Sports Writing

I do not watch sport any more. At some age I just lost interest in ground hog day sports events.

But I still read the sports section in the newspaper and I find myself far more interested in the Rugby Union than any other sport.

This is because the Rugby writers are generally far better writers than those writing for other sports, with the notable exceptions of Craig Foster, Patrick Smith, Roy Masters and the now departed Peter Roebuck.

And when I say ‘better’ I mean in respect to both content and prose.

Firstly an article must be easy to read – this is a real art in sports reporting. An article that is easy to read must ‘sound’ pleasant to the mind, it must have a point, it must avoid repetition, it must have humour, it must lack dull and mechanical reporting of the events that occurred on the field, and it must be devoid of obvious errors.

Secondly, the very best article not only reports the sports event, past or future, but must also have a thesis that is proposed, returned to, and finally adjudged. And this thesis often has nothing to do with sports. For some this is just a juicy medium from whence to sprout life philosophy.