July 16, 2024 • 16 mins
On Sports Fix with Elliott Smith for 17 July 2024, New Zealand Chef de Mission Nigel Avery shares the final preparations ahead of the Olympic Games, which get underway in Paris next week.
Plus, Elliott speaks to Newstalk ZB News Director Clay Wilson about what success looks like for the 195-strong NZ team heading to Paris, tonight's deciding State of Origin clash and Gareth Southgate's tenure of 8 years as England Football Manager is coming to an end.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks EDB.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Welcome to Sportsfix for the seventeenth of July twenty twenty four.
My name is Elliott Smith, then for Darcy Watergrave on
sports Fix News Talk zbb's daily sports podcast, bring you
to glatist in world sports and closer to home as well.
On today's podcast. With a week to go until the
Paris Olympics, Yes competition starts in the early hours of
(00:42):
next Thursday morning, New Zealand team Chef de Mission Nigel
Avery joins us from Paris to set the scene and
talk about a number of key Olympic issues. We'll also
chat with Clay Wilson in the Chamber News Talk zebbe
sports news director to get his take on the day's
big sporting issues.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
Let's get into it.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
On sports Fix. In other news.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
To Sport Today and recapping that sad news from use Today,
the passing of Norm Hewitt, the Formal Blacks hooker, bad
alcohol issues during his career, but turn his life around
and became an anti finance ambassador. Formeral Blacks coach Laurie
Mainz says he had a special.
Speaker 5 (01:20):
Rule when the All Blacks were together before he goes
out anywhere at night after matches, it's going to tell
me who was going to be his minder.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
And they either have to be Olo Brown or Frank Buns.
Speaker 5 (01:30):
And they were players that norm restricted, they had the
strength to keep them in light.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Warrie is assistant coach. Slag Griffin hopes to shift to
the wing can boost Roger to a varts to Ship's
impacts on the field for the Warriors. He's replacing the
injured Marcello one Coyir for Friday's nurral manch against the
Raiders in Canberra. With Ali Power moving into the centers,
Griffin wants to have arter shit getting his hands on
the billmore.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
Yeah, he's been very selfless.
Speaker 6 (01:54):
Actually, yeah, really excited to see.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Him on the wing.
Speaker 7 (01:57):
It'll free him up a little bit to get, you know,
hopefully more touches of the.
Speaker 6 (02:00):
Football out of the backfield early in the sets. So
that's when Roger's very dangerous. So hopefully he'll get his
carries up.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
The British Open or the Open Championship.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
I should stay starts tomorrow night and Tiger Woods and
says he has no thought of retirement and is aimed
a barber Colin Longomery remember him for seducing.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
He should quit the sport.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Tiger won the last of his fifteen majors at the
twenty nineteen Masters of Course, but lineup at the Open Championship.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
At Roill Troon starting tomorrow nights.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Montgomery Head produced Woods consider his future after missing the
cut at last month's UIs Open. Tiger says he's doing
no such thing.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
As a pass champion. I'm exempt Tom sixty Carlin's Knight.
He's out a pass champion, so he's start exempt.
Speaker 6 (02:43):
So he doesn't get the opportunity to make that decision.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
I do ow Good's that.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Gareth Southgate still out as England football manager, saying the
times come to begin a new chapter. He announced his
decision in a statement issued by England's Football Association after
their defeat of Spain in the Euro twenty fourth final.
He'd been in charge for eight years. X IFA cheered
grig Dyke offered this assistance.
Speaker 4 (03:04):
He got us to the.
Speaker 8 (03:05):
Two finals in the semi final tournaments in the last
eight years.
Speaker 6 (03:10):
That's that's a pretty good achievement.
Speaker 7 (03:12):
You know, if you look back at.
Speaker 8 (03:13):
The forty years before it, we were not that successful,
so I think he did pretty well.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
Yeah, it's still no trophies though, Thanks Greg, and that'll
do us to sport.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Today leading a fix. We've got just the ticket. It's
Sports Fix, News Talks Ivy.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Let's take you to Paris on Sports Fix and a
week to go until the Olympics gid underway and News
talk Z being gold Sport your home for every big
moment throughout the two weeks or two weeks plus actually,
because the Olympics start early hours Thursday morning. Next week,
there's some rugby seven's and some football on the program
before two days before the opening ceremony gets into business.
(03:54):
Joining us now on Sports Fix is the shift dimssion
for the New Zealand team, Nigel Avery, Nigel, thanks for
joining us on Sports Fix. Set the scene for us.
How's Paris looking.
Speaker 5 (04:04):
I haven't seen too much of Paris that's been from
a airport to a hotel for a few nights and
then to the village for I think we've had I
think we're three nights in now.
Speaker 6 (04:14):
Look, it's looking really good. We drove past the start
de France.
Speaker 5 (04:16):
That's all dressed beautifully obviously, the Olympic greens beneath the
Eiffel Towers spend it in there, looks amazing. They just
said their best of your day celebrations here a couple
of nights ago, and you know five weeks for happened
our type thing.
Speaker 6 (04:28):
So it's looking really good. The village.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
We're the first shift a mission meeting a couple of
days ago, and the comments from people have been to
many games is that they thought that the village readiness
was the best I've seen. And so the bump in period,
which is where you bring all your stuff in your
dress and all that, it has been really I guess
uneventful and really nice. So and we've we've experienced the
(04:51):
same thing, so that's going really well.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
How how is the dressing up in the putting everything
together going? I think the canoe slalom and first in
a couple of days time. So is he on track?
Speaker 5 (05:01):
We will be on direct, yes, So I've usually had
a crew that come over from the UK actually to
help sort of put up sort of the more significant
significant window decals, and then we're waiting on posters and
banners and all that sort of stuff. So we're going
to crew a very energetic and enthusiastic people ranging from physios,
nurse doctor cons helping out and it's going to be
(05:23):
all hands to the pumps in the next few days
in readiness for those ethlets.
Speaker 6 (05:26):
But we will be ready in it.
Speaker 5 (05:28):
I should point out that we're also having to look
after so the ethics are staying off site for example,
you know, rowing and canoeing, who are staying out of
paras andony and likewise with the sailing team down and Marseilles,
making sure they have the equivalent of what has been
in the same deny the Olympic villages and their locations.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
What are you hearing from I guess athletes ahead of this,
Given I guess the COVID Games of twenty twenty one,
this feels like, you know, not a restart necessarily, but
for those athletes that were there Cup in twenty twenty one,
they get the fauld experience this time around.
Speaker 4 (06:03):
Is that what you're hearing?
Speaker 5 (06:04):
Yeah, Like I've spoken to many of them, and I
also said, hey, look this is the second your second
time is the first time Olympia, you know, because that
will be so different. But I think the common thing
is that a huge amount of family and friends traveling
to support. So it's obviously some latent demand. Obviously couldn't
go to Tokyo, so hey, let's go to Paris and
so lots of friends and family support. So that's just
(06:25):
gonna be so so good for those ethics because we
know that they perform better when the other ones are
there watching.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Can we start them obviously first in and then it's
sort of a steady trickle from there as you prepare
for for next week.
Speaker 5 (06:38):
Yeah, the fourth that will be pretty heavily turned on
when when rugby show.
Speaker 6 (06:43):
So we're looking forward to them as well.
Speaker 5 (06:44):
So they really do bring a lot of energy and
obviously part of our our welcoming process.
Speaker 6 (06:50):
You know that we're taking to Hakka.
Speaker 5 (06:51):
You know clearly if those metals given out for that,
they would they would sweep the podium because that just
brings so much energy.
Speaker 6 (06:58):
So we're looking forward to them.
Speaker 5 (06:59):
But look, every athlete is it is critically important, you know,
to us, and we will support them and the best
way we can.
Speaker 6 (07:05):
So let's right across the board in whichever location.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Having been personally in Paris last year for the rugby
World Cup, obviously security was paramount. Then what are you
seeing and are you assured that everything is being done
on a security level to make these safe games?
Speaker 5 (07:22):
Yeah, I think I think it is so all the
briefings we've had leading into the games, just the journey
in a private uber from an airbnb, the first couple
of nights to the village. As soon as we hit
Saint Denis, there was like pockets of police at each corner.
There's groups of police in the village that are ready
to respond to things should that need be. So I
(07:44):
think we've got quite confidence in their ability. They're taking
it very, very seriously, as they should. But I guess,
you know, there's still going to be the lone wolf
actor that might pop up, So we just have to
be diligent, just going to be careful and do the
smart things like traveling in any big city.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Plenty of headlines and I'm sure they'll continue about the
River sen what's the latest around that and the comp
petition with the triathletes and everything going on there.
Speaker 6 (08:11):
I think over all positive.
Speaker 5 (08:13):
So we had some testing results that pop up just
before we left, so about a week ago, I guess,
and they were really positive. It's all depended on rain,
and so we had quite a significant downpour a couple
of nights ago that almost tropical went on for maybe
twenty thirty.
Speaker 6 (08:27):
Minutes, so that probably wouldn't have helped.
Speaker 5 (08:30):
But it's quite a fast flowing river, so it does
clear out quite rapidly. So there's a fine where the
forecast for the next four days and we hope it'll just
carry on. Not too hot, of course, but I hope
that it will carry on as a normal trifle sports facs.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
So counting down to the State of Origin decider and
you might have already watched it by the time you
listen to this, so I'll watch it tonight. But does
it still hold the interest level like it used to
ten twenty thirty years ago.
Speaker 4 (08:58):
I'm not so sure. For me.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
I pictured myself ten years ago, couldn't wait for Origin
twenty years ago, especially a series decider tonight, and it
feels rather flat heading into the match. Perhaps it's the
two blowouts to date, one for each team, rather than
a real deciding field. There's been chat about fake news
in the Queensland camp, but all the attempts at hype
feel a little flat to me. It doesn't feel like
(09:21):
Origin used to. There used to be some real hate
between the teams. Maybe I've got a little older, perhaps
a little more cynical, or perhaps Origin simply doesn't command
the respect it used to because the arguments about it
being the best playing the best are increasingly tenuous. A
Kiwis team beat the Kangaroos featuring many Origin players thirty
nil last year. James Fisher, Harris, Joey Marnu, Ronaldo Mulitalo,
(09:44):
Moses Liotta and more. From that Kiwi team have rights
to be considered right among the best players in rugby
league on their day. The Pacific group of players not
eligible for Origin very strong as well. So when you
take all those players out, what he left with well,
Queensland versus New South Wales a state match without some
of the best players in the world. So Origin's claims
(10:05):
to be the best of the best are pretty tenuous
watch but I think It's relevance is starting to wear
a little thin.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
The Chamber is now in session on Sports Fix.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
Into the Chamber now on Sports Fix, joining us New
Salk zebby Sports News director Clay Wilson. Clay, Welcome to
the Chamber. Origin Decide tonight. You've just returned from sunny Queensland.
How's origin fever over there? And are you excited for
tonight's game?
Speaker 8 (10:31):
Well?
Speaker 9 (10:31):
I have, and I did in fact make a visit
to sun Corpse Stadium, the venue for tonight's game for
the Grand Final rematch of last year from last year's competition,
the Panthers against the Broncos. So, first of all, great stadium, amazing,
you can see why Queensland have had so much success there.
I think sixty five percent of the games that have
been played there have been won by Queensland and four
(10:52):
of the last five, So you'd have to say, given
you know, looked. While the two results in the first
the games, the first two games were not particularly close,
I think you'd have to say the teams are probably
on paper quite even right, so maybe home advantage will
play into it there as a factor, particularly being a
decider so much on the line that Queensland home crowd
(11:15):
has to play a factor.
Speaker 7 (11:16):
I think.
Speaker 9 (11:16):
Otherwise the teams on paper are pretty close to both
have injury issues going on, players in and out, so
interest either way.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
Did you get out onto the Uncourt Stadium surface and
sort of give you a Phil gold Final Word.
Speaker 7 (11:28):
At All has had its issues in the past, hasn't it.
Speaker 9 (11:31):
No, No, No, I didn't, although yeah, that would have
been a They would have been a bucket list kind
of for us in the media and.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
Would have been special to see that come back film.
Maybe does it still hold the same interest level for
you state of origin? I mean for me, I think
it's probably waned a little bit over the last maybe
ten years. My interest level, certainly with various reasons that
you still get pumped up for it.
Speaker 9 (11:52):
Well, the biggest factor for me now, and maybe this
is the sign of my age increasing, is the time
of night it's play. I have a lot of friends
and we have colleagues in here that will religiously watching it.
Is still right into it. So I think there is
still a large following of the series here in New Zealand.
Me personally, I don't. I'll watch highlights. I'll watch it
(12:16):
if I happen to be up or if I get
a good invite.
Speaker 7 (12:18):
Maybe.
Speaker 9 (12:19):
But I mean across the Tasman it looks to be
as strong as ever, so you have to say that
it's still a pretty important part of the sporting landscape
here here and abroad and an Aussie, so I don't know,
like I won't be staying up till ten o'clock tonight
to watch it, but I'm sure a lot of Kiwis
will and I think look at the interest in the
(12:40):
Warrior is yep, the interest in rugby league in general.
We're talking about a second South Island NRL team. The
game still has very strong roots here in New Zealand
and origin you know, for some people would arguably be
the pinnacle of the game, right So I'm sure there's
still a lot of Kiwis that are going to be
tuning in.
Speaker 4 (12:56):
The Olympics are a week today.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
I mean, sure, he's not till next Saturday morning, but
we've got sevens and football starting in the week's time.
Ninejlavery with us on Sports Fix. What does success look
like at this year's Olympics Clay for New zeal I've
seen some predictions around sixteen medals, so are they going
to be a successful one for New Zealand this summer round?
Speaker 9 (13:13):
While if that ends up being the case, twenty medals
last time and seven gold which was I think second
to the recall of eight and twenty total was a
record for New Zealand. And looking at the team and
who's coming back and maybe some of the new additions.
Speaker 7 (13:29):
You'd have to.
Speaker 9 (13:30):
Hope that it's a similar kind of return really, given
you know you've talked about sevens rowing the canoeist Lisa Carrington.
Of course our track cyclists have done very well at
World Championships in recent years of Lese Andrews' names like this,
and then then there's a few, always a few random ones,
right we look at Doan Schmidt last time, Hayden Wilde
(13:52):
a massive chance in the traithline.
Speaker 7 (13:53):
And I'm probably missing plenty.
Speaker 9 (13:55):
But just to real those names off the top of
your head shows that I think we should expect to get, you.
Speaker 7 (14:00):
Know, a similar kind of amount of amount of medals.
Speaker 9 (14:02):
But I mean it becomes a bit of a lottery,
doesn't In the Olympics, it's such a huge event. Every
country wants to win at. I think Nigel Avery, you know,
said as much somewhere I heard this morning.
Speaker 7 (14:12):
So yeah, it's yeah, look, just just excited for it
to start.
Speaker 9 (14:18):
And you know, although it's not the most ideal time,
I say, I don't stay up the state of origin,
but I'm sure I will be managing for some some
big keywi Olympic events.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
And there's always that special one, isn't there that that
no one predicts? There's that metal that comes out of nowhere.
Still looking forward to whatever that might be this time around.
And Gareth Southgates handed in his resignation letter as the
boss of England's means football team. He got them two
Euro finals, didn't get them to the Promised Land.
Speaker 4 (14:41):
But will he go down as a.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
Successful manager of the England football team, Well, according to
Prince William, he will, right, Okay, so he's got the
Royal which is the one that matters.
Speaker 9 (14:51):
Yeah, yeah, But look, had the England team been very
successful one of the things nineteen sixty six, nineteen sixty six, right,
But in the interim between sixty six and Gareth Outgate
taking over and then getting to that was it the
World Cup semi final, two editions ago. I can't remember them,
but it was always that they were the perennial underachievers, right,
(15:13):
you know, the home of football. But yes, but football
was so far from home it wasn't funny. I think
you'd have to say it would And I heard as
think Greg Dyer, who's the FA chief executive, talking about
it and he said, you know, he got us to
a couple of finals a semi final at major tournaments.
Yes they didn't, you know, football never came home as such.
But yeah, look in comparison to what's what had happened
(15:35):
in the interim the three or four decades before him,
i'd have to I think you'd have to say. I mean,
I don't know what you think about their run to
the to this European Championships final tournaments can you know,
can be a bit funny sometimes knockout football.
Speaker 7 (15:49):
But I think he's done pretty well.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
He's done better than previously.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
Yeah, I always thought he was standard of football was
a little too mundane for the come of the some
of the players he's got on his team, like Foden Ballingham,
Harry Kane, even some of those exciting players.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
But look he's got them.
Speaker 3 (16:04):
Further than other managers have and I think that's probably
quantifies him as as a six but couldn't quite get
them to the promised land Clay, thank you for joining
us in the chamber as well.
Speaker 4 (16:13):
Where's you're free to go?
Speaker 7 (16:14):
Not a problem.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
This is Sports Fix, your daily dose of sports news
powered by news Talks EBB.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
That's all she wrote for another edition of sports Fix,
your daily sports podcast from News Talk ZBB and Gold Sport,
wrapping up the latest in the world sporting action with
Darcy Wardgrave and Jason Pine and Darcy, We'll be back
in the sports Fix hot seat tomorrow when you load
your podcast feed. Thanks to Last and Bars English, that
has been sports.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Fix for more from News Talks EDB. Listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks EDB.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Welcome to Sportsfix for the seventeenth of July twenty twenty four.
My name is Elliott Smith, then for Darcy Watergrave on
sports Fix News Talk zbb's daily sports podcast, bring you
to glatist in world sports and closer to home as well.
On today's podcast. With a week to go until the
Paris Olympics, Yes competition starts in the early hours of
(00:42):
next Thursday morning, New Zealand team Chef de Mission Nigel
Avery joins us from Paris to set the scene and
talk about a number of key Olympic issues. We'll also
chat with Clay Wilson in the Chamber News Talk zebbe
sports news director to get his take on the day's
big sporting issues.
Speaker 4 (00:58):
Let's get into it.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
On sports Fix. In other news.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
To Sport Today and recapping that sad news from use Today,
the passing of Norm Hewitt, the Formal Blacks hooker, bad
alcohol issues during his career, but turn his life around
and became an anti finance ambassador. Formeral Blacks coach Laurie
Mainz says he had a special.
Speaker 5 (01:20):
Rule when the All Blacks were together before he goes
out anywhere at night after matches, it's going to tell
me who was going to be his minder.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
And they either have to be Olo Brown or Frank Buns.
Speaker 5 (01:30):
And they were players that norm restricted, they had the
strength to keep them in light.
Speaker 3 (01:36):
Warrie is assistant coach. Slag Griffin hopes to shift to
the wing can boost Roger to a varts to Ship's
impacts on the field for the Warriors. He's replacing the
injured Marcello one Coyir for Friday's nurral manch against the
Raiders in Canberra. With Ali Power moving into the centers,
Griffin wants to have arter shit getting his hands on
the billmore.
Speaker 4 (01:53):
Yeah, he's been very selfless.
Speaker 6 (01:54):
Actually, yeah, really excited to see.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
Him on the wing.
Speaker 7 (01:57):
It'll free him up a little bit to get, you know,
hopefully more touches of the.
Speaker 6 (02:00):
Football out of the backfield early in the sets. So
that's when Roger's very dangerous. So hopefully he'll get his
carries up.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
The British Open or the Open Championship.
Speaker 3 (02:08):
I should stay starts tomorrow night and Tiger Woods and
says he has no thought of retirement and is aimed
a barber Colin Longomery remember him for seducing.
Speaker 4 (02:18):
He should quit the sport.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
Tiger won the last of his fifteen majors at the
twenty nineteen Masters of Course, but lineup at the Open Championship.
Speaker 4 (02:26):
At Roill Troon starting tomorrow nights.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Montgomery Head produced Woods consider his future after missing the
cut at last month's UIs Open. Tiger says he's doing
no such thing.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
As a pass champion. I'm exempt Tom sixty Carlin's Knight.
He's out a pass champion, so he's start exempt.
Speaker 6 (02:43):
So he doesn't get the opportunity to make that decision.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
I do ow Good's that.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Gareth Southgate still out as England football manager, saying the
times come to begin a new chapter. He announced his
decision in a statement issued by England's Football Association after
their defeat of Spain in the Euro twenty fourth final.
He'd been in charge for eight years. X IFA cheered
grig Dyke offered this assistance.
Speaker 4 (03:04):
He got us to the.
Speaker 8 (03:05):
Two finals in the semi final tournaments in the last
eight years.
Speaker 6 (03:10):
That's that's a pretty good achievement.
Speaker 7 (03:12):
You know, if you look back at.
Speaker 8 (03:13):
The forty years before it, we were not that successful,
so I think he did pretty well.
Speaker 4 (03:19):
Yeah, it's still no trophies though, Thanks Greg, and that'll
do us to sport.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Today leading a fix. We've got just the ticket. It's
Sports Fix, News Talks Ivy.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
Let's take you to Paris on Sports Fix and a
week to go until the Olympics gid underway and News
talk Z being gold Sport your home for every big
moment throughout the two weeks or two weeks plus actually,
because the Olympics start early hours Thursday morning. Next week,
there's some rugby seven's and some football on the program
before two days before the opening ceremony gets into business.
(03:54):
Joining us now on Sports Fix is the shift dimssion
for the New Zealand team, Nigel Avery, Nigel, thanks for
joining us on Sports Fix. Set the scene for us.
How's Paris looking.
Speaker 5 (04:04):
I haven't seen too much of Paris that's been from
a airport to a hotel for a few nights and
then to the village for I think we've had I
think we're three nights in now.
Speaker 6 (04:14):
Look, it's looking really good. We drove past the start
de France.
Speaker 5 (04:16):
That's all dressed beautifully obviously, the Olympic greens beneath the
Eiffel Towers spend it in there, looks amazing. They just
said their best of your day celebrations here a couple
of nights ago, and you know five weeks for happened
our type thing.
Speaker 6 (04:28):
So it's looking really good. The village.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
We're the first shift a mission meeting a couple of
days ago, and the comments from people have been to
many games is that they thought that the village readiness
was the best I've seen. And so the bump in period,
which is where you bring all your stuff in your
dress and all that, it has been really I guess
uneventful and really nice. So and we've we've experienced the
(04:51):
same thing, so that's going really well.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
How how is the dressing up in the putting everything
together going? I think the canoe slalom and first in
a couple of days time. So is he on track?
Speaker 5 (05:01):
We will be on direct, yes, So I've usually had
a crew that come over from the UK actually to
help sort of put up sort of the more significant
significant window decals, and then we're waiting on posters and
banners and all that sort of stuff. So we're going
to crew a very energetic and enthusiastic people ranging from physios,
nurse doctor cons helping out and it's going to be
(05:23):
all hands to the pumps in the next few days
in readiness for those ethlets.
Speaker 6 (05:26):
But we will be ready in it.
Speaker 5 (05:28):
I should point out that we're also having to look
after so the ethics are staying off site for example,
you know, rowing and canoeing, who are staying out of
paras andony and likewise with the sailing team down and Marseilles,
making sure they have the equivalent of what has been
in the same deny the Olympic villages and their locations.
Speaker 3 (05:48):
What are you hearing from I guess athletes ahead of this,
Given I guess the COVID Games of twenty twenty one,
this feels like, you know, not a restart necessarily, but
for those athletes that were there Cup in twenty twenty one,
they get the fauld experience this time around.
Speaker 4 (06:03):
Is that what you're hearing?
Speaker 5 (06:04):
Yeah, Like I've spoken to many of them, and I
also said, hey, look this is the second your second
time is the first time Olympia, you know, because that
will be so different. But I think the common thing
is that a huge amount of family and friends traveling
to support. So it's obviously some latent demand. Obviously couldn't
go to Tokyo, so hey, let's go to Paris and
so lots of friends and family support. So that's just
(06:25):
gonna be so so good for those ethics because we
know that they perform better when the other ones are
there watching.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Can we start them obviously first in and then it's
sort of a steady trickle from there as you prepare
for for next week.
Speaker 5 (06:38):
Yeah, the fourth that will be pretty heavily turned on
when when rugby show.
Speaker 6 (06:43):
So we're looking forward to them as well.
Speaker 5 (06:44):
So they really do bring a lot of energy and
obviously part of our our welcoming process.
Speaker 6 (06:50):
You know that we're taking to Hakka.
Speaker 5 (06:51):
You know clearly if those metals given out for that,
they would they would sweep the podium because that just
brings so much energy.
Speaker 6 (06:58):
So we're looking forward to them.
Speaker 5 (06:59):
But look, every athlete is it is critically important, you know,
to us, and we will support them and the best
way we can.
Speaker 6 (07:05):
So let's right across the board in whichever location.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Having been personally in Paris last year for the rugby
World Cup, obviously security was paramount. Then what are you
seeing and are you assured that everything is being done
on a security level to make these safe games?
Speaker 5 (07:22):
Yeah, I think I think it is so all the
briefings we've had leading into the games, just the journey
in a private uber from an airbnb, the first couple
of nights to the village. As soon as we hit
Saint Denis, there was like pockets of police at each corner.
There's groups of police in the village that are ready
to respond to things should that need be. So I
(07:44):
think we've got quite confidence in their ability. They're taking
it very, very seriously, as they should. But I guess,
you know, there's still going to be the lone wolf
actor that might pop up, So we just have to
be diligent, just going to be careful and do the
smart things like traveling in any big city.
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Plenty of headlines and I'm sure they'll continue about the
River sen what's the latest around that and the comp
petition with the triathletes and everything going on there.
Speaker 6 (08:11):
I think over all positive.
Speaker 5 (08:13):
So we had some testing results that pop up just
before we left, so about a week ago, I guess,
and they were really positive. It's all depended on rain,
and so we had quite a significant downpour a couple
of nights ago that almost tropical went on for maybe
twenty thirty.
Speaker 6 (08:27):
Minutes, so that probably wouldn't have helped.
Speaker 5 (08:30):
But it's quite a fast flowing river, so it does
clear out quite rapidly. So there's a fine where the
forecast for the next four days and we hope it'll just
carry on. Not too hot, of course, but I hope
that it will carry on as a normal trifle sports facs.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
So counting down to the State of Origin decider and
you might have already watched it by the time you
listen to this, so I'll watch it tonight. But does
it still hold the interest level like it used to
ten twenty thirty years ago.
Speaker 4 (08:58):
I'm not so sure. For me.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
I pictured myself ten years ago, couldn't wait for Origin
twenty years ago, especially a series decider tonight, and it
feels rather flat heading into the match. Perhaps it's the
two blowouts to date, one for each team, rather than
a real deciding field. There's been chat about fake news
in the Queensland camp, but all the attempts at hype
feel a little flat to me. It doesn't feel like
(09:21):
Origin used to. There used to be some real hate
between the teams. Maybe I've got a little older, perhaps
a little more cynical, or perhaps Origin simply doesn't command
the respect it used to because the arguments about it
being the best playing the best are increasingly tenuous. A
Kiwis team beat the Kangaroos featuring many Origin players thirty
nil last year. James Fisher, Harris, Joey Marnu, Ronaldo Mulitalo,
(09:44):
Moses Liotta and more. From that Kiwi team have rights
to be considered right among the best players in rugby
league on their day. The Pacific group of players not
eligible for Origin very strong as well. So when you
take all those players out, what he left with well,
Queensland versus New South Wales a state match without some
of the best players in the world. So Origin's claims
(10:05):
to be the best of the best are pretty tenuous
watch but I think It's relevance is starting to wear
a little thin.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
The Chamber is now in session on Sports Fix.
Speaker 3 (10:16):
Into the Chamber now on Sports Fix, joining us New
Salk zebby Sports News director Clay Wilson. Clay, Welcome to
the Chamber. Origin Decide tonight. You've just returned from sunny Queensland.
How's origin fever over there? And are you excited for
tonight's game?
Speaker 8 (10:31):
Well?
Speaker 9 (10:31):
I have, and I did in fact make a visit
to sun Corpse Stadium, the venue for tonight's game for
the Grand Final rematch of last year from last year's competition,
the Panthers against the Broncos. So, first of all, great stadium, amazing,
you can see why Queensland have had so much success there.
I think sixty five percent of the games that have
been played there have been won by Queensland and four
(10:52):
of the last five, So you'd have to say, given
you know, looked. While the two results in the first
the games, the first two games were not particularly close,
I think you'd have to say the teams are probably
on paper quite even right, so maybe home advantage will
play into it there as a factor, particularly being a
decider so much on the line that Queensland home crowd
(11:15):
has to play a factor.
Speaker 7 (11:16):
I think.
Speaker 9 (11:16):
Otherwise the teams on paper are pretty close to both
have injury issues going on, players in and out, so
interest either way.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
Did you get out onto the Uncourt Stadium surface and
sort of give you a Phil gold Final Word.
Speaker 7 (11:28):
At All has had its issues in the past, hasn't it.
Speaker 9 (11:31):
No, No, No, I didn't, although yeah, that would have
been a They would have been a bucket list kind
of for us in the media and.
Speaker 3 (11:36):
Would have been special to see that come back film.
Maybe does it still hold the same interest level for
you state of origin? I mean for me, I think
it's probably waned a little bit over the last maybe
ten years. My interest level, certainly with various reasons that
you still get pumped up for it.
Speaker 9 (11:52):
Well, the biggest factor for me now, and maybe this
is the sign of my age increasing, is the time
of night it's play. I have a lot of friends
and we have colleagues in here that will religiously watching it.
Is still right into it. So I think there is
still a large following of the series here in New Zealand.
Me personally, I don't. I'll watch highlights. I'll watch it
(12:16):
if I happen to be up or if I get
a good invite.
Speaker 7 (12:18):
Maybe.
Speaker 9 (12:19):
But I mean across the Tasman it looks to be
as strong as ever, so you have to say that
it's still a pretty important part of the sporting landscape
here here and abroad and an Aussie, so I don't know,
like I won't be staying up till ten o'clock tonight
to watch it, but I'm sure a lot of Kiwis
will and I think look at the interest in the
(12:40):
Warrior is yep, the interest in rugby league in general.
We're talking about a second South Island NRL team. The
game still has very strong roots here in New Zealand
and origin you know, for some people would arguably be
the pinnacle of the game, right So I'm sure there's
still a lot of Kiwis that are going to be
tuning in.
Speaker 4 (12:56):
The Olympics are a week today.
Speaker 3 (12:57):
I mean, sure, he's not till next Saturday morning, but
we've got sevens and football starting in the week's time.
Ninejlavery with us on Sports Fix. What does success look
like at this year's Olympics Clay for New zeal I've
seen some predictions around sixteen medals, so are they going
to be a successful one for New Zealand this summer round?
Speaker 9 (13:13):
While if that ends up being the case, twenty medals
last time and seven gold which was I think second
to the recall of eight and twenty total was a
record for New Zealand. And looking at the team and
who's coming back and maybe some of the new additions.
Speaker 7 (13:29):
You'd have to.
Speaker 9 (13:30):
Hope that it's a similar kind of return really, given
you know you've talked about sevens rowing the canoeist Lisa Carrington.
Of course our track cyclists have done very well at
World Championships in recent years of Lese Andrews' names like this,
and then then there's a few, always a few random ones,
right we look at Doan Schmidt last time, Hayden Wilde
(13:52):
a massive chance in the traithline.
Speaker 7 (13:53):
And I'm probably missing plenty.
Speaker 9 (13:55):
But just to real those names off the top of
your head shows that I think we should expect to get, you.
Speaker 7 (14:00):
Know, a similar kind of amount of amount of medals.
Speaker 9 (14:02):
But I mean it becomes a bit of a lottery,
doesn't In the Olympics, it's such a huge event. Every
country wants to win at. I think Nigel Avery, you know,
said as much somewhere I heard this morning.
Speaker 7 (14:12):
So yeah, it's yeah, look, just just excited for it
to start.
Speaker 9 (14:18):
And you know, although it's not the most ideal time,
I say, I don't stay up the state of origin,
but I'm sure I will be managing for some some
big keywi Olympic events.
Speaker 3 (14:25):
And there's always that special one, isn't there that that
no one predicts? There's that metal that comes out of nowhere.
Still looking forward to whatever that might be this time around.
And Gareth Southgates handed in his resignation letter as the
boss of England's means football team. He got them two
Euro finals, didn't get them to the Promised Land.
Speaker 4 (14:41):
But will he go down as a.
Speaker 3 (14:42):
Successful manager of the England football team, Well, according to
Prince William, he will, right, Okay, so he's got the
Royal which is the one that matters.
Speaker 9 (14:51):
Yeah, yeah, But look, had the England team been very
successful one of the things nineteen sixty six, nineteen sixty six, right,
But in the interim between sixty six and Gareth Outgate
taking over and then getting to that was it the
World Cup semi final, two editions ago. I can't remember them,
but it was always that they were the perennial underachievers, right,
(15:13):
you know, the home of football. But yes, but football
was so far from home it wasn't funny. I think
you'd have to say it would And I heard as
think Greg Dyer, who's the FA chief executive, talking about
it and he said, you know, he got us to
a couple of finals a semi final at major tournaments.
Yes they didn't, you know, football never came home as such.
But yeah, look in comparison to what's what had happened
(15:35):
in the interim the three or four decades before him,
i'd have to I think you'd have to say. I mean,
I don't know what you think about their run to
the to this European Championships final tournaments can you know,
can be a bit funny sometimes knockout football.
Speaker 7 (15:49):
But I think he's done pretty well.
Speaker 4 (15:50):
He's done better than previously.
Speaker 3 (15:52):
Yeah, I always thought he was standard of football was
a little too mundane for the come of the some
of the players he's got on his team, like Foden Ballingham,
Harry Kane, even some of those exciting players.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
But look he's got them.
Speaker 3 (16:04):
Further than other managers have and I think that's probably
quantifies him as as a six but couldn't quite get
them to the promised land Clay, thank you for joining
us in the chamber as well.
Speaker 4 (16:13):
Where's you're free to go?
Speaker 7 (16:14):
Not a problem.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
This is Sports Fix, your daily dose of sports news
powered by news Talks EBB.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
That's all she wrote for another edition of sports Fix,
your daily sports podcast from News Talk ZBB and Gold Sport,
wrapping up the latest in the world sporting action with
Darcy Wardgrave and Jason Pine and Darcy, We'll be back
in the sports Fix hot seat tomorrow when you load
your podcast feed. Thanks to Last and Bars English, that
has been sports.
Speaker 1 (16:43):
Fix for more from News Talks EDB. Listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcast on iHeartRadio.
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