On Sports Fix with D'Arcy Waldegrave and Jason Pine for 20th November 2025, we discuss the refereeing of the northern tour tests - not just the All Blacks but across the board has pundits asking questions. The TMO seems to play a rather large part in the games coming in to overrule referees consistently.
This is in contrast to Super Rugby, where a heavy emphasis has been made to keep the ball in play and the action going. D'Arcy spoke with NZR High Performance Referee Manager Chris Pollock to discuss the differences between refereeing Super Rugby and international rugby.
D'Arcy shares his thoughts on the All Blacks' 2025 season.
And D'Arcy and Piney discuss who they think will be named in the All Blacks side to take on Wales later tonight - and the Silver Ferns winning their test series against England 2-1.
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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):
Hello there, and welcome into the Sports Fix podcast, proudly
brought to you by GJ. Gardner Holmes, New Zealand's most
trusted home builder. Proudly brought to you on Thursday November
twenty by me Jason Pie. A lot of pride gang
on me. Not part of a breakers are you made?
Speaker 3 (00:36):
No? Sorry? I could not write Hi. I'm Darcy Watergrave.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
I'm here for the cheap shots and the hot takes,
right Jason, Absolutely right? Well that for we employ you
for those sorts of things and other reasons as well.
It's good to have you along. Listening into Sports Fix
as we head towards the weekend which contains the thirteenth
and final All Blacks Test of twenty twenty five. The
team is out later on tonight, so as we did
(01:02):
last week, we'll try and predict exactly what the shape
of that might look like in terms of aest on
sportsbooks today. Does who are hearing from?
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Well, we're going to talk to referees bots here and
you're doing, Chris Pollock, and look at the disparity between
refereeing standards and application from Super Right B which is
amazing to the Northern Hemisphere games which were terrible. And
in light of the Nations Championship, how they're going to
try and draw these two together if it's at all possible, Jason,
(01:31):
great talking point that one looking forward down.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
From Chris Pollock and the latest of sports news coming
your way too, so.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Let's get into it. In other news, Let's kick.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Things off as always with a look at some of
the sports stories around today. Victory for the Silver Ferns
and Manchester this morning and the fuzz.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
That does the New Zealand have done it? That ended
that international.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Season on a high.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Yeah, that's come via a fifty five forty nine win
over England and the third Test to win the series
two one. All White football coach Darren Baisley believes his
side have had the ideal preparation for next year's World Cup.
After playing their final international of the year a two
mill defeat five Ecuador basally sees their free lease against
World Cup level opposition have been beneficial.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Look at Ivory Coasts Ukraine Australia and.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Poland, Norway, Columbia, Acuador. These are some really good teams
and for most of those games we've been pretty credible
competing against some and Australian wicket keeper Alex Carey has
endorsed pace bowler Brendan Doggett's pet agree to replace the
injured Pat Cummins and Josh Hazelwood in tomorrow's first ashes
cricketieste against England and Perth.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
His last felve months have been unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
One a Sheffield Shield title for South Australia with a
six bar, another five for last week. So you know,
if you talk about form and coming in with form,
he's definitely got that.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
Use and a Vinion. It's Sportsfix with Jason Hyne and
Dusty Waltergrave.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
That's warm. Welcome out to Chris Pollock from Inza. He's
their high performance referee manager. As we talk about the disparity,
I suppose you'd say between Southern Hemisphere, Northern Hemisphere Super
Rugby and Test Rugby adjudication good a Chris, he does
here going I'm going very well, as I'm sure you
(03:14):
are too. It's a crazy role. You've got high performance
referee manager, Did you really want to get into that
place because suddenly you've got the weight of the world
on you, all the whistleblowers.
Speaker 5 (03:25):
Well, the way I look at it, I can only
control what I can control, which is our competition, so
Super Rugby and EPC. So I don't feel like I've
got the weight of the world on me. But definitely
when we're in Super season in NBC and how guys
are running around, yeah, that's probably when there's a little
bit more scrutiny.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
I think it's a fair thing to say that if
you look at what Super Rugby achieved this year and
the way the refereeing, the way the concept of the rules,
I can say that because the rules are very interesting
was applied to Super Rugby, made it a spectacle, made
it something that the fans really really engaged with. When
(04:06):
you go to the Northern Hemisphere, you know there's been
complaints here that essentially the game is over referee. So
what do you see is the primary difference between what
happens up north and what has happened in Super Rugby
and down when New Zealand conditions.
Speaker 5 (04:22):
Yeah, I mean I think in New Zealand And Australia,
and I can't speak for Michael and Australia, but I
definitely know for us here is like I see my
job along with Mike Fraser, who's our high.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Performance referee coach, like our job is to try and make.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
The rules or the way that our guys referee as
simple as possible, so we feel like we've tried to
take some complexity out of it for them. I can't
speak about the world Rugby space like I'm not sure
it's as simple as that for them. Like I feel
really sorry for our met officials when we go to
Test rugby, like there's a whole lot more pressure on them,
(04:57):
and I'll be naive to sit here and say that
Test rugby is the same as Super rugby because the
pressures are very, very different. And I also know like
in the Northern Hemisphere, not that we we don't take
players safety seriously, because we definitely do, but that is
a massive driving force for them in the Northern Hemisphere.
And as such, I think someone like the TMO that
(05:20):
asked to do a lot more than what we ask
them to do in Super Rugby in NPC, like our
brief to our our sup rugbymos NBC is very simple,
like there's a threshold that they can enter the game,
and it doesn't meet that, they cannot enter the game.
And I think it makes it easier for them because
they're not sitting there going should I come in for this?
(05:42):
Should I not coming for that? They know if it
doesn't meet from a from a foul play perspective, a
yellow card threshold, that out and unless it is a
clear era by the on field team around tries that
out and we just trust our guys on field to
do their job, and we don't get it right all
the time. And like I said, I'd be naive to
think it's as simple as that at Test level because
(06:03):
there are a whole lot of pressures for that management
group that I probably don't feel.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Must be difficult with the players when they fall under
essentially two different sets of rules or way of applying
those rules, and that can't be simple. When you move
from Super two Test rugby, or you move through hemispheres
and the reefs, we've got to carry a whole lot
of that and the players just have to I suppose
work the reef out and then run through that. That's
(06:30):
what they've got to apply.
Speaker 5 (06:32):
Yeah, it is challenging, but like to be fair, it's
no different to what it has been forever. Really, Like
if you take someone like Richie McCaul, what he was
so good at doing was first five to ten minutes
sussing out how a game was going to be officiated
that day and then adjusting the way that he played.
So I don't think it's any different. And we've just
got to have players that are really good at being
able to adapt to how that pusin. Because even if
(06:53):
it's a normal hemisphere referee who referees in England compared
to a normal hemisphere referee that referees in France, you're
going to get a different interpretation around certain things anyway,
And it's the same from somebody comes from the South
that they're all going to have slight different nuances. And
like I said, like our job is to try to
get our guys as aligned as possible and make it
a simple for them, but it worn't.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
For the crowds. The simplicity and you look at the
nature of the rules, it's you can we know this
every breakdown you can probably apply a penalty. So why
do you think the remit Southern Hemisphere is a little more,
a little looser if you're in the Northern hemisphere because
it's the same game. So how does it differ so much.
Speaker 5 (07:38):
I don't think the actual breakdown and that kind of
stuff does differ that much. I think the biggest difference
we see between the two is what I just described earlier,
where in Test rugby they want the tmos to be
coming in for things like penalty only neck rolls or
like like we even will sit there and say to
our tmos forward passes, that's an on field get. Knock on,
(08:01):
that's an on field get unless it leads to a try,
whereas those little things that are different at Test rugby.
And it's not for me to say which is right
or which is wrong, and it's also not for me
to say why they believe that's the right way to go.
All I know is in our competitions, that's the philosophy
that we've chosen. We know that we're in a market
where it's about entertainment and we've got to try and
(08:24):
get that balance by applying the rules in a smart way.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
Dissecting the sporting agenda. It's Sportsfix with Jason Paine and Darcy.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Waldgrave Sunday morning, we get to stick a fork in
the All Black season and call it done, because it is.
That's it for twenty twenty five. It's going to end
on a as opposed to an explosion of joy. Suggesting
that Razor Robertson and what's left of his coaching crew
(08:56):
have actually done a good job running our national team
this year. Well they haven't, not really even a past mark.
This is not the All Blacks of the good old days.
This is the Blacks of the recent old days. Pretty
much mediocre, middle of the pack, fair to Middland, sometimes
a threat, sometimes a train wreck. I'm not sure what
(09:20):
has to happen over the Christmas break. I remember Steve
Hansen saying once it's pretty uncomfortable spending summer with a
rock under your beach towel. But now we've got boulders
under beach towels, and we've seen nothing over this season
to suggest we're anywhere near solving the issues that the
All Blacks have. One issue beyond their control is the
(09:44):
refereeing standards at an international level, but that's a given.
You can't do anything about that. But the issues that
have been haunting the All Blacks the last few seasons
have not dissipated, they have not faded, They've not gone anywhere.
It is the same issue test after test. Some test
things work well, other tests things don't. And that is
(10:05):
another issue, lack of consistency in performance and results in effort.
This is not the All Blacks that any of us
grew up with. Considering the huge amount of noise around
the appointment of Scott Robertson, I'll pull my hand up.
I was part of the cheers squad. Nothing's happened. The
first year was slow, the first year was safe. The
(10:28):
first year was pedestrian. The second year has been safe
is it's been kind of pedestrian. And the biggest problem,
as I said before, we're no closer to solving the
issues that have been glaringly obvious to the New Zealand
rugby fan for years. Where to now, I don't know.
(10:50):
There's been a wet blanket put over the fire of
the All Blacks. And when you know that it's the
end of the season, they've got a final game to
achieve nothing except gives some young players an opportunity to
do the harker. You know, it's been a horrible, horrible
flow season.
Speaker 4 (11:09):
The chamber is now in session on Sportsfix.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Now let us assemble in the chamber to kick around
a couple of sporting issues. Want to get to the
net ball in just a moment, dask, But let's start
with the All Blacks, who tonight will unveil their team
to take on Wales in the final Test of twenty
twenty five. We hear the phrase wholesale changes a lot
when it comes to sport. Are you expecting wholesale changes
to the All Blacks?
Speaker 3 (11:34):
Yes, I am. The final sod from the season is
going to fall on the coffin lid and then we
can forget about it. We can move on. It's a
real flat end, isn't it. It's just like h and
that's not pleasant for anyone except the guys who are
going to get an opportunity, and you'd expect a lot
of them would. Yeah, how tired? How tired? Jason Pine
(11:58):
was some of our key players towards the end of that.
I mean, Ardie sav was broken after what was an
astonishing Super Rugby season. He put some good shifts in.
The guy is absolutely wrecked, so I wouldn't expect to
see him. And it's the same with a lot of
other guys. I mean, why wouldn't he clear the decks here?
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Absolutely right? Yet I don't think we'll see Ardie Savia,
the guys who were injured last week or even picked up,
Knox Boden, Barrett cam roy GARDA don't think they'll be
in the twenty three. Others who have had a big
workload Cody Taylor perhaps won't feature in the twenty three.
But what it does do is you say, is it
gives guys opportunities just on your observation about how flat
it feels. I heard on the excellent Rugby Direct podcast
(12:34):
this week and a great descriptor from Elliott Smith. He said,
it's like the bronze medal match at the World Cup.
You know you've got to the semi final, you haven't
made the final. It's a game that you have to play,
but no one rarely can drum up too much enthusiasm
for it. Having said that, guys like Ruben Love, for example,
George Bell, who hasn't worn the black jersey this year,
(12:57):
you know others, Riko Yowani he's had very very few
opportunities this year.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
We've give him a shot in the midfield or they
stick him out on the wing. So yeah, that's an
interesting one. And if he doesn't get packed, do you
think that's the end of the line for him. So
pretty keen to see how the hat rolls through, right,
I reckon they'll pick.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Him in midfield, you know. I just think Billy proctoquin
to Pire have had and Leicester fighting anook who have
had had cracks over the last little while. I think
it's almost fair to give Rico Yowani a crack in
the thirteen jersey because you think about it. Does he
hasn't played there all year. This is a guy who's
basically been in possession of the thirteen jumper for large
(13:35):
periods of the last three to four years. I kind
of feel like he at least has earned one test
this year in thirteen, hasn't he.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Yeah, well, Reubin Love saying, yeah, yeah, I want to
see him. He's over there. Let's have a look and
see what that guy brings. The thing I'm most and
interested in is if these new men coming in can
actually run to a game plan and not carry on
with the same We're no good under the high ball.
We fall apart in the third quarter, We've got no direction,
that's where we want to see, right, We want to
(14:06):
see a group of men who actually apply themselves to
what being an all black means. Because is it fair
to say we really haven't seen that this yet?
Speaker 2 (14:14):
Very fair, very fair to say that. Yeah, And regardless
of what's happened up until now and the fact that
the Grand Slam, the four straight victories are now not possible,
you're still wearing the all Blacks jersey when you go
out there. You are carrying the legacy of one hundred
and how many years it's been, So regardless of the situation,
every time you wear the black jersey into a game
(14:35):
of rugby, I feel like you've got a responsibility to
be exactly that to us, to be the best version
of yourself and of this team.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Really looking forward to being a fly on the wall
and the whales shed before the match and see what
they're going to say. As far as this is concerned,
as like, guys, opportunity knocks, what can we do? What
a boil over that would be? And the sad thing
about that is it to happen. I don't know how
many people will go, oh my god, what a surprise.
They'd go ooh, you know, it's sad but true.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Yeah, I think you're probably right there. I think that's
where we are now, and that you know, even the
Welsh side that's had a fairly torrid couple of years
since the last World Cup could feasibly in front of
a big crowd at the Principality give us problems. I
don't think they'll beat us to us, but it could
be like Scotland, you know, it could be one of
those where we went at twenty five seventeen or something
like that.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
You know, I depend how many guys get carted in
the third quarter, and you know how many guys get
injured or go off their head knocks or these things
you cannot work through and you cannot predictably. This is
actually making me quite sad. Can we talk about something else?
Speaker 2 (15:41):
Yeah, let's talk about a victorious New Zealand side up
in the Northern Hemisphere and one that had to overcome,
by the sounds of it, a pretty nasty midweek bug
of at McCausland jury giving us a fairly graphic description
after the game this morning where a Silver Fern's beat
England to win their Series two. One of the way
the squad was affected by quite a nasty tummy bug.
(16:02):
But they went out there and at the end of
what has been a very challenging year for the sport
and netball high and it.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
Was a topsy turvy kind of game that didn't come
out of the blocks and start rolling England. It went
back and forth and back and forth. So they had
to put in a concerted effort. And McCalls them jury rig,
which I can call her because he's basically is the
jury rig of the silver Ferns side. When she described
it as coming out both ends, I touched anymore. But hey,
(16:32):
I think what we've seen out of this now. I
don't know personally. I'm not in the camp. I don't
know these athletes, but I sense a huge feeling of
relief and a situation they find themselves in where the
stress is gone and they can do what they're paid
to do, and that is play netball. And we've seen
(16:54):
that after all the chaos of the last year. Must
be lovely environment to be and good on a vet
the jury rig for giving them the conditions to play
their best netball. Well done.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
You kind of like that, right quality human being a VET.
McCalls on jury didn't have to step In did and
has guided them to a nice finish to the year.
You look at it and you say, well, they've had
series wins over South Africa, Scotland and England and beat
Australia in two of their formatches. So actually, on the
face of it, it's not a bad year results wise. Yes,
there's been utter turmoil off the court, but I guess
(17:25):
if you look towards the Commonwealth Game's mid twenty twenty six,
it's been a pretty good warm up for that. That
is us in the chamber today.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
Use and a vinion. It's Sportsfix with Jason Payne and Dussy.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Walter Grave and that brings the curtain down on Sports
Fix for today. I'm sure there'll be lost to discuss
when we reconvene tomorrow. If you want to be sure
not to miss an episode of the Sports Fix podcast,
then just subscribe and it will happen automatically. Your podcast
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Speaker 3 (17:57):
Yeah, and share that in tell with your neighbor, your boss,
your colleague, your family, your friends, it doesn't matter. Let
them know we need ears on this. Otherwise it's not
worth doing. Although as much as I love talking to
myself and talking to you, Jason Brien, as further masses
as Sports Fix and if you want to join in,
you have an opportunity to do that seven to eight
(18:18):
pm Monday and Friday ADS on Sports Talk on News
Talk zb Piney's got the Monday shift, I've got Tuesday
through Friday, and then you've got the big show coming
up on Saturday and Sunday.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Piney indeed weekend Sport midday through three, Saturday midday through
three on Sunday as well.
Speaker 1 (18:36):
We'll see you tomorrow for more from News Talk zed B.
Listen live on air or online, and keep our shows
with you wherever you go with our podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Hello there, and welcome into the Sports Fix podcast, proudly
brought to you by GJ. Gardner Holmes, New Zealand's most
trusted home builder. Proudly brought to you on Thursday November
twenty by me Jason Pie. A lot of pride gang
on me. Not part of a breakers are you made?
Speaker 3 (00:36):
No? Sorry? I could not write Hi. I'm Darcy Watergrave.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
I'm here for the cheap shots and the hot takes,
right Jason, Absolutely right? Well that for we employ you
for those sorts of things and other reasons as well.
It's good to have you along. Listening into Sports Fix
as we head towards the weekend which contains the thirteenth
and final All Blacks Test of twenty twenty five. The
team is out later on tonight, so as we did
(01:02):
last week, we'll try and predict exactly what the shape
of that might look like in terms of aest on
sportsbooks today. Does who are hearing from?
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Well, we're going to talk to referees bots here and
you're doing, Chris Pollock, and look at the disparity between
refereeing standards and application from Super Right B which is
amazing to the Northern Hemisphere games which were terrible. And
in light of the Nations Championship, how they're going to
try and draw these two together if it's at all possible, Jason,
(01:31):
great talking point that one looking forward down.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
From Chris Pollock and the latest of sports news coming
your way too, so.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
Let's get into it. In other news, Let's kick.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Things off as always with a look at some of
the sports stories around today. Victory for the Silver Ferns
and Manchester this morning and the fuzz.
Speaker 4 (01:47):
That does the New Zealand have done it? That ended
that international.
Speaker 1 (01:51):
Season on a high.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
Yeah, that's come via a fifty five forty nine win
over England and the third Test to win the series
two one. All White football coach Darren Baisley believes his
side have had the ideal preparation for next year's World Cup.
After playing their final international of the year a two
mill defeat five Ecuador basally sees their free lease against
World Cup level opposition have been beneficial.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Look at Ivory Coasts Ukraine Australia and.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
Poland, Norway, Columbia, Acuador. These are some really good teams
and for most of those games we've been pretty credible
competing against some and Australian wicket keeper Alex Carey has
endorsed pace bowler Brendan Doggett's pet agree to replace the
injured Pat Cummins and Josh Hazelwood in tomorrow's first ashes
cricketieste against England and Perth.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
His last felve months have been unbelievable.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
One a Sheffield Shield title for South Australia with a
six bar, another five for last week. So you know,
if you talk about form and coming in with form,
he's definitely got that.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
Use and a Vinion. It's Sportsfix with Jason Hyne and
Dusty Waltergrave.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
That's warm. Welcome out to Chris Pollock from Inza. He's
their high performance referee manager. As we talk about the disparity,
I suppose you'd say between Southern Hemisphere, Northern Hemisphere Super
Rugby and Test Rugby adjudication good a Chris, he does
here going I'm going very well, as I'm sure you
(03:14):
are too. It's a crazy role. You've got high performance
referee manager, Did you really want to get into that
place because suddenly you've got the weight of the world
on you, all the whistleblowers.
Speaker 5 (03:25):
Well, the way I look at it, I can only
control what I can control, which is our competition, so
Super Rugby and EPC. So I don't feel like I've
got the weight of the world on me. But definitely
when we're in Super season in NBC and how guys
are running around, yeah, that's probably when there's a little
bit more scrutiny.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
I think it's a fair thing to say that if
you look at what Super Rugby achieved this year and
the way the refereeing, the way the concept of the rules,
I can say that because the rules are very interesting
was applied to Super Rugby, made it a spectacle, made
it something that the fans really really engaged with. When
(04:06):
you go to the Northern Hemisphere, you know there's been
complaints here that essentially the game is over referee. So
what do you see is the primary difference between what
happens up north and what has happened in Super Rugby
and down when New Zealand conditions.
Speaker 5 (04:22):
Yeah, I mean I think in New Zealand And Australia,
and I can't speak for Michael and Australia, but I
definitely know for us here is like I see my
job along with Mike Fraser, who's our high.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
Performance referee coach, like our job is to try and make.
Speaker 5 (04:37):
The rules or the way that our guys referee as
simple as possible, so we feel like we've tried to
take some complexity out of it for them. I can't
speak about the world Rugby space like I'm not sure
it's as simple as that for them. Like I feel
really sorry for our met officials when we go to
Test rugby, like there's a whole lot more pressure on them,
(04:57):
and I'll be naive to sit here and say that
Test rugby is the same as Super rugby because the
pressures are very, very different. And I also know like
in the Northern Hemisphere, not that we we don't take
players safety seriously, because we definitely do, but that is
a massive driving force for them in the Northern Hemisphere.
And as such, I think someone like the TMO that
(05:20):
asked to do a lot more than what we ask
them to do in Super Rugby in NPC, like our
brief to our our sup rugbymos NBC is very simple,
like there's a threshold that they can enter the game,
and it doesn't meet that, they cannot enter the game.
And I think it makes it easier for them because
they're not sitting there going should I come in for this?
(05:42):
Should I not coming for that? They know if it
doesn't meet from a from a foul play perspective, a
yellow card threshold, that out and unless it is a
clear era by the on field team around tries that
out and we just trust our guys on field to
do their job, and we don't get it right all
the time. And like I said, I'd be naive to
think it's as simple as that at Test level because
(06:03):
there are a whole lot of pressures for that management
group that I probably don't feel.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Must be difficult with the players when they fall under
essentially two different sets of rules or way of applying
those rules, and that can't be simple. When you move
from Super two Test rugby, or you move through hemispheres
and the reefs, we've got to carry a whole lot
of that and the players just have to I suppose
work the reef out and then run through that. That's
(06:30):
what they've got to apply.
Speaker 5 (06:32):
Yeah, it is challenging, but like to be fair, it's
no different to what it has been forever. Really, Like
if you take someone like Richie McCaul, what he was
so good at doing was first five to ten minutes
sussing out how a game was going to be officiated
that day and then adjusting the way that he played.
So I don't think it's any different. And we've just
got to have players that are really good at being
able to adapt to how that pusin. Because even if
(06:53):
it's a normal hemisphere referee who referees in England compared
to a normal hemisphere referee that referees in France, you're
going to get a different interpretation around certain things anyway,
And it's the same from somebody comes from the South
that they're all going to have slight different nuances. And
like I said, like our job is to try to
get our guys as aligned as possible and make it
a simple for them, but it worn't.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
For the crowds. The simplicity and you look at the
nature of the rules, it's you can we know this
every breakdown you can probably apply a penalty. So why
do you think the remit Southern Hemisphere is a little more,
a little looser if you're in the Northern hemisphere because
it's the same game. So how does it differ so much.
Speaker 5 (07:38):
I don't think the actual breakdown and that kind of
stuff does differ that much. I think the biggest difference
we see between the two is what I just described earlier,
where in Test rugby they want the tmos to be
coming in for things like penalty only neck rolls or
like like we even will sit there and say to
our tmos forward passes, that's an on field get. Knock on,
(08:01):
that's an on field get unless it leads to a try,
whereas those little things that are different at Test rugby.
And it's not for me to say which is right
or which is wrong, and it's also not for me
to say why they believe that's the right way to go.
All I know is in our competitions, that's the philosophy
that we've chosen. We know that we're in a market
where it's about entertainment and we've got to try and
(08:24):
get that balance by applying the rules in a smart way.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
Dissecting the sporting agenda. It's Sportsfix with Jason Paine and Darcy.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Waldgrave Sunday morning, we get to stick a fork in
the All Black season and call it done, because it is.
That's it for twenty twenty five. It's going to end
on a as opposed to an explosion of joy. Suggesting
that Razor Robertson and what's left of his coaching crew
(08:56):
have actually done a good job running our national team
this year. Well they haven't, not really even a past mark.
This is not the All Blacks of the good old days.
This is the Blacks of the recent old days. Pretty
much mediocre, middle of the pack, fair to Middland, sometimes
a threat, sometimes a train wreck. I'm not sure what
(09:20):
has to happen over the Christmas break. I remember Steve
Hansen saying once it's pretty uncomfortable spending summer with a
rock under your beach towel. But now we've got boulders
under beach towels, and we've seen nothing over this season
to suggest we're anywhere near solving the issues that the
All Blacks have. One issue beyond their control is the
(09:44):
refereeing standards at an international level, but that's a given.
You can't do anything about that. But the issues that
have been haunting the All Blacks the last few seasons
have not dissipated, they have not faded, They've not gone anywhere.
It is the same issue test after test. Some test
things work well, other tests things don't. And that is
(10:05):
another issue, lack of consistency in performance and results in effort.
This is not the All Blacks that any of us
grew up with. Considering the huge amount of noise around
the appointment of Scott Robertson, I'll pull my hand up.
I was part of the cheers squad. Nothing's happened. The
first year was slow, the first year was safe. The
(10:28):
first year was pedestrian. The second year has been safe
is it's been kind of pedestrian. And the biggest problem,
as I said before, we're no closer to solving the
issues that have been glaringly obvious to the New Zealand
rugby fan for years. Where to now, I don't know.
(10:50):
There's been a wet blanket put over the fire of
the All Blacks. And when you know that it's the
end of the season, they've got a final game to
achieve nothing except gives some young players an opportunity to
do the harker. You know, it's been a horrible, horrible
flow season.
Speaker 4 (11:09):
The chamber is now in session on Sportsfix.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Now let us assemble in the chamber to kick around
a couple of sporting issues. Want to get to the
net ball in just a moment, dask, But let's start
with the All Blacks, who tonight will unveil their team
to take on Wales in the final Test of twenty
twenty five. We hear the phrase wholesale changes a lot
when it comes to sport. Are you expecting wholesale changes
to the All Blacks?
Speaker 3 (11:34):
Yes, I am. The final sod from the season is
going to fall on the coffin lid and then we
can forget about it. We can move on. It's a
real flat end, isn't it. It's just like h and
that's not pleasant for anyone except the guys who are
going to get an opportunity, and you'd expect a lot
of them would. Yeah, how tired? How tired? Jason Pine
(11:58):
was some of our key players towards the end of that.
I mean, Ardie sav was broken after what was an
astonishing Super Rugby season. He put some good shifts in.
The guy is absolutely wrecked, so I wouldn't expect to
see him. And it's the same with a lot of
other guys. I mean, why wouldn't he clear the decks here?
Speaker 2 (12:13):
Absolutely right? Yet I don't think we'll see Ardie Savia,
the guys who were injured last week or even picked up,
Knox Boden, Barrett cam roy GARDA don't think they'll be
in the twenty three. Others who have had a big
workload Cody Taylor perhaps won't feature in the twenty three.
But what it does do is you say, is it
gives guys opportunities just on your observation about how flat
it feels. I heard on the excellent Rugby Direct podcast
(12:34):
this week and a great descriptor from Elliott Smith. He said,
it's like the bronze medal match at the World Cup.
You know you've got to the semi final, you haven't
made the final. It's a game that you have to play,
but no one rarely can drum up too much enthusiasm
for it. Having said that, guys like Ruben Love, for example,
George Bell, who hasn't worn the black jersey this year,
(12:57):
you know others, Riko Yowani he's had very very few
opportunities this year.
Speaker 3 (13:02):
We've give him a shot in the midfield or they
stick him out on the wing. So yeah, that's an
interesting one. And if he doesn't get packed, do you
think that's the end of the line for him. So
pretty keen to see how the hat rolls through, right,
I reckon they'll pick.
Speaker 2 (13:13):
Him in midfield, you know. I just think Billy proctoquin
to Pire have had and Leicester fighting anook who have
had had cracks over the last little while. I think
it's almost fair to give Rico Yowani a crack in
the thirteen jersey because you think about it. Does he
hasn't played there all year. This is a guy who's
basically been in possession of the thirteen jumper for large
(13:35):
periods of the last three to four years. I kind
of feel like he at least has earned one test
this year in thirteen, hasn't he.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Yeah, well, Reubin Love saying, yeah, yeah, I want to
see him. He's over there. Let's have a look and
see what that guy brings. The thing I'm most and
interested in is if these new men coming in can
actually run to a game plan and not carry on
with the same We're no good under the high ball.
We fall apart in the third quarter, We've got no direction,
that's where we want to see, right, We want to
(14:06):
see a group of men who actually apply themselves to
what being an all black means. Because is it fair
to say we really haven't seen that this yet?
Speaker 2 (14:14):
Very fair, very fair to say that. Yeah, And regardless
of what's happened up until now and the fact that
the Grand Slam, the four straight victories are now not possible,
you're still wearing the all Blacks jersey when you go
out there. You are carrying the legacy of one hundred
and how many years it's been, So regardless of the situation,
every time you wear the black jersey into a game
(14:35):
of rugby, I feel like you've got a responsibility to
be exactly that to us, to be the best version
of yourself and of this team.
Speaker 3 (14:44):
Really looking forward to being a fly on the wall
and the whales shed before the match and see what
they're going to say. As far as this is concerned,
as like, guys, opportunity knocks, what can we do? What
a boil over that would be? And the sad thing
about that is it to happen. I don't know how
many people will go, oh my god, what a surprise.
They'd go ooh, you know, it's sad but true.
Speaker 2 (15:07):
Yeah, I think you're probably right there. I think that's
where we are now, and that you know, even the
Welsh side that's had a fairly torrid couple of years
since the last World Cup could feasibly in front of
a big crowd at the Principality give us problems. I
don't think they'll beat us to us, but it could
be like Scotland, you know, it could be one of
those where we went at twenty five seventeen or something
like that.
Speaker 3 (15:27):
You know, I depend how many guys get carted in
the third quarter, and you know how many guys get
injured or go off their head knocks or these things
you cannot work through and you cannot predictably. This is
actually making me quite sad. Can we talk about something else?
Speaker 2 (15:41):
Yeah, let's talk about a victorious New Zealand side up
in the Northern Hemisphere and one that had to overcome,
by the sounds of it, a pretty nasty midweek bug
of at McCausland jury giving us a fairly graphic description
after the game this morning where a Silver Fern's beat
England to win their Series two. One of the way
the squad was affected by quite a nasty tummy bug.
(16:02):
But they went out there and at the end of
what has been a very challenging year for the sport
and netball high and it.
Speaker 3 (16:09):
Was a topsy turvy kind of game that didn't come
out of the blocks and start rolling England. It went
back and forth and back and forth. So they had
to put in a concerted effort. And McCalls them jury rig,
which I can call her because he's basically is the
jury rig of the silver Ferns side. When she described
it as coming out both ends, I touched anymore. But hey,
(16:32):
I think what we've seen out of this now. I
don't know personally. I'm not in the camp. I don't
know these athletes, but I sense a huge feeling of
relief and a situation they find themselves in where the
stress is gone and they can do what they're paid
to do, and that is play netball. And we've seen
(16:54):
that after all the chaos of the last year. Must
be lovely environment to be and good on a vet
the jury rig for giving them the conditions to play
their best netball. Well done.
Speaker 2 (17:04):
You kind of like that, right quality human being a VET.
McCalls on jury didn't have to step In did and
has guided them to a nice finish to the year.
You look at it and you say, well, they've had
series wins over South Africa, Scotland and England and beat
Australia in two of their formatches. So actually, on the
face of it, it's not a bad year results wise. Yes,
there's been utter turmoil off the court, but I guess
(17:25):
if you look towards the Commonwealth Game's mid twenty twenty six,
it's been a pretty good warm up for that. That
is us in the chamber today.
Speaker 4 (17:34):
Use and a vinion. It's Sportsfix with Jason Payne and Dussy.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Walter Grave and that brings the curtain down on Sports
Fix for today. I'm sure there'll be lost to discuss
when we reconvene tomorrow. If you want to be sure
not to miss an episode of the Sports Fix podcast,
then just subscribe and it will happen automatically. Your podcast
feed will be furnished with a new episode tomorrow and
every day Monday through Friday.
Speaker 3 (17:57):
Yeah, and share that in tell with your neighbor, your boss,
your colleague, your family, your friends, it doesn't matter. Let
them know we need ears on this. Otherwise it's not
worth doing. Although as much as I love talking to
myself and talking to you, Jason Brien, as further masses
as Sports Fix and if you want to join in,
you have an opportunity to do that seven to eight
(18:18):
pm Monday and Friday ADS on Sports Talk on News
Talk zb Piney's got the Monday shift, I've got Tuesday
through Friday, and then you've got the big show coming
up on Saturday and Sunday.
Speaker 2 (18:30):
Piney indeed weekend Sport midday through three, Saturday midday through
three on Sunday as well.
Speaker 1 (18:36):
We'll see you tomorrow for more from News Talk zed B.
Listen live on air or online, and keep our shows
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