Backstage Pass for the Super Rugby Championship – Brumbies vs Waratahs

In just under two hours is the heated tie as always between the ACT Brumbies and the NSW Waratahs in the fourth round of the Super Rugby Championship. The atmosphere is building on this beautiful sunny afternoon at Canberra Stadium as the authorities prepare for an expected crowd of over 20,000 strong.

I’ve got a Fox Sports Crew Pass around my neck and Chief Fox Sports Rugby commentator Greg Clark by my side to guide me around the stadium for the next few hours of work experience. This game is sure to be exhilarating as a fanatic sportsman and hopeful sports journalist, it’s an invaluable experience.

Clarkie, as known amongst the crew, first leads me over to the Fox Sports media van to meet the rest of the team including Nick McArdle, Phil Kearns, and Rod Kafer. I was able to chime in on the commentator’s meeting from the Floor Manager concerning the thrilling run down plan for tonight.

Being on the sidelines is truly an overwhelming sight when you realise how intimidating and open the stadium is around you with all the seats, mostly empty at this stage, in tessellation.

McArdle and Kearnsy prepare their pre-game segment to the pay TV viewers at home. I hear McArdle reciting a few lines that are going to be used on air. It really put into perspective how serious the situation was as a presenter.

Clarkey has to part ways with me at this point as he has to review some statistics upstairs in the commentary box, where I would soon be going.

The Waratahs have just arrived and it is time for the captain’s pre-game interviews with Rod ‘Kafes’ Kafer.

Brumbies media manager Elliot Woods quickly snatches up Dave Dennis from the change rooms. The ongoing discussion between the camera men, the floor manager, and Kafes is interesting. Kafes is asked to give a 45 second interview on Dennis, Brumbies captain Ben Mowen, and lastly Brumbies legend George Smith.

This is priceless information and I take in every aspect including the questions asked, tone of voice and positioning of the microphone.

I’m privileged enough to now meet back up with Clarkey in the best seat in the house – the commentary box. My favourite room in this entire venue.

To Clarkey’s left is a statistics monitor with two team lists of the teams playing with columns and rows of different stats that are tallied throughout the game by a statistician next door.

In the middle is another monitor of what Fox Sports are currently broadcasting to viewers at home.

Sitting right in front of him on A3 paper is the complete run down and schedule booklet.

“This is the most important material we have on the job. It has every bit of detail of exact timings to when recordings, commercials, voice over’s, whatever else and when they’re happening,” Clarke informs me.

I take the time to read it through. At first it seems straight forward, but then I come across numerous acronyms that meant nothing to me. You really have to know your stuff in here.

As the game is moments from kick- off I leave the commentary room to let Clarkie and Kearnsy do their job.

A media conference awaits as the game hits full time. I’m in the heat of the moment as the players walk past.

The Brumbies thrashed the Tahs 35-6 so the reactions to follow from NSW coach Michael Cheika and captain Dave Dennis are bound to be of some interest as Clarkie said.

“Cheika will be interesting. The losing teams are always worth listening to because there’s usually more to be said. You’ll find the journo’s asking open ended, sometimes even confronting questions that will require in depth answers,” Clarke says.

This is the case. The Waratahs session had gone for at least five minutes longer than the Brumbies. I find it enthralling how all the journalists’ iPod’s and recording devices lined up on the table to record everything being said. All of them had a notepad in their lap and a pen to jot down notes. True professionalism.

By 10:30pm everything has wrapped up and it is time for me to give the crew pass back to Clarkie and say my goodbyes until next time.

An unforgettable industry experience that I cannot stress how beneficial it has been to me.

For all you sport journalists, I hope this has given you a good sniff.