TheReturn

No it wasn't at all. Germany was not an obvious call, and Australia could have blown it too, so I don't think it was obvious at all. But unless I missed it, did BT Sport explain the two meeting final? From what I can tell it seems to be points over two nights , if so what is the point of that? To make it more interesting, would it not be better to have the Friday night with the 7 teams and then the teams with the two lowest scores don't proceed to Saturday. The scores are then carried over to Saturday with the remaining 5 teams racing each other once, the bottom team is then out to leave 4 teams, they go again to race each other once (I think that's 27 races in total). The top two then race a final. If a team has a bad night on the Friday, 27 races might give them a chance to catch up on the Saturday.

That's a good positive interview from Rosco.

In what, 6 hours of coverage, I don't think BT have mentioned that.

Fair play to the format, apart from a bit of bad luck then France would be in a run off for a final place with the Aussies. I still think this format's got potential (bit of tweaking perhaps).

He messed up at the start. I don't think it helps at all to keep making accusations that Tai favours Team Aussie over Team GB.

That's why I don't like that prat Pearson saying 'on paper' before a race.... speedway isn't ridden on paper.

Stop being so cynical.

Why is he not allowed to ride in the UK? Is it do with his suspension last season?

Why no Chris Holder? Does his license issues prevent guest appearances for Australia too?

Is Rosco having a little dig back at Cook by leaving him out this race following that issue earlier in the week, or is this just a clever tactical move by him?

The qualifications are always going to have the top v lesser teams. We will see a few similar matches in the World Cup qualification round. Come the final we will have teams all much closely matched.

Pearson.. "he gets a standing ovation from this home crowd", the camera pans to everyone sat down in their seat.

Oh dear... I think someone thought that was being pre-recorded and not live. #Professional

But should a professional commentator be getting it wrong? He repeats himself every few minutes, which defenders claim is to educate the non speedway masses following... well calling the score wrong (not first time) is not educating any of us, speedway fans or non speedway fans. Can you image if this summers World Cup final commentator calls the World Cup final score wrong? Or a few days prior to that miscounts the inevitable penalty shootout that plucky England will go out on? I am not sure that commentator will be getting a big gig again anytime soon after. Edit: The defence that he doesn't have a team of people helping him with the scores is bollocks. He's paid to get it right. We pay to be told the right scores.

Most sports perhaps have to accommodate TV, I.e play off's in football, and I guess we all accept speedway will have to also. But there is a real point here, most other sports don't completely give away credibility of their sport for TV, as in the play-off's in football are for third, not the all important title winners. Speedway shouldn't either, but all too often thet do. That said, I think they got the balance right in the SGP now, a final for TV each SGP, but that final doesn't really impact on the championship too much other than the additional three points for wining the race.

See, the racing was so crap we're talking about how crap Pearson was. It's such a same that Fletch is brilliant at his job and snapped up by BT to cover football. Now he ticks all boxes, brilliant and balanced commentator and he's a speedway fan (used to see him down at Long Eaton), think he did something to help Tai last season didn't he?

I do take your point Tyler, but most seasons it would be Poland v one other nation who happen to have a good four riders capable of matching Poland. At least with this format there should be three or four nations capable of putting decent pair of riders together.

Being positive is fine, but Is it moaning to simply want a better commentator for the product we pay a lot of money for that actually gets the score right? I don't think it is. Tatum is fine, at least he interjects some technical knowledge now and then. I am not sure what Pearson adds to the product?

Tonight wasn't ideal, but I do think it's got more potential than the SWC which requires teams to have 4 good riders. This allows smaller speedway nations with less top riders to still have a chance, and brings us the art of team riding back into world speedway.

Not sure this is that bad, just needs tweaking. I love the idea of team riding, a lost art of the sport. But, when we get to the final, we should see more riders of similar ability which should make it much more interesting.

But in theory should still be some racing for that third place with the lesser riders. I just wonder if the problem is the track tonight? Do need to tweak to provide a third rider to cover.

It's more interesting than the racing...

Hey this is the professional commentator that failed to realise when a rider had become the new world champion a few seasons back, so not at all surprising, no!

Lame excuse.

How come according to Pearson every other race is a big race? What does that make the final... a massive race? a gigantic race?