March 29, 2026 • 19 mins
On Sports Fix with Jason Pine for 30th March 2026, it was officially announced today that Premier League football giants Tottenham Hotspur are coming to New Zealand to face Auckland FC in late July; Auckland FC players Sam Cosgrove and Lachlan Brook react to this news.
Piney shares his thoughts on why Jason Ryan is so important to the All Blacks.
And Adam Cooper is in The Chamber to talk Super Rugby and the Phoenix women.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Today There and welcome into a new weeknd Into a
fresh episode of the Sports Fixed podcast, brought to you
an association with G. J. Gardner Holmes, New Zealand's most
trusted home builder. It's Monday, March the thirtieth. I'm Jason Pine.
Great to have you listening in a burg announcement today
in Auckland with confirmation that Tottenham Hotspur, one of the
(00:42):
giants of English football, will visit New Zealand at the
back end of July. They will play a game against
Auckland f C at Eden Park. High excitement around the
football community, not just in Auckland but right around the
country as well and in the player base of Auckland FC.
Sam Cosgrove and Lachland Brook are on the podcast today
(01:02):
discussing this exciting news. Adam Cooper's in the chamber as
we kick around some of the big talking points from
the sporting weekends and the latest in sports news too.
So let's get into it. In other news, let's get
you underway with a look at some of the big
sports stories around today, starting with Formula one's Japanese Grand
Prix Chimmy Out.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Today's victorious at Suzukah has We'll be the.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
Youngest ever leader of a Formula.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
One World Championship. Here Mercedes, Italian teenager claiming back to
back race wins following his success at Shanghai. To the
final delivery of the first match in New Zealand's three
game One Day Cricket International Women's series against South Africa
in christ Church, Renica ghosted and it's done all the
(01:51):
way for six Calinica takes home here Kayla Renica clearing
the ropes with the very last ball from Susie Bates
to give South Africa a two wicked win and all
Blacks prop to Mighty Williams will the remainder of the
Crusaders season due to infection in his back. He's currently
(02:14):
in a christ Church hospital after being diagnosed with disguitus.
Speaker 5 (02:18):
I'm feeling good at at the moment, but I'm more
so grateful that that the news is and as bad
as what it could be. So I've been talking I
want to make one hundred percent recoveries.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
News an opinion, It's Sports Fix with Jason Lyne.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
I had the chance to speak with Jason Ryan on
the radio yesterday. The sole survivor from the last All
Blacks coaching regime into the new one. Keeping him on
is absolutely the right decision, and the fact he's now
been an assistant coach under three different All Blacks head
coaches in four years shows just how valued he is.
Brought in under Ian Foster after the Irish series loss
(03:00):
here in twenty twenty two, retained when Scott Robertson got
the job in twenty twenty four, and kept on under
the Dave Rennie regime. Now, there is no way you
survive that sort of change at the very top if
you're not very good, in fact, world class at your job.
Now I'm sure it would have been tempting to make
complete change, to start afresh, have a clean slate, to
(03:22):
have no remnants of the previous coaching regime. But player
feedback on Jason Ryan has always been overwhelmingly positive. The
players he coaches talk about his intimate knowledge of the
technical side of the areas he oversees, the way he
makes small tweaks to find big improvements and he can
clearly work with a wide range of other coaches. When
(03:45):
Jason Ryan came into the All Backs for the first time,
it was under Egan Foster, and you'll remember he was
part of the coaching team that Scott Robertson had pitched
when he was unsuccessful in getting the job. After the
twenty nineteen Rugby World Cup, Jason Ryan was Team Razer,
not Team Fozzy, and when he was brought in after
the series loss at home to Ireland, one of the
questions Jason Ryan was asked was how he would feel
(04:08):
going from Team Razer to Team Fozzy, and I remember
his answer so clearly. He said, I'm team All Blacks.
I gained a great deal of admiration for Jason Ryan
after the All Blacks record loss to South Africa and
Wellington last year. He took huge ownership for what had happened.
He said things afterwards like that's on me to fix.
(04:29):
I'm responsible for that. That's something I need to address
and be better at. That can't have been easy watching
a team blind off the park and then having to
front up the next day, but he did it and
so we now look ahead to a huge rugby year
and the World Cup next year, which is fast approaching.
In fact, this coming Wednesday, the World Cup will be
(04:50):
eighteen months away. There's a reason coaches are employed in
four year cycles because it takes that long to plan
for a Rugby World Cup. With only about a third
of that time, is it going to be enough?
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Dissecting the sporting agenda, it's Sportspecs with Jason Fine.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
This is the Sports Fixed podcast. Great news today for
football fans. Tottenham Hotspur will play Auckland f C at
Eden Park on the twenty sixth of July, a week
after the World Cup final, as part of what's been
coined the New Zealand International Football Festival. The Premier League
side of one of England's most high profile albeit they
currently sit seventeenth in the top flight and are on
(05:31):
the cusp of relegation for the first time in a week.
While regardless, their fan base is strong and forecasting is
suggesting the tool will generate twenty seven thousand visitor nights
and a three million dollar boost to the regional economy.
Exciting for football fans and exciting for the players as well.
Auckland FC up against Tottenham Hotspur. I spoke to a
(05:53):
couple of Auckland FC players after this announcement was made,
starting with English striker Sam Cosgrove to gauge his reaction.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
Yeah, pretty cool. I mean it was something that came
completely out of the blue. Must've testened to everyone behind
the scenes that's made it happen. But yeah, is it
something to look forward to through the through the grueling
pre season.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Obviously you're from the UK yourself. Tottenham they're often referred
to as one of the Big six, aren't They are
pretty pretty glamorous side with a big fan base. Have
you played against them.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
Before only in the academy days. I've been lucky enough
to play a few against a few a few Premier
League teams in over the years, but never Spurs first team,
So that'll be a first for me obviously being back
home that they're they're a massive club, as you said,
one of the top six, going through a bit of
a tough time at the moment, but that they'll be back,
massive fan base, massive club and to have them over
here it will be really cool to play against them.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
And I guess it's just them and also to walk
for the FC, isn't it. You know that the Tottenham
who can play anywhere in the world if they wanted to.
They have sort of thought like I will oftently have
seen what a team to come up against.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
Yeah, exactly. Mean it shows that the club's kind of
grips the football and community, not just in the city
but in the in the country and from a team.
For a team like Tottenham to say that, yeah, we
want to go over to New Zealand and play our footy,
our pre season over there is as a massive testament
to the club and everything they've done.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Let's just quickly talk let up and they see four
games to go in the regular season. Adelaide, this coming
Friday night, how are you feelings as you hit the
home straight and get ready for finals football and as
high a finish as you can.
Speaker 4 (07:18):
Yeah, I mean the movie is good. In the camp,
you know, we can't look too far away from the
fact that we're we've had we've had a successful season
in the hole. You know, we're sitting at the top
of the table with a chance of still winning the
winning the league. It's going to be tough now it's
obviously taken out of our hands. We need the Jets
to drop some points, but we're going to be there.
We're going to be ruthless behind them and hopefully pushing
them so that if they do slip up, we're going
(07:38):
to be there to take advantage of it.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
And in terms of the run into the finals Aukland,
if they have experienced event, you weren't here last year,
but they do. Do you do you feel within the
playing group a you know, a sense of being able
to really make a run out of it if Newcastle
do happen to slip.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
Up, Yeah, I think so. I mean to be honest,
we're not looking that far ahead yet. You know, our
main focus has been winning the league this year. As
we get close to that, I think, worst case scenario,
we need to be in good form heading into the finals.
So yeah, no matter what our kind of our motivation
is canding into these last couple of games, it's to
be as strong as we can so that we finished
the season is wrong.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
And a couple of you play Team Mets and picked
further than being in with the all watch Jessie Randall
the other night came off the bench and really gave
a good canon of himself. I thought, what's it like
watching your teammates play for the national team?
Speaker 4 (08:24):
Yeah, it's interesting. I mean to touch on Jesse. He's
kind of carried that club for him over into his
into his national team form and there's there's no surprise
that he's kind of getting the headlines and the and
the move that he got in in the end. So yeah,
it's good to watch these guys playing for the country.
Hopefully they don't pick up two any knocks or anything,
so and the fit to finish the season with us.
But yet, listen, it's an honor to to compete for
(08:45):
your country. I've not been able to do it. I
don't think I'm going to get ahead of Hurricane anytime soon.
But these guys are lucky to play for the country,
So good on them for enjoying it.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
And well, you are leading the Golden boat race. Is
there a goal of yours, you know, to to finish
top goalscorer and the A League in your first season here?
Speaker 4 (09:02):
I think early does. When I first came, it wasn't.
But now that we're kind of getting towards the latter
end of the season and I'm sat there looking thinking,
yeah there's a chance i can do this, it is
playing on my mind, but listen, I'll still be happy
to pick up a sis and goals no matter what,
as long as long as it keeps us winning.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
That is Sam Cosgrove. I also caught up with Auckland
FC attacker Lachland Brook, who's got a special connection to
Tottenham Hotspur, to get his reaction to the news today.
Speaker 6 (09:27):
Yeah, it's massive obviously.
Speaker 7 (09:29):
You know, when you get a chance to play against
a team of that caliber any time of the year,
it's obviously really exciting. So I think, you know, even
from a club standpoint, to already be playing teams like that,
you know only and as well be a third year then,
but even now having that all organizes, yeah, it's obviously
massive and obviously massive for Auckland as well.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Now you trialed with Tottenham when you were twelve years old,
tell me about this.
Speaker 6 (09:52):
Yeah, I did.
Speaker 7 (09:53):
Actually it's a full circle moment for myself. Yeah, I
think I was around eleven, twelve years old, went over
there for a couple of weeks and yeah, obviously just
being that young and seeing you know, the facilities over.
Speaker 6 (10:05):
There and just how mad football is.
Speaker 7 (10:07):
Obviously that was you know a big part of my
journey and you know, sort of drove me to want
to be a professional footballer obviously seeing that over there
and you know.
Speaker 6 (10:16):
That was obviously the goal. So yeah, yeah, it's a
full circle moment for myself.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
So were you scouted as a twelve year old?
Speaker 6 (10:22):
I was, yeah, very young, very well where Hell don't know.
Speaker 7 (10:26):
They obviously just had some scouts floating about and in
Adelaide and yeah, I must have had a good game
or something like that, and I think I scored five
goals when they came. So yeah, and myself a trial,
Yeah it was. It was obviously awesome. You know Spurs fan,
are you I'm not, No, no, I'm not, but you know,
at that age, any sort of team like that, you know,
(10:47):
I was obviously very excited.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
Well, let's look at the ALLFC season and four games
to go home straight you'll be in the finals. But
I know the Premier has played is something that still
sits there for the playing group. Do you feel like
you've got it and you in the last four games
to pick up twelve points and really put pressure on Newcastle?
Speaker 6 (11:06):
Yeah, I think so.
Speaker 7 (11:06):
I mean obviously for us with the last game obviously
not ideal, but for us we know it's still there,
it's still in reach. Obviously we now have to rely
on the other teams. But yeah, for us, it's just
focusing on those four games and like you said, getting
maximum points and in the end of the day, if
it's meant to be, it'll be.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
And the aleg's so tight, anybody can beat anybody, right,
it's not beyond the realms of possibility that Newcastle won't
get all the points they need. So do you even
look at them or do you just focus on what
you as a team can control.
Speaker 7 (11:40):
I mean, of course subconsciously, you're obviously going to look
and you know, you'll see who they're playing on the weekend,
and you know what the chances are if anyone's injured,
all the rest of it. But yeah, for us, the
main focus is on us. You know, all we need
to do now is maximize what we can do get
the twelve points and yeah, like I said, if it's
meant to.
Speaker 6 (11:58):
Be, it'll be.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
We've seen you off the bench in the last four
or five games. Are you quite keen to get back
and they're starting a living Definitely keen.
Speaker 7 (12:04):
Yeah, obviously we had laid now as well, playing in
front of my my family, which I you know obviously
don't get to do very often, so yeah, it'll mean
a lots of me obviously to get back in.
Speaker 6 (12:16):
In tribeat Sam cosgo for the golden Well, that's.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
The main thing obviously, is to get more goals than
the big filler. All right, mate, Well, all the best
for the rest of the season.
Speaker 6 (12:24):
Good to chet too easy, thank you mate.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
That is Lachland Brook at the announcement this morning in
pretty good spirits. Actually are going to face Tottenham so
Aortland FC against Tottenham Eden Park Sunday, July the twenty sixth.
General tickets go on sale on Tuesday, the seventh of
April at midday from ticket Tech and there will be
more announcements to come. This is just the beginning, just
the first announcement in the upcoming New Zealand International Football Festival.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
The Chamber is now in session on Sports Fix on.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
The Sports Fix podcast Let's Hop Inside the Chamber. Monday's
Chamber features the head of News Talks hebe Sport in Wellington,
Adam Cooper. Pretty good time to be a Hurricanes fan, Coops.
They're they're well, they're running in tries for fun. Another
fifth points against the Reds on the weekend.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
I know, just call them fifty point Canes Piney. They're
looking really good, aren't they. And yeah, I know that
the criticism maybe from more neutral observers around the country
and other parts of Super Rugby clubs and franchises maybe,
well the Hurricanes haven't you know, played the heavyweights yet
in this competition, you know, the likes of the Blues,
(13:30):
the Brumbies, the Crusaders, the Chiefs. But they have played
who's been put in front of them and they have
scored fifty points in multiple games. Now they're obviously topping
the table with a huge points differential as well, one
hundred and sixty six as their points differential. I was
looking this morning and the next best is the Blues,
wh the Hurricanes are actually playing next in a couple
(13:50):
of weeks with ninety five. You know, that's just an
incredible the amount of tries they are producing. I mean
you could also say on one side, as you would
expect when you've got cam Roy, Guard, Rubin Love and
Jordi Barrett is you're nine ten and twelve. Obviously Ficky fine,
young and awful out on the wingers having an incredible
season as well another three tries to his name as well,
(14:11):
So things are certainly jelling incredibly well. The Reds I thought,
by I was at the game on Saturday afternoon, I
thought provided a pretty good challenge. They defended well in parts.
Unfortunately for the Reds, the Hurricanes are just such a
well oiled machine already in the season after five games
that the Reds you know, just couldn't contain a lot
(14:31):
of it. But I thought the Reds gave them a
pretty good challenge. They had some prolonged attack and Les Kiss,
who of course is going to move into the Wallabies role.
You know, I think Australian rugby is in pretty good
good hands considering what he's sort of done with the Reds,
who are probably, along with the Brumbies, obviously one of
the inform Australian teams. So certainly going to be a
bit patient and not go all Warriors fans on this
(14:52):
and say our year. But I think the signs are
there for them to be very competitive.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
I'm willing to go all in. I'm willing to give
it a crack and go all in. Look, and you're
so right. The Hurricanes don't make the draw, you know,
they don't say okay, well, here's the order of the
teams and this is the we want to play first.
Got a great text on Weekend Sport yesterday when somebody
had suggested, yeah, but they haven't played anybody yet, they've
been lucky. The text said, well, the other teams are
(15:17):
lucky they haven't played the Hurricanes yet because in the
form that they're in Ceps. You're right, they're just that
they just seem so hard to stop when they get
on a roll. You know, the Highlanders a week ago
that they had they had no answer under the roof
down in Jerneed and the reads as you say, we're
good for periods on Saturday, but just still got steam
roll by this team that seems to have so much
(15:39):
attacking weaponry. And you're right, it is early. I mean
we're not even in April yet, let's perhaps reconvene once
we're at the back end of May. But having played
what's in front of them, what's in front of them
rather yeah, they couldn't really have done much more to
give themselves a base for what lies ahead. The Wellington
Phoenix Women, on the other hand, a couple of disappointing
results in the last six days or so, back to
(16:02):
back losses. They are still though and with a chance,
aren't they of making the top two, which is a
big advantage in the in the ninjare league.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
Yeah, always interested to me around how much interest there
is and you know the race for the title, you know,
the end of regular season title versus you know, the
playoffs when they come around, because I think, you know,
the real exciting part of this team being competitive is
the fact that they are in the playoffs now, isn't it.
So you know, there appears to be sort of rhetoric
around that that's a huge disappointment that they've missed out
(16:30):
on the Premier's plate. We know in a lot of
football competitions that is a major prize. But for me,
I'm not sort of getting too downcast about, you know,
the situation of losing out to Melbourne City, who have
you know, won up for a third year in a row.
But yeah, it's been interesting and really interesting hearing Bev
Priestman's comments postgame yesterday after the game and potty they
were losing to you know, a pretty lowly team Western
(16:52):
Sydney following a lost midweek to another lowly team in
Central Coast, saying, you know, this team isn't used to
actually being one that's being chased, being opponents teams two
beat and the psyche for a lot of these Phoenix
players is of getting used to that, especially at this
point of the season when you know table placings at
that top end are being hotly contested.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
It is a bit of getting used to.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
And bf Prison made the point that this team has
to get back to the processes, the plans that the
Psyche as to what was working earlier in the season
when they were producing some great wins and keeping a
lot of clean sheets and.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Scoring a lot of goals.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
So with someone of her experience, and of course the
playing group across the park, you know, you'd expect them
to be able to sort of, you know, nut down
and work that out and be very competitive, you know,
come the playoffs. But obviously a lot rides, as you say,
pinting on that top two placing, getting that advantage at
home come the playoffs, obviously a huge game for them
and Adelaide on Good Friday, early evening our time here
(17:48):
in New Zealand to see that happen, so I mean,
you could sense the disappointment and you know, the tears
even from Mackenzie Barry during her postmatch.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
Interview on Sky last night.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
It meant a lot to them and it was upsetting
for them to shell that game at home in front
of home fans, at a very good crowd and potty doer.
So yeah, you get the sense they'll get back to
work this week and sort of out firing against Adelaide
and then hopefully well into the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
Yeah, absolutely totally agree. I think they will. And if
they beat Adelaid their second that's pretty much the size
of it. So the equation simple. You know, they weren't
able to do what they hope they would in the
last two games, but if you're gonna lose two games
in a row, I mean, probably better now than once
you get into the finals, because that's your season done.
So yeah, look, I still think they've got a bit
of gas in the tank. The interesting part of the
(18:33):
Women's A League as well is that once they play
their final games over Easter, it's then a three week
break until the finals. The finals don't start until Anzac weekend.
There's an international women's break in there where you know
a number of the Phoenix women will go off and
play for the Football Ferns and the final stages of
World Cup qualification. But I just wonder what that three
week gap will do. And look if you in fact,
(18:55):
if you make the top two, it's a four week
gap because you don't play until the semi finals, so
it's it's quite an anomaly when it comes to the
Women's A League. Great to have the Phoenix secured on
the finals. We wait to see how they go in
terms of a table position and where they finish up.
Always great chatting in the chamber with your coopes. Well,
well we won't do it again next Monday. That's Easter Monday.
(19:16):
I'll see you in a fortnight. Sounds good funny.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
This is Sports Fix, your daily doseph sports News Power
and by News.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
Talks AB and that'll blow the final. We're stle on
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(19:46):
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Speaker 1 (19:52):
For more from News Talks, EDB, listen live on air
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You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Today There and welcome into a new weeknd Into a
fresh episode of the Sports Fixed podcast, brought to you
an association with G. J. Gardner Holmes, New Zealand's most
trusted home builder. It's Monday, March the thirtieth. I'm Jason Pine.
Great to have you listening in a burg announcement today
in Auckland with confirmation that Tottenham Hotspur, one of the
(00:42):
giants of English football, will visit New Zealand at the
back end of July. They will play a game against
Auckland f C at Eden Park. High excitement around the
football community, not just in Auckland but right around the
country as well and in the player base of Auckland FC.
Sam Cosgrove and Lachland Brook are on the podcast today
(01:02):
discussing this exciting news. Adam Cooper's in the chamber as
we kick around some of the big talking points from
the sporting weekends and the latest in sports news too.
So let's get into it. In other news, let's get
you underway with a look at some of the big
sports stories around today, starting with Formula one's Japanese Grand
Prix Chimmy Out.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Today's victorious at Suzukah has We'll be the.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
Youngest ever leader of a Formula.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
One World Championship. Here Mercedes, Italian teenager claiming back to
back race wins following his success at Shanghai. To the
final delivery of the first match in New Zealand's three
game One Day Cricket International Women's series against South Africa
in christ Church, Renica ghosted and it's done all the
(01:51):
way for six Calinica takes home here Kayla Renica clearing
the ropes with the very last ball from Susie Bates
to give South Africa a two wicked win and all
Blacks prop to Mighty Williams will the remainder of the
Crusaders season due to infection in his back. He's currently
(02:14):
in a christ Church hospital after being diagnosed with disguitus.
Speaker 5 (02:18):
I'm feeling good at at the moment, but I'm more
so grateful that that the news is and as bad
as what it could be. So I've been talking I
want to make one hundred percent recoveries.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
News an opinion, It's Sports Fix with Jason Lyne.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
I had the chance to speak with Jason Ryan on
the radio yesterday. The sole survivor from the last All
Blacks coaching regime into the new one. Keeping him on
is absolutely the right decision, and the fact he's now
been an assistant coach under three different All Blacks head
coaches in four years shows just how valued he is.
Brought in under Ian Foster after the Irish series loss
(03:00):
here in twenty twenty two, retained when Scott Robertson got
the job in twenty twenty four, and kept on under
the Dave Rennie regime. Now, there is no way you
survive that sort of change at the very top if
you're not very good, in fact, world class at your job.
Now I'm sure it would have been tempting to make
complete change, to start afresh, have a clean slate, to
(03:22):
have no remnants of the previous coaching regime. But player
feedback on Jason Ryan has always been overwhelmingly positive. The
players he coaches talk about his intimate knowledge of the
technical side of the areas he oversees, the way he
makes small tweaks to find big improvements and he can
clearly work with a wide range of other coaches. When
(03:45):
Jason Ryan came into the All Backs for the first time,
it was under Egan Foster, and you'll remember he was
part of the coaching team that Scott Robertson had pitched
when he was unsuccessful in getting the job. After the
twenty nineteen Rugby World Cup, Jason Ryan was Team Razer,
not Team Fozzy, and when he was brought in after
the series loss at home to Ireland, one of the
questions Jason Ryan was asked was how he would feel
(04:08):
going from Team Razer to Team Fozzy, and I remember
his answer so clearly. He said, I'm team All Blacks.
I gained a great deal of admiration for Jason Ryan
after the All Blacks record loss to South Africa and
Wellington last year. He took huge ownership for what had happened.
He said things afterwards like that's on me to fix.
(04:29):
I'm responsible for that. That's something I need to address
and be better at. That can't have been easy watching
a team blind off the park and then having to
front up the next day, but he did it and
so we now look ahead to a huge rugby year
and the World Cup next year, which is fast approaching.
In fact, this coming Wednesday, the World Cup will be
(04:50):
eighteen months away. There's a reason coaches are employed in
four year cycles because it takes that long to plan
for a Rugby World Cup. With only about a third
of that time, is it going to be enough?
Speaker 1 (05:04):
Dissecting the sporting agenda, it's Sportspecs with Jason Fine.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
This is the Sports Fixed podcast. Great news today for
football fans. Tottenham Hotspur will play Auckland f C at
Eden Park on the twenty sixth of July, a week
after the World Cup final, as part of what's been
coined the New Zealand International Football Festival. The Premier League
side of one of England's most high profile albeit they
currently sit seventeenth in the top flight and are on
(05:31):
the cusp of relegation for the first time in a week.
While regardless, their fan base is strong and forecasting is
suggesting the tool will generate twenty seven thousand visitor nights
and a three million dollar boost to the regional economy.
Exciting for football fans and exciting for the players as well.
Auckland FC up against Tottenham Hotspur. I spoke to a
(05:53):
couple of Auckland FC players after this announcement was made,
starting with English striker Sam Cosgrove to gauge his reaction.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
Yeah, pretty cool. I mean it was something that came
completely out of the blue. Must've testened to everyone behind
the scenes that's made it happen. But yeah, is it
something to look forward to through the through the grueling
pre season.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
Obviously you're from the UK yourself. Tottenham they're often referred
to as one of the Big six, aren't They are
pretty pretty glamorous side with a big fan base. Have
you played against them.
Speaker 4 (06:19):
Before only in the academy days. I've been lucky enough
to play a few against a few a few Premier
League teams in over the years, but never Spurs first team,
So that'll be a first for me obviously being back
home that they're they're a massive club, as you said,
one of the top six, going through a bit of
a tough time at the moment, but that they'll be back,
massive fan base, massive club and to have them over
here it will be really cool to play against them.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
And I guess it's just them and also to walk
for the FC, isn't it. You know that the Tottenham
who can play anywhere in the world if they wanted to.
They have sort of thought like I will oftently have
seen what a team to come up against.
Speaker 4 (06:50):
Yeah, exactly. Mean it shows that the club's kind of
grips the football and community, not just in the city
but in the in the country and from a team.
For a team like Tottenham to say that, yeah, we
want to go over to New Zealand and play our footy,
our pre season over there is as a massive testament
to the club and everything they've done.
Speaker 2 (07:07):
Let's just quickly talk let up and they see four
games to go in the regular season. Adelaide, this coming
Friday night, how are you feelings as you hit the
home straight and get ready for finals football and as
high a finish as you can.
Speaker 4 (07:18):
Yeah, I mean the movie is good. In the camp,
you know, we can't look too far away from the
fact that we're we've had we've had a successful season
in the hole. You know, we're sitting at the top
of the table with a chance of still winning the
winning the league. It's going to be tough now it's
obviously taken out of our hands. We need the Jets
to drop some points, but we're going to be there.
We're going to be ruthless behind them and hopefully pushing
them so that if they do slip up, we're going
(07:38):
to be there to take advantage of it.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
And in terms of the run into the finals Aukland,
if they have experienced event, you weren't here last year,
but they do. Do you do you feel within the
playing group a you know, a sense of being able
to really make a run out of it if Newcastle
do happen to slip.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
Up, Yeah, I think so. I mean to be honest,
we're not looking that far ahead yet. You know, our
main focus has been winning the league this year. As
we get close to that, I think, worst case scenario,
we need to be in good form heading into the finals.
So yeah, no matter what our kind of our motivation
is canding into these last couple of games, it's to
be as strong as we can so that we finished
the season is wrong.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
And a couple of you play Team Mets and picked
further than being in with the all watch Jessie Randall
the other night came off the bench and really gave
a good canon of himself. I thought, what's it like
watching your teammates play for the national team?
Speaker 4 (08:24):
Yeah, it's interesting. I mean to touch on Jesse. He's
kind of carried that club for him over into his
into his national team form and there's there's no surprise
that he's kind of getting the headlines and the and
the move that he got in in the end. So yeah,
it's good to watch these guys playing for the country.
Hopefully they don't pick up two any knocks or anything,
so and the fit to finish the season with us.
But yet, listen, it's an honor to to compete for
(08:45):
your country. I've not been able to do it. I
don't think I'm going to get ahead of Hurricane anytime soon.
But these guys are lucky to play for the country,
So good on them for enjoying it.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
And well, you are leading the Golden boat race. Is
there a goal of yours, you know, to to finish
top goalscorer and the A League in your first season here?
Speaker 4 (09:02):
I think early does. When I first came, it wasn't.
But now that we're kind of getting towards the latter
end of the season and I'm sat there looking thinking,
yeah there's a chance i can do this, it is
playing on my mind, but listen, I'll still be happy
to pick up a sis and goals no matter what,
as long as long as it keeps us winning.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
That is Sam Cosgrove. I also caught up with Auckland
FC attacker Lachland Brook, who's got a special connection to
Tottenham Hotspur, to get his reaction to the news today.
Speaker 6 (09:27):
Yeah, it's massive obviously.
Speaker 7 (09:29):
You know, when you get a chance to play against
a team of that caliber any time of the year,
it's obviously really exciting. So I think, you know, even
from a club standpoint, to already be playing teams like that,
you know only and as well be a third year then,
but even now having that all organizes, yeah, it's obviously
massive and obviously massive for Auckland as well.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Now you trialed with Tottenham when you were twelve years old,
tell me about this.
Speaker 6 (09:52):
Yeah, I did.
Speaker 7 (09:53):
Actually it's a full circle moment for myself. Yeah, I
think I was around eleven, twelve years old, went over
there for a couple of weeks and yeah, obviously just
being that young and seeing you know, the facilities over.
Speaker 6 (10:05):
There and just how mad football is.
Speaker 7 (10:07):
Obviously that was you know a big part of my
journey and you know, sort of drove me to want
to be a professional footballer obviously seeing that over there
and you know.
Speaker 6 (10:16):
That was obviously the goal. So yeah, yeah, it's a
full circle moment for myself.
Speaker 2 (10:20):
So were you scouted as a twelve year old?
Speaker 6 (10:22):
I was, yeah, very young, very well where Hell don't know.
Speaker 7 (10:26):
They obviously just had some scouts floating about and in
Adelaide and yeah, I must have had a good game
or something like that, and I think I scored five
goals when they came. So yeah, and myself a trial,
Yeah it was. It was obviously awesome. You know Spurs fan,
are you I'm not, No, no, I'm not, but you know,
at that age, any sort of team like that, you know,
(10:47):
I was obviously very excited.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
Well, let's look at the ALLFC season and four games
to go home straight you'll be in the finals. But
I know the Premier has played is something that still
sits there for the playing group. Do you feel like
you've got it and you in the last four games
to pick up twelve points and really put pressure on Newcastle?
Speaker 6 (11:06):
Yeah, I think so.
Speaker 7 (11:06):
I mean obviously for us with the last game obviously
not ideal, but for us we know it's still there,
it's still in reach. Obviously we now have to rely
on the other teams. But yeah, for us, it's just
focusing on those four games and like you said, getting
maximum points and in the end of the day, if
it's meant to be, it'll be.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
And the aleg's so tight, anybody can beat anybody, right,
it's not beyond the realms of possibility that Newcastle won't
get all the points they need. So do you even
look at them or do you just focus on what
you as a team can control.
Speaker 7 (11:40):
I mean, of course subconsciously, you're obviously going to look
and you know, you'll see who they're playing on the weekend,
and you know what the chances are if anyone's injured,
all the rest of it. But yeah, for us, the
main focus is on us. You know, all we need
to do now is maximize what we can do get
the twelve points and yeah, like I said, if it's
meant to.
Speaker 6 (11:58):
Be, it'll be.
Speaker 2 (11:58):
We've seen you off the bench in the last four
or five games. Are you quite keen to get back
and they're starting a living Definitely keen.
Speaker 7 (12:04):
Yeah, obviously we had laid now as well, playing in
front of my my family, which I you know obviously
don't get to do very often, so yeah, it'll mean
a lots of me obviously to get back in.
Speaker 6 (12:16):
In tribeat Sam cosgo for the golden Well, that's.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
The main thing obviously, is to get more goals than
the big filler. All right, mate, Well, all the best
for the rest of the season.
Speaker 6 (12:24):
Good to chet too easy, thank you mate.
Speaker 2 (12:25):
That is Lachland Brook at the announcement this morning in
pretty good spirits. Actually are going to face Tottenham so
Aortland FC against Tottenham Eden Park Sunday, July the twenty sixth.
General tickets go on sale on Tuesday, the seventh of
April at midday from ticket Tech and there will be
more announcements to come. This is just the beginning, just
the first announcement in the upcoming New Zealand International Football Festival.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
The Chamber is now in session on Sports Fix on.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
The Sports Fix podcast Let's Hop Inside the Chamber. Monday's
Chamber features the head of News Talks hebe Sport in Wellington,
Adam Cooper. Pretty good time to be a Hurricanes fan, Coops.
They're they're well, they're running in tries for fun. Another
fifth points against the Reds on the weekend.
Speaker 3 (13:10):
I know, just call them fifty point Canes Piney. They're
looking really good, aren't they. And yeah, I know that
the criticism maybe from more neutral observers around the country
and other parts of Super Rugby clubs and franchises maybe,
well the Hurricanes haven't you know, played the heavyweights yet
in this competition, you know, the likes of the Blues,
(13:30):
the Brumbies, the Crusaders, the Chiefs. But they have played
who's been put in front of them and they have
scored fifty points in multiple games. Now they're obviously topping
the table with a huge points differential as well, one
hundred and sixty six as their points differential. I was
looking this morning and the next best is the Blues,
wh the Hurricanes are actually playing next in a couple
(13:50):
of weeks with ninety five. You know, that's just an
incredible the amount of tries they are producing. I mean
you could also say on one side, as you would
expect when you've got cam Roy, Guard, Rubin Love and
Jordi Barrett is you're nine ten and twelve. Obviously Ficky fine,
young and awful out on the wingers having an incredible
season as well another three tries to his name as well,
(14:11):
So things are certainly jelling incredibly well. The Reds I thought,
by I was at the game on Saturday afternoon, I
thought provided a pretty good challenge. They defended well in parts.
Unfortunately for the Reds, the Hurricanes are just such a
well oiled machine already in the season after five games
that the Reds you know, just couldn't contain a lot
(14:31):
of it. But I thought the Reds gave them a
pretty good challenge. They had some prolonged attack and Les Kiss,
who of course is going to move into the Wallabies role.
You know, I think Australian rugby is in pretty good
good hands considering what he's sort of done with the Reds,
who are probably, along with the Brumbies, obviously one of
the inform Australian teams. So certainly going to be a
bit patient and not go all Warriors fans on this
(14:52):
and say our year. But I think the signs are
there for them to be very competitive.
Speaker 2 (14:56):
I'm willing to go all in. I'm willing to give
it a crack and go all in. Look, and you're
so right. The Hurricanes don't make the draw, you know,
they don't say okay, well, here's the order of the
teams and this is the we want to play first.
Got a great text on Weekend Sport yesterday when somebody
had suggested, yeah, but they haven't played anybody yet, they've
been lucky. The text said, well, the other teams are
(15:17):
lucky they haven't played the Hurricanes yet because in the
form that they're in Ceps. You're right, they're just that
they just seem so hard to stop when they get
on a roll. You know, the Highlanders a week ago
that they had they had no answer under the roof
down in Jerneed and the reads as you say, we're
good for periods on Saturday, but just still got steam
roll by this team that seems to have so much
(15:39):
attacking weaponry. And you're right, it is early. I mean
we're not even in April yet, let's perhaps reconvene once
we're at the back end of May. But having played
what's in front of them, what's in front of them
rather yeah, they couldn't really have done much more to
give themselves a base for what lies ahead. The Wellington
Phoenix Women, on the other hand, a couple of disappointing
results in the last six days or so, back to
(16:02):
back losses. They are still though and with a chance,
aren't they of making the top two, which is a
big advantage in the in the ninjare league.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
Yeah, always interested to me around how much interest there
is and you know the race for the title, you know,
the end of regular season title versus you know, the
playoffs when they come around, because I think, you know,
the real exciting part of this team being competitive is
the fact that they are in the playoffs now, isn't it.
So you know, there appears to be sort of rhetoric
around that that's a huge disappointment that they've missed out
(16:30):
on the Premier's plate. We know in a lot of
football competitions that is a major prize. But for me,
I'm not sort of getting too downcast about, you know,
the situation of losing out to Melbourne City, who have
you know, won up for a third year in a row.
But yeah, it's been interesting and really interesting hearing Bev
Priestman's comments postgame yesterday after the game and potty they
were losing to you know, a pretty lowly team Western
(16:52):
Sydney following a lost midweek to another lowly team in
Central Coast, saying, you know, this team isn't used to
actually being one that's being chased, being opponents teams two
beat and the psyche for a lot of these Phoenix
players is of getting used to that, especially at this
point of the season when you know table placings at
that top end are being hotly contested.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
It is a bit of getting used to.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
And bf Prison made the point that this team has
to get back to the processes, the plans that the
Psyche as to what was working earlier in the season
when they were producing some great wins and keeping a
lot of clean sheets and.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Scoring a lot of goals.
Speaker 3 (17:27):
So with someone of her experience, and of course the
playing group across the park, you know, you'd expect them
to be able to sort of, you know, nut down
and work that out and be very competitive, you know,
come the playoffs. But obviously a lot rides, as you say,
pinting on that top two placing, getting that advantage at
home come the playoffs, obviously a huge game for them
and Adelaide on Good Friday, early evening our time here
(17:48):
in New Zealand to see that happen, so I mean,
you could sense the disappointment and you know, the tears
even from Mackenzie Barry during her postmatch.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
Interview on Sky last night.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
It meant a lot to them and it was upsetting
for them to shell that game at home in front
of home fans, at a very good crowd and potty doer.
So yeah, you get the sense they'll get back to
work this week and sort of out firing against Adelaide
and then hopefully well into the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (18:11):
Yeah, absolutely totally agree. I think they will. And if
they beat Adelaid their second that's pretty much the size
of it. So the equation simple. You know, they weren't
able to do what they hope they would in the
last two games, but if you're gonna lose two games
in a row, I mean, probably better now than once
you get into the finals, because that's your season done.
So yeah, look, I still think they've got a bit
of gas in the tank. The interesting part of the
(18:33):
Women's A League as well is that once they play
their final games over Easter, it's then a three week
break until the finals. The finals don't start until Anzac weekend.
There's an international women's break in there where you know
a number of the Phoenix women will go off and
play for the Football Ferns and the final stages of
World Cup qualification. But I just wonder what that three
week gap will do. And look if you in fact,
(18:55):
if you make the top two, it's a four week
gap because you don't play until the semi finals, so
it's it's quite an anomaly when it comes to the
Women's A League. Great to have the Phoenix secured on
the finals. We wait to see how they go in
terms of a table position and where they finish up.
Always great chatting in the chamber with your coopes. Well,
well we won't do it again next Monday. That's Easter Monday.
(19:16):
I'll see you in a fortnight. Sounds good funny.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
This is Sports Fix, your daily doseph sports News Power
and by News.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
Talks AB and that'll blow the final. We're stle on
the Sports Fix podcast for today. Thank you so much
for downloading, subscribing and listening in subscribers to Sports Fix,
we'll find a fresh episode dropping into your feed and
around about the same time tomorrow and every weekday Monday
through Friday. And for more traditional radio, for more from
News Talks, EDB Sport, check out Sports Talk weeknights between
(19:46):
seven and eight and on the weekends weekend Sport midday
to three on Saturday, same time on Sunday.
Speaker 1 (19:52):
For more from News Talks, EDB, listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
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