October 25, 2024 • 9 mins
The All Blacks have received a warm welcome from rugby fans in Japan, but is their match against the Brave Blossoms on Saturday going to be a real sporting contest or a glorified opposed training run?
Newstalk ZB rugby commentator Elliott Smith is on tour with the All Blacks, and joined D'arcy Waldegrave on Sportstalk to give his thoughts.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Waldegrave
from News talks'b air Point.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Elliott that's what we call him now. He's the commentators,
the man who's the rugby editaries off in Japan currently
is he's chasing the All Blacks through the hemispheres. Elliott,
Welcome to the program. We kick off the second part
of the season come Saturday evening. You're feeling a bit
of that energy around there, are.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
You, and welcome absolutely Darcy kanishi Wa from Tokyo. It's
been a good week here in Tokyo with the All
Blacks building in to this test. There is a sense
of excitement there always is in Japan that the fans
come out, and the Japanese fans absolutely love the All Blacks,
so they've come out in numbers to support them this week.
And I think a good way for the All Blacks
to start this end of year to Japan will provide
(00:54):
a test tomorrow evening, New Zealand time, no doubt about that.
But you just get the sense that the All Blacks
like being here, they like being around the Japanese people,
but are also ready to deliver a performance tomorrow kpiyes.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
That's a terrible old term, but it's right. What do
we expect out of this? We know we're not going
to lose, well we think that's not the case anyway,
But what's the point? What do we get? What are
we trying to achieve out of this game?
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Well, I think first and foremost a win. And let's
not forget two years ago in Tokyo, the All Blacks
are pushed very very hard by Japan. Emerged with a
thirty eight thirty one victor victory, but it wasn't impressive
from the All Blacks and they started along the Japan
SID has lost a bit of experience since the end,
some retirement, some injury withdrawals. At the moments. They've had
(01:42):
a coaching change Eddie Jones now steering the good ship
Japan at the moment, so there's been some changes around
it. It very much feels like a team building towards the
next world cut from a Japan perspective. For the All
Blacks though, they need to deliver. They need to finish
opportunities and it's the big thing that they have not
really been able to do often enough. This year. It's
gained some wins for them, no doubt about that. But
(02:04):
you think back to South Africa, Missed opportunity cost them there, Sydney,
Missed opportunities cost them there. In Wellington, they could have
even blown out the wild bees more than they did
on the night, but they missed some opportunities on that
night in Wellington. So the big thing for the All
Blacks is they look not only to this week but
also the rest of the tour is finishing their opportunities.
From what I can gather, they're very happy with number
(02:25):
of opportunities they're getting in games, the number of penetrations
inside the twenty two that they're making on opposition sides,
but they're just not finishing them and they need to
be more clinical. And tomorrow afternoon tomorrow evening is a
good opportunity to try and find a bit more about
themselves against the japan side, which is I say, is
lacking on a bit of experience compared to some of
those Japanese teams the All Blacks have played in the past.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
It's very difficult though, in consistency of selection and combinations
to create that when you are changing your sides week
in week out, And this is I won't say a
second string team, but it is not the run on fifteen,
it's not the primary twenty three. So what may achieve
(03:08):
out of this? It's all well and good, but does
it actually transfer to the thick end of the tour
without the consistency of the combinations.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
That's a good point, doesn't it. And eleven players have
jumped on a plane this morning from Tokyo and departed
early to London to begin preparations for next week, so
and there will all be starters. So yeah, that's a
fair point. You look at that and go, how much
can you gain in terms of creating and completing opportunities. Well,
I think that's just a mindset shift from the All
Blacks is that if you do complete these opportunities tomorrow night,
(03:37):
that could flow on further next week. A little bit
more confidence comes into the camps of those players. There
will be players that play tomorrow afternoon that turn around
next week, so chance to state claims as well and
impressed their selection claim. So Penny Fee now haven't seen
much of him in recent times. Steven Peter Fedza started
the season as the All Blacks first choice fall back,
(04:00):
then got injured. Patrick Coey bilodso is captaining this team tomorrow.
You know he started season is a first choice lock
alongside Scott Barrett, but injuries have seen him out of
the team and two y taking his chance. So when
you balance that out and go there's a number of
opportunities for these players to stake their claim for more
test footballer. I think that's where the All Blacks that
(04:20):
want to get to tomorrow afternoon a good performance and
also have players pushing for selection as they build to
those big three weeks in the middle of this tour.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Play your way in, play your way out, you'd suggest,
even with a superb game from any individual, considering the opposition,
I should pay more respect to the Japanese than I do.
As you mentioned thirty eight thirty one? Was it recently,
But someone has a barnstormer of a game that necessarily
play them into contention for a start against those big three.
(04:50):
We're playing in conversy, if someone has an absolute shockgra
bit more like it's pay more likely you can play
your way out than play your way in. If that
makes sense.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Quite possibly. Yeah, you look at someone though, like cam Broyguards,
who has played two games of rugby since March. Both
the counties and that come back from injury. You know,
he was anointed as perhaps the All Blacks first choice
half back with the form that he was in earlier
on in Super Rugby, but now has played fewer tests
than Cordesratama who any debut earlier on this year, So
he's got a point to prove and steak his claim.
(05:22):
Wouldn't expect him to start against England, but if he
has a good match tomorrow, then perhaps a start against
Island is in the offering for Sam someone like camp
Rougard Sam PENI fine, now another player mentioned there that
has sort of faded out and not been able to
take his opportunities. And Wallace a Titi, has you stepped him?
Wallace a ted himself at number eight position that he's
more familiar with, could stake a claim there and put
(05:45):
himself in a position. So I guess it will depend
on the way the game plays out as to how
much he can read into performances and how things go
from a team perspective, But I think there are certain
jerseys and certain roles in this team that are up
for grabs as they head north. You know, eleven players
have gone up, but they've still got to fill out
of twenty three next week, and I think there's a
few contestable positions severy recent Mark to Lea, for mine,
(06:06):
will be playing off for one wing position next week,
assuming Will Jordan starts at fallback against England. Billy Proctor.
We liked what he saw from him against Fiji and
San Diego. He's had to hold the tackle bags for
the last few months since. If he can build on
that performance in San Diego, he gives some more questions
to the Goblinks, so to bill back selectors. So I
think there are opportunities, maybe not even outside the first
(06:28):
choice team, but just to get some more game time
for these players and build that twenty three because I
don't think the All Blacks have quite centered on their
first choice twenty three is yet with these big matches
to come, the.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Importance Elliott Smith of time together as a unit. From
a coaching point of view, the staff, the coaching staff
away from the Goldfish Bowl of New Zealand, they can actually,
I suppose, put more work in place without interruptions from
the outside, because even though they're not going to lock
themselves off from the public, this is the best place
(07:00):
for team building there is to us.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Like this, and they arrived a couple of days earlier
in Japan than they probably would have usually done so
here since Thursday of last week, so they've had a
bit of extra time to build into this tour. Didn't
have a say, New Zealand camp before they left. They
went and flew out and began their camp in Tokyo.
They've been able to build sessions there. They've been training
(07:22):
out at the s D Rock's team, one of the
Japan League teams that've been training out there, which is
a bit further out of Tokyo Bay, quite isolated the
area that they've been training in. They had to we
scrimmage against this Iitama Wild Night some of the first
choice players midweek as well, so they've been able to
do that and get in camp and build some of
those opportunities. As I say with a night, it's not
(07:45):
only this test this week, but also the weeks to come,
and time spent in camp, connections and training together can
only be valuable for this team. Rather than having to
hit the ground running and play a test match within
sort of five or so days of landing, they've had
a bit more time to build into it and build
this campaign perhaps in detail as they would like to do.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
You've got a sense of the company around the relationship
with the team now because Scott's Scott, his feet under
the desk now GenEd doubt about that, he knows where
to do, and they all know who the bosses as well.
He's sensing some more camaraderie amongst this team now.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Yeah. Absolutely, Look, I think there's a sense that they
obviously have lost some test matches this year, but are
confident that they are on the right track. They know
how and why they lost those games in South Africa
for example, in Sargentina and Wellington, and they're feeling a
little bit more comfortable, i think from the outside looking
in in their shoes, in the way that processes are going,
and the things that have been changed that you have
(08:43):
been the same for about twenty years in many ways
have now been changed from the outside by new people,
new fresh blood, bringing fresh ideas into this camp that
weren't met with resistance necessarily, but are changing the habits
of you know, a long time for a lot of
these people. I think there's a sense of comfort now
around that. Although having said that, the line that has
often trotted out by the All Blacks coaches and players
(09:04):
is all Blacks and never comfortable. There is that element
of keeping everyone on their toes and while also you know,
getting into that sense that you know what you're expecting
every game week and how you build into that. And
I think Scott Robinson's feeling more comfortable in the role.
He was asked during the week around sort of having
a thousand eyes on you. He said, well, it's more
like five milligan and that definitely is the case, and
(09:26):
I think that's been one of the things that the
coaching team have had to get the head around. The
intense scrutiny of the All Blacks is different to a
super rugby level team. You know, every moment in a
game is monitored heavily, more heavily than a super rugby game,
for example. So there are things that both the coaching side,
the management side and the players are all getting used to.
But it does feel that they're getting more used to
(09:48):
what is expected and how to get good match results
than maybe they were at the start of the year.
In July.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
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 Darcy Waldegrave
from News talks'b air Point.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Elliott that's what we call him now. He's the commentators,
the man who's the rugby editaries off in Japan currently
is he's chasing the All Blacks through the hemispheres. Elliott,
Welcome to the program. We kick off the second part
of the season come Saturday evening. You're feeling a bit
of that energy around there, are.
Speaker 3 (00:31):
You, and welcome absolutely Darcy kanishi Wa from Tokyo. It's
been a good week here in Tokyo with the All
Blacks building in to this test. There is a sense
of excitement there always is in Japan that the fans
come out, and the Japanese fans absolutely love the All Blacks,
so they've come out in numbers to support them this week.
And I think a good way for the All Blacks
to start this end of year to Japan will provide
(00:54):
a test tomorrow evening, New Zealand time, no doubt about that.
But you just get the sense that the All Blacks
like being here, they like being around the Japanese people,
but are also ready to deliver a performance tomorrow kpiyes.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
That's a terrible old term, but it's right. What do
we expect out of this? We know we're not going
to lose, well we think that's not the case anyway,
But what's the point? What do we get? What are
we trying to achieve out of this game?
Speaker 3 (01:22):
Well, I think first and foremost a win. And let's
not forget two years ago in Tokyo, the All Blacks
are pushed very very hard by Japan. Emerged with a
thirty eight thirty one victor victory, but it wasn't impressive
from the All Blacks and they started along the Japan
SID has lost a bit of experience since the end,
some retirement, some injury withdrawals. At the moments. They've had
(01:42):
a coaching change Eddie Jones now steering the good ship
Japan at the moment, so there's been some changes around
it. It very much feels like a team building towards the
next world cut from a Japan perspective. For the All
Blacks though, they need to deliver. They need to finish
opportunities and it's the big thing that they have not
really been able to do often enough. This year. It's
gained some wins for them, no doubt about that. But
(02:04):
you think back to South Africa, Missed opportunity cost them there, Sydney,
Missed opportunities cost them there. In Wellington, they could have
even blown out the wild bees more than they did
on the night, but they missed some opportunities on that
night in Wellington. So the big thing for the All
Blacks is they look not only to this week but
also the rest of the tour is finishing their opportunities.
From what I can gather, they're very happy with number
(02:25):
of opportunities they're getting in games, the number of penetrations
inside the twenty two that they're making on opposition sides,
but they're just not finishing them and they need to
be more clinical. And tomorrow afternoon tomorrow evening is a
good opportunity to try and find a bit more about
themselves against the japan side, which is I say, is
lacking on a bit of experience compared to some of
those Japanese teams the All Blacks have played in the past.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
It's very difficult though, in consistency of selection and combinations
to create that when you are changing your sides week
in week out, And this is I won't say a
second string team, but it is not the run on fifteen,
it's not the primary twenty three. So what may achieve
(03:08):
out of this? It's all well and good, but does
it actually transfer to the thick end of the tour
without the consistency of the combinations.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
That's a good point, doesn't it. And eleven players have
jumped on a plane this morning from Tokyo and departed
early to London to begin preparations for next week, so
and there will all be starters. So yeah, that's a
fair point. You look at that and go, how much
can you gain in terms of creating and completing opportunities. Well,
I think that's just a mindset shift from the All
Blacks is that if you do complete these opportunities tomorrow night,
(03:37):
that could flow on further next week. A little bit
more confidence comes into the camps of those players. There
will be players that play tomorrow afternoon that turn around
next week, so chance to state claims as well and
impressed their selection claim. So Penny Fee now haven't seen
much of him in recent times. Steven Peter Fedza started
the season as the All Blacks first choice fall back,
(04:00):
then got injured. Patrick Coey bilodso is captaining this team tomorrow.
You know he started season is a first choice lock
alongside Scott Barrett, but injuries have seen him out of
the team and two y taking his chance. So when
you balance that out and go there's a number of
opportunities for these players to stake their claim for more
test footballer. I think that's where the All Blacks that
(04:20):
want to get to tomorrow afternoon a good performance and
also have players pushing for selection as they build to
those big three weeks in the middle of this tour.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Play your way in, play your way out, you'd suggest,
even with a superb game from any individual, considering the opposition,
I should pay more respect to the Japanese than I do.
As you mentioned thirty eight thirty one? Was it recently,
But someone has a barnstormer of a game that necessarily
play them into contention for a start against those big three.
(04:50):
We're playing in conversy, if someone has an absolute shockgra
bit more like it's pay more likely you can play
your way out than play your way in. If that
makes sense.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
Quite possibly. Yeah, you look at someone though, like cam Broyguards,
who has played two games of rugby since March. Both
the counties and that come back from injury. You know,
he was anointed as perhaps the All Blacks first choice
half back with the form that he was in earlier
on in Super Rugby, but now has played fewer tests
than Cordesratama who any debut earlier on this year, So
he's got a point to prove and steak his claim.
(05:22):
Wouldn't expect him to start against England, but if he
has a good match tomorrow, then perhaps a start against
Island is in the offering for Sam someone like camp
Rougard Sam PENI fine, now another player mentioned there that
has sort of faded out and not been able to
take his opportunities. And Wallace a Titi, has you stepped him?
Wallace a ted himself at number eight position that he's
more familiar with, could stake a claim there and put
(05:45):
himself in a position. So I guess it will depend
on the way the game plays out as to how
much he can read into performances and how things go
from a team perspective, But I think there are certain
jerseys and certain roles in this team that are up
for grabs as they head north. You know, eleven players
have gone up, but they've still got to fill out
of twenty three next week, and I think there's a
few contestable positions severy recent Mark to Lea, for mine,
(06:06):
will be playing off for one wing position next week,
assuming Will Jordan starts at fallback against England. Billy Proctor.
We liked what he saw from him against Fiji and
San Diego. He's had to hold the tackle bags for
the last few months since. If he can build on
that performance in San Diego, he gives some more questions
to the Goblinks, so to bill back selectors. So I
think there are opportunities, maybe not even outside the first
(06:28):
choice team, but just to get some more game time
for these players and build that twenty three because I
don't think the All Blacks have quite centered on their
first choice twenty three is yet with these big matches
to come, the.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Importance Elliott Smith of time together as a unit. From
a coaching point of view, the staff, the coaching staff
away from the Goldfish Bowl of New Zealand, they can actually,
I suppose, put more work in place without interruptions from
the outside, because even though they're not going to lock
themselves off from the public, this is the best place
(07:00):
for team building there is to us.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
Like this, and they arrived a couple of days earlier
in Japan than they probably would have usually done so
here since Thursday of last week, so they've had a
bit of extra time to build into this tour. Didn't
have a say, New Zealand camp before they left. They
went and flew out and began their camp in Tokyo.
They've been able to build sessions there. They've been training
(07:22):
out at the s D Rock's team, one of the
Japan League teams that've been training out there, which is
a bit further out of Tokyo Bay, quite isolated the
area that they've been training in. They had to we
scrimmage against this Iitama Wild Night some of the first
choice players midweek as well, so they've been able to
do that and get in camp and build some of
those opportunities. As I say with a night, it's not
(07:45):
only this test this week, but also the weeks to come,
and time spent in camp, connections and training together can
only be valuable for this team. Rather than having to
hit the ground running and play a test match within
sort of five or so days of landing, they've had
a bit more time to build into it and build
this campaign perhaps in detail as they would like to do.
Speaker 2 (08:04):
You've got a sense of the company around the relationship
with the team now because Scott's Scott, his feet under
the desk now GenEd doubt about that, he knows where
to do, and they all know who the bosses as well.
He's sensing some more camaraderie amongst this team now.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Yeah. Absolutely, Look, I think there's a sense that they
obviously have lost some test matches this year, but are
confident that they are on the right track. They know
how and why they lost those games in South Africa
for example, in Sargentina and Wellington, and they're feeling a
little bit more comfortable, i think from the outside looking
in in their shoes, in the way that processes are going,
and the things that have been changed that you have
(08:43):
been the same for about twenty years in many ways
have now been changed from the outside by new people,
new fresh blood, bringing fresh ideas into this camp that
weren't met with resistance necessarily, but are changing the habits
of you know, a long time for a lot of
these people. I think there's a sense of comfort now
around that. Although having said that, the line that has
often trotted out by the All Blacks coaches and players
(09:04):
is all Blacks and never comfortable. There is that element
of keeping everyone on their toes and while also you know,
getting into that sense that you know what you're expecting
every game week and how you build into that. And
I think Scott Robinson's feeling more comfortable in the role.
He was asked during the week around sort of having
a thousand eyes on you. He said, well, it's more
like five milligan and that definitely is the case, and
(09:26):
I think that's been one of the things that the
coaching team have had to get the head around. The
intense scrutiny of the All Blacks is different to a
super rugby level team. You know, every moment in a
game is monitored heavily, more heavily than a super rugby game,
for example. So there are things that both the coaching side,
the management side and the players are all getting used to.
But it does feel that they're getting more used to
(09:48):
what is expected and how to get good match results
than maybe they were at the start of the year.
In July.
Speaker 1 (09:54):
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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