October 3, 2025 • 6 mins
It’s time for a change for Canterbury’s head rugby coach.
Marty Bourke announced this week that this season will be his last at the helm of the men’s rugby team.
Bourke, who has also been heavily involved with the Chiefs, has taken Canterbury to the playoffs in each of his four years in charge, and is hoping for a fairytale finish.
He joined Lesley Murdoch for a chat about what’s next on the agenda.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Or Marty. First of all, sad news for us here
on Canterbury that you are making the separation to go
somewhere else. Do you know where yet?
Speaker 2 (00:08):
It's primarily it's the under eleven hotel who touch team
at the moment, but be close to the family and
the kids. Looking to extend with the Chiefs. I've always
been an aspirational coach and I feel Kenby's in a
really awesome spot and over the last you know, I've
been lucky enough here for four years and we're we're
in a pretty good place both with the community and
(00:30):
with the high performance. And I'm all around succession planning,
so rather than be pushed out or forced out, giving
other people opportunity the same way ahead when I started.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Look, I know we haven't finished the NPC for twenty
twenty five yet, but this could be your best season.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Yeah, yeah, I think they are all pretty enjoyable seasons
in their own right. And I've always been pretty all
in and every team I've done, and I love christ Church,
I love Canterbury. I wish I could be here for
a long long time, but the coaching can be crawlil
sometimes and trying to find opportunities where they are is
a little bit tough, but definitely want to try and
guard on a high.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Is the timing a bit interesting given that we haven't
finished the NPC.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Just wanted to give certainty to the group and to
Canterbury around what the future looks like. And it's going
into a new stadium next year, so it will be
a sort after all. And it Canterbary deserves to have
the best people at the Helm and doing what they do,
so I fit gives an opportunity for the right applicant
(01:33):
to put their head their case for them, then so
be it. And yeah, we've got a few players leaving
in the end of this year and I just didn't
want it to be about me. So the earlier it
gets out there the better because you know, come sort
of quarter finals. I want it to be about Canterbury
and the team, not myself. If I had it my way,
I would have just slipped out the side door at
the end of the season.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
But the powers that be wouldn't let me do that.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Is it any way we could have kept you?
Speaker 2 (01:56):
No, my family loved and christ Hitch and the last
look up has been up with the Chiefs and my
daughter's going to high school up there and coming down
here five months. And I told the boys this the
other day with Dodge's got a boyfriend in my young
fellow's team thinks he's got a girlfriend as well. So
it's kind of the time as a parent, where do
I need to be?
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Well?
Speaker 2 (02:15):
As I said, it's the greatest job we've ever had,
and I wish I could do it forever, but I
think the time's are right to give someone else a
crack at it.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
It's about a very gutsy decision anyway, that's for sure.
Looking to the match on Sunday here against Taranaki, what
do you want to see from your team?
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Well, it's in the round robin.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
We always put a circle around this game because nothing
is promised with finals footy. So for us it was
this was really the last chance we would get to
play Apollo Projects and if we did well, we're doing
the right to come back, so I really wanted it.
Hopefully the weather plays its part that that showcases Cannonday
rugby and then for me what that looks like revenue Jersey,
it's taken the game back to the yester year and
(02:59):
those people you know, bled for the Jerwsey and did
everything they could to possibly get the result. We know
it's going to be physical, we know turnuck you're going
to be awesome. But since losing the Shield, which has
really hurt us as a group, we want to keep
the fans coming back because the way we play not
something that we had So by playing positive rugby and
doing it with a smile on our face and having
(03:19):
the people behind us is what we're aiming for.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Great ticket prices.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Awesome ticket prices here. I could actually share a few
people some tickets this week, but the occasion, I know,
Mosco I've got really behind it. We're sponsoring it and
getting people in there, and our commercial staff are doing
an awesome job, but trying to keep people coming and
rugby needs it. Afternoon footy and hopefully, as I say,
the weather plays.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
It's part the lineup that you're using your twenty three
game Day twenty three, have you still got a casualty ward?
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Yeah, a little bit. Ah, we could have pushed a
few guys through.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
We've We've obviously lost a couple of guys for the
season with Johnny and Kelly and Corey and Hatch early on.
Everyone else is pretty close to being selectable, but we
just thought be precaution. If we've push too hard too
early and they get broken, it could be a little
bit difficult for us.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
But with the likes of.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Louis and Darry, every time you put a team in
Kenneby Judy, the twenty three are pretty roaring to go.
And I think these game big games experience like we
saw in Northland a lot of there, the sort of
younger players grow tenfold coming out of that and the
learnings of what it takes to be a Keny men.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Oh look, I know we've talked about your defense all
season and you look at that Northland game. You could
easily have relinquished that and just let them have it.
But in the end it wasn't massive, wasn't it going
into the golden point as well? I mean, what how
does your team recover week and week out and throwing
those Ranfilly Shield games as well?
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Yeah, Well, we're lucky enough that we've put a lot
of the defense stuff around our DNA, so I think
we may teo hundred ninety nine tackles in their game
against North lond and it was at about ninety three
percent accuracy. We felt the week before against Otaga, we
let ourselves down around that defensive side. We shouldn't be
a team that leads thirty eight points. So that was
a real focus for us, just getting one of those
weeks with Otago the attack fires and last week at
(05:03):
defense five. So we just need to make both fire
and make a happy coach and the happy canevary.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
So what are you looking for ultimately from today from Sunday,
we just need the win to host.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
A Yeah, well were we again as I said, when
we put a suck around this game, it wasn't to
participate or going and take a point out of that.
We were going to Tadernaki's and Mesopho and Neil Barnes
who coached him, and I've a lot of admiration for
and he's one of the most respected coaches around the
npcccene or New Zealand agbccene Callum Boshi as an outstanding
(05:34):
leader for their group. And I think every time we
play them as a genuine contest, which one we look
forward to.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
We know it's going to be physical, we know it's
going to be fast. It should be an awesome battle
and that should be excited.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
And finally Broncos or Storm.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
I've always been a Broncos boy, so I think I
love the Storm's legacy, but there's something about the Broncos
I love since I was a little teenager.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
So hopefully it's the Broncos time and.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
All Black's over our Bleaeder, Slow Caup make it too No.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Yeah, you always got to pay the over next day.
You can't go any other way. For more from News
Talk sed B, listen
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Live on air or online, and keep our shows with
you wherever you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
Or Marty. First of all, sad news for us here
on Canterbury that you are making the separation to go
somewhere else. Do you know where yet?
Speaker 2 (00:08):
It's primarily it's the under eleven hotel who touch team
at the moment, but be close to the family and
the kids. Looking to extend with the Chiefs. I've always
been an aspirational coach and I feel Kenby's in a
really awesome spot and over the last you know, I've
been lucky enough here for four years and we're we're
in a pretty good place both with the community and
(00:30):
with the high performance. And I'm all around succession planning,
so rather than be pushed out or forced out, giving
other people opportunity the same way ahead when I started.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Look, I know we haven't finished the NPC for twenty
twenty five yet, but this could be your best season.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Yeah, yeah, I think they are all pretty enjoyable seasons
in their own right. And I've always been pretty all
in and every team I've done, and I love christ Church,
I love Canterbury. I wish I could be here for
a long long time, but the coaching can be crawlil
sometimes and trying to find opportunities where they are is
a little bit tough, but definitely want to try and
guard on a high.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Is the timing a bit interesting given that we haven't
finished the NPC.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Just wanted to give certainty to the group and to
Canterbury around what the future looks like. And it's going
into a new stadium next year, so it will be
a sort after all. And it Canterbary deserves to have
the best people at the Helm and doing what they do,
so I fit gives an opportunity for the right applicant
(01:33):
to put their head their case for them, then so
be it. And yeah, we've got a few players leaving
in the end of this year and I just didn't
want it to be about me. So the earlier it
gets out there the better because you know, come sort
of quarter finals. I want it to be about Canterbury
and the team, not myself. If I had it my way,
I would have just slipped out the side door at
the end of the season.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
But the powers that be wouldn't let me do that.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Is it any way we could have kept you?
Speaker 2 (01:56):
No, my family loved and christ Hitch and the last
look up has been up with the Chiefs and my
daughter's going to high school up there and coming down
here five months. And I told the boys this the
other day with Dodge's got a boyfriend in my young
fellow's team thinks he's got a girlfriend as well. So
it's kind of the time as a parent, where do
I need to be?
Speaker 3 (02:15):
Well?
Speaker 2 (02:15):
As I said, it's the greatest job we've ever had,
and I wish I could do it forever, but I
think the time's are right to give someone else a
crack at it.
Speaker 1 (02:22):
It's about a very gutsy decision anyway, that's for sure.
Looking to the match on Sunday here against Taranaki, what
do you want to see from your team?
Speaker 3 (02:35):
Well, it's in the round robin.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
We always put a circle around this game because nothing
is promised with finals footy. So for us it was
this was really the last chance we would get to
play Apollo Projects and if we did well, we're doing
the right to come back, so I really wanted it.
Hopefully the weather plays its part that that showcases Cannonday
rugby and then for me what that looks like revenue Jersey,
it's taken the game back to the yester year and
(02:59):
those people you know, bled for the Jerwsey and did
everything they could to possibly get the result. We know
it's going to be physical, we know turnuck you're going
to be awesome. But since losing the Shield, which has
really hurt us as a group, we want to keep
the fans coming back because the way we play not
something that we had So by playing positive rugby and
doing it with a smile on our face and having
(03:19):
the people behind us is what we're aiming for.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Great ticket prices.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Awesome ticket prices here. I could actually share a few
people some tickets this week, but the occasion, I know,
Mosco I've got really behind it. We're sponsoring it and
getting people in there, and our commercial staff are doing
an awesome job, but trying to keep people coming and
rugby needs it. Afternoon footy and hopefully, as I say,
the weather plays.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
It's part the lineup that you're using your twenty three
game Day twenty three, have you still got a casualty ward?
Speaker 3 (03:46):
Yeah, a little bit. Ah, we could have pushed a
few guys through.
Speaker 2 (03:49):
We've We've obviously lost a couple of guys for the
season with Johnny and Kelly and Corey and Hatch early on.
Everyone else is pretty close to being selectable, but we
just thought be precaution. If we've push too hard too
early and they get broken, it could be a little
bit difficult for us.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
But with the likes of.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Louis and Darry, every time you put a team in
Kenneby Judy, the twenty three are pretty roaring to go.
And I think these game big games experience like we
saw in Northland a lot of there, the sort of
younger players grow tenfold coming out of that and the
learnings of what it takes to be a Keny men.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
Oh look, I know we've talked about your defense all
season and you look at that Northland game. You could
easily have relinquished that and just let them have it.
But in the end it wasn't massive, wasn't it going
into the golden point as well? I mean, what how
does your team recover week and week out and throwing
those Ranfilly Shield games as well?
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Yeah, Well, we're lucky enough that we've put a lot
of the defense stuff around our DNA, so I think
we may teo hundred ninety nine tackles in their game
against North lond and it was at about ninety three
percent accuracy. We felt the week before against Otaga, we
let ourselves down around that defensive side. We shouldn't be
a team that leads thirty eight points. So that was
a real focus for us, just getting one of those
weeks with Otago the attack fires and last week at
(05:03):
defense five. So we just need to make both fire
and make a happy coach and the happy canevary.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
So what are you looking for ultimately from today from Sunday,
we just need the win to host.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
A Yeah, well were we again as I said, when
we put a suck around this game, it wasn't to
participate or going and take a point out of that.
We were going to Tadernaki's and Mesopho and Neil Barnes
who coached him, and I've a lot of admiration for
and he's one of the most respected coaches around the
npcccene or New Zealand agbccene Callum Boshi as an outstanding
(05:34):
leader for their group. And I think every time we
play them as a genuine contest, which one we look
forward to.
Speaker 3 (05:40):
We know it's going to be physical, we know it's
going to be fast. It should be an awesome battle
and that should be excited.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
And finally Broncos or Storm.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
I've always been a Broncos boy, so I think I
love the Storm's legacy, but there's something about the Broncos
I love since I was a little teenager.
Speaker 3 (05:56):
So hopefully it's the Broncos time and.
Speaker 1 (05:59):
All Black's over our Bleaeder, Slow Caup make it too No.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Yeah, you always got to pay the over next day.
You can't go any other way. For more from News
Talk sed B, listen
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Live on air or online, and keep our shows with
you wherever you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
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