Six Nations: The BBC Team

BBC Sport Online profiles some of the key players on the BBC team covering this season's Six Nations Championship.

Bill McLaren

Bill McLaren is the BBC's voice of rugby, having first commentated for the Corporation in 1951.

McLaren: Nearly 50 years as a commentator

Born in Hawick in 1923, he was a devoted rugby player until contracting TB at the age of 25 while serving in Italy during the War.

McLaren went on to become a PE teacher, and also tried his hand as a reporter with the Hawick Express newspaper.

In 1951, he auditioned to become a commentator with BBC Scotland. His first live commentary was on Glasgow v Edinburgh in 1952. His first international was Scotland v Wales in 1953.

McLaren continued to combine broadcasting with teaching, as well as coaching several rugby players, some of whom went on to play for Scotland - Jim Renwick, Colin Deans and Tony Stanger.

Bill retired from teaching in 1987 but continues to lead the BBC's rugby commentary team.

His most memorable sporting moments include watching his son-in-law, Alan Lawson, scoring two tries for Scotland against England in 1976, and Scotland beating England to take the Grand Slam title in 1990.

Eddie Butler

Eddie Butler began his playing career with Pontypool in 1976 and later played for Cambridge.

Butler with the press pack in New Zealand

His talent was quickly noticed by his country and he went on to enjoy a glorious career with Wales, captaining his country between 1980 and1984.

One of the highlights was beating England at Twickenham in 1984.

Born in 1957 in South Wales, Butler also played for the British Lions.

He began working for the BBC in Wales in 1985 and now enjoys a hugely successful career as rugby commentator across BBC TVs portfolio of rugby union.

Eddie's opinion is also well-respected in print as well as across the airwaves - he has been rugby correspondent of The Observer newspaper since 1991.

Nigel Starmer-Smith

Former England scrum-half Nigel Starmer-Smith joined the BBC in 1970 while still playing for his nation.

Starmer-Smith: 30 years with the BBC

Born in Cheltenham on Christmas Day 1944, he was educated at Magdalen College School, Oxford and University College, Oxford.

He worked as a teacher at Epsom College, Surrey before embarking on his broadcasting career.

After working as an assistant producer in radio outside broadcasts for three years, he joined BBC TV'ss Rugby Special as presenter and commentator.

Together with Bill McLaren, Starmer-Smith has been one of the mainstays of the BBC's TV rugby commentary team ever since.

He made his international debut in 1969 when England beat South Africa at Twickenham. He played for Harlequins at club level, and represented England until 1971.

A keen golfer, tennis player, horse racing fan and pianist, Nigel has also commentated on a variety of other sports, including hockey, basketball, volleyball and water-skiing.

Jeremy Guscott

Jeremy Guscott is one of the most outstanding talents ever produced in English rugby.

One of the greats: Guscott

His finest moment came during the 1997 British Lions tour where he kicked a dramatic late goal to clinch a historic series victory on South African soil.

The Bath centre was a key member of three Grand Slam winning sides and two World Cup campaigns. He now has a successful career as BBC TV and radio rugby analyst.

Born in Bath in July 1965, he joined Bath's mini section as a seven year old. At 16 he was invited to join the Bath Youth Team and became a regular player for Bath at the age of 19.

In 1989 he made his international debut against Romania, scoring a hat trick, and within a few weeks was selected for the Lions tour of Australia.

Jonathan Davies

When Jonathan Davies announced his retirement as a player in August 1997 to develop his broadcasting career with the BBC, it was his second major career switch.

Davies: A two-code success

The first came in 1989 when, after a hugely successful rugby union career with Neath, Llanelli and Wales, he switched to league with Widnes.

In 1993 he joined Warrington, scoring 293 points in his first season as the Wilderspool club missed out on the title on points difference.

The following year, he was man of the match and scorer of a wonder try as Britain beat Australia 8-4 at Wembley. He won Player of Year for a second time and was named 'Man of Steel'.

In 1995 Davies was awarded the MBE in New Year's Honours List, and captained Wales to semi-finals of the Halifax Centenary Rugby League World Cup.

He ended his playing career back in the Welsh rugby union fold with Cardiff, and is still the only man to have captained union and league teams for his country.

He collected the first of 27 union caps for Wales against England in 1985 and went on to skipper the side, later adding 13 league caps for Great Britain.

Davies is well-known to viewers of BBC Grandstand and Sunday Grandstand for his expert analysis on both codes.

Ian Robertson

Ian Robertson enjoyed a distinguished rugby career with Cambridge University, Watsonians, London Scottish, Scotland (1970-72) and the Barbarians.

Born in January 1945 and educated at George Watson's College in Edinburgh, his early career was a divided between playing and teaching English at Fettes College in Edinburgh.

One of his most memorable sporting moments of his playing days came when Scotland beat England to win the Calcutta Cup in 1970.

From April 1983 to the present day, Ian has worked as a BBC rugby correspondent, commentating and working on internationals for TV and radio.

Alastair Hignell

Alastair Hignell made his name as an all-round sportsman, playing cricket for Gloucestershire (1974-83) and rugby for Bristol and England (1975-79).

Born in September 1955 in Cambridge and educated at Cambridge University, he went into teaching before joining the BBC in 1985.

In the summer of last year, Alastair revealed he was suffering from MS in an attempt to raise the profile of the disease.

In November a dinner was held which over 700 people attended including the whole England team, raising nearly £200,000 towards the cost of Alastair's treatment.