June 20, 2024 • 10 mins
Right, let's start the buildup for the Super Rugby final then.
Dalton Papali'i used to be Blues captain, and he's still playing for them in the loosies.
He spoke to D'Arcy Waldegrave on Sportstalk.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk Z'B.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Let's get amongst sport on Saturday.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
This is it.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
This is the final game, the last eighty minutes or more.
Presume not to finish off what's been at riveting and exciting,
engaging and uplifting an interesting Super Rugby season. I don't
think a lot of people thought to go this far
(00:36):
and be this good and have this many people turning
up to the matches, sold out grounds. Why is this?
We'll find out later on and the piece, But we're
gonna be joined now by Dalton Popolle. He's up inside
flank out for the Blues taking on the Chiefs on
Saturday evening for the title. He joined us now. And
(00:59):
I suppose Dalton, after all of your time playing rugby
from a very young man right the way up to
where you are now finals football, this is why you play, right?
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Oh yeah, I'm fitting mate. Like to be honest, at
the start of the year, you know, Vern coming in
he said, you know this whole year is based around
give them to the final and then the season will be,
you know, the season will be, They'll be it, you know,
So it comes down pretty quick, and we've achieved that,
we've gone to the final. Now it's got one. We've
just got one more game to get right and then
we're gonna be happy with it. But you know, the
(01:33):
boys down the road, the Chiefs, and they're looking pretty
dangerous at the moment, and we saw their last game
they can put on a big shift, so looking forward
to a big, one huge shift.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
They got up and they basically punched the Hurricanes and
the nose a couple of times, and the Hurricanes never survived.
So your start's going to be crucial, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Yeah, one hundred percent. And I feel like in the
Brumbies game, we started really well, but we sort of
full off in the second half of bit. They're getting
playing a bit of frantic footy and just throwing at
some stupid passes and stuff like that. So I think
we just need to be a bit better there. But
the Chiefs state they started really well against well I
think war of a quality side the Canes, and it
goes to show, you know, where we gets their tails
(02:12):
up early and it's pretty been a pretty good position
to win the game. So the first ten minutes is
going to be it's going to be it's going to
be full on what.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Changes in the build up now you know you're at
the big dance and it's just from a team perspective
through Verne Carter and also personally because I know that
you've lost the final, didn't like it very much. Got
White for the All Blacks last year, didn't like that
very much. Has that altered the way you build up
to a game like the Stultan.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
To be honest, we talked about it, and I know
the players that the Blues have talked about and well,
after nothing changes. I've been in teams where previously we've
gone made at the finals and we've tried to change
the week and it's a bit more serious, which is
always got to be serious in that. But you've got
to enjoy the last week. You've got to enjoys, you know,
being with this team because it was the last time
this team's got going to be assembled and we're in
(03:01):
the finals, and you know, we've got a few things
to play for, like Akira leaving. It has been a
big part of the squad and so we know that
nothing changes for us, But it's just the emotions gonna
don't let the emotion, get to us and just play
the occasion.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
When you turned up to training on Monday and Patrick
two Poloto was there, did you start thinking, Oh, he's
going to play, he's going to recover from his knee injury.
And then when they said yeah, he's in, what was
your reaction.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Like, oh, I got to admit man. Everyone was happy,
Like he's a a certain leader where when he's in
the environment, everyone notices it, and you know, for him
to get named in the team and the word got
around on Monday before the team was announced, it just
lifts everyone's morale, I think, and a boosts everyone's you know, energy,
(03:46):
just seeing the big man back and he's a quality
player and what a leader he is as well. So
seeing him back in the team, I got everyone who
put everyone our smile on everyone's face when we found
out he was playing openside.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Flanker for the Blue Stalt And I'll let you join
the program ahead of the final coming up on Saturday
front of forty four thousand peoples, not overwhelming to is it?
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Mate?
Speaker 2 (04:07):
You got this? You don't worry about the size of
the crowd, do you, Ah, you.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Don't really worry about him. But sometimes when things aren't
going your way, you can gear them. I love the occasion,
love how it's a bit what's sold out pretty quick
and I'm just looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
When you look at the makeup of the team and
what's changed this year under the watchful eye Verne Catter,
we've seen a pack that marauds. It runs straight up
the middle and runs straight o everybody. What else do
you think he's added to? What energy has vern brought
to the side, Because you've been on the up and up,
you just haven't quite notched it. So what's changed coaching wise?
Speaker 3 (04:43):
I think he's held eyone accountable and I think he's
sort of you sort of look at him when you
first meet him saying, oh he's old school and he's
he's serious, but yeah, the old school. But as true fact,
he's old school man, you know, and that old school toughness.
But he gets along with everyone, and he has personal
relationships with certain players and the whole team, and he
(05:05):
sort of brings out the best and want I don't
I don't really know how to word it, but as
a coach where you want to play and you want
to play for him, and he brings the best out
of everyone, and that's I think that's where you're seeing.
You know, the players in this team now, you know
we all we all find on every cylinder. So it's
just awesome to play for him. And I think it's
just I think that if we have ones enjoying it
because you don't want to. I think everyone plays their
(05:26):
best footy when you're enjoying the process and boys are
looking forward to coming and you know, early getting smashing
our training. Are we enjoying it? So that's probably the
main thing.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
What about personally and your development worth Vern, because plainly
you're only focused on this weekend then there is an
all black campaign coming up and it is because we
presume you're going to be selected very fresh with Scott
Robertson at the Helm, so as Vern tried to look
at improving the way you plan who you are as
a footballer that might be able to transfer further on,
(05:57):
Like is he picked any holes? As he said, Hey,
what about this? What about that? What's he done for you?
Do you think.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
He's helped me out of really in the field of
playing with the ball in my hand? You know, I
remember with our old coach during who was awesome as well.
I was always going to be on the edges, you know,
just attacking in ages. But he's really just brought me
and he said, I don't he doesn't want me on
the edges. He wants me in the middle during the
hard yards with boys, and I think that's I've never
really had that in Super Yeah, I've coming off the
(06:24):
wing sometimes and got into work, but the whole game
plan is last forwards to go to work, and he
sort of put the emphasis on the forwards that it's
going to give the platform and of the backs to
score ties. So he's that's really good to me, you know,
the green light to really just go into the middle
and just get into my work with you know, a
hard ball carriers. And I've had to learn you know,
you know, when you're about to run into a concrete wall,
(06:44):
into a lock and a prop in the middle of
the field, you know, you know, use your skills and
full work into contact because you know some boys are
big and you know, physics is there. I ain't going
to be running over one hundred and two kg props.
But it's sort of just that belief in the ball
in hand and getting into my work in the middle
of the field. What he has really grown in me.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
I think you'd be celebrating out of that, wouldn't you,
the one on one confrontation, regardless of the size of
the upcoming your full forty head you roll. You're a
V eight.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Mate, Oh maybe a V six rote. The old Batty
Toops is a v ad ro. But I love it,
and I used to. I used to sometimes, you know,
you know, sort of sick and guess myself. But going
into this year and very really giving me that green light. Man,
I love that that ditty gritty stuff in the middle
wind and all the boys at brought in and you
(07:29):
can see when we're playing our best forty at sous forwards,
going up to the middle wind and enjoying it so
and then living our back to do their dance on
the on the edges.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
There's so much to look forward to in this game.
There are incredible matchups all over the park. I suppose
one of the ones I look forward to with the
nine and ten and that that pivot's very important on
both sides. But that's getting set up by the Lucy's.
I mean, you're one of your Pupai Sotutu up against
finale Jacobs and and Satiti that that's incredible. I know
(07:59):
you want to play, but wouldn't that be great to watch?
Speaker 3 (08:01):
Oh? I mean to be honest, if I want to spectate,
I'd be fizzling as well if I want to be
among But you know this is these are the games
you want to play, and those are the matchups that
really prove, you know, like I want to be here
and I want to show what I got because it's
the best verson the best now and and I just
can't wait. And you know, the Chiefs have shown quality
players as one of the lower young players that you
saw Wallace did numbaded last week and he's in his
(08:24):
first year. He's he's popping off. So and so pen
if you now, and Luke Jacobson you know what they
had as well. So now I'm looking forward to these
matchups cased.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
On it before any thought towards all Black selection representation,
any communications with Scott robertson any thoughts are tall on
that next step of the twenty four season.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Oh, to be honest, I haven't really been. I haven't
really been in contact with him. I've to be honest.
My role now and what I'm what I'm doing is
I want to win something with the Blues. And you
know a lot of people always ask me, you know
during our super season, you know, have you been in
contact with the all Black coaches and stuff? But I
just tell them, man, my sole focus is winning a
chip with other Blues and with whatever happens you know
(09:04):
after that, if I do get named, it all Blacks
and that's my focus, but I couldn't know it's or Blues.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
And finally, Dalton Pupal and thank you so much for
joining the show. Two parts here are you a bit filthy?
You've lost the captaincy? And what do you think's changed
in Super Rugby this year that's attracted the crowds? Is
there any main thrust on why people are actually turning
up to watch these games now because it's been on
the improve, hasn't it?
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Yeah? It has and not filthy losing the captaincy. Man
Patty's one of my one of my close mates and
i'd follow their manager anyways. Like I said, my sole
focus is winning winning a chip at the Blues and
with all the crowds coming, I think it's probably because
the Crusaders are in the finals, so that's probably that's
probably another little factor in all honesty, I think I
(09:52):
think the whole Super Rugby comp they're playing exciting footy.
You know, there's no real team that has drawn away
from the comp. You know, they're one dominant team. But
like we've we've had the Blues this year. We've had
some close games against the Melbourne Rebels and Quarta we
just got off you know, we just we just won
and it could have gone either way. And then we've lost,
you know, two games and a lot of games have
(10:12):
been close and it's been a lot of great footy.
So I think that's probably been a reason why.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk Z'B.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Let's get amongst sport on Saturday.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
This is it.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
This is the final game, the last eighty minutes or more.
Presume not to finish off what's been at riveting and exciting,
engaging and uplifting an interesting Super Rugby season. I don't
think a lot of people thought to go this far
(00:36):
and be this good and have this many people turning
up to the matches, sold out grounds. Why is this?
We'll find out later on and the piece, But we're
gonna be joined now by Dalton Popolle. He's up inside
flank out for the Blues taking on the Chiefs on
Saturday evening for the title. He joined us now. And
(00:59):
I suppose Dalton, after all of your time playing rugby
from a very young man right the way up to
where you are now finals football, this is why you play, right?
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Oh yeah, I'm fitting mate. Like to be honest, at
the start of the year, you know, Vern coming in
he said, you know this whole year is based around
give them to the final and then the season will be,
you know, the season will be, They'll be it, you know,
So it comes down pretty quick, and we've achieved that,
we've gone to the final. Now it's got one. We've
just got one more game to get right and then
we're gonna be happy with it. But you know, the
(01:33):
boys down the road, the Chiefs, and they're looking pretty
dangerous at the moment, and we saw their last game
they can put on a big shift, so looking forward
to a big, one huge shift.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
They got up and they basically punched the Hurricanes and
the nose a couple of times, and the Hurricanes never survived.
So your start's going to be crucial, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Yeah, one hundred percent. And I feel like in the
Brumbies game, we started really well, but we sort of
full off in the second half of bit. They're getting
playing a bit of frantic footy and just throwing at
some stupid passes and stuff like that. So I think
we just need to be a bit better there. But
the Chiefs state they started really well against well I
think war of a quality side the Canes, and it
goes to show, you know, where we gets their tails
(02:12):
up early and it's pretty been a pretty good position
to win the game. So the first ten minutes is
going to be it's going to be it's going to
be full on what.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Changes in the build up now you know you're at
the big dance and it's just from a team perspective
through Verne Carter and also personally because I know that
you've lost the final, didn't like it very much. Got
White for the All Blacks last year, didn't like that
very much. Has that altered the way you build up
to a game like the Stultan.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
To be honest, we talked about it, and I know
the players that the Blues have talked about and well,
after nothing changes. I've been in teams where previously we've
gone made at the finals and we've tried to change
the week and it's a bit more serious, which is
always got to be serious in that. But you've got
to enjoy the last week. You've got to enjoys, you know,
being with this team because it was the last time
this team's got going to be assembled and we're in
(03:01):
the finals, and you know, we've got a few things
to play for, like Akira leaving. It has been a
big part of the squad and so we know that
nothing changes for us, But it's just the emotions gonna
don't let the emotion, get to us and just play
the occasion.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
When you turned up to training on Monday and Patrick
two Poloto was there, did you start thinking, Oh, he's
going to play, he's going to recover from his knee injury.
And then when they said yeah, he's in, what was
your reaction.
Speaker 3 (03:25):
Like, oh, I got to admit man. Everyone was happy,
Like he's a a certain leader where when he's in
the environment, everyone notices it, and you know, for him
to get named in the team and the word got
around on Monday before the team was announced, it just
lifts everyone's morale, I think, and a boosts everyone's you know, energy,
(03:46):
just seeing the big man back and he's a quality
player and what a leader he is as well. So
seeing him back in the team, I got everyone who
put everyone our smile on everyone's face when we found
out he was playing openside.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Flanker for the Blue Stalt And I'll let you join
the program ahead of the final coming up on Saturday
front of forty four thousand peoples, not overwhelming to is it?
Speaker 3 (04:07):
Mate?
Speaker 2 (04:07):
You got this? You don't worry about the size of
the crowd, do you, Ah, you.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Don't really worry about him. But sometimes when things aren't
going your way, you can gear them. I love the occasion,
love how it's a bit what's sold out pretty quick
and I'm just looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
When you look at the makeup of the team and
what's changed this year under the watchful eye Verne Catter,
we've seen a pack that marauds. It runs straight up
the middle and runs straight o everybody. What else do
you think he's added to? What energy has vern brought
to the side, Because you've been on the up and up,
you just haven't quite notched it. So what's changed coaching wise?
Speaker 3 (04:43):
I think he's held eyone accountable and I think he's
sort of you sort of look at him when you
first meet him saying, oh he's old school and he's
he's serious, but yeah, the old school. But as true fact,
he's old school man, you know, and that old school toughness.
But he gets along with everyone, and he has personal
relationships with certain players and the whole team, and he
(05:05):
sort of brings out the best and want I don't
I don't really know how to word it, but as
a coach where you want to play and you want
to play for him, and he brings the best out
of everyone, and that's I think that's where you're seeing.
You know, the players in this team now, you know
we all we all find on every cylinder. So it's
just awesome to play for him. And I think it's
just I think that if we have ones enjoying it
because you don't want to. I think everyone plays their
(05:26):
best footy when you're enjoying the process and boys are
looking forward to coming and you know, early getting smashing
our training. Are we enjoying it? So that's probably the
main thing.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
What about personally and your development worth Vern, because plainly
you're only focused on this weekend then there is an
all black campaign coming up and it is because we
presume you're going to be selected very fresh with Scott
Robertson at the Helm, so as Vern tried to look
at improving the way you plan who you are as
a footballer that might be able to transfer further on,
(05:57):
Like is he picked any holes? As he said, Hey,
what about this? What about that? What's he done for you?
Do you think.
Speaker 3 (06:03):
He's helped me out of really in the field of
playing with the ball in my hand? You know, I
remember with our old coach during who was awesome as well.
I was always going to be on the edges, you know,
just attacking in ages. But he's really just brought me
and he said, I don't he doesn't want me on
the edges. He wants me in the middle during the
hard yards with boys, and I think that's I've never
really had that in Super Yeah, I've coming off the
(06:24):
wing sometimes and got into work, but the whole game
plan is last forwards to go to work, and he
sort of put the emphasis on the forwards that it's
going to give the platform and of the backs to
score ties. So he's that's really good to me, you know,
the green light to really just go into the middle
and just get into my work with you know, a
hard ball carriers. And I've had to learn you know,
you know, when you're about to run into a concrete wall,
(06:44):
into a lock and a prop in the middle of
the field, you know, you know, use your skills and
full work into contact because you know some boys are
big and you know, physics is there. I ain't going
to be running over one hundred and two kg props.
But it's sort of just that belief in the ball
in hand and getting into my work in the middle
of the field. What he has really grown in me.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
I think you'd be celebrating out of that, wouldn't you,
the one on one confrontation, regardless of the size of
the upcoming your full forty head you roll. You're a
V eight.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Mate, Oh maybe a V six rote. The old Batty
Toops is a v ad ro. But I love it,
and I used to. I used to sometimes, you know,
you know, sort of sick and guess myself. But going
into this year and very really giving me that green light. Man,
I love that that ditty gritty stuff in the middle
wind and all the boys at brought in and you
(07:29):
can see when we're playing our best forty at sous forwards,
going up to the middle wind and enjoying it so
and then living our back to do their dance on
the on the edges.
Speaker 2 (07:37):
There's so much to look forward to in this game.
There are incredible matchups all over the park. I suppose
one of the ones I look forward to with the
nine and ten and that that pivot's very important on
both sides. But that's getting set up by the Lucy's.
I mean, you're one of your Pupai Sotutu up against
finale Jacobs and and Satiti that that's incredible. I know
(07:59):
you want to play, but wouldn't that be great to watch?
Speaker 3 (08:01):
Oh? I mean to be honest, if I want to spectate,
I'd be fizzling as well if I want to be
among But you know this is these are the games
you want to play, and those are the matchups that
really prove, you know, like I want to be here
and I want to show what I got because it's
the best verson the best now and and I just
can't wait. And you know, the Chiefs have shown quality
players as one of the lower young players that you
saw Wallace did numbaded last week and he's in his
(08:24):
first year. He's he's popping off. So and so pen
if you now, and Luke Jacobson you know what they
had as well. So now I'm looking forward to these
matchups cased.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
On it before any thought towards all Black selection representation,
any communications with Scott robertson any thoughts are tall on
that next step of the twenty four season.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
Oh, to be honest, I haven't really been. I haven't
really been in contact with him. I've to be honest.
My role now and what I'm what I'm doing is
I want to win something with the Blues. And you
know a lot of people always ask me, you know
during our super season, you know, have you been in
contact with the all Black coaches and stuff? But I
just tell them, man, my sole focus is winning a
chip with other Blues and with whatever happens you know
(09:04):
after that, if I do get named, it all Blacks
and that's my focus, but I couldn't know it's or Blues.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
And finally, Dalton Pupal and thank you so much for
joining the show. Two parts here are you a bit filthy?
You've lost the captaincy? And what do you think's changed
in Super Rugby this year that's attracted the crowds? Is
there any main thrust on why people are actually turning
up to watch these games now because it's been on
the improve, hasn't it?
Speaker 3 (09:30):
Yeah? It has and not filthy losing the captaincy. Man
Patty's one of my one of my close mates and
i'd follow their manager anyways. Like I said, my sole
focus is winning winning a chip at the Blues and
with all the crowds coming, I think it's probably because
the Crusaders are in the finals, so that's probably that's
probably another little factor in all honesty, I think I
(09:52):
think the whole Super Rugby comp they're playing exciting footy.
You know, there's no real team that has drawn away
from the comp. You know, they're one dominant team. But
like we've we've had the Blues this year. We've had
some close games against the Melbourne Rebels and Quarta we
just got off you know, we just we just won
and it could have gone either way. And then we've lost,
you know, two games and a lot of games have
(10:12):
been close and it's been a lot of great footy.
So I think that's probably been a reason why.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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