June 9, 2026 • 22 mins
On Sports Fix with D'Arcy Waldegrave for 9 June 2026, Black Fern midfielder Amy Du Plessis has put pen to paper and re-signed with NZR through to 2029. She joined D'Arcy to discuss.
D'Arcy shares his thoughts on Kane Evans coming out.
And D'Arcy and NZ Herald sport journalist Ben Francis discuss the Kane Evans story and the FIFA World Cup as it begins this week.
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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 Fix podcast. Great, you have
you all on board. It's Tuesday. It's the ninth of
June twenty twenty six and coming up in today's edition
in the chamber we have been Francis talking to the
big sports stories. But our big guest today is Amy
de Place. Amy has just signed on the Dottal line
for m z R for the next three years. She
(00:43):
joined us on the podcast to discuss the whys I'm
going to tell you about Cain Evans because it's a
story worth repeating. That's our plan. So let's go trigger it, boys,
let's get into it. In other news and in the
magnificence of sport today, Stephen Perefeta is inhaling what may
well be his last Super Rugby Pacific campaign, the sixth
(01:06):
Test All Black Pivot is believe to be off the
land of the Rising Sun after Super Rugby Pacific to
play under Leo McDonald at Yokohama. He plans on living
in the moment for the now my mindset.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Is just to take each day, take each moment, make
the most of it, but enjoy it more importantly and
for me, there's when where my body is and so
I'm just trying to make the most of it and
go as much as I can in the time that
I have left in the Blue Jersey.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
England cricket captain Beden Stokes is in hot water again
after a post test celebrations triggered investigation by the English
Cricket Board. It's understood that Bean and Gus Atkinson one
fowl of team protocols. Coach Brenda McCallum must be pulling
his hair out. He said this after the English win,
(01:53):
referencing the alcohol laden strife the team were caught in
during their ashes pounding, and of course there was the
Harry Brook New Zealand nightclub issue. You can't beat one
AND's not on a good day, but it bounces. They
can beat them. English cricketer right, which has been a
little bit hot as well know, but that's what comes
with the territory as well.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
I've been really impressed with the guys have not carried
him with vegas.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Not continue with triggering a global fuel crisis. The President
of the United States of America has decided to turn
out to an NBA Finals game and get in the
way of that too. The security detailer is wrecking the
fan experience. Even the players aren't immune to the PoTA
circus saves the Spurs. Point guard Yaron Fox explains, the
(02:36):
President being here is that makes it inconvenient on everybody
else driving for more security. We go like send stuff earlier.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
I think our birth a little little earlier.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
Soul.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
That's that is going to be a building that at
homes leader sports and that is the vocal wonderment of
sport today.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
You Scadamion, It's Sportsfix with Dancy Valdegreve.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
That's war. Welcome now to Sports Fixed podcast. To Amy
Plus see the Black Fern has just signed on the
line for ends Are for the next three years. Get
a Amy all right, thank you for having me. Hey,
thanks very much for joining us. You're a pretty happy
player right now. You've managed to pick yourself up another
contract with nz ARE. First up, you threw into the
(03:19):
twenty twenty nine World Cup. What was the driver behind
putting your name on that contract?
Speaker 5 (03:23):
Yeah, thank you. It's pretty exciting for obviously myself and
my family. I've really been enjoying the Black Friend's environments.
It's been a pretty special place and I'm absolutely loving
my footy at the moment, So it was a pretty
easy decision when I obviously had got the contract over
the line, and yeah, I'm just absolutely loving it. And
I think with the World Cup obviously to come in
(03:44):
the lines for it's pretty exciting for I guess where
women's rugby is going, and I really wanted to be
a part of that. So it was Yeah, it's a
pretty awesome opportunity and I'm really grateful.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
I think there'd be more issues in a bigger story
if you said no. When you're take into account what's
on the horizon, it must be impossible to walk away
from that.
Speaker 5 (04:02):
Yeah, absolutely, Like I see the woman's game is growing
so much, and I know that when your henson in
the back grand is doing some pretty awesome stuff as
well to try and advocate for the women's game. But yeah,
it's pretty exciting, and I know with the Lions too
next year being the first one, that's going to be
a pretty historic moment for women's rug band. Yeah, I'm
really excited that I can hopefully be a part.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Of that, I said, it would be odd if you
said no, but plainly you're quite the player. Amy there
be a lot of people looking here, we'll get your contract.
Where else did the interest come from for your signature?
Speaker 5 (04:34):
Yeah, I guess I hadn't really gone out looking for
other opportunities, but there was a few things, a few
opportunities maybe with league in Australia, and obviously the money
is quite appealing to go over there, but I think
where I'm at in my career, I didn't really want
to go out and you know, do something different at
the age as I am. But I also, just like
I said, love the Blacksim's environment, the team culture is
(04:56):
just something else pretty special. And then like I said,
with Whitney Hanson coming in, she's a great coach and
I think what she's done for our team even already
this year is something really special and something that I
wanted to be a part of. So yeah, just really
great that I could sign a three year deal with Hism.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
You've got history with her too, haven't you? With Matter two,
and you're still going to be playing for much to
two in fact that it starts this weekend, so that
must have been encouraging, you know her form and what
she tries to do.
Speaker 5 (05:22):
Yeah, she coached me during MASSA two last year, so
that was pretty awesome. And then yeah, Whitness coached me
throughout if we see for Canterbury and then Muster two
as well, so I know her pretty well. But yeah,
she's pretty awesome for the woman's game, like I said,
and what she's doing to try and move the momentum
for women's rugby is really exciting and she's just yet
all around great coaching, a great person. Pretty cool to
have her in the Basemins environment.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Where do you think the game is headed? You said,
there's a lot of advances, and I think it's gone on.
It's gone up and up over the last few years.
There's no glass ceiling. It's got so far to go.
But where do you think the game is heading? As
far as the athletes, the fans, everything is concerned. How
far can this advance do you think? Amy?
Speaker 5 (06:02):
Yeah, well, I think there's no limits obviously, but I
think even just having this three year contracts now even
two years, I think that's advanced in itself. You know,
we were only really allowed to sign one year nails
and so now even with a three year extension that's
obviously progressed, which is pretty exciting. But I also just
think the crowd sizes across I would say obviously in Europe,
(06:25):
you know it's growing massively. The England team is selling
out to looking them and things, So I think overseas,
I see the crowd size is growing. The opportunity for
women's rugby is really growing. In New Zealand, I think
we've still got a bit of room to grow in
that space, but in terms of even just marketing and things,
I think we've seen it awesome growth in that area too.
So yeah, I think it's pretty exciting to see where
(06:47):
women's rugby can go and where it is heading. But
obviously we still have a bit of work to do
around getting people to fall in love with the sport
and just to continue supporting us.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yeah, what about the breed of the game. How big
do you think opicky should be in the FPC? Do
they need more time center stage?
Speaker 5 (07:05):
Yeah? I think obviously the latterms telling is real exile, like,
we've got a lot more tests this here and obviously
looking to keep growing that. I think domestically, I think
it would be awesome to have a few more games
and Oka Key obviously trying to cross over Worth Australia
would be awesome, and obviously we've got that final against them,
and then I think with FBC, like it's awesome. We've
(07:25):
still got that competition and obviously the younger girls coming
through get to really play in that now because the
Black Friends you know, obviously away doing international duties. So
I think, I think there's been an awesome growth in
trying to get more games for us. But I think, yeah,
I'm not sure what the solution is obviously, but it
would be killed to continue playing somewhat Opaki or some
(07:45):
games for four Black Friends, the full pack four, so
that we can continue growing that and getting more game
time to kind of prefer us to perform at our desk.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
This is good to hear because most people would say
that's above my pay grade. No comments, So thanks having
it with that one aman. What about personally yourself? What
do you see as your main contribution? How can you
strengthen and broaden the PA of the game. Did you
carry that on your shoulders or.
Speaker 5 (08:14):
Well, I think I've obviously I'm an emerging leader in
the Black Ferns. I look after we'll work alongside some
of the girls in our defense space, which is pretty exciting.
I'm very passionate about that, so I think hopefully I
can continue growing that leadership and lead by my actions
and then in terms of on attack just high work
rate experience in the midfield. We've got a few younger
girls coming up now to just ensuring that I help
(08:36):
them outgrow them because I know that's going to make
me better as well. But yeah, like I said, I'm
just loving the environments and can't wait to continue ripping
that jersey and being part of such a special team.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
You're looking forward to you carrying on your twenty seven
test career so far, and please don't say at my
age you're twenty six, you're still a spring chicken, Amy.
Speaker 5 (09:00):
Volume, it's like that, but there's definitely some young girls
coming through. It makes me feel a lot of bit old,
but not just exciting. And yeah, try and continue doing
my role and looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Congratulations, Amy, and thanks very much for your time, really appreciated.
Speaker 5 (09:15):
Awesome, Thank you so much. And if you're in Christis
this weekend, come and support Mark or two at one
Indied Stadium. We're trying to break the record for the
biggest crowd for a standalone domestic match. So yeah, please
come down and support my two versus the.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Chief Dissecting the sporting agenda, It's Sportsfex with Dancy Waldergrave.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Former Warriors prop Kane Evans has come out as gay
in a stunning interview on one hundred It's Australia's Channel
nine at Network League Show. He talked about the struggles
he's had with mental health, with addiction, with being homeless
after a career that spanned many clubs across the NRL
(09:56):
and indeed over the British Super League. He said that
ever since he was fifteen years old, he's known that
he was gay and it's something he's been attempting to
hide for thirty years and what it did to him
mentally was too much for him to bear. He even
considered suicide. If you haven't seen the interview, I suggest
(10:19):
you watch it. It's eleven minutes long. It is emotional,
but it's a wonderful exercise in faith, in humanity and
how people deal with what they perceive as treacherous sets
of circumstances that they find themselves. In the start of
the interview, he is a very tense, very stressed, very
(10:42):
pressured individual, knowing exactly what he was going to admit
to in front of Australian rugby league fans. At the
end of the interview, I don't think I've ever seen
relief personified as I had in Cain Evans. The weight
of the world was off his shoulders. He came out,
he told his truth and in that moment essentially saved
(11:04):
his life. It's a hugely emotional you and it says
so much around the acceptance of the rainbow community in
our sport. Oddly, in women's sport it doesn't seem to
be an issue, but in blokes sport and that men's sports,
specifically in collision sports such as rugby league and rugby union,
(11:27):
it still is a huge issue. I showed that interview
to my daughter this morning and she said, Dad, really,
is that still an issue? He's just being himself. Why
is that a problem in sport. She's got a great point,
and it's nice to see that our future is looking
good when it comes to tolerance, as the next generation
(11:48):
coming through can't understand why anybody would want to hide
their own sexuality, their own natural sexuality. I think the
future is looking good and I'd like to congratulate Cain
Evans on what has been described as an absolute gangster moment.
Stand up bro. That was awesome. And up next on
(12:10):
the Sports Fixed podcast, I'm going to be joined by
Ben Francis, New Zealand Herald's sports writer and the Chamber
as we discussed a couple of the big issues in
sport today. That's shortly here on the Fix.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfix and the
Chamber door opens and look, it's been a sports journalists
out of the New Zealand Herald.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Ben, I've saved a nice warm couch for you.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
How are you, thanks, Darcy, I appreciate the nice warm
couch and plenty of space to spread out.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Well, you're a very tall man. You need the space right.
Stories around in the last couple of days that this
Caine Evans story. I saw this this morning. I saw
there what eleven minute video of Cain Evans talking about
what he'd suffered in the fact that he knew he
was a gay man from what fourteen fifteen years old?
He's been hiding it all of his life. Twenty years later,
(13:02):
he's finally found the inner strength to go I'm a
gay man and that's okay. You've seen the video. The
difference between him at the start of this video and
then him at the end of the eleven minutes is extraordinary.
You talk about relief there, it is right there. What
did you read into that? Not a story of redemption?
(13:22):
To me, it's a story of I'm going to be
me and it's actually okay.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
I think it's just a perfect it's like a human
perfect human sorry, a perfect human story, right, because you
see the emotions of him being a human. We all
feel emotions in different ways and how we express them.
But it was literally like that whole weight of the
world had lifted off his shoulders. And he mentioned in
the interview at the time that it had been recorded,
(13:48):
he hadn't told his parents, but he said by the
time that it would air, they would know. His mum
has been unwell, so he was a bit nervous to
tell her about that, but hopefully that they've accepted it,
and I think the most One of the other interesting
things for me was touching on his time at the
Warriors as well. With of course he had that one
season in twenty twenty one Wine, which was a very
(14:10):
bad season for the Warriors, considering they were stuck in Australia,
but COVID season, Yeah, exactly, but it was it was
I think at answered a few questions. I think when
I saw it, I was like, Okay, I can probably
understand why you might have done some of the things
that you did.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
Well.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
He was was a runaway train, wasn't he He was
off the rail some of the things he did for
the Wristband, which I won't talk about on air because
I'll be taken through Broadcasting Standards Authority. Indeed if they
if they still exist, there's an angry, angry man and
he had that through his time at the Roosters. He
at that time the Warriors and so on and so forth.
(14:45):
Interesting that Roosters coach Robinson reached out to him and said,
hey mate, we've got you back. We're going to help
you out. That was when he was unemployed, homeless and
a drug addict as well. What a tumultuous time. And
that's an understatement.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
Yeah, he kind of touched on the fact that he
was and the Roosters coming through the system, that's where
he made his enter our debut and after he kind
of left, it was almost like those comforts of everything
he knew had changed, and I think that probably contributed
to that downward spiral some time at Paramatta, then at
the Warriors, and I think everyone at the Warriors was
struggling for one reason or another for what we just
(15:21):
touched on, and probably all those emotions have been in
that environment probably didn't help the situation. Went over to
England for a couple of years and and things just
kept on going downwards. Had his contract torn up slightly
early again, came back to Australia, got into a lot
of debt and just that stuff off the field, and
(15:42):
it was quite nice hearing the influence as well of
a Joe Nolaval for mer Kiwe now one of the
transition managers at the Rugby League Players Association who who
their role was art to essentially help people with life
after football, and Silse sort of hearing about his role
and helping helping knew was quite nice as well.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Went still a huge taboo in sport, specifically in male
sport men's sport. You don't really hear about it in
rugby league, in rugby union and those high speed conflict sports,
so collision sports, you don't anymore any sign of this
adjusting or changing, all this aggression melting. But it's kind
(16:23):
of hard to isn't it. When you look at the
manly situation with the jerseys, the rainbow jerseys and the
like as well, it's still very much in that space,
isn't it.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
Yeah, I think it's going to be one of these
things until my kind of perspective on it is if
we keep making a big deal out of these things
and then it's going to continually nothing's going to really change.
That's kind of how I perceive things. But to me,
this is also a bit like the whole mental health
thing when you go back to John Kerwin and him
talking about, you know, him not wanting to kind of
speak out because he wasn't all black, and it's you know,
(16:53):
he meant to be much or he meant to be manly,
that sort of thing. And I think there's still that
sort of perception out there with so many things to
do with mental health beliefs, whatever it may be, And
I think as long as there's those stigmas there, unfortunately,
I don't think it's ever going to change, or at
least in our lifetime anyway. You just don't see it happening.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Well, it's nice to actually have it up and be
conversed about because that's part of it. Conversation really helps
you cut it or it's it's going to help you
in anything. Let's move away from that. And I've got
a commen Caine Evans for he did, and the quality
of the intervie as well, top notch. Over eleven minutes.
World Cup starts shortly and none asks what World Cup?
So there's a World Cup every half an hour and
(17:29):
sports so the FIFA the Football World Cup arguably the grandfather,
the granddaddy, the grand Puba of all World Cups. It's
we're in the shadow now what three four days way
before it starts.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
Yeah, exactly. Mexico South Africa the opening game, and there's
another one on my Friday in New Zealand time as well.
And it's almost just come up just like that, you know,
it was almost felt like it was only a few
weeks ago. The All Whites are playing their last games
on home soil, and now they've had the two warm
up games and we're here, you know, and it's it's
incredible that it is here, and there's a lot of
(18:02):
interest with what's happening on the field with the more teams,
a bit more interests as well with your whites playing
in it. But unfortunately, with the World Cup being staged
in North America, I think there's also a lot of
interest with everything that's going on off the field as well,
in terms of people struggling to.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
Get in a referee and did they well.
Speaker 4 (18:20):
Exactly, And there's talks that you know, Iran are going
to have to travel in and out for their games
as well, and they of course play the all whites
in their opening game of the tournament. So there's so
many interesting factors that play that aren't even on the field.
But I guess that is sport for you.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
Yeah, the storylines around that, around that, the price gaging,
I suppose you'd say, the fact that everyone's being roarted
for tickets, the fact that you can't take water, you
can't take a container and to put water anymore. This
has the potential to be very, very embarrassing for FIFA
and for the US government. But will it be Because
(18:56):
what I've noticed in far too long of doing this job,
there's a lot of outrageous indignation around things like the
Olympic Games and what they stand for and how much
more he's being dragged out and the mess they leave afterwards,
and as soon as the gun goes that all just
disappears and everyone's just great, Wow, this is so cool.
(19:17):
It's going to happen like this again, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (19:18):
Oh, you have no doubt about it, and you know
some of the also just I think this is so
much fascination with everything, and I think it is because
it is America, you know, and there is always this
over dramatization about everything with America. It's just absolutely crazy
and who knows what's going to happen. It's it's really
one of these things where you kind of have to
(19:38):
sit back and.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
We're going to wake up and as much popcorn of
your God because it's about it.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
Well, I personally dark.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
I need to do my food chop.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
So I've gotten done at the moment, but I have
no doubt there will be plenty in the cupboard come
on Friday.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
And just quickly on that all whites after what they
put up against England, I know the English are being
absolutely slayed by the English press. Surprise, surprise, they'd to
wake up in the morning to be slaid by the
English press, they did it give you any more enthusiasm
around the chances of the All Whites maybe just popping
out of the group.
Speaker 4 (20:10):
It's so hard to say. They barely had the ball
against England, so it's really hard to judge when you've
got those very limited opportunities. But there were a few
promising attacks with the ball, which does give you confidence.
But they are going to let you have to take
every opportunity that comes their way. Defensively against England, I
think they held their own. I think after they consider
four against Haiti, I think people were probably expecting eight
(20:31):
or nine against England and the one goal they did
concede was just on the stroke a half time and
it was other than that they defended pretty well. So
I mean, you just have to take your chances, and
if you take chances, anything can happen in sports. So
who knows. We could sit here in a few weeks
time and say, well, do you know what team has
gone unbeaten at two World Cups. You just never know.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
What's more likely New Zealand getting out of their group
or ice shooting an athlete. You don't even have to one.
So thanks for and that's Ben Francis has left the chamber.
I kind of had that one coming leading of X.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
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Speaker 2 (21:11):
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(21:32):
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(21:54):
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Speaker 2 (00:20):
Welcome on into the Sports Fix podcast. Great, you have
you all on board. It's Tuesday. It's the ninth of
June twenty twenty six and coming up in today's edition
in the chamber we have been Francis talking to the
big sports stories. But our big guest today is Amy
de Place. Amy has just signed on the Dottal line
for m z R for the next three years. She
(00:43):
joined us on the podcast to discuss the whys I'm
going to tell you about Cain Evans because it's a
story worth repeating. That's our plan. So let's go trigger it, boys,
let's get into it. In other news and in the
magnificence of sport today, Stephen Perefeta is inhaling what may
well be his last Super Rugby Pacific campaign, the sixth
(01:06):
Test All Black Pivot is believe to be off the
land of the Rising Sun after Super Rugby Pacific to
play under Leo McDonald at Yokohama. He plans on living
in the moment for the now my mindset.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
Is just to take each day, take each moment, make
the most of it, but enjoy it more importantly and
for me, there's when where my body is and so
I'm just trying to make the most of it and
go as much as I can in the time that
I have left in the Blue Jersey.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
England cricket captain Beden Stokes is in hot water again
after a post test celebrations triggered investigation by the English
Cricket Board. It's understood that Bean and Gus Atkinson one
fowl of team protocols. Coach Brenda McCallum must be pulling
his hair out. He said this after the English win,
(01:53):
referencing the alcohol laden strife the team were caught in
during their ashes pounding, and of course there was the
Harry Brook New Zealand nightclub issue. You can't beat one
AND's not on a good day, but it bounces. They
can beat them. English cricketer right, which has been a
little bit hot as well know, but that's what comes
with the territory as well.
Speaker 4 (02:11):
I've been really impressed with the guys have not carried
him with vegas.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
Not continue with triggering a global fuel crisis. The President
of the United States of America has decided to turn
out to an NBA Finals game and get in the
way of that too. The security detailer is wrecking the
fan experience. Even the players aren't immune to the PoTA
circus saves the Spurs. Point guard Yaron Fox explains, the
(02:36):
President being here is that makes it inconvenient on everybody
else driving for more security. We go like send stuff earlier.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
I think our birth a little little earlier.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
Soul.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
That's that is going to be a building that at
homes leader sports and that is the vocal wonderment of
sport today.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
You Scadamion, It's Sportsfix with Dancy Valdegreve.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
That's war. Welcome now to Sports Fixed podcast. To Amy
Plus see the Black Fern has just signed on the
line for ends Are for the next three years. Get
a Amy all right, thank you for having me. Hey,
thanks very much for joining us. You're a pretty happy
player right now. You've managed to pick yourself up another
contract with nz ARE. First up, you threw into the
(03:19):
twenty twenty nine World Cup. What was the driver behind
putting your name on that contract?
Speaker 5 (03:23):
Yeah, thank you. It's pretty exciting for obviously myself and
my family. I've really been enjoying the Black Friend's environments.
It's been a pretty special place and I'm absolutely loving
my footy at the moment, So it was a pretty
easy decision when I obviously had got the contract over
the line, and yeah, I'm just absolutely loving it. And
I think with the World Cup obviously to come in
(03:44):
the lines for it's pretty exciting for I guess where
women's rugby is going, and I really wanted to be
a part of that. So it was Yeah, it's a
pretty awesome opportunity and I'm really grateful.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
I think there'd be more issues in a bigger story
if you said no. When you're take into account what's
on the horizon, it must be impossible to walk away
from that.
Speaker 5 (04:02):
Yeah, absolutely, Like I see the woman's game is growing
so much, and I know that when your henson in
the back grand is doing some pretty awesome stuff as
well to try and advocate for the women's game. But yeah,
it's pretty exciting, and I know with the Lions too
next year being the first one, that's going to be
a pretty historic moment for women's rug band. Yeah, I'm
really excited that I can hopefully be a part.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
Of that, I said, it would be odd if you
said no, but plainly you're quite the player. Amy there
be a lot of people looking here, we'll get your contract.
Where else did the interest come from for your signature?
Speaker 5 (04:34):
Yeah, I guess I hadn't really gone out looking for
other opportunities, but there was a few things, a few
opportunities maybe with league in Australia, and obviously the money
is quite appealing to go over there, but I think
where I'm at in my career, I didn't really want
to go out and you know, do something different at
the age as I am. But I also, just like
I said, love the Blacksim's environment, the team culture is
(04:56):
just something else pretty special. And then like I said,
with Whitney Hanson coming in, she's a great coach and
I think what she's done for our team even already
this year is something really special and something that I
wanted to be a part of. So yeah, just really
great that I could sign a three year deal with Hism.
Speaker 2 (05:11):
You've got history with her too, haven't you? With Matter two,
and you're still going to be playing for much to
two in fact that it starts this weekend, so that
must have been encouraging, you know her form and what
she tries to do.
Speaker 5 (05:22):
Yeah, she coached me during MASSA two last year, so
that was pretty awesome. And then yeah, Whitness coached me
throughout if we see for Canterbury and then Muster two
as well, so I know her pretty well. But yeah,
she's pretty awesome for the woman's game, like I said,
and what she's doing to try and move the momentum
for women's rugby is really exciting and she's just yet
all around great coaching, a great person. Pretty cool to
have her in the Basemins environment.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
Where do you think the game is headed? You said,
there's a lot of advances, and I think it's gone on.
It's gone up and up over the last few years.
There's no glass ceiling. It's got so far to go.
But where do you think the game is heading? As
far as the athletes, the fans, everything is concerned. How
far can this advance do you think? Amy?
Speaker 5 (06:02):
Yeah, well, I think there's no limits obviously, but I
think even just having this three year contracts now even
two years, I think that's advanced in itself. You know,
we were only really allowed to sign one year nails
and so now even with a three year extension that's
obviously progressed, which is pretty exciting. But I also just
think the crowd sizes across I would say obviously in Europe,
(06:25):
you know it's growing massively. The England team is selling
out to looking them and things, So I think overseas,
I see the crowd size is growing. The opportunity for
women's rugby is really growing. In New Zealand, I think
we've still got a bit of room to grow in
that space, but in terms of even just marketing and things,
I think we've seen it awesome growth in that area too.
So yeah, I think it's pretty exciting to see where
(06:47):
women's rugby can go and where it is heading. But
obviously we still have a bit of work to do
around getting people to fall in love with the sport
and just to continue supporting us.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
Yeah, what about the breed of the game. How big
do you think opicky should be in the FPC? Do
they need more time center stage?
Speaker 5 (07:05):
Yeah? I think obviously the latterms telling is real exile, like,
we've got a lot more tests this here and obviously
looking to keep growing that. I think domestically, I think
it would be awesome to have a few more games
and Oka Key obviously trying to cross over Worth Australia
would be awesome, and obviously we've got that final against them,
and then I think with FBC, like it's awesome. We've
(07:25):
still got that competition and obviously the younger girls coming
through get to really play in that now because the
Black Friends you know, obviously away doing international duties. So
I think, I think there's been an awesome growth in
trying to get more games for us. But I think, yeah,
I'm not sure what the solution is obviously, but it
would be killed to continue playing somewhat Opaki or some
(07:45):
games for four Black Friends, the full pack four, so
that we can continue growing that and getting more game
time to kind of prefer us to perform at our desk.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
This is good to hear because most people would say
that's above my pay grade. No comments, So thanks having
it with that one aman. What about personally yourself? What
do you see as your main contribution? How can you
strengthen and broaden the PA of the game. Did you
carry that on your shoulders or.
Speaker 5 (08:14):
Well, I think I've obviously I'm an emerging leader in
the Black Ferns. I look after we'll work alongside some
of the girls in our defense space, which is pretty exciting.
I'm very passionate about that, so I think hopefully I
can continue growing that leadership and lead by my actions
and then in terms of on attack just high work
rate experience in the midfield. We've got a few younger
girls coming up now to just ensuring that I help
(08:36):
them outgrow them because I know that's going to make
me better as well. But yeah, like I said, I'm
just loving the environments and can't wait to continue ripping
that jersey and being part of such a special team.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
You're looking forward to you carrying on your twenty seven
test career so far, and please don't say at my
age you're twenty six, you're still a spring chicken, Amy.
Speaker 5 (09:00):
Volume, it's like that, but there's definitely some young girls
coming through. It makes me feel a lot of bit old,
but not just exciting. And yeah, try and continue doing
my role and looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Congratulations, Amy, and thanks very much for your time, really appreciated.
Speaker 5 (09:15):
Awesome, Thank you so much. And if you're in Christis
this weekend, come and support Mark or two at one
Indied Stadium. We're trying to break the record for the
biggest crowd for a standalone domestic match. So yeah, please
come down and support my two versus the.
Speaker 1 (09:28):
Chief Dissecting the sporting agenda, It's Sportsfex with Dancy Waldergrave.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
Former Warriors prop Kane Evans has come out as gay
in a stunning interview on one hundred It's Australia's Channel
nine at Network League Show. He talked about the struggles
he's had with mental health, with addiction, with being homeless
after a career that spanned many clubs across the NRL
(09:56):
and indeed over the British Super League. He said that
ever since he was fifteen years old, he's known that
he was gay and it's something he's been attempting to
hide for thirty years and what it did to him
mentally was too much for him to bear. He even
considered suicide. If you haven't seen the interview, I suggest
(10:19):
you watch it. It's eleven minutes long. It is emotional,
but it's a wonderful exercise in faith, in humanity and
how people deal with what they perceive as treacherous sets
of circumstances that they find themselves. In the start of
the interview, he is a very tense, very stressed, very
(10:42):
pressured individual, knowing exactly what he was going to admit
to in front of Australian rugby league fans. At the
end of the interview, I don't think I've ever seen
relief personified as I had in Cain Evans. The weight
of the world was off his shoulders. He came out,
he told his truth and in that moment essentially saved
(11:04):
his life. It's a hugely emotional you and it says
so much around the acceptance of the rainbow community in
our sport. Oddly, in women's sport it doesn't seem to
be an issue, but in blokes sport and that men's sports,
specifically in collision sports such as rugby league and rugby union,
(11:27):
it still is a huge issue. I showed that interview
to my daughter this morning and she said, Dad, really,
is that still an issue? He's just being himself. Why
is that a problem in sport. She's got a great point,
and it's nice to see that our future is looking
good when it comes to tolerance, as the next generation
(11:48):
coming through can't understand why anybody would want to hide
their own sexuality, their own natural sexuality. I think the
future is looking good and I'd like to congratulate Cain
Evans on what has been described as an absolute gangster moment.
Stand up bro. That was awesome. And up next on
(12:10):
the Sports Fixed podcast, I'm going to be joined by
Ben Francis, New Zealand Herald's sports writer and the Chamber
as we discussed a couple of the big issues in
sport today. That's shortly here on the Fix.
Speaker 1 (12:23):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfix and the
Chamber door opens and look, it's been a sports journalists
out of the New Zealand Herald.
Speaker 2 (12:32):
Ben, I've saved a nice warm couch for you.
Speaker 4 (12:34):
How are you, thanks, Darcy, I appreciate the nice warm
couch and plenty of space to spread out.
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Well, you're a very tall man. You need the space right.
Stories around in the last couple of days that this
Caine Evans story. I saw this this morning. I saw
there what eleven minute video of Cain Evans talking about
what he'd suffered in the fact that he knew he
was a gay man from what fourteen fifteen years old?
He's been hiding it all of his life. Twenty years later,
(13:02):
he's finally found the inner strength to go I'm a
gay man and that's okay. You've seen the video. The
difference between him at the start of this video and
then him at the end of the eleven minutes is extraordinary.
You talk about relief there, it is right there. What
did you read into that? Not a story of redemption?
(13:22):
To me, it's a story of I'm going to be
me and it's actually okay.
Speaker 4 (13:27):
I think it's just a perfect it's like a human
perfect human sorry, a perfect human story, right, because you
see the emotions of him being a human. We all
feel emotions in different ways and how we express them.
But it was literally like that whole weight of the
world had lifted off his shoulders. And he mentioned in
the interview at the time that it had been recorded,
(13:48):
he hadn't told his parents, but he said by the
time that it would air, they would know. His mum
has been unwell, so he was a bit nervous to
tell her about that, but hopefully that they've accepted it,
and I think the most One of the other interesting
things for me was touching on his time at the
Warriors as well. With of course he had that one
season in twenty twenty one Wine, which was a very
(14:10):
bad season for the Warriors, considering they were stuck in Australia,
but COVID season, Yeah, exactly, but it was it was
I think at answered a few questions. I think when
I saw it, I was like, Okay, I can probably
understand why you might have done some of the things
that you did.
Speaker 1 (14:23):
Well.
Speaker 2 (14:24):
He was was a runaway train, wasn't he He was
off the rail some of the things he did for
the Wristband, which I won't talk about on air because
I'll be taken through Broadcasting Standards Authority. Indeed if they
if they still exist, there's an angry, angry man and
he had that through his time at the Roosters. He
at that time the Warriors and so on and so forth.
(14:45):
Interesting that Roosters coach Robinson reached out to him and said,
hey mate, we've got you back. We're going to help
you out. That was when he was unemployed, homeless and
a drug addict as well. What a tumultuous time. And
that's an understatement.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
Yeah, he kind of touched on the fact that he
was and the Roosters coming through the system, that's where
he made his enter our debut and after he kind
of left, it was almost like those comforts of everything
he knew had changed, and I think that probably contributed
to that downward spiral some time at Paramatta, then at
the Warriors, and I think everyone at the Warriors was
struggling for one reason or another for what we just
(15:21):
touched on, and probably all those emotions have been in
that environment probably didn't help the situation. Went over to
England for a couple of years and and things just
kept on going downwards. Had his contract torn up slightly
early again, came back to Australia, got into a lot
of debt and just that stuff off the field, and
(15:42):
it was quite nice hearing the influence as well of
a Joe Nolaval for mer Kiwe now one of the
transition managers at the Rugby League Players Association who who
their role was art to essentially help people with life
after football, and Silse sort of hearing about his role
and helping helping knew was quite nice as well.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
Went still a huge taboo in sport, specifically in male
sport men's sport. You don't really hear about it in
rugby league, in rugby union and those high speed conflict sports,
so collision sports, you don't anymore any sign of this
adjusting or changing, all this aggression melting. But it's kind
(16:23):
of hard to isn't it. When you look at the
manly situation with the jerseys, the rainbow jerseys and the
like as well, it's still very much in that space,
isn't it.
Speaker 4 (16:31):
Yeah, I think it's going to be one of these
things until my kind of perspective on it is if
we keep making a big deal out of these things
and then it's going to continually nothing's going to really change.
That's kind of how I perceive things. But to me,
this is also a bit like the whole mental health
thing when you go back to John Kerwin and him
talking about, you know, him not wanting to kind of
speak out because he wasn't all black, and it's you know,
(16:53):
he meant to be much or he meant to be manly,
that sort of thing. And I think there's still that
sort of perception out there with so many things to
do with mental health beliefs, whatever it may be, And
I think as long as there's those stigmas there, unfortunately,
I don't think it's ever going to change, or at
least in our lifetime anyway. You just don't see it happening.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Well, it's nice to actually have it up and be
conversed about because that's part of it. Conversation really helps
you cut it or it's it's going to help you
in anything. Let's move away from that. And I've got
a commen Caine Evans for he did, and the quality
of the intervie as well, top notch. Over eleven minutes.
World Cup starts shortly and none asks what World Cup?
So there's a World Cup every half an hour and
(17:29):
sports so the FIFA the Football World Cup arguably the grandfather,
the granddaddy, the grand Puba of all World Cups. It's
we're in the shadow now what three four days way
before it starts.
Speaker 4 (17:42):
Yeah, exactly. Mexico South Africa the opening game, and there's
another one on my Friday in New Zealand time as well.
And it's almost just come up just like that, you know,
it was almost felt like it was only a few
weeks ago. The All Whites are playing their last games
on home soil, and now they've had the two warm
up games and we're here, you know, and it's it's
incredible that it is here, and there's a lot of
(18:02):
interest with what's happening on the field with the more teams,
a bit more interests as well with your whites playing
in it. But unfortunately, with the World Cup being staged
in North America, I think there's also a lot of
interest with everything that's going on off the field as well,
in terms of people struggling to.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
Get in a referee and did they well.
Speaker 4 (18:20):
Exactly, And there's talks that you know, Iran are going
to have to travel in and out for their games
as well, and they of course play the all whites
in their opening game of the tournament. So there's so
many interesting factors that play that aren't even on the field.
But I guess that is sport for you.
Speaker 2 (18:34):
Yeah, the storylines around that, around that, the price gaging,
I suppose you'd say, the fact that everyone's being roarted
for tickets, the fact that you can't take water, you
can't take a container and to put water anymore. This
has the potential to be very, very embarrassing for FIFA
and for the US government. But will it be Because
(18:56):
what I've noticed in far too long of doing this job,
there's a lot of outrageous indignation around things like the
Olympic Games and what they stand for and how much
more he's being dragged out and the mess they leave afterwards,
and as soon as the gun goes that all just
disappears and everyone's just great, Wow, this is so cool.
(19:17):
It's going to happen like this again, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (19:18):
Oh, you have no doubt about it, and you know
some of the also just I think this is so
much fascination with everything, and I think it is because
it is America, you know, and there is always this
over dramatization about everything with America. It's just absolutely crazy
and who knows what's going to happen. It's it's really
one of these things where you kind of have to
(19:38):
sit back and.
Speaker 2 (19:39):
We're going to wake up and as much popcorn of
your God because it's about it.
Speaker 4 (19:43):
Well, I personally dark.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
I need to do my food chop.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
So I've gotten done at the moment, but I have
no doubt there will be plenty in the cupboard come
on Friday.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
And just quickly on that all whites after what they
put up against England, I know the English are being
absolutely slayed by the English press. Surprise, surprise, they'd to
wake up in the morning to be slaid by the
English press, they did it give you any more enthusiasm
around the chances of the All Whites maybe just popping
out of the group.
Speaker 4 (20:10):
It's so hard to say. They barely had the ball
against England, so it's really hard to judge when you've
got those very limited opportunities. But there were a few
promising attacks with the ball, which does give you confidence.
But they are going to let you have to take
every opportunity that comes their way. Defensively against England, I
think they held their own. I think after they consider
four against Haiti, I think people were probably expecting eight
(20:31):
or nine against England and the one goal they did
concede was just on the stroke a half time and
it was other than that they defended pretty well. So
I mean, you just have to take your chances, and
if you take chances, anything can happen in sports. So
who knows. We could sit here in a few weeks
time and say, well, do you know what team has
gone unbeaten at two World Cups. You just never know.
Speaker 2 (20:52):
What's more likely New Zealand getting out of their group
or ice shooting an athlete. You don't even have to one.
So thanks for and that's Ben Francis has left the chamber.
I kind of had that one coming leading of X.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
We've got just the ticket. It's Sportsfix powered by News
Talks IVY.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
Thanks very much for joining us on the SPORTSBX podcast.
My name is Darcy Watergrave. I'm glad you've enjoyed it.
If you did, maybe you didn't, but if you did,
tell your friends, tell your family, and subscribe. You should
do it. They should all do it too. That way,
this will automatically turn up in your inbox on a
week daily basis. It's not just digital we do though.
(21:32):
We're on real time radio. Sports Talk on News Talk
ZB between Monday and Friday seven to eight pm features
Jason Pine hosting on Monday, I have the rest of
the week, and then over the weekend from twelve mid
day through the three o'clock Saturday and Sunday, Jason Pine
brings us the magnificence that is weekend sport. Thanks for listening,
(21:54):
thanks for engaging, and we'll check you all out tomorrow
here on the Fix.
Speaker 1 (21:59):
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 IR Radio
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