 | Press ReleasesMatt Dawson joins Five Live rugby commentary team |
Rugby World Cup winner Matt Dawson is joining BBC Radio Five Live's award-winning rugby commentary team, starting with the Six Nations on 3 February. He joins as England summariser and will be a regular fixture across the summer tour to South Africa and the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
Matt was part of the England squad that took the country to victory in the 2003 World Cup and is England's most capped scrum half. He also captained the side nine times including the winning England Six Nations team in 2000. Matt is a familiar face on television with credits including A Question of Sport, Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Masterchef. Award-winning voice Ian Robertson continues to head up the commentary team with seasoned partners Alastair Hignell, Martin Bayfield, Iain Carter, Alastair Eykyn and Jonny Saunders. Former Wales captain Rob Jones will summarise for the Welsh matches, Gavin Hastings and Bryan Redpath will provide analysis on the Scottish team and former Irish fullback Hugo MacNeill will use his expertise to discuss Ireland. Matt Dawson said: "I'm delighted to be joining such a distinguished commentary team and having the opportunity to continue to participate in such great rugby tournaments. "I've thoroughly enjoyed my rugby playing career but am now very excited about broadening my experience into other areas including the media." Radio Five Live Controller Bob Shennan said: "It is great that Matt is joining the team. "His experience of top-level rugby is second to none and he's a great personality who is not afraid to say what he thinks about the game, which will provide valuable insight for our listeners." Five Live and Five Live Sports Extra will cover all matches in the Six Nations tournament as follows: Saturday 3 February Italy v France, Stadio di Flaminio, 1.30pm, Five Live reports only England v Scotland, Twickenham, 4pm, Five Live Sunday 4 February Wales v Ireland, Millennium Stadium, 3pm, Five Live Sports Extra Saturday 10 February England v Italy, Twickenham, 1.30pm, Five Live Scotland v Wales, Murrayfield, 3.30pm, Five Live Sports Extra Sunday 11 February Ireland v France, Croke Park, 3pm, Five Live Sports Extra Saturday 24 February Scotland v Italy, Murrayfield, 3pm, Five Live Sports Extra Ireland v England, Croke Park, 5.30pm, Five Live France v Wales, Stade de France, 8pm, Five Live Saturday 10 March Scotland v Ireland, Murrayfield, 1.30pm, Five Live Sports Extra Italy v Wales, Stadio di Flaminio, 3.30pm, Five Live Sports Extra Sunday 11 March England v France, Twickenham, 3pm, Five Live Saturday 17 March Italy v Ireland, Stadio di Flaminio, 1.30pm, Five Live reports France v Scotland, Stade de France, 3.30pm, Five Live Sports Extra England v Wales, Millennium Stadium, 5.30pm, Five Live Television The whole RBS Six Nations 2007 championship will be screened on the BBC, with coverage kicking off with the opening fixture at 1.30pm on Saturday 3 February. John Inverdale will be the main host, with Jill Douglas and Craig Doyle as fellow presenters. The studio line-up will include Jonathan Davies, Jeremy Guscott, Andy Nicol and Keith Wood, with Austin Healey at pitchside. Commentators will be Eddie Butler, Nick Mullins and Andrew Cotter, with Jonathan Davies, Brian Moore and Philip Matthews as co-commentators. Sonja McLaughlan, John Beattie and Graham Thomas head up the pitchside reporting team. Online bbc.co.uk/sport offers live text commentary, match reports, news, features, photos, pundits' views, squad selector and a RBS Six Nations competition. Plus, live commentary from Five Live/Sports Extra on every game except Italy v France (UK users only). All BBC Television coverage will also be broadcast live online (UK users only), with additional two-and-a-half-minute highlights packages at half-time and five minutes at full time. Plus, 24-hours after the end of each game there will be extended highlights online (UK users only). LW | 
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