Finlay Christie: All Blacks halfback on the Argentina clash, being named as a reserve

Finlay Christie is in line for his first test match in 13 months after being named on the All Blacks reserves for Sunday's Rugby Championship opener against Argentina in Cordoba. 

He's been preferred to uncapped Crusaders halfback Kyle Preston as deputy to Cortez Ratima. 

Captain Scott Barrett bolsters the second row after sitting out the final two tests against France with a calf injury. 

D’Arcy Waldegrave caught up with Christie for a chat about what it means to be reselected, the expectations surrounding his role, and how he’s lifted his game during the Super Rugby season. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk zed Be.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
We're going now to the mind of Finley Christie's I
was going to say, a young half and he's been
around a while now, what is he twenty nine years old?
When he gets a return, he gets come back. Get
he joins us now, Finnly Christy, congratulations on being back
in black mate.

Speaker 3 (00:31):
Yeah, thank you.

Speaker 4 (00:32):
It's been a great week to be a part of
obviously over here in Argentina. And yeah, like you said,
stoked to be to be back in the mix and
really looking forward to the weekend.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
You're back, Finley after a bit of a cup of
teena lied down just took us through the emotion of
getting your jersey back again, getting back into the All Blacks.

Speaker 3 (00:52):
Yeah, it's obviously it's great to be back in the
environment and the team, like I said, and.

Speaker 4 (00:59):
It may have come from a few injuries which is unfortunate,
but I guess it corrects another opportunity. So yeah, like
I said, and I'm loody excited for the weekend and
just to get out there here.

Speaker 2 (01:10):
What's Scott Robinson said about your inclusion again? What are
the expectations around your role.

Speaker 3 (01:19):
Just that.

Speaker 4 (01:19):
Really, I've been around I guess long enough to know
what's expected and what you need to do for a
test week. So it's just about finding that again and
going out there and doing what I need to do
for the team.

Speaker 2 (01:33):
Tell us about your Super campaign. Didn't end the way
you guys wanted, But what did you pick up out
of Super Rugby Pacific this year?

Speaker 4 (01:42):
Yeah, while back now thinking back to Super but yeah,
we obviously didn't finish the way we wanted, but I
was really proud of the team to crawl back to
where we sort of got to. We had a pretty
dusty start and whatnot, So yeah, we fell one shorter, but.

Speaker 3 (02:02):
Yeah, still pretty proud of the.

Speaker 2 (02:03):
Team yourself though. Finley you back in the site again,
it's Super Rugby. You would have reapplied, rethought, relearned. So
where do you think you've lifted in your own game
through Super Rugby.

Speaker 3 (02:18):
Yeah, I've just been adept into different place styles.

Speaker 4 (02:20):
Obviously the Blues the last couple of years we've completely
changed the structure.

Speaker 3 (02:24):
Of of what we we've played, and.

Speaker 4 (02:27):
I've found that pretty refreshing and also challenging at times
as well.

Speaker 3 (02:31):
So yeah, just playing in different styles.

Speaker 4 (02:34):
So it's been it's been good for me, and I
think it's grown my game and been able to.

Speaker 3 (02:38):
See it through a different type of lens. So yeah, growth.

Speaker 2 (02:41):
In your own game though. Finley, where do you think
you've improved? Has there been palpable lifts in various parts
of your performance?

Speaker 3 (02:51):
Well, I don't think I need to change too much.

Speaker 4 (02:53):
I just need to grow the things that I'm already
good at and keep getting better at those. A half back,
I guess I've tried working on my running game a
bit more the last or the year.

Speaker 3 (03:06):
It's probably been.

Speaker 4 (03:07):
My biggest work combat At the same time, I guess
just nailing nailing your.

Speaker 3 (03:11):
Core roles as Anne, you pass your kick and your communication.

Speaker 2 (03:16):
You're off the beans behind Cortez. What are your expectations
around time spent? What are you supposed to contribute to
the side when you do come on?

Speaker 4 (03:25):
I'm not sure mate, yours grazer. It's test foody, so
anything can happen.

Speaker 2 (03:29):
Just an exercise, I suppose, like normally being prepared when
you're being dragged on, be it with twenty minutes to go, Well,
I suppose right the way through you're just going to
be ready to go, ready to be that spark plug.

Speaker 3 (03:41):
As I said, Yeah, I'm not sure.

Speaker 4 (03:44):
It's test foody and you could go in in the
first minute that you said, or you could go in
on the seventy ninth, So I'll.

Speaker 3 (03:50):
Be ready for either.

Speaker 4 (03:52):
And like I said, just happy and excited for the weekend.

Speaker 2 (03:56):
Fabian Hollandeck, it's another nod. He's had an explosive rise
to all Black Jersey, isn't He must be really enjoyable
for you, basking in the shine that this guy brings
to the side. Is a fresh all black.

Speaker 4 (04:11):
Yeah, it's been great, mixing with some new boys in
the team and and and guys that usually play against
and super and you know, they've brought that youth and
that sparks to the environment. And he's incredible player and
he's got he's got his head screwed on, so he's
going to go a long way.

Speaker 3 (04:29):
I'm sure.

Speaker 2 (04:29):
How about the Argentines themselves, not not the players, but
the nation and the fans. So have they been treating
us so far?

Speaker 3 (04:38):
Yeah, it's been great. The fans are the fans are
extremely passionate as we all know.

Speaker 4 (04:43):
And we managed to sneak your way to a to
a local football game on the weekend and there was
an unreal experience just seeing the passion they have for sports.
So yeah, we've mentioned that that's going to come with
the game on the weekend.

Speaker 3 (04:57):
Around the fans and in.

Speaker 4 (04:59):
The way they like to play. So yeah, it's all
adds to the occasion.

Speaker 2 (05:03):
I guess playing in front of the whole of a rampant,
mad fan super enjoyable. I think do you carry that
with you on the park or is it a case
of just separating that out and focusing on the job
at hand.

Speaker 4 (05:15):
Finley, I think you have to at times embrace it. Yeah,
and it's all part of the occasion. I guess we
all we've all played enough footage to.

Speaker 3 (05:24):
Know that that comes with the territory. And I guess
when you get.

Speaker 4 (05:27):
To play in a place like Argentina where there is
that level of passion and whatnot from the fans, that, yeah,
you got to I guess embrace and look at it
as a call challenge.

Speaker 2 (05:38):
How's the relationship going with the other halfbacks in the side.
You're spending a lot of time together, trading secrets information,
How does that work?

Speaker 3 (05:46):
Yeah, it's been great obviously, worked with Cortesebit last.

Speaker 4 (05:49):
Year and yeah, pretty new relationship with Cayle Preston, but
we've got on pretty well and we're just helping each
other out as half ex do. Just going throughout the
week and yeah, like I said, working together and trying
to help each other out for.

Speaker 2 (06:06):
The plainly focusing on the hair and then now but
future wise, do you feel like this coaching team is
giving everybody the opportunity to prove themselves pretty much nothing
is written in pen right now. You still have a
chance to impress and move further forward in your black career.

Speaker 4 (06:24):
Yeah, I guess you never want to count yourself out
and that's my goal, so I'll keep working towards that
and this is I guess a good start for it.
But yeah, I'll be working as hard as I can
to get back out.

Speaker 2 (06:37):
I'm told that touring brings a different sense of depth
and solidity to the team. Do you always notice that
when you go away, you're away from the fish bowl,
You're away from the maddening crowd.

Speaker 1 (06:49):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (06:50):
I guess touring as a rugby team is one of
the great experiences that we get to get to have
as players.

Speaker 3 (06:57):
And it's even better in the black jersey.

Speaker 4 (06:59):
So yeah, we get really tight as a group and
as a team, not just the players, and that's.

Speaker 3 (07:05):
All part of it.

Speaker 4 (07:06):
We've got to pinch ourselves at times that we're pretty
lucky to be in the places that we are just
to play a game of rugby.

Speaker 2 (07:11):
So from your time under the Foster regime, how much
has it changed around the coaching staff? What have they
brought that's different to what you've experienced before.

Speaker 3 (07:21):
Oh, there's a wee bits and pieces.

Speaker 4 (07:22):
Yeah, you see, every coach is going to have a
different way to do things, but there's some change and
some things pretty similar. So, like I said, they're all
going to put their own twist on things. But the
coaching group at the moment is really connected and really
been really good with the group so far.

Speaker 2 (07:40):
Hey, well Jordan talking to the host this morning. It's
going to be a hard and fast track, exciting for
all concerned.

Speaker 3 (07:46):
Yeah, yeah, exactly.

Speaker 4 (07:48):
It's going to be a hell of a challenge for us,
but we're up for it, and yeah, I can't wait
for it.

Speaker 1 (07:54):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio,