Rugby World Cup: Nisbo set for Georgia tongue-twister

Grant Nisbett (left) at the Working Style Bledisloe Cup pre-match function. Photo / Norrie Montgomery

When the All Blacks are romping to what could be a record victory over Georgia at the World Cup, spare a thought for commentator Grant Nisbett.

His task may well be tougher to what any of his compatriots are facing on the field.

Why? Just take a glance at the Georgian squad and try pronouncing first five-eighth Merab Kvirikashvili or flanker Giorgi Tkhilaishvili.

Thankfully for Nisbett, who will be attending his fifth World Cup as a broadcaster, he has a secret weapon up his sleeve.

"I know a local hairdresser who happens to be Russian and is going to help me out, because they are very difficult names," Nisbett said.

"I suddenly cottoned on to it earlier in the week and thought, 'I know what I can do'."

That kind of research is all part of the role for Nisbett, who will again lead Sky's commentary team as the chief play-by-play man. After making his bones at TVNZ and covering the first three World Cups alongside Keith Quinn, Nisbett shifted to pay TV and called the All Blacks' breakthrough victory four years ago.

He describes that moment as a career highlight, but the lows are just as vivid when casting his mind back on the All Blacks' involvement at the Cups he's witnessed.

"Winning the thing has got to be the ultimate," he said. "But the performance of the All Blacks in South Africa in '95 was pretty staggering up until the final, and then I had the dubious task of interviewing poor, old Sean Fitzpatrick at the end of the game. They were the two that showed the ups and the downs, which is really what it's all about."

Alongside solving pronunciation problems, Nisbett has spent the last several weeks preparing notes on all the All Blacks' opposition, particularly the likes of Georgia and Namibia who are completely unfamiliar to Kiwi viewers. Most of that preparation may never be heard on air but Nisbett knows it's nice to have as an insurance policy - a lesson he learned from the best.

"I once spoke to Bill McLaren, the great Scottish commentator, and asked him about what sort of preparation he did, and he said he did a lot but he only had to use five per cent of it. And that's probably about right. Sometimes there might be a break or a severe injury or something where you really have to fill in a lot of time."

What he won't have prepared is a pre-planned line for, all going well, if the All Blacks become the first team to defend the trophy.

He made that mistake when calling the maiden series win on South African soil in 1996 and, when hearing it again, "it sounded read and it sounded contrived".

"It can be overtaken by the moment," he said. "It could be a try in the last minute that wins it - it could be anything, really.

"I might have an idea of what I could say, but I tend to wing it and let the occasion take over."

There have been plenty of memorable occasions in a broadcasting career that spans more the 40 years and 250 tests, but Nisbett isn't quite yet ready to blow the fulltime whistle.

He'd like to add to his five World Cups, but conceded that decision might be out of his hands.

If this is his last tournament, though, Nisbett is quietly confident he can go out on a high and once again watch from the commentary booth as All Blacks skipper Richie McCaw lifts the Webb Ellis Cup.

"There's always going to be a bit of nerves, because the All Blacks' record at World Cups in the Northern Hemisphere is poor," he said. "But when you weigh everything up, they are the best team in the world."