April 16, 2026 • 18 mins
On Sports Fix with D'Arcy Waldegrave and Jason Pine for 16th April 2026, it was announced yesterday that both Auckland Cricket and Auckland Rugby would be moving their operations away from Eden Park. Cricket will be moving to Colin Maiden Park while the future for Auckland Rugby is uncertain at the moment. Chairman of Auckland Rugby, Brent Metson, joined D'Arcy to discuss.
D'Arcy shares his thoughts on the potential demise of LIV Golf.
And D'Arcy and Piney discuss the upcoming Supercars weekend at Ruapuna in Christchurch and the Football Ferns qualifying for the FIFA World Cup in a tough watch against Papua New Guinea.
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Episode Transcript
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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.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks EDB.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Hi there, welcome to sports Fix, your daily sporting podcast,
full of opinion, full of interviews, full of sports news,
full of everything you love about this wide world of sport.
It is April sixteen, Thursday, April sixteen.
Speaker 4 (00:34):
I'm Jason Pine and my name's Darcy Walter Grave in
this podcast is also full of me and full of
Jason Pine, whether you like it or not.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Right, yeah, yeah, that's right. But you can ignore our
bits and listening to some of the other bits and
pieces that we have going on. Although the two of
us have got some talking to do around supercars in Ottua,
punit Christchitch for the first time, and also the football
Ferns are earning qualification for their World Cup. But there
is a different voice on the podcast who a we're
(01:03):
hearing from today.
Speaker 4 (01:04):
The chair of Auckland Rugby's name is Brent Metz. And
look at the possibility of Auckland Rugby moving away from
Edie Park.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Interesting times ahead for that code and for Auckland Rugby.
Plus the latest and sports news coming your way too.
Let's get into it. In other news, Let's get underway
with a look at some of the big sports stories
around today. One of pacificabos a Debbie Sorenson Fields let
down by Super Rugby as the franchise faces an uncertain future.
They'll fold next year unleash ten to twelve million dollars
(01:37):
is raised.
Speaker 5 (01:37):
We bring heart and passion and color. Need just to
say so, you know, I think we've demonstrated the model
over the last five years. See Fundamental issue as the
funding model for Super Rugby.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
No second thoughts from Aaron Clark after recommitting to the Warriors,
the NRL's reigning Dallym Lock of the Year. Started at
Mount Smart in twenty seventeen, before moving to the Gold
Coast in twenty twenty and then back home.
Speaker 6 (02:02):
Ever since I've come home and everything's just felt like
it's falling into place and of life and work for
the of course, pretty simple.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
And New Zealand cricket coach Rob Walter believes the country's
building is subcontinental depth that are with the envy of
most other nations. He's overseeing the Black Caps and Bangladesh
for six whiteball contest starting tomorrow while the national A
side is playing first class and one day matches in
Sri Lanka. We try to use the opportunities as much
as he possibly can. We've got fifty four he's he
(02:31):
didn't think it is playing right now in different parts
of the world, be that IBLPSL.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Here and in Sri Lanka.
Speaker 5 (02:37):
It's just under half of our contracted players in the country.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Use and avinion. It's Sportsfix with Jason Pine and Dussy
Walter Grave.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
We'll join now on the Sports Fixed podcast by Brent
Metz and Brent is the chair of Auckland Rugby. Brent,
how are you good?
Speaker 6 (02:54):
Thanks, FARSI, how are you?
Speaker 4 (02:56):
Yeah? Good, great to have you on. Of course, the
talk around the moment and always, as I suppose for years,
as have been around stadium size, where the MPC goes,
where it stays, and off recent times, the talk is
all around Auckland Rugby and how long it's going to
last at Eden Park. So as the chair, I'm sure
you're across this. First up, what is the future looking
(03:17):
like for Eden Park and the Auckland NPC side.
Speaker 6 (03:22):
Yeah, great question and the answer, as you probably expect,
not a simple one. We're looking at change and that
change is really in two parts. One of it is
as the use of eating Park changes, and we want
to be in concert with our friends at Auckland Cricket
and the other stakeholders, the Eden Park Trust, the Crown
(03:45):
and the Council, you know, part of that group in
terms of what that change looks like. And really part
one for us is around a home for Auckland Rugby
as an organization, so as distinct from where we play.
The thrust of the first part of what we're working
on is where we can put ourselves as an organization
to offer the best for our stakeholders. As to where
(04:07):
we play NPC FPC, that's kind of up the grabs,
but we really want to be in for purpose venues.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
You'd expect though, if you're going to move where Auckland
Rugby is centered, where your harbors, you really kind of
want to play at the ground next door to and
you wouldn't it be idea if they all came together.
Speaker 6 (04:25):
It it's ideal in one respect, but I guess some
probably a bigger driver for us at the moment is
to be able to train and offer to our stakeholders
right from juniors through to our flagship NPC FPC teams
the ability to train in a a fit for purpose
environment adjacent to where we run our business, and at
(04:47):
the moment that's not something we can do.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Was this triggered by the news that Auckland cricket was
off They're going out to Colin Maiden Park? Did this
push things along a little more?
Speaker 6 (04:59):
Well? The current environment where all of those stakeholders that
I mentioned before have got together has given us the
opportunity to explore it in a much more constructive and
deeper fashion than previously. I guess the drivers for us
a little different to cricket. Darcy Day seasonality has an
impact on their tenure at Eden Park given the rather
(05:20):
obvious sort of clash between the summer activities of high
yield events like concerts and the cricket season. Whereas for
rugby we're in a different situation. Our fixtures don't clash
with those other events at Eaton Park to the same extent.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
Does it have to be like a group decision? You
mentioned all of your sharehuddles for you, you're talking about
the council and the Trust and everybody else. Does it
have to be a group decision or can you go
off on your own and make the call for what's
best for Auckland Rugby.
Speaker 6 (05:53):
Yeah, so we've got a framework agreement, a foundation agreement
that we're working, a set of principles, some time frames,
some activity that we're all undertaking and good faith together.
But it does give us all of the organizations the
rights to maintain their position should those avenues that we
want to explore not pan out and not give us
(06:16):
anything that's advantageous. Quite obviously, we don't want to go
from one situation to a lesser one, So we need
to be able to explore it, find out if we
can make it feasible, what the funding might look like,
all the logistics around it, and if we can do that,
then in the long term it may be worth our
while to be in that venue as opposed to the
(06:38):
current arrangement, particularly as I said before, from the point
of view of housing our organization and all that goes
with it. You know, we deliver a lot more than
just our flagship teams, as important and as dear to
us as they are, but everything from you know, junior
coaching connects to our pro sport program. You know, there's
(06:58):
lots and lots that the forty four staff of Walkland
Rugby do.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
Is there anyway looming that might be a good result,
a good fit for both of these these pronged attacks,
if you will, have you looked at anywhere that might work.
Speaker 6 (07:14):
We have done some work on that, some preliminary work
over the last few years outside of this current activity,
and we've shortlisted some ten options for land at least
where we would have to develop around the city. But
you know, you can't make land. There isn't a lot
(07:34):
of green space around. We need to be relatively central
to be able to appeal to all of our different
stakeholders around the city, so it's not easy. There are
some that sort of get to the top of the
pole a little bit quicker, but until we work with
particularly council, given that we're talking about land in the
(07:55):
city here and we screen those those venues, it's hard
to say really where we're going to end up.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
This is Sportsfix, your daily dose of sports news news talks.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
I smell smoke. Have I seen fire yet? Well no,
but I'm sure it's smoldering and it will burst into
full flames before you know it. What am I referencing, well,
I'm referencing the potential demise of Live Golf. Live Golf
is the golfing tournament that has been backed by the
(08:29):
Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund, apparently worth a trillion dollars, and
they've pumped five billion dollars into the tournament so far,
made a lot of golfers extraordinarily rich men. Just like that.
So the rumors, the smoke is around that it is
coming to an end, primarily due to the trouble in
(08:50):
the Middle East. I don't need to expand on that.
You all know exactly what I'm talking about. Here's what
makes me smell smoke though. This statement from the Live
Golf CEO, Scott O'Neill. It was an email to staff
to players, and he says this, I want to be
crystal clear. Our season continues exactly as planned, uninterrupted and
(09:16):
at full throttle. No reference to the future, no reference
to next year. And as you all know, after being
longtime fans of sport, as soon as the board says
we have full faith in the CEO, we have full
trust in the coach. The writings on the wall and
they're going to be gone by lunchtime. So when I
(09:37):
read what Scott O'Neill had to say, I thought, well,
that's the end of the line for live golf. Will
it be missed, certainly not. It'd be missed maybe by
the players who make all of the money. Will it
be missed by golf in general? I can't see how
it would be. It's not golf as we know it.
It's not the tournaments that we all lock into. It
(10:00):
hasn't got a major. It basically hasn't got anything except
a great big pile of money. And it looks like
that great big pile of money is rapidly diminishing. Therefore,
live Golf's future is looking a little shaky. And you
add to that, outlets such as The Daily Telegraph, the
(10:21):
Financial Times, the New York Times, and the Wall Street
Journal are reporting that possibly live is gone. And let's
add into this Sergio Garcia telling a press conference in
Mexico City that players haven't heard anything. It's hard to
have confidence in the future of live golf.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfix.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Into the Chamber, we go Supercars, a double header in
New Zealand, unfortunately truncated with Topau's second day. The Sunday
completely wiped out. But that does mean that the fine
folk of christ Church who love their motorsport will get
an extra race tomorrow when Supercars hits or Apoona. They'll
be looking forward to that down in christ Church, won't they.
(11:07):
Not just the extra rates, but the weekend.
Speaker 4 (11:09):
It's an absolute bonus. I don't think it can be
any complaints at all from anybody about that, except the
people who into topeorl who missed out on the Sunday.
But when you've got the threat of a massive weather event,
you're not going to play fast and loose with that, now,
are You're pinty bad idea? I say, not only the racing,
but the people who've come to Toport who are leaving
(11:30):
again at the end of the race. So I think
they made a sensible decision. Maybe people look back and go, well,
it didn't need to be it wasn't that bad. But
I'm all over everybody treating it very seriously if you will.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
Yeah, no, I totally agree. I totally agree. I think
they they made the call they had to make. What
it did was, as I say, it sort of truncated.
Topor has Elon gated to opponent Ryan Wood. His second
career victory and a third and the other race up
in topor. Is momentum a thing in motorsport as it
can be in other sports, Yeah, it is.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
But I think that momentum can also be stopped. Let's
never forget that it doesn't take much in motorsport for
everything to turn pair of shape. That's someone turning right
straight into you, your engine, seizing a bad pet stop.
Number of things can happen that can stop your momentum.
But attitudeinly and with the team as well. They'll be
feeling very confident. And I think the big thing out
(12:22):
of this is the Toyota that they're running, and that's
the first time there are four others besides Ryan Wood's
running in this. That's the first time they've secured a win,
a new mark and supercars. So I think that will
give everybody who runs a Toyota huge confidence that they've
got the machinery beneath them. And to me, that's the
biggest takeout from what we saw in Sopewa.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
What about knowledge of the track? I think I read
or heard that Ryan would spend a bit of time
at the lew opponent. This is a new track of
course for most of these drivers. Does that matter or
are they so good now these drivers that it doesn't
matter if they've raced at a track before or not.
Speaker 4 (13:00):
I think that some of these guys have raced to
that track and they've had experience, and the key we
especially I've had experience. But one thing is racing at
a track understanding it's another thing putting a completely different
car on that track and how that reacts to what
the track is. There's are very different race cars to
other cars that have been raced there, even the old
n z V eights. The open wheeler is everything else.
(13:22):
The way these cars handle the vagaries of Ruapuna and
this track, we're not going to know until they're out
there at racing, So it doesn't necessarily give a driver
in advantage. They've got a rough idea of what it is,
but once they're running with what they're running, then I
know a lot more. Does that make sense? It does?
Speaker 3 (13:41):
First and only practice session tomorrow morning, nine thirty five
and that makeup race, the one that was postponed in
top or staged from late tomorrow afternoon. Can I have
a quick word on the football ferns.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
I It was my next but I'm tired of the
sound of my own voice. You don't hear that much
football ferns. I'm sorry.
Speaker 5 (13:57):
One nill.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
They got to the World Cup, but one zip against
Papua New Guinea.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
Yeah, they'll say mission accomplished, but I have to say, dars,
it was a pretty tough watch last night. They created
enough to win five or six football matches, but as
we all know, if you don't put the ball in
the net, those chances and the creation of them don't
count for much. And look, they got the job done,
but they rarely did half and puff last night against
(14:23):
Papa New Guinea. Look, on any given day a New
Zealand football side should beat a football side from Papua
New Guinea, whether it be a men's international, a women's
international and underage international. The difference and resources and ability
across the island nations, most of them and New Zealand
is still very wide. So look, I don't know that
(14:44):
they'll look back on it. You know you meant to
review every performance, aren't you. I think Michael Maine and
his team today will probably be just saying, yeah, exactly,
we got there. We achieved the goal we set out
to qualify for the World Cup. We've qualified for the
World Cup. There's not a heck of all else, a
lot else to see here. What is important, though it
does for me, is that now that they've qualified, same
(15:05):
as the All Whites, New Zealand Football have to give
the Football Ferns a good runway to Brazil in twenty
twenty seven. And they did it with the All Whites.
They got them a lot of good internationals home and
away and got them together regularly. That's what has to
happen now for the Football Ferns. With some new players
being introduced into the squad, some younger members who are
just starting out on their international careers. Time together is
(15:27):
so infrequent that it has to be as frequent as possible.
Get them together in every window, play around the world
if that's easier geographically to get some of these players together,
but also play here at home so that New Zealand
fans can get a bit excited about it. But yeah, look,
I don't I'd defy anybody to watch a full replay
of that game last night for pleasure. For pleasure. It
(15:51):
might be a form of torture. It might be a
form of of something you know that that I don't. Look,
I don't know what you're into, but look, I certainly
won't be watching it back. I'm just pleased that they're
going to be there.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
Can we leave this with a positive from me from football? Yes,
didn't they like score heaps of goals like their male
counterparts and let none through. That's got to be a
positive right through the entire qualifying tournament.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
Look, they did what they had to do, and you're
right to us. I'm probably being a bit harsh, just
sort of, but you know, the most recent result is
the one we remember the most, and like I say,
they'll flush that one. But yes, across the entire qualification
campaign they were very functional. They did a great job.
It's got a lot of goals and didn't let any in.
So I guess if you're you know again, I'll start
(16:36):
how I'll finish how I started. Mission accomplished. For Michael
Maine and his football funds, good luck to them as
they chart their path to Brazil next year.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
And I'm going to ask you a challenge to both
of us, and just keep this check till next time
we do it. Next time there's a major football event
on and a major motors board event on at the
same time you talk about the race cars, I'll talk
about the football. What do you reckon?
Speaker 3 (16:57):
I like the idea. I like the idea of us
spreading our wins and broadening our horizons. Let's do it.
That's us in the chamber for today.
Speaker 6 (17:05):
Leading of X.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
We've got just the ticket. It's Sports Fix powered by
News Talks Ivvy.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
And then I'll blow the final. We're still on Sports
Fix for today as well. If you like what you heard,
please tell your friends, your family, anybody else who might
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Speaker 4 (17:28):
Of course, we do traditional radio because that's where Jason
and I belong. That is our first love. News Talk
ZB gives us a job. It's called Sports Talk Monday
to Friday between seven and eight pm. Piney's got the
Monday shift. I've got the rest of the week, and
then on the weekend they release the hound. What have
you got for us, poney?
Speaker 3 (17:47):
Well, I'll try to love up to that, to that
lovely description. When I present Weekend Sport midday until three
on Saturday, same time again on Sunday. We'll see you
same time tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
Does For more from News Talk zed B, listen live
on air or online, and keep our shows with you
wherever you go with our podcasts on radio
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks EDB.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Hi there, welcome to sports Fix, your daily sporting podcast,
full of opinion, full of interviews, full of sports news,
full of everything you love about this wide world of sport.
It is April sixteen, Thursday, April sixteen.
Speaker 4 (00:34):
I'm Jason Pine and my name's Darcy Walter Grave in
this podcast is also full of me and full of
Jason Pine, whether you like it or not.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
Right, yeah, yeah, that's right. But you can ignore our
bits and listening to some of the other bits and
pieces that we have going on. Although the two of
us have got some talking to do around supercars in Ottua,
punit Christchitch for the first time, and also the football
Ferns are earning qualification for their World Cup. But there
is a different voice on the podcast who a we're
(01:03):
hearing from today.
Speaker 4 (01:04):
The chair of Auckland Rugby's name is Brent Metz. And
look at the possibility of Auckland Rugby moving away from
Edie Park.
Speaker 3 (01:14):
Interesting times ahead for that code and for Auckland Rugby.
Plus the latest and sports news coming your way too.
Let's get into it. In other news, Let's get underway
with a look at some of the big sports stories
around today. One of pacificabos a Debbie Sorenson Fields let
down by Super Rugby as the franchise faces an uncertain future.
They'll fold next year unleash ten to twelve million dollars
(01:37):
is raised.
Speaker 5 (01:37):
We bring heart and passion and color. Need just to
say so, you know, I think we've demonstrated the model
over the last five years. See Fundamental issue as the
funding model for Super Rugby.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
No second thoughts from Aaron Clark after recommitting to the Warriors,
the NRL's reigning Dallym Lock of the Year. Started at
Mount Smart in twenty seventeen, before moving to the Gold
Coast in twenty twenty and then back home.
Speaker 6 (02:02):
Ever since I've come home and everything's just felt like
it's falling into place and of life and work for
the of course, pretty simple.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
And New Zealand cricket coach Rob Walter believes the country's
building is subcontinental depth that are with the envy of
most other nations. He's overseeing the Black Caps and Bangladesh
for six whiteball contest starting tomorrow while the national A
side is playing first class and one day matches in
Sri Lanka. We try to use the opportunities as much
as he possibly can. We've got fifty four he's he
(02:31):
didn't think it is playing right now in different parts
of the world, be that IBLPSL.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
Here and in Sri Lanka.
Speaker 5 (02:37):
It's just under half of our contracted players in the country.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Use and avinion. It's Sportsfix with Jason Pine and Dussy
Walter Grave.
Speaker 4 (02:46):
We'll join now on the Sports Fixed podcast by Brent
Metz and Brent is the chair of Auckland Rugby. Brent,
how are you good?
Speaker 6 (02:54):
Thanks, FARSI, how are you?
Speaker 4 (02:56):
Yeah? Good, great to have you on. Of course, the
talk around the moment and always, as I suppose for years,
as have been around stadium size, where the MPC goes,
where it stays, and off recent times, the talk is
all around Auckland Rugby and how long it's going to
last at Eden Park. So as the chair, I'm sure
you're across this. First up, what is the future looking
(03:17):
like for Eden Park and the Auckland NPC side.
Speaker 6 (03:22):
Yeah, great question and the answer, as you probably expect,
not a simple one. We're looking at change and that
change is really in two parts. One of it is
as the use of eating Park changes, and we want
to be in concert with our friends at Auckland Cricket
and the other stakeholders, the Eden Park Trust, the Crown
(03:45):
and the Council, you know, part of that group in
terms of what that change looks like. And really part
one for us is around a home for Auckland Rugby
as an organization, so as distinct from where we play.
The thrust of the first part of what we're working
on is where we can put ourselves as an organization
to offer the best for our stakeholders. As to where
(04:07):
we play NPC FPC, that's kind of up the grabs,
but we really want to be in for purpose venues.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
You'd expect though, if you're going to move where Auckland
Rugby is centered, where your harbors, you really kind of
want to play at the ground next door to and
you wouldn't it be idea if they all came together.
Speaker 6 (04:25):
It it's ideal in one respect, but I guess some
probably a bigger driver for us at the moment is
to be able to train and offer to our stakeholders
right from juniors through to our flagship NPC FPC teams
the ability to train in a a fit for purpose
environment adjacent to where we run our business, and at
(04:47):
the moment that's not something we can do.
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Was this triggered by the news that Auckland cricket was
off They're going out to Colin Maiden Park? Did this
push things along a little more?
Speaker 6 (04:59):
Well? The current environment where all of those stakeholders that
I mentioned before have got together has given us the
opportunity to explore it in a much more constructive and
deeper fashion than previously. I guess the drivers for us
a little different to cricket. Darcy Day seasonality has an
impact on their tenure at Eden Park given the rather
(05:20):
obvious sort of clash between the summer activities of high
yield events like concerts and the cricket season. Whereas for
rugby we're in a different situation. Our fixtures don't clash
with those other events at Eaton Park to the same extent.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
Does it have to be like a group decision? You
mentioned all of your sharehuddles for you, you're talking about
the council and the Trust and everybody else. Does it
have to be a group decision or can you go
off on your own and make the call for what's
best for Auckland Rugby.
Speaker 6 (05:53):
Yeah, so we've got a framework agreement, a foundation agreement
that we're working, a set of principles, some time frames,
some activity that we're all undertaking and good faith together.
But it does give us all of the organizations the
rights to maintain their position should those avenues that we
want to explore not pan out and not give us
(06:16):
anything that's advantageous. Quite obviously, we don't want to go
from one situation to a lesser one, So we need
to be able to explore it, find out if we
can make it feasible, what the funding might look like,
all the logistics around it, and if we can do that,
then in the long term it may be worth our
while to be in that venue as opposed to the
(06:38):
current arrangement, particularly as I said before, from the point
of view of housing our organization and all that goes
with it. You know, we deliver a lot more than
just our flagship teams, as important and as dear to
us as they are, but everything from you know, junior
coaching connects to our pro sport program. You know, there's
(06:58):
lots and lots that the forty four staff of Walkland
Rugby do.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
Is there anyway looming that might be a good result,
a good fit for both of these these pronged attacks,
if you will, have you looked at anywhere that might work.
Speaker 6 (07:14):
We have done some work on that, some preliminary work
over the last few years outside of this current activity,
and we've shortlisted some ten options for land at least
where we would have to develop around the city. But
you know, you can't make land. There isn't a lot
(07:34):
of green space around. We need to be relatively central
to be able to appeal to all of our different
stakeholders around the city, so it's not easy. There are
some that sort of get to the top of the
pole a little bit quicker, but until we work with
particularly council, given that we're talking about land in the
(07:55):
city here and we screen those those venues, it's hard
to say really where we're going to end up.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
This is Sportsfix, your daily dose of sports news news talks.
Speaker 4 (08:08):
I smell smoke. Have I seen fire yet? Well no,
but I'm sure it's smoldering and it will burst into
full flames before you know it. What am I referencing, well,
I'm referencing the potential demise of Live Golf. Live Golf
is the golfing tournament that has been backed by the
(08:29):
Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund, apparently worth a trillion dollars, and
they've pumped five billion dollars into the tournament so far,
made a lot of golfers extraordinarily rich men. Just like that.
So the rumors, the smoke is around that it is
coming to an end, primarily due to the trouble in
(08:50):
the Middle East. I don't need to expand on that.
You all know exactly what I'm talking about. Here's what
makes me smell smoke though. This statement from the Live
Golf CEO, Scott O'Neill. It was an email to staff
to players, and he says this, I want to be
crystal clear. Our season continues exactly as planned, uninterrupted and
(09:16):
at full throttle. No reference to the future, no reference
to next year. And as you all know, after being
longtime fans of sport, as soon as the board says
we have full faith in the CEO, we have full
trust in the coach. The writings on the wall and
they're going to be gone by lunchtime. So when I
(09:37):
read what Scott O'Neill had to say, I thought, well,
that's the end of the line for live golf. Will
it be missed, certainly not. It'd be missed maybe by
the players who make all of the money. Will it
be missed by golf in general? I can't see how
it would be. It's not golf as we know it.
It's not the tournaments that we all lock into. It
(10:00):
hasn't got a major. It basically hasn't got anything except
a great big pile of money. And it looks like
that great big pile of money is rapidly diminishing. Therefore,
live Golf's future is looking a little shaky. And you
add to that, outlets such as The Daily Telegraph, the
(10:21):
Financial Times, the New York Times, and the Wall Street
Journal are reporting that possibly live is gone. And let's
add into this Sergio Garcia telling a press conference in
Mexico City that players haven't heard anything. It's hard to
have confidence in the future of live golf.
Speaker 1 (10:42):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfix.
Speaker 3 (10:46):
Into the Chamber, we go Supercars, a double header in
New Zealand, unfortunately truncated with Topau's second day. The Sunday
completely wiped out. But that does mean that the fine
folk of christ Church who love their motorsport will get
an extra race tomorrow when Supercars hits or Apoona. They'll
be looking forward to that down in christ Church, won't they.
(11:07):
Not just the extra rates, but the weekend.
Speaker 4 (11:09):
It's an absolute bonus. I don't think it can be
any complaints at all from anybody about that, except the
people who into topeorl who missed out on the Sunday.
But when you've got the threat of a massive weather event,
you're not going to play fast and loose with that, now,
are You're pinty bad idea? I say, not only the racing,
but the people who've come to Toport who are leaving
(11:30):
again at the end of the race. So I think
they made a sensible decision. Maybe people look back and go, well,
it didn't need to be it wasn't that bad. But
I'm all over everybody treating it very seriously if you will.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
Yeah, no, I totally agree. I totally agree. I think
they they made the call they had to make. What
it did was, as I say, it sort of truncated.
Topor has Elon gated to opponent Ryan Wood. His second
career victory and a third and the other race up
in topor. Is momentum a thing in motorsport as it
can be in other sports, Yeah, it is.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
But I think that momentum can also be stopped. Let's
never forget that it doesn't take much in motorsport for
everything to turn pair of shape. That's someone turning right
straight into you, your engine, seizing a bad pet stop.
Number of things can happen that can stop your momentum.
But attitudeinly and with the team as well. They'll be
feeling very confident. And I think the big thing out
(12:22):
of this is the Toyota that they're running, and that's
the first time there are four others besides Ryan Wood's
running in this. That's the first time they've secured a win,
a new mark and supercars. So I think that will
give everybody who runs a Toyota huge confidence that they've
got the machinery beneath them. And to me, that's the
biggest takeout from what we saw in Sopewa.
Speaker 3 (12:44):
What about knowledge of the track? I think I read
or heard that Ryan would spend a bit of time
at the lew opponent. This is a new track of
course for most of these drivers. Does that matter or
are they so good now these drivers that it doesn't
matter if they've raced at a track before or not.
Speaker 4 (13:00):
I think that some of these guys have raced to
that track and they've had experience, and the key we
especially I've had experience. But one thing is racing at
a track understanding it's another thing putting a completely different
car on that track and how that reacts to what
the track is. There's are very different race cars to
other cars that have been raced there, even the old
n z V eights. The open wheeler is everything else.
(13:22):
The way these cars handle the vagaries of Ruapuna and
this track, we're not going to know until they're out
there at racing, So it doesn't necessarily give a driver
in advantage. They've got a rough idea of what it is,
but once they're running with what they're running, then I
know a lot more. Does that make sense? It does?
Speaker 3 (13:41):
First and only practice session tomorrow morning, nine thirty five
and that makeup race, the one that was postponed in
top or staged from late tomorrow afternoon. Can I have
a quick word on the football ferns.
Speaker 4 (13:52):
I It was my next but I'm tired of the
sound of my own voice. You don't hear that much
football ferns. I'm sorry.
Speaker 5 (13:57):
One nill.
Speaker 4 (13:58):
They got to the World Cup, but one zip against
Papua New Guinea.
Speaker 3 (14:02):
Yeah, they'll say mission accomplished, but I have to say, dars,
it was a pretty tough watch last night. They created
enough to win five or six football matches, but as
we all know, if you don't put the ball in
the net, those chances and the creation of them don't
count for much. And look, they got the job done,
but they rarely did half and puff last night against
(14:23):
Papa New Guinea. Look, on any given day a New
Zealand football side should beat a football side from Papua
New Guinea, whether it be a men's international, a women's
international and underage international. The difference and resources and ability
across the island nations, most of them and New Zealand
is still very wide. So look, I don't know that
(14:44):
they'll look back on it. You know you meant to
review every performance, aren't you. I think Michael Maine and
his team today will probably be just saying, yeah, exactly,
we got there. We achieved the goal we set out
to qualify for the World Cup. We've qualified for the
World Cup. There's not a heck of all else, a
lot else to see here. What is important, though it
does for me, is that now that they've qualified, same
(15:05):
as the All Whites, New Zealand Football have to give
the Football Ferns a good runway to Brazil in twenty
twenty seven. And they did it with the All Whites.
They got them a lot of good internationals home and
away and got them together regularly. That's what has to
happen now for the Football Ferns. With some new players
being introduced into the squad, some younger members who are
just starting out on their international careers. Time together is
(15:27):
so infrequent that it has to be as frequent as possible.
Get them together in every window, play around the world
if that's easier geographically to get some of these players together,
but also play here at home so that New Zealand
fans can get a bit excited about it. But yeah, look,
I don't I'd defy anybody to watch a full replay
of that game last night for pleasure. For pleasure. It
(15:51):
might be a form of torture. It might be a
form of of something you know that that I don't. Look,
I don't know what you're into, but look, I certainly
won't be watching it back. I'm just pleased that they're
going to be there.
Speaker 4 (16:02):
Can we leave this with a positive from me from football? Yes,
didn't they like score heaps of goals like their male
counterparts and let none through. That's got to be a
positive right through the entire qualifying tournament.
Speaker 3 (16:14):
Look, they did what they had to do, and you're
right to us. I'm probably being a bit harsh, just
sort of, but you know, the most recent result is
the one we remember the most, and like I say,
they'll flush that one. But yes, across the entire qualification
campaign they were very functional. They did a great job.
It's got a lot of goals and didn't let any in.
So I guess if you're you know again, I'll start
(16:36):
how I'll finish how I started. Mission accomplished. For Michael
Maine and his football funds, good luck to them as
they chart their path to Brazil next year.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
And I'm going to ask you a challenge to both
of us, and just keep this check till next time
we do it. Next time there's a major football event
on and a major motors board event on at the
same time you talk about the race cars, I'll talk
about the football. What do you reckon?
Speaker 3 (16:57):
I like the idea. I like the idea of us
spreading our wins and broadening our horizons. Let's do it.
That's us in the chamber for today.
Speaker 6 (17:05):
Leading of X.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
We've got just the ticket. It's Sports Fix powered by
News Talks Ivvy.
Speaker 3 (17:11):
And then I'll blow the final. We're still on Sports
Fix for today as well. If you like what you heard,
please tell your friends, your family, anybody else who might
be interested in becoming a Sports Fixed subscriber. The numbers
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Speaker 4 (17:28):
Of course, we do traditional radio because that's where Jason
and I belong. That is our first love. News Talk
ZB gives us a job. It's called Sports Talk Monday
to Friday between seven and eight pm. Piney's got the
Monday shift. I've got the rest of the week, and
then on the weekend they release the hound. What have
you got for us, poney?
Speaker 3 (17:47):
Well, I'll try to love up to that, to that
lovely description. When I present Weekend Sport midday until three
on Saturday, same time again on Sunday. We'll see you
same time tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
Does For more from News Talk zed B, listen live
on air or online, and keep our shows with you
wherever you go with our podcasts on radio
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