Grant Nisbett

Grant Nisbett (born 26 December) is a New Zealand sports broadcaster and TAB media liaison. He is the lead rugby commentator for SKY Network Television and called his 250th test match between the All Blacks and England at Eden Park on 7 June 2014. His career spans over 40 plus years.

Nisbett was educated at Rongotai College in Wellington and captained the 1st XV in 1968. He played No.8 then moved in to prop while playing for his club Poneke in his later years. Nisbett played one first-class match for the Wellington Colts against Horowhenua in 1970. Nisbett also played club cricket to a 'modest level' He played four matches of senior rugby before a clash with Saturday sports reporting that became too much with his radio career. His radio career started in 1968 when he chose the NZBC over a physical education degree at Otago University. He frequently tells stories about playing sport on a Saturday, then rushing back to the radio studio to broadcast the weekend's results.

His first television commentary was a match between the All Blacks and France at Lancaster Park, Christchurch on 16 June 1984. The shift to television then signalled a tricky period in his career as the doyen, Keith Quinn, was still on the scene, and in the early 1990s John McBeth also made the switch from radio. Three into one didn't go, even if TVNZ initially tried a two-commentator routine, when Quinn and Nisbett called the 1991 World Cup final.

Nisbett was the lead commentator for rugby and cricket coverage when TVNZ had broadcast rights. When Sky Network Television claimed rights for both sports (rugby in 1996 and cricket in 1999), he moved to Sky to continue his broadcasting and has been with them ever since. Nisbett is also a weekly commentator for Super Rugby and Mitre 10 Cup matches along with domestic and international cricket matches and occasionally softball, bowls and golf over the summer months.

Nisbett was the lead Sky Sport commentator for Sky Sport during the 2011 Rugby World Cup and called the final with former All Black Grant Fox and former New Zealand cricketer Ian Smith, who was on the sideline. He was one of the Sky Sport commentators at the 2015 Rugby World Cup calling matches for New Zealand viewers along with Smith and former All Blacks Justin Marshall, Jeff Wilson and Andrew Mehrtens. He has been to five Rugby World Cups as a broadcaster.

He is also a regular host on Radio Trackside's Saturday morning sports programme with fellow TAB bookmaker Mark Stafford.

Nisbett has grown to be one of the most respected broadcasters in New Zealand alongside Keith Quinn and John McBeth.

He also provides the English commentary on all three Rugby Challenge video games beside Justin Marshall.

He resides in Wellington and is the vice president of the Seatoun Bowling Club.

References

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