Good quote Macdog. It won't jsut be the streets of Hawick though, it'll be the whole of scotland I think. I met him on several occasions and he was lovely. He could tlak for hours about rugby and knew loads aobut the sport. it was never the same listening to the commentary without him.
There have been some classic Billisms over the years.
It?s high enough, it?s long enough AND IT?S STRAIGHT ENOUGH.
*He?s like a demented ferret up a wee drainpipe.
*He plays like a runaway bullet (description of New Zealand wing Grant Batty).
*He?s like a raging bull with a bad head.
*That one was a bit inebriated ? just like one of my golf shots (description of a missed goal kick).
*He kicked that ball like it were 3 pounds o? haggis.
*Would ye like a Hawick ball, son ? (McLaren offering a friend a mint).
*They?ll be dancing in the streets of Hawick/Selkirk/ tonight???
*His sidestep was marvellous ? like a shaft of lightning (description of Welsh wing Gerald Davies).
*The All Blacks that day looked like great prophets of doom.
*I was there (at Twickenham) in 1938 when Scotland won 28-16.
*?Tweet, tweet, tweet? ? commentary on Scottish full-back Peter Dods? strange run up to a penalty kick.
*My goodness, that wee ball?s gone so high there?ll be snow on it when it comes down.
*He?s as quick as a trout up a burn.
*Those props are as cunning as a bag o? weasels.
*A day out of Hawick is a day wasted. (not so sure about that one)
*And it?s a try by Hika the hooker from Ngongotaha (Wales v New Zealand 1980).
*I?m no hod carrier but I?d be laying bricks if he was running at me (description of Jonah Lomu).
*They?ll be simply chuffed to bits down at??.
*I look at Colin Meads and see a great big sheep farmer who carried the ball in his hands as though it was an orange pip.
*I?ve hardly ever had to pay to get in (the best thing in his view about 50 years of commentary at rugby matches).