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The notes from Sara Orchard’s BBC One commentary of the historic 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup Final have been revealed to highlight the incredible detail a commentator goes into to prepare for a match.
The single page of notes covers everything from the former RAF officer and the netball star to the England player who loves a cup of Yorkshire tea, with details about every player in the matchday squads.
It includes information about the England and the Canada teams that took to Twickenham for the home side’s historic 33-13 victory in the tournament.
And Orchard, one of rugby’s most prominent commentators, has made her notes available to buy via The Sports Commentators, who have more than 10,000 original commentary sheets in their archive.
Orchard said: “For England to win on home soil and for that to happen on BBC One is something that I won’t forget. And yes, my approach to commentary has evolved. It evolves all the time.
“But when you do a TV commentary, you do it a little bit differently because you are so trusted on what your eyes see.
“You have to make sure your player identification is on point. For radio, it is so much more about making sure you get the time, the score, the significance, and making sure that you can paint the pictures that people just can’t see. It’s very different on the TV. That’s why you’ve got to build those backstories, and make sure that everyone comes along with you.”
The notes used by Orchard are painstakingly detailed with background notes on every player including Ellie Kildunne, whose notes include her nickname ‘The Cowgirl’ – a celebration she showcased when she scored her try in the final.
Orchard says: “You can’t look further than Ellie Kildunne for England. She was under quite a bit of pressure at the start of the tournament with that tag as the World Player of the Year from 2024, and for her to step up and score the tries that she did in both the semi-final and the final, that just shows the quality of the woman. And what’s more exciting is, she’s not finished yet.”
Fans can now get a print of the incredible notes from the final on September 27. The print features Orchard’s hand-written notes on each player from each team, along with match details including the official attendance and final score.
It is available in A2 and A3, framed or just as a print, with prices ranging from £29 to £99 – and you can even buy a signed and framed A2 print for £149.
Each version is a high-quality reproduction of the original sheets, with wet signatures that are witnessed and verified. And Planet Rugby readers can get a discount on any purchase by entering the code PR at checkout.
There are around 400 commentary notes available to purchase online, including England’s 2003 World Cup win, but with over 10,000 in the archive, e-mail hello@thesportscommentators.com if you don’t see what you’re looking for and there’s every chance it’s available.
Browse the collection at The Sports Commentators.