon - but I'm not convinced that was the best outcome for South Africa.

Do you like the new Super Rugby format?

South Africa has been greatly disadvantaged in the past because of the travel involved. And it should encourage tribal rivalries, something the competition has lacked a bit. The Melbourne Rebels, with their coach Rod Macqueen back in the frame, could be a surprise package. They have a lot of journeymen but Macqueen picks players who can really forge a culture. I've seen him turn average players into very, very good players particularly when he started with the Brumbies. He will produce something special over the next few years.

NSW will fail of course ...

They are a big source of frustration - almost bulletproof at home but with a mental block in going that extra yard. Switching Kurtly Beale to fullback was a turning point last year. He had initially been dropped and ended up as one of the IRB's five players of the year.

A winner?

Being World Cup year, I expect some top New Zealand teams will start a bit slowly. Certainly the Bulls are very professional. Queensland will be the best of the Australian teams, unless injuries shackle them. Their coach Ewen McKenzie is very inventive - I'd like to see him back coaching Australia at some stage. They were a breath of fresh air last year and the springboard for the Wallabies turning things around.

Enough about Australia - what about the All Blacks?

They are definitely the World Cup favourites, with the proviso that Richie McCaw and Dan Carter remain healthy. Take either one out, particularly McCaw, and it's not the same well-oiled machine.

Can a Northern Hemisphere country give the World Cup a shake?

England are peaking at the right time. Under Martin Johnson they have turned a corner and had a fantastic victory over Australia. They have a very mobile and skilful back five with a lot of young blood injected, and Lewis Moody's captaincy has been excellent. Ben Youngs is a brilliant player at halfback and will be one of the stars of the World Cup. A player like Youngs in a key position is vital.

Is the tournament looking healthy?

I know there have been infrastructure problems and issues like high hotel prices, but this could be the best tournament ever. I can see the New Zealand public turning on a brand of hospitality we haven't seen before and the backdrop will be a country that is desperate for the All Blacks to win.

Of course we won't win ...

There's all sorts of pressure when you get to sudden death and it's about who turns up on the day. Look at New Zealand in 2003, when an early intercept try by Australia in the semifinal turned the nature of the contest and New Zealand panicked. If one team gets an early jump it can have a devastating effect.

Who was your childhood sporting hero?

The great [Wallaby halfback] Ken Catchpole. As kids we'd go into the backyard and replay the games and I was always Ken Catchpole. I'm a great admirer of the All Blacks - I'm a keen collector of memorabilia and I've got more on the All Blacks than Australia.

It is absolutely vital the Wallabies have World Cup success. Rugby is the lowest ranked of the football codes in this country. The ARU got it horribly wrong when they terminated [chief executive] John O'Neill's contract after the 2003 World Cup and the game went into an abyss. We lost ground against our rivals as we struggled for victories. The Wallabies need momentum leading into the 2013 Lions tour of Australia. The ARU is banking heavily on the Lions series. Australian rugby is on a knife-edge. League is resurgent, Aussie Rules is a multi-million dollar exercise expanding new teams into New South Wales and Queensland, and soccer has always been the sleeper and the Socceroos are an emerging force. Rugby is struggling for credibility and recognition. We also need provincial teams winning and playing an attractive brand of football because the competition is very tough. Queensland is broke and being propped up financially by the ARU. New South Wales is struggling to make ends meet. Rugby is really struggling for identity at the moment.

What if the Wallabies don't succeed?

That is really scary ... that is why I'm happy someone of Robbie Deans' calibre is at the helm. I'm not looking on the downside - I'm very confident the pieces are in place to win back the fans.