On Sports Fix with Jason Pine for 4th May 2026, Leicester Fainga'anuku's move to flanker has brought about discussion of hybrid rugby players, and whether this could become more commonplace in New Zealand Rugby. Eric Rush spent time playing flanker and winger in his decorated career. He discussed the difficulties of changing positions with Piney.
Piney has some thoughts on what pressure does to high performance athletes, with two notable examples over the weekend, in the World Snooker Championship, and the A-League elimination final.
Plus, Adam Cooper is in the Chamber, looking at the Hurricanes' chances of going all the way.
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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 Talk said.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
B Hlli dare and welcome into a new week. Welcome
into a fresh episode of the Sports Fix podcast. Myna's
Jason Pine. It is Monday, May the fourth, a the
fourth be with you, as they say, it's great to
have you listening in on the Sports Fix podcast today.
Hybrid players, well, one hybrid player certainly catching headlines at
the moment, Lester feight Inger, a nukl who's playing open
(00:42):
side flanker for the Crusaders, having previously, of course played
most of US rugby at the top level anyway out
in midfield or even in the back three. But long
before Leicester fight Inger Anuku was doing it. One man
pioneered it many many many years ago, and that was
Eric Rush. He played many games in the loose forwards
before being chucked down on the wing. He played fifteen's,
he played sevens, A true hybrid versatile player. So what
(01:06):
does he make of this modern day experiment if you
can call it that. Eric Rush is on the podcast today.
Adam Cooper pops into the chamber to kick around the
sporting issues from the weekend. I've got a few thoughts
on pressure and what it can do to you in
a sporting context, plus the latest in sports news on
the way too, so let's get into it. In other news,
(01:28):
let's get you kicked off with a look at some
of the big sports stories around today. Kimmy Antonelli's become
the first Formula One driver to convert his maide in
three pole positions into race wins. Coming home first at
the Miami Grand Prix.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Didn't start particularly well.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Kimmi out Tonelli. He's going to finish it in spectacular style, though, once.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Twice three trains a Grand Prix winner. Chimmy out Tonelli
wins for Miami Grand Prix. Benji Marshalls told his Tigers
team that their second half efforts against the Sharks were unacceptable.
An eighteen ten halftime lead for the hosts turned into
an ambush when the Sharks ran in six further unanswered
tries to win fifty two.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
I thought we got taught a lesson by a classy
side tonight on how to run hard and how to
tackle hard and how to win the field position and
apply pressure and we got dominated and.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
The Wellington Phoenix have work to do if they're to
make their first ever A League Football Women's final. A
second minute header from Grace Jarlay has failed to prevent
a two to one semi final First League defeat away
at Brisbane.
Speaker 5 (02:32):
Coming up the pitch is basically like a half time.
We have a whole nother nineteen minute game coming up
and it's going to be at our home pitch. How
fortuns so nothing.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Bad, just little tweaks that could have won us the game.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Dissecting the sporting agenda, it's SPORTSBEX with Jason Vine.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
You're listening to the SPORTSBX podcast right now. In rugby
the Buzzwords hybrid with Lester fe Inger Muku blurring the
lines between midfield and loose forward. But long before it
became fashionable, one man was already doing it. Eric Rush
built a career switching between the loose forwards and wing,
starring for the All Blacks and becoming a global icon.
In seven's Eric rushes with us, when you watch Leicester
(03:14):
play now Russia, do you feel as though you seeing
a modern version of what you were doing thirty years ago?
Speaker 5 (03:20):
I never played super rugby in both positionons. I played
the NPC Maori All Blacks and when I was in
the All Blacks, I had to learn all the line
of pools just in case. But I never got to
play for the All Blacks as a number seven, but
that would have been great. But I played plank as
a kid, but played about one hundred games, first cast
(03:43):
games at Clinker and then Lauren names that Peter Forgard
told me I was too small to be a seven,
but they'd give me a crack on the wing. So
I'm sure that's what Will Penny's done with Lester, and
he's taken up the challenge and he's doing pretty well.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
To be honest, he's doing very well. I mean it
feels like a big adjustment though, Rushia, you know, I
mean loose ford and the wing. I mean loose ford
and midfield from second five to center flanker to a
position in the back line. How big an adjustment was it?
Speaker 5 (04:14):
Yeah? I was. I think going out was harder than
coming back in because you're you're on and island out
there in defense. Then the forwards if you missed the tackle,
there's there's plenty of guys around you that to make
up for you you know, when you're out on the wingers,
just you mate, rule buy your loans. And so there
was the part I found the hardest. You know, cacking
(04:38):
was cacking as attacking man, get the ball and run,
you know, but the defense was the hardest part. But yeah,
I think positionally is harder going out wider, but physically
much tougher for Leicester coming into the Fords. But he's
handling it within.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
What about set Peace, because you know, coming from out
and where you've got to learn, you know, line out calls,
scrums that sort of stuff be effective at set Peace.
Would that have been a big adjustment for him to make.
Speaker 5 (05:06):
I guess that the number seven is not as involved
in the in the lineout stuff is is is you
know the other seven forards, you know you're sort of
tagged on the end. It's probably a little bit different
now today because there you know, there's a lot more
variation in the audiance. But I would say that would
be the easiest part of scrummaging and in lineouts it's
(05:30):
it's getting his lines right. The increased workload because there's
the flankers work all of a lot harder than than
the wingers, especially in my day.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Yeah, well, I was going to say that too, because
and you mentioned the physical demands of it. I don't know.
I reckon a lot of players would prefer to be
out on the wing where there's not so many big
bodies to be hit and uh and and be hit by.
So would he have to change his body shape? He's
already quite a big bloke though, isn't he.
Speaker 5 (05:57):
Yeah, yeah, no, I think he's fine. But I think
he's fine. You're probably feel a properly job a few cases,
and he's doing a lot more running. But oh yeah,
I got bored out of them. I used to get
in all the rucks and and John Hard said to me, well,
if you if you haven't got the ball, you better
get out of there. If you if you've got the ball,
you can stay in there, you know. So I sort
(06:21):
of I just did my own thing, really, and and
Laurie and them were really uh, really good about let
me do it too.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Did you say that that you still were I had
to get across the line out calls and things like that,
just in case they had to bring you in. You know,
it wasn't a play necessarily, but but just in case
of emergency or of the situation.
Speaker 5 (06:43):
Just in case of Emas I got started, I started
on the wing, but they said, hey, two loose wads
go down Europe because there's only six subs in. But
but there wasn't the rotation of players. But when I
was at the Maori All Blacks, I played both positions
during the same game, and that was that was a
bit tough gus usually in the Islands where where guys
(07:04):
got hurt a lot lot higher frequency. So I ended
up in the scrub a couple of times after starting
on the wing.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
What did you enjoy more? If you look back to
your fifteenth career, which position did you enjoy playing more?
Speaker 5 (07:18):
I probably enjoyed flanker more, to be honest. Yeah, you're
in the game. You know you get to knockheads and
mix it up with the big fellas. But you get
a chance to get out in the open and run
with the ball too, So yeah, it was a mixture
of both. Where they're out on the wings, you know
you had a job and when you got an opportunity,
you had to finish it. I was man. I was
(07:40):
super fast for a flanker, but I was very average
speed for a winger.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
In size as well. I mean, I don't remember you
being small, and especially in those days Russia. I mean,
it wasn't like it wasn't like flankers, you know, one
hundred and thirty kegs, you know, like you did you
think you were? You weren't too small to be a flanker.
What did you say when they said that?
Speaker 5 (07:59):
Well, I was ninety two kges. It's you know, that's
not even a midfield back nowadays. True. True, But then
again there was no subs either, so you have to
run the whole lady, And the scrums were a tenth
about tenth of the time that takes to put the
scrum down now, so the game sort of went a
whole lot more. But they're bigger and faster athletes, bigger
(08:21):
and strong athletes nowadays, so you have to have the size. Yeah,
I don't know if I could move into the Fords nowadays,
but I guess it's amazing what you can train your
body to do. You know.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Well, Lester has obviously worked it out, you know, because
he's playing from what it's only it's a small sample size.
I know, a couple of games he's playing a right,
isn't he in that seven jersey, getting.
Speaker 5 (08:41):
Turnovers, making his tackles, scoring tries. He's doing really well.
I'm really impressed with them.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Do you think it'll be the catalyst for more guys,
especially as they're coming through, as they're developing his players,
because I guess you choose a position as you as
you get into your teenage years. Do you think guys
will actually say no, I want to be a hybrid
player who can play a couple of different roles.
Speaker 5 (09:01):
I guess that'd be like me, mate'll they'll do whatever
they're told. You know, if if you get a sniff
in a different position, you're never going to say no.
You know. Ali met Us is another example today. He's
going to have to decide where he wants to play
because you know, he plays pretty well at wing and
blanker for Wycott or in the NPC. So he's probably
the only other example of it today. Of course, was
(09:24):
me and Jonah back in the day. But Jonah, Jonda
Jonah was a different ken of fish too, you know.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
So he played number eight, didn't he. I remember, I've
sent some footage he must have been. He must have
been a frightening loose forward Yonah.
Speaker 5 (09:39):
And because he was the first time I met him.
He was still at school and you know, he was
just as big as when he was playing in the
All Backs, you know against school kids, but he was
trimmed then. And you know, one hundred and twenty two
cages six foot four five and fastest in the All
backs overtweenty meters and it's scary coming off the back
(10:00):
of a scrub. The All Backs put him in a
couple of scrubs for a while there. They just let
him pick it up off the back and have a crack.
I think scored a trial for DTS.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Yeah, what a player, What a player he was. Hey,
great to chat to you, Eric, Thanks for taking the time,
Eric Rush joining us on the sports Fix podcast.
Speaker 4 (10:17):
Sports Tax Sex.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
The effect of pressure in high stakes sporting occasions was
in full view over the weekend in a couple of
places twelve thousand miles apart, starting at the Crucible Theater
in Sheffield for the semifinals of the World Snooker Championship,
where Mark Allen was up against a young Chinese rising
(10:39):
star will Yet sah And in the thirty second frame
in the best of thirty three frame semi final, Mark
Allen had a chance to go through to his very
first World Championship final by sinking a very simple black.
The black was sitting on its spot, the Q ball
(11:00):
was in close proximity. Mark Allen makes that pot nine
hundred and ninety nine times out of one thousand. Fortunately
for him, this was the one thousandth time. If you
get my drift, the balls heading towards the pocket hit
the jaws of the pocket rebounded out and Mark Allen's
head went to his hands. He could not believe he
(11:23):
had blown the chance, such a simple chance to make
it through to the final. Will itself went on to
win that frame and the deciding thirty third frame. I
simply do not know how Mark Allen will recover from that.
That miss will haunt him for years to come. Speaking
of pressure, there isn't a greater pressure situation in sport
(11:43):
I don't reckon than the penalty shootout, and that's what
we had in Auckland FC's elimination semi final or elimination
final rather against Melbourne City on Saturday night at go Media.
The score is locked up at one all after extra
time and into the penalty shootout. We went twelve perfect
penalties to start it was six all and then Nathaniel Atkinson,
(12:05):
who has played football for a long long time, stepped up,
saw his spotkick saved by Michael Vaut and then Dan Hall,
the Auckland FC central defender who has never scored for
the club and last found the back of the net
sixty three games ago, was in charge of Auckland's seventh penalty,
calmly slotted at home and Auckland FC through to the semifinals.
(12:29):
Mark Allen not able to deal with the pressure, Dan
Hall able to take it in his stride.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfix.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
On the Sportsbeaks podcast Let's Pop inside the Chamber Monday's
Chamber pictures Head of Newstalk Zbbie Sport in Wellington, Adam Cooper,
and I think we can start with a PAROCHI or
look at Super Rugby Coops and the Hurricanes getting the
job done against the Crusaders on Friday nights at Henry
Stadium thirty eight thirty one. This wasn't without a few
nervous moments, but the Hurricanes now go top of the
(13:02):
Super Rugby Ladder with four games to go.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Yeah, and it was a very interesting game, wasn't it. Pinety.
We've obviously seen the Hurricaneane's former particular way of playing
this year, one that's proved very successful, creating really you know,
big areas of open space, really utilizing their men out wide,
most notably for he Finangonov and Josh Morby, but the Crusaders,
especially in that opening half hour of the game, they
found a way to really well make the Hurricanes push
(13:25):
pause on that plan for that game in particular. And
the Crusaders had a very strong start to that game,
obviously first to score, and it was almost looking like, right,
are these guys, you know, the first to be truly
you know, testing the Hurricanes and preventing them from you know,
get going about what their sort of plans plans are.
But then you know that dominance probably lasted sort of,
(13:46):
you know, thirty minutes. It was looking at a touch
and go, but before half time, before the Hurricanes obviously
got two very crucial quick tries which you know weren't
through their own making from set plays or anything. They're
very much pouncing on on airs by the Crusaders, and
that kind of just gave the Canes just enough to
hold on only by seven points in the end. In
(14:06):
a very entertaining game of rugby. It's sort of had
a test match style way about it, didn't it. Seeing
all the players at the ends that are lying around
on the field, they sort of gave it there, they're all.
It was a brutal contest. So yeah, significant for the
Hurricanes of course, they were a game behind in terms
of a game in hands, so that they've now played
the same as the Chiefs, then i'll go sort of
(14:26):
at that top, you know, top position on the table,
which you know, the Hurricanes of are still having a
very good season. For the Crusaders, you feel a bit
so for them because implications from that, you know, they're
sort of in a bit of a battle, aren't they
to get at that top end of the table. They've
got a really tough endo the competition as well.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Yeah they do. You look at the points table and yeah,
Hurricanes forty from ten games, Blues thirty eight from eleven,
Chiefs thirty six from ten. I think you pretty much
right those three teams into the top six. Then it's
a dropped down to the Reds twenty seven, the Crusaders
twenty seven, but they've played one more game. Brumby's twenty five,
and the Fijian Drewer of course, who beat the Highlanders
on the weekend twenty waratas twenty Highlanders twenty. You're right
(15:07):
about the Crusaders in the favor. All three of their
remaining games are at home under their brand new roof
at Takaha. But Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes the top three sides,
I don't reckon it's a foregone conclusion. They make the
top six.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
No, you couldn't confidently say or bet that they are
going to win any of those games, could you. You mean,
you can bet and hope or predict that they could win,
but you couldn't confidently say we are definitely going to
win two out of those three or three out of
those three, which for them almost needs to happen to
get a decent position if they are to make the
playoffs later in the season. So yeah, Blues are an
interesting one as well. Obviously they've sort of been up
(15:42):
and down at various points through the season, but to
be sort a second place now any two off the lead,
and of course they do get the chance to have
a crack at the leading Hurricanes, and just over a
week's time and the penultimate round of the competition. So yeah,
it's going to be interesting to see where those those
placings go and just the makeup of those last few
teams that make it into the top six as well.
Nice to still have a lot to play for with
(16:03):
the Blues.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Yeah, as you say, well, they played the Crusaders this Friday,
then the Hurricanes, then the Chiefs. These last three weeks
a chock full of Darby's with lots of you know,
lots of interesting implications on the line. So we wait
to see what plays out as the as the final
month of the season, before the before the playoffs arrive.
Speaking of playoffs, were into finals football in the in
(16:24):
the A League Men's and women's competition. The Wellington Phoenix
women will come home with just a one goal deficit
losing two one to Brisbane last night. That's not insurmountable,
is it. I'll play at home on Sunday in front
of a big crowd at Bodydoor Park. Effectively they're two
one down at halftime, aren't they?
Speaker 3 (16:41):
Yeah, yeah, it's and it's returning home and I think
you know, anyone would take a one goal deficit, wouldn't
they Heading into a return leg and at a home
ground that has been really you know, behind a lot
of the team's success through the season. Isn't it grateful
stop to have two A League playoff games in New
Zealands on the same weekend, you know, with the awkn
FC staying alive just and the men's competition after the weekend,
(17:04):
and then this Phoenix women's team. It was you know,
saw a fair bit of that game last night that
the Phoenix women and was quite surprised at how much
they were dominated by Brisbane. I know when they've played
during the season, Brisbane haven't always had their full squads,
even though the Phoenix when they last played one three nil.
But it was a tough trip over there, and ye
just from the get go, Brisbane just appeared to be
(17:25):
able to get the ball down their end and keep
it there and Vickys and the Phoenix women's goalkeeper was
forced into a number of saves as well, and it
very could have easily been a higher score for Brisbane
to win, which would have obviously made the going a
lot tougher for the Phoenix approaching that the final league
this weekend. But I know there's a lot of excited
people around to support this this Phoenix team in Wellington
this weekend back at their Fortress Potty too a park.
(17:48):
Hopefully it's a nice day weatherwise and it all bows
to be a great occasion, and just hoping for the
sake of this team that have been working so hard
this season. They've got probably the best roster that they'll
ever have, you know, in this sort of you know
era of Phoenix women's football. The best coach they'll ever have,
you know, you know for a long time as well,
you have to say, with the women's program. So this
(18:10):
is it for them, and you'd still confidently say that
they're in with a pretty good chance on to turn
this around.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
I reckon on the plane home today, as you say,
they were dominated when Grace Charlie opened the scoring. So
after two minutes it's one nil, had a really good
chance to make it two actually, but after that you're right,
I mean Brisbane had enough chances to be three to
one four one victis then you're talking about a very
very different situation. I think if they reflect on the
game review it, they'll say to themselves, you know what
(18:36):
a one goal defers, It ain't too bad when you're
heading home and as you say, curps if it's a
reasonable day on Well you say that and you think, well,
I mean, what would Brisbane like. I mean, it's pretty
od over there, and if there's a howling Southerly in
a bit of rain, maybe that suits there this season,
absolutely there. But yeah, I've been willing to normally turns
it on whether what is isn't it. We'll see what happens.
All right, great to chat in the chamber. Coops will
(18:57):
do it again next week.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
Te it's funny.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
This is Sportsfix, your daily dose of sports news how
and by News Talks EVY.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
And that'll buy the final whistle on Sports Fix for today.
Thank k so much for listening in, for subscribing, for
downloading subscribers to Sports Filks, We'll have a fresh episode
into their podcast feed and around them at the same
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Talk weeknights between seven and eight and on the weekends
(19:27):
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Speaker 1 (19:32):
For more from News Talk SEDB, listen live on air
or online and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio,
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 Talk said.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
B Hlli dare and welcome into a new week. Welcome
into a fresh episode of the Sports Fix podcast. Myna's
Jason Pine. It is Monday, May the fourth, a the
fourth be with you, as they say, it's great to
have you listening in on the Sports Fix podcast today.
Hybrid players, well, one hybrid player certainly catching headlines at
the moment, Lester feight Inger, a nukl who's playing open
(00:42):
side flanker for the Crusaders, having previously, of course played
most of US rugby at the top level anyway out
in midfield or even in the back three. But long
before Leicester fight Inger Anuku was doing it. One man
pioneered it many many many years ago, and that was
Eric Rush. He played many games in the loose forwards
before being chucked down on the wing. He played fifteen's,
he played sevens, A true hybrid versatile player. So what
(01:06):
does he make of this modern day experiment if you
can call it that. Eric Rush is on the podcast today.
Adam Cooper pops into the chamber to kick around the
sporting issues from the weekend. I've got a few thoughts
on pressure and what it can do to you in
a sporting context, plus the latest in sports news on
the way too, so let's get into it. In other news,
(01:28):
let's get you kicked off with a look at some
of the big sports stories around today. Kimmy Antonelli's become
the first Formula One driver to convert his maide in
three pole positions into race wins. Coming home first at
the Miami Grand Prix.
Speaker 1 (01:41):
Didn't start particularly well.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Kimmi out Tonelli. He's going to finish it in spectacular style, though, once.
Speaker 2 (01:47):
Twice three trains a Grand Prix winner. Chimmy out Tonelli
wins for Miami Grand Prix. Benji Marshalls told his Tigers
team that their second half efforts against the Sharks were unacceptable.
An eighteen ten halftime lead for the hosts turned into
an ambush when the Sharks ran in six further unanswered
tries to win fifty two.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
I thought we got taught a lesson by a classy
side tonight on how to run hard and how to
tackle hard and how to win the field position and
apply pressure and we got dominated and.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
The Wellington Phoenix have work to do if they're to
make their first ever A League Football Women's final. A
second minute header from Grace Jarlay has failed to prevent
a two to one semi final First League defeat away
at Brisbane.
Speaker 5 (02:32):
Coming up the pitch is basically like a half time.
We have a whole nother nineteen minute game coming up
and it's going to be at our home pitch. How
fortuns so nothing.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Bad, just little tweaks that could have won us the game.
Speaker 1 (02:46):
Dissecting the sporting agenda, it's SPORTSBEX with Jason Vine.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
You're listening to the SPORTSBX podcast right now. In rugby
the Buzzwords hybrid with Lester fe Inger Muku blurring the
lines between midfield and loose forward. But long before it
became fashionable, one man was already doing it. Eric Rush
built a career switching between the loose forwards and wing,
starring for the All Blacks and becoming a global icon.
In seven's Eric rushes with us, when you watch Leicester
(03:14):
play now Russia, do you feel as though you seeing
a modern version of what you were doing thirty years ago?
Speaker 5 (03:20):
I never played super rugby in both positionons. I played
the NPC Maori All Blacks and when I was in
the All Blacks, I had to learn all the line
of pools just in case. But I never got to
play for the All Blacks as a number seven, but
that would have been great. But I played plank as
a kid, but played about one hundred games, first cast
(03:43):
games at Clinker and then Lauren names that Peter Forgard
told me I was too small to be a seven,
but they'd give me a crack on the wing. So
I'm sure that's what Will Penny's done with Lester, and
he's taken up the challenge and he's doing pretty well.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
To be honest, he's doing very well. I mean it
feels like a big adjustment though, Rushia, you know, I
mean loose ford and the wing. I mean loose ford
and midfield from second five to center flanker to a
position in the back line. How big an adjustment was it?
Speaker 5 (04:14):
Yeah? I was. I think going out was harder than
coming back in because you're you're on and island out
there in defense. Then the forwards if you missed the tackle,
there's there's plenty of guys around you that to make
up for you you know, when you're out on the wingers,
just you mate, rule buy your loans. And so there
was the part I found the hardest. You know, cacking
(04:38):
was cacking as attacking man, get the ball and run,
you know, but the defense was the hardest part. But yeah,
I think positionally is harder going out wider, but physically
much tougher for Leicester coming into the Fords. But he's
handling it within.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
What about set Peace, because you know, coming from out
and where you've got to learn, you know, line out calls,
scrums that sort of stuff be effective at set Peace.
Would that have been a big adjustment for him to make.
Speaker 5 (05:06):
I guess that the number seven is not as involved
in the in the lineout stuff is is is you
know the other seven forards, you know you're sort of
tagged on the end. It's probably a little bit different
now today because there you know, there's a lot more
variation in the audiance. But I would say that would
be the easiest part of scrummaging and in lineouts it's
(05:30):
it's getting his lines right. The increased workload because there's
the flankers work all of a lot harder than than
the wingers, especially in my day.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Yeah, well, I was going to say that too, because
and you mentioned the physical demands of it. I don't know.
I reckon a lot of players would prefer to be
out on the wing where there's not so many big
bodies to be hit and uh and and be hit by.
So would he have to change his body shape? He's
already quite a big bloke though, isn't he.
Speaker 5 (05:57):
Yeah, yeah, no, I think he's fine. But I think
he's fine. You're probably feel a properly job a few cases,
and he's doing a lot more running. But oh yeah,
I got bored out of them. I used to get
in all the rucks and and John Hard said to me, well,
if you if you haven't got the ball, you better
get out of there. If you if you've got the ball,
you can stay in there, you know. So I sort
(06:21):
of I just did my own thing, really, and and
Laurie and them were really uh, really good about let
me do it too.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
Did you say that that you still were I had
to get across the line out calls and things like that,
just in case they had to bring you in. You know,
it wasn't a play necessarily, but but just in case
of emergency or of the situation.
Speaker 5 (06:43):
Just in case of Emas I got started, I started
on the wing, but they said, hey, two loose wads
go down Europe because there's only six subs in. But
but there wasn't the rotation of players. But when I
was at the Maori All Blacks, I played both positions
during the same game, and that was that was a
bit tough gus usually in the Islands where where guys
(07:04):
got hurt a lot lot higher frequency. So I ended
up in the scrub a couple of times after starting
on the wing.
Speaker 2 (07:12):
What did you enjoy more? If you look back to
your fifteenth career, which position did you enjoy playing more?
Speaker 5 (07:18):
I probably enjoyed flanker more, to be honest. Yeah, you're
in the game. You know you get to knockheads and
mix it up with the big fellas. But you get
a chance to get out in the open and run
with the ball too, So yeah, it was a mixture
of both. Where they're out on the wings, you know
you had a job and when you got an opportunity,
you had to finish it. I was man. I was
(07:40):
super fast for a flanker, but I was very average
speed for a winger.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
In size as well. I mean, I don't remember you
being small, and especially in those days Russia. I mean,
it wasn't like it wasn't like flankers, you know, one
hundred and thirty kegs, you know, like you did you
think you were? You weren't too small to be a flanker.
What did you say when they said that?
Speaker 5 (07:59):
Well, I was ninety two kges. It's you know, that's
not even a midfield back nowadays. True. True, But then
again there was no subs either, so you have to
run the whole lady, And the scrums were a tenth
about tenth of the time that takes to put the
scrum down now, so the game sort of went a
whole lot more. But they're bigger and faster athletes, bigger
(08:21):
and strong athletes nowadays, so you have to have the size. Yeah,
I don't know if I could move into the Fords nowadays,
but I guess it's amazing what you can train your
body to do. You know.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Well, Lester has obviously worked it out, you know, because
he's playing from what it's only it's a small sample size.
I know, a couple of games he's playing a right,
isn't he in that seven jersey, getting.
Speaker 5 (08:41):
Turnovers, making his tackles, scoring tries. He's doing really well.
I'm really impressed with them.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
Do you think it'll be the catalyst for more guys,
especially as they're coming through, as they're developing his players,
because I guess you choose a position as you as
you get into your teenage years. Do you think guys
will actually say no, I want to be a hybrid
player who can play a couple of different roles.
Speaker 5 (09:01):
I guess that'd be like me, mate'll they'll do whatever
they're told. You know, if if you get a sniff
in a different position, you're never going to say no.
You know. Ali met Us is another example today. He's
going to have to decide where he wants to play
because you know, he plays pretty well at wing and
blanker for Wycott or in the NPC. So he's probably
the only other example of it today. Of course, was
(09:24):
me and Jonah back in the day. But Jonah, Jonda
Jonah was a different ken of fish too, you know.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
So he played number eight, didn't he. I remember, I've
sent some footage he must have been. He must have
been a frightening loose forward Yonah.
Speaker 5 (09:39):
And because he was the first time I met him.
He was still at school and you know, he was
just as big as when he was playing in the
All Backs, you know against school kids, but he was
trimmed then. And you know, one hundred and twenty two
cages six foot four five and fastest in the All
backs overtweenty meters and it's scary coming off the back
(10:00):
of a scrub. The All Backs put him in a
couple of scrubs for a while there. They just let
him pick it up off the back and have a crack.
I think scored a trial for DTS.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
Yeah, what a player, What a player he was. Hey,
great to chat to you, Eric, Thanks for taking the time,
Eric Rush joining us on the sports Fix podcast.
Speaker 4 (10:17):
Sports Tax Sex.
Speaker 2 (10:19):
The effect of pressure in high stakes sporting occasions was
in full view over the weekend in a couple of
places twelve thousand miles apart, starting at the Crucible Theater
in Sheffield for the semifinals of the World Snooker Championship,
where Mark Allen was up against a young Chinese rising
(10:39):
star will Yet sah And in the thirty second frame
in the best of thirty three frame semi final, Mark
Allen had a chance to go through to his very
first World Championship final by sinking a very simple black.
The black was sitting on its spot, the Q ball
(11:00):
was in close proximity. Mark Allen makes that pot nine
hundred and ninety nine times out of one thousand. Fortunately
for him, this was the one thousandth time. If you
get my drift, the balls heading towards the pocket hit
the jaws of the pocket rebounded out and Mark Allen's
head went to his hands. He could not believe he
(11:23):
had blown the chance, such a simple chance to make
it through to the final. Will itself went on to
win that frame and the deciding thirty third frame. I
simply do not know how Mark Allen will recover from that.
That miss will haunt him for years to come. Speaking
of pressure, there isn't a greater pressure situation in sport
(11:43):
I don't reckon than the penalty shootout, and that's what
we had in Auckland FC's elimination semi final or elimination
final rather against Melbourne City on Saturday night at go Media.
The score is locked up at one all after extra
time and into the penalty shootout. We went twelve perfect
penalties to start it was six all and then Nathaniel Atkinson,
(12:05):
who has played football for a long long time, stepped up,
saw his spotkick saved by Michael Vaut and then Dan Hall,
the Auckland FC central defender who has never scored for
the club and last found the back of the net
sixty three games ago, was in charge of Auckland's seventh penalty,
calmly slotted at home and Auckland FC through to the semifinals.
(12:29):
Mark Allen not able to deal with the pressure, Dan
Hall able to take it in his stride.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfix.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
On the Sportsbeaks podcast Let's Pop inside the Chamber Monday's
Chamber pictures Head of Newstalk Zbbie Sport in Wellington, Adam Cooper,
and I think we can start with a PAROCHI or
look at Super Rugby Coops and the Hurricanes getting the
job done against the Crusaders on Friday nights at Henry
Stadium thirty eight thirty one. This wasn't without a few
nervous moments, but the Hurricanes now go top of the
(13:02):
Super Rugby Ladder with four games to go.
Speaker 3 (13:04):
Yeah, and it was a very interesting game, wasn't it. Pinety.
We've obviously seen the Hurricaneane's former particular way of playing
this year, one that's proved very successful, creating really you know,
big areas of open space, really utilizing their men out wide,
most notably for he Finangonov and Josh Morby, but the Crusaders,
especially in that opening half hour of the game, they
found a way to really well make the Hurricanes push
(13:25):
pause on that plan for that game in particular. And
the Crusaders had a very strong start to that game,
obviously first to score, and it was almost looking like, right,
are these guys, you know, the first to be truly
you know, testing the Hurricanes and preventing them from you know,
get going about what their sort of plans plans are.
But then you know that dominance probably lasted sort of,
(13:46):
you know, thirty minutes. It was looking at a touch
and go, but before half time, before the Hurricanes obviously
got two very crucial quick tries which you know weren't
through their own making from set plays or anything. They're
very much pouncing on on airs by the Crusaders, and
that kind of just gave the Canes just enough to
hold on only by seven points in the end. In
(14:06):
a very entertaining game of rugby. It's sort of had
a test match style way about it, didn't it. Seeing
all the players at the ends that are lying around
on the field, they sort of gave it there, they're all.
It was a brutal contest. So yeah, significant for the
Hurricanes of course, they were a game behind in terms
of a game in hands, so that they've now played
the same as the Chiefs, then i'll go sort of
(14:26):
at that top, you know, top position on the table,
which you know, the Hurricanes of are still having a
very good season. For the Crusaders, you feel a bit
so for them because implications from that, you know, they're
sort of in a bit of a battle, aren't they
to get at that top end of the table. They've
got a really tough endo the competition as well.
Speaker 2 (14:44):
Yeah they do. You look at the points table and yeah,
Hurricanes forty from ten games, Blues thirty eight from eleven,
Chiefs thirty six from ten. I think you pretty much
right those three teams into the top six. Then it's
a dropped down to the Reds twenty seven, the Crusaders
twenty seven, but they've played one more game. Brumby's twenty five,
and the Fijian Drewer of course, who beat the Highlanders
on the weekend twenty waratas twenty Highlanders twenty. You're right
(15:07):
about the Crusaders in the favor. All three of their
remaining games are at home under their brand new roof
at Takaha. But Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes the top three sides,
I don't reckon it's a foregone conclusion. They make the
top six.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
No, you couldn't confidently say or bet that they are
going to win any of those games, could you. You mean,
you can bet and hope or predict that they could win,
but you couldn't confidently say we are definitely going to
win two out of those three or three out of
those three, which for them almost needs to happen to
get a decent position if they are to make the
playoffs later in the season. So yeah, Blues are an
interesting one as well. Obviously they've sort of been up
(15:42):
and down at various points through the season, but to
be sort a second place now any two off the lead,
and of course they do get the chance to have
a crack at the leading Hurricanes, and just over a
week's time and the penultimate round of the competition. So yeah,
it's going to be interesting to see where those those
placings go and just the makeup of those last few
teams that make it into the top six as well.
Nice to still have a lot to play for with
(16:03):
the Blues.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Yeah, as you say, well, they played the Crusaders this Friday,
then the Hurricanes, then the Chiefs. These last three weeks
a chock full of Darby's with lots of you know,
lots of interesting implications on the line. So we wait
to see what plays out as the as the final
month of the season, before the before the playoffs arrive.
Speaking of playoffs, were into finals football in the in
(16:24):
the A League Men's and women's competition. The Wellington Phoenix
women will come home with just a one goal deficit
losing two one to Brisbane last night. That's not insurmountable,
is it. I'll play at home on Sunday in front
of a big crowd at Bodydoor Park. Effectively they're two
one down at halftime, aren't they?
Speaker 3 (16:41):
Yeah, yeah, it's and it's returning home and I think
you know, anyone would take a one goal deficit, wouldn't
they Heading into a return leg and at a home
ground that has been really you know, behind a lot
of the team's success through the season. Isn't it grateful
stop to have two A League playoff games in New
Zealands on the same weekend, you know, with the awkn
FC staying alive just and the men's competition after the weekend,
(17:04):
and then this Phoenix women's team. It was you know,
saw a fair bit of that game last night that
the Phoenix women and was quite surprised at how much
they were dominated by Brisbane. I know when they've played
during the season, Brisbane haven't always had their full squads,
even though the Phoenix when they last played one three nil.
But it was a tough trip over there, and ye
just from the get go, Brisbane just appeared to be
(17:25):
able to get the ball down their end and keep
it there and Vickys and the Phoenix women's goalkeeper was
forced into a number of saves as well, and it
very could have easily been a higher score for Brisbane
to win, which would have obviously made the going a
lot tougher for the Phoenix approaching that the final league
this weekend. But I know there's a lot of excited
people around to support this this Phoenix team in Wellington
this weekend back at their Fortress Potty too a park.
(17:48):
Hopefully it's a nice day weatherwise and it all bows
to be a great occasion, and just hoping for the
sake of this team that have been working so hard
this season. They've got probably the best roster that they'll
ever have, you know, in this sort of you know
era of Phoenix women's football. The best coach they'll ever have,
you know, you know for a long time as well,
you have to say, with the women's program. So this
(18:10):
is it for them, and you'd still confidently say that
they're in with a pretty good chance on to turn
this around.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
I reckon on the plane home today, as you say,
they were dominated when Grace Charlie opened the scoring. So
after two minutes it's one nil, had a really good
chance to make it two actually, but after that you're right,
I mean Brisbane had enough chances to be three to
one four one victis then you're talking about a very
very different situation. I think if they reflect on the
game review it, they'll say to themselves, you know what
(18:36):
a one goal defers, It ain't too bad when you're
heading home and as you say, curps if it's a
reasonable day on Well you say that and you think, well,
I mean, what would Brisbane like. I mean, it's pretty
od over there, and if there's a howling Southerly in
a bit of rain, maybe that suits there this season,
absolutely there. But yeah, I've been willing to normally turns
it on whether what is isn't it. We'll see what happens.
All right, great to chat in the chamber. Coops will
(18:57):
do it again next week.
Speaker 3 (18:57):
Te it's funny.
Speaker 1 (18:59):
This is Sportsfix, your daily dose of sports news how
and by News Talks EVY.
Speaker 2 (19:05):
And that'll buy the final whistle on Sports Fix for today.
Thank k so much for listening in, for subscribing, for
downloading subscribers to Sports Filks, We'll have a fresh episode
into their podcast feed and around them at the same
time tomorrow and every day Monday through Friday. And for
more traditional radio from News Talks EDB Sport, checkout Sports
Talk weeknights between seven and eight and on the weekends
(19:27):
weekend Sport Midday and till three on Saturdays, same time
on Sundays.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
For more from News Talk SEDB, listen live on air
or online and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio,
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