February 4, 2025 • 41 mins
D’Arcy Waldegrave returned to wrap today's sporting news. Highlights for tonight include:
Dillion Boucher - NZ Basketball Chief Executive Officer - on the new trans-Tasman series being announced against Australia.
Richie McCaw - Former All Blacks Captain - on the return of the 'Godzone' multisport event.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Waldegrave
from News Talk zed B.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Evening one and all Welcome in a Sports Talk seven
on Tuesday evening, Feb four, twenty twenty five. I'm Darcy Waldegrave,
who here it is going up in this evening's program
Drained the bit I Love a Wee Young with Richard
Hugh McCay aka Ritchie, former All Black skipper. It's the
(01:00):
return of the god Zone event. He's instrumental in that.
I've got I'm tied up talking about that. I might
check a few questions about what's going on with the
All Blacks with Super Rugby as well. Why not right,
that's not every day you get to speak with Richie
mccauchy joins us later and the piece going to kick
things off with Dylan Boucher, Basketball CEO, the n Z
(01:22):
Basketball CEO. New series has been announced today against Australia.
It's the first time the Tooll Blacks would have played
Australia at home in a decade. There's a setup series
where the Tall Ferns and the Tall Blacks take on
(01:42):
the Opals and the Boomers. They do it three consecutive times,
two over there, one over here hoping to inject some
life into trans Tasman basketball issues. Let's hope there are none.
Dylan will join us shortly to talk about that. After that,
we're going to take your calls on the future of
(02:03):
international sport with the prevalence of club sport, franchise sport
and the way that basically dominates the upper level of
our interest. When you think about international teams in basketball
(02:24):
and in football and in rugby league, they play second
fiddle to what we see at a club level. So
the right way to go is these happy days they're
still interested at that top level and it's so few
and far between. Anyway, we'll talk about that later on
in the piece. I think some good points there. Eight
hundred and eighty ten eighty. It's the Nuble to Ring
(02:47):
Free Found Nation ride. You can text nineteen ninety two.
That is a zb at Z that b that will
cost you a standard text to charge. Right before you
get me any of that, let's do this again, Sport
Today and Sport Today rts to the wing likely claims
DWZ with seeing k a lockin for fallback, cht TMM
(03:07):
and JFH won't be in the picture. Though confused. Well,
I'm sure that's what the club would like to do
to opposition defenses. Let's try and straighten it up. Here's
Dullan Wakon's allegion, ark On, Roger Tuivasa Chick.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Roger's been on the wing training. It's been training well too.
It's been nice running after him. It'll be a few
defenders and then caleball after. But I wouldn't be too
surprised if he.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Is there and the team's actually just come out and
Roger indeed is on the wing. I'll do this quickly.
Are Charles Clark stad at one, We've got Watney's alleg
neck and two of us are check on each wing
are Leo, Tower and Pompey and centers to Marty. Martin
peers up with Luke, Metcalfe, Fisher, Harris, Egan and Barnett.
(03:48):
And it's your front row, then Laban, Cape, Paul and Clark.
There's no asterisk who's the captain? I come on, let
us know anyway, will seeper Rugby's shiny new toy the
player of the year. Leave itself open to Skullduggery, Ceo,
Jack Mayzy and think.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
So I don't think anyone's going to be disingenuous about this,
but we'll continue to review and see how it goes
in You won, and we won't be too proud to
evolve things if it needs evolving. But no, we're confident
players and coaches will give it the respect that it deserves.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Well, how about showing some proper respect in giving the
award a name Player of the Year? We come on,
you must be better than maybe not. Bowls legend Val
Smith has stepped down from the rare fight ea of
international representation, but she's still keen on a bit of stop,
drop and roll.
Speaker 5 (04:38):
Sting Nelson and I'll play in all of domestic events
around the country, and I still want to be playing
to the best that I can, but without the added
pressure of competing at the very highest level.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
We're a bit of added audio there from Brian Kelly
from the country Sport Breakfast. I mean, honestly, that song
early in the morning, it's time to stop drop band roll.
If there's a long bowl song, I don't know what is.
And finally, Lulu Soon has broken the chain tennis pro
finally one overnight in Mabel Debby after spending months being
bounced out of tournaments in the first round. The primary
(05:13):
reason for her skinny run.
Speaker 6 (05:16):
Every tournament is a different outcome, different experience and different
opponents out your city. So you have to just keep
going and keep fighting.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
And that's sport today. Del Boucher joints us now former
Tour Black, former legendary breaker, now the New Zealand basketball
CEO to all black still fans. A series against Australia.
This is new ground being broken for Trans Tasman basketball relations.
(05:45):
This is super good for the sport. Probably slightly over
Jill as well. Let's talk about now, Dylan Boucher, evening.
Speaker 7 (05:52):
Mate, Darsy, long time mate.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
How are you.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
I'm very very good. I'm quite enambored with the news
that you've decided to do something fresh and new in
a Trans Tasan basketball state. Of course, I'm talking about
the Trans Tasman throwdown. Probably your brain child. All you
explain what it is, Dylan, what is it?
Speaker 7 (06:12):
Yeah, it's a Trans Tasman series against Australia. It's been
probably over two years in the making. We've certainly when
we had the initial chats with Australia, they were certainly
very keen and it's taken a little while to pull
it together and trying to find the right time of
the year to be able to run it, to have
players available and so forth. But certainly pumped and excited
(06:35):
to get this across the line and have it go live,
and excited to be able to have our two degrees
tall Ferns and Tall Blacks playing on home soil against Australia.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
That's the beauty of it.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
It's a double headed series, so you've got both genders
playing the game, so it's the Opals and the Boomers,
the Tall Blacks and the Tall Ferns super important to
have that.
Speaker 7 (06:56):
Coverage massively important. You know, we've obviously got a clear
strategy to be able to grow our brands in New
Zealand and we want to make sure to toll fans
and tour Blacks are growing equally. And you know, been
able to play the Boomers in the Opals on home soil,
you know our cross Tasman rivals. What better way to
(07:18):
do it than playing some games in both countries and
really create that rivalry.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Again, I was quite surprised at some of the stats
that came out of this, Dylan. The Ferns haven't played
in front of their home fans for five years. The
tool Blacks haven't hosted the Boomers at home in nearly
ten years. It's a gulf. Why did that happen?
Speaker 7 (07:38):
Yeah, it's crazy, And then my memory doesn't serve me
too well. It didn't feel like that long ago, but
it certainly has been when you go back and look
at the archives, and you know, the reality is the
tour Blecks themselves, they play in a lot of the
Asia Cup, Palm and World Cup qualifying games, but we
don't cross over with Australia very often, if at all.
So that's why those fever tournaments have almost taken over
(08:01):
the what we used to do and play qualifying games
against Australia. So that's why we haven't. That's why there's
been the tenure hiatus and the Tall Blacks and the
Tall Ferns. Again, they're their system through fever is quite
different and a lot of the tournaments that they play
are outside of New Zealand. And you know, what we
want to do is be able to create an environment
where we can create home games here so that we
(08:21):
can create again that hero piece for those young female
athletes that want to have people to aspire to what
better than having them playing on your home soil. And
especially you know they've had the luxury of having the
you know, the GJ Go and to Towehi playing and
now to have this it's just this high level basketball
being played on home soil.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
How long is it slocked in for this doubleheaded series?
Speaker 7 (08:42):
All the plan is to make it an annual thing.
We're doing the first year as as kind of like
a test run to see how it goes for both ends,
and you know, for both you know ourselves in Australia
and we want it to be an annual thing. So again,
it's just finding space in the calendar around all the
busyness of basketball to be able to make this an
annual annual series.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
That's a hugely difficult concept, i'd suggest as finding those wholes.
So I'm presuming that the Australians are also committed to
doing that, therefore having their best athletes involved. Because of
its B teams, people aren't going to be as interested.
So can you confirm it's going to be the best players,
providing they're not injured. You've got any backup on that?
Speaker 7 (09:23):
Yeah, for sure. I mean for us, it'll be again
the best players available at the time, depending on where
they are in the world and what leagues are going on,
but certainly chose that window because it's the best possible window.
We've actually ended up scheduling a break in our sales
NBL season to have these games to ensure that there's
players that aren't going to be missing from their teams,
(09:44):
so we're trying to coordinate it. Again, that's where I
talk about the trial and era we'll see at the
time of the year is suitable to see what players
will be available to play in it. But we're hoping
they have a very strong team on both sides. I
guess the luxury in Australia is they have a very
huge depth in their basketball program right now, both men's
and women, so they'll have that luxury of being able
(10:06):
to have very very strong teams no matter you know,
their top thirty players that were to roll out on
the floor. So it's going to be a really competitive
game no matter no matter what looks what it looks like,
and for us, there'll be a lot of opportunities. Again
for you'll probably see some new faces and you'll probably
see some old faces all mixed in together, and it'll
be great. The great opportunity for everyone's got their best
(10:26):
foot forward for future Asia Cup qualifiers or World Cup
qualifiers or World Cups and Asia Cups as well.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
So across that space though it means nothing from a
feb point of view, it's just a trans Tasman series. Plainly,
you want the best athletes, you want them in good form,
but the results won't affect or alter anything on a
on a global scale.
Speaker 7 (10:49):
That no, there we know competition points as far as
feeder goes, but we'll be having it'll be some form
of trophy or shield that will be we'll be up
for grabs and you know, we want to make sure
again that pride like it is in rugby with the
Bletterers Low Cup, there is some pride of holding that
silverware or that piece of wood. So we'll be that's
the That's the next phases is looking through what actually
(11:10):
is the prize and how has it all structured. So
we're excited again to have something up for grabs that
we can either keep on an our trophy cabinet or
they can keep in theirs.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
You must have floated it with the athletes. Have you
got general Byron across the board? Yeah?
Speaker 7 (11:26):
I mean the athletes love it, especially our female athletes
to be able to play in front of you know,
home fans and you have an opportunity to play on
home soil and have their fano watching as well as
the male players, you know, having again playing against Australia,
there are old rivals from a long time ago, and
we probably haven't the rivalry probably hasn't been sparked as
(11:48):
much as what it used to be back in back
in my day playing. But my day, you know, old Dylan,
I feel that old when I look at these young
players now. But yeah, you know what I mean that
we played them on some regular basis. We at least
played them every year and several times, and so that
rivalry was really created. And you know that, you know,
(12:09):
as much as your mates off the court, on the
court was fire. And I think we're going to see
the same and the series, we're going to see a
real rivalry starting to be created.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
What's in it for you on a wider scale and
what's in it for Australian basketball. What do they see
as being the main driver? Obviously playing against the Kip
vice versa, that's lovely, but what else do you think
you stand to gain out of this on both sides
of the Tasman.
Speaker 7 (12:34):
Yeah, both countries are really booming. Basketball is really booming
in both countries and just again creating that opportunity for
fans to be able to get a piece of the
national national programs and see the best players on court
and playing, and you know, creating more opportunities for fans
again for those role modeling for the heroes, you know,
for us, For us essentially it's been able to have
(12:57):
our brand in front of our fans. You know, we
just don't see our top players playing here enough in
the Black Jersey. And again I stress the you know,
the two degrees tall fans haven't played on homesore for
five years, so you're mistaken for people not even knowing
who these players are. So they're going to see some
you know, some top female athletes out there and show
(13:19):
what they're made of. And the same we've got the
luxury of seeing more of the Toll Blacks because of
the fever schedule and playing home games. But we're going
to see again playing against Australia. We don't get to
see Australia very often and show the talent and that
depth that's on display both in the till Blacks uniform
but also in the Boomers uniform.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
How did you come to the decision around where these
games are going to be played? Because well, a couple
over in Australia, caup all over here. Just when where
you think the crowd's the biggest? Are people going to
start bedding for these events?
Speaker 3 (13:49):
Do you think?
Speaker 7 (13:51):
Yeah? I think it's going to create opportunities, But again
because they're not they're not fever games and the games
where we can control where they are played. We were
excited to be going to Hamilton because Hamilton's been staffed
of top level basketball. They don't have either a TOEH
or a NBL franchise the year, they've got a really strong,
young talented REP program in that region. We want to
(14:15):
be able to bring some top level basketball to the
Wycantaw region and to Hamilton. So we're excited about taking
the game there and in Australia again being able to
take the game both to love basketball, but in Sunshine
Coast there's not high level basketball played there aside from
NBO one, they don't have any NBA or WNBL teams.
(14:37):
So being able to go there and then Adelaide is
obviously is a bit of a mecha for basketball. So
to be able to play in front of a I
think it's about an eight thousand seed the stadium will
be a great, great opportunity for our athletes as Well'd be.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Lovely to see more of these events with different sports
right up and down, but we don't have enough of it.
Wouldn't it be lovely if this excuse the pun tipped
off more trans Tasman events in numerous sports. I think
the populace would love it, wouldn't they?
Speaker 7 (15:06):
Oh that's I mean, I can remember some of my
fondest memories are you know, watching some of those rivalry games,
you know, whether it be rugby, whether it be rugby league,
or playing in them in basketball. You know, those are
some of the memories that you'll live with forever. Moments
you know of those. And again we seem to somehow
our New Zealand team seem to be able to raise
(15:27):
to the level to be able to every time they
play Australia and really, Paul some really big good performances
out and we're expecting nothing less than this series.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
No need for the DMO. We've got the breakdowns on
Sports Talk col eight n News Talk.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
That's Chief executive of Basketball New Zealand at Dylan Bouncher
talking about this new series I created. It's only got
one year. I'll see how it sticks and if it does,
they'll carry on to do more and more and more.
It's the Tall Fans and the Tall Blacks taking on
the opals and the three sets of two games, two
(16:07):
over there, one over here. Great to have Dylan on
the program, which brings us to the question around club
based cub club excuse me, based sport or franchise sporting.
You get the idea what it does to international sport
now or in the future. I want to gauge you
(16:28):
all out there at eight one hundred and eighty ten
eighty where the interest is in international teams, International teams
that represent us, like the Tall Blacks and the All
Whites and the Kiwis and so on and so forth,
Because you'd think that teams that represent New Zealand in
(16:50):
a roundabout kind of way at a franchise or a
club level get a lot more engagement and more eyeballs
than the internationals get. And I don't know if international
sport unless it's an event, is going to get any bigger.
(17:10):
You know a lot more about what the wars are
up to than what the key we're up to. We
don't even know when they're playing. Half the time. You
know a lot more about the Phoenix and about Auckland DEFC.
Than you would about the All Whites. You'll pay more
attention when there's a World Cup. It's pretty obvious the
(17:30):
Breakers we all know they are a dumpster fire right now.
There's probably more engagement there than there is with the
tool Blacks, and that's something plaining that Dylan Boutro and
basketball in New Zealand wants to change when they should.
It's an exploding sport basketball right now. People are interested,
they want to be involved, Like, how can we get
(17:53):
some traction on this? How can we benefit from the
huge surgeon popularity our sport is having. Get the players
in front of the people. It's pretty simple. I think
it comes down to a couple of things, and I'd
love for your thoughts on this too, about the distance
(18:13):
of international teams my New Zealand representative teams between them
and club based teams that we feel a lot closer
to literally and figuratively. There are two big things here.
Vicinity is one with these local club teams, they're closer.
(18:35):
We get to go and see them, we see them
in the newspapers, we hear them on the radio. We're
a lot more likely to have a bond with them
because they're ours and they're there visible. You don't get
there with international teams. The other one that's frequency, and
this is something that international sport is always going to
(18:57):
struggle with because I don't have regular international fixtures. We
used to have regular test matches and then someone knocked
that out.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
In great.
Speaker 8 (19:08):
O.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
There there is a frequency with the Black Caps, so
they might be slightly outside. There is a kind of
frequency with the All Blacks who played regularly throughout the winter.
But most of these international sides, we don't know really
when we're going to see them and in what shape
(19:32):
they're going to be in because we don't know the
import of the competition. Are we always going to see
the best players playing for something worth playing for or not.
I just there's better connections with club sport than there
is an international sport. And producer Dart and I were
talking about that, and he's talking about, well, surely the
(19:55):
patriotism should trump all of that. Sorry to even use
that word, but I did. I don't know if you
can force patriotism on anybody just because they represent our country.
If they represent you and your city in a competition
with regular exposure, you're more likely to buy into it.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Surely.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
Let's run it back to the question. Club based sport
franchise sport. Is it eroding the future of international sport
when it comes to eyeballs like I is, they're still
interested in international teams.
Speaker 9 (20:34):
O.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Eight one hundred and eighty ten eighty frequency vicinity. You
don't want to be removed for a number of reasons
from your fan base eighty ten eighty.
Speaker 3 (20:48):
Give us your thoughts.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
I mean, club based and regular based sport at a
high frequency is a lot more important, and it's going
to garner a lot more attention than sporadic international fixtures.
That needs to be adjusted.
Speaker 6 (21:05):
I just don't know how.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
News talks eb eight hundred eighty ten eighty. I love
your thoughts on this. Give us a tangle. It's free
phone nationwide. Let's do it.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
Forget the riffs.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
Call you make a call on eight sports Talk on
your home of sport News talks.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
It balks.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Nice week See thirty one sports Talk on News talks
EB eight hundred eighty ten eighty your platform.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
Do it, use it, I'll lose it.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
What I mean by that is, I'll just keep talking.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
I get a chance.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
Plod based sport, ruining or eroding the future of international sport.
Through its immediacy of engagement and its frequency of appearances.
You feel more attached to that than you do your
national teams, which by default you should support in a
much richer fashion because they do represent you. But there
(22:19):
is a detachment, There is a distance between the fans
and the players and the frequency of the games. I
think that is a problem for international sport. Now, Delan
Boucher and basketball and he is Zell and they're doing
something about that. They're like, okay, Trans Tasman's the It's
one of the richer rivalries, isn't it in the world
(22:40):
of sport? Us in the nighbors, be brother, little brother.
The Ouses have got a very good competition, a very
good team. Why not strike that up on a regular
basis to bring that consistency through to the fan base
makes perfect sense to me to do this. The other
sports may struggle to do that. They are in trouble.
(23:11):
So do you treature regular competitions over those internationals.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
I know, I do.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
There are some international events and predominantly the all blacks
that you you know, you'll mark down. But the infrequency
of the all whites, for example, I do. They're starting
to get their rock stars turned up to international windows,
and now a World Cup is pretty much in our crosses.
That may change.
Speaker 5 (23:36):
O.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
Eight hundred and eighty ten eighty A couple of texts
for you, Hi, nay, All sports got boring since professionals.
You're right, you could be very right. Everybody is so
protective of their image and protective of everything else. There's
a separation between the game and the players and the
great unwashed, which is us. Steve's not happy with the
Super Rugby Player of the Year. He said, it's like
(23:59):
flogging a dead horse. Is dead, push it a whole
bury it. It's time to get a new horse. I
don't know if you're talking about the competition and Steve
or the concept of a player of the year. They
definitely need a better name. Let's go back to what
Jamie was saying about getting boring, and I wonder, let's
(24:20):
take the connection between local super team or the Warriors,
for example, and they wish they had one of the
South on it compared to what's happened at a Kiwi level.
Because they play regularly, of a regular attachment to the
players who hear from them in the media. They appear
(24:41):
on the radio, they appear on TV, there are articles
written about them. They try and push themselves on social media.
They try and humanize who they are a lot more
and feel like they're only a step away from the
fan base. And as I said before, they play frequently,
so you we're going to get a much better connection
and they're less likely to be involved in the cleansing
(25:06):
of their image. Was the further up the tree you get,
the more protective the sports and the clubs and the
athletes want, the clubs, the international are of their image.
So there is a there's a gap that's been pushed
wider between the players and the fans. And a classic
(25:32):
case of that is I've been reading Trevor McEwan writes
a really good column Sports Insider in The Herald talking
about how netflix they did this drive to survive style
thing about rugby players. They're not going to go back
because the teams involved in the six Nations that the
(25:53):
players and the coaches are completely uncooperative. They don't want
anyone knowing anything. They want to whitewash everything. They don't
like anyone coming into their sanctum. They don't want to
give away any state secrets. And they give it the
whole one hundred and eighty percent for the full twenty minutes.
And you know what I mean, there's nothing in it.
(26:14):
There's no drama, there's no jeopardy. So you don't attract fans.
When you look to the NBA, it's not an international plane,
then we probably shouldn't have an attachment from it. But
so much more open with their access and their big
press conferences and everything they put down on socials and
the amount of young kiwis who involved in NBA and
(26:38):
how many thousands of miles away from the NBA. It's ridiculous,
but they feel a part of it. And maybe that
is the frequency, but I think it's it's an attachment theory.
People feel like they know them, they represent them, so
they follow them. Oh, eight hundred eighty ten eighty. This
(26:59):
is the distance and the difference between international sport versus
club sport. And if club will or local competition like
the NBL, I like the NRL and so on and
so forth are going to flood internationals because people feel
more attached to them. You're not saying, I suppose the
(27:32):
regular playing you've got more of a chance to be disappointed. Disappointed.
They feel close, they feel like they're with you, and
that's key. You don't want to feel detached. You don't
want to feel looked down on. You don't want to
feel separated from It's about the Fansy lines are open, Richie.
(27:54):
Of course, still to come with the program from All
Black Skipper talking on the return of the God's Own
What a mighty race that is as well, and touch
on Mardi Sava heading to Amana, Passifico makes a Razors
first year in charge. Any who? All that more is
still to come here on Sports Talk on News Talks
here b it's twenty two away from eight.
Speaker 8 (28:17):
I want to leave with you, tell the Suns after.
I want to let you inside have another try with
still break up it, baby, blame me, baby.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
I blame you that attitude. Make this comes up by myself,
don't like he sholls be on Sports Get Is seven
forty one. How funny is that story around that pub
that was giving a free pint away. When Nottingham Forest
(28:59):
scored seven gold rampage they reckon. They lost like fifteen
hundred pounds because people just keep drinking every free point.
Did they honor it? Yes, they did?
Speaker 3 (29:11):
Good on them.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
I'd go back, Graham, how are you?
Speaker 8 (29:14):
Yeah?
Speaker 9 (29:15):
Good? Yeah, I might have worn not in the Forest
jersey for the day. I tell you, quite extreme fun. Yeah,
I just one rugby players here was the Crusaders, and
we had a lot of all Blacks and they're very
good with the public. And I don't know about the
all Black I mean you do probably deal a lot
more with actual team, but like on Friday, were it
(29:36):
probably know about it an event out here at kerwe
Don Hases Old Club and all the all Blacks who
were playing. We actually went out earlier and was signing
autographs all day and and and yeah, I mean their
availability is tremendous and they're a professional rugby team. So
I know people say I think people say that, but
(29:59):
I do, so you know, I'm not saying other I
think other Cleaves teams probably do it with their communities too,
but I'm just speaking strictly.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
Follow You'll feel feel closer to the Crusaders because they're
there and they're available, and you feel like part of
your community, not a couple of moves ahead of you
are away from you that every now and then turn
sound have been flash bass player game and go. Does
that detract from your desire to follow them or you're
cool with that?
Speaker 9 (30:28):
No, well they do. They're not like that though, but
the Crusaders aren't.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
What about the Crusaders or.
Speaker 9 (30:36):
The All Blacks have become is you know, I mean
it doesn't matter who the coach is. I mean I've
heard Scott robertson head players on the gate down to
n Eden last year giving out or you know, giving
out flags on't it was so that was great because
he because he comes from well yeah, because they do
that type of thing that the Crusaders, and he's carried
(30:58):
it on with the All Blacks. But I think generally
over the last you know, see who is which is
nearly being professional?
Speaker 7 (31:05):
Yeah?
Speaker 9 (31:05):
I think that.
Speaker 5 (31:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 9 (31:07):
Yes, the linking was you know the East have open
training sessions at Rugby Park the All Blacks and other
places to.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
Burnside horlins Ago and I went along to that.
Speaker 9 (31:17):
It was crazy, Yeah you would have, yeah, but they Yeah, yeah,
that's because because the people worrying about seeing what the
moves I suppose, and and it does come down to
a lot of that. You know that some spy might
get in there and that maybe that's why they don't
do it. But I think the All Blacks there's an
entity as a team have have said yeah, that there's
(31:40):
no doubt there's that separation. What I said, I haven't
read the article that Truvan mckieron's probably talking about. That
has been around a long time, but I just had
to say just about Friday here, it was a great
feel good factor.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
You know, lost.
Speaker 9 (32:00):
Well appreciated and with no.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
Points there is that it doesn't matter.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
We're going to go.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
We'll get one mccor joining us shortly. Couple of quick
text for you. Steve before is talking about the flogging
the dead horse. He's talking about the competition in general.
He said, we need to go back to a national
comp with divisions and promotion and relegation, rebuild the rivalry
and the passion got you on that. Jamie said he
had more of a connection with those international teams where
(32:27):
Murray Mex said, chan Pat Patrick and Grant Fox and
now in Houston played because they were a part of
him anyway tonight he wants to discuss let's get away
from that note. And it's getting nice and close. Now
to our next guest form all black captain, all round
good guy, adventure sportsman. His name is Richie McCaw. We're
(32:49):
going to talk about God's Zone. Initially, he joins us. Now,
welcome mate, Good things are very very well for you.
Things are a fantastic God Zone is back and absolute
icon of a race, something I'll never touch, but you
quite like, don't you sucker for punishment?
Speaker 3 (33:08):
Made?
Speaker 2 (33:08):
So first up, tell us about why god Zones had
that hiatus and why it's back now.
Speaker 10 (33:13):
Well, the first thing was when it did obviously come
to a stop. You know, my personal point view, it's
kind of love hate. You know, there's some times when
you're doing the race you go why, but but it's
an iconic event. It's a world class event, and the
guys that run it, you know, they run a pretty good,
pretty good event, and you know I was lucky enough
to have a crack at them.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
But when it stopped was sort of like, ah yeah,
the disappointment.
Speaker 10 (33:36):
So a few of us got together and thought is
a way of giving it a new lease of life,
you know, under a different structure, and but you know,
still having the elements of what the competitors see the
same as what it was, you know, been a tough
race that caters for the very best and also you
know people that are just getting into it, you know,
you can really challenge themselves. And so we've got to
(33:57):
the point where we think we can we can do it,
and we've got you know, the support of some key
people and key like having one New Zealand on board
as a naming right sponsored doc have said that they're
going to be supportive all those sort of things.
Speaker 3 (34:10):
We think we can put together a good race.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
So it collapsed because it wasn't a financial issue. Why
did it actually stop being run?
Speaker 3 (34:18):
Rich I think it's various reasons. I think running these
events aren't easy.
Speaker 10 (34:23):
You know, there's a lot of things you've got to
get right, and the margins are pretty tight, you know
as a competitor, but you know you've got to line
everything up and any need, you know, not get the
access you want to get the course you want, you know,
and there's always you know, by and large I've got
that each time, but you know, just to certainly around
those things you know, COVID, all those sort of challenges.
Speaker 3 (34:43):
I think it just just got to the point where
it was just came but hard.
Speaker 10 (34:45):
So hopefully with a few of us put together the trust,
I guess, oversee it and then get the right people
in the spots with energy and excitement and passion for it,
you know, give a new lease of life. We can
get it up and running again. So yeah, that's that
was the main reason. And you know, the guys that
ran it before have passed on all their knowledge to
(35:07):
us are the good and the bad things to watch
for and not watch for, which has been awesome.
Speaker 3 (35:11):
So yeah, hopefully we can get into the spot we want.
Speaker 2 (35:14):
The whole thing is called PACKED, it's called the Pure
Adventure Charitable Trust. So it's not only about god Zone,
but it's about elevating and aiding multi sport adventure racing
and getting people basically explore and involve in this. This
must be a very important part for you to get
people actually from behind their computers and get them out running.
I mean, how else do you do that?
Speaker 10 (35:35):
Yeah, that's that's exactly right, And that's that's obviously the
change in structure, so that the way it was in
the past that the actual race won't be any different in.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
Terms of the bigger meaning and why we're doing it.
Speaker 10 (35:48):
Is, you know, to encourage people to get out and
New Zealand's a perfect country for getting and doing adventures,
whether it be racing or just getting out about and
encouraging the next younger people to get into either multi
sport or just get outdoors and may the most of
what we've got.
Speaker 3 (36:04):
That's that's kind of the purpose of of the Trust.
And you know, I.
Speaker 10 (36:10):
Just think of all the great memories I've got over
the last few years. You know, it's usually out.
Speaker 3 (36:15):
Out on doing some sort of mission or something like that.
Speaker 10 (36:18):
And and we're pretty lucky in New Zealand there's there's
a smaller group of school kids and that they're really
getting into it and we can.
Speaker 3 (36:26):
Encourage all them to keep out it, you know, there'd
be a success.
Speaker 10 (36:29):
So and obviously the flagship is the race, you know,
a world class event that has world champions racing but
also brand newbies to it. You know, there's not many
sports you can do race alongside world champions.
Speaker 2 (36:42):
You've been involved in four, so I'm presuming you're tied
in to do it again. You've got a rough idea
where you're going this time around, because some of the
places in New Zealand that you try and check off,
it's quite stunning.
Speaker 10 (36:53):
They are they are, We've got we've got an announcement
of where we are potentially where it's going to be.
So I'm not going to jump the gun on that,
but che mate. We'll find out in due course, but
it will be. You're right, you could name a whole
lot of places around that would you could just go, well,
you could do an amazing course here.
Speaker 3 (37:11):
Whether I'm racing or not, or whether I'm going to
be helping in the race run. We'll wait and see,
but you never know. I don't know any details of
what the course might be, so it's potential to still race.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
I suppose original mccaud joins us and Richie plainly having
you on, considering your history in rugby, to be nuts
of me not to chuck a couple of super questions
there you like for a start, how's retirement? Plainly you're
still busy and you don't miss it? You ever miss
chugging around the place when I go back and help
the crusaders.
Speaker 10 (37:41):
I miss I miss watching you know you sit down
on a Friday Saturday night and senend the boys run
out in the field.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
You go, oh that was that was pretty fun while
I did it.
Speaker 10 (37:49):
But I saw a couple of the lads down here
in Wanica just after New Year and they heading back
to pre season training, and it was about that point
and I was, I'm quite pleased not to be doing that.
So yes, treating me pretty well, still keeping third and
doing all those sort of things. But I still love
watching watch the game and following obviously the Crusaders.
Speaker 3 (38:09):
And then later in the year the Abs. How they're going.
Speaker 10 (38:11):
So always a challenge this time yere to see where
everyone's going to be at, and that's one moving for
good competition.
Speaker 2 (38:17):
Last year Blues managed to actually win it, and it
looks like it's really coming together. I thought the quality
of the rugby last year was outstanding. Of course, it
all funnels into raisor Robertson and what he's doing. He's
got quite a job. Are you know him pretty well?
You think he's up for that?
Speaker 10 (38:32):
Yeah, well, I think last year, you know, you'd say
everyone's probably had a good learning you know, it wasn't
you know, it was a pretty good year by and
large but you'd probably say there was a lot of
things that you'd learned from that, And but I matter
what you've done beforehand, the fact you get in there,
the international levels different and I'm sure another year.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
They'll be even better prepared and know what they're in for.
Speaker 10 (38:55):
So but you look across the talent we've got across
these young all the super teams and what funnels into
the All Blacks, it was still in pretty good shape like.
Speaker 3 (39:03):
That, and you know, there's no reason why we can't.
Speaker 10 (39:06):
You know, the expectation of going and keeping a performance
at the top level and most teams off or all
teams off, there's no reason why we can, I don't think.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
And one last thing, A Save has been named as
the captain of Minor Pussyficer. There's been a big move,
hasn't it across to that team. I think ultimately really
good for the competition, good for Pussyficer and watching Ardie
run this ship. I think there'll be a lot of
eyeballs on that franchise this year.
Speaker 3 (39:33):
Wow. Yeah, it's a pretty smart move from someone specific.
Speaker 10 (39:36):
Good getting caught like that, because you're right, yeah, it's
people wanting to see how it goes so yeah, and
I think from what I can hear that the support
of the team where the base is only growing and
they've got some people, pretty smart people, you know, overseeing it.
Speaker 3 (39:52):
Yeah, it'd be interesting to see how they progress this year.
But have a got like Ardie as you captain. There's
a big statement for them and.
Speaker 2 (40:00):
On that Richie McCall, thanks so much for joining us
here on Newstalk ZB of Cracking twenty twenty five. You
stay fit and you stay supporting those Red and Blacks.
Speaker 3 (40:10):
I'll do that good event. Thanks. Does he there here, Reggie?
Speaker 2 (40:15):
It's seven minutes away from at eight it's a sports
talk on news talks here b Max lash up after
the news with chant that far away.
Speaker 8 (40:23):
Kids worst m sound. Four minutes to eights.
Speaker 2 (40:30):
Wise, teams come out for their first preseason going Sharks
on Friday. Part of that to Andrew Webster front of
the media, you talked about losing Zion my uh and
the effect that has on everybody.
Speaker 6 (40:43):
No, no, I mean you always have these like am
I going to see Zion go on to be one
of the greatest front rowers had another club?
Speaker 3 (40:50):
Like you always have those worries, But at the.
Speaker 6 (40:52):
Same stage, I'm really confident in the path of a
lot of other guys here too. So I'm not frustrating
Zion because if we didn't want it to happen, we
could have dug our hills and said no. So like
it's a two way street, we just thought of for
the balance of our roster and the best for Design's opportunity,
he should go and take it.
Speaker 2 (41:12):
So he did two things around that. One, if a
player doesn't want to play for you, there's no point
in keeping them right, and just get rid of it.
It's not want to be there, as heart's not there,
as he'd go see it bye Seecond. Then contracts are
not worth the paper they're written on. I don't know
why people bother anymore. Just go back to handshaker raids.
They're probably more trustworth contracts, and it na can here anymore.
(41:35):
I want to go back and see my family. I
saw leg the smug, here is the straight Have you
seen the amount of traffic cones and all climb out.
I'm going to Sydney where there are no Thank you
Andy Duff for producing the program on Darcy Watergrave A
wonderful evening and catching in tomorrow from seven.
Speaker 1 (41:57):
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 Talk zed B.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Evening one and all Welcome in a Sports Talk seven
on Tuesday evening, Feb four, twenty twenty five. I'm Darcy Waldegrave,
who here it is going up in this evening's program
Drained the bit I Love a Wee Young with Richard
Hugh McCay aka Ritchie, former All Black skipper. It's the
(01:00):
return of the god Zone event. He's instrumental in that.
I've got I'm tied up talking about that. I might
check a few questions about what's going on with the
All Blacks with Super Rugby as well. Why not right,
that's not every day you get to speak with Richie
mccauchy joins us later and the piece going to kick
things off with Dylan Boucher, Basketball CEO, the n Z
(01:22):
Basketball CEO. New series has been announced today against Australia.
It's the first time the Tooll Blacks would have played
Australia at home in a decade. There's a setup series
where the Tall Ferns and the Tall Blacks take on
(01:42):
the Opals and the Boomers. They do it three consecutive times,
two over there, one over here hoping to inject some
life into trans Tasman basketball issues. Let's hope there are none.
Dylan will join us shortly to talk about that. After that,
we're going to take your calls on the future of
(02:03):
international sport with the prevalence of club sport, franchise sport
and the way that basically dominates the upper level of
our interest. When you think about international teams in basketball
(02:24):
and in football and in rugby league, they play second
fiddle to what we see at a club level. So
the right way to go is these happy days they're
still interested at that top level and it's so few
and far between. Anyway, we'll talk about that later on
in the piece. I think some good points there. Eight
hundred and eighty ten eighty. It's the Nuble to Ring
(02:47):
Free Found Nation ride. You can text nineteen ninety two.
That is a zb at Z that b that will
cost you a standard text to charge. Right before you
get me any of that, let's do this again, Sport
Today and Sport Today rts to the wing likely claims
DWZ with seeing k a lockin for fallback, cht TMM
(03:07):
and JFH won't be in the picture. Though confused. Well,
I'm sure that's what the club would like to do
to opposition defenses. Let's try and straighten it up. Here's
Dullan Wakon's allegion, ark On, Roger Tuivasa Chick.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
Roger's been on the wing training. It's been training well too.
It's been nice running after him. It'll be a few
defenders and then caleball after. But I wouldn't be too
surprised if he.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Is there and the team's actually just come out and
Roger indeed is on the wing. I'll do this quickly.
Are Charles Clark stad at one, We've got Watney's alleg
neck and two of us are check on each wing
are Leo, Tower and Pompey and centers to Marty. Martin
peers up with Luke, Metcalfe, Fisher, Harris, Egan and Barnett.
(03:48):
And it's your front row, then Laban, Cape, Paul and Clark.
There's no asterisk who's the captain? I come on, let
us know anyway, will seeper Rugby's shiny new toy the
player of the year. Leave itself open to Skullduggery, Ceo,
Jack Mayzy and think.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
So I don't think anyone's going to be disingenuous about this,
but we'll continue to review and see how it goes
in You won, and we won't be too proud to
evolve things if it needs evolving. But no, we're confident
players and coaches will give it the respect that it deserves.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Well, how about showing some proper respect in giving the
award a name Player of the Year? We come on,
you must be better than maybe not. Bowls legend Val
Smith has stepped down from the rare fight ea of
international representation, but she's still keen on a bit of stop,
drop and roll.
Speaker 5 (04:38):
Sting Nelson and I'll play in all of domestic events
around the country, and I still want to be playing
to the best that I can, but without the added
pressure of competing at the very highest level.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
We're a bit of added audio there from Brian Kelly
from the country Sport Breakfast. I mean, honestly, that song
early in the morning, it's time to stop drop band roll.
If there's a long bowl song, I don't know what is.
And finally, Lulu Soon has broken the chain tennis pro
finally one overnight in Mabel Debby after spending months being
bounced out of tournaments in the first round. The primary
(05:13):
reason for her skinny run.
Speaker 6 (05:16):
Every tournament is a different outcome, different experience and different
opponents out your city. So you have to just keep
going and keep fighting.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
And that's sport today. Del Boucher joints us now former
Tour Black, former legendary breaker, now the New Zealand basketball
CEO to all black still fans. A series against Australia.
This is new ground being broken for Trans Tasman basketball relations.
(05:45):
This is super good for the sport. Probably slightly over
Jill as well. Let's talk about now, Dylan Boucher, evening.
Speaker 7 (05:52):
Mate, Darsy, long time mate.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
How are you.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
I'm very very good. I'm quite enambored with the news
that you've decided to do something fresh and new in
a Trans Tasan basketball state. Of course, I'm talking about
the Trans Tasman throwdown. Probably your brain child. All you
explain what it is, Dylan, what is it?
Speaker 7 (06:12):
Yeah, it's a Trans Tasman series against Australia. It's been
probably over two years in the making. We've certainly when
we had the initial chats with Australia, they were certainly
very keen and it's taken a little while to pull
it together and trying to find the right time of
the year to be able to run it, to have
players available and so forth. But certainly pumped and excited
(06:35):
to get this across the line and have it go live,
and excited to be able to have our two degrees
tall Ferns and Tall Blacks playing on home soil against Australia.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
That's the beauty of it.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
It's a double headed series, so you've got both genders
playing the game, so it's the Opals and the Boomers,
the Tall Blacks and the Tall Ferns super important to
have that.
Speaker 7 (06:56):
Coverage massively important. You know, we've obviously got a clear
strategy to be able to grow our brands in New
Zealand and we want to make sure to toll fans
and tour Blacks are growing equally. And you know, been
able to play the Boomers in the Opals on home soil,
you know our cross Tasman rivals. What better way to
(07:18):
do it than playing some games in both countries and
really create that rivalry.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
Again, I was quite surprised at some of the stats
that came out of this, Dylan. The Ferns haven't played
in front of their home fans for five years. The
tool Blacks haven't hosted the Boomers at home in nearly
ten years. It's a gulf. Why did that happen?
Speaker 7 (07:38):
Yeah, it's crazy, And then my memory doesn't serve me
too well. It didn't feel like that long ago, but
it certainly has been when you go back and look
at the archives, and you know, the reality is the
tour Blecks themselves, they play in a lot of the
Asia Cup, Palm and World Cup qualifying games, but we
don't cross over with Australia very often, if at all.
So that's why those fever tournaments have almost taken over
(08:01):
the what we used to do and play qualifying games
against Australia. So that's why we haven't. That's why there's
been the tenure hiatus and the Tall Blacks and the
Tall Ferns. Again, they're their system through fever is quite
different and a lot of the tournaments that they play
are outside of New Zealand. And you know, what we
want to do is be able to create an environment
where we can create home games here so that we
(08:21):
can create again that hero piece for those young female
athletes that want to have people to aspire to what
better than having them playing on your home soil. And
especially you know they've had the luxury of having the
you know, the GJ Go and to Towehi playing and
now to have this it's just this high level basketball
being played on home soil.
Speaker 2 (08:39):
How long is it slocked in for this doubleheaded series?
Speaker 7 (08:42):
All the plan is to make it an annual thing.
We're doing the first year as as kind of like
a test run to see how it goes for both ends,
and you know, for both you know ourselves in Australia
and we want it to be an annual thing. So again,
it's just finding space in the calendar around all the
busyness of basketball to be able to make this an
annual annual series.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
That's a hugely difficult concept, i'd suggest as finding those wholes.
So I'm presuming that the Australians are also committed to
doing that, therefore having their best athletes involved. Because of
its B teams, people aren't going to be as interested.
So can you confirm it's going to be the best players,
providing they're not injured. You've got any backup on that?
Speaker 7 (09:23):
Yeah, for sure. I mean for us, it'll be again
the best players available at the time, depending on where
they are in the world and what leagues are going on,
but certainly chose that window because it's the best possible window.
We've actually ended up scheduling a break in our sales
NBL season to have these games to ensure that there's
players that aren't going to be missing from their teams,
(09:44):
so we're trying to coordinate it. Again, that's where I
talk about the trial and era we'll see at the
time of the year is suitable to see what players
will be available to play in it. But we're hoping
they have a very strong team on both sides. I
guess the luxury in Australia is they have a very
huge depth in their basketball program right now, both men's
and women, so they'll have that luxury of being able
(10:06):
to have very very strong teams no matter you know,
their top thirty players that were to roll out on
the floor. So it's going to be a really competitive
game no matter no matter what looks what it looks like,
and for us, there'll be a lot of opportunities. Again
for you'll probably see some new faces and you'll probably
see some old faces all mixed in together, and it'll
be great. The great opportunity for everyone's got their best
(10:26):
foot forward for future Asia Cup qualifiers or World Cup
qualifiers or World Cups and Asia Cups as well.
Speaker 2 (10:33):
So across that space though it means nothing from a
feb point of view, it's just a trans Tasman series. Plainly,
you want the best athletes, you want them in good form,
but the results won't affect or alter anything on a
on a global scale.
Speaker 7 (10:49):
That no, there we know competition points as far as
feeder goes, but we'll be having it'll be some form
of trophy or shield that will be we'll be up
for grabs and you know, we want to make sure
again that pride like it is in rugby with the
Bletterers Low Cup, there is some pride of holding that
silverware or that piece of wood. So we'll be that's
the That's the next phases is looking through what actually
(11:10):
is the prize and how has it all structured. So
we're excited again to have something up for grabs that
we can either keep on an our trophy cabinet or
they can keep in theirs.
Speaker 2 (11:20):
You must have floated it with the athletes. Have you
got general Byron across the board? Yeah?
Speaker 7 (11:26):
I mean the athletes love it, especially our female athletes
to be able to play in front of you know,
home fans and you have an opportunity to play on
home soil and have their fano watching as well as
the male players, you know, having again playing against Australia,
there are old rivals from a long time ago, and
we probably haven't the rivalry probably hasn't been sparked as
(11:48):
much as what it used to be back in back
in my day playing. But my day, you know, old Dylan,
I feel that old when I look at these young
players now. But yeah, you know what I mean that
we played them on some regular basis. We at least
played them every year and several times, and so that
rivalry was really created. And you know that, you know,
(12:09):
as much as your mates off the court, on the
court was fire. And I think we're going to see
the same and the series, we're going to see a
real rivalry starting to be created.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
What's in it for you on a wider scale and
what's in it for Australian basketball. What do they see
as being the main driver? Obviously playing against the Kip
vice versa, that's lovely, but what else do you think
you stand to gain out of this on both sides
of the Tasman.
Speaker 7 (12:34):
Yeah, both countries are really booming. Basketball is really booming
in both countries and just again creating that opportunity for
fans to be able to get a piece of the
national national programs and see the best players on court
and playing, and you know, creating more opportunities for fans
again for those role modeling for the heroes, you know,
for us, For us essentially it's been able to have
(12:57):
our brand in front of our fans. You know, we
just don't see our top players playing here enough in
the Black Jersey. And again I stress the you know,
the two degrees tall fans haven't played on homesore for
five years, so you're mistaken for people not even knowing
who these players are. So they're going to see some
you know, some top female athletes out there and show
(13:19):
what they're made of. And the same we've got the
luxury of seeing more of the Toll Blacks because of
the fever schedule and playing home games. But we're going
to see again playing against Australia. We don't get to
see Australia very often and show the talent and that
depth that's on display both in the till Blacks uniform
but also in the Boomers uniform.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
How did you come to the decision around where these
games are going to be played? Because well, a couple
over in Australia, caup all over here. Just when where
you think the crowd's the biggest? Are people going to
start bedding for these events?
Speaker 3 (13:49):
Do you think?
Speaker 7 (13:51):
Yeah? I think it's going to create opportunities, But again
because they're not they're not fever games and the games
where we can control where they are played. We were
excited to be going to Hamilton because Hamilton's been staffed
of top level basketball. They don't have either a TOEH
or a NBL franchise the year, they've got a really strong,
young talented REP program in that region. We want to
(14:15):
be able to bring some top level basketball to the
Wycantaw region and to Hamilton. So we're excited about taking
the game there and in Australia again being able to
take the game both to love basketball, but in Sunshine
Coast there's not high level basketball played there aside from
NBO one, they don't have any NBA or WNBL teams.
(14:37):
So being able to go there and then Adelaide is
obviously is a bit of a mecha for basketball. So
to be able to play in front of a I
think it's about an eight thousand seed the stadium will
be a great, great opportunity for our athletes as Well'd be.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Lovely to see more of these events with different sports
right up and down, but we don't have enough of it.
Wouldn't it be lovely if this excuse the pun tipped
off more trans Tasman events in numerous sports. I think
the populace would love it, wouldn't they?
Speaker 7 (15:06):
Oh that's I mean, I can remember some of my
fondest memories are you know, watching some of those rivalry games,
you know, whether it be rugby, whether it be rugby league,
or playing in them in basketball. You know, those are
some of the memories that you'll live with forever. Moments
you know of those. And again we seem to somehow
our New Zealand team seem to be able to raise
(15:27):
to the level to be able to every time they
play Australia and really, Paul some really big good performances
out and we're expecting nothing less than this series.
Speaker 1 (15:36):
No need for the DMO. We've got the breakdowns on
Sports Talk col eight n News Talk.
Speaker 2 (15:45):
That's Chief executive of Basketball New Zealand at Dylan Bouncher
talking about this new series I created. It's only got
one year. I'll see how it sticks and if it does,
they'll carry on to do more and more and more.
It's the Tall Fans and the Tall Blacks taking on
the opals and the three sets of two games, two
(16:07):
over there, one over here. Great to have Dylan on
the program, which brings us to the question around club
based cub club excuse me, based sport or franchise sporting.
You get the idea what it does to international sport
now or in the future. I want to gauge you
(16:28):
all out there at eight one hundred and eighty ten
eighty where the interest is in international teams, International teams
that represent us, like the Tall Blacks and the All
Whites and the Kiwis and so on and so forth,
Because you'd think that teams that represent New Zealand in
(16:50):
a roundabout kind of way at a franchise or a
club level get a lot more engagement and more eyeballs
than the internationals get. And I don't know if international
sport unless it's an event, is going to get any bigger.
(17:10):
You know a lot more about what the wars are
up to than what the key we're up to. We
don't even know when they're playing. Half the time. You
know a lot more about the Phoenix and about Auckland DEFC.
Than you would about the All Whites. You'll pay more
attention when there's a World Cup. It's pretty obvious the
(17:30):
Breakers we all know they are a dumpster fire right now.
There's probably more engagement there than there is with the
tool Blacks, and that's something plaining that Dylan Boutro and
basketball in New Zealand wants to change when they should.
It's an exploding sport basketball right now. People are interested,
they want to be involved, Like, how can we get
(17:53):
some traction on this? How can we benefit from the
huge surgeon popularity our sport is having. Get the players
in front of the people. It's pretty simple. I think
it comes down to a couple of things, and I'd
love for your thoughts on this too, about the distance
(18:13):
of international teams my New Zealand representative teams between them
and club based teams that we feel a lot closer
to literally and figuratively. There are two big things here.
Vicinity is one with these local club teams, they're closer.
(18:35):
We get to go and see them, we see them
in the newspapers, we hear them on the radio. We're
a lot more likely to have a bond with them
because they're ours and they're there visible. You don't get
there with international teams. The other one that's frequency, and
this is something that international sport is always going to
(18:57):
struggle with because I don't have regular international fixtures. We
used to have regular test matches and then someone knocked
that out.
Speaker 3 (19:06):
In great.
Speaker 8 (19:08):
O.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
There there is a frequency with the Black Caps, so
they might be slightly outside. There is a kind of
frequency with the All Blacks who played regularly throughout the winter.
But most of these international sides, we don't know really
when we're going to see them and in what shape
(19:32):
they're going to be in because we don't know the
import of the competition. Are we always going to see
the best players playing for something worth playing for or not.
I just there's better connections with club sport than there
is an international sport. And producer Dart and I were
talking about that, and he's talking about, well, surely the
(19:55):
patriotism should trump all of that. Sorry to even use
that word, but I did. I don't know if you
can force patriotism on anybody just because they represent our country.
If they represent you and your city in a competition
with regular exposure, you're more likely to buy into it.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Surely.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
Let's run it back to the question. Club based sport
franchise sport. Is it eroding the future of international sport
when it comes to eyeballs like I is, they're still
interested in international teams.
Speaker 9 (20:34):
O.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Eight one hundred and eighty ten eighty frequency vicinity. You
don't want to be removed for a number of reasons
from your fan base eighty ten eighty.
Speaker 3 (20:48):
Give us your thoughts.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
I mean, club based and regular based sport at a
high frequency is a lot more important, and it's going
to garner a lot more attention than sporadic international fixtures.
That needs to be adjusted.
Speaker 6 (21:05):
I just don't know how.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
News talks eb eight hundred eighty ten eighty. I love
your thoughts on this. Give us a tangle. It's free
phone nationwide. Let's do it.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
Forget the riffs.
Speaker 1 (21:28):
Call you make a call on eight sports Talk on
your home of sport News talks.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
It balks.
Speaker 2 (21:40):
Nice week See thirty one sports Talk on News talks
EB eight hundred eighty ten eighty your platform.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
Do it, use it, I'll lose it.
Speaker 2 (21:51):
What I mean by that is, I'll just keep talking.
Speaker 3 (21:53):
I get a chance.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
Plod based sport, ruining or eroding the future of international sport.
Through its immediacy of engagement and its frequency of appearances.
You feel more attached to that than you do your
national teams, which by default you should support in a
much richer fashion because they do represent you. But there
(22:19):
is a detachment, There is a distance between the fans
and the players and the frequency of the games. I
think that is a problem for international sport. Now, Delan
Boucher and basketball and he is Zell and they're doing
something about that. They're like, okay, Trans Tasman's the It's
one of the richer rivalries, isn't it in the world
(22:40):
of sport? Us in the nighbors, be brother, little brother.
The Ouses have got a very good competition, a very
good team. Why not strike that up on a regular
basis to bring that consistency through to the fan base
makes perfect sense to me to do this. The other
sports may struggle to do that. They are in trouble.
(23:11):
So do you treature regular competitions over those internationals.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
I know, I do.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
There are some international events and predominantly the all blacks
that you you know, you'll mark down. But the infrequency
of the all whites, for example, I do. They're starting
to get their rock stars turned up to international windows,
and now a World Cup is pretty much in our crosses.
That may change.
Speaker 5 (23:36):
O.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
Eight hundred and eighty ten eighty A couple of texts
for you, Hi, nay, All sports got boring since professionals.
You're right, you could be very right. Everybody is so
protective of their image and protective of everything else. There's
a separation between the game and the players and the
great unwashed, which is us. Steve's not happy with the
Super Rugby Player of the Year. He said, it's like
(23:59):
flogging a dead horse. Is dead, push it a whole
bury it. It's time to get a new horse. I
don't know if you're talking about the competition and Steve
or the concept of a player of the year. They
definitely need a better name. Let's go back to what
Jamie was saying about getting boring, and I wonder, let's
(24:20):
take the connection between local super team or the Warriors,
for example, and they wish they had one of the
South on it compared to what's happened at a Kiwi level.
Because they play regularly, of a regular attachment to the
players who hear from them in the media. They appear
(24:41):
on the radio, they appear on TV, there are articles
written about them. They try and push themselves on social media.
They try and humanize who they are a lot more
and feel like they're only a step away from the
fan base. And as I said before, they play frequently,
so you we're going to get a much better connection
and they're less likely to be involved in the cleansing
(25:06):
of their image. Was the further up the tree you get,
the more protective the sports and the clubs and the
athletes want, the clubs, the international are of their image.
So there is a there's a gap that's been pushed
wider between the players and the fans. And a classic
(25:32):
case of that is I've been reading Trevor McEwan writes
a really good column Sports Insider in The Herald talking
about how netflix they did this drive to survive style
thing about rugby players. They're not going to go back
because the teams involved in the six Nations that the
(25:53):
players and the coaches are completely uncooperative. They don't want
anyone knowing anything. They want to whitewash everything. They don't
like anyone coming into their sanctum. They don't want to
give away any state secrets. And they give it the
whole one hundred and eighty percent for the full twenty minutes.
And you know what I mean, there's nothing in it.
(26:14):
There's no drama, there's no jeopardy. So you don't attract fans.
When you look to the NBA, it's not an international plane,
then we probably shouldn't have an attachment from it. But
so much more open with their access and their big
press conferences and everything they put down on socials and
the amount of young kiwis who involved in NBA and
(26:38):
how many thousands of miles away from the NBA. It's ridiculous,
but they feel a part of it. And maybe that
is the frequency, but I think it's it's an attachment theory.
People feel like they know them, they represent them, so
they follow them. Oh, eight hundred eighty ten eighty. This
(26:59):
is the distance and the difference between international sport versus
club sport. And if club will or local competition like
the NBL, I like the NRL and so on and
so forth are going to flood internationals because people feel
more attached to them. You're not saying, I suppose the
(27:32):
regular playing you've got more of a chance to be disappointed. Disappointed.
They feel close, they feel like they're with you, and
that's key. You don't want to feel detached. You don't
want to feel looked down on. You don't want to
feel separated from It's about the Fansy lines are open, Richie.
(27:54):
Of course, still to come with the program from All
Black Skipper talking on the return of the God's Own
What a mighty race that is as well, and touch
on Mardi Sava heading to Amana, Passifico makes a Razors
first year in charge. Any who? All that more is
still to come here on Sports Talk on News Talks
here b it's twenty two away from eight.
Speaker 8 (28:17):
I want to leave with you, tell the Suns after.
I want to let you inside have another try with
still break up it, baby, blame me, baby.
Speaker 2 (28:35):
I blame you that attitude. Make this comes up by myself,
don't like he sholls be on Sports Get Is seven
forty one. How funny is that story around that pub
that was giving a free pint away. When Nottingham Forest
(28:59):
scored seven gold rampage they reckon. They lost like fifteen
hundred pounds because people just keep drinking every free point.
Did they honor it? Yes, they did?
Speaker 3 (29:11):
Good on them.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
I'd go back, Graham, how are you?
Speaker 8 (29:14):
Yeah?
Speaker 9 (29:15):
Good? Yeah, I might have worn not in the Forest
jersey for the day. I tell you, quite extreme fun. Yeah,
I just one rugby players here was the Crusaders, and
we had a lot of all Blacks and they're very
good with the public. And I don't know about the
all Black I mean you do probably deal a lot
more with actual team, but like on Friday, were it
(29:36):
probably know about it an event out here at kerwe
Don Hases Old Club and all the all Blacks who
were playing. We actually went out earlier and was signing
autographs all day and and and yeah, I mean their
availability is tremendous and they're a professional rugby team. So
I know people say I think people say that, but
(29:59):
I do, so you know, I'm not saying other I
think other Cleaves teams probably do it with their communities too,
but I'm just speaking strictly.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
Follow You'll feel feel closer to the Crusaders because they're
there and they're available, and you feel like part of
your community, not a couple of moves ahead of you
are away from you that every now and then turn
sound have been flash bass player game and go. Does
that detract from your desire to follow them or you're
cool with that?
Speaker 9 (30:28):
No, well they do. They're not like that though, but
the Crusaders aren't.
Speaker 2 (30:33):
What about the Crusaders or.
Speaker 9 (30:36):
The All Blacks have become is you know, I mean
it doesn't matter who the coach is. I mean I've
heard Scott robertson head players on the gate down to
n Eden last year giving out or you know, giving
out flags on't it was so that was great because
he because he comes from well yeah, because they do
that type of thing that the Crusaders, and he's carried
(30:58):
it on with the All Blacks. But I think generally
over the last you know, see who is which is
nearly being professional?
Speaker 7 (31:05):
Yeah?
Speaker 9 (31:05):
I think that.
Speaker 5 (31:06):
Yeah.
Speaker 9 (31:07):
Yes, the linking was you know the East have open
training sessions at Rugby Park the All Blacks and other
places to.
Speaker 2 (31:14):
Burnside horlins Ago and I went along to that.
Speaker 9 (31:17):
It was crazy, Yeah you would have, yeah, but they Yeah, yeah,
that's because because the people worrying about seeing what the
moves I suppose, and and it does come down to
a lot of that. You know that some spy might
get in there and that maybe that's why they don't
do it. But I think the All Blacks there's an
entity as a team have have said yeah, that there's
(31:40):
no doubt there's that separation. What I said, I haven't
read the article that Truvan mckieron's probably talking about. That
has been around a long time, but I just had
to say just about Friday here, it was a great
feel good factor.
Speaker 2 (31:55):
You know, lost.
Speaker 9 (32:00):
Well appreciated and with no.
Speaker 2 (32:01):
Points there is that it doesn't matter.
Speaker 3 (32:04):
We're going to go.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
We'll get one mccor joining us shortly. Couple of quick
text for you. Steve before is talking about the flogging
the dead horse. He's talking about the competition in general.
He said, we need to go back to a national
comp with divisions and promotion and relegation, rebuild the rivalry
and the passion got you on that. Jamie said he
had more of a connection with those international teams where
(32:27):
Murray Mex said, chan Pat Patrick and Grant Fox and
now in Houston played because they were a part of
him anyway tonight he wants to discuss let's get away
from that note. And it's getting nice and close. Now
to our next guest form all black captain, all round
good guy, adventure sportsman. His name is Richie McCaw. We're
(32:49):
going to talk about God's Zone. Initially, he joins us. Now,
welcome mate, Good things are very very well for you.
Things are a fantastic God Zone is back and absolute
icon of a race, something I'll never touch, but you
quite like, don't you sucker for punishment?
Speaker 3 (33:08):
Made?
Speaker 2 (33:08):
So first up, tell us about why god Zones had
that hiatus and why it's back now.
Speaker 10 (33:13):
Well, the first thing was when it did obviously come
to a stop. You know, my personal point view, it's
kind of love hate. You know, there's some times when
you're doing the race you go why, but but it's
an iconic event. It's a world class event, and the
guys that run it, you know, they run a pretty good,
pretty good event, and you know I was lucky enough
to have a crack at them.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
But when it stopped was sort of like, ah yeah,
the disappointment.
Speaker 10 (33:36):
So a few of us got together and thought is
a way of giving it a new lease of life,
you know, under a different structure, and but you know,
still having the elements of what the competitors see the
same as what it was, you know, been a tough
race that caters for the very best and also you
know people that are just getting into it, you know,
you can really challenge themselves. And so we've got to
(33:57):
the point where we think we can we can do it,
and we've got you know, the support of some key
people and key like having one New Zealand on board
as a naming right sponsored doc have said that they're
going to be supportive all those sort of things.
Speaker 3 (34:10):
We think we can put together a good race.
Speaker 2 (34:13):
So it collapsed because it wasn't a financial issue. Why
did it actually stop being run?
Speaker 3 (34:18):
Rich I think it's various reasons. I think running these
events aren't easy.
Speaker 10 (34:23):
You know, there's a lot of things you've got to
get right, and the margins are pretty tight, you know
as a competitor, but you know you've got to line
everything up and any need, you know, not get the
access you want to get the course you want, you know,
and there's always you know, by and large I've got
that each time, but you know, just to certainly around
those things you know, COVID, all those sort of challenges.
Speaker 3 (34:43):
I think it just just got to the point where
it was just came but hard.
Speaker 10 (34:45):
So hopefully with a few of us put together the trust,
I guess, oversee it and then get the right people
in the spots with energy and excitement and passion for it,
you know, give a new lease of life. We can
get it up and running again. So yeah, that's that
was the main reason. And you know, the guys that
ran it before have passed on all their knowledge to
(35:07):
us are the good and the bad things to watch
for and not watch for, which has been awesome.
Speaker 3 (35:11):
So yeah, hopefully we can get into the spot we want.
Speaker 2 (35:14):
The whole thing is called PACKED, it's called the Pure
Adventure Charitable Trust. So it's not only about god Zone,
but it's about elevating and aiding multi sport adventure racing
and getting people basically explore and involve in this. This
must be a very important part for you to get
people actually from behind their computers and get them out running.
I mean, how else do you do that?
Speaker 10 (35:35):
Yeah, that's that's exactly right, And that's that's obviously the
change in structure, so that the way it was in
the past that the actual race won't be any different in.
Speaker 3 (35:45):
Terms of the bigger meaning and why we're doing it.
Speaker 10 (35:48):
Is, you know, to encourage people to get out and
New Zealand's a perfect country for getting and doing adventures,
whether it be racing or just getting out about and
encouraging the next younger people to get into either multi
sport or just get outdoors and may the most of
what we've got.
Speaker 3 (36:04):
That's that's kind of the purpose of of the Trust.
And you know, I.
Speaker 10 (36:10):
Just think of all the great memories I've got over
the last few years. You know, it's usually out.
Speaker 3 (36:15):
Out on doing some sort of mission or something like that.
Speaker 10 (36:18):
And and we're pretty lucky in New Zealand there's there's
a smaller group of school kids and that they're really
getting into it and we can.
Speaker 3 (36:26):
Encourage all them to keep out it, you know, there'd
be a success.
Speaker 10 (36:29):
So and obviously the flagship is the race, you know,
a world class event that has world champions racing but
also brand newbies to it. You know, there's not many
sports you can do race alongside world champions.
Speaker 2 (36:42):
You've been involved in four, so I'm presuming you're tied
in to do it again. You've got a rough idea
where you're going this time around, because some of the
places in New Zealand that you try and check off,
it's quite stunning.
Speaker 10 (36:53):
They are they are, We've got we've got an announcement
of where we are potentially where it's going to be.
So I'm not going to jump the gun on that,
but che mate. We'll find out in due course, but
it will be. You're right, you could name a whole
lot of places around that would you could just go, well,
you could do an amazing course here.
Speaker 3 (37:11):
Whether I'm racing or not, or whether I'm going to
be helping in the race run. We'll wait and see,
but you never know. I don't know any details of
what the course might be, so it's potential to still race.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
I suppose original mccaud joins us and Richie plainly having
you on, considering your history in rugby, to be nuts
of me not to chuck a couple of super questions
there you like for a start, how's retirement? Plainly you're
still busy and you don't miss it? You ever miss
chugging around the place when I go back and help
the crusaders.
Speaker 10 (37:41):
I miss I miss watching you know you sit down
on a Friday Saturday night and senend the boys run
out in the field.
Speaker 3 (37:46):
You go, oh that was that was pretty fun while
I did it.
Speaker 10 (37:49):
But I saw a couple of the lads down here
in Wanica just after New Year and they heading back
to pre season training, and it was about that point
and I was, I'm quite pleased not to be doing that.
So yes, treating me pretty well, still keeping third and
doing all those sort of things. But I still love
watching watch the game and following obviously the Crusaders.
Speaker 3 (38:09):
And then later in the year the Abs. How they're going.
Speaker 10 (38:11):
So always a challenge this time yere to see where
everyone's going to be at, and that's one moving for
good competition.
Speaker 2 (38:17):
Last year Blues managed to actually win it, and it
looks like it's really coming together. I thought the quality
of the rugby last year was outstanding. Of course, it
all funnels into raisor Robertson and what he's doing. He's
got quite a job. Are you know him pretty well?
You think he's up for that?
Speaker 10 (38:32):
Yeah, well, I think last year, you know, you'd say
everyone's probably had a good learning you know, it wasn't
you know, it was a pretty good year by and
large but you'd probably say there was a lot of
things that you'd learned from that, And but I matter
what you've done beforehand, the fact you get in there,
the international levels different and I'm sure another year.
Speaker 3 (38:52):
They'll be even better prepared and know what they're in for.
Speaker 10 (38:55):
So but you look across the talent we've got across
these young all the super teams and what funnels into
the All Blacks, it was still in pretty good shape like.
Speaker 3 (39:03):
That, and you know, there's no reason why we can't.
Speaker 10 (39:06):
You know, the expectation of going and keeping a performance
at the top level and most teams off or all
teams off, there's no reason why we can, I don't think.
Speaker 2 (39:16):
And one last thing, A Save has been named as
the captain of Minor Pussyficer. There's been a big move,
hasn't it across to that team. I think ultimately really
good for the competition, good for Pussyficer and watching Ardie
run this ship. I think there'll be a lot of
eyeballs on that franchise this year.
Speaker 3 (39:33):
Wow. Yeah, it's a pretty smart move from someone specific.
Speaker 10 (39:36):
Good getting caught like that, because you're right, yeah, it's
people wanting to see how it goes so yeah, and
I think from what I can hear that the support
of the team where the base is only growing and
they've got some people, pretty smart people, you know, overseeing it.
Speaker 3 (39:52):
Yeah, it'd be interesting to see how they progress this year.
But have a got like Ardie as you captain. There's
a big statement for them and.
Speaker 2 (40:00):
On that Richie McCall, thanks so much for joining us
here on Newstalk ZB of Cracking twenty twenty five. You
stay fit and you stay supporting those Red and Blacks.
Speaker 3 (40:10):
I'll do that good event. Thanks. Does he there here, Reggie?
Speaker 2 (40:15):
It's seven minutes away from at eight it's a sports
talk on news talks here b Max lash up after
the news with chant that far away.
Speaker 8 (40:23):
Kids worst m sound. Four minutes to eights.
Speaker 2 (40:30):
Wise, teams come out for their first preseason going Sharks
on Friday. Part of that to Andrew Webster front of
the media, you talked about losing Zion my uh and
the effect that has on everybody.
Speaker 6 (40:43):
No, no, I mean you always have these like am
I going to see Zion go on to be one
of the greatest front rowers had another club?
Speaker 3 (40:50):
Like you always have those worries, But at the.
Speaker 6 (40:52):
Same stage, I'm really confident in the path of a
lot of other guys here too. So I'm not frustrating
Zion because if we didn't want it to happen, we
could have dug our hills and said no. So like
it's a two way street, we just thought of for
the balance of our roster and the best for Design's opportunity,
he should go and take it.
Speaker 2 (41:12):
So he did two things around that. One, if a
player doesn't want to play for you, there's no point
in keeping them right, and just get rid of it.
It's not want to be there, as heart's not there,
as he'd go see it bye Seecond. Then contracts are
not worth the paper they're written on. I don't know
why people bother anymore. Just go back to handshaker raids.
They're probably more trustworth contracts, and it na can here anymore.
(41:35):
I want to go back and see my family. I
saw leg the smug, here is the straight Have you
seen the amount of traffic cones and all climb out.
I'm going to Sydney where there are no Thank you
Andy Duff for producing the program on Darcy Watergrave A
wonderful evening and catching in tomorrow from seven.
Speaker 1 (41:57):
For more from sports talk. Listen live to news talks.
It'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com