July 22, 2024 • 16 mins
On Sports Fix with Jason Pine for 22nd July 2024, Hurricanes CEO Avan Lee reacts to Ardie Savea leaving for Moana Pasifika.
One of the biggest player transfers in Super Rugby has been confirmed with Ardie Savea heading to the struggling Moana Pasifika side. Avan Lee joins Piney to give his thoughts on what this does for the competition and how much it moves the needle for both the Hurricanes and Moana Pasifika.
Plus, Adam Cooper joins the panel to chat about Daniel Hilliers impressive performance at the Open Championship at Royal Troon.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from Newstalks EDB. Follow this
and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio. This
is Forcefix howard By News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Hello and welcome into a new week and a new
edition of the Sports Fixed podcast. I'm Jason Pine. Monday,
July twenty two. The news drop last night officially anyway
that Ardie Savilla is headed to Mowana Pacifica. He will
leave the Hurricanes. He's resigned with New Zealand Rugby through
until the end of twenty twenty seven, but he will
play his Super Rugby with Mowana Pacifica. Hurricanes CEO Avan
(00:45):
Lee is with us on the podcast today, I've got
a few thoughts on the All Backs first three Test
matches of the year, and joined in the chamber by
our Wellington sportshead Adam Cooper. Let's get into.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
It in other news.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
As always, let's kick things off with some of the
big sports stories from the last twelve hours or so
Toadey Pergacha has won the one hundred and eleventh edition
of Cycling's Tour de France, triumphing on the thirty three
point seven kilometer final stage time trial from Monaco, Denise.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
Tarey Pegaca total class, total dominance, six stage wins, three
times Tour de France winner.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Oscar Pstree is roared to his made in Formula One
victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix. It is Oscar Pistree
Grand Prix winner winner.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
In Hungary and for the first time takes the check
of Flaga will stand on.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
The top step.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
I have a crand Prix.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Podium has under. Chaffley has won his second golf major
for the year, the Open Championship at Royal Troon, shooting
a six hundred pass sixty five to finish nine under
for the tournament, a two stroke victory. Brilliant Transada shelter late.
He will actually just sit and wait for a.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
Little bitch Leadia Vix. We've got just the ticket. It's
Sports Fix powered by news Torsivy.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
The news of the last twenty four hours in the
world of sport is Hurricanes or now former Hurricanes captain
Artie Savia heading to Mowana Pacifica from next season. He's
resigned with New Zealand Rugby through until the end of
twenty twenty seven, but he will play his Super Rugby
alongside brother Julian at Mowana Pacifica from twenty twenty five onwards.
(02:26):
Let's get the nuts and bolts of this and the
Hurricanes reaction. CEO Avon Lee is with us on the
Sports Fix podcast. Avan maybe you can start by giving
us the broad understanding of how this process played out
and how you negotiated with Artie Savia to keep him,
and how he has eventually decided that he will leave
the Hurricanes.
Speaker 5 (02:45):
He had a clause in his contract that had the
ability to play for another superteam. So coming into the
conversations with with Artie, obviously we have our ideas and
objectives and so does ARTI, So normal negotiation. You know,
there were times during the process where we didn't agree,
I suppose, but yeah, the relationship with Artie is very good.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
We talked to about it after he decided that.
Speaker 5 (03:09):
He was going to go to Moana. I've been in
touch with him this morning since he's got home. So
there's no residual issues between Artie and the Hurricanes. You know,
you've got to look at the positives for him and
Moyana as well. So yeah, well, while we said to
see him go, he's been a fantastic Hurricane.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
You know, these things do happen.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Throughout the process. Did it always feel as though you
might be up against it, that he'd almost made his
mind up that Mawada Pacifica is where he wanted to go, Evan,
Or did you feel like like he might stay with.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
You when we went into it.
Speaker 5 (03:40):
I think probably Artie and ourselves were working towards the
Hurricanes extension. But during that process, Artie told us that
he wanted to talk to Moana, and he did and
then came back to us and said that.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
He decided to play there for a couple of years.
Speaker 5 (03:55):
So it was all very open, and like I said,
the relationship is still strong.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Do you take some comfort from the fact that you've
just completed a pretty good Super Rugby season with the
Hurricanes going all the way to the semi finals without
Artie Savia he was on sabbatical in Japan, and you've
got a pretty good bunch of young and some experience
loose forwards at the Hurricanes already.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (04:18):
I mean that's certainly a factor and how we feel
going forward. I mean, I think sometimes when a star
player leaves, other players pick up the slack, and I
think that's what happened this year and you know, our
loose forwards did a fantastic job and we back them
to do that, and we will back them to do
that going forward.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
If we put a slightly wider lens on this and
look at Super Rugby as a whole more on a Pacifica,
as we all know, have been a struggling Super Rugby franchise.
They haven't managed at any time and they're very short
history to get any consistency in terms of on field
performance or even with crowds. Does this actually Artie moving
to Maada pacifica boost Super Rugby as a whole as
(04:58):
a product?
Speaker 5 (05:00):
I think ultimately it is a great competition, tends to
be a very competitive one and you want competitive teams,
so Artie will absolutely help Moana in that perspective. But yeah,
I think it's it is encouraging for the competition because
you know, you don't want teams that are that are
losing more than more than winning, So having a having
(05:22):
an excellent competitive competition as a great result.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
And conversely, I guess for the Hurricanes, Artie put bums
on seats at Sky Stadium when he played there, so
do you lose perhaps a little bit of your star
attraction by by losing Artie.
Speaker 5 (05:36):
I think he you know, he's very popular in this
part of the world. Is his local plays a style
that fans love, So yeah, absolutely there's going to be
there's going.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
To be a factor there.
Speaker 5 (05:47):
But we do have a great set of loose forwards
available to us, so you know, we're confident that things
will be good going forward.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
To just to finish, obviously, Artie will join his brother
Julian at Mwana PACIFICA. Julian was with the Hurricanes and
and I don't think it's any any secret that his
exit from the Hurricanes wasn't perhaps as clean as it
could have been. Do you think that was at all
a factor in Artie's mind, The fact that you know
of how I guess he perceived Julian might have been
(06:16):
treated at the Hurricanes, Do you think that might have
played into his thinking here.
Speaker 5 (06:21):
I think Jules and ARTI are very close, and naturally
their brothers, but they're also very close. And you know,
I've made it public that we didn't handle the Julian
situation well enough, so I'm sure for Artie that was
in the back of his back of his mind. But
I don't think that's the reason why he's gone to
Mine of Pacifica.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
From our perspective, Artie's been away this year.
Speaker 5 (06:43):
He's got the option to go away again in twenty
twenty six, so he's going to go to one for
twenty five and twenty seven and play for the All
Blacks for those those three years.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
So we just wish him.
Speaker 5 (06:54):
All the best, like he's been a great Hurricane and
he'll always be a legend of our club, So wishing
every success.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Great South Evan. Thanks Adeed. I think all Hurricanes fans
probably do and one of PACIFICA fans very much looking
forward to having their new man on board from twenty
twenty five onwards. That's Avon Lea, Hurricane CEO, joining us
on the Sports Fix podcast.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
This is Sportsfix, You're daily does of sports News, how
in by News talks V.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Three Up, three Down for the All Blacks in twenty
twenty four and after those first three Test matches and
in particular Saturday's clash with Fiji, which players put the
most pressure on for places in the All Black side
for the Rugby Championship. Because if we assume that the
team that was rolled out against England twice is the
first choice twenty three then who put their hand up
(07:42):
highest for a place in that twenty three for the
next Test against Argentina and Wellington in three weeks time.
By the way they played against Fiji, well I think
anybody would say Billy Prock did it. Good debut at center,
good running lines, nice hands under pressure or be it
against the Fiji inside that didn't really get up in
his face like England did to Jordi Barrett and Ricco
Yowani when they were here. But one of the qualities
(08:04):
of great centers is the ability to set up the
outsides the way Joe Stain used to Frank Bunz Conrad Smith. Again,
Billy Proctor looks like the type of player who can
do that as well as break the line himself. He's
a he's an eyes up player, very quick decision maker.
So he's won and I'd say Cortez Ratima is making
a pretty good case for inclusion in the twenty three
(08:24):
as well. Sounds like TJ Peinada will be back for
the Rugby Championship. Noah Hootham did a good job, but
I think Cortez Latima has shown enough to demonstrate that
he is the best in the twenty one jersey as
your impact halfback. One other thing that stood out to
me across these first three Test matches of the year,
no cards, no yellows, no reds in the first three
(08:48):
tests under Razor. Compare that to last year Sam Kaine's
red and Shannon Frazelle's yellow in the World Cup final.
Cody Taylor and Aaron Smith both got yellow cards against
Ireland in the quarterfinal. Ethan Dagruk the red against Namibia
and Paul play Will Jordan got a yellow card in
the opening game against France and then the final warm
up game against South Africa for the World Cup. Last year,
(09:08):
Sam Cainey yellow and Scott Barrett are red five yellow
and three red cards in the last eight tests of
last year and none in the first three of this year.
That's a sign of pretty good discipline under Razors regime.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfax time on
the sports Flex podcast to jump inside the chamber.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
And joining me in the chamber today is that of
our Wellington Sports Bureau Adam Cooper. How are you coops?
Speaker 4 (09:37):
Very good, Piney, Lot's going on.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Lots going on in our neck of the wards for sure.
In fact, I want to start there because over the weekend,
if that wasn't late last night or in the evening anyway,
confirmation of the news that have been broken by Liam
Napier from The Herald a few days previously, Artie Savia
off to Muana Pacifica with a few days to digest
this and the overnight test on the official announcement. How
are you feeling about this?
Speaker 4 (09:58):
Yeah, it's interesting, isn't it. There've been murmurings for a
little while around some circles in Wellington. I think that
there was you know, there was no confirmation. We know
he'd been in camp with the Hurricanes after coming back
from Japan and had had discussions with Clark Laidlaw and
the CEO, Evan Lee, but no one quite really knew
where it was at, like was he definite for the
Hurricanes next year by purely landing back and getting ready
(10:18):
for next year or was he not? And obviously it
turns out he has it now. So I think ultimately
your marquee player, a guy that's been just such a
symbol of the Hurricanes over many years, you know, proud
welling Tony and joined the club and the wider rugby
scene here at such a young age. There's some natural
shock and I think some sadness around from a Hurricanes
perspective that one of their long time just colossal team
(10:39):
members who has won them so many games as if
obviously been a captain for a couple of seasons as
well before this year. It's a lot of shock. But
I think when you have watched what the Hurricanes did
this year, they've had some great young loose forwards come
up through the system. Braden you'll say, Peter Larkeye, Duplessi
kadif he's always been there, you do have experience and
the likes of Brad Shields as well. So on paper
(11:02):
the Hurricane season they had, you can't be too disappointed,
I think with where the future lies with no Ardi
Saba there.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
You've been as in a media conference in the last
little while with that Avan Lea the cite of the Hurricanes.
What were your main takeaways from that?
Speaker 4 (11:15):
Yeah? Really interesting. Evan obviously was very much saying, hey,
look we respect Ardie Savia's decision. You know he's chosen that.
A couple of interesting things for me that came out
about this new information regarding this contract he's signed with
New Zealand Rugby, avan Lee saying in this conference with
media just now that his new contract involves a possible
sabbatical clause again in twenty twenty six. So that means
(11:38):
he'd played next year for Mawana Pacifica, likely missed Super
Rugby in twenty twenty six, but still be eligible for
All Black selection and be back to play in twenty
twenty seven.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
So that makes the move.
Speaker 4 (11:48):
To Mawada Pacifica if this is all true, and I
don't see why it wouldn't be quite interesting because he's
that they're getting two years out of a three year
deal with him. Maybe the Hurricanes weren't as keen to
entertain the offer, especially after he missed all of this
year's season with that stint in Japan. He'd come back
for one year then be leaving again, which you know
you can kind of see. Maybe the Hurricane weren't prepared
(12:09):
to bargain as hard as you might expect them to
to get Artie Savier back when he's missing a whole
year of rugby. So interesting.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
That is interesting new information absolutely, And just back to
the loose forwards at the Hurricanes disposal, I get the
feeling that had it been in a position of slightly
less depth, they might have, you know, perhaps been a
bit more reluctant to see him go. But theesh, you say,
there's a good cohort of loose forwards to the Hurricanes
who helped them to one of their best ever seasons
in the one we've just had.
Speaker 4 (12:33):
Absolutely and I don't think at any point of the
season Pinty us here in Wellings or anywhere else had
the thing, Oh God, I wish Ardie Savi was here
right now. Oh we desperately need Artie to come back.
Let's rush him back for the playoffs or anything like that.
When that chatter came out, there was none of that.
So I think the Hurricanes, you know, they'll be disappointed
to lose someone that genuinely I think puts bums on seats,
will get people to skuy Stadium to watch him. He's
(12:54):
got an amazing following in the PACIFICA community as well.
You know that they will lose some fans I think
over this that might sort of watch a few more
more on a PACIFICA games over Hurricanes. But I don't
think they'll be from a rugby perspective too. Worried about
what this means for the future when you have got
you know, guys on the right side of twenty five
doing doing great things at the club at the moment,
so it will be interesting.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Yeah, and for the greater rugby ecosystem too, talk about
bums on seats. If there's one franchise in New Zealand
that needs them, it's more Wana PACIFICA. So hopefully he
gives them the boost both on the field and off
the field that they probably need. Another welling Tonian catching
headlines over the last three or four days is Daniel
hilly Are playing in the Open Championship finished tied for nineteenth.
That a good third round, very good third rand and
(13:37):
a solid fourth. He'd be pretty happy, wouldn't he.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
Daniel hilly Are with his showing at Royal True, I think,
you know, sensational result for him, you know, finishing in
the top twenty. Hadn't made the cuts at a major before.
He'd had a couple of Open Championships, a couple of
other majors to his name, but this was the first
time he played through the weekend, and yeah, what a
result on a course that just looked so so tough.
Those the winds, the rain. I caught a lot of
(14:00):
it over the weekend, the bunkers that look like you know,
deep trenches there right on the coastline.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
It was tough to watch.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
Some of the golf was really bad. But then Daniel
Hillary he survives and gets through to a top twenty,
placing better than Ryan Fox as well, who was finished
a little bit further back in twenty fifth. But yeah,
great for Daniel Hillary seems to have a bit of
momentum building. He had made the cut the weekend prior
in Scotland as well, and obviously it now builds up
to the Olympics as well, where I think we're going
to see some, hopefully some real success from both Ryan
(14:29):
Fox and Daniel Hilly. Are an interesting format to what
they used to, isn't it. They're basically a shootout for
those top three positions that the medals from the get go,
rather than you know, just playing for the weekend, getting
to the weekend and going through that competing with sixty
other golfers to really get those medals.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Yeah, exciting times. And I think an indicator of how
well Daniel Hillary is done is looking at the players
who finished below him as you say, Ryan Fox a
couple of shots further back. But then you scroll down
the leaderboard. Jordan Speath is below him, Patrick Kantley is
below him. You know, you keep on going down and
you find the likes of Justin Thomas and Brooks Kepka
(15:05):
all the way further down the leader board. And yes,
I know it's only one major. Phil Mickelson's all the
way down there. Rory McElroy didn't make the cut. Neither
did Tiger Woods. So yeah, it's a feather in the
cap of Daniel Hilliert. Just before we go, you'll be
part of our news talks ab in Gold sports coverage
of the Paris Olympic Games. How much you're looking forward
to that?
Speaker 4 (15:23):
Oh, it's gonna be great, isn't it? Finey? You know,
the Olympics just just the biggest sporting event in the world,
aren't they. So many different sports, so many different stories,
some great athletes from all around the place. And we'll
be there through the night keeping everyone up to speeds.
God help anyone listening right through the night. There'll be
some ups and downs, I'm sure, but no, it's going
to be absolutely fantastic and really hoping for some key
we success across the board.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
Good stuff, Yeah, gold. Sports coverage is through the nights
of the Paris Olympic Games with all the key events
of course on News Talks HEB and the Sports Fixed
podcast throughout the Olympic Games will become an Olympics podcast.
It'll hit your podcast feed sort of late morning to
catch you up on all the activity from the Keiwis,
in particular overnight at the Paris Olympic Games. That is
us in the chamber for today, Thanks for us stopping
(16:06):
in coops, pleasure.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
Fighting, secting the sporting agenda.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
It's Sportsfix with Jason Fine and Darcy Waldgrave.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
That brings to an end another edition of the Sports
Fix podcast. A fresh episode we'll drop into your podcast
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Of course, if you do that, it'll happen automatically. And
for more from News Talks EDB Sport, listen to Sports
Talk weeknights between seven and eight pm or weekend Sport
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Speaker 1 (16:35):
Talks EDB, listen live on air or online and keep
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on iarradio
You're listening to a podcast from Newstalks EDB. Follow this
and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio. This
is Forcefix howard By News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Hello and welcome into a new week and a new
edition of the Sports Fixed podcast. I'm Jason Pine. Monday,
July twenty two. The news drop last night officially anyway
that Ardie Savilla is headed to Mowana Pacifica. He will
leave the Hurricanes. He's resigned with New Zealand Rugby through
until the end of twenty twenty seven, but he will
play his Super Rugby with Mowana Pacifica. Hurricanes CEO Avan
(00:45):
Lee is with us on the podcast today, I've got
a few thoughts on the All Backs first three Test
matches of the year, and joined in the chamber by
our Wellington sportshead Adam Cooper. Let's get into.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
It in other news.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
As always, let's kick things off with some of the
big sports stories from the last twelve hours or so
Toadey Pergacha has won the one hundred and eleventh edition
of Cycling's Tour de France, triumphing on the thirty three
point seven kilometer final stage time trial from Monaco, Denise.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
Tarey Pegaca total class, total dominance, six stage wins, three
times Tour de France winner.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
Oscar Pstree is roared to his made in Formula One
victory at the Hungarian Grand Prix. It is Oscar Pistree
Grand Prix winner winner.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
In Hungary and for the first time takes the check
of Flaga will stand on.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
The top step.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
I have a crand Prix.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Podium has under. Chaffley has won his second golf major
for the year, the Open Championship at Royal Troon, shooting
a six hundred pass sixty five to finish nine under
for the tournament, a two stroke victory. Brilliant Transada shelter late.
He will actually just sit and wait for a.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
Little bitch Leadia Vix. We've got just the ticket. It's
Sports Fix powered by news Torsivy.
Speaker 2 (02:06):
The news of the last twenty four hours in the
world of sport is Hurricanes or now former Hurricanes captain
Artie Savia heading to Mowana Pacifica from next season. He's
resigned with New Zealand Rugby through until the end of
twenty twenty seven, but he will play his Super Rugby
alongside brother Julian at Mowana Pacifica from twenty twenty five onwards.
(02:26):
Let's get the nuts and bolts of this and the
Hurricanes reaction. CEO Avon Lee is with us on the
Sports Fix podcast. Avan maybe you can start by giving
us the broad understanding of how this process played out
and how you negotiated with Artie Savia to keep him,
and how he has eventually decided that he will leave
the Hurricanes.
Speaker 5 (02:45):
He had a clause in his contract that had the
ability to play for another superteam. So coming into the
conversations with with Artie, obviously we have our ideas and
objectives and so does ARTI, So normal negotiation. You know,
there were times during the process where we didn't agree,
I suppose, but yeah, the relationship with Artie is very good.
Speaker 3 (03:07):
We talked to about it after he decided that.
Speaker 5 (03:09):
He was going to go to Moana. I've been in
touch with him this morning since he's got home. So
there's no residual issues between Artie and the Hurricanes. You know,
you've got to look at the positives for him and
Moyana as well. So yeah, well, while we said to
see him go, he's been a fantastic Hurricane.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
You know, these things do happen.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Throughout the process. Did it always feel as though you
might be up against it, that he'd almost made his
mind up that Mawada Pacifica is where he wanted to go, Evan,
Or did you feel like like he might stay with.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
You when we went into it.
Speaker 5 (03:40):
I think probably Artie and ourselves were working towards the
Hurricanes extension. But during that process, Artie told us that
he wanted to talk to Moana, and he did and
then came back to us and said that.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
He decided to play there for a couple of years.
Speaker 5 (03:55):
So it was all very open, and like I said,
the relationship is still strong.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
Do you take some comfort from the fact that you've
just completed a pretty good Super Rugby season with the
Hurricanes going all the way to the semi finals without
Artie Savia he was on sabbatical in Japan, and you've
got a pretty good bunch of young and some experience
loose forwards at the Hurricanes already.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (04:18):
I mean that's certainly a factor and how we feel
going forward. I mean, I think sometimes when a star
player leaves, other players pick up the slack, and I
think that's what happened this year and you know, our
loose forwards did a fantastic job and we back them
to do that, and we will back them to do
that going forward.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
If we put a slightly wider lens on this and
look at Super Rugby as a whole more on a Pacifica,
as we all know, have been a struggling Super Rugby franchise.
They haven't managed at any time and they're very short
history to get any consistency in terms of on field
performance or even with crowds. Does this actually Artie moving
to Maada pacifica boost Super Rugby as a whole as
(04:58):
a product?
Speaker 5 (05:00):
I think ultimately it is a great competition, tends to
be a very competitive one and you want competitive teams,
so Artie will absolutely help Moana in that perspective. But yeah,
I think it's it is encouraging for the competition because
you know, you don't want teams that are that are
losing more than more than winning, So having a having
(05:22):
an excellent competitive competition as a great result.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
And conversely, I guess for the Hurricanes, Artie put bums
on seats at Sky Stadium when he played there, so
do you lose perhaps a little bit of your star
attraction by by losing Artie.
Speaker 5 (05:36):
I think he you know, he's very popular in this
part of the world. Is his local plays a style
that fans love, So yeah, absolutely there's going to be
there's going.
Speaker 3 (05:46):
To be a factor there.
Speaker 5 (05:47):
But we do have a great set of loose forwards
available to us, so you know, we're confident that things
will be good going forward.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
To just to finish, obviously, Artie will join his brother
Julian at Mwana PACIFICA. Julian was with the Hurricanes and
and I don't think it's any any secret that his
exit from the Hurricanes wasn't perhaps as clean as it
could have been. Do you think that was at all
a factor in Artie's mind, The fact that you know
of how I guess he perceived Julian might have been
(06:16):
treated at the Hurricanes, Do you think that might have
played into his thinking here.
Speaker 5 (06:21):
I think Jules and ARTI are very close, and naturally
their brothers, but they're also very close. And you know,
I've made it public that we didn't handle the Julian
situation well enough, so I'm sure for Artie that was
in the back of his back of his mind. But
I don't think that's the reason why he's gone to
Mine of Pacifica.
Speaker 3 (06:40):
From our perspective, Artie's been away this year.
Speaker 5 (06:43):
He's got the option to go away again in twenty
twenty six, so he's going to go to one for
twenty five and twenty seven and play for the All
Blacks for those those three years.
Speaker 3 (06:53):
So we just wish him.
Speaker 5 (06:54):
All the best, like he's been a great Hurricane and
he'll always be a legend of our club, So wishing
every success.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Great South Evan. Thanks Adeed. I think all Hurricanes fans
probably do and one of PACIFICA fans very much looking
forward to having their new man on board from twenty
twenty five onwards. That's Avon Lea, Hurricane CEO, joining us
on the Sports Fix podcast.
Speaker 1 (07:16):
This is Sportsfix, You're daily does of sports News, how
in by News talks V.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Three Up, three Down for the All Blacks in twenty
twenty four and after those first three Test matches and
in particular Saturday's clash with Fiji, which players put the
most pressure on for places in the All Black side
for the Rugby Championship. Because if we assume that the
team that was rolled out against England twice is the
first choice twenty three then who put their hand up
(07:42):
highest for a place in that twenty three for the
next Test against Argentina and Wellington in three weeks time.
By the way they played against Fiji, well I think
anybody would say Billy Prock did it. Good debut at center,
good running lines, nice hands under pressure or be it
against the Fiji inside that didn't really get up in
his face like England did to Jordi Barrett and Ricco
Yowani when they were here. But one of the qualities
(08:04):
of great centers is the ability to set up the
outsides the way Joe Stain used to Frank Bunz Conrad Smith. Again,
Billy Proctor looks like the type of player who can
do that as well as break the line himself. He's
a he's an eyes up player, very quick decision maker.
So he's won and I'd say Cortez Ratima is making
a pretty good case for inclusion in the twenty three
(08:24):
as well. Sounds like TJ Peinada will be back for
the Rugby Championship. Noah Hootham did a good job, but
I think Cortez Latima has shown enough to demonstrate that
he is the best in the twenty one jersey as
your impact halfback. One other thing that stood out to
me across these first three Test matches of the year,
no cards, no yellows, no reds in the first three
(08:48):
tests under Razor. Compare that to last year Sam Kaine's
red and Shannon Frazelle's yellow in the World Cup final.
Cody Taylor and Aaron Smith both got yellow cards against
Ireland in the quarterfinal. Ethan Dagruk the red against Namibia
and Paul play Will Jordan got a yellow card in
the opening game against France and then the final warm
up game against South Africa for the World Cup. Last year,
(09:08):
Sam Cainey yellow and Scott Barrett are red five yellow
and three red cards in the last eight tests of
last year and none in the first three of this year.
That's a sign of pretty good discipline under Razors regime.
Speaker 1 (09:25):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfax time on
the sports Flex podcast to jump inside the chamber.
Speaker 2 (09:32):
And joining me in the chamber today is that of
our Wellington Sports Bureau Adam Cooper. How are you coops?
Speaker 4 (09:37):
Very good, Piney, Lot's going on.
Speaker 2 (09:38):
Lots going on in our neck of the wards for sure.
In fact, I want to start there because over the weekend,
if that wasn't late last night or in the evening anyway,
confirmation of the news that have been broken by Liam
Napier from The Herald a few days previously, Artie Savia
off to Muana Pacifica with a few days to digest
this and the overnight test on the official announcement. How
are you feeling about this?
Speaker 4 (09:58):
Yeah, it's interesting, isn't it. There've been murmurings for a
little while around some circles in Wellington. I think that
there was you know, there was no confirmation. We know
he'd been in camp with the Hurricanes after coming back
from Japan and had had discussions with Clark Laidlaw and
the CEO, Evan Lee, but no one quite really knew
where it was at, like was he definite for the
Hurricanes next year by purely landing back and getting ready
(10:18):
for next year or was he not? And obviously it
turns out he has it now. So I think ultimately
your marquee player, a guy that's been just such a
symbol of the Hurricanes over many years, you know, proud
welling Tony and joined the club and the wider rugby
scene here at such a young age. There's some natural
shock and I think some sadness around from a Hurricanes
perspective that one of their long time just colossal team
(10:39):
members who has won them so many games as if
obviously been a captain for a couple of seasons as
well before this year. It's a lot of shock. But
I think when you have watched what the Hurricanes did
this year, they've had some great young loose forwards come
up through the system. Braden you'll say, Peter Larkeye, Duplessi
kadif he's always been there, you do have experience and
the likes of Brad Shields as well. So on paper
(11:02):
the Hurricane season they had, you can't be too disappointed,
I think with where the future lies with no Ardi
Saba there.
Speaker 2 (11:08):
You've been as in a media conference in the last
little while with that Avan Lea the cite of the Hurricanes.
What were your main takeaways from that?
Speaker 4 (11:15):
Yeah? Really interesting. Evan obviously was very much saying, hey,
look we respect Ardie Savia's decision. You know he's chosen that.
A couple of interesting things for me that came out
about this new information regarding this contract he's signed with
New Zealand Rugby, avan Lee saying in this conference with
media just now that his new contract involves a possible
sabbatical clause again in twenty twenty six. So that means
(11:38):
he'd played next year for Mawana Pacifica, likely missed Super
Rugby in twenty twenty six, but still be eligible for
All Black selection and be back to play in twenty
twenty seven.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
So that makes the move.
Speaker 4 (11:48):
To Mawada Pacifica if this is all true, and I
don't see why it wouldn't be quite interesting because he's
that they're getting two years out of a three year
deal with him. Maybe the Hurricanes weren't as keen to
entertain the offer, especially after he missed all of this
year's season with that stint in Japan. He'd come back
for one year then be leaving again, which you know
you can kind of see. Maybe the Hurricane weren't prepared
(12:09):
to bargain as hard as you might expect them to
to get Artie Savier back when he's missing a whole
year of rugby. So interesting.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
That is interesting new information absolutely, And just back to
the loose forwards at the Hurricanes disposal, I get the
feeling that had it been in a position of slightly
less depth, they might have, you know, perhaps been a
bit more reluctant to see him go. But theesh, you say,
there's a good cohort of loose forwards to the Hurricanes
who helped them to one of their best ever seasons
in the one we've just had.
Speaker 4 (12:33):
Absolutely and I don't think at any point of the
season Pinty us here in Wellings or anywhere else had
the thing, Oh God, I wish Ardie Savi was here
right now. Oh we desperately need Artie to come back.
Let's rush him back for the playoffs or anything like that.
When that chatter came out, there was none of that.
So I think the Hurricanes, you know, they'll be disappointed
to lose someone that genuinely I think puts bums on seats,
will get people to skuy Stadium to watch him. He's
(12:54):
got an amazing following in the PACIFICA community as well.
You know that they will lose some fans I think
over this that might sort of watch a few more
more on a PACIFICA games over Hurricanes. But I don't
think they'll be from a rugby perspective too. Worried about
what this means for the future when you have got
you know, guys on the right side of twenty five
doing doing great things at the club at the moment,
so it will be interesting.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Yeah, and for the greater rugby ecosystem too, talk about
bums on seats. If there's one franchise in New Zealand
that needs them, it's more Wana PACIFICA. So hopefully he
gives them the boost both on the field and off
the field that they probably need. Another welling Tonian catching
headlines over the last three or four days is Daniel
hilly Are playing in the Open Championship finished tied for nineteenth.
That a good third round, very good third rand and
(13:37):
a solid fourth. He'd be pretty happy, wouldn't he.
Speaker 4 (13:40):
Daniel hilly Are with his showing at Royal True, I think,
you know, sensational result for him, you know, finishing in
the top twenty. Hadn't made the cuts at a major before.
He'd had a couple of Open Championships, a couple of
other majors to his name, but this was the first
time he played through the weekend, and yeah, what a
result on a course that just looked so so tough.
Those the winds, the rain. I caught a lot of
(14:00):
it over the weekend, the bunkers that look like you know,
deep trenches there right on the coastline.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
It was tough to watch.
Speaker 4 (14:07):
Some of the golf was really bad. But then Daniel
Hillary he survives and gets through to a top twenty,
placing better than Ryan Fox as well, who was finished
a little bit further back in twenty fifth. But yeah,
great for Daniel Hillary seems to have a bit of
momentum building. He had made the cut the weekend prior
in Scotland as well, and obviously it now builds up
to the Olympics as well, where I think we're going
to see some, hopefully some real success from both Ryan
(14:29):
Fox and Daniel Hilly. Are an interesting format to what
they used to, isn't it. They're basically a shootout for
those top three positions that the medals from the get go,
rather than you know, just playing for the weekend, getting
to the weekend and going through that competing with sixty
other golfers to really get those medals.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Yeah, exciting times. And I think an indicator of how
well Daniel Hillary is done is looking at the players
who finished below him as you say, Ryan Fox a
couple of shots further back. But then you scroll down
the leaderboard. Jordan Speath is below him, Patrick Kantley is
below him. You know, you keep on going down and
you find the likes of Justin Thomas and Brooks Kepka
(15:05):
all the way further down the leader board. And yes,
I know it's only one major. Phil Mickelson's all the
way down there. Rory McElroy didn't make the cut. Neither
did Tiger Woods. So yeah, it's a feather in the
cap of Daniel Hilliert. Just before we go, you'll be
part of our news talks ab in Gold sports coverage
of the Paris Olympic Games. How much you're looking forward
to that?
Speaker 4 (15:23):
Oh, it's gonna be great, isn't it? Finey? You know,
the Olympics just just the biggest sporting event in the world,
aren't they. So many different sports, so many different stories,
some great athletes from all around the place. And we'll
be there through the night keeping everyone up to speeds.
God help anyone listening right through the night. There'll be
some ups and downs, I'm sure, but no, it's going
to be absolutely fantastic and really hoping for some key
we success across the board.
Speaker 2 (15:44):
Good stuff, Yeah, gold. Sports coverage is through the nights
of the Paris Olympic Games with all the key events
of course on News Talks HEB and the Sports Fixed
podcast throughout the Olympic Games will become an Olympics podcast.
It'll hit your podcast feed sort of late morning to
catch you up on all the activity from the Keiwis,
in particular overnight at the Paris Olympic Games. That is
us in the chamber for today, Thanks for us stopping
(16:06):
in coops, pleasure.
Speaker 3 (16:06):
Fighting, secting the sporting agenda.
Speaker 1 (16:10):
It's Sportsfix with Jason Fine and Darcy Waldgrave.
Speaker 2 (16:14):
That brings to an end another edition of the Sports
Fix podcast. A fresh episode we'll drop into your podcast
feed out around about the same time tomorrow, provided you subscribe.
Of course, if you do that, it'll happen automatically. And
for more from News Talks EDB Sport, listen to Sports
Talk weeknights between seven and eight pm or weekend Sport
midday to three Saturday and Sunday. For more from News
Speaker 1 (16:35):
Talks EDB, listen live on air or online and keep
our shows with you wherever you go with our podcasts
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