On Sports Fix with D'Arcy Waldegrave for 5 May 2026, today it was announced that Don Tricker would be rejoining New Zealand Rugby after eight years as the new High Performance Director. He'll be charged with overseeing both the All Blacks and the Black Ferns once he returns from San Diego in November. Interim CEO of New Zealand Rugby, Steve Lancaster, joined D'Arcy to discuss.
D'Arcy shares his thoughts on the exodus of fringe All Black players as they chase bigger contracts overseas.
And D'Arcy and New Zealand Herald sports journalist Alex Powell discuss the return of Formula 1 with the Miami Grand Prix over the weekend and Casey Kopua and Leana de Bruin suiting up in the ANZ Premiership.
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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):
Welcome on into the Sports Fixed podcast. Great to have
you on board. Names Darcy, Walter Grave. It is a Tuesday.
It's the fifth of May twenty twenty sixth lined up
for you today, I'll be joined by the interim CEO
of n z ARIS. Name is Steve Lancaster. Today New
Zealand Rugby announced that Don Tricker is returning to the
(00:41):
high performance role. I'll be joined in studio by Alex Powell,
sports newswriter for the New Zealand Herald, as we take
a week look at an issue in netball and of
course Formula one over the weekend. That's our master plan,
so let's get stuck.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
In in other news.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
And in sport. Today a quey Master, an administrator and
the coach. Starting with the new World Snooker Champion. He
was crowned this Morning's the second the Chinese and the
second youngest to achieve the feat. Will yeat Sou beat
Sean at Murphy in the very last frame, secure victory
at the legendary Crucible Theater in Sheffield who was shot
(01:20):
after the crazy long exchange. You see this through his interpreter.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
I just want to have a good slid.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Since the sex session of the match, I was feeling
nerves all the time, So right now I just want
to put about Michael Brading, director of the MZET Golf Open,
could see the end of live golf from a long
way out. The Saudi Public Investment Fund has walked after
sinking billions of dollars into the rebel league.
Speaker 4 (01:52):
I couldn't see it then and they can't see it now.
You're putting up hundreds of millions of dollars and I
guess that's fine if you don't mind just you know,
keeping pumping more oil out of the ground and paying
for it. But eventually even reach people get sick of
theirs in money and.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Bev Priestman, coach of the Wellington Phoenix winning's team, isn't
folding to her team's to one defeat at defeat the
Brisbane Raw. The return leg is that put it to
our park on Sunday and Bed is up for it.
Speaker 5 (02:18):
We can be defeated or we can stand up and
be counted, right, I think it's exciting to come home.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
I'd much rather at this way than have to get
on the plane and go with a one goal margin down.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
And that's sport today, U s Avidian, It's Sportsfix with
Darcy Valdegrave. That's welcome to Sports Fix podcast. Now to
interim Chief Executive of New Zealand at Rugby, Steve Lancaster.
Get a Steve. Hi, Darcy, how are you very well?
I'm not quite as happy, I think as en z are.
(02:50):
You're really putting these pieces together, not the last piece,
but another piece in the puzzle. You've got a high
performance director, Don Trekker first up, tell me why Don? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (03:00):
I think Darcy, we're very excited to be confirming down
into the high Performance director role. It's a really important
appointment for New Zealand Rugby as we reset our structures
to take the business forward. So Dawn is well known
to us. You know, he's previously been involved in New
Zealand Rugby, leading our high performance system and supporting our
teams in black prior to departing to the US to
(03:23):
join the San Diego Padres, and he's continued to develop
and be a leader in his field and we are
very excited to have someone of his caliber rejoining the organization.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
So history suggests it's a very good move. So what
else did he bring to the table From his time
with the Padre Steve.
Speaker 5 (03:43):
Dawn has certainly been exposed to some different systems and
models working in the US, and it's fair to say
he's got some better work stories, I think, after his
time there. But you know, the American model is different
to our model, and so again it wouldn't be a
passive just transposing things from the US back to here,
but it certainly fleshed out Don's perspective in terms of
(04:04):
how they approach high performance sports, silence, coach, contracting, competition models.
You know, the baseball model. One of the things we
talked about is the feeder system and the model that
baseball has around developing talent and bringing it through to
the major league. And as I think you'll be aware,
you know that there are a lot of players in
the wider baseball system and all of them are trying
(04:26):
to get into major leagues. So that's certainly something unique
that Don's had first hand experience.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Then he's had some separation but nz are, but he
has been involved recently and way back in the day.
Is that helpful? Do you think? Is that good for
Don to be out of that area for a while
before he re enters the fray.
Speaker 5 (04:45):
It's helpful on both both counts, right, So it's helpful
that he's been involved in New Zealand rugby previously because
he understands our context, He understands the nuance of our
game and our model son. He can get up to speed
really quickly coming into this role. There isn't going to
be a really long or steep learning curve for him,
but he has been gone for nine years and so
(05:07):
there will be things different when he was last year
last year, and he's going to spend the time between
now and when he commences in a full time capacity
to understand the here and now of rugby and New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Hard to get him away from the padres.
Speaker 5 (05:21):
Yeah, Well, I can't speak for him, but I do
know that it hasn't been an easy decision for him
to step away, and he certainly the opportunities to remain there.
But when home comes calling, that can be pretty compelling
as well.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Very compelling duties. How much has it changed? What are
his parameters to work with him, where do you expect
to see improvements? Basically, what have you're laid on him?
Speaker 5 (05:45):
Well, so the brief is really clear for Dawn in
this role, right, and that is to enable our teams
and back Black and specifically when we look at the
All Blacks and the Black Ferns and the fifteen side
format of the game, to be successful and to be
winning on the world stage. But the role isn't just
about supporting those teams. It's about the system that underpins
(06:07):
those teams performance, not just today but into the future.
So Don's remit is very much a system remit, and
he will have absolute scope to look at everything in
our system that contributes or doesn't contribute to the performance
of our teams in Black.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
He will be essentially the boss straight above Dave Rennie
and Whitney Hanson. What are their thoughts around this appointment?
Have they been talked to you about this?
Speaker 4 (06:35):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (06:35):
They have only both very positive about Don's appointment. So
that's pleasing. That's good. It's always good when people are
excited about and about an appointment, and particularly a care
appointment like Don's. And you're right actually to call that
out that you're one of the significant changes here is
that we are moving reporting lines from the CEO to
those head coaches to Don now reporting to the CEO
(06:57):
and the coaches reporting through to down.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
When you look at what he's done of recent times
said nine years since it's been away, but he was
involved in their review of the All Blacks which eventually
resulted in Scott Robertson leaving his post. So that again
must have been handed to understand where you guys are
at right now. Won't say it was a tipping point,
(07:21):
but good that he's had recent.
Speaker 5 (07:22):
Connection absolutely, and as I said before, you know, it
just means that the learning curve won't be as long
or as steep as it would otherwise have been. So
he's got some real recency in terms of his understanding
of the All Blacks environment. He is going to be
spending some time in and around the All Blacks again
prior to his full time commencement, so he'll be up
(07:43):
to spead really quickly in that context. And certainly his
involvement in the review earlier in the year it's helped.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
That and he'll be getting underway what late this.
Speaker 5 (07:51):
Year, Yeah, that's right. So he's going to see out
his contractual commitments with the Padres which will take him
through until the end of October. So he'll commence full
time with NZR from November. But we have mapped out
a transitional plan for Don lot similar to what we've
done with Dave Rennie actually as he honors his commitments
to Colby and so Don will be back and forth
(08:13):
from New Zealand and in and out of team environments
over the period between now and November, as well.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Dissecting the sporting agenda. It's sportsfex with Darcy Waldegrave Hurricanes.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Lucy Devin Flanders has decided that his future is not
in the Black Jersey, one of many players who have
made a similar decision over recent years. Do we pull
our hair out? Should we stretch? Should be angst about
something like this? No, No, we shouldn't. Good luck to him,
good luck to all of the players who've decided that,
on balance there's a chance will not get selected to
(08:48):
play for the All Blacks. Look, maybe they would, and
maybe that would inflate their overseas value through the roof,
but they've been very pragmatic in these decisions. They've decided
that the money's here, the moneys now and even though
I might be in All Black, it's not worth hanging
on to that hope. When you consider, in Devon's case,
(09:08):
the yen hanging around him, this is natural attrition. This
is perfect for New Zealand rugby. This is part of
a pathway that NZ doesn't have to pay for. It's
not like they're getting a huge amount of experience they're
going to able to bring back to the national site,
although in the case of Alesta, a Fag and Nuku
that was definitely the case. What it says is to
(09:29):
young players coming through the pathways that even if they
can't quite get to All Black level, even if it's
just slightly out of reach, if they perform well at
the super rugby level and they can earn their stripes
at that professional level, there'll be somebody out there in
France and Europe and Japan somewhere who will offer them
(09:51):
the money to come and play for them. It's such
a high level super rugby. Even though some people would disagree,
but these players are fighting against the best New Zealand
have got to offer at the top level before international representation,
and through that they're finding themselves worthwhile and lucrative contracts
(10:12):
It's not all about the all black jersey, as ends
are would have us believe. There's so much more to
playing rugby and a lot of that is about putting
food on the table. But when these guys disappear, it
means the next tier is coming through. And if they're
not going to be all blacks, hey, they've got a pathway, right.
So how is this bad? I tell you right now
(10:34):
it isn't.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
The Chamber is now in session on sportsffects.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
It's Chamber time now on the facts and coming back
for what's turning out to be a regular slot is
Alex Powell's a sports journalist for the New Zealand Herald. Welcomer,
Alex good. Great to have you here as well. We
can reflect on our joyous space, which is the Formula
one from over the weekend. It was joyous in the
fact we got Formula one back again. That ends there
(11:02):
is that a cruel thing to say? I say this
because all of these upgrades that nothing change.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
My whole point on this needs to be prefaced with
the fact that I just don't like Miami as a circuit.
I think you know they are there for the complete
wrong reasons, which is just an American cash grab.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
But you're right.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
I don't think the new tweaks the regulations have made
too much of a noticeable difference. And that ultimately then
falls on what people have been saying the whole time,
which is can we have our sport back?
Speaker 2 (11:29):
There was lots of passing, It doesn't matter. My favorite
term this year has been artificial. You know this, and
that's exactly what it is.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
Did you feel that when they bought drs and and
was it twenty twelve?
Speaker 2 (11:41):
No, because it wasn't as extreme and abrupt, right, And
I think that's the issue I've got with this. You
can pass somebody and then three turns later you're faster
than they are. Yeah, that to me takes away. And
I've talked about this before and people out there listening,
I'm sorry, f I'm boring you, but the art of
the overtake is becoming a lost art. You used to
(12:03):
set guys up. You do two, three, four laps, knowing
we are strong, whether we could do you see your
car up, you set them up. You've got traffic coming
up ahead of you. You actually with that now basically
just hit a button and pass them. I mean, it's
not noticeable.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
It's the art of racecraft, isn't it knowing when you overtake.
Whereas you feel like now that is kind of lost
a bit because you do get so much assistance.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Well, come on, go on, come out puning Alex. Now.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Look, I still hold the view that we are just
going to see different things at different tracks. You know,
we've seen China and Japan this year. We're both really
good races because of the nature of the circuits, whereas
Miami and Australia, which are street circuits so repurposed areas
of the of the community road will turn into a
race track, which you know, I don't know how you
(12:48):
feel about. Like you look at a traditional street circuit
like Monaco, where it is actually just the road, but
it is so so steeped in history that you are
used to it.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
But it's more on a race there is, isn't it.
It's a different area of that. It's an historical tribute.
It's a paper you see that that America for the
wrong reasons, to suck up the American money. We've got
that Monica. They're trying to do the same thing. Hell,
they even painted a false harbor on it.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
Well, anyway, good weekend for Leam Wilson.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
Nah, yeah, it was not bad. I saw reports saying that,
you know, he's bad. Luck keeps dogging him. He's had
a really good year so far. You're going to have
things like this where it doesn't quite go right. What
I'm pleased about though, right wasn't his fault, but he
drove straight.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
Into the no and good thing that he's been cleared
of any wrongdoing because he was looking at a penalty
for when they go to Canada, which would have been
so harsh. But I mean, thankfully, and we don't say
this often. The stewards have seen since.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Yeah, and so he got done and that kind of
wrecked the race for them. I don't I don't feel
for him. It's formula one, it's nature of it. I
don't think he's in a bad position. I think that
he could have qualified better. And yeah, maybe they look
back and there was a situation where he should have gone,
but there was an adjustment within. Again, it was the
(14:03):
people up the desk of stewards.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
I mean, yeah, I think he had in terms of
qualifying that was as good as he could have done.
He said as much that they didn't feel they were
better than twelve. I think they have been left behind
a little bit with the improvements that have happened over
the enforced break. I think you look where McLaren are
now and that's amazing that they have caught it back
so much. They bought seven different upgrades to Miami. Ferrari
(14:26):
bought eleven. You know, this five week gap we've had
between racing because of what's happening over in the Middle
East has really been.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
A racing balls and read ball. Were's their energy gone? Say,
it wouldn't have gone to racing balls, even though they're
kind of separate. And when you look at Ferrari and
you look at McLaren, everything's focused on them.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
But Mercedes have a big one coming next time as well.
So you look at how they're going to go in
Canada onwards, and it's scary how how good they could
actually be.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
I think that the new regulations are like someone's attached
a bungee cord to the rear of one car into
the nose of the other one and that's sorry, I
had to get that off my chest.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
I've been like, that's a good nledge. Well, it's like
I don't think this at the end of adaptation and
tweaks to what we see in the rigs.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Is there any any truth a sceric of it that maybe,
just maybe they might go back to actual race cars
come twenty thirty twenty thirty one, because it's been maybe
thrown up that maybe they go back to actually engines.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
Do you get this thing that I do where you
see twenty thirty written or anything, and that's ages away
and then you realize it's twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Yeah, far away at all, Not far away at all.
We live in Hope right When it comes to that,
you never know. But hey, at least the circus is
back less. We're enjoying it. And of course in Canada
we've got quite the racetracks looking forward to that one
as well. Interesting over the weekend that two of the
A and Z Premiership teams they had a few injury issues,
(15:48):
but they managed to drag in ex Silver Ferns. Not
bad players, but I'm wondering about the relevance of that
considering what the premiership is supposed to be. I don't
want to be an ageist about it, but you pull
someone in who's near on forty nine to play Leon
the great Player, what's that doing for the competition. What's
that the ferns? It seems kind of insane and she
(16:11):
wasn't the only one.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
I look at this with a little bit of an asterisk.
We have just seen the most significant change to the
A and Z Premiership and to Netborn New Zealand come
in over this last year, which is letting our best
and brightest woman go over and play in Australia. If
they can get contracts, if they can get exemptions from
Netborn New Zealand to still be silver ferns. That is
going to have a flow on effect that there are
all of a sudden ten to eleven spots that need
(16:33):
to be filled and as they're the talent to justify
it straight away, in some cases there might not be
as we're seeing here, But that is not a fair
reflection to say, oh, well, this is this is why
we should panic about the state of the game in
New Zealand. It's really not. Talent will come through, and
we've seen that for so long with Netbull in this country.
(16:54):
You know, Irene van Dyke retires and they bring through
what Maria flour you know, Maria Philower retires and Gray
Snucker turns up you know this thing, these problems do
self correct, you know, and while.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
It still doesn't take back from the fact this we
need to get our younger players who are on the
cusp of that ten e eleven, twelve replacements in the
thick of the battle at the highest level of competition
we have got. Where's the positive in bringing back Casey
all Leana into the fault? I don't think anybody wins there.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
You're right, you do think then the girls that came
through this year do get a benefit in playing with
Casey and Leana. Let's not forget that those two are
proper greats of the game. Then do have a lot
to give back the fact that they are still playing
while it does, but do.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
They have to be giving back on the court.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
Pot I mean, yes, yes and no. Do you want
them in starting spots every week? Definitely not. But if
you're you know, an eighteen year old defender coming through
and you're looking across and go, jeez, that's Casey Corporal,
you know you're looking at one of the greats, you know,
a World Cup winner, and she is there to just
you know, you watch her everywhere. Like when we have
a young broadcast to come through we say that's Jason Pine,
(18:04):
just do what he does. You know, that's a joke.
That doesn't happen. I think that was that was the
Star Sea Watergrove do not do the opposite. But yes,
there is incredible value in having experienced players. They shouldn't
be blocking first team opportunities. But let's not also forget
that this is a business and these teams do need
to win immediately. You know, you look at the Magic
(18:26):
and they are still looking for that first one. So
you can't be entirely angry that.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
I'm saying angry. I'm just saying that it's guilty opportunity
and it really should be utilizing them. It'specially in the
case of the Magic, the stone Cold model, as they're
right at the bottom. They haven't won anything, so what
chuck and you be in and see what happens. So
even lying in the gust, you can still look at
the stars, right, And that wasn't mentioning the netball team
by the way, the Stars.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
No, well, no, this is going to be an ongoing
thing for a couple of years. You feel, until the
pathways are given the chance to really push the next
generation through, they might just have to sort of patch
it together with sellotape and rubber.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Bands stickyback plastic. He does favors for everyone. Alex Powell
out of the New Zealand Herald newsroom as always, thanks
for your time and your opinion.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
Thanks having me mate beating a fix.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
We've got just the ticket. It's Sports Fix powered by
News Talks ivvy.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
That'll do you for the Sports Fix for a Tuesday,
the fifth of May twenty twenty six on Darcy Watergrove.
Thanks for listening. We thank you again for subscribing that way,
this will end up in your in box automatically on
a weekday basis. If you prefer the radio. We've got
there too here at news Talk ZB Sports Talk between
(19:44):
seven and eight pm Monday to Friday. Jason Pine's got
the Monday shift. I do the rest of the week
and then over the weekend it is the Mighty Pine.
He's got weekend sports Saturday and Sunday from twelve midday
through to three pm. Thanks very much for listening, Thanks
for sharing the love. I'm Darcy Watergrave and are we
back in your ears tomorrow Here on the Fix.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
For more from News Talks ed B listen on air
or online and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Welcome on into the Sports Fixed podcast. Great to have
you on board. Names Darcy, Walter Grave. It is a Tuesday.
It's the fifth of May twenty twenty sixth lined up
for you today, I'll be joined by the interim CEO
of n z ARIS. Name is Steve Lancaster. Today New
Zealand Rugby announced that Don Tricker is returning to the
(00:41):
high performance role. I'll be joined in studio by Alex Powell,
sports newswriter for the New Zealand Herald, as we take
a week look at an issue in netball and of
course Formula one over the weekend. That's our master plan,
so let's get stuck.
Speaker 1 (00:56):
In in other news.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
And in sport. Today a quey Master, an administrator and
the coach. Starting with the new World Snooker Champion. He
was crowned this Morning's the second the Chinese and the
second youngest to achieve the feat. Will yeat Sou beat
Sean at Murphy in the very last frame, secure victory
at the legendary Crucible Theater in Sheffield who was shot
(01:20):
after the crazy long exchange. You see this through his interpreter.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
I just want to have a good slid.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Since the sex session of the match, I was feeling
nerves all the time, So right now I just want
to put about Michael Brading, director of the MZET Golf Open,
could see the end of live golf from a long
way out. The Saudi Public Investment Fund has walked after
sinking billions of dollars into the rebel league.
Speaker 4 (01:52):
I couldn't see it then and they can't see it now.
You're putting up hundreds of millions of dollars and I
guess that's fine if you don't mind just you know,
keeping pumping more oil out of the ground and paying
for it. But eventually even reach people get sick of
theirs in money and.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Bev Priestman, coach of the Wellington Phoenix winning's team, isn't
folding to her team's to one defeat at defeat the
Brisbane Raw. The return leg is that put it to
our park on Sunday and Bed is up for it.
Speaker 5 (02:18):
We can be defeated or we can stand up and
be counted, right, I think it's exciting to come home.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
I'd much rather at this way than have to get
on the plane and go with a one goal margin down.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
And that's sport today, U s Avidian, It's Sportsfix with
Darcy Valdegrave. That's welcome to Sports Fix podcast. Now to
interim Chief Executive of New Zealand at Rugby, Steve Lancaster.
Get a Steve. Hi, Darcy, how are you very well?
I'm not quite as happy, I think as en z are.
(02:50):
You're really putting these pieces together, not the last piece,
but another piece in the puzzle. You've got a high
performance director, Don Trekker first up, tell me why Don? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (03:00):
I think Darcy, we're very excited to be confirming down
into the high Performance director role. It's a really important
appointment for New Zealand Rugby as we reset our structures
to take the business forward. So Dawn is well known
to us. You know, he's previously been involved in New
Zealand Rugby, leading our high performance system and supporting our
teams in black prior to departing to the US to
(03:23):
join the San Diego Padres, and he's continued to develop
and be a leader in his field and we are
very excited to have someone of his caliber rejoining the organization.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
So history suggests it's a very good move. So what
else did he bring to the table From his time
with the Padre Steve.
Speaker 5 (03:43):
Dawn has certainly been exposed to some different systems and
models working in the US, and it's fair to say
he's got some better work stories, I think, after his
time there. But you know, the American model is different
to our model, and so again it wouldn't be a
passive just transposing things from the US back to here,
but it certainly fleshed out Don's perspective in terms of
(04:04):
how they approach high performance sports, silence, coach, contracting, competition models.
You know, the baseball model. One of the things we
talked about is the feeder system and the model that
baseball has around developing talent and bringing it through to
the major league. And as I think you'll be aware,
you know that there are a lot of players in
the wider baseball system and all of them are trying
(04:26):
to get into major leagues. So that's certainly something unique
that Don's had first hand experience.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Then he's had some separation but nz are, but he
has been involved recently and way back in the day.
Is that helpful? Do you think? Is that good for
Don to be out of that area for a while
before he re enters the fray.
Speaker 5 (04:45):
It's helpful on both both counts, right, So it's helpful
that he's been involved in New Zealand rugby previously because
he understands our context, He understands the nuance of our
game and our model son. He can get up to speed
really quickly coming into this role. There isn't going to
be a really long or steep learning curve for him,
but he has been gone for nine years and so
(05:07):
there will be things different when he was last year
last year, and he's going to spend the time between
now and when he commences in a full time capacity
to understand the here and now of rugby and New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Hard to get him away from the padres.
Speaker 5 (05:21):
Yeah, Well, I can't speak for him, but I do
know that it hasn't been an easy decision for him
to step away, and he certainly the opportunities to remain there.
But when home comes calling, that can be pretty compelling
as well.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
Very compelling duties. How much has it changed? What are
his parameters to work with him, where do you expect
to see improvements? Basically, what have you're laid on him?
Speaker 5 (05:45):
Well, so the brief is really clear for Dawn in
this role, right, and that is to enable our teams
and back Black and specifically when we look at the
All Blacks and the Black Ferns and the fifteen side
format of the game, to be successful and to be
winning on the world stage. But the role isn't just
about supporting those teams. It's about the system that underpins
(06:07):
those teams performance, not just today but into the future.
So Don's remit is very much a system remit, and
he will have absolute scope to look at everything in
our system that contributes or doesn't contribute to the performance
of our teams in Black.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
He will be essentially the boss straight above Dave Rennie
and Whitney Hanson. What are their thoughts around this appointment?
Have they been talked to you about this?
Speaker 4 (06:35):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (06:35):
They have only both very positive about Don's appointment. So
that's pleasing. That's good. It's always good when people are
excited about and about an appointment, and particularly a care
appointment like Don's. And you're right actually to call that
out that you're one of the significant changes here is
that we are moving reporting lines from the CEO to
those head coaches to Don now reporting to the CEO
(06:57):
and the coaches reporting through to down.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
When you look at what he's done of recent times
said nine years since it's been away, but he was
involved in their review of the All Blacks which eventually
resulted in Scott Robertson leaving his post. So that again
must have been handed to understand where you guys are
at right now. Won't say it was a tipping point,
(07:21):
but good that he's had recent.
Speaker 5 (07:22):
Connection absolutely, and as I said before, you know, it
just means that the learning curve won't be as long
or as steep as it would otherwise have been. So
he's got some real recency in terms of his understanding
of the All Blacks environment. He is going to be
spending some time in and around the All Blacks again
prior to his full time commencement, so he'll be up
(07:43):
to spead really quickly in that context. And certainly his
involvement in the review earlier in the year it's helped.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
That and he'll be getting underway what late this.
Speaker 5 (07:51):
Year, Yeah, that's right. So he's going to see out
his contractual commitments with the Padres which will take him
through until the end of October. So he'll commence full
time with NZR from November. But we have mapped out
a transitional plan for Don lot similar to what we've
done with Dave Rennie actually as he honors his commitments
to Colby and so Don will be back and forth
(08:13):
from New Zealand and in and out of team environments
over the period between now and November, as well.
Speaker 1 (08:20):
Dissecting the sporting agenda. It's sportsfex with Darcy Waldegrave Hurricanes.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Lucy Devin Flanders has decided that his future is not
in the Black Jersey, one of many players who have
made a similar decision over recent years. Do we pull
our hair out? Should we stretch? Should be angst about
something like this? No, No, we shouldn't. Good luck to him,
good luck to all of the players who've decided that,
on balance there's a chance will not get selected to
(08:48):
play for the All Blacks. Look, maybe they would, and
maybe that would inflate their overseas value through the roof,
but they've been very pragmatic in these decisions. They've decided
that the money's here, the moneys now and even though
I might be in All Black, it's not worth hanging
on to that hope. When you consider, in Devon's case,
(09:08):
the yen hanging around him, this is natural attrition. This
is perfect for New Zealand rugby. This is part of
a pathway that NZ doesn't have to pay for. It's
not like they're getting a huge amount of experience they're
going to able to bring back to the national site,
although in the case of Alesta, a Fag and Nuku
that was definitely the case. What it says is to
(09:29):
young players coming through the pathways that even if they
can't quite get to All Black level, even if it's
just slightly out of reach, if they perform well at
the super rugby level and they can earn their stripes
at that professional level, there'll be somebody out there in
France and Europe and Japan somewhere who will offer them
(09:51):
the money to come and play for them. It's such
a high level super rugby. Even though some people would disagree,
but these players are fighting against the best New Zealand
have got to offer at the top level before international representation,
and through that they're finding themselves worthwhile and lucrative contracts
(10:12):
It's not all about the all black jersey, as ends
are would have us believe. There's so much more to
playing rugby and a lot of that is about putting
food on the table. But when these guys disappear, it
means the next tier is coming through. And if they're
not going to be all blacks, hey, they've got a pathway, right.
So how is this bad? I tell you right now
(10:34):
it isn't.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
The Chamber is now in session on sportsffects.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
It's Chamber time now on the facts and coming back
for what's turning out to be a regular slot is
Alex Powell's a sports journalist for the New Zealand Herald. Welcomer,
Alex good. Great to have you here as well. We
can reflect on our joyous space, which is the Formula
one from over the weekend. It was joyous in the
fact we got Formula one back again. That ends there
(11:02):
is that a cruel thing to say? I say this
because all of these upgrades that nothing change.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
My whole point on this needs to be prefaced with
the fact that I just don't like Miami as a circuit.
I think you know they are there for the complete
wrong reasons, which is just an American cash grab.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
But you're right.
Speaker 3 (11:19):
I don't think the new tweaks the regulations have made
too much of a noticeable difference. And that ultimately then
falls on what people have been saying the whole time,
which is can we have our sport back?
Speaker 2 (11:29):
There was lots of passing, It doesn't matter. My favorite
term this year has been artificial. You know this, and
that's exactly what it is.
Speaker 3 (11:37):
Did you feel that when they bought drs and and
was it twenty twelve?
Speaker 2 (11:41):
No, because it wasn't as extreme and abrupt, right, And
I think that's the issue I've got with this. You
can pass somebody and then three turns later you're faster
than they are. Yeah, that to me takes away. And
I've talked about this before and people out there listening,
I'm sorry, f I'm boring you, but the art of
the overtake is becoming a lost art. You used to
(12:03):
set guys up. You do two, three, four laps, knowing
we are strong, whether we could do you see your
car up, you set them up. You've got traffic coming
up ahead of you. You actually with that now basically
just hit a button and pass them. I mean, it's
not noticeable.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
It's the art of racecraft, isn't it knowing when you overtake.
Whereas you feel like now that is kind of lost
a bit because you do get so much assistance.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Well, come on, go on, come out puning Alex. Now.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Look, I still hold the view that we are just
going to see different things at different tracks. You know,
we've seen China and Japan this year. We're both really
good races because of the nature of the circuits, whereas
Miami and Australia, which are street circuits so repurposed areas
of the of the community road will turn into a
race track, which you know, I don't know how you
(12:48):
feel about. Like you look at a traditional street circuit
like Monaco, where it is actually just the road, but
it is so so steeped in history that you are
used to it.
Speaker 2 (12:57):
But it's more on a race there is, isn't it.
It's a different area of that. It's an historical tribute.
It's a paper you see that that America for the
wrong reasons, to suck up the American money. We've got
that Monica. They're trying to do the same thing. Hell,
they even painted a false harbor on it.
Speaker 3 (13:12):
Well, anyway, good weekend for Leam Wilson.
Speaker 2 (13:16):
Nah, yeah, it was not bad. I saw reports saying that,
you know, he's bad. Luck keeps dogging him. He's had
a really good year so far. You're going to have
things like this where it doesn't quite go right. What
I'm pleased about though, right wasn't his fault, but he
drove straight.
Speaker 3 (13:31):
Into the no and good thing that he's been cleared
of any wrongdoing because he was looking at a penalty
for when they go to Canada, which would have been
so harsh. But I mean, thankfully, and we don't say
this often. The stewards have seen since.
Speaker 2 (13:42):
Yeah, and so he got done and that kind of
wrecked the race for them. I don't I don't feel
for him. It's formula one, it's nature of it. I
don't think he's in a bad position. I think that
he could have qualified better. And yeah, maybe they look
back and there was a situation where he should have gone,
but there was an adjustment within. Again, it was the
(14:03):
people up the desk of stewards.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
I mean, yeah, I think he had in terms of
qualifying that was as good as he could have done.
He said as much that they didn't feel they were
better than twelve. I think they have been left behind
a little bit with the improvements that have happened over
the enforced break. I think you look where McLaren are
now and that's amazing that they have caught it back
so much. They bought seven different upgrades to Miami. Ferrari
(14:26):
bought eleven. You know, this five week gap we've had
between racing because of what's happening over in the Middle
East has really been.
Speaker 2 (14:31):
A racing balls and read ball. Were's their energy gone? Say,
it wouldn't have gone to racing balls, even though they're
kind of separate. And when you look at Ferrari and
you look at McLaren, everything's focused on them.
Speaker 3 (14:43):
But Mercedes have a big one coming next time as well.
So you look at how they're going to go in
Canada onwards, and it's scary how how good they could
actually be.
Speaker 2 (14:51):
I think that the new regulations are like someone's attached
a bungee cord to the rear of one car into
the nose of the other one and that's sorry, I
had to get that off my chest.
Speaker 3 (15:01):
I've been like, that's a good nledge. Well, it's like
I don't think this at the end of adaptation and
tweaks to what we see in the rigs.
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Is there any any truth a sceric of it that maybe,
just maybe they might go back to actual race cars
come twenty thirty twenty thirty one, because it's been maybe
thrown up that maybe they go back to actually engines.
Speaker 3 (15:22):
Do you get this thing that I do where you
see twenty thirty written or anything, and that's ages away
and then you realize it's twenty twenty six.
Speaker 2 (15:28):
Yeah, far away at all, Not far away at all.
We live in Hope right When it comes to that,
you never know. But hey, at least the circus is
back less. We're enjoying it. And of course in Canada
we've got quite the racetracks looking forward to that one
as well. Interesting over the weekend that two of the
A and Z Premiership teams they had a few injury issues,
(15:48):
but they managed to drag in ex Silver Ferns. Not
bad players, but I'm wondering about the relevance of that
considering what the premiership is supposed to be. I don't
want to be an ageist about it, but you pull
someone in who's near on forty nine to play Leon
the great Player, what's that doing for the competition. What's
that the ferns? It seems kind of insane and she
(16:11):
wasn't the only one.
Speaker 3 (16:12):
I look at this with a little bit of an asterisk.
We have just seen the most significant change to the
A and Z Premiership and to Netborn New Zealand come
in over this last year, which is letting our best
and brightest woman go over and play in Australia. If
they can get contracts, if they can get exemptions from
Netborn New Zealand to still be silver ferns. That is
going to have a flow on effect that there are
all of a sudden ten to eleven spots that need
(16:33):
to be filled and as they're the talent to justify
it straight away, in some cases there might not be
as we're seeing here, But that is not a fair
reflection to say, oh, well, this is this is why
we should panic about the state of the game in
New Zealand. It's really not. Talent will come through, and
we've seen that for so long with Netbull in this country.
(16:54):
You know, Irene van Dyke retires and they bring through
what Maria flour you know, Maria Philower retires and Gray
Snucker turns up you know this thing, these problems do
self correct, you know, and while.
Speaker 2 (17:06):
It still doesn't take back from the fact this we
need to get our younger players who are on the
cusp of that ten e eleven, twelve replacements in the
thick of the battle at the highest level of competition
we have got. Where's the positive in bringing back Casey
all Leana into the fault? I don't think anybody wins there.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
You're right, you do think then the girls that came
through this year do get a benefit in playing with
Casey and Leana. Let's not forget that those two are
proper greats of the game. Then do have a lot
to give back the fact that they are still playing
while it does, but do.
Speaker 2 (17:40):
They have to be giving back on the court.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
Pot I mean, yes, yes and no. Do you want
them in starting spots every week? Definitely not. But if
you're you know, an eighteen year old defender coming through
and you're looking across and go, jeez, that's Casey Corporal,
you know you're looking at one of the greats, you know,
a World Cup winner, and she is there to just
you know, you watch her everywhere. Like when we have
a young broadcast to come through we say that's Jason Pine,
(18:04):
just do what he does. You know, that's a joke.
That doesn't happen. I think that was that was the
Star Sea Watergrove do not do the opposite. But yes,
there is incredible value in having experienced players. They shouldn't
be blocking first team opportunities. But let's not also forget
that this is a business and these teams do need
to win immediately. You know, you look at the Magic
(18:26):
and they are still looking for that first one. So
you can't be entirely angry that.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
I'm saying angry. I'm just saying that it's guilty opportunity
and it really should be utilizing them. It'specially in the
case of the Magic, the stone Cold model, as they're
right at the bottom. They haven't won anything, so what
chuck and you be in and see what happens. So
even lying in the gust, you can still look at
the stars, right, And that wasn't mentioning the netball team
by the way, the Stars.
Speaker 3 (18:52):
No, well, no, this is going to be an ongoing
thing for a couple of years. You feel, until the
pathways are given the chance to really push the next
generation through, they might just have to sort of patch
it together with sellotape and rubber.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Bands stickyback plastic. He does favors for everyone. Alex Powell
out of the New Zealand Herald newsroom as always, thanks
for your time and your opinion.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
Thanks having me mate beating a fix.
Speaker 1 (19:18):
We've got just the ticket. It's Sports Fix powered by
News Talks ivvy.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
That'll do you for the Sports Fix for a Tuesday,
the fifth of May twenty twenty six on Darcy Watergrove.
Thanks for listening. We thank you again for subscribing that way,
this will end up in your in box automatically on
a weekday basis. If you prefer the radio. We've got
there too here at news Talk ZB Sports Talk between
(19:44):
seven and eight pm Monday to Friday. Jason Pine's got
the Monday shift. I do the rest of the week
and then over the weekend it is the Mighty Pine.
He's got weekend sports Saturday and Sunday from twelve midday
through to three pm. Thanks very much for listening, Thanks
for sharing the love. I'm Darcy Watergrave and are we
back in your ears tomorrow Here on the Fix.
Speaker 1 (20:06):
For more from News Talks ed B listen on air
or online and keep our shows with you wherever you
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