August 13, 2025 • 17 mins
On Sports Fix with D'Arcy Waldegrave for Wednesday August 13, the Black Ferns left Aotearoa today and they're off to Britain to defend their World Cup, or win it all over again, depending on your attitude. Chryss Viliko (named for her birthday – December 25) joins D’Arcy to preview the tournament and explain the joys of international flying, if you fit the criteria.
D’Arcy wants to know if the most venerable residence in the USA really deserves a UFC brawl on the lawn on Independence Day. Trump and White have a cunning plan.
The Chamber welcomes NZ Herald journalist Alex Powell. Will yesterday’s Kelly Jackson Silver Ferns eligibility rubber stamp trigger a mass exodus from the ANZ Championship? Why sign Te Maire Martin for just one more year?
A big thanks to GJ Gardner Homes - New Zealand's most trusted home builder.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks. It'd be
follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
It'd be hi, Welcome into the Sports Fixed podcast. I'm
darskying Walter Grave. You've got me the it's fifteen twenty
old diminutes. Will we covering off today? Get to see
the GJ. Gardner homes of course, these owns most trusted
home builder. I'm gonna be chatting with Chris Villicore. Chris
is just about to get on a plane. She's represented
their black Ferns and they are off to know, not
(00:41):
to defend their World Cup, but to win it all
over again. That's the attitude right right. I've got some
opinion around the chaos that is Dana White, Donald Trump
and the UFC in the White House. You are kidding me, right,
maybe not? And we'll finish things off with the chamber.
You're joined in the chamber by Alex Powell. He's a
(01:03):
journalist sport for New Zealand Herald. And we'll throw around
some ideas about what is going on now with netball
in New Zealand and to mighty Martin's resigned. This is good,
right right, that's all to come. So let's roll in
other news in some snappy sports shorts today. Your team
(01:24):
at New Zelda are hugely supportive of the New America's
Cart Protocol, which commands that at least one female sailor
is included in the five person crew on each entry.
Acting chair Rana had believes the move or open pathways
for way Hemi here and.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
The mast substantial step forward that was seen towards creating
equal opportunity for female sailors and it really opens that
door for Moll into his due professional sailing careers at
the highest level.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
There's a new proteus player to be freaked out about.
The cricketer devol to Brevist tour Australia to shreds and
Darwin to set up a South African tea twenty eight victory.
He bludgeoned one hundred and twenty five not out from
fifty six balls. As tone was brought up in a
mere forty one deliveries, pulls into a crabs gets it
(02:16):
to the rug a brilliant hundred and the young man
of twenty two, the youngest South i'brigon to score at
T twenty International one hundred and Former Australian Diamonds coach
Lisa Alexander believes that New Zealand involvement in Ossie Supernatble
Series long term is best, but in the meantime fronzes
(02:37):
need to play in Australia. Is that what individual silver ferns.
There'd be a fronze right.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
Until we get the competition in a place where it
can afford to expand. This is a good interim solution
and perhaps into the future we might see some you know,
particularly one or two teams competing from New Zealand.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
New Scandapian. It's Sportsfix with Dancie valde Greve.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
The White House, the seat of power in the United
States of America, what used to the most venerable residence
there is in the States, is going to host a
UFC fight. It's set to go on July fourth, the
two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the Great American Nation,
(03:25):
and they're going to celebrate by having some scraps in
the front yard. Look, I don't know where it's going
to be. I wouldn't think it'd be in the Oval Office.
But when a place like the White House decides it
is okay to have a commercial enterprise like the Ultimate
Fighting Championship held on their grounds to help celebrate two
(03:47):
one hundred and fifty years of governance. Something's gone horribly,
horribly wrong. We all know that the Republicans have spiraled
downhill since Donald Trump turned up and decided to run
the show, run the show into the ground. But this,
this is high comedy. This cannot be serious. As John
(04:08):
Man used to say, I'm not denying that the UFC
is an extraordinarily popular promotion that gets a lot of
traction with a number of characters that would lean into
Donald Trump and the Republican Party. Yes, I understand that.
But in the White House, what happens next? Stars in
(04:28):
their eyes on the lawn. America's got talent in the
Oval Office. Now I can feel the bodies of former
presidents the United States of America turning. This I'm sure
is not what the founding fathers were after. It's turned
into a sideshow. Whatever respect the White House had is
(04:49):
slowly but surely being eroded by the populist president. If
there's a less tasteful way of celebrating two hundred and
fifty years of America. I don't know what it is. Well,
at least it's not WWE, although that's probably next.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Dissecting the sporting agenda. It's Sportsfix with Dancy Waldegrave.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
That is Walter WelCom from the Sports Fix. Now to
our guest, Chris Villicore. This is the front rower for
the Black Ferns who are on their way to England
for the upcoming World Cup. Hi, Chris, how are you going? Hi?
Speaker 5 (05:31):
I'm good, Thank you.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Looking forward to the flight. That's probably not the truth.
Flye to the other side of the world is horrible.
You running first class?
Speaker 5 (05:39):
Yeah, well, we're fortunate enough to be flying business for Emirates.
World Rugby organized. Any flight over twelve hours was caters
for so we are very grateful and we're very lucky
to be flying business.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
That is fantastic. Go World Rugby and good work Emirates
for getting you over there. You need to be in
a great state. How are you physically? How's the team physically?
You haven't been playing any football, really, have you? No
far a Palmer Cup for you.
Speaker 5 (06:09):
I think physically we're prepared. Regardless of how many test
matches were played, We've done the hard yards and We're
just looking forward to touch grass and play some rugby,
so we're pretty much prepared.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
I often talk about not defending a title, but going
in there to try and win it all over again.
Is that the attitude that the Ferns have got, I
would say so.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
I would say for many of us, we're just we
know we've got a job to do, and we're over
there to not only defend the title, but to play
some good foots.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
What's the senior players and the younger players. What's the
connection like in camp been so far? What have you
learned from each other?
Speaker 5 (06:48):
I think the connection has been pretty awesome. The culture,
the culture has been awesome.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
We have young.
Speaker 5 (06:54):
Girls in crucial positions, the likes of Braxton's US and McGee.
She's pretty much mature. She leads up front and she
not afraid to speak our mind. So the difference between ages, oh,
but much say, it's not non existent.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
But yeah, she's an astonishing player. There's been a lot
of media around her and what she can do. I'm
going to keep calling her the ghost runner because it's
like trying to tackle a spirit. She just disappears. But
I suppose she's the devil people don't know. You've got
some astonishing athletes there, but this is out of the box.
She could have an enormous influence on this tournament.
Speaker 5 (07:34):
She's an amazing player. I think she's one to look
out for. Like you said, she is a ghost. She
gets through holes that you don't expect people to get through.
So yeah, I'm pretty excited to see her on the
big stage.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
You, of course, are being in the front row. You
don't need holes. You just go straight over top of
the opposition. Is that right? Yep.
Speaker 5 (07:53):
We have one job to do, and it's just to
carry hearts, match whatever's in front of us, and just
game meters.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
What's the general thrust or theory from allan bunting around,
what you need to do, the style of rugby you
need to play in the tournament? There obviously comes in stages.
You've got to get through group phase first. But what
does he expect you to bring when you start playing
first handful of games.
Speaker 5 (08:16):
I think it just expects us to play what's in
our DNA. That's fast rugby, that's rugby no one has
seen before, that's upfront rugby, that's going around teams. I
think he just wants us to play our style of
rugby and what's in now DNA.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
And you're all across what you do and how you play.
It sounds like you've got what I know talking to
a number of athletes out of rugby in New Zealand
Wine you play with an inherent sense of joy. That's
what drives you and I think that's what we see
all the team. Even in Opicky you see that as well.
(08:53):
It's what you what you hold.
Speaker 5 (08:55):
Yes, that's what I'll go back to as our culture
and that's the main thing. That's the most important thing
to us. If we can get our culture right offterfield,
then on the field it should all come together.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
As far as playing on the big stage, Chris, what's
the biggest crowd you've played in front of? Because I
think you are a dozen or so Test matches you've played,
lucky at how.
Speaker 5 (09:15):
Far I was fortunate to be named in the Test
team they played in England last year. It took him.
The atmosphere there was crazy, a lot of support, a
lot of fans. I'm pretty much expecting the same. Yeah,
the atmosphere is it's just amazing.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
There is it overwhelming? When you first walk out there,
where's your focus out. How do you actually cope with
something that big?
Speaker 5 (09:39):
It is pretty overwhelming. But then they show us the
same support that they do to their home team, and
it's just it just feels our heart because a lot
of people are actually supporting us. But yeah, it's an
overwhelming feeling.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Was you give the best, Chris Veliko, thank you very
much for your time. Play well, play hard, play fair
and play with joy.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
The Chamber is now in session on sports Fax.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
It's a big hello too, Alex Powell out of the
New Zealand and Herold Welcome into the chamber. Alex could
to have on board. I trust you well, I've.
Speaker 6 (10:10):
Not been here for ages.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Oh come on, don't sulk mate, there's a big kill
out there. Everybody wants to climb in the chamber.
Speaker 6 (10:15):
You're a popular man to us.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Well, thank you very much, you, thank you, thank you.
Let's talk a couple of the big stories. This is
a leak over from yesterday. It looks like more and
more silver ferns off. Is this the start after Kelly
Jackson and of course christ Wiki, Is this the start
of the exodus?
Speaker 6 (10:33):
It is? Are you worried about this?
Speaker 2 (10:36):
I'm worried in the fact that it might take away
some of the financial power of netball New Zealand. Ie
if they've got a lesser competition, the likelihood they can
continue to attract sponsors. That would be my primary worry.
Speaker 6 (10:52):
It's a balancing because, like you say, it'll take away
that side of it, but it'll also take away the
financial burden of having to pay some of our best players.
But I mean where this goes, I think we're really
an uncharted charactor now because this was for so long
the worry of once you let one of them go,
you're not getting that genie back in the ball, You're
not getting that tooth based back in the tube. So
(11:12):
I mean, I'm not sure we've seen the reports, but
so Kelly Jackson was Confirncess say it looks like Maddy
Gordon might be after pis selby Rickett, Karen Berger like,
these are nailed on starters for this offense. So it's
great for them that they're playing in a better league
and they will get better as a result. But what
does it mean for netball here? Will we still see
the AMZ Premiership or domestic netball as we know it
(11:32):
in five years time?
Speaker 2 (11:34):
So does the a Z Premiership become the BECO League?
Is it dropping down on a level. But when you
look at that, when you lose players up the top,
it gives room at the bottom. So when you look
at rugby, for example, you look at players who go
and then the void, the vacuum is always filled. So
(11:54):
there could be a positive there.
Speaker 6 (11:56):
I mean, yes you would think that, But also what
you have to take into consideration is that those players
that come through now aren't playing against the silver ferns
who are all now in Australia. So I mean, does
opportunity become more import in an ability or his ability
more important and opportunity I think the answer is probably somewhere.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
We're not talking twenty players though, are we, And let's
not forget the need bore New Zealand still have the
ability to go no you're not going.
Speaker 6 (12:21):
But well no they can't say you're not going. They
can say you're not going and still a sack and
be a silver fair but they can still go.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (12:28):
You know, we don't know if any of the If
Kelly Jackson's got the exemption, I'm sure she will because
she's she's probably gonna be the captain one.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
You say, what are the All Blacks going to learn
from all of this, because that'd be taking a watching
brief here. Well.
Speaker 6 (12:41):
I spoke to Crystal Ndra, New Zealand Rugby's general manager
of Professional Rugby about something else last week and asked them, Hey,
are you guys going to keep an eye on this?
And he said, of course we will. But there's such
different sports that it's almost not fair to compare the
two as like for like. But of course they're going
to watch and see what happens, because this is ultimately
the question that New Zealand Rugby have to ask themselves.
Are as our policy the best one?
Speaker 2 (13:02):
It's our jersey enough to keep them here? Is the
dress enough to keep them here?
Speaker 5 (13:07):
Like?
Speaker 2 (13:07):
This is an ongoing story. Tell you what. Netball spent
a lot of time in the news in the last
few weeks. Haven't they good? Yes? Good for them? Moving
away to that, let's move to the Wahs. The Pinot Wars.
To Mighty Martin extended his contract only for a year.
I find only a year an interesting call. I think
(13:28):
they would have give him longer. He's a guy that
I thought should have been in the halves at the
start of the season. Didn't work out now he finds
himself back again. He didn't put a step wrong in
the last season, did he the whole team did? I
think he was great towards the end of the last season.
So one more year? What does this say to you?
Speaker 6 (13:42):
You know what it says to me. I'm actually worried
that it's a bit of an admission from the Warriors
that they don't know what Luke Metcalf's going to do,
because if they were adamant he wasn't getting a contract
this time a few months ago and have now changed
their tune. And whether or not that's they've changed here
or they just weren't able to agree terms or whatever
with the salary cap. But we've now got a guy
who we know as an hourly leading halfback who was
(14:03):
off contract at the end of twenty seven, which means
heading to kick and nego shat from November twenty twenty. Sorry,
he's off contract twenty twenty six, which means he can
negotiate from November this year for a move in twenty
twenty seven. It's confusing. The NLS contract system is naked.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
They ever going to change there?
Speaker 6 (14:18):
Who knows? But Luke Metcalf is going to command a
big money offer from someone, especially with Perth coming into
the league, like they could throw a million dollars at
Luke Metcalf and say come and be our half back.
You know he's just had a baby, he might want
to be close to Australia. It might open up so
Perth can get someone else and then there's a half
back spot there and Metcalf can go all right there.
You look at a club like South Sydney who are
(14:39):
probably going to they don't really have an out and
now half back because Lewis Dodd hasn't worked. Cody Walker
is thirty five, so they are going to need two halves.
They've got Jamie Humphries who might slide in the sex.
But then if you're saying to Luke Metcalf come and
be the starting number seven at the rabbit O's, would
you take that? A huge club one premierships Sydney close
to the family.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
Do we start calling him the Penrod springboard? How many
players do you see this? Handling that great? They've got
a minute say you're like, oh, sleepping stone, maybe there's
nothing you can do about that unless you signed them
for well, no, even if you signed them on long
term contracts. Contracts mean nothing. In the nrtcuff was.
Speaker 6 (15:17):
A four year deal. But to answer the original question,
I'm really happy for Tomighty Martin. He's given lots of
worries you think of where his career has been. You know,
he came through at Penrith and had to move up
to the Cowboys and then they went we want you
to be the guy that replaces Jonathan Thurston. He started
to do that and then he had a brain bleed,
had to retire. Remember all that, Yeah, and then came
(15:38):
back from it, went to the Broncos and then came
back to the Warriors as like part X for Reese Walsh.
And he's not really ever done wrong by the Warriors.
He's always been reliable.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
You know.
Speaker 6 (15:47):
This season he's taken a completely new role as the
number fourteen, which is probably the hardest job to do
in rugby league. And he's been in the harves, he's
been at fullback whereas he's been a hooker, you know.
So it's really good for her men, for his family,
Like he doesn't want to leave in New Zealand. He's
settled here, young family, just had a child, what a
year or so ago, so I'm really happy for him
in that regard.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Just on the Warriors, well, I've got you here before
we unsereneously drop kick you out the door of the chamber.
How are we looking for Friday Night? We are? We are?
We getting more and more freaked out with every passing
week with the LAS.
Speaker 6 (16:19):
A little bit. Wade Eggan's back or he's been named.
Who knows with Andrew Webster will actually playing or not,
But that gets been a little bit more confident because yeah,
Wade Egans those Webster says, he's our brains on the
field and they've really been missing that the last couple
of weeks. So hopefully he comes back and has a
bit of a bit of a statement performance.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
Looking forward to that needs to be righted because it
doesn't make it. As I keep saying, start as well
as you want, it's how you finish. And at the
moment they're finishing like they're finished. Do they make any sense?
Speaker 5 (16:48):
Will do?
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (16:48):
William Shakespeare made up?
Speaker 2 (16:49):
We have Alex Powell. Get out. Thanks mate.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
This is Sportsfix, your daily dose of sports hues powered
by News Talks Evy.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
That's it for the Sports X podcast. Thanks very much
for tuning in on Wednesday, the thirteenth of August twenty
twenty five. Good on your GJ Gardener Homes. Thanks for
your contribution. You are, of course New Zealand's most trusted
home builder. If you've enjoyed this, please subscribe that way
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(17:19):
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(17:41):
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Speaker 1 (17:57):
More from News Talk sed B. Listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
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You're listening to a podcast from News Talks. It'd be
follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
It'd be hi, Welcome into the Sports Fixed podcast. I'm
darskying Walter Grave. You've got me the it's fifteen twenty
old diminutes. Will we covering off today? Get to see
the GJ. Gardner homes of course, these owns most trusted
home builder. I'm gonna be chatting with Chris Villicore. Chris
is just about to get on a plane. She's represented
their black Ferns and they are off to know, not
(00:41):
to defend their World Cup, but to win it all
over again. That's the attitude right right. I've got some
opinion around the chaos that is Dana White, Donald Trump
and the UFC in the White House. You are kidding me, right,
maybe not? And we'll finish things off with the chamber.
You're joined in the chamber by Alex Powell. He's a
(01:03):
journalist sport for New Zealand Herald. And we'll throw around
some ideas about what is going on now with netball
in New Zealand and to mighty Martin's resigned. This is good,
right right, that's all to come. So let's roll in
other news in some snappy sports shorts today. Your team
(01:24):
at New Zelda are hugely supportive of the New America's
Cart Protocol, which commands that at least one female sailor
is included in the five person crew on each entry.
Acting chair Rana had believes the move or open pathways
for way Hemi here and.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
The mast substantial step forward that was seen towards creating
equal opportunity for female sailors and it really opens that
door for Moll into his due professional sailing careers at
the highest level.
Speaker 2 (01:52):
There's a new proteus player to be freaked out about.
The cricketer devol to Brevist tour Australia to shreds and
Darwin to set up a South African tea twenty eight victory.
He bludgeoned one hundred and twenty five not out from
fifty six balls. As tone was brought up in a
mere forty one deliveries, pulls into a crabs gets it
(02:16):
to the rug a brilliant hundred and the young man
of twenty two, the youngest South i'brigon to score at
T twenty International one hundred and Former Australian Diamonds coach
Lisa Alexander believes that New Zealand involvement in Ossie Supernatble
Series long term is best, but in the meantime fronzes
(02:37):
need to play in Australia. Is that what individual silver ferns.
There'd be a fronze right.
Speaker 4 (02:43):
Until we get the competition in a place where it
can afford to expand. This is a good interim solution
and perhaps into the future we might see some you know,
particularly one or two teams competing from New Zealand.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
New Scandapian. It's Sportsfix with Dancie valde Greve.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
The White House, the seat of power in the United
States of America, what used to the most venerable residence
there is in the States, is going to host a
UFC fight. It's set to go on July fourth, the
two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the Great American Nation,
(03:25):
and they're going to celebrate by having some scraps in
the front yard. Look, I don't know where it's going
to be. I wouldn't think it'd be in the Oval Office.
But when a place like the White House decides it
is okay to have a commercial enterprise like the Ultimate
Fighting Championship held on their grounds to help celebrate two
(03:47):
one hundred and fifty years of governance. Something's gone horribly,
horribly wrong. We all know that the Republicans have spiraled
downhill since Donald Trump turned up and decided to run
the show, run the show into the ground. But this,
this is high comedy. This cannot be serious. As John
(04:08):
Man used to say, I'm not denying that the UFC
is an extraordinarily popular promotion that gets a lot of
traction with a number of characters that would lean into
Donald Trump and the Republican Party. Yes, I understand that.
But in the White House, what happens next? Stars in
(04:28):
their eyes on the lawn. America's got talent in the
Oval Office. Now I can feel the bodies of former
presidents the United States of America turning. This I'm sure
is not what the founding fathers were after. It's turned
into a sideshow. Whatever respect the White House had is
(04:49):
slowly but surely being eroded by the populist president. If
there's a less tasteful way of celebrating two hundred and
fifty years of America. I don't know what it is. Well,
at least it's not WWE, although that's probably next.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
Dissecting the sporting agenda. It's Sportsfix with Dancy Waldegrave.
Speaker 2 (05:16):
That is Walter WelCom from the Sports Fix. Now to
our guest, Chris Villicore. This is the front rower for
the Black Ferns who are on their way to England
for the upcoming World Cup. Hi, Chris, how are you going? Hi?
Speaker 5 (05:31):
I'm good, Thank you.
Speaker 2 (05:32):
Looking forward to the flight. That's probably not the truth.
Flye to the other side of the world is horrible.
You running first class?
Speaker 5 (05:39):
Yeah, well, we're fortunate enough to be flying business for Emirates.
World Rugby organized. Any flight over twelve hours was caters
for so we are very grateful and we're very lucky
to be flying business.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
That is fantastic. Go World Rugby and good work Emirates
for getting you over there. You need to be in
a great state. How are you physically? How's the team physically?
You haven't been playing any football, really, have you? No
far a Palmer Cup for you.
Speaker 5 (06:09):
I think physically we're prepared. Regardless of how many test
matches were played, We've done the hard yards and We're
just looking forward to touch grass and play some rugby,
so we're pretty much prepared.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
I often talk about not defending a title, but going
in there to try and win it all over again.
Is that the attitude that the Ferns have got, I
would say so.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
I would say for many of us, we're just we
know we've got a job to do, and we're over
there to not only defend the title, but to play
some good foots.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
What's the senior players and the younger players. What's the
connection like in camp been so far? What have you
learned from each other?
Speaker 5 (06:48):
I think the connection has been pretty awesome. The culture,
the culture has been awesome.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
We have young.
Speaker 5 (06:54):
Girls in crucial positions, the likes of Braxton's US and McGee.
She's pretty much mature. She leads up front and she
not afraid to speak our mind. So the difference between ages, oh,
but much say, it's not non existent.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
But yeah, she's an astonishing player. There's been a lot
of media around her and what she can do. I'm
going to keep calling her the ghost runner because it's
like trying to tackle a spirit. She just disappears. But
I suppose she's the devil people don't know. You've got
some astonishing athletes there, but this is out of the box.
She could have an enormous influence on this tournament.
Speaker 5 (07:34):
She's an amazing player. I think she's one to look
out for. Like you said, she is a ghost. She
gets through holes that you don't expect people to get through.
So yeah, I'm pretty excited to see her on the
big stage.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
You, of course, are being in the front row. You
don't need holes. You just go straight over top of
the opposition. Is that right? Yep.
Speaker 5 (07:53):
We have one job to do, and it's just to
carry hearts, match whatever's in front of us, and just
game meters.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
What's the general thrust or theory from allan bunting around,
what you need to do, the style of rugby you
need to play in the tournament? There obviously comes in stages.
You've got to get through group phase first. But what
does he expect you to bring when you start playing
first handful of games.
Speaker 5 (08:16):
I think it just expects us to play what's in
our DNA. That's fast rugby, that's rugby no one has
seen before, that's upfront rugby, that's going around teams. I
think he just wants us to play our style of
rugby and what's in now DNA.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
And you're all across what you do and how you play.
It sounds like you've got what I know talking to
a number of athletes out of rugby in New Zealand
Wine you play with an inherent sense of joy. That's
what drives you and I think that's what we see
all the team. Even in Opicky you see that as well.
(08:53):
It's what you what you hold.
Speaker 5 (08:55):
Yes, that's what I'll go back to as our culture
and that's the main thing. That's the most important thing
to us. If we can get our culture right offterfield,
then on the field it should all come together.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
As far as playing on the big stage, Chris, what's
the biggest crowd you've played in front of? Because I
think you are a dozen or so Test matches you've played,
lucky at how.
Speaker 5 (09:15):
Far I was fortunate to be named in the Test
team they played in England last year. It took him.
The atmosphere there was crazy, a lot of support, a
lot of fans. I'm pretty much expecting the same. Yeah,
the atmosphere is it's just amazing.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
There is it overwhelming? When you first walk out there,
where's your focus out. How do you actually cope with
something that big?
Speaker 5 (09:39):
It is pretty overwhelming. But then they show us the
same support that they do to their home team, and
it's just it just feels our heart because a lot
of people are actually supporting us. But yeah, it's an
overwhelming feeling.
Speaker 2 (09:52):
Was you give the best, Chris Veliko, thank you very
much for your time. Play well, play hard, play fair
and play with joy.
Speaker 1 (09:59):
The Chamber is now in session on sports Fax.
Speaker 2 (10:03):
It's a big hello too, Alex Powell out of the
New Zealand and Herold Welcome into the chamber. Alex could
to have on board. I trust you well, I've.
Speaker 6 (10:10):
Not been here for ages.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
Oh come on, don't sulk mate, there's a big kill
out there. Everybody wants to climb in the chamber.
Speaker 6 (10:15):
You're a popular man to us.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Well, thank you very much, you, thank you, thank you.
Let's talk a couple of the big stories. This is
a leak over from yesterday. It looks like more and
more silver ferns off. Is this the start after Kelly
Jackson and of course christ Wiki, Is this the start
of the exodus?
Speaker 6 (10:33):
It is? Are you worried about this?
Speaker 2 (10:36):
I'm worried in the fact that it might take away
some of the financial power of netball New Zealand. Ie
if they've got a lesser competition, the likelihood they can
continue to attract sponsors. That would be my primary worry.
Speaker 6 (10:52):
It's a balancing because, like you say, it'll take away
that side of it, but it'll also take away the
financial burden of having to pay some of our best players.
But I mean where this goes, I think we're really
an uncharted charactor now because this was for so long
the worry of once you let one of them go,
you're not getting that genie back in the ball, You're
not getting that tooth based back in the tube. So
(11:12):
I mean, I'm not sure we've seen the reports, but
so Kelly Jackson was Confirncess say it looks like Maddy
Gordon might be after pis selby Rickett, Karen Berger like,
these are nailed on starters for this offense. So it's
great for them that they're playing in a better league
and they will get better as a result. But what
does it mean for netball here? Will we still see
the AMZ Premiership or domestic netball as we know it
(11:32):
in five years time?
Speaker 2 (11:34):
So does the a Z Premiership become the BECO League?
Is it dropping down on a level. But when you
look at that, when you lose players up the top,
it gives room at the bottom. So when you look
at rugby, for example, you look at players who go
and then the void, the vacuum is always filled. So
(11:54):
there could be a positive there.
Speaker 6 (11:56):
I mean, yes you would think that, But also what
you have to take into consideration is that those players
that come through now aren't playing against the silver ferns
who are all now in Australia. So I mean, does
opportunity become more import in an ability or his ability
more important and opportunity I think the answer is probably somewhere.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
We're not talking twenty players though, are we, And let's
not forget the need bore New Zealand still have the
ability to go no you're not going.
Speaker 6 (12:21):
But well no they can't say you're not going. They
can say you're not going and still a sack and
be a silver fair but they can still go.
Speaker 2 (12:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (12:28):
You know, we don't know if any of the If
Kelly Jackson's got the exemption, I'm sure she will because
she's she's probably gonna be the captain one.
Speaker 2 (12:35):
You say, what are the All Blacks going to learn
from all of this, because that'd be taking a watching
brief here. Well.
Speaker 6 (12:41):
I spoke to Crystal Ndra, New Zealand Rugby's general manager
of Professional Rugby about something else last week and asked them, Hey,
are you guys going to keep an eye on this?
And he said, of course we will. But there's such
different sports that it's almost not fair to compare the
two as like for like. But of course they're going
to watch and see what happens, because this is ultimately
the question that New Zealand Rugby have to ask themselves.
Are as our policy the best one?
Speaker 2 (13:02):
It's our jersey enough to keep them here? Is the
dress enough to keep them here?
Speaker 5 (13:07):
Like?
Speaker 2 (13:07):
This is an ongoing story. Tell you what. Netball spent
a lot of time in the news in the last
few weeks. Haven't they good? Yes? Good for them? Moving
away to that, let's move to the Wahs. The Pinot Wars.
To Mighty Martin extended his contract only for a year.
I find only a year an interesting call. I think
(13:28):
they would have give him longer. He's a guy that
I thought should have been in the halves at the
start of the season. Didn't work out now he finds
himself back again. He didn't put a step wrong in
the last season, did he the whole team did? I
think he was great towards the end of the last season.
So one more year? What does this say to you?
Speaker 6 (13:42):
You know what it says to me. I'm actually worried
that it's a bit of an admission from the Warriors
that they don't know what Luke Metcalf's going to do,
because if they were adamant he wasn't getting a contract
this time a few months ago and have now changed
their tune. And whether or not that's they've changed here
or they just weren't able to agree terms or whatever
with the salary cap. But we've now got a guy
who we know as an hourly leading halfback who was
(14:03):
off contract at the end of twenty seven, which means
heading to kick and nego shat from November twenty twenty. Sorry,
he's off contract twenty twenty six, which means he can
negotiate from November this year for a move in twenty
twenty seven. It's confusing. The NLS contract system is naked.
Speaker 2 (14:16):
They ever going to change there?
Speaker 6 (14:18):
Who knows? But Luke Metcalf is going to command a
big money offer from someone, especially with Perth coming into
the league, like they could throw a million dollars at
Luke Metcalf and say come and be our half back.
You know he's just had a baby, he might want
to be close to Australia. It might open up so
Perth can get someone else and then there's a half
back spot there and Metcalf can go all right there.
You look at a club like South Sydney who are
(14:39):
probably going to they don't really have an out and
now half back because Lewis Dodd hasn't worked. Cody Walker
is thirty five, so they are going to need two halves.
They've got Jamie Humphries who might slide in the sex.
But then if you're saying to Luke Metcalf come and
be the starting number seven at the rabbit O's, would
you take that? A huge club one premierships Sydney close
to the family.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
Do we start calling him the Penrod springboard? How many
players do you see this? Handling that great? They've got
a minute say you're like, oh, sleepping stone, maybe there's
nothing you can do about that unless you signed them
for well, no, even if you signed them on long
term contracts. Contracts mean nothing. In the nrtcuff was.
Speaker 6 (15:17):
A four year deal. But to answer the original question,
I'm really happy for Tomighty Martin. He's given lots of
worries you think of where his career has been. You know,
he came through at Penrith and had to move up
to the Cowboys and then they went we want you
to be the guy that replaces Jonathan Thurston. He started
to do that and then he had a brain bleed,
had to retire. Remember all that, Yeah, and then came
(15:38):
back from it, went to the Broncos and then came
back to the Warriors as like part X for Reese Walsh.
And he's not really ever done wrong by the Warriors.
He's always been reliable.
Speaker 1 (15:47):
You know.
Speaker 6 (15:47):
This season he's taken a completely new role as the
number fourteen, which is probably the hardest job to do
in rugby league. And he's been in the harves, he's
been at fullback whereas he's been a hooker, you know.
So it's really good for her men, for his family,
Like he doesn't want to leave in New Zealand. He's
settled here, young family, just had a child, what a
year or so ago, so I'm really happy for him
in that regard.
Speaker 2 (16:08):
Just on the Warriors, well, I've got you here before
we unsereneously drop kick you out the door of the chamber.
How are we looking for Friday Night? We are? We are?
We getting more and more freaked out with every passing
week with the LAS.
Speaker 6 (16:19):
A little bit. Wade Eggan's back or he's been named.
Who knows with Andrew Webster will actually playing or not,
But that gets been a little bit more confident because yeah,
Wade Egans those Webster says, he's our brains on the
field and they've really been missing that the last couple
of weeks. So hopefully he comes back and has a
bit of a bit of a statement performance.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
Looking forward to that needs to be righted because it
doesn't make it. As I keep saying, start as well
as you want, it's how you finish. And at the
moment they're finishing like they're finished. Do they make any sense?
Speaker 5 (16:48):
Will do?
Speaker 2 (16:48):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (16:48):
William Shakespeare made up?
Speaker 2 (16:49):
We have Alex Powell. Get out. Thanks mate.
Speaker 1 (16:52):
This is Sportsfix, your daily dose of sports hues powered
by News Talks Evy.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
That's it for the Sports X podcast. Thanks very much
for tuning in on Wednesday, the thirteenth of August twenty
twenty five. Good on your GJ Gardener Homes. Thanks for
your contribution. You are, of course New Zealand's most trusted
home builder. If you've enjoyed this, please subscribe that way
straight into you and Box on a week daily basis.
(17:19):
Tell you friends, tell you, work makes tell anybody, get
everybody involved in the facts. We want to spread the
good word around the wonderment of sport and if you'd
like to engage in sport, talkback by all means. News
Talks EB from seven to eight pm Monday to Friday
brings you sports talk our eight hundred eighty ten eighty
text nine two nine two. A standard text charge does apply.
(17:41):
Piney's Got Monday, I've got Tuesday through Friday, and over
the weekend It's Weekend Sport with Jason Pine from twelve
midday till three o'clock both Saturday and Sunday. We both
love to have you join those programs. Look after yourself.
Catch you for.
Speaker 1 (17:57):
More from News Talk sed B. Listen live on air
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