On Sports Fix with Jason Pine for 6th July 2026, the All Blacks have overcome France in their first test under Dave Rennie. Former All Black Matt Todd joined Piney to discuss the test, and what to expect as the All Blacks prepare to face Italy in Wellington this weekend.
Piney looks back on the England v Mexico World Cup match, an instant classic.
Plus, Coby Moratti is in the Chamber discussing the Warriors Women's strong start.
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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.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Talks ed B.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Hi there and welcome into a new weeknd into a
fresh episode of the Sports Fixed podcast. It is Monday,
the sixth of July. I'm Jason Pine at the back
end of a wonderful sporting weekend, including the first All
Blacks Test of twenty twenty six. The All Black's getting
there just against France and christ Church on Saturday night
thirty four to thirty two. Matt Todd, former All Black
(00:42):
and a join us on Sports Fix Today to break
it all down and also to look ahead what selection
tweaks might we expect for this weekend's match against Italy.
Kobe Murrati drops into the chamber to discuss the All Blacks.
Also a little bit of tennis and maybe some football
as well. I've got some thoughts on the Football World
Cup and an absolute epic between England and Mexico and
(01:03):
the latest in sports news coming your way to so
let's get into it. In other news, let's get you underway,
where a look at some of the big sports stories around.
Today a breathless round of sixteen airpic at the Football
World Cup. England are through to the quarter finals, pipping
Mexico three to two, surviving twelve minutes of at a time,
a raucous home crowd at the Azteca and a red card.
(01:25):
The almost voiceless England skipper Harry Kane scored the winning penalty.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
We had to fight, We had.
Speaker 5 (01:32):
To fight something.
Speaker 4 (01:34):
Yeah, I've just been sitting now.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
I can't really talk on the occasion.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
The team everything against us. We found a way that
wasn't a muppet, that was Verry Caine with no voice.
Are satisfied, Liam Lawson after a productive weekend at the
British Grand Prix. His sixth place equals his best result
of the season, having also collected points in yesterday sprint race.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
It's been a good day.
Speaker 5 (01:56):
We had not a very good sid but a really
good first lap here with the where the energy is
even on the first stap you can make up quite
a few positions and in the car is just really good,
especially second half of the cent for us.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
It really came alive and Naomi Osaka has stunned Arena
Sabalinka six two seven six at Wimbledon, advancing to the
quarterfinals and handing the world number one her earliest Grand
Slam exit since twenty twenty two.
Speaker 5 (02:19):
I just tried to serve really well because it's grass,
and I also tried to get the upper hand in
the rallies first, and that just happened to work really
well today.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Dissecting the sporting agenda, it's SPORTSFX with Jason Vine.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
You're listening to the Sports Fix podcast. The first All
Blacks Test of the year is in the books thirty
four thirty two the All Blacks beating France in christ
Church on Saturday night. Former All Blacks loose forward and
now Crusaders assistant coach Matt Todd joined US as expert
analyst for our news Talk ZB commentary on Saturday. He's
back with us, man. I want to get you back
(02:56):
on to give it a couple of days to sit
and for you to reflect and tell us what you
thought would have been a hindsight. His first test in charge,
Dave Renny ends with a win. Beyond that, though, beyond
the result, what did you see that suggest this team
is heading in the right direction.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
I thought some of the speed they played out, especially
if the ball in hand the ruck speed roy guard.
He was always dangerous around the ruck. But even if
there was fords there and they weren't needed to clean,
they were picking and going or picking and passed, and
it was just didn't allow the French to get set.
So it was real intent and the speed of player
they wanted. It quite like their variety in the kicking
(03:32):
game as well, kicking on the edges. One time I
sent up for a box kick canceled. It went to
the edge of a nice kick down the edge and
a couple of crossfield cicks. It didn't quite come off,
but the space was certainly there's thing. There was a
nice variety, and you know, this week I think they'll
be looking just execution a little bit more and a
little bit more, I guess resolute with the defense.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Just on that execution part. They were obviously told to
play at pace, to really be dynamic out there, and
having had such a short time together, was that slight
inaccuracy at times to be expected And the second part
of that is can it be improved upon?
Speaker 4 (04:10):
Yeah? I think you know, I think they said six
trainings or something that had to give us, so you know,
you're never going to be completely on the same page,
but it looked like people knew where they were going.
And then it's just building that little relationship, those connections
on the last past the debt, who're getting your timing off?
Which you know forse led to a couple of eras,
but certainly another week to give. You'd expect them to
(04:31):
be a little bit sharp, a little bit better in
those areas this week.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
And what about defensively, Matt, what will be the biggest
defensive conversation this week ahead of the second test of
the year against Italy.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
I'm going to be sliding down their ruck speeds and
they can get set and then put a little bit
of line speed pressure on. There's a times just far
too I guess, disconnected and passive on the edges. I
think there's one They've got about seven passes and to
get around them, so you know, but you can't get
set if you don't control that ruck speed to start
there better in that collision area, able to control that ruck,
(05:04):
slow that ruckdown so they can get set and then
forward be a bit more aggressive but more connected with
some mind speed on those edges.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
You picked out a couple of players on Saturday night
who really impressed you. Cam Roygard was one, Sam Dowry another.
Upon reflection, anybody else who you think gave a really
good account of themselves on Saturday Night brings the.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
Number put their hand up. But Luke Jacobson did a
good good job. I think he'd done the job they
asked and be physical defensively, a lot of work great
and they had some nice skills here for that set up.
That will Jord's last trice. He put his hand up
for sure. You know, I think most people would have
(05:44):
been pretty happy with how they were. No one I
wouldn't say you watched that game and say anyone didn't
put their hand up and take the opportunity. So that's
what you want. You want people putting there make the
most of their opportunities. And it'll be interesting to see
whether there is changes this week or or they try
and build the continuity from last weekend.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Well, you have alluded nicely to my next question. So
what do you think? What do you think they'll do it?
I mean there must be a temptation to build combinations
and to go with continuity, but you want to freshen things.
What do you expect that they will do in terms
of their discussions about selection for Italy.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
I think there'll be a couple of key positions stat
the same Like Reuben Lovell, I'd suggest he stays at ten,
probably that midfield combination as well the loose forwards. It
will be interesting one where Wallace potentially comes in and
the starts where you've got Anton signa there when does
he get his opportunity because you'd feel that the Irish
at Eden Park the week later, as that's where you're
(06:42):
rolling at your top team, almost your dress rehearsal for Africa.
So if there is going to be changes, you'd expect
it to be this game. But I guess they got
a way up around. You want to be better than
what we were at the weekend and be a little
bit sharper. So the more change you make, the hard
that's going to be. So I think for the most
(07:03):
part it will stay the same, but maybe there's one
or two of the of the debu Tom's particularly, I
think we'll get an opportunity. You know, Dave Rennie I
think is pretty clear on the game he wants to play,
so he wants to give people the opportunity to show
that they can play that game.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Style Italy arrive after a defeat to Japan, that'll be
stinging them. I'm sure. Will they still be a dangerous
opponent on Saturday night, do you think, Matt, Yeah, I
think I.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
Was surprised by that result. To be honestly, you look
at the Six Nations form. They beat the Scots, they
beat the Poems, so they had a good six Nations.
I would have thought they would have went to Japan
reasonably confident, but you know, credit to Japan, they had
it reasonably comfortable win seventeen point one. So yeah, the Irish,
I mean, sorry, the Italians, well, yeah, they've shown they
(07:52):
can play good for you, they can beat quality team.
You know, how they respond from that game against Japan
will be interesting, But they certainly they are a good team.
They regularly compete against the top nations and show and
they've beaten them recently. So what they all bets can't
there was underestimate them to hear themselves get maybe caught
looking forward to that Irish chest a week later, because
(08:13):
if I heard, the Italians have got the capability to.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
Make a hard not for them in terms of the
way that a week works in between games. From a
coaching point, of view, When would your review, how specifically
would your review and when do you then start to
look ahead? What typically happens inside a coaching group and
what has passed on to the playing group in the
week between matches.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
Well, I'd say yesterday as a coaching group, they would
have met up and reviewed and probably taken their big
rocks from it. What are the key areas that obviously
they did well and what are the key ones they
need to be better this week? And then the Monday
morning reviewed it with the team gone over those points,
and then by the time we hit Monday afternoon you're
(09:01):
looking forward. Some of that would be the stuff you're reviewed,
you're working on that what that's going to look like
head into the next week. But you've very much focus
is now on what do we need to do well
this week? What are the areas or the opportunities we
see against the Italians? And we know what is the
stuff out of the last tests that we need to
(09:22):
put a little bit of time into moving forward.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
Good Man, Matt, thanks for joining us. Matt Todd, former
All Blacks, loose forward and Crusaders assistant coach on sports Fix.
Sportsfix today we saw the best game of the Football
World Cup so far at the Asteca Stadium in the
round of sixteen England three Mexico two and absolute instant
(09:47):
World Cup classic. What a game this was. First of all,
it was played in the iconic as Techa Stadium. Eighty
thousand packed in there. I would say ninety percent of
them would have been Mexican fans, a few thousand England
supporters managing to get one of those precious tickets, but
it was overwhelmingly the Mexican fans who were making all
(10:08):
the noise. The kickoff was delayed by an hour due
to adverse weather, which just seemed to add to the theater.
The lightning and the thunderstorms in the few hours before kickoff.
When they did get out, their Mexico came at it
like a ball at a gate. They were the better
side until Jude Bellingham, in the space of two minutes,
scored two goals and put England into a scarcely believable
(10:31):
two nil lead. Certainly, the possession stats weren't suggesting that
they were deserving of a two nil lead. In fact,
their own goalkeeper Jordan Pickford had made a couple of
very very good saves to keep it at nilaw but
here we were at two nil. Mexico did get a
goal Daugh before halftime to make it too to one,
and then early in the second half England had a
man sent off Durell quantsar studs up in a tackle
(10:54):
and he was dismissed. So England had to play the
last thirty five minutes of this game with only ten men.
It didn't seem to affect them initially. They won a
penalty Harry Kane converted and their three to one up
with half an hour to go, but Mexico get a
penalty of their own. Raal Jimenez converts from the spot
and it's three to two after sixty nine minutes, and
(11:15):
from then it was back to the wall for England
as they repelled everything a desperate increasingly desperate Mexico were
able to throw at them. A couple of half chances,
balls launched into the box, some scrambling clearances, some saves
from Pickford, some slightly untidy finishing from the Mexicans, and
(11:37):
after twelve minutes of added time, the final whistle finally
went and England are through to the quarterfinals. They had
just thirty three percent possession in this game a third
of the ball and yet here they are advancing and
Mexico are out. Just goes to show there are a
(11:57):
lot of different ways to win a football match. This
football match an absolute epic sports tax. More football chat
coming up when Kobe Murati joins me in the chamber
and word on the excellent start for the Warriors women
this season. Two.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfax.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
On the Sports Fix podcast. Time to pop inside the chamber.
Jordan here today, I think for the first time for
me anyway by news talk, said be sports journalist Kobe Murati. Kobe,
good to have you in the chamber, mate, I hope,
I hope it's not too intimidating a debut with me
for you today.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
Thank you for having me. I've been waiting for this moment. Good.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Well, that's a very low bar of aspiration, I must say. Look,
you've heard my thoughts on the England game this afternoon
in an all time classic against Mexico at the Aztec.
What were your main sort of takeaways from that epic contest.
Speaker 5 (12:51):
My main takeaways is that this tournament keeps delivering us
games with the stars are the ones to stand up again?
I think Harry Kane had barely touched the ball, maybe
touched the ball once before he assisted Jude Bellingham for
that opener, and then Bellingham went again and scored seconds later.
So I think that's my big takeaway there is that
our big stars this tournament just just keeps standing up.
(13:14):
Earl Harland in that Norway game prior to the England
game getting a braced himself. It's it just seems like
the big players are the ones that are coming in
with star studded names.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
If you catch my.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
Driffie, I do, I do, And I look at the
Golden boot list here Kobe Arling, Harland seven, Killian and
Barbe seven, Lionel Messi seven. Never before have we had
a World Cup with three players scoring seven goals and
then Harry Kane six.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
So you're did right.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
The stars are shining and still all four of them
you think got plenty left in the tank.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
You'd hope so, you'd hope so.
Speaker 5 (13:50):
And I think one of the big coaching takeaways I
take from the England side is the courage of Thomas
Tuker with his substitutions. I just noticed a couple down
I thought were fantastic from him. He brought on John
Stones for Kio Saka after that red cards for some
defensive sure up, and he'd only played sort of ninety
(14:11):
minutes before coming on there.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
And then he brought Dan Burn on, the big tool,
Big Dan Burn, Big Dan you know him.
Speaker 5 (14:19):
He brought him on for his first minutes of the tournament,
was sort of fifteen to play, and he had six clearances,
which I think was the most in the whole game.
And he only played sort of quarter of an hour,
and I think he just Thomas doohele nailed substitutions, nailed
the tactics and you know, make sure that they keep
moving on with this Toment Well.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
Their reward is a match against Arling Harland and Norway.
They beat Brazil two to one. It was two nil
tour right at the end when Brazil got a penalty
which Nemar converted. But Arling Harland two goals in this game.
I think he only had about thirty touches in the
whole game. I don't think there's a player like him Cobe,
you know, he he just doesn't seem to be in
the game for long periods, but his contributions are so
(15:01):
significant in terms of scoring goals though. It feels us though,
if Harlanton your side, anything's possible.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
I mean, you've you've summed it up perfectly.
Speaker 5 (15:12):
What I love about him is in the post game
he put a little selfie up on his social media
with a cheeky grin and the changing sheds, and it's
kind of like he knows they're sort of on borrowed
time and he's just happy to be there.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
Like they just keep picking up little wins, little wins,
and I mean we'll beat in Brazils.
Speaker 5 (15:29):
Not little at all, is it, But it just feels
like there's no pressure on them, and I think that's
where he thrives.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
Well, nineteen ninety eight was the last time they were
even at a World Cup, So what's that twenty eight
years ago? They've missed the last six or seven. Here
they are with him now, and I mean the Norwegian
fans with their Viking row, I mean, they couldn't possibly
have imagined that'd still be rowing into the quarter finals.
For goodness sake, There's no way they would have expected
that when they signed up to go over to the
(15:54):
United States. But here we are, so England against Norway.
Now I presume England will be favorite. But like I say,
if Harlan's there, Norway could win the game one.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
And I think there's no way you can really pick
the match.
Speaker 5 (16:07):
Although I will say, Dude Bellingham in the England Mexico game,
we've just had picked up a yellow late which means
he's going to be suspended for that quarterfinal, which.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
I think is huge.
Speaker 5 (16:17):
He's I mean, he's scored two goals, he's picked up
assists throughout the twinlament as well. I think that's a
crucial loss which actually could seriously harm England and I
mean a big benefit to Norway and earling Harlan's men.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
All Right, Just a quick word on the Warriors women
who opened their nrl W Premiership campaign yesterday in Hamilton.
On the scoreboard anyway, very solid thirty two to ten
win over the Canterbury Bulldogs. This is their second season
back in the nrl W, of course, and I know
Ron Griffiths has high expectations for this team to not
just challenge for a playoff spot, but to try and
(16:49):
go deep. Did you like what you saw from them
in their first outing?
Speaker 5 (16:52):
I love what I saw and I think there's so
many storylines with players joining the club and players developing.
But my main takeaway is bringing in go Broughton for
her Warriors women debut. She was a premiership win I
come from the Broncos. Just unbelievable in the halves. Her
ball playing was incredible. I think she scored the opener herself.
(17:15):
But the thing that stood out to me with her
was her ability to set up others. In the first half,
she set up Emanita Pakis first try.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
I Manita ended up with two tries and it was
it was.
Speaker 5 (17:25):
A cut up ball going left and she just sold
the defense with her eyes, sort of shifted her hips
going forward and then just fired this ball. Just beautiful
pass And I think you've got to be excited as
a Warriors fan. They've still got Mellia hufung It and
Stacey Wiker who's come over from Blackfan sevens to integrate
(17:45):
into the team. And they're still pulled up a you know,
twenty two point one without the likes of those women.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
Yeah, a very good start with hopefully more to come.
Next up for the Warriors Women a game away at
Canberra this coming someday. Well, it was a terrific debut.
You're like big Dan Byrne introduced into the chamber, not
necessarily unexpectedly, but certainly you know, for the first time
you've got minutes in the Monday Chamber.
Speaker 4 (18:10):
Kobe.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
It's been great to have you in here. Thanks for
stopping in.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
Thanks mate.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
This is Sportsfix, your daily dose of sports news power
and by News Talks V.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
And that'll do us on Sports Fix for today. Thank
you so much for listening in, for downloading, and for
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If you have a fresh episode, we'll drop into your
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And for more from News Talks AB Sports check out
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(18:44):
frame on Sunday.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
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.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Talks ed B.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Hi there and welcome into a new weeknd into a
fresh episode of the Sports Fixed podcast. It is Monday,
the sixth of July. I'm Jason Pine at the back
end of a wonderful sporting weekend, including the first All
Blacks Test of twenty twenty six. The All Black's getting
there just against France and christ Church on Saturday night
thirty four to thirty two. Matt Todd, former All Black
(00:42):
and a join us on Sports Fix Today to break
it all down and also to look ahead what selection
tweaks might we expect for this weekend's match against Italy.
Kobe Murrati drops into the chamber to discuss the All Blacks.
Also a little bit of tennis and maybe some football
as well. I've got some thoughts on the Football World
Cup and an absolute epic between England and Mexico and
(01:03):
the latest in sports news coming your way to so
let's get into it. In other news, let's get you underway,
where a look at some of the big sports stories around.
Today a breathless round of sixteen airpic at the Football
World Cup. England are through to the quarter finals, pipping
Mexico three to two, surviving twelve minutes of at a time,
a raucous home crowd at the Azteca and a red card.
(01:25):
The almost voiceless England skipper Harry Kane scored the winning penalty.
Speaker 4 (01:30):
We had to fight, We had.
Speaker 5 (01:32):
To fight something.
Speaker 4 (01:34):
Yeah, I've just been sitting now.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
I can't really talk on the occasion.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
The team everything against us. We found a way that
wasn't a muppet, that was Verry Caine with no voice.
Are satisfied, Liam Lawson after a productive weekend at the
British Grand Prix. His sixth place equals his best result
of the season, having also collected points in yesterday sprint race.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
It's been a good day.
Speaker 5 (01:56):
We had not a very good sid but a really
good first lap here with the where the energy is
even on the first stap you can make up quite
a few positions and in the car is just really good,
especially second half of the cent for us.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
It really came alive and Naomi Osaka has stunned Arena
Sabalinka six two seven six at Wimbledon, advancing to the
quarterfinals and handing the world number one her earliest Grand
Slam exit since twenty twenty two.
Speaker 5 (02:19):
I just tried to serve really well because it's grass,
and I also tried to get the upper hand in
the rallies first, and that just happened to work really
well today.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
Dissecting the sporting agenda, it's SPORTSFX with Jason Vine.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
You're listening to the Sports Fix podcast. The first All
Blacks Test of the year is in the books thirty
four thirty two the All Blacks beating France in christ
Church on Saturday night. Former All Blacks loose forward and
now Crusaders assistant coach Matt Todd joined US as expert
analyst for our news Talk ZB commentary on Saturday. He's
back with us, man. I want to get you back
(02:56):
on to give it a couple of days to sit
and for you to reflect and tell us what you
thought would have been a hindsight. His first test in charge,
Dave Renny ends with a win. Beyond that, though, beyond
the result, what did you see that suggest this team
is heading in the right direction.
Speaker 4 (03:11):
I thought some of the speed they played out, especially
if the ball in hand the ruck speed roy guard.
He was always dangerous around the ruck. But even if
there was fords there and they weren't needed to clean,
they were picking and going or picking and passed, and
it was just didn't allow the French to get set.
So it was real intent and the speed of player
they wanted. It quite like their variety in the kicking
(03:32):
game as well, kicking on the edges. One time I
sent up for a box kick canceled. It went to
the edge of a nice kick down the edge and
a couple of crossfield cicks. It didn't quite come off,
but the space was certainly there's thing. There was a
nice variety, and you know, this week I think they'll
be looking just execution a little bit more and a
little bit more, I guess resolute with the defense.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
Just on that execution part. They were obviously told to
play at pace, to really be dynamic out there, and
having had such a short time together, was that slight
inaccuracy at times to be expected And the second part
of that is can it be improved upon?
Speaker 4 (04:10):
Yeah? I think you know, I think they said six
trainings or something that had to give us, so you know,
you're never going to be completely on the same page,
but it looked like people knew where they were going.
And then it's just building that little relationship, those connections
on the last past the debt, who're getting your timing off?
Which you know forse led to a couple of eras,
but certainly another week to give. You'd expect them to
(04:31):
be a little bit sharp, a little bit better in
those areas this week.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
And what about defensively, Matt, what will be the biggest
defensive conversation this week ahead of the second test of
the year against Italy.
Speaker 4 (04:41):
I'm going to be sliding down their ruck speeds and
they can get set and then put a little bit
of line speed pressure on. There's a times just far
too I guess, disconnected and passive on the edges. I
think there's one They've got about seven passes and to
get around them, so you know, but you can't get
set if you don't control that ruck speed to start
there better in that collision area, able to control that ruck,
(05:04):
slow that ruckdown so they can get set and then
forward be a bit more aggressive but more connected with
some mind speed on those edges.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
You picked out a couple of players on Saturday night
who really impressed you. Cam Roygard was one, Sam Dowry another.
Upon reflection, anybody else who you think gave a really
good account of themselves on Saturday Night brings the.
Speaker 4 (05:24):
Number put their hand up. But Luke Jacobson did a
good good job. I think he'd done the job they
asked and be physical defensively, a lot of work great
and they had some nice skills here for that set up.
That will Jord's last trice. He put his hand up
for sure. You know, I think most people would have
(05:44):
been pretty happy with how they were. No one I
wouldn't say you watched that game and say anyone didn't
put their hand up and take the opportunity. So that's
what you want. You want people putting there make the
most of their opportunities. And it'll be interesting to see
whether there is changes this week or or they try
and build the continuity from last weekend.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Well, you have alluded nicely to my next question. So
what do you think? What do you think they'll do it?
I mean there must be a temptation to build combinations
and to go with continuity, but you want to freshen things.
What do you expect that they will do in terms
of their discussions about selection for Italy.
Speaker 4 (06:20):
I think there'll be a couple of key positions stat
the same Like Reuben Lovell, I'd suggest he stays at ten,
probably that midfield combination as well the loose forwards. It
will be interesting one where Wallace potentially comes in and
the starts where you've got Anton signa there when does
he get his opportunity because you'd feel that the Irish
at Eden Park the week later, as that's where you're
(06:42):
rolling at your top team, almost your dress rehearsal for Africa.
So if there is going to be changes, you'd expect
it to be this game. But I guess they got
a way up around. You want to be better than
what we were at the weekend and be a little
bit sharper. So the more change you make, the hard
that's going to be. So I think for the most
(07:03):
part it will stay the same, but maybe there's one
or two of the of the debu Tom's particularly, I
think we'll get an opportunity. You know, Dave Rennie I
think is pretty clear on the game he wants to play,
so he wants to give people the opportunity to show
that they can play that game.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Style Italy arrive after a defeat to Japan, that'll be
stinging them. I'm sure. Will they still be a dangerous
opponent on Saturday night, do you think, Matt, Yeah, I
think I.
Speaker 4 (07:30):
Was surprised by that result. To be honestly, you look
at the Six Nations form. They beat the Scots, they
beat the Poems, so they had a good six Nations.
I would have thought they would have went to Japan
reasonably confident, but you know, credit to Japan, they had
it reasonably comfortable win seventeen point one. So yeah, the Irish,
I mean, sorry, the Italians, well, yeah, they've shown they
(07:52):
can play good for you, they can beat quality team.
You know, how they respond from that game against Japan
will be interesting, But they certainly they are a good team.
They regularly compete against the top nations and show and
they've beaten them recently. So what they all bets can't
there was underestimate them to hear themselves get maybe caught
looking forward to that Irish chest a week later, because
(08:13):
if I heard, the Italians have got the capability to.
Speaker 3 (08:19):
Make a hard not for them in terms of the
way that a week works in between games. From a
coaching point, of view, When would your review, how specifically
would your review and when do you then start to
look ahead? What typically happens inside a coaching group and
what has passed on to the playing group in the
week between matches.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
Well, I'd say yesterday as a coaching group, they would
have met up and reviewed and probably taken their big
rocks from it. What are the key areas that obviously
they did well and what are the key ones they
need to be better this week? And then the Monday
morning reviewed it with the team gone over those points,
and then by the time we hit Monday afternoon you're
(09:01):
looking forward. Some of that would be the stuff you're reviewed,
you're working on that what that's going to look like
head into the next week. But you've very much focus
is now on what do we need to do well
this week? What are the areas or the opportunities we
see against the Italians? And we know what is the
stuff out of the last tests that we need to
(09:22):
put a little bit of time into moving forward.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
Good Man, Matt, thanks for joining us. Matt Todd, former
All Blacks, loose forward and Crusaders assistant coach on sports Fix.
Sportsfix today we saw the best game of the Football
World Cup so far at the Asteca Stadium in the
round of sixteen England three Mexico two and absolute instant
(09:47):
World Cup classic. What a game this was. First of all,
it was played in the iconic as Techa Stadium. Eighty
thousand packed in there. I would say ninety percent of
them would have been Mexican fans, a few thousand England
supporters managing to get one of those precious tickets, but
it was overwhelmingly the Mexican fans who were making all
(10:08):
the noise. The kickoff was delayed by an hour due
to adverse weather, which just seemed to add to the theater.
The lightning and the thunderstorms in the few hours before kickoff.
When they did get out, their Mexico came at it
like a ball at a gate. They were the better
side until Jude Bellingham, in the space of two minutes,
scored two goals and put England into a scarcely believable
(10:31):
two nil lead. Certainly, the possession stats weren't suggesting that
they were deserving of a two nil lead. In fact,
their own goalkeeper Jordan Pickford had made a couple of
very very good saves to keep it at nilaw but
here we were at two nil. Mexico did get a
goal Daugh before halftime to make it too to one,
and then early in the second half England had a
man sent off Durell quantsar studs up in a tackle
(10:54):
and he was dismissed. So England had to play the
last thirty five minutes of this game with only ten men.
It didn't seem to affect them initially. They won a
penalty Harry Kane converted and their three to one up
with half an hour to go, but Mexico get a
penalty of their own. Raal Jimenez converts from the spot
and it's three to two after sixty nine minutes, and
(11:15):
from then it was back to the wall for England
as they repelled everything a desperate increasingly desperate Mexico were
able to throw at them. A couple of half chances,
balls launched into the box, some scrambling clearances, some saves
from Pickford, some slightly untidy finishing from the Mexicans, and
(11:37):
after twelve minutes of added time, the final whistle finally
went and England are through to the quarterfinals. They had
just thirty three percent possession in this game a third
of the ball and yet here they are advancing and
Mexico are out. Just goes to show there are a
(11:57):
lot of different ways to win a football match. This
football match an absolute epic sports tax. More football chat
coming up when Kobe Murati joins me in the chamber
and word on the excellent start for the Warriors women
this season. Two.
Speaker 1 (12:12):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfax.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
On the Sports Fix podcast. Time to pop inside the chamber.
Jordan here today, I think for the first time for
me anyway by news talk, said be sports journalist Kobe Murati. Kobe,
good to have you in the chamber, mate, I hope,
I hope it's not too intimidating a debut with me
for you today.
Speaker 2 (12:33):
Thank you for having me. I've been waiting for this moment. Good.
Speaker 3 (12:36):
Well, that's a very low bar of aspiration, I must say. Look,
you've heard my thoughts on the England game this afternoon
in an all time classic against Mexico at the Aztec.
What were your main sort of takeaways from that epic contest.
Speaker 5 (12:51):
My main takeaways is that this tournament keeps delivering us
games with the stars are the ones to stand up again?
I think Harry Kane had barely touched the ball, maybe
touched the ball once before he assisted Jude Bellingham for
that opener, and then Bellingham went again and scored seconds later.
So I think that's my big takeaway there is that
our big stars this tournament just just keeps standing up.
(13:14):
Earl Harland in that Norway game prior to the England
game getting a braced himself. It's it just seems like
the big players are the ones that are coming in
with star studded names.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
If you catch my.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
Driffie, I do, I do, And I look at the
Golden boot list here Kobe Arling, Harland seven, Killian and
Barbe seven, Lionel Messi seven. Never before have we had
a World Cup with three players scoring seven goals and
then Harry Kane six.
Speaker 4 (13:42):
So you're did right.
Speaker 3 (13:42):
The stars are shining and still all four of them
you think got plenty left in the tank.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
You'd hope so, you'd hope so.
Speaker 5 (13:50):
And I think one of the big coaching takeaways I
take from the England side is the courage of Thomas
Tuker with his substitutions. I just noticed a couple down
I thought were fantastic from him. He brought on John
Stones for Kio Saka after that red cards for some
defensive sure up, and he'd only played sort of ninety
(14:11):
minutes before coming on there.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
And then he brought Dan Burn on, the big tool,
Big Dan Burn, Big Dan you know him.
Speaker 5 (14:19):
He brought him on for his first minutes of the tournament,
was sort of fifteen to play, and he had six clearances,
which I think was the most in the whole game.
And he only played sort of quarter of an hour,
and I think he just Thomas doohele nailed substitutions, nailed
the tactics and you know, make sure that they keep
moving on with this Toment Well.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
Their reward is a match against Arling Harland and Norway.
They beat Brazil two to one. It was two nil
tour right at the end when Brazil got a penalty
which Nemar converted. But Arling Harland two goals in this game.
I think he only had about thirty touches in the
whole game. I don't think there's a player like him Cobe,
you know, he he just doesn't seem to be in
the game for long periods, but his contributions are so
(15:01):
significant in terms of scoring goals though. It feels us though,
if Harlanton your side, anything's possible.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
I mean, you've you've summed it up perfectly.
Speaker 5 (15:12):
What I love about him is in the post game
he put a little selfie up on his social media
with a cheeky grin and the changing sheds, and it's
kind of like he knows they're sort of on borrowed
time and he's just happy to be there.
Speaker 3 (15:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
Like they just keep picking up little wins, little wins,
and I mean we'll beat in Brazils.
Speaker 5 (15:29):
Not little at all, is it, But it just feels
like there's no pressure on them, and I think that's
where he thrives.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
Well, nineteen ninety eight was the last time they were
even at a World Cup, So what's that twenty eight
years ago? They've missed the last six or seven. Here
they are with him now, and I mean the Norwegian
fans with their Viking row, I mean, they couldn't possibly
have imagined that'd still be rowing into the quarter finals.
For goodness sake, There's no way they would have expected
that when they signed up to go over to the
(15:54):
United States. But here we are, so England against Norway.
Now I presume England will be favorite. But like I say,
if Harlan's there, Norway could win the game one.
Speaker 2 (16:05):
And I think there's no way you can really pick
the match.
Speaker 5 (16:07):
Although I will say, Dude Bellingham in the England Mexico game,
we've just had picked up a yellow late which means
he's going to be suspended for that quarterfinal, which.
Speaker 2 (16:16):
I think is huge.
Speaker 5 (16:17):
He's I mean, he's scored two goals, he's picked up
assists throughout the twinlament as well. I think that's a
crucial loss which actually could seriously harm England and I
mean a big benefit to Norway and earling Harlan's men.
Speaker 3 (16:28):
All Right, Just a quick word on the Warriors women
who opened their nrl W Premiership campaign yesterday in Hamilton.
On the scoreboard anyway, very solid thirty two to ten
win over the Canterbury Bulldogs. This is their second season
back in the nrl W, of course, and I know
Ron Griffiths has high expectations for this team to not
just challenge for a playoff spot, but to try and
(16:49):
go deep. Did you like what you saw from them
in their first outing?
Speaker 5 (16:52):
I love what I saw and I think there's so
many storylines with players joining the club and players developing.
But my main takeaway is bringing in go Broughton for
her Warriors women debut. She was a premiership win I
come from the Broncos. Just unbelievable in the halves. Her
ball playing was incredible. I think she scored the opener herself.
(17:15):
But the thing that stood out to me with her
was her ability to set up others. In the first half,
she set up Emanita Pakis first try.
Speaker 2 (17:23):
I Manita ended up with two tries and it was
it was.
Speaker 5 (17:25):
A cut up ball going left and she just sold
the defense with her eyes, sort of shifted her hips
going forward and then just fired this ball. Just beautiful
pass And I think you've got to be excited as
a Warriors fan. They've still got Mellia hufung It and
Stacey Wiker who's come over from Blackfan sevens to integrate
(17:45):
into the team. And they're still pulled up a you know,
twenty two point one without the likes of those women.
Speaker 3 (17:50):
Yeah, a very good start with hopefully more to come.
Next up for the Warriors Women a game away at
Canberra this coming someday. Well, it was a terrific debut.
You're like big Dan Byrne introduced into the chamber, not
necessarily unexpectedly, but certainly you know, for the first time
you've got minutes in the Monday Chamber.
Speaker 4 (18:10):
Kobe.
Speaker 3 (18:10):
It's been great to have you in here. Thanks for
stopping in.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
Thanks mate.
Speaker 1 (18:14):
This is Sportsfix, your daily dose of sports news power
and by News Talks V.
Speaker 3 (18:21):
And that'll do us on Sports Fix for today. Thank
you so much for listening in, for downloading, and for
subscribing to Sports Fix if that's what you've decided to do.
If you have a fresh episode, we'll drop into your
podcast feed around about the same time tomorrow and every weekday.
And for more from News Talks AB Sports check out
Sports Talk weeknights between seven and eight and on the
weekend's weekend Sport Midday until three on Saturday, same time
(18:44):
frame on Sunday.
Speaker 1 (18:46):
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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