September 4, 2024 • 19 mins
On Sports Fix with D'Arcy Waldegrave for Wednesday 4 September 2024 - former All Black Josh Kronfeld talks about the possible return of tours between South Africa and New Zealand - will they strengthen the All Blacks and what will happen to the Rugby Championship?
D'Arcy delivers an opinion piece on why Christchurch shouldn't host the Commonwealth Games.
Plus, NZ Herald online sports editor Alex Powell joins the panel to discuss the biggest issue of the day.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from news Talks at BE
follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks itt Be.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Welcome on in to today's edition of Sports Fix. It's Wednesday.
It's the fourth of September twenty twenty four. I'm Darcy
water Grave and this is your home of all the
quick fire sport information that you need from here and
from abroad. Coming up in this episode. Josh Cromfeld from
All Black joins the show as we look at the
(00:43):
relevance of international tours, specifically the touring between South Africa
and New Zealand. Should it come back, will it come back?
What are we stand to win and what do we
stand to lose. Josh Confeld joins us shortly, and I
of course have got some opinion this time around the
Commonwealth Games. Christ Church or to Tahi have made the
(01:04):
right decision. It's simply not worth trying to host that
dead horse. And beyond that well, Alex Powell joins us
in the studio, digital sports editor of New Zealand Herald,
as we throw around a couple of topics of the day,
namely the ones I just spoke of that's our plan,
strap yourself in curves. Here we go again in other
(01:26):
news and in a quick whip around of the sporting
traps today, this is what we've found. New Zealand and
Paralympian at Cameron Lesley believes he would have needed more
training time to be truly competitive in his opening event
in Paris, the opening ceremony flag bearer was eighth in
the S four two a meter freestyle, and he says
(01:47):
he struggles to blend training with everyday life these days.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
I can't ditch the kids to do extra training and
stuff like that. I'm not okay with that. My values
don't align with it. So I'm churning up doing the
same time as what I've done.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Pretty much the whole cycle.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
So I've stayed the same.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
And everyone else has sort of growing an arm leg
and done everything as you'd expect them to be changing.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Taylor Fritz is claiming a victory or persistent at the
US Tennis Open, beating fourth seed Alexander's very even for
set to book his first major semi final in front
of our home crowd. He's overcome a habit of getting
stuck in the last eight.
Speaker 5 (02:21):
Good question I got asked pretty much every time was
what's it going to take to go further? And Darren
swer I gave was always just keep putting myself in
these situations and I'll become more comfortable than That's definitely
what happened.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
And finally, a lightning strike during Team he's Eland's race
against Luna Rossa brought an early end to Day five
of the America's Cup Challenges series off the coast of Barcelona.
The defenders were disqualified for sailing outside the boundary to
avoid the weather. Peter Berling says the conditions gave them
(02:54):
the baby gbs.
Speaker 6 (02:55):
I've had a good run with lightning recently, so more
than keen to getting here one of these big yachts
that's actually ducted down to the water properly. See a
lot of el choice on these spots. Do you see
one of those at the course? That's ever fun?
Speaker 3 (03:08):
And that's a taste of the recent times in sport.
Here on the Fix leading a.
Speaker 7 (03:13):
X, we've got just the ticket. It's Sports Fix. How
news talks?
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Is he and it's well welcome to former All Black
Josha Cronfeld. I should probably say josh our current surfer
more than former All Blacks. I think that probably has
more sway in your life, doesn't it made? How are you?
Speaker 2 (03:31):
It definitely does, mate. I'm good, very good.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Nice to hear. Hey, there's news possibly that it's looking
like there's going to be test series reintroduced tours between
South Africa and New Zealand once every four years, a
bit like a Lion's tour, you know, one there, one
over here, and it's kind of a return to the
good old days?
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Or is it? So?
Speaker 3 (03:52):
I thought, I know a guy who's been around had
a tour back in ninety six, very successful, and I
might add, is this a good way to go? Josh?
Speaker 5 (04:00):
Is it?
Speaker 3 (04:01):
We'll give you the warm fuzzies? Yeah?
Speaker 8 (04:03):
Look, I mean initially, you know, I mean, I think
they said it was going to be the last of
the tour is because of obviously the way the championship
and the various different cups that they had from that period,
the wayfacialists was going. So it kind of felt kind
of neat to be part of that last sort of
system and also.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
You know, to to have the win that we did.
Speaker 8 (04:27):
But you know, when you look at it now, because
the South Africans aren't in our you know, in our
super competition.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
You know.
Speaker 8 (04:37):
That's that asked the question are we distancing from what
we understand is, you know, high level competitive rugby, and
so to reintroduce it and have that connection, you know,
have more games.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
It's probably not a bad.
Speaker 8 (04:55):
Thing because I mean it'll probably also mean that, all right,
we'll have the tours, but we'll have midweek games too,
you know, and that that well I'm assuming anyway, but
those midweek games could be as precious as the tests.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
That's what I think. The fact that you get guys
that dirt trackers or whatever they call them in your
day to get to go over there and experience being
in a group like the All Blacks for a few
weeks time and playing at that different level, it gives
you so many more arrows to your quiver, doesn't it.
When you move on and up. It's kind of necessary
and long forgotten.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Yeah, I've got to think it makes sense going forward.
Speaker 8 (05:36):
We need to stay competitive and I think everybody will
agree that not having South Africa and now you know,
the franchise rugby has made a difference and it has
had an impact on the quality of the rugby that
we're getting exposed to and if you're playing the top
teams we can week out and playing at level, it
(05:59):
brings everyone else up to whether the benchmarks and so
going forward, Yes, I think the tours are a great idea.
Maybe it'll rein ignite some of the love and the
and the passion and the excitement of the nineties rugby.
To me, you know, and speaking to a few of
the boys, that it was a bit of a golden
(06:19):
period of rugby thing, you know, just in terms of
the turnouts, the crowds, the build ups, the excitement that
seemed to go into you know where, whatever city or
town that you're involved in, and some of that stuff
sort of fallen by the way with rugby, I feel,
you know, I can I say that on.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
My being a bit rude to the game at the moment.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Josh, you can say whatever you want. That's what we've
got you on the radio. Josh Cronfell did join us.
I don't think too many people out there will disagree
with you. Maybe getting up in the middle of the
night to watch it tour over several weeks might not
encourage a lot of people, But the opposite is then
when the spring Boks come here and go up and
(07:02):
down the nation. I think what you're talking about is
sitting a touch paper off getting a fire going in
for a tour, because the enthusiasm behind that is I meant,
especially in the provinces.
Speaker 8 (07:12):
You know, I was fortunate enough to win when a
Springbok hit and and I'm assuming they'll bring that back
and that that's pretty special too, to have that new
trophy cabinet, you know. I know for a tigo at
that particular time, I felt like we were building into
a special sort of phase of rugby in that period
(07:34):
and that was just the start for me.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
You know. It was that spring block head.
Speaker 8 (07:39):
I remember Gordon Hunter, you know, having that under his
arm and you know.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Proud as punch, you know, and just fed off that.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
What about the development of players, Josh and the development
of that that second tier simply being with a full
all black squad and learning as the weeks go on
about what it meant to be an all black and
not not necessarily just in playing style, but everything that
encompasses wearing that ferm.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
It is massive and it is cool too. You know.
Speaker 8 (08:08):
You do get a bit of an US and them
sort of concept going on and there's a few people
floating between you know, the Test team and the midweek team,
but that's competition of old you know, like and because
you're in the mix and you're training alongside of these
guys and you're playing and you're just on that fringe,
(08:32):
you see how you can bring yourself up to that
next level and what's expected, and you see how your
test players build into the week and you start to
emulate some of those those good qualities and you take
your game from where it was find a way to
(08:53):
sneak in in the back door I guess, to getting
a Test opportunity, and you can do that by playing
well during those midweek games, and the club sides that
you end up playing, you know, whether it was Natal
you know or whoever it is or here like in
New Zealand, they rise for the occasion as well, so
(09:15):
that you end up seeing quite great spectacles of rugby
as well, you know, because you've got a midweek team
that's just trying to do something special to try and
get as many as their players into the Test side,
and then you've also got a team that you're playing
against trying to do something special and festive to try
(09:36):
and unhinge it and.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Get a win over the All Blacks. You know, it's
it's it is quite unique and special.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
And something I'm sure we'd all like to see. Josh,
thanks for joining. It's always a pleasure to yarn code,
especially going back in the day. And you're just looking
that up at well Carrisbrook July nine and you managed
to win that one at twenty to fourteen in that tour. Oh,
congratulations back in the day, the good old days. Josh,
(10:02):
Thanks for your time, mate.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
Absolute pleasure man leading of it.
Speaker 7 (10:06):
We've got just the ticket sportsfix how my news talks
IVY Yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Nah. Christ Church thought maybe we get host our Commonwealth Games,
so a lot of counselors said, you know what, maybe
we can. So they did the sensible thing. They commissioned
a report to find out whether it was feasible or not.
The report came back and said, yeah, nah, we're not
going to do it. So christ Church have rightly pulled out.
They do believe if there is a national Commonwealth Games
(10:37):
they might be able to take part in it somehow,
but this time around they simply can't do it. They're
not big enough, they haven't got the infrastructure and it
will cost at least one point four billion dollars, and
that's in today's money. By the time the thing turns out,
oh maybe double that to three billion dollars. The city
(10:58):
can't afford it, and the city shouldn't afford it. It's odd,
isn't it. This Commonwealth Games. I know it's got a
proud history. I know we all remember times we were
at Commonwealth Aims way back early in the days, and
the pride that we get from our country competing and
winning in calm games, and that flag and that national anthem,
and it's a wonderful stepping stone for athletes up to
(11:21):
the Olympic Games. But the day is gone. That horse
has bolted and we've got to stop flogging that dead
horse before it's too late. Levion de Chevelle, that's all
it's left of that creature. And it saddens me to
say it's all over Rover, but I think it is.
And I commend christ Church for a saying hey, we'll
(11:44):
have a look, and then b having the wherewithall after
the commissioned report saying nah to go. You know what,
You're probably right, we're going to find more sporting events
that are more fit for purpose for the Garden City.
They've come to the right decision. Well done, christ Church,
well played.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfax.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Time to lean on the Leaner over a pint to
two of Frothy and we're joined by Alex Powell. He's
the digital sport editor for New Zealand Herald or It's
a pleasure Alex of Fallow Formula one fan, but it's
no race cars today. We're going to talk about rugby
and the Commonwealth Game. So are you a fan of
the tours that looks like they're coming back?
Speaker 9 (12:29):
I mean yes and no. I'm a huge fan of
the tours if it comes back with that big asterisk.
But I mean the question that I can't look past
is well, what does this mean for the rest of
rugby's calendar. There's probably too many fixtures as it is
with everything and that if you're adding a tour on
top of that, what does that going to mean for
the players?
Speaker 3 (12:48):
I forget what the World Test Championships called these days
because it changed his mind every half an hour. Does
that still exist? It's really behovin on World Rugby to
try and organize some kind of calendar which they have
been completely useless that for as long as I can remember.
Speaker 9 (13:02):
Well, you're taken to a fact that that nation's league
it's actually called, is probably going to be played in
Qatar as well.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
No, no, no, yeah, I don't know, but that the
essence of a tour there must be something. I'd seen
a lot of New Zlands to go. We actually want this.
Speaker 9 (13:16):
Exactly well, I mean, if it's, by the sounds of it,
every two years. I mean, the thing about the Lions
tour is it's so special because it's every twelve years.
Would we get up for a South Africa tour if
it's every two or four years?
Speaker 3 (13:28):
Years? Every four years?
Speaker 9 (13:29):
I mean, but I mean by that token, yeah, you
absolutely would, wouldn't you.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
Well, I think that when you get a tour, and
I remember, because I'm slightly longer in the tooth than
you are, When the South Africans came and they spend
a few weeks here up the country, playing all the
provinces and all those little teams leading into the test matches,
it was palpable what was going on there. You really
felt like there was something happened. When it's very wam bam,
(13:53):
thank you man. These days isn't it's an event that
are and they're off again. There's no context, there's no momentum.
Speaker 9 (13:59):
No, that's exactly right. And that word you've just used
their context not just for this but for the whole game.
What does all of this mean?
Speaker 3 (14:07):
And I ethan blackout, blake out of the seconds I
like to call him, he kind of misses it as well.
I think there's an energy from the younger players going,
we want to do what you know the old folk
used to do, right, Yeah.
Speaker 9 (14:20):
I mean you get these one off tests. Now you
might get, you know, a couple of tests against the
touring side, you know from the Northern hemisphere that started
gym when you start your year. But something like this
that you can build towards and you can set as
a pinnacle event for the year. I think the players
will want that.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
What about the education of the players, the famous old
term the dirt trackers is talking to Josh Cronfeld about
that as well. In itself is valuable.
Speaker 9 (14:44):
I mean, you can't argue that these players are currently
lacking from the sort of the experiences they're not getting.
You know, you look at Club Rugby now playing only
the Australians and Kiwis and Super Rugby is not helping anyone.
South Africa have massively won this by going over to
Europe and getting tested by the Irish teams and the
Welsh teams and the Scottish teams, and they gover of
(15:06):
Europe and they play the English teams and the French teams,
and where just sort of stuck making up the numbers
down here. But if you give the players a chance
to go over and play South Africa in South Africa
every couple of years or every four years, I think
they're gonna get better.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
By default, they have to get better, especially learning what
it means to play in South Africa huge for them.
Otherwise you just roll over, you have a couple of tests,
you're out again. You don't like that at all. But
what about the championship? Is this curtains for the championship?
If this happens, is suddenly we go back to old
school tours in between whatever you call it, before the
World Rugby Nations thing in the jiggoquitar.
Speaker 9 (15:41):
I mean, that's the thing I'd worry about. What would
this mean for Argentina. What would this mean for Australia.
Australia is on its knees already in terms of rugby.
They cannot catch a trick, they can't wear a test.
Their super rugby teams are rubbish. You know, if they
lose regular test matches against New Zealand, which I don't
think they will in that sense because the Bledderslow is
always gonna be a thing is and it will have
to play for the Bledderslow.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Well we're gonna have.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
It and bound tills from them as well, and vice versa.
It's in constant tourist that's a word. That's a three
hour flight, that's not a tour but go up and down,
you know, play everybody else. It demands a massive restructure.
But like yourself and like most of us sport, Gunopigs
got little or no faith in world rugby to do
anything that's going to work for the Southern Hemisphere full stop.
Speaker 9 (16:24):
Right Well, I mean, do you now worry that if
this stares go ahead? Is that at the end of
South Africa in the Southern Hemisphere, it makes a lot
more sense for them logistically to be a Northern Hemisphere team.
The players all play there, it's a shorter flight, it's
the better time zone. I mean, the only thing they're
really held to with the Southern Hemisphere is the fact
that they've always been here.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
While they are in the Southern Hemisphere.
Speaker 9 (16:44):
Well, I mean only geographic only. If you want to
look at a map.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
Forget about the globe. Let's move away, let's go to
the Commonwealth Games. Of course you look at a map
Comonwealth all over the shop. They can't find a place
dulled their games. I get the feeling out of christ
you have done this report and they've gone yeah. Nah.
It says a lot to me about the dying horse
that's been flogged, because it's going to go on. Is
(17:08):
anyone going to climb in there?
Speaker 9 (17:10):
I mean, I don't see the Commonwealth Games existing anywhere
outside of the UK or Australia from here. I really don't.
But even then Victoria said, no, we're not doing it.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
It needs to stay in Britain. It's their games, it's
their conqueror's games. They can pay the bills.
Speaker 9 (17:24):
I mean, just like you have to ask you off
what you actually think of the Commonwealth Games. I mean,
I don't really get behind it when it's not on,
because you know, how can you claim to be to
have won any of these events. You're not facing America,
you're not facing the Chinese, you're not facing the Russians.
For all sorts of different reasons. If you're just beating
up the Commonwealth, you know, the Commonwealth nations.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Well there are some sports though where the Commonwealth nations
are dominant. So it does become a world championship of
a time. And we always see the argument that, hey,
athletes at the Olympic Games. Every outside of the Olympic Games,
they get to a Commonwealth Games, they understand, they start
learning what performing in a huge atmosphere that environment is,
(18:05):
and that that's really quite handy. But do we run
them just for.
Speaker 9 (18:07):
That, well, I mean you can't, can you financially? We
know how difficult it is for the Olympics to make
a profit, you know, and this is the sporting event
to end them all, you know, So if they're struggling,
and I mean there's all sorts of red tape and
all that you've got with the Olympics and the IOC,
you've got all their dabs on it, but it cannot
be a good thing if you want this to be
a pinnacle event and operate at a loss. And that's
(18:27):
why all these venues are saying no, we're not hosting it.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
Alex Pale Digital Sports Centers of The Herald, thanks very
much for joining us on the Lena and Go get
around it dissecting the sporting agenda.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
It's Sports Fix with Jason Pine and Darcy Waldgrave.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
And that's us done and dusted for another episode of
Sports Fix. It's Wednesday, the fourth of September twenty twenty four.
I'm Darcy Watergrave. Thanks for listening and if it's more
sport that you need, you can get it News Talk
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(19:03):
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Speaker 1 (19:22):
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Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks itt Be.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Welcome on in to today's edition of Sports Fix. It's Wednesday.
It's the fourth of September twenty twenty four. I'm Darcy
water Grave and this is your home of all the
quick fire sport information that you need from here and
from abroad. Coming up in this episode. Josh Cromfeld from
All Black joins the show as we look at the
(00:43):
relevance of international tours, specifically the touring between South Africa
and New Zealand. Should it come back, will it come back?
What are we stand to win and what do we
stand to lose. Josh Confeld joins us shortly, and I
of course have got some opinion this time around the
Commonwealth Games. Christ Church or to Tahi have made the
(01:04):
right decision. It's simply not worth trying to host that
dead horse. And beyond that well, Alex Powell joins us
in the studio, digital sports editor of New Zealand Herald,
as we throw around a couple of topics of the day,
namely the ones I just spoke of that's our plan,
strap yourself in curves. Here we go again in other
(01:26):
news and in a quick whip around of the sporting
traps today, this is what we've found. New Zealand and
Paralympian at Cameron Lesley believes he would have needed more
training time to be truly competitive in his opening event
in Paris, the opening ceremony flag bearer was eighth in
the S four two a meter freestyle, and he says
(01:47):
he struggles to blend training with everyday life these days.
Speaker 4 (01:51):
I can't ditch the kids to do extra training and
stuff like that. I'm not okay with that. My values
don't align with it. So I'm churning up doing the
same time as what I've done.
Speaker 3 (01:58):
Pretty much the whole cycle.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
So I've stayed the same.
Speaker 4 (02:00):
And everyone else has sort of growing an arm leg
and done everything as you'd expect them to be changing.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Taylor Fritz is claiming a victory or persistent at the
US Tennis Open, beating fourth seed Alexander's very even for
set to book his first major semi final in front
of our home crowd. He's overcome a habit of getting
stuck in the last eight.
Speaker 5 (02:21):
Good question I got asked pretty much every time was
what's it going to take to go further? And Darren
swer I gave was always just keep putting myself in
these situations and I'll become more comfortable than That's definitely
what happened.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
And finally, a lightning strike during Team he's Eland's race
against Luna Rossa brought an early end to Day five
of the America's Cup Challenges series off the coast of Barcelona.
The defenders were disqualified for sailing outside the boundary to
avoid the weather. Peter Berling says the conditions gave them
(02:54):
the baby gbs.
Speaker 6 (02:55):
I've had a good run with lightning recently, so more
than keen to getting here one of these big yachts
that's actually ducted down to the water properly. See a
lot of el choice on these spots. Do you see
one of those at the course? That's ever fun?
Speaker 3 (03:08):
And that's a taste of the recent times in sport.
Here on the Fix leading a.
Speaker 7 (03:13):
X, we've got just the ticket. It's Sports Fix. How
news talks?
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Is he and it's well welcome to former All Black
Josha Cronfeld. I should probably say josh our current surfer
more than former All Blacks. I think that probably has
more sway in your life, doesn't it made? How are you?
Speaker 2 (03:31):
It definitely does, mate. I'm good, very good.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Nice to hear. Hey, there's news possibly that it's looking
like there's going to be test series reintroduced tours between
South Africa and New Zealand once every four years, a
bit like a Lion's tour, you know, one there, one
over here, and it's kind of a return to the
good old days?
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Or is it? So?
Speaker 3 (03:52):
I thought, I know a guy who's been around had
a tour back in ninety six, very successful, and I
might add, is this a good way to go? Josh?
Speaker 5 (04:00):
Is it?
Speaker 3 (04:01):
We'll give you the warm fuzzies? Yeah?
Speaker 8 (04:03):
Look, I mean initially, you know, I mean, I think
they said it was going to be the last of
the tour is because of obviously the way the championship
and the various different cups that they had from that period,
the wayfacialists was going. So it kind of felt kind
of neat to be part of that last sort of
system and also.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
You know, to to have the win that we did.
Speaker 8 (04:27):
But you know, when you look at it now, because
the South Africans aren't in our you know, in our
super competition.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
You know.
Speaker 8 (04:37):
That's that asked the question are we distancing from what
we understand is, you know, high level competitive rugby, and
so to reintroduce it and have that connection, you know,
have more games.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
It's probably not a bad.
Speaker 8 (04:55):
Thing because I mean it'll probably also mean that, all right,
we'll have the tours, but we'll have midweek games too,
you know, and that that well I'm assuming anyway, but
those midweek games could be as precious as the tests.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
That's what I think. The fact that you get guys
that dirt trackers or whatever they call them in your
day to get to go over there and experience being
in a group like the All Blacks for a few
weeks time and playing at that different level, it gives
you so many more arrows to your quiver, doesn't it.
When you move on and up. It's kind of necessary
and long forgotten.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
Yeah, I've got to think it makes sense going forward.
Speaker 8 (05:36):
We need to stay competitive and I think everybody will
agree that not having South Africa and now you know,
the franchise rugby has made a difference and it has
had an impact on the quality of the rugby that
we're getting exposed to and if you're playing the top
teams we can week out and playing at level, it
(05:59):
brings everyone else up to whether the benchmarks and so
going forward, Yes, I think the tours are a great idea.
Maybe it'll rein ignite some of the love and the
and the passion and the excitement of the nineties rugby.
To me, you know, and speaking to a few of
the boys, that it was a bit of a golden
(06:19):
period of rugby thing, you know, just in terms of
the turnouts, the crowds, the build ups, the excitement that
seemed to go into you know where, whatever city or
town that you're involved in, and some of that stuff
sort of fallen by the way with rugby, I feel,
you know, I can I say that on.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
My being a bit rude to the game at the moment.
Speaker 3 (06:42):
Josh, you can say whatever you want. That's what we've
got you on the radio. Josh Cronfell did join us.
I don't think too many people out there will disagree
with you. Maybe getting up in the middle of the
night to watch it tour over several weeks might not
encourage a lot of people, But the opposite is then
when the spring Boks come here and go up and
(07:02):
down the nation. I think what you're talking about is
sitting a touch paper off getting a fire going in
for a tour, because the enthusiasm behind that is I meant,
especially in the provinces.
Speaker 8 (07:12):
You know, I was fortunate enough to win when a
Springbok hit and and I'm assuming they'll bring that back
and that that's pretty special too, to have that new
trophy cabinet, you know. I know for a tigo at
that particular time, I felt like we were building into
a special sort of phase of rugby in that period
(07:34):
and that was just the start for me.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
You know. It was that spring block head.
Speaker 8 (07:39):
I remember Gordon Hunter, you know, having that under his
arm and you know.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Proud as punch, you know, and just fed off that.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
What about the development of players, Josh and the development
of that that second tier simply being with a full
all black squad and learning as the weeks go on
about what it meant to be an all black and
not not necessarily just in playing style, but everything that
encompasses wearing that ferm.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
It is massive and it is cool too. You know.
Speaker 8 (08:08):
You do get a bit of an US and them
sort of concept going on and there's a few people
floating between you know, the Test team and the midweek team,
but that's competition of old you know, like and because
you're in the mix and you're training alongside of these
guys and you're playing and you're just on that fringe,
(08:32):
you see how you can bring yourself up to that
next level and what's expected, and you see how your
test players build into the week and you start to
emulate some of those those good qualities and you take
your game from where it was find a way to
(08:53):
sneak in in the back door I guess, to getting
a Test opportunity, and you can do that by playing
well during those midweek games, and the club sides that
you end up playing, you know, whether it was Natal
you know or whoever it is or here like in
New Zealand, they rise for the occasion as well, so
(09:15):
that you end up seeing quite great spectacles of rugby
as well, you know, because you've got a midweek team
that's just trying to do something special to try and
get as many as their players into the Test side,
and then you've also got a team that you're playing
against trying to do something special and festive to try
(09:36):
and unhinge it and.
Speaker 2 (09:37):
Get a win over the All Blacks. You know, it's
it's it is quite unique and special.
Speaker 3 (09:42):
And something I'm sure we'd all like to see. Josh,
thanks for joining. It's always a pleasure to yarn code,
especially going back in the day. And you're just looking
that up at well Carrisbrook July nine and you managed
to win that one at twenty to fourteen in that tour. Oh,
congratulations back in the day, the good old days. Josh,
(10:02):
Thanks for your time, mate.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
Absolute pleasure man leading of it.
Speaker 7 (10:06):
We've got just the ticket sportsfix how my news talks
IVY Yeah.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Nah. Christ Church thought maybe we get host our Commonwealth Games,
so a lot of counselors said, you know what, maybe
we can. So they did the sensible thing. They commissioned
a report to find out whether it was feasible or not.
The report came back and said, yeah, nah, we're not
going to do it. So christ Church have rightly pulled out.
They do believe if there is a national Commonwealth Games
(10:37):
they might be able to take part in it somehow,
but this time around they simply can't do it. They're
not big enough, they haven't got the infrastructure and it
will cost at least one point four billion dollars, and
that's in today's money. By the time the thing turns out,
oh maybe double that to three billion dollars. The city
(10:58):
can't afford it, and the city shouldn't afford it. It's odd,
isn't it. This Commonwealth Games. I know it's got a
proud history. I know we all remember times we were
at Commonwealth Aims way back early in the days, and
the pride that we get from our country competing and
winning in calm games, and that flag and that national anthem,
and it's a wonderful stepping stone for athletes up to
(11:21):
the Olympic Games. But the day is gone. That horse
has bolted and we've got to stop flogging that dead
horse before it's too late. Levion de Chevelle, that's all
it's left of that creature. And it saddens me to
say it's all over Rover, but I think it is.
And I commend christ Church for a saying hey, we'll
(11:44):
have a look, and then b having the wherewithall after
the commissioned report saying nah to go. You know what,
You're probably right, we're going to find more sporting events
that are more fit for purpose for the Garden City.
They've come to the right decision. Well done, christ Church,
well played.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfax.
Speaker 3 (12:09):
Time to lean on the Leaner over a pint to
two of Frothy and we're joined by Alex Powell. He's
the digital sport editor for New Zealand Herald or It's
a pleasure Alex of Fallow Formula one fan, but it's
no race cars today. We're going to talk about rugby
and the Commonwealth Game. So are you a fan of
the tours that looks like they're coming back?
Speaker 9 (12:29):
I mean yes and no. I'm a huge fan of
the tours if it comes back with that big asterisk.
But I mean the question that I can't look past
is well, what does this mean for the rest of
rugby's calendar. There's probably too many fixtures as it is
with everything and that if you're adding a tour on
top of that, what does that going to mean for
the players?
Speaker 3 (12:48):
I forget what the World Test Championships called these days
because it changed his mind every half an hour. Does
that still exist? It's really behovin on World Rugby to
try and organize some kind of calendar which they have
been completely useless that for as long as I can remember.
Speaker 9 (13:02):
Well, you're taken to a fact that that nation's league
it's actually called, is probably going to be played in
Qatar as well.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
No, no, no, yeah, I don't know, but that the
essence of a tour there must be something. I'd seen
a lot of New Zlands to go. We actually want this.
Speaker 9 (13:16):
Exactly well, I mean, if it's, by the sounds of it,
every two years. I mean, the thing about the Lions
tour is it's so special because it's every twelve years.
Would we get up for a South Africa tour if
it's every two or four years?
Speaker 3 (13:28):
Years? Every four years?
Speaker 9 (13:29):
I mean, but I mean by that token, yeah, you
absolutely would, wouldn't you.
Speaker 3 (13:32):
Well, I think that when you get a tour, and
I remember, because I'm slightly longer in the tooth than
you are, When the South Africans came and they spend
a few weeks here up the country, playing all the
provinces and all those little teams leading into the test matches,
it was palpable what was going on there. You really
felt like there was something happened. When it's very wam bam,
(13:53):
thank you man. These days isn't it's an event that
are and they're off again. There's no context, there's no momentum.
Speaker 9 (13:59):
No, that's exactly right. And that word you've just used
their context not just for this but for the whole game.
What does all of this mean?
Speaker 3 (14:07):
And I ethan blackout, blake out of the seconds I
like to call him, he kind of misses it as well.
I think there's an energy from the younger players going,
we want to do what you know the old folk
used to do, right, Yeah.
Speaker 9 (14:20):
I mean you get these one off tests. Now you
might get, you know, a couple of tests against the
touring side, you know from the Northern hemisphere that started
gym when you start your year. But something like this
that you can build towards and you can set as
a pinnacle event for the year. I think the players
will want that.
Speaker 3 (14:34):
What about the education of the players, the famous old
term the dirt trackers is talking to Josh Cronfeld about
that as well. In itself is valuable.
Speaker 9 (14:44):
I mean, you can't argue that these players are currently
lacking from the sort of the experiences they're not getting.
You know, you look at Club Rugby now playing only
the Australians and Kiwis and Super Rugby is not helping anyone.
South Africa have massively won this by going over to
Europe and getting tested by the Irish teams and the
Welsh teams and the Scottish teams, and they gover of
(15:06):
Europe and they play the English teams and the French teams,
and where just sort of stuck making up the numbers
down here. But if you give the players a chance
to go over and play South Africa in South Africa
every couple of years or every four years, I think
they're gonna get better.
Speaker 3 (15:19):
By default, they have to get better, especially learning what
it means to play in South Africa huge for them.
Otherwise you just roll over, you have a couple of tests,
you're out again. You don't like that at all. But
what about the championship? Is this curtains for the championship?
If this happens, is suddenly we go back to old
school tours in between whatever you call it, before the
World Rugby Nations thing in the jiggoquitar.
Speaker 9 (15:41):
I mean, that's the thing I'd worry about. What would
this mean for Argentina. What would this mean for Australia.
Australia is on its knees already in terms of rugby.
They cannot catch a trick, they can't wear a test.
Their super rugby teams are rubbish. You know, if they
lose regular test matches against New Zealand, which I don't
think they will in that sense because the Bledderslow is
always gonna be a thing is and it will have
to play for the Bledderslow.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Well we're gonna have.
Speaker 3 (16:02):
It and bound tills from them as well, and vice versa.
It's in constant tourist that's a word. That's a three
hour flight, that's not a tour but go up and down,
you know, play everybody else. It demands a massive restructure.
But like yourself and like most of us sport, Gunopigs
got little or no faith in world rugby to do
anything that's going to work for the Southern Hemisphere full stop.
Speaker 9 (16:24):
Right Well, I mean, do you now worry that if
this stares go ahead? Is that at the end of
South Africa in the Southern Hemisphere, it makes a lot
more sense for them logistically to be a Northern Hemisphere team.
The players all play there, it's a shorter flight, it's
the better time zone. I mean, the only thing they're
really held to with the Southern Hemisphere is the fact
that they've always been here.
Speaker 3 (16:42):
While they are in the Southern Hemisphere.
Speaker 9 (16:44):
Well, I mean only geographic only. If you want to
look at a map.
Speaker 3 (16:48):
Forget about the globe. Let's move away, let's go to
the Commonwealth Games. Of course you look at a map
Comonwealth all over the shop. They can't find a place
dulled their games. I get the feeling out of christ
you have done this report and they've gone yeah. Nah.
It says a lot to me about the dying horse
that's been flogged, because it's going to go on. Is
(17:08):
anyone going to climb in there?
Speaker 9 (17:10):
I mean, I don't see the Commonwealth Games existing anywhere
outside of the UK or Australia from here. I really don't.
But even then Victoria said, no, we're not doing it.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
It needs to stay in Britain. It's their games, it's
their conqueror's games. They can pay the bills.
Speaker 9 (17:24):
I mean, just like you have to ask you off
what you actually think of the Commonwealth Games. I mean,
I don't really get behind it when it's not on,
because you know, how can you claim to be to
have won any of these events. You're not facing America,
you're not facing the Chinese, you're not facing the Russians.
For all sorts of different reasons. If you're just beating
up the Commonwealth, you know, the Commonwealth nations.
Speaker 3 (17:44):
Well there are some sports though where the Commonwealth nations
are dominant. So it does become a world championship of
a time. And we always see the argument that, hey,
athletes at the Olympic Games. Every outside of the Olympic Games,
they get to a Commonwealth Games, they understand, they start
learning what performing in a huge atmosphere that environment is,
(18:05):
and that that's really quite handy. But do we run
them just for.
Speaker 9 (18:07):
That, well, I mean you can't, can you financially? We
know how difficult it is for the Olympics to make
a profit, you know, and this is the sporting event
to end them all, you know, So if they're struggling,
and I mean there's all sorts of red tape and
all that you've got with the Olympics and the IOC,
you've got all their dabs on it, but it cannot
be a good thing if you want this to be
a pinnacle event and operate at a loss. And that's
(18:27):
why all these venues are saying no, we're not hosting it.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
Alex Pale Digital Sports Centers of The Herald, thanks very
much for joining us on the Lena and Go get
around it dissecting the sporting agenda.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
It's Sports Fix with Jason Pine and Darcy Waldgrave.
Speaker 3 (18:43):
And that's us done and dusted for another episode of
Sports Fix. It's Wednesday, the fourth of September twenty twenty four.
I'm Darcy Watergrave. Thanks for listening and if it's more
sport that you need, you can get it News Talk
ZB Monday through Friday between seven and eight pm with
Sports Talk and over the weekend between twelve and three
(19:03):
Saturday Sunday Jason Pine with Weekend Sport. Although this weekend
Piney's on holiday, so I get to take control of
his program. And if you want this podcast to drop
in your inbox every day, just subscribe. It's as simple
as do you look after yourself A go well.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
For more from News Talks B listen live on air
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