October 10, 2024 • 19 mins
On Sports Fix with Nick Bewley and Jason Pine for Friday 11th October, Sailing professor Mark Orams previews the Americas Cup
Piney offers his thoughts on the All Whites road to the next FIFA World Cup finals and why it's such a smooth trip for them this time round
Plus, the lads discuss Shaun Johnsons return to the Kiwis after Jahrome Hughes' injury and the NPC Quarter Finals
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News talks 'b follow
this and our wide range of podcast now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
It'd be hello and welcome into a fresh episode of
the sports podcast. We've reached the end of another week, Friday,
October eleven. Today, I'm Jason pine.
Speaker 4 (00:29):
And I'm neguly good to be here at the end
of the week. Piney running a little bit on fumes.
But look, it's so much happening, isn't there in the
world of sport, particularly here in New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
And Dave Let's charge towards the finish line. Lots of
things to kick around in the chamber today. And with
the America's Cup looming, the actual America's Cup match, who
will we got as far as a guest is concerned today.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
Yeah, We've got the great man Mark Orham's sailing professor
New Zealand Herald columnists to just talk us through.
Speaker 5 (00:57):
I guess some of the key aspects of.
Speaker 4 (00:59):
This final match against Annieols Britannia.
Speaker 5 (01:02):
Is it missing antagonist? Is it missing a Jimmy spittle
off the water? And how competitive do we think it'll be?
Speaker 4 (01:08):
On I must admit Piney, I was surprised that Britannia
are there. It's the first time a Britain voat are
in the final for sixty odd years. So looking forward
to getting Mark's thoughts.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
All right, let's get into it. In other news, let's begin,
as always by checking out some of the big sports
stories going around today. Sean Johnson will come out of
retirement for this month's Specific Championships Rugby League tournament in
place of the injured Delhian medal winner Jerome Hues, but
only because it was Stacey Jones, the coach who asked
(01:37):
the question.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
You cannot say no to the person that you hold
in the utmost I guess, the highest regard in my eyes,
of respect and someone I've always looked up to.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
Rafa Nadal has announced his retirement from professional tennis. He
won twenty two Grand Slam titles, fourteen of those at
the French Opens. Yes, and Harry Brookers scored England's first
triple century in nearly three and a half decades on
the fourth day of the first England Pakistan Cricket Test.
Speaker 6 (02:08):
Brook clubs it down the ground and in the heat
and dust of Moltwan. He becomes only the sixth England
batsman to make three hundred in task cricket, joining Hunton,
sandom Adrich Hammond.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
And Gurch leading a vix. We've got just the ticket.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
It's Sports Vix Power by News Talks IVY.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
The All Whites are about to set off along their
path to the twenty twenty six feet for World Cup.
Today they play Tahiti, followed by matches against Vanduwatu and
some all next month. Then early next year they'll play
one of Fiji, the Solomon Islands PNG or New Caledonia
in a semi final, and then one of those seven
teams I've just mentioned in the Oceania final, and that's it.
(02:53):
Win that final and the ticket to the World Cup
is punched. That is, by some distance, the smoothest path
New Zealand has ever had to a senior men's World Cup,
and it's come courtesy of the expansion of the tournament
from thirty two to four the eighteens, giving direct entry
to the winner of Oceania. Now, since Australia left Oceanny
(03:14):
and New Zealand's been untroubled in our confederation, but they've
always faced a daunting intercontinental playoff as the final step
to the World Cup that was negotiated in two thousand
and nine the famous Bahrain Game in Wellington. But since
then bigger footballing nations Mexico in twenty thirteen, Peru in
twenty seventeen and Costa Rica in twenty twenty two have
(03:36):
proved a bridge too far. Now that bridge has been removed,
or more correctly, the path doesn't even have a bridge anymore.
The All Whites road to the World Cup is now
basically pretty stress free. With a team full of professionals,
They're far too strong for the tiny island nations with
players who are almost entirely amateur. That's a shame in
some ways because marvelous magical knights like the bar Rain
(03:59):
Night will never be repeated. But on the other hand,
it will give our top players a pinnacle event to
realistically strive for, to qualify for, and most importantly, to
compete in. Making the World Cup used to be a
dream and one achieved by very few just twice in
our men's history. Now that passage is almost guaranteed, the
(04:19):
new aim should be to win matches at World Cups.
That bit can wait for a while. For now, win
Oceania and do it with pinash and with style, No
scratchy two to one wins, no uncomfortable moments for the players,
the coaching staff and the fans. Be the big dog
in Oceania. Win it and win it well, and springboard
(04:40):
with confidence and momentum into the twenty twenty six World Cup.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
ST's time to tack in so a bit a sailing chad.
Of course, we're only a couple of sleeps away, well,
a full sleep away at least from the real deal.
Team New Zealand's putting the old mug back on the
line in a best of thirteen series against Ineos Britannia.
Mark ORMs is a sailing professor at the Auckland University Technology,
(05:09):
former World champion sailor and member of Team New Zealand,
and a regular columnist for the New Zealand Herald. Thanks
for stopping by on the pod Mark. Before we get
to the ins and outs of the America's Cup final match,
how would your excitement levels compare to previous editions.
Speaker 7 (05:27):
Oh, I think they're ramping up as they always have
in previous editions. Probably the most exciting, of course, is
when you're directly involved rather than watching from a distance
like we are, but you're just fascinated by the technology
and the development that's occurred in the sport, which of
course is quite remarkable when you consider the foiling yachts
and the speeds they're able to reach now. So really
(05:48):
looking forward to it.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
What if you're made of Inyos Britannia, Because I've seen
a lot of commentary around even it felt that for
sybn Ainsley that they were a dark horse, and I
heard Grant Dalton on with Mike this morning, so they
were anticipating having Lunar Rosser vying against them for the
old mug. What have Innyos Britannia done so well to
be here? Well?
Speaker 7 (06:11):
I think in short, they've been the most improved team,
and they've improved from where they started, and it is
an improvement and design development and sailing development game. Falling
yots a notoriously tweaky and so far as you can
make a relatively small change and see potentially quite a
big gain in boat speed, and what the Brits have
(06:32):
done is that they've gone much further from where they
started than any other team. They were a bit average
to be honest, in the round robins and the preliminary
gater sort of two months ago. But they've just got
better and better, and you can see as they went
through even the Louis Baton Finals, they continued to improve
to a point where they actually dominated those last three races.
Speaker 8 (06:52):
How much of an advantage is it, then, mark the
fact that any Ospritannia have raced eighteen times in the
last three weeks while Team New Zealand have been on
the shore watching on in preparation.
Speaker 7 (07:04):
Certainly an advantage in terms of race readiness. And that's
not the ability to race against your opponent, it's also
the ability to develop your routines and your management of
the racetrack in various conditions. Of course, while Team New
Zealand has been watching very carefully, they haven't actually just
been sitting back there on the shore waiting for it
(07:25):
all to unfold. They've been out there developing taejuto as well,
and something that they've built in this time which I
haven't heard many people talk about, but which is actually
a really significant advantage for Team New Zealanders. They've actually
had the ability to be on the race course right
throughout the semi finals and the Louis Vuitton Cup Final series,
(07:46):
before the racing and after the racing. So in effect,
they've been doing dummy runs and checking in in exactly
the same conditions and exactly the same location as Lunarossa,
Prator Pralli and Anios Britanna over that period of time.
Now that's not just important in terms of Team New
Zealand dialing in, it also allows them to check their
(08:06):
performance data against the perform data of their opponent. So
the Team New Zealand boffins have a very good idea,
probably even more than the Brits do, of their performance
relative to one another. That can give a lot of
confidence to the key we was going in assuming that
that analysis shows that they've gotten advantage.
Speaker 4 (08:27):
You mentioned their mark conditions how much and we saw
some strong wins, didn't we When Luna Rossa wins up
against Britannia. How much will the wind determine not only
the outcome but the excitement we get on the water.
Speaker 7 (08:42):
I think it'll have a really big influence. And the
Louis de Baton Challenger Finals were actually remarkably windy. If
you've been following the event all the way through in Barcelona,
from the preliminary gatter, and indeed during the Youth America's
Cup and now the Women's America's Cup, what happened over
those races of the Louis Ton Final was actually an anomaly.
(09:02):
It was really high wind strengths, and in fact, on
a couple of occasions racing got postponed or called off
because it was two windy, and I think that really
played into the Brits hands a bit. Luna Rossa Prataparelli
was a yacht that was designed and optimized for war
around the eight to twelve, not wind speed, whereas the Brits,
I think, had optimized their design and they're moding for
(09:25):
a bit of a higher wind strength, and so what
happened in the Louis Baton finals sort of played into
the Brits hands a little bit. And looking forward at
the forecast for the first four races of the America's Cup,
the wind forecasts are quite light, so that sort of
again goes back to the normal pattern as opposed to
the anomaly we saw in the Challenger Series finals.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
How critical, too mark is the start and is it
too simplistic to say the start will decide the outcome?
We'll put it this way, how do you win if
you lose the start?
Speaker 7 (09:58):
Yes, yeah, good, good question. I think in any sport
and you think about, say watching a Formula one race,
and that's why they have the qualifying and it's quite
often that the pole sitter or somebody at the front
of the grid obviously has a huge advantage because if
you're further back, it's really difficult to get past. It's
very similar in sailing. So getting off the start line
(10:21):
clean or hopefully with an advantage puts you in, as
they say, the pole position, to control the race and
to try and bank a win. If you are not
able to get off the start even and you end
up trailing, there are a couple of things that you
need to do. Firstly, you need to keep it close,
not rolling the dice too early and sort of spearing
off somewhere and taking a high risk option tactically and
(10:44):
end up falling further behind where you're really out of
touch and you can't have a chance of manufacturing a part.
So if you're behind, first priority is keep it close.
Second priority is look for the opportunity to chip away
and put pressure on the boat in front, try and
manufacture a situation where you can get a split around
one of the turning gates so that you can potentially
(11:05):
get a different wind shift or increased and strength so
that you can make a game. And then you try
and manufacture a pass or put a pressure on enough
that your opponent makes a mistake and you can get past.
That's particularly important if you're faster. If you are faster,
you can generally keep it close and then it makes
it much much harder for the boat in front to defend.
Speaker 5 (11:27):
Mark or I'm staying so much for your time.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
I think as all sports fans, we're just we like
a contest. Of course, we like the Kiwis to do well,
but we like that jeopardy, that unpredictability. Looking forward to
the racing beginning Sunday, New Zealand time.
Speaker 5 (11:40):
Thanks for your time, absolute pleasure.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
The chamber is now in session on Sportsfax.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
Very interesting stuff from Mark Orham's there. Well, let's pop
inside the chamber now. Lots of America's Cup chat, but
other chat as well around the place. Now we spoke
twenty four hours or so ago. You all's a new
said look, even with Jerome Hughes out of the Kiwis,
which was a big blow and I think you likened
it the Cane Williamson being out of the Black Caps.
You said, there's no way Sean Thomson as answering that is,
(12:08):
but Sean Johnson has n't swered Stacy Jones, so.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
Os thanks for the reminder, Piney. Yes, twenty four hours
is a long time in rugby league, as we all know. Look,
I thought I left a little bit open that I
was on the understanding and I had seen. I went
back and had a look at a couple of articles
that Sean Johnson, even though he said if Jerome Hughes
was out he'd answer the call, that he'd then got
(12:31):
to backtracked off that because he'd gone out and tested
his troublesome kellies during his retirement. It was a little
bit sore and that kind of put a line through things.
Obviously things have changed, and I spoke to Greg Peters,
the New Zealand Rugby League CEO, on Sports Talk on
ZB last night.
Speaker 5 (12:47):
He said Sean.
Speaker 4 (12:48):
Went through some of those physical exams, fitness tests.
Speaker 5 (12:52):
The r kellys was good.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
And we've heard today over on Sean Johnson's play on
podcast that look, when a guy like Stacy Jones, who
he holds in the highest regard calls you just cannot
say no. So look, I support this move by Stacy Jones.
I'm glad Sean Johnson has answered the soees because we
had very much down in the depth chart, not only
(13:16):
Jerome Hughes, no Dylan Brown, no Karen for and just
to name a couple to Mighty Martin at the Warriors
is out with a neck issue as well.
Speaker 5 (13:24):
So it was getting pretty desperate.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
And I feel for Stacy Jones and his first assignment,
Let's not forget as head coach, he really wanted to
lean on someone he trusts, someone with a lot of experience,
who has that game management capability, that kicking game to
at least give themselves a chance. It's now not a
formal gone conclusion They're going to defend the Pacific Championship
title just because Shawn Johnson's there, but I think it
(13:49):
certainly gives them a better chance against Australia and Tonga
as opposed to the other options.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Yeah, I love it. I really do too. Yeah, and
you look at the other way Shawn Johnson played when
he was playing well in twenty twenty four. I know
he was afflicted by that injury. I mean twenty twenty three,
Seawn Johnson was the Shawn Johnson I'll always remember, I mean,
what season he had last season. But even in that
very last game, you know, when he's setting up winning
tries or setting up tries with a you know, a
(14:14):
play right at the end, he's clearly still got as
the kids would say, clearly still got game.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
So so and you're only as good as your last
game us a classic old sports cliche.
Speaker 5 (14:26):
And as you say, he carved up.
Speaker 4 (14:27):
Cronulla, so let's hope he can recapture that magic. I'm
absolutely fizzed because the first Test is here in my
neck of the woods in christ Church in a couple
of weeks against Australia, and speaking of Greek Peters, as
I mentioned, I think there's about three hundred tickets left
for that game and a put you know, getting.
Speaker 5 (14:43):
Someone like Shan Johnson now involved.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
As much as it's a shame we're not having the
Dalian medal winner in Jerome Hughes, but I think those
those tickets will be snapped up, if not already.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
Bound to be bound to be all right. So now
across the weekend before we get to the league, which
is a couple of weekends away. This coming weekend is
quarter final weekend and the Bunnings end PC. As the
top eight sides look for a place in the semi finals,
can we quickly go go through these games? Wellington? Yeah,
my Wellington lines tonight against Counties. Apart from the fact
that two weeks ago Counties put fifty on the Lions.
(15:13):
I look at Wellington and I look at the players
coming back. Duplessi Kodifi, he has been out with a
broken jaw, returns to captain the side. Bill so our
safer one Moor is there, Billy prop the TJ. Petinata
is also in the squad. Ruben Love will come off
the bench. Even though Counties have got Camroy guard. I
feel like the Lions win this, don't they.
Speaker 5 (15:30):
There's a lot of class there, Pioneer.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
But games are one on paper, so look I think, yes,
you're right, they go in as favorites. The one thing
about all blacks coming back, and yes it is good
for the profile of the competition, but I do wonder
if sometimes it can inhibit a team in terms of
how well they've been going, in terms of their structures
and these guys just getting parachutes straight back in so
that'll be an interesting site.
Speaker 5 (15:53):
But I will go with your Lions and I'll say
they'll and get the job.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
Done all right. Tomorrow two quarterfinals Bay have plenty, Hawks
Bay which is the proper Bay, which is the bay
that's going to march on towards the semifinals.
Speaker 4 (16:06):
Look for my safety on the Country Sports Breakfast with
Brian and Mark Kelly, I will back the Steamers.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
Well, look, I feel like they'll win the game Hawk's Bay. Look,
they've kind of been you know, they've kind of I
don't know, flattered to deceive as even the right word.
They've just been a bit up and down, haven't they.
I watched them last week against Wellington, put on twenty
one points in the first fifteen minutes, but then still
lose the game, you know, with Wellington going away at
the end by forty six twenty eight. So I mean
(16:35):
that's not that there's not championship form, is it.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
No, I'd say they've they haven't been the same since
they lost the Shield Piney, and I don't blame them.
This is obviously a lot of emotion that goes into
each one of those defenses. Tasman pick it up and
they've kind of gone through the motions since, so out
of the four, for me, this was the easiest one to.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Pick, all right, Chiefs Derby, Taranaki, Waykutor. What happens in
New Plymouth tomorrow at a round oh tomorrow night, seven
oh five tomorrow night under the lights that I presume
this one's at Yarrow Stadium used it is who wins.
Speaker 5 (17:04):
This Taranaki For mine.
Speaker 4 (17:07):
I saw Wakuto my own eyes last week get beaten
by Canterbury and they went through a fair amount of
adversity to be fair, lost their first five open side flanker.
They had a flanker on the wing who ended up
scoring two of their three tries. But not only Waikato's issues.
I just think Taranaki after winning the shield last week, Yes,
(17:28):
there'll be a bit of a come down from that,
but the way Neil Barnes gets his team ticking and
with young Josh Jacob there, who I think is one
of the most exciting prospects in New Zealand rugby running
the cutter at ten, I think Taranaki get the job done.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
And finally Sunday at Lansdowne Park, Blenham, scene of Tasman's
first defense of the Ranvilly Shield when they repelled Wellington.
They're back over there to take on your Canterbury boys.
I think earlier in the season Tasman had a twenty
two points to seven win in the round robin fixture
the Muckle over Canterbury.
Speaker 4 (18:02):
Yeah, that's a long time ago and I do wonder
the Muckle coming off that storm week, coming off the
disappointment of relinquishing the shield. Like I said about hawks By,
I just wonder where they'll be at. Of course they'll
be up in terms of being at home quarter final.
Speaker 5 (18:19):
They'll try and reach into their focus.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
But I think Canterbury, even though it's something what a
fortnight on from them shipping sixty five points against North Harbor,
they've got a bit of quality back with Fletcher Nule,
he'll shore up this scrum at tight head prop George
Bell and Sam Dowry as well. In terms of all blacks,
Tasman have Ethan blacket Are and David Harvelly, so it's
basically even. But I have to pick an upset somewhere and.
Speaker 5 (18:41):
I'm going to lean the way of the Red and
Black tiny surprise.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
Well, look it certainly you could knock me over with
a feather, as they say to you, yet another cliche.
Fourteen teams have become eight for the weekend. Eight will
become four at the end of the weekend as we
head towards the semi finals. That's all we have time
for in the chamber today.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
This is Sportsfix, your daily does of sports news.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
How in by news talks there be.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
And that is us for another week of the Sports
Fix podcast. A fresh episode will drop into your podcast
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every weekday if you subscribe to Sports Fix, that will
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Speaker 5 (19:20):
Pretty simpleant, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (19:21):
And for more sport, don't forget to turn into News
Talk zb between seven and eight week days.
Speaker 5 (19:27):
That's sports Talk.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
It'll be me tonight, the Darcy Water Grave back next
week and of course Piney is behind the mic between
twelve and three on Saturday and Sunday with Weekend Sport.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
For more from News Talk ZEDB listen live on air
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You're listening to a podcast from News talks 'b follow
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Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
It'd be hello and welcome into a fresh episode of
the sports podcast. We've reached the end of another week, Friday,
October eleven. Today, I'm Jason pine.
Speaker 4 (00:29):
And I'm neguly good to be here at the end
of the week. Piney running a little bit on fumes.
But look, it's so much happening, isn't there in the
world of sport, particularly here in New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (00:38):
And Dave Let's charge towards the finish line. Lots of
things to kick around in the chamber today. And with
the America's Cup looming, the actual America's Cup match, who
will we got as far as a guest is concerned today.
Speaker 4 (00:49):
Yeah, We've got the great man Mark Orham's sailing professor
New Zealand Herald columnists to just talk us through.
Speaker 5 (00:57):
I guess some of the key aspects of.
Speaker 4 (00:59):
This final match against Annieols Britannia.
Speaker 5 (01:02):
Is it missing antagonist? Is it missing a Jimmy spittle
off the water? And how competitive do we think it'll be?
Speaker 4 (01:08):
On I must admit Piney, I was surprised that Britannia
are there. It's the first time a Britain voat are
in the final for sixty odd years. So looking forward
to getting Mark's thoughts.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
All right, let's get into it. In other news, let's begin,
as always by checking out some of the big sports
stories going around today. Sean Johnson will come out of
retirement for this month's Specific Championships Rugby League tournament in
place of the injured Delhian medal winner Jerome Hues, but
only because it was Stacey Jones, the coach who asked
(01:37):
the question.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
You cannot say no to the person that you hold
in the utmost I guess, the highest regard in my eyes,
of respect and someone I've always looked up to.
Speaker 3 (01:46):
Rafa Nadal has announced his retirement from professional tennis. He
won twenty two Grand Slam titles, fourteen of those at
the French Opens. Yes, and Harry Brookers scored England's first
triple century in nearly three and a half decades on
the fourth day of the first England Pakistan Cricket Test.
Speaker 6 (02:08):
Brook clubs it down the ground and in the heat
and dust of Moltwan. He becomes only the sixth England
batsman to make three hundred in task cricket, joining Hunton,
sandom Adrich Hammond.
Speaker 2 (02:24):
And Gurch leading a vix. We've got just the ticket.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
It's Sports Vix Power by News Talks IVY.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
The All Whites are about to set off along their
path to the twenty twenty six feet for World Cup.
Today they play Tahiti, followed by matches against Vanduwatu and
some all next month. Then early next year they'll play
one of Fiji, the Solomon Islands PNG or New Caledonia
in a semi final, and then one of those seven
teams I've just mentioned in the Oceania final, and that's it.
(02:53):
Win that final and the ticket to the World Cup
is punched. That is, by some distance, the smoothest path
New Zealand has ever had to a senior men's World Cup,
and it's come courtesy of the expansion of the tournament
from thirty two to four the eighteens, giving direct entry
to the winner of Oceania. Now, since Australia left Oceanny
(03:14):
and New Zealand's been untroubled in our confederation, but they've
always faced a daunting intercontinental playoff as the final step
to the World Cup that was negotiated in two thousand
and nine the famous Bahrain Game in Wellington. But since
then bigger footballing nations Mexico in twenty thirteen, Peru in
twenty seventeen and Costa Rica in twenty twenty two have
(03:36):
proved a bridge too far. Now that bridge has been removed,
or more correctly, the path doesn't even have a bridge anymore.
The All Whites road to the World Cup is now
basically pretty stress free. With a team full of professionals,
They're far too strong for the tiny island nations with
players who are almost entirely amateur. That's a shame in
some ways because marvelous magical knights like the bar Rain
(03:59):
Night will never be repeated. But on the other hand,
it will give our top players a pinnacle event to
realistically strive for, to qualify for, and most importantly, to
compete in. Making the World Cup used to be a
dream and one achieved by very few just twice in
our men's history. Now that passage is almost guaranteed, the
(04:19):
new aim should be to win matches at World Cups.
That bit can wait for a while. For now, win
Oceania and do it with pinash and with style, No
scratchy two to one wins, no uncomfortable moments for the players,
the coaching staff and the fans. Be the big dog
in Oceania. Win it and win it well, and springboard
(04:40):
with confidence and momentum into the twenty twenty six World Cup.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
ST's time to tack in so a bit a sailing chad.
Of course, we're only a couple of sleeps away, well,
a full sleep away at least from the real deal.
Team New Zealand's putting the old mug back on the
line in a best of thirteen series against Ineos Britannia.
Mark ORMs is a sailing professor at the Auckland University Technology,
(05:09):
former World champion sailor and member of Team New Zealand,
and a regular columnist for the New Zealand Herald. Thanks
for stopping by on the pod Mark. Before we get
to the ins and outs of the America's Cup final match,
how would your excitement levels compare to previous editions.
Speaker 7 (05:27):
Oh, I think they're ramping up as they always have
in previous editions. Probably the most exciting, of course, is
when you're directly involved rather than watching from a distance
like we are, but you're just fascinated by the technology
and the development that's occurred in the sport, which of
course is quite remarkable when you consider the foiling yachts
and the speeds they're able to reach now. So really
(05:48):
looking forward to it.
Speaker 4 (05:49):
What if you're made of Inyos Britannia, Because I've seen
a lot of commentary around even it felt that for
sybn Ainsley that they were a dark horse, and I
heard Grant Dalton on with Mike this morning, so they
were anticipating having Lunar Rosser vying against them for the
old mug. What have Innyos Britannia done so well to
be here? Well?
Speaker 7 (06:11):
I think in short, they've been the most improved team,
and they've improved from where they started, and it is
an improvement and design development and sailing development game. Falling
yots a notoriously tweaky and so far as you can
make a relatively small change and see potentially quite a
big gain in boat speed, and what the Brits have
(06:32):
done is that they've gone much further from where they
started than any other team. They were a bit average
to be honest, in the round robins and the preliminary
gater sort of two months ago. But they've just got
better and better, and you can see as they went
through even the Louis Baton Finals, they continued to improve
to a point where they actually dominated those last three races.
Speaker 8 (06:52):
How much of an advantage is it, then, mark the
fact that any Ospritannia have raced eighteen times in the
last three weeks while Team New Zealand have been on
the shore watching on in preparation.
Speaker 7 (07:04):
Certainly an advantage in terms of race readiness. And that's
not the ability to race against your opponent, it's also
the ability to develop your routines and your management of
the racetrack in various conditions. Of course, while Team New
Zealand has been watching very carefully, they haven't actually just
been sitting back there on the shore waiting for it
(07:25):
all to unfold. They've been out there developing taejuto as well,
and something that they've built in this time which I
haven't heard many people talk about, but which is actually
a really significant advantage for Team New Zealanders. They've actually
had the ability to be on the race course right
throughout the semi finals and the Louis Vuitton Cup Final series,
(07:46):
before the racing and after the racing. So in effect,
they've been doing dummy runs and checking in in exactly
the same conditions and exactly the same location as Lunarossa,
Prator Pralli and Anios Britanna over that period of time.
Now that's not just important in terms of Team New
Zealand dialing in, it also allows them to check their
(08:06):
performance data against the perform data of their opponent. So
the Team New Zealand boffins have a very good idea,
probably even more than the Brits do, of their performance
relative to one another. That can give a lot of
confidence to the key we was going in assuming that
that analysis shows that they've gotten advantage.
Speaker 4 (08:27):
You mentioned their mark conditions how much and we saw
some strong wins, didn't we When Luna Rossa wins up
against Britannia. How much will the wind determine not only
the outcome but the excitement we get on the water.
Speaker 7 (08:42):
I think it'll have a really big influence. And the
Louis de Baton Challenger Finals were actually remarkably windy. If
you've been following the event all the way through in Barcelona,
from the preliminary gatter, and indeed during the Youth America's
Cup and now the Women's America's Cup, what happened over
those races of the Louis Ton Final was actually an anomaly.
(09:02):
It was really high wind strengths, and in fact, on
a couple of occasions racing got postponed or called off
because it was two windy, and I think that really
played into the Brits hands a bit. Luna Rossa Prataparelli
was a yacht that was designed and optimized for war
around the eight to twelve, not wind speed, whereas the Brits,
I think, had optimized their design and they're moding for
(09:25):
a bit of a higher wind strength, and so what
happened in the Louis Baton finals sort of played into
the Brits hands a little bit. And looking forward at
the forecast for the first four races of the America's Cup,
the wind forecasts are quite light, so that sort of
again goes back to the normal pattern as opposed to
the anomaly we saw in the Challenger Series finals.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
How critical, too mark is the start and is it
too simplistic to say the start will decide the outcome?
We'll put it this way, how do you win if
you lose the start?
Speaker 7 (09:58):
Yes, yeah, good, good question. I think in any sport
and you think about, say watching a Formula one race,
and that's why they have the qualifying and it's quite
often that the pole sitter or somebody at the front
of the grid obviously has a huge advantage because if
you're further back, it's really difficult to get past. It's
very similar in sailing. So getting off the start line
(10:21):
clean or hopefully with an advantage puts you in, as
they say, the pole position, to control the race and
to try and bank a win. If you are not
able to get off the start even and you end
up trailing, there are a couple of things that you
need to do. Firstly, you need to keep it close,
not rolling the dice too early and sort of spearing
off somewhere and taking a high risk option tactically and
(10:44):
end up falling further behind where you're really out of
touch and you can't have a chance of manufacturing a part.
So if you're behind, first priority is keep it close.
Second priority is look for the opportunity to chip away
and put pressure on the boat in front, try and
manufacture a situation where you can get a split around
one of the turning gates so that you can potentially
(11:05):
get a different wind shift or increased and strength so
that you can make a game. And then you try
and manufacture a pass or put a pressure on enough
that your opponent makes a mistake and you can get past.
That's particularly important if you're faster. If you are faster,
you can generally keep it close and then it makes
it much much harder for the boat in front to defend.
Speaker 5 (11:27):
Mark or I'm staying so much for your time.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
I think as all sports fans, we're just we like
a contest. Of course, we like the Kiwis to do well,
but we like that jeopardy, that unpredictability. Looking forward to
the racing beginning Sunday, New Zealand time.
Speaker 5 (11:40):
Thanks for your time, absolute pleasure.
Speaker 2 (11:41):
The chamber is now in session on Sportsfax.
Speaker 3 (11:46):
Very interesting stuff from Mark Orham's there. Well, let's pop
inside the chamber now. Lots of America's Cup chat, but
other chat as well around the place. Now we spoke
twenty four hours or so ago. You all's a new
said look, even with Jerome Hughes out of the Kiwis,
which was a big blow and I think you likened
it the Cane Williamson being out of the Black Caps.
You said, there's no way Sean Thomson as answering that is,
(12:08):
but Sean Johnson has n't swered Stacy Jones, so.
Speaker 4 (12:11):
Os thanks for the reminder, Piney. Yes, twenty four hours
is a long time in rugby league, as we all know. Look,
I thought I left a little bit open that I
was on the understanding and I had seen. I went
back and had a look at a couple of articles
that Sean Johnson, even though he said if Jerome Hughes
was out he'd answer the call, that he'd then got
(12:31):
to backtracked off that because he'd gone out and tested
his troublesome kellies during his retirement. It was a little
bit sore and that kind of put a line through things.
Obviously things have changed, and I spoke to Greg Peters,
the New Zealand Rugby League CEO, on Sports Talk on
ZB last night.
Speaker 5 (12:47):
He said Sean.
Speaker 4 (12:48):
Went through some of those physical exams, fitness tests.
Speaker 5 (12:52):
The r kellys was good.
Speaker 4 (12:53):
And we've heard today over on Sean Johnson's play on
podcast that look, when a guy like Stacy Jones, who
he holds in the highest regard calls you just cannot
say no. So look, I support this move by Stacy Jones.
I'm glad Sean Johnson has answered the soees because we
had very much down in the depth chart, not only
(13:16):
Jerome Hughes, no Dylan Brown, no Karen for and just
to name a couple to Mighty Martin at the Warriors
is out with a neck issue as well.
Speaker 5 (13:24):
So it was getting pretty desperate.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
And I feel for Stacy Jones and his first assignment,
Let's not forget as head coach, he really wanted to
lean on someone he trusts, someone with a lot of experience,
who has that game management capability, that kicking game to
at least give themselves a chance. It's now not a
formal gone conclusion They're going to defend the Pacific Championship
title just because Shawn Johnson's there, but I think it
(13:49):
certainly gives them a better chance against Australia and Tonga
as opposed to the other options.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
Yeah, I love it. I really do too. Yeah, and
you look at the other way Shawn Johnson played when
he was playing well in twenty twenty four. I know
he was afflicted by that injury. I mean twenty twenty three,
Seawn Johnson was the Shawn Johnson I'll always remember, I mean,
what season he had last season. But even in that
very last game, you know, when he's setting up winning
tries or setting up tries with a you know, a
(14:14):
play right at the end, he's clearly still got as
the kids would say, clearly still got game.
Speaker 4 (14:19):
So so and you're only as good as your last
game us a classic old sports cliche.
Speaker 5 (14:26):
And as you say, he carved up.
Speaker 4 (14:27):
Cronulla, so let's hope he can recapture that magic. I'm
absolutely fizzed because the first Test is here in my
neck of the woods in christ Church in a couple
of weeks against Australia, and speaking of Greek Peters, as
I mentioned, I think there's about three hundred tickets left
for that game and a put you know, getting.
Speaker 5 (14:43):
Someone like Shan Johnson now involved.
Speaker 4 (14:46):
As much as it's a shame we're not having the
Dalian medal winner in Jerome Hughes, but I think those
those tickets will be snapped up, if not already.
Speaker 3 (14:52):
Bound to be bound to be all right. So now
across the weekend before we get to the league, which
is a couple of weekends away. This coming weekend is
quarter final weekend and the Bunnings end PC. As the
top eight sides look for a place in the semi finals,
can we quickly go go through these games? Wellington? Yeah,
my Wellington lines tonight against Counties. Apart from the fact
that two weeks ago Counties put fifty on the Lions.
(15:13):
I look at Wellington and I look at the players
coming back. Duplessi Kodifi, he has been out with a
broken jaw, returns to captain the side. Bill so our
safer one Moor is there, Billy prop the TJ. Petinata
is also in the squad. Ruben Love will come off
the bench. Even though Counties have got Camroy guard. I
feel like the Lions win this, don't they.
Speaker 5 (15:30):
There's a lot of class there, Pioneer.
Speaker 4 (15:32):
But games are one on paper, so look I think, yes,
you're right, they go in as favorites. The one thing
about all blacks coming back, and yes it is good
for the profile of the competition, but I do wonder
if sometimes it can inhibit a team in terms of
how well they've been going, in terms of their structures
and these guys just getting parachutes straight back in so
that'll be an interesting site.
Speaker 5 (15:53):
But I will go with your Lions and I'll say
they'll and get the job.
Speaker 3 (15:57):
Done all right. Tomorrow two quarterfinals Bay have plenty, Hawks
Bay which is the proper Bay, which is the bay
that's going to march on towards the semifinals.
Speaker 4 (16:06):
Look for my safety on the Country Sports Breakfast with
Brian and Mark Kelly, I will back the Steamers.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
Well, look, I feel like they'll win the game Hawk's Bay. Look,
they've kind of been you know, they've kind of I
don't know, flattered to deceive as even the right word.
They've just been a bit up and down, haven't they.
I watched them last week against Wellington, put on twenty
one points in the first fifteen minutes, but then still
lose the game, you know, with Wellington going away at
the end by forty six twenty eight. So I mean
(16:35):
that's not that there's not championship form, is it.
Speaker 4 (16:37):
No, I'd say they've they haven't been the same since
they lost the Shield Piney, and I don't blame them.
This is obviously a lot of emotion that goes into
each one of those defenses. Tasman pick it up and
they've kind of gone through the motions since, so out
of the four, for me, this was the easiest one to.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Pick, all right, Chiefs Derby, Taranaki, Waykutor. What happens in
New Plymouth tomorrow at a round oh tomorrow night, seven
oh five tomorrow night under the lights that I presume
this one's at Yarrow Stadium used it is who wins.
Speaker 5 (17:04):
This Taranaki For mine.
Speaker 4 (17:07):
I saw Wakuto my own eyes last week get beaten
by Canterbury and they went through a fair amount of
adversity to be fair, lost their first five open side flanker.
They had a flanker on the wing who ended up
scoring two of their three tries. But not only Waikato's issues.
I just think Taranaki after winning the shield last week, Yes,
(17:28):
there'll be a bit of a come down from that,
but the way Neil Barnes gets his team ticking and
with young Josh Jacob there, who I think is one
of the most exciting prospects in New Zealand rugby running
the cutter at ten, I think Taranaki get the job done.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
And finally Sunday at Lansdowne Park, Blenham, scene of Tasman's
first defense of the Ranvilly Shield when they repelled Wellington.
They're back over there to take on your Canterbury boys.
I think earlier in the season Tasman had a twenty
two points to seven win in the round robin fixture
the Muckle over Canterbury.
Speaker 4 (18:02):
Yeah, that's a long time ago and I do wonder
the Muckle coming off that storm week, coming off the
disappointment of relinquishing the shield. Like I said about hawks By,
I just wonder where they'll be at. Of course they'll
be up in terms of being at home quarter final.
Speaker 5 (18:19):
They'll try and reach into their focus.
Speaker 4 (18:22):
But I think Canterbury, even though it's something what a
fortnight on from them shipping sixty five points against North Harbor,
they've got a bit of quality back with Fletcher Nule,
he'll shore up this scrum at tight head prop George
Bell and Sam Dowry as well. In terms of all blacks,
Tasman have Ethan blacket Are and David Harvelly, so it's
basically even. But I have to pick an upset somewhere and.
Speaker 5 (18:41):
I'm going to lean the way of the Red and
Black tiny surprise.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
Well, look it certainly you could knock me over with
a feather, as they say to you, yet another cliche.
Fourteen teams have become eight for the weekend. Eight will
become four at the end of the weekend as we
head towards the semi finals. That's all we have time
for in the chamber today.
Speaker 1 (19:00):
This is Sportsfix, your daily does of sports news.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
How in by news talks there be.
Speaker 3 (19:07):
And that is us for another week of the Sports
Fix podcast. A fresh episode will drop into your podcast
feed and around about the same time Monday afternoon and
every weekday if you subscribe to Sports Fix, that will
happen automatically.
Speaker 5 (19:20):
Pretty simpleant, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (19:21):
And for more sport, don't forget to turn into News
Talk zb between seven and eight week days.
Speaker 5 (19:27):
That's sports Talk.
Speaker 4 (19:28):
It'll be me tonight, the Darcy Water Grave back next
week and of course Piney is behind the mic between
twelve and three on Saturday and Sunday with Weekend Sport.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
For more from News Talk ZEDB listen live on air
or online and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcasts on Irradio
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