July 24, 2024 • 17 mins
On Sports Fix with D'Arcy Waldegrave for Wednesday 24 July 2024 - Former All White David Chote talks about the 'cheating scandal' that has rocked the Football Ferns Olympic campaign - what should the punishment be for the Canadian team?
D'Arcy delivers an opinion piece on why the Olympics will be a welcome distraction for the world.
Plus, Newstalk ZB Deputy Sports News Director Elliott Smith joins the panel to discuss the 'Air NZ Wahs' flight that sold out in just minutes.
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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.
This is Sportsfix Howard By News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Welcome on and to the Fix. This is our podcast
covering off all you need to know and some things
you don't in the wonderful wide world of sport. It's
a Wednesday. It's the twenty fourth of July twenty twenty four.
My name is Darcy Waldgrave and coming up on this
edition we're going to chat with former All White David
Choate about the extraordinary cheating going on in France around
(00:45):
the football ferns a drone. You are kidding me, Tody
joins us shortly. I've got my opinions, of course on
the Olympic Games, Olympic Games number thirty three, the good,
the bad and the indifferent. And then Elliott Smith, sports
news reader, journalist and the voice of rugby here at Newstalks,
AB joins me in the chamber as we pull apart
(01:07):
some of the big sports stories of the day. That's
our plan get amongst here on the Fixed courtesy of
News Talk ZB. In other news, let's take a quick
squizzits some of the newsmakers in sport today. Well in
the Olympics at least. The Oli Whites campaign gets its
(01:27):
rigg li on overnight. The predominantly under twenty three team
have a crack at Guinea to get the ball. Rolling
coach Darren Baisley speaks of skipper Matt Garbett young but old.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Whilst Garbs is an underage player, you know, we actually
look at him as through similar to one of our
overage players, So I think he shows great leadership and
on and off the pitch, so I'm excited to see
him where the armband and really drive this team forward.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
The All Black Sevens leap into action overnight as well.
And Andrew Newstub has reflected on the immense challenge of
spending two years out of the picture whilst recovering from
consecutive ACL injuries to the same knee.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Would have been able to talk about them physio doctors,
guys that looked after my mental health and things like that,
and also the team, like my mates and my family
that just helped.
Speaker 4 (02:15):
Me out so much and you know, keep pushing me
all the.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Time and raining form to meet a medley World champion.
Swim at Lewis Clearbert has kept away from the Olympic
hype through his preparation in New Yorca.
Speaker 5 (02:26):
I haven't felt any of the expectations of having to
swim on be a medallist for New Zealand. If that's
what the expectation is, you know, I've just been been
here and been getting ready to try some fast.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
She's all go for the start of the thirty third
Olympic Games.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
We've got just the ticket. It's sports Vix powered by Newstalks.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Ivy and as one. Welcome to David Choke, former All
White as we look at controversy in football and the
game itself. David, Welcome to the show. First up, a
drone flying over training for the football Ferns. Have you
ever seen or read anything stranger? And welcome?
Speaker 6 (03:05):
Yeah? Thanks all. Good to be talking football. It's out
of but the Olympic Games bring us back to the
roundball code. Yeah. Crazy. Isn't it hardly likely that the
football Ferns are going to threaten the Canadians on form,
But it is a massive surprise to see them taking
to the skies with drones to try and work out
(03:26):
what the football ferns might be up to. Crazy story
silly stuff. Really, what are they going to learn. They
might learn a bit about set plays and bits and pieces,
I suppose, but yeah, cheap shot.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Real, Well, that was the next question. You're a coach,
you're looking at drone footage of a team training. What
do you hope to find at best? And I suppose
it worst? Nothing?
Speaker 6 (03:47):
Right, Yeah, I find it hard to think that they're
going to gain much knowledge of sort of the playing
style or anything like that. We all know that how
football's played. I suppose set plays. They might get an
idea of where set plays, who's going where corners, pre kicks, etc.
But it's pretty limited info that they get hold of really.
(04:08):
But it shows you what some people are prepared to
go through to get the inside word to try and
give them some sort of advantage come match day. But
I don't think Canada needed all that much help. To
be honest, the football Ferns would be outside bets at
best to get out of their group. They are ragged
well below the Canadians. The Canadians should be better than this.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
It's kind of complimentary, isn't it, in a roundabout kind
of way. The Canadians in a reigning champions very good side,
they're fearing something. They'll do anything, even if it means
getting caught looking like idiots. So it's complimentary.
Speaker 6 (04:40):
Yeah, yeah, I suppose you take some cold comfort the
fact they think it's important enough that they have to
spire you to see if they get some advantage. But yeah,
well are they keys A ranked twenty eighth in the world,
So there are three I suppose, but they haven't been
in great neck and of course they're coming through this
sort of coaching drama, a backhanded complimented best.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
As far as the effect on the players on both sides,
what will this do firstly to the football ferns now
they know this is happened, and secondly to the Canadians
knowing they've been caught.
Speaker 6 (05:11):
Yeah, well, it always happens in sport that there's a
story behind the story, and this kind of storyline I
think emboldens the football ferns. It gives them sort of
the moral high ground. I suppose that they've been hard
done by the Canadian players. Players I think will be
embarrassed because I don't think it's the kind of thing
that players are that interested in spying on other teams.
You're concentrating on your own game. You're not that concerned
(05:32):
about your opposition. You're above that. You're going out there
to win the game on the park. So I think
the Canadians are embarrassed and the Football Ferns have the
moral high ground. So if anything, it's sort of a
points victory to the Football Ferns.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
David Choket joining the program as we look at that scandal,
I suppose if anything, when you look at it, that
the Football Ferns have had a change in coach. Maybe
that is a stretch and they're looking to see how
what kind of effect that's have. Of course no yetka
klink of it. Maybe that's part of the logic.
Speaker 6 (06:06):
Maybe Michael Mayan was the assistant, was he not? So
it'll be a sort of pretty unlikely scenario that sees
Michael Main changing things up dramatically. I suppose if you're
playing against the football field, sorry, I think you would
think that set plays would be where they might be
(06:26):
able to undo you. I suppose. I think the Canadians
have backed themselves to be better in terms of open play,
so if it was trying to get a handle on
set plays, I sort of understand it. But by fair
means and foul. I think this falls into the foul category.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Let's look at punishment. What happens now, What do the
Olympic Committee do, What do the Canadians do? What kind
of punishment needs to be meted out if any?
Speaker 6 (06:54):
I don't know. It's a funny one because I think
the Olympic Committee had made a statement. They've apologized on
behalf of the Canadian side or on behalf of football
for the actions of the Canadians. So there has been
a statement made by them, and Canada have also, I
think made an apology. There was some mention of a
(07:18):
non registered official. I don't even know what that means,
who was responsible for putting the drone up there. So
whether this was a rogue act and not sanctioned by
Canadian football maybe, but I don't know if there's much
punishment you can meet out really. I did read that
they're pulling about five drones out of the Paris skies
every day. At the moment. There are drones going up
(07:40):
all over the place, lots by fans just wanting to
have a look. But amongst that is definitely the likelihood
that other teams are putting drones in a year to
see if they can learn things about their opposition.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
David enjoying no sleep for the next couple of weeks,
and thanks very much for your time and your opinions.
Speaker 6 (07:55):
You always love watching and chatting about football.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
This is sports Figs, your daily dose of sports news
by News Talks Evy.
Speaker 6 (08:07):
D.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Here we go again, the best time to be a
sport fan globally. It is the start of a thirty
third Olympiad in Paris, in France and sometimes in Tahiti.
It's going to be a spectacular couple of weeks of
nation versus nation on the sporting field, and a couple
of new and strange sports, if you can call them that,
(08:27):
thrown in there as well. Look, we all understand the
vagaries of the Olympic Games. We understand the drama behind
the Olympic Games. We do suspend our belief moving into
this two weeks because we want to experience the joy,
the color, the camaraderie and all the fun and games
in between. The success, the failure, the loss is the heartbreak,
(08:50):
the climbing of mountains, the falling into chasms. It is
all there. The human stories are the ones we are
extraordinarily interested in, and of course exposure of sports would
otherwise normally not see if you look to one side, though,
you look at the obscene costs of the Olympic Games,
the legacy of bankrupt governments who decide to take this
(09:12):
monster on. You've got countries littered with white elephants of
Stadia and the like. You've got stuffed shirt officials nose
deep in the Olympic trough. And of course you've got drugs,
cheating drugs, cheating drugs, and the list goes on. But
for all intents and purposes, it is a celebration of
the human spirit. It's a celebration of sport. It's nations
(09:34):
coming together to compete. And you move to one side
the trouble on the global stage, be it in war, pestilence, famine,
What do you want to look at? This is a
way of turning off from the misery of the world
and turning on to the true joy of sport. I'll
be all over it like a rash, because as soon
as the game start, we forget all of that focus
(09:57):
on how quick that guy is, how high that girl jumps,
how great that team is. We get to wave our flag,
be patriotic and enjoy the games at his base level
for what is global competition in sport fantastic.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfax.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
And it's a warm welcome to the Chamber Elliott Smith
that joined us before he gets well no sleep on
for the best part of the next two weeks as
part of the commentary team here at Newstalk z B
for the thirty third Olympic Games in Paris. You prepped,
You're ready to roll.
Speaker 6 (10:36):
Elliott, Yeah, you can't wait.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
Looking forward to it and just a few hours away
until we get into the sevens and compiling all the
notes now and very much looking forward to it getting underway.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
All right, So we'll touch on the sevens later and
the piece in the chamber. First up, though, the controversy
of the day, the Canadians saw whatever we spy on
the football ferns. I suppose the first thing that springs
to mind is why would you bother? What are they
going to find out?
Speaker 4 (11:01):
Yeah, that's what I sort of ran through my mind,
that have they not seen the football ferns? Have got
no idea how to attack? Unless I've been saying it
all for the Olympics. This is very, very surprising. You'd
think Canada, with their success in the women's football over
a number of years, wouldn't need to spy on little
old New Zealand. Maybe they think that with no yek Climkovi,
there'll actually be some tactics with this team, So maybe
(11:23):
that's what they're looking for. I don't know, but it
seems very very bizarre that the choose New Zealand despy on.
But I think if you're the football fans, you take
it as a badger of pride. I think that you know,
Canada is maybe a little bit worried or has the
suspicion that maybe you're hiding something ahead of them for
this tournament. So look, it's it's a bit of a storyliner,
(11:43):
isn't not on the eve of the tournament. But yeah,
I don't know why exactly Canada would bother.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
So Cheating's cheating?
Speaker 6 (11:49):
Right?
Speaker 2 (11:50):
What end of the scale are they at? How do
you feel about this? And we aren't talking Canadian Ben
Johnson cheating, But it's still that contrary to the attitude
and the vibe of the Olympics game. You can't do it.
So it is cheating, isn't it. What do you do
to them? Now? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (12:05):
I think it is cheating, and look, I think look,
every teams looking for that little advantage, aren't they over
their opposite however they might find it. But when it's
a closed training session, it is a closed training session.
And that goes for any sporting team. You're expected to have,
or you expect to have a right to some privacy
and to be able to go through your drills or
(12:25):
your training or your moves or whatever it might be,
or your team selections without having eyes looking over it.
And I think that's why team's obviously employee security, not
only for their own safety, but also for the fact
that no one should be casting eyes over their training.
So it is cheating. Look, I think a fine or
something would be a fear, you know, punishment for the
(12:48):
Canada team, but I'm not sure that they would have
learned a lot on the other hand, So look, yeah,
it does leave you with a little bit of an
icky feeling knowing that this is sort of going on,
and you wouldn't want, say, New Zealand team to be
caught spying over an opposition. So yeah, it leaves you
with a bit of a sour taste in the mouth.
I can't see too much of a pun been meted
(13:09):
out for Canada. But you hope that the messages clearly
got through now and no more have you made at that.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
I'm still trying to work out why they think they
could get away with it. Not exactly subtle, is it? Anyway?
Another story for another day. Let's move on to the
Warriors having a horrible time on that edge between must
win and mathematical chance. But at least they've won when
it comes to the plane they've charted to take fans
(13:35):
over to Las Vegas. That seven forty seven four hundred
sold out in seventeen minutes, depending on the configuration, somewhere
between four hundred and fifty six hundred and fifty six.
It's not bad going, is it, Elliott.
Speaker 4 (13:47):
It's very impressive. But I'm in two minds about this, Darcy.
Why I think it's great that the Warriors are going
over there, and clearly their brand is very, very powerful
that they can sell out a flight like this. We
were told that this is about growing the game, tapping
into the American market, getting on TV there, and now
it seemingly just turned into basically a long weekend away
for Australians and you Zealanders in Las Vegas. And if
(14:10):
that's the you know, the reason for it, and that's
why they're doing it, that's fine. But we were sold
that it was going to tap into the US market,
it was going to help Rugby League conquer the United
States by Peter Velandi's really having you know, watched through
the first year and seen a lot of the expats there.
It didn't engage with the American market and it doesn't
feel like it's going to this time around. So look,
(14:30):
it's going to be absolutely incredible three or four days
for those Kiwis, those Warriors fans hitting over the Australians.
But you know, it seems like more of an excuse
to just basically have a long weekend in Las Vegas
than actually growing the game. And if that's what it is,
that's fine. But they started out as something else. I
think they've realized that the NRL doesn't have a foothold,
(14:51):
won't get a foothold in America, so they've turned it
into you know, basically trying to get as many Warriors
or other NRAL team fans over there to spend their
hard earned on a weekend to Las Vegas.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
What rugby code spinning a few tails around getting some
kind of traction and Merrick, you'd never read about it.
Let's go back to the Olympic Games. I'm far more
interested than that, and of course you are as well.
The game start overnight for the New Zealand side, see
the Oli Whites, the under twenty threes, they get underway
(15:23):
up against Guinea and then well, I think both sides
of that you come into your own because the All
Black sevens are starting off their campaign. What's to look
forward to? There?
Speaker 4 (15:34):
Oh plenty Darcy two days early before the opening ceremony.
They need to get started to France ready for the
Athletics in the second week of the Olympics. Hence why
it's starting so early the sevens. But I think this
is a wide open men sevens competition, I really do.
You look at the likes of Argentina who had a
really strong season. South Africa barely scraped in, but there've
(15:56):
been a perennial contender. Fiji's been through a couple of
issues over the last couple of years. They're really battle
to form, but they've got Jerry two why, one of
the greatest seven players of all time back, and then
there's New Zealand who are right in the mixer as
always as you'd expect him to be with a very
strong nuclear sup players. Australia has got mark Na Wangani
Tajase before he pops off to the roosters. So when
(16:18):
it comes to the men sevens tournament, so I think
it is really really wide open, which is incredibly exciting,
and there's going to be a real scrap for these
knockout places between these two teams. Adam France, so I
haven't mentioned, and Pont du Pont playing for them, the
greatest rugby player walking the planet probably at the moment
he switched to sevens and he's all of a sudden
(16:39):
turned France into a real force. They won their first
tournament in about twenty years with him at the helm
in the World Series. So it's wide open. I think
that's a magnificent thing for rugby sevens is that you
can probably pick out the quarter finals, but from then
onwards it really is anyone's guess in this tournament and
it promises to be incredible.
Speaker 6 (16:58):
Three days of sevens over the next we will.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
Good on, yeah, Ali, and here really looking forward to
two weeks of you trying to stay awake. Thanks for
your time here. Thanks. I'm here in the chamber mate. Yeah,
we'll get plenty of it as well. It's Elliot Smith.
That is the chamber here on the Fix, dissecting the
sporting agenda.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
It's Sports Fix with Jason Pine and Darcy Waltergrave.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
And that's it for the Fix for Wednesday, the twenty
fourth of July twenty twenty four. My name's Darcy Waldgrave.
And to catch more sport between seven and eight Monday
to Friday of an evening, it is Sports Talk and
then Piney has all of the action between midday and
three on Saturday and Sunday. Make sure you subscribe, tell
her your mates and get amongst the Sports Fix. It's
(17:45):
your home of all the sport you need on a
podcast from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
For more from News Talks EDB, listen live on air
or online and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcasts on IR Radio
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
This is Sportsfix Howard By News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
Welcome on and to the Fix. This is our podcast
covering off all you need to know and some things
you don't in the wonderful wide world of sport. It's
a Wednesday. It's the twenty fourth of July twenty twenty four.
My name is Darcy Waldgrave and coming up on this
edition we're going to chat with former All White David
Choate about the extraordinary cheating going on in France around
(00:45):
the football ferns a drone. You are kidding me, Tody
joins us shortly. I've got my opinions, of course on
the Olympic Games, Olympic Games number thirty three, the good,
the bad and the indifferent. And then Elliott Smith, sports
news reader, journalist and the voice of rugby here at Newstalks,
AB joins me in the chamber as we pull apart
(01:07):
some of the big sports stories of the day. That's
our plan get amongst here on the Fixed courtesy of
News Talk ZB. In other news, let's take a quick
squizzits some of the newsmakers in sport today. Well in
the Olympics at least. The Oli Whites campaign gets its
(01:27):
rigg li on overnight. The predominantly under twenty three team
have a crack at Guinea to get the ball. Rolling
coach Darren Baisley speaks of skipper Matt Garbett young but old.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Whilst Garbs is an underage player, you know, we actually
look at him as through similar to one of our
overage players, So I think he shows great leadership and
on and off the pitch, so I'm excited to see
him where the armband and really drive this team forward.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
The All Black Sevens leap into action overnight as well.
And Andrew Newstub has reflected on the immense challenge of
spending two years out of the picture whilst recovering from
consecutive ACL injuries to the same knee.
Speaker 1 (02:06):
Would have been able to talk about them physio doctors,
guys that looked after my mental health and things like that,
and also the team, like my mates and my family
that just helped.
Speaker 4 (02:15):
Me out so much and you know, keep pushing me
all the.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Time and raining form to meet a medley World champion.
Swim at Lewis Clearbert has kept away from the Olympic
hype through his preparation in New Yorca.
Speaker 5 (02:26):
I haven't felt any of the expectations of having to
swim on be a medallist for New Zealand. If that's
what the expectation is, you know, I've just been been
here and been getting ready to try some fast.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
She's all go for the start of the thirty third
Olympic Games.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
We've got just the ticket. It's sports Vix powered by Newstalks.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Ivy and as one. Welcome to David Choke, former All
White as we look at controversy in football and the
game itself. David, Welcome to the show. First up, a
drone flying over training for the football Ferns. Have you
ever seen or read anything stranger? And welcome?
Speaker 6 (03:05):
Yeah? Thanks all. Good to be talking football. It's out
of but the Olympic Games bring us back to the
roundball code. Yeah. Crazy. Isn't it hardly likely that the
football Ferns are going to threaten the Canadians on form,
But it is a massive surprise to see them taking
to the skies with drones to try and work out
(03:26):
what the football ferns might be up to. Crazy story
silly stuff. Really, what are they going to learn. They
might learn a bit about set plays and bits and pieces,
I suppose, but yeah, cheap shot.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Real, Well, that was the next question. You're a coach,
you're looking at drone footage of a team training. What
do you hope to find at best? And I suppose
it worst? Nothing?
Speaker 6 (03:47):
Right, Yeah, I find it hard to think that they're
going to gain much knowledge of sort of the playing
style or anything like that. We all know that how
football's played. I suppose set plays. They might get an
idea of where set plays, who's going where corners, pre kicks, etc.
But it's pretty limited info that they get hold of really.
(04:08):
But it shows you what some people are prepared to
go through to get the inside word to try and
give them some sort of advantage come match day. But
I don't think Canada needed all that much help. To
be honest, the football Ferns would be outside bets at
best to get out of their group. They are ragged
well below the Canadians. The Canadians should be better than this.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
It's kind of complimentary, isn't it, in a roundabout kind
of way. The Canadians in a reigning champions very good side,
they're fearing something. They'll do anything, even if it means
getting caught looking like idiots. So it's complimentary.
Speaker 6 (04:40):
Yeah, yeah, I suppose you take some cold comfort the
fact they think it's important enough that they have to
spire you to see if they get some advantage. But yeah,
well are they keys A ranked twenty eighth in the world,
So there are three I suppose, but they haven't been
in great neck and of course they're coming through this
sort of coaching drama, a backhanded complimented best.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
As far as the effect on the players on both sides,
what will this do firstly to the football ferns now
they know this is happened, and secondly to the Canadians
knowing they've been caught.
Speaker 6 (05:11):
Yeah, well, it always happens in sport that there's a
story behind the story, and this kind of storyline I
think emboldens the football ferns. It gives them sort of
the moral high ground. I suppose that they've been hard
done by the Canadian players. Players I think will be
embarrassed because I don't think it's the kind of thing
that players are that interested in spying on other teams.
You're concentrating on your own game. You're not that concerned
(05:32):
about your opposition. You're above that. You're going out there
to win the game on the park. So I think
the Canadians are embarrassed and the Football Ferns have the
moral high ground. So if anything, it's sort of a
points victory to the Football Ferns.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
David Choket joining the program as we look at that scandal,
I suppose if anything, when you look at it, that
the Football Ferns have had a change in coach. Maybe
that is a stretch and they're looking to see how
what kind of effect that's have. Of course no yetka
klink of it. Maybe that's part of the logic.
Speaker 6 (06:06):
Maybe Michael Mayan was the assistant, was he not? So
it'll be a sort of pretty unlikely scenario that sees
Michael Main changing things up dramatically. I suppose if you're
playing against the football field, sorry, I think you would
think that set plays would be where they might be
(06:26):
able to undo you. I suppose. I think the Canadians
have backed themselves to be better in terms of open play,
so if it was trying to get a handle on
set plays, I sort of understand it. But by fair
means and foul. I think this falls into the foul category.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Let's look at punishment. What happens now, What do the
Olympic Committee do, What do the Canadians do? What kind
of punishment needs to be meted out if any?
Speaker 6 (06:54):
I don't know. It's a funny one because I think
the Olympic Committee had made a statement. They've apologized on
behalf of the Canadian side or on behalf of football
for the actions of the Canadians. So there has been
a statement made by them, and Canada have also, I
think made an apology. There was some mention of a
(07:18):
non registered official. I don't even know what that means,
who was responsible for putting the drone up there. So
whether this was a rogue act and not sanctioned by
Canadian football maybe, but I don't know if there's much
punishment you can meet out really. I did read that
they're pulling about five drones out of the Paris skies
every day. At the moment. There are drones going up
(07:40):
all over the place, lots by fans just wanting to
have a look. But amongst that is definitely the likelihood
that other teams are putting drones in a year to
see if they can learn things about their opposition.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
David enjoying no sleep for the next couple of weeks,
and thanks very much for your time and your opinions.
Speaker 6 (07:55):
You always love watching and chatting about football.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
This is sports Figs, your daily dose of sports news
by News Talks Evy.
Speaker 6 (08:07):
D.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Here we go again, the best time to be a
sport fan globally. It is the start of a thirty
third Olympiad in Paris, in France and sometimes in Tahiti.
It's going to be a spectacular couple of weeks of
nation versus nation on the sporting field, and a couple
of new and strange sports, if you can call them that,
(08:27):
thrown in there as well. Look, we all understand the
vagaries of the Olympic Games. We understand the drama behind
the Olympic Games. We do suspend our belief moving into
this two weeks because we want to experience the joy,
the color, the camaraderie and all the fun and games
in between. The success, the failure, the loss is the heartbreak,
(08:50):
the climbing of mountains, the falling into chasms. It is
all there. The human stories are the ones we are
extraordinarily interested in, and of course exposure of sports would
otherwise normally not see if you look to one side, though,
you look at the obscene costs of the Olympic Games,
the legacy of bankrupt governments who decide to take this
(09:12):
monster on. You've got countries littered with white elephants of
Stadia and the like. You've got stuffed shirt officials nose
deep in the Olympic trough. And of course you've got drugs,
cheating drugs, cheating drugs, and the list goes on. But
for all intents and purposes, it is a celebration of
the human spirit. It's a celebration of sport. It's nations
(09:34):
coming together to compete. And you move to one side
the trouble on the global stage, be it in war, pestilence, famine,
What do you want to look at? This is a
way of turning off from the misery of the world
and turning on to the true joy of sport. I'll
be all over it like a rash, because as soon
as the game start, we forget all of that focus
(09:57):
on how quick that guy is, how high that girl jumps,
how great that team is. We get to wave our flag,
be patriotic and enjoy the games at his base level
for what is global competition in sport fantastic.
Speaker 1 (10:13):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfax.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
And it's a warm welcome to the Chamber Elliott Smith
that joined us before he gets well no sleep on
for the best part of the next two weeks as
part of the commentary team here at Newstalk z B
for the thirty third Olympic Games in Paris. You prepped,
You're ready to roll.
Speaker 6 (10:36):
Elliott, Yeah, you can't wait.
Speaker 4 (10:37):
Looking forward to it and just a few hours away
until we get into the sevens and compiling all the
notes now and very much looking forward to it getting underway.
Speaker 2 (10:47):
All right, So we'll touch on the sevens later and
the piece in the chamber. First up, though, the controversy
of the day, the Canadians saw whatever we spy on
the football ferns. I suppose the first thing that springs
to mind is why would you bother? What are they
going to find out?
Speaker 4 (11:01):
Yeah, that's what I sort of ran through my mind,
that have they not seen the football ferns? Have got
no idea how to attack? Unless I've been saying it
all for the Olympics. This is very, very surprising. You'd
think Canada, with their success in the women's football over
a number of years, wouldn't need to spy on little
old New Zealand. Maybe they think that with no yek Climkovi,
there'll actually be some tactics with this team, So maybe
(11:23):
that's what they're looking for. I don't know, but it
seems very very bizarre that the choose New Zealand despy on.
But I think if you're the football fans, you take
it as a badger of pride. I think that you know,
Canada is maybe a little bit worried or has the
suspicion that maybe you're hiding something ahead of them for
this tournament. So look, it's it's a bit of a storyliner,
(11:43):
isn't not on the eve of the tournament. But yeah,
I don't know why exactly Canada would bother.
Speaker 2 (11:48):
So Cheating's cheating?
Speaker 6 (11:49):
Right?
Speaker 2 (11:50):
What end of the scale are they at? How do
you feel about this? And we aren't talking Canadian Ben
Johnson cheating, But it's still that contrary to the attitude
and the vibe of the Olympics game. You can't do it.
So it is cheating, isn't it. What do you do
to them? Now? Yeah?
Speaker 4 (12:05):
I think it is cheating, and look, I think look,
every teams looking for that little advantage, aren't they over
their opposite however they might find it. But when it's
a closed training session, it is a closed training session.
And that goes for any sporting team. You're expected to have,
or you expect to have a right to some privacy
and to be able to go through your drills or
(12:25):
your training or your moves or whatever it might be,
or your team selections without having eyes looking over it.
And I think that's why team's obviously employee security, not
only for their own safety, but also for the fact
that no one should be casting eyes over their training.
So it is cheating. Look, I think a fine or
something would be a fear, you know, punishment for the
(12:48):
Canada team, but I'm not sure that they would have
learned a lot on the other hand, So look, yeah,
it does leave you with a little bit of an
icky feeling knowing that this is sort of going on,
and you wouldn't want, say, New Zealand team to be
caught spying over an opposition. So yeah, it leaves you
with a bit of a sour taste in the mouth.
I can't see too much of a pun been meted
(13:09):
out for Canada. But you hope that the messages clearly
got through now and no more have you made at that.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
I'm still trying to work out why they think they
could get away with it. Not exactly subtle, is it? Anyway?
Another story for another day. Let's move on to the
Warriors having a horrible time on that edge between must
win and mathematical chance. But at least they've won when
it comes to the plane they've charted to take fans
(13:35):
over to Las Vegas. That seven forty seven four hundred
sold out in seventeen minutes, depending on the configuration, somewhere
between four hundred and fifty six hundred and fifty six.
It's not bad going, is it, Elliott.
Speaker 4 (13:47):
It's very impressive. But I'm in two minds about this, Darcy.
Why I think it's great that the Warriors are going
over there, and clearly their brand is very, very powerful
that they can sell out a flight like this. We
were told that this is about growing the game, tapping
into the American market, getting on TV there, and now
it seemingly just turned into basically a long weekend away
for Australians and you Zealanders in Las Vegas. And if
(14:10):
that's the you know, the reason for it, and that's
why they're doing it, that's fine. But we were sold
that it was going to tap into the US market,
it was going to help Rugby League conquer the United
States by Peter Velandi's really having you know, watched through
the first year and seen a lot of the expats there.
It didn't engage with the American market and it doesn't
feel like it's going to this time around. So look,
(14:30):
it's going to be absolutely incredible three or four days
for those Kiwis, those Warriors fans hitting over the Australians.
But you know, it seems like more of an excuse
to just basically have a long weekend in Las Vegas
than actually growing the game. And if that's what it is,
that's fine. But they started out as something else. I
think they've realized that the NRL doesn't have a foothold,
(14:51):
won't get a foothold in America, so they've turned it
into you know, basically trying to get as many Warriors
or other NRAL team fans over there to spend their
hard earned on a weekend to Las Vegas.
Speaker 2 (15:02):
What rugby code spinning a few tails around getting some
kind of traction and Merrick, you'd never read about it.
Let's go back to the Olympic Games. I'm far more
interested than that, and of course you are as well.
The game start overnight for the New Zealand side, see
the Oli Whites, the under twenty threes, they get underway
(15:23):
up against Guinea and then well, I think both sides
of that you come into your own because the All
Black sevens are starting off their campaign. What's to look
forward to? There?
Speaker 4 (15:34):
Oh plenty Darcy two days early before the opening ceremony.
They need to get started to France ready for the
Athletics in the second week of the Olympics. Hence why
it's starting so early the sevens. But I think this
is a wide open men sevens competition, I really do.
You look at the likes of Argentina who had a
really strong season. South Africa barely scraped in, but there've
(15:56):
been a perennial contender. Fiji's been through a couple of
issues over the last couple of years. They're really battle
to form, but they've got Jerry two why, one of
the greatest seven players of all time back, and then
there's New Zealand who are right in the mixer as
always as you'd expect him to be with a very
strong nuclear sup players. Australia has got mark Na Wangani
Tajase before he pops off to the roosters. So when
(16:18):
it comes to the men sevens tournament, so I think
it is really really wide open, which is incredibly exciting,
and there's going to be a real scrap for these
knockout places between these two teams. Adam France, so I
haven't mentioned, and Pont du Pont playing for them, the
greatest rugby player walking the planet probably at the moment
he switched to sevens and he's all of a sudden
(16:39):
turned France into a real force. They won their first
tournament in about twenty years with him at the helm
in the World Series. So it's wide open. I think
that's a magnificent thing for rugby sevens is that you
can probably pick out the quarter finals, but from then
onwards it really is anyone's guess in this tournament and
it promises to be incredible.
Speaker 6 (16:58):
Three days of sevens over the next we will.
Speaker 2 (17:00):
Good on, yeah, Ali, and here really looking forward to
two weeks of you trying to stay awake. Thanks for
your time here. Thanks. I'm here in the chamber mate. Yeah,
we'll get plenty of it as well. It's Elliot Smith.
That is the chamber here on the Fix, dissecting the
sporting agenda.
Speaker 1 (17:19):
It's Sports Fix with Jason Pine and Darcy Waltergrave.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
And that's it for the Fix for Wednesday, the twenty
fourth of July twenty twenty four. My name's Darcy Waldgrave.
And to catch more sport between seven and eight Monday
to Friday of an evening, it is Sports Talk and
then Piney has all of the action between midday and
three on Saturday and Sunday. Make sure you subscribe, tell
her your mates and get amongst the Sports Fix. It's
(17:45):
your home of all the sport you need on a
podcast from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 1 (17:50):
For more from News Talks EDB, listen live on air
or online and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcasts on IR Radio
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