Eddie Butler (rugby union)

Welsh rugby union player, journalist and sports commentator (1957–2022)

Edward Thomas Butler (8 May 1957 – 15 September 2022) was a Welsh rugby union player, journalist and sports commentator. He won 16 caps for the Wales national team between 1980 and 1984 and scored two tries.

Butler was born on 8 May 1957. He was educated at Monmouth School and Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, where he studied French and Spanish between 1976 and 1978. Butler played as a number eight and gained Cambridge Blues in 1976, 1977 and 1978, Butler played in 16 matches for the Welsh national side between 1980 and 1984 and captained the side in six of those matches. He captained Pontypool RFC side between 1982 and 1985, in succession to Jeff Squire. He was chosen for the Barbarians and the British Lions, touring with the latter in 1983. as well as commentating for the BBC with Brian Moore, the former England hooker. Before commentating on a match, Butler prepared for several hours, absorbing as much information as he could, but taking few notes, and likened it to cramming for an examination. He described writing a match report, often under time pressure, as telling a story which does not necessarily have to follow the timeline of the match so long as it is entertaining and complete. In 2008 Butler provided commentary for archery at the Beijing Olympics. Butler presented the history series: Wales and the History of the World (BBC1 Wales), Hidden Histories (BBC2), Welsh Towns at War (BBC1) in 2014 and two series of Welsh Towns (BBC2 Wales) in 2015. He was on the commentating team for the Invictus Games. He also worked on association football assignments, including a special interview with Eric Cantona for an FA Cup Final edition of Grandstand in 1994. Butler was a supporter of Welsh independence and spoke at a pro independence march in Merthyr Tydfil organised by YesCymru and AUOB Cymru on 7 September 2019.

Butler was married to Susan at the time of his death and had six children.