June 13, 2025 • 39 mins
D'Arcy Waldegrave returned to wrap another day of sports news! Highlights for tonight include:
Brendon Hartley - Toyota Gazoo Racing Driver
Neil Barnes - Taranaki Bulls Head Coach
Graeme Agars - Golf Correspondent
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Waldegrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Good evening, Welcome into Friday night, June thirteen, twenty twenty five.
It's a Friday. I'm a Darcy with through Tel eight
o'clock tonight. As we do a number of things. I talk,
you talk, you text, I read texts, I stare at
television and update you in the scores as the Saders
(00:47):
host the Menace from the North, the Blues unbeaten in
thirty playoff matches at home. But results of the past
have zero bearing on results of the future. Should be
tweet the super King Golds Border God at iHeartRadio. Can
(01:09):
ever listen to that? And you can carry on listening
to me and my guests and everybody else, And I
love date. You're right the way through. It's seven after seven.
Tonight's program consists of Grahame a guards that are on
the piece. He's a golf correspondent, a dear friend of
us here at News Talk ZB. He talks the opening
round from Oakmont Country Club. What sounds so lovely, doesn't
(01:30):
the old country glob It's just an absolute savage. We're
also catch up with Neil Barnes Studanhucky Balls, NPC head coach,
at the future of the MPC television riots, whether they
can compete with with eyeballs, What needs to change, what
the structures we know? Neil, he is very good at
calling out spades for exactly what they are. Be great
(01:52):
to talk to him, because we're not that far away,
are we from n PC. And we're going to kick
things off of Brendan Hartley, Toda Kazoo, a race car driver,
the FIA World and Durance the WEC Championship that's on
World Insurance Championships right. The WEC is on the twenty
four hour of Lemar and he'll join us shortly to
(02:15):
voi chen Wag about the funning games in the most
ridiculous race. There is a motor sport before we do
any of that. Let's do a lot of this sport
today and in sports today. Finn Ellen, it's two words.
Vanellen unleashed his inner Barbarian in the opening game of
(02:39):
the United States of America's TEA twenty comp Major League Cricket.
He's scored the quickest one hundred and fifty in T twenties,
and he scored the most six's nineteen. He's put a
couple of Keywis to the sword as well, like Ravendra
Phillips and see us all on the opposition, they felt
the wrath of the thin sky sport were there.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
It's a record for number sixers nineteen and it takes him.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Time one hundred and fifty. Blase prop Angus Taraval is
talking a good game, challenge and the Crusaders with our
the strongest up front. The bunfight is getting underway about now.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
We're trying to get back to our DNA and that's
through our set piece and our forwards play. And we
felt like we put ourselves in the right places when
we were down there last time, we just missed out.
And I think our through our set piece, we've got
some good turn of baller at lineout and our scrum
held up pretty well.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
JJ spawn Hans taking the lead after around one of
the US opened. The Major is being contested at Oakmont
Country Club, which sounds free proper, but the track plays
like a thug. JJ shot a bogie three four under
sixty six. Bro, Well, that's well jerged, so he's going
to tap that in.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
He's going to have twenty six puts in the opening round,
which on these greens was quite You can't.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
That's a wow and it is a while. The World
Test Championship final hairs deteriorated into a T twenty Test match,
if there's such a thing. Twenty eight wickets have been
snared in two days. It's like none of the players
actually care. Along Gingide picked up three f in Australia's
second innings. He describes skipper timber Bavooma's expectations.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
He was asking me to do certain things and I
just said, you know, let me just get into my spoll.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
Please, let me just get some rhythm going.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
And then you know, once I felted was clicking, then
I just kept running with it.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
And that's sport today, eh Tim Past seven race cars.
Brendan Hartley joins us the Twitter Kazoo race car driver
looking your head to the twenty four hour of Lemon. Brendan, Welcome.
I'm presuming everything's looking good and the car is in
good neck right.
Speaker 6 (04:57):
Look, the car hasn't changed from last year, so we've
we've had no updated at all. A few of the
other teams have small, small updates, so we know this
car there's been you know, a bit of development on
how we set the car up, how we use some
of the tools. You know, after three or four years
in the same car, you refine things. So there's been
some small improvements, but you've got to assume the others
(05:20):
have been improving too, and arguably more than us, considering that,
you know, a lot of the teams, I'm not going
to call them unexperienced, but they have less experience with
their car than us. But yeah, we feel good. I
wouldn't say we're the favorites. I do believe Ferrari have
have the best package and performance, but we are very,
(05:44):
very motivated to try and stand on that top step.
They beat us the last two years, which still hurts.
You know, we were so close on our car to
win that bloody race the last two years. So yeah,
the motivation is very high. Is it always is in
lamh Yep, we're going to go for it from memory.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Last time out it was a Ferrari that finished it
for you, wasn't it.
Speaker 5 (06:05):
Ah, Yeah, that is true. But as I said, yeah,
the last the last two years that they do her.
Speaker 6 (06:10):
You know, there's so much work and emphasis goes into
this race from everyone. I mean, we respect our competitors too,
and yeah, but for to slip away towards the end,
which which happened the last two years, was tough to take.
It was a tricky two weeks mentally after the last
one last year, last year's last year's race.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
But yeah, this year is going to be.
Speaker 6 (06:34):
Well, it's going to be incredibly be tough again, arguably
tough for the last year that I think the competition
is only getting. I mean at the front has always
been tough, but it's the depth. You know, there's twenty three,
twenty three cars just in the hypercolor class. Still sixty
two to three cars on track at a time, but yeah,
that that depth and competition is massive. You know if
every single every single lineup, you know that every driver's
(06:58):
either been an F one, could have been an F one,
or they've made their their career through endurance. I mean,
there's no weak link. And that goes for the teams
and all the other manufacturers as well, and that's going
to get even tougher the next years as well. With
with Genesis Ford McLaren, I mean, yeah, I think it's
something that's never seen before which is going to make
(07:19):
it even more specially if we do get to stand
on that podium.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Sorry to bring that up, but you said it was
tough as a driver and a team. It's pretty tough
as a viewer too, after watching for all that time.
The depth. We spoke a few years ago and there
wasn't a lot of hyper car reaction. You were saying, yeah,
but in the next few years a number of manufacturers
are turning up. And you look at it now and
(07:43):
you've got Ferrari, Toyota, BMW, Cadillac, Porsche, Pugo, Aston, Martin Moore.
People are climbing on board. What's the excitement around hyper
cars around the Endurance Championship? Do you think?
Speaker 6 (07:58):
Did you have to read those off a list? Also,
just curious how big effect? Okay, good, all right, because.
Speaker 5 (08:02):
I was just thinking if I had to listen to all,
I'm going to miss one. You've done the job.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Yeah, thanks for calling me out. I've got to be prepared, Britain.
I can't just turn.
Speaker 6 (08:10):
I was just saying, how how much of a fan
you work? I know you do actually watch the races.
I do believe you, because what was the what was
the actual question.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Why the acceleration scuse the pun toward manufacturers in world endurances. Now,
why why's so big? It's getting bigger? What's the what's
the drive?
Speaker 6 (08:31):
It's a world championship cold On And I think the
other big draw is Lamon as a race. That the
history of the prestige. What that means for the manufacturers
as a brand. Most of the manufacturers have a history
in motorsport and specifically Lamare And yeah, I guess all
these manufacturers want to develop and show what they can
(08:54):
do in a competitive environment.
Speaker 5 (08:55):
I mean, effectively, we're we're car salesmen.
Speaker 6 (08:58):
I guess you could you could say that, you know,
we're we're selling cars, but you know, in a way
I know exactly what I can speak for Tweed. You know,
they want to develop new technologies in a competitive environment,
you know, to continue making ever better vehicles, and they
want to translate that into the road card.
Speaker 5 (09:15):
And that's always been like that.
Speaker 6 (09:18):
But yeah, I guess to answer your other part of
the question, they've changed your regulations a few years ago.
It's become more affordable, easier for manufacturers to come in
and produce a card that they can compete with. And
it's worked, and you know, you've seen a flurry of
new manufacturers and the competition that was highed. There's stacked
(09:39):
field with with drivers and teams and private teams as well.
You know, you've got private teams who are buying a
Porsche or a Cadillac, who are an incredibly high level
and can take over those those manufacturers cars.
Speaker 5 (09:50):
And yeah, it's awesome, mate. It's definitely a bit of
a gold mirror for for insurance racing and.
Speaker 6 (09:55):
Lucky to be with one of the one of the
most experienced teams.
Speaker 5 (09:59):
And now we've got to put that to goodness, you do.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
I was angling toward the money side of it, because
you know, high level motors sport does end up getting
ridiculously experienced expensive. So they've thrown some caps on it
and it's actually worked. It's still not cheap, but it's
still I mean, you mentioned you being a car salesman.
They've always said the old adage from sixty seventy eighty
years ago. You went on Sunday, you sell on Monday.
(10:24):
That's the way it rolls.
Speaker 6 (10:25):
Still you, I think there's a There is definitely a
bit of that and as well, Yeah, there is, I
think there is.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
That's simple. Let's go back to your drivers. You're talking
about the quality of the drivers around and if you
go and look through I'm reading again just so No,
I'm not going to but there are some there, a
whole lot of them. I was going to name check
a couple of them that that would reverberate people would
know who these guys are. Brendan Hartley, Sebastian Bumey, Mixed Schumacher,
(10:57):
is there, Kevin Magnuson, alex Lynn Bambur a key as well,
Sebastian bord Day, one of your teammates coming to Kobayashi,
Pescal Pescal Virlin. Sorry that they really do. There is
a high qualit natzis a lot for the quality of
the racing that you're attracting these kind of drivers.
Speaker 6 (11:18):
Yeah, I mean, and you've you've missed a few few
except one drivers as well, which which is not that
doesn't mean everything, you know, there's there's plenty of drivers
that deserve to get to F one and didn't, and
many of them have have ended up in.
Speaker 5 (11:31):
An endurance racing or just made their career there and
actually preferred it.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
Well, but you wanted me to say Jens and Button,
didn't you?
Speaker 5 (11:38):
That was the one I thought of. But there's.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Robert Kobitza is racing there as well.
Speaker 5 (11:44):
There you go, Robert, Robert Cuba. There there's another one.
Uh do you have a Nazi? There you go. Just
I've just I don't even have a listen in front
of you. Mate. No, look, I'm taking the mickey.
Speaker 6 (11:53):
But the level of driving, like I'm not I'm not
saying the best drivers in the world are here, but
the depth, I mean it has to be the most
top performing drivers in one place at one time.
Speaker 5 (12:05):
That has to be for this race. You know, it's impressive.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
From a driver's point of view. Brandon, how do things
change for you year and year out? I mean, you've
won it, you've been there. I don't know what year
this is now you know the track, but I'm presuming
that there's different energy when you approach this about how
are you going to put down on the track, what
your car is going to do? Does it keep ramping
up for you or is it a case of here
(12:30):
we go again?
Speaker 5 (12:32):
Yeah? Look, it does change a bit every year.
Speaker 6 (12:35):
I Mean the nice thing is we've got exactly the
same car from last year, so we know that car. Well,
I've been with the same teammates for free years now.
We know each other well. I guess some of it
comes down to the preparation, and we've had a really
strong first three races as a car crew, which is nice.
Speaker 5 (12:51):
So we come here with confidence.
Speaker 6 (12:52):
We're people in the championship, which I know it doesn't
sound great from our standards. You know, we won the
Manufacturer's Championship last year, we won Drivers was before, but
we've been on the back step in terms of performance
for the first three races of the year. We go
we went into the races knowing there was no chance
to win, and to finish on the podium was almost
out of the question, and we ended up with two
firsts and the fourth, which meant we executed, we delivered,
(13:15):
and we actually punched above our weight in terms of
those results. So we're coming in here with a lot
of confidence, which is nice, and I think other years
that it might it can be different. I would say,
I'm also evolving as a as a human. You know,
I'm a father.
Speaker 5 (13:28):
Now I'm getting old.
Speaker 6 (13:30):
You know, dynamics change how you approach things, they subtlely change,
and you try and learn from your mistakes. I think
that's that's the big point. You know, last year I
took it badly that we lost that race when we
were in a position for so long to win it,
and it crumbled at the end when it started to rain,
And you do a lot of reflection and try and
figure out what you can do differently, not just point
(13:51):
the finger and everything else. So yeah, you always try
and learn from those previous races as well. To say,
as a team in terms of personnel drivers, we're very
experienced and as now we've got to put it into action.
Speaker 5 (14:05):
But yeah, what are the.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Ferraris doing so well? Because they're one, two and three
in the drivers Championship, then you're sitting in fourth, so
it plaining me their car is working. What particularly about
this set up, this Ferrari in these drivers actually gives
them the upper hand here.
Speaker 6 (14:24):
I mean, that's a that's a difficult question to answer.
That they have had some updates from last year, so clearly.
Speaker 5 (14:28):
They're doing a good job. They've got a very quick car.
Speaker 6 (14:31):
We also have something of balance. We have something call
balanced performance in the championship, which is incredibly complicated to
explain and I'm not going to go there, but there
is an element of that as well.
Speaker 5 (14:42):
But I think it's going to be I think it's
going to be a closer race.
Speaker 6 (14:45):
I still believe that potentially the favorites that they've they've
they've come with a very good car. I feel like
we're closer and it feel good to put it on
P one on the test day, so that that was
already Yeah, that's added a bit of confident of confidence
for us going into this week.
Speaker 5 (15:01):
That being said that there's it's not just us and Ferrari.
Speaker 6 (15:04):
On the test day, I would this Actually I wouldn't
write anyone off. Everyone looked quick and that was the
same last year. You know, the Cadillac was on pole
until the last moments. Last year, Portia took poposition. We
were all on the fight until the closing moments of
the race. So I hope it's going to be well,
I'd be lying if I said it. I hope that
we walk away and lap That would be amazing, But
(15:25):
it's not going to be the case. And I'm pretty
confident it's going to be a fight until the end
and we're going to go for the win. We're not
going to leave anything on the table, and we're definitely
that is that is our goal. We're not expecting anything,
but we're definitely going to be fighting for that victory.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Really looking forward to this weekend as always, it's such
a delight. Just don't break my heart like you did
last time. Thank you bringing the hearty. Thank you very
much for your time. Stay safe mate, drive fast, get them.
Speaker 5 (15:52):
Yeah, cheers, We'll do our best. No need for the DMO.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
We've got the breakdown on Sports Talk Coola.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Britain Hartley. They're one of three drivers pieing around their
Twitter Gazoo HyperCard. Twenty four hour of a Limon gets
under way and six hours I think it is. You
can't see it on sky you've got to pay for it,
sore you go, but it's a great thing to have
running in the background and you just got to sit
down and watch it for half an ancid I want
(16:24):
another hour or just sit there like a vegetable watch
the whole thing. It's kind of possible. Great to catch
up with Brendan, such a great character and said such
huge success and people talking about being an ex Formula
one driver who cares. He's one of the best endurance
car races we've ever seen. Nice work and also Twitter
(16:45):
Racing series. He cut his teeth there as well, so
like a number of drivers in New Zealand have gone
on to great things. The Twitter Racing series now that
you Formula oce Now and Now series has done it
for him. Let's move across now to the rugby where
fourteen minutes in it to that rugby and currently the
(17:06):
Blues are up seven zip seven zip. And to make
things even worse for the Crusaders fans, braden enaw has
been done for a dangerous tackle on Hoskins Setutu big
head class standing up into the clash and he's off
(17:28):
waiting to see if it's going to be a red
card that will continue or just a yellow car for
the ten minutes. So we'll see. But let's listen to
the tray by the Blues.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
They work it back openside right now through to Polo two.
Good GameLine work there from the Blues in our Studu's
next around the corner back to the right, right in
front of the post five meters out.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Of the Blues. They shift it right.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
Sullivan got a score of the Carneraco and it's bark
to Layer who's got the first try of the nights
in the eleventh minute, Lovely hands out in front Sullivan
to Barrett and to layer by the Blues.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Five, Yeah, that got converted. Seven that nailed through fifteen
minutes waiting on what happens to Braiden En or they
both kind of stood up in the tackle. It was
quite the head clash. Thought jaws might have been broken,
but the blame has been laid on Braiden Naal as
the tackler. So they find out more later on the
piece coming up next. Here on Newstalk's airb Neil Barnes
(18:29):
joins us Taranaki balls NPC head coach, top bloke talk
about the NPC, what asked to tweet? What's changed? What's better?
Is it going to be better on TV? Do we
need it on Free to Wear TV? What do we need?
We know that Super Rugby has gone, but can the
NPC do the same thing? And he was coming up next.
(18:51):
You're on New Storks MB ticking back and you cast the.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Riffs call, you make a call on Sports Talk on
your home of sport US talks be.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Well, some kind of tom foolery, jiggery pokery going on
out there at the moment in the rugby I thought
that the Blues had a throwing right on their line. Well, sorry,
the Crusaders tryline, but then the reffs run around waving
(19:40):
his arms out of the place and blowing whistles and
what's going on doesn't look good. But long story short,
Fimmy Christy's got the ball and it looks like they're
going to go for a scrum right on the five
meter line. Twenty minutes in Blues leading Crusaders seven nail.
It's now talk more rugby, MPC Rugby. We're joined by
(20:02):
Neil Buns Tartanaki Balls, NPC head coach. Welcome to the.
Speaker 5 (20:07):
Show, Neal, Yeah, Darcy, how you doing, mat I'm doing well.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
You're getting prepped up and ready to run before the NPC.
How long have you got now?
Speaker 7 (20:16):
We come together about the fourteenth of July. This is
pretty much in a month that we had a shield
game against kin Country two days ago which ran really
really well. Good crowd in the stadium for its opening,
for the new stand and everything on what was a
pretty rough day weatherwise in our province. But wrapped that
four to five thousand people turned out to watch it.
Speaker 6 (20:35):
It's been a.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Fort How they the MPC can springboard off the success
of super rugby bit he told me and set up
to this. That's the other way around. Super Rugby's springboard
and off what NPC did last year.
Speaker 7 (20:49):
Yeah, I thought NBC was being challenged before that. There's
been a fair but going on behind the scenes with
impact and the direction of our game, but I was
wrapped with our NBC went last year. The competition was
titled The Way. I really did think that there was
a lot of teams playing a really good brand of
rugby that the public bod into and there appeared to
me to be a lot of interest in it all
the way through, so I was unhappy about how it went.
(21:12):
We can always be better, but yeah, it's carried on
too into the Super season.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
What were the keys to last season? What do you
think happened playing wise across the coaching staff and everything
to do with the National Provincial Championship? What lifted it?
Speaker 4 (21:26):
Neil?
Speaker 7 (21:27):
I can't put my finger on it totally, but there
are a lot of people playing with an attacking mindset,
so it was a good brand of footy. The public
seemed to get involved it and like you mentioned to me,
you know, there are a lot of smaller grounds being used,
so it's a bit more atmosphere, but it's the whole lot,
like just as a genuine interest in NPC because a
little bit tribal, the communities get with it. Yeah, and
(21:50):
Super is another level up and performance wise, but it's
a collection of all the provinces in one place, so
it's a bit harder for them to get that tribal stuff.
But they've got a way bigger.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Audience playing at smaller grounds, playing local rugby essentially local provinces.
How important do you think that is for the reach
and the effectiveness of the game?
Speaker 7 (22:12):
New Well, if you want an experience for the crowd,
it's obviously better to have a full ground, whether people
are actually closer to the ground. You know, we get
a lot of multipurpose grounds nowadays where the field is
miles away from the stands, the stands are half empty.
It's just not a good feel for the game. But
everyone's got to buy into an entertaining day, whether it
be the owners, the councils, the coaches of the teams
(22:35):
that play foot that people want to see and no
one gets too entertained by just box kick and jills
all day. So yeah, chance your arm at the end
of the day and play with a positive attitude and
people will enjoy it as well as the players.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
It's interesting that it's not confirmed yet. It looks like
the Sky deal with you said a rugby and we've
been waiting so long for this little come out of entries.
A good chance that TV in said are going to
be the free to air partner. How important is that
that there'll be access to games free aware of the NPC.
Is that a very important part of the structure of
the competition, do you think? And the relevance of it.
Speaker 7 (23:09):
Yeah, I've honestly got no skill sets in that area.
Like the only part that would worry me is that
people will sit at home and the comfort on night
games to watch on TV. But you want people to
be seeing the game at the end of the day.
So yeah, there's not something I'm strong on or know
too much about. That's the people above.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Myself, the strong nature of the camp with the attacking attitude,
the way people want to play, the smaller grounds. Is
there anything else you'd add to that? The way the
game is refereed seems to be good, The rule book
seems to be working out. Is there any other tweaks
you can see from your position?
Speaker 5 (23:45):
Now?
Speaker 7 (23:46):
Yeah, well I've got a comproment Chris Pollock, who runs
referees in this country, because they're communicated with us or
what we want and what they want and we're all
actually working together. And it's something you said on Rugby
you're doing a lot more effort to do now too,
is to find out what everyone wants and you can
actually see little steps in the right direction at the
moment rather than being dictated to But one hundred percent
(24:09):
of new ZUMM referees at a role to play and
trying to keep our game going. So it's a more
entertaining brand for everyone to watch and that's going to
be good. The same can't be said for the world
refereeing associations who just continually keep changing the rules all
the time in over referee situations.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
There's not a lot of doubt in that when you
look globally. But likeally, it has been good and isn't
it lovely? And we've seen this in Super Rugby too,
in the development of nz R of the last few
years that they're actually listening to the stakeholders. They're listening
to the players and the coaches and the fans and
the club's going, hey, what do you want? What do
you need and then applying it. This is how it
(24:46):
should work, right.
Speaker 7 (24:48):
Yeah, it's a shame we sort of have to get
through rock bottom before changes are made, but yeah, you
don't have to be a rock star to see that
this shift's being made. With David Kirk at the top,
he's a personally got a fair better respect for don't
even norm in person. But yeah, he's had involvement in
the game and a lot of levels, and even when
you got to the Silver Ape side of it, a
(25:09):
lot of the things that him and Rob Michel alluded
to before that was agreed to have actually happened. And
now he's sitting on our board and we're suddenly seeing
some ships and management positions up there. So yeah, he's
obviously got a plan with a new board about how
they want things to go. And I'm sitting back with
interest and waiting to see where it hads. But from
(25:31):
my position at the moment, I can see some good
things happening in the game, So let's hope that continues.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
Being media, you always like to attack the bad, so
I probably will try what needs to really be changed?
Is there any screaming problem here that you think just
get rid of that? Or maybe not.
Speaker 7 (25:48):
Well, yeah, that's a very open question. But I'm an
old person and I sit back, and when you start
getting bureacracies in place where people can't move and you've
lost control of your costs, and a lot of it
to me is at the top level, you've got to
ask what you're actually doing and making sure you're aligned
and got a purpose involved. So, yeah, there's some questions
(26:10):
being asked at the moment whether we are actually all
aligned to what we're trying to achieve here. And like
I said, there's some good moves on place at the
moment to find out what direction this game needs to
go in and the way it's run, and to get
control of our costs because as our leaders have pointed out,
there's nothing wrong with our income that's continually gone up,
but there's been massive increases in our costs across the board.
(26:32):
So that needs to be looked at.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
Does that happen at your level as well, an MPC level?
Speaker 7 (26:39):
Something does you're in dangerous ground now because we've had
the finger pointed at us an MPC is that we're
not economically viable or fit's a purpose and out of
impact comes to facts that actually MPC, the costs haven't
gone up bugger all than ten years, and when you
look across the rest of our game, they've gone up
by just about ten percent a year in that time.
(27:00):
So the thing's got pointed in the wrong direction. So
there's an awareness of that now. Like I say, the
group of people starting to come into the top level
that are going to ask some tough questions and that's
got to be good because we need that money spent
in the right here is to keep us strong for
good and you need to be heard.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
As we went back on before. You can talk all
you want, but if no one's listening, there's no point.
But now you feel that actually you are. People are
paying attention to the applight for one of a better
word of NPC.
Speaker 7 (27:29):
Yeah, well again, you know we all prove who reviews
and that. But the impact report came out and it's
alluded to a lot of things, and one of them
is that NPC is actually vital in the pathways. So
you talk about public interest, but the public should be
interested to see who the new talent is coming through
the systems. And the way I look at things, they've
just always pathways for the very very best players to
(27:52):
come through so you can accelerate that. You still need
to keep doors wide open for people that come through
school club and into MPC and then make their way
up into Super because they happen all the time. But yeah,
we've got this national elements in our game now that
only no professional rugby think the only way you can
progress is through an academy and be fast tracked when
(28:13):
you're eighteen to twenty years old. There's elements of truth
in it, but there's also a large number of people
that progress at a later stage.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
And when you see that, everybody stands in cheers. Guys
that have all girls, that have done the work and
they've gone through situations and they find themselves ready to
represent them ready to play their best football, and they're
not fifteen.
Speaker 7 (28:33):
Absolutely. It's like a list of the examples of people
that have been on the tills. So they're in their
early twenties and suddenly get a chance at NPC level
and light it up and find their way into super rugby,
and you'd like to think they're on the track for
a little more time. They might even make themselves into
an all that Jurney. There's great stories out there. Just
respect those different pathways. If everyone respects each other and
(28:57):
make sure we're all aligned to what we're trying to achieve.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
You hear it from the biggest names in sports, and
then have your sale sports store in your home of
Sports News Talk Zippy.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
It is seven thirty eight. Back to the Rugby Crusaders.
Now I have dragged one back again. It's after the
Blues scored twice, so it's fourteen seven Blues other Crusaders.
After twenty seven minutes, Joshua has been walked for ten
maybe longer. Dangerous head contact, so he's gone for a
(29:32):
bit of a stroll and just sitting there. That's our
blackhead has been replaced by Grace. Not quite sure what
it's about. It's hard when you're you haven't got a commentary.
You're just kind of staring at a screen and trying
to broadcast at the same time multitasking. Okay, but we'll
keep you up to date with as much as we can.
I'm sure Marcus Last will do the same thing when
he starts this program just after eight o'clock. This sevening
(29:55):
coming up next here on Sports Talk on News Talk
z B. Graham AGAs no, no, no, he's a golf correspondent.
He's a tennis correspond him. He's a major major watcher.
Given up. How many scene now across both tennis and
golf was loving this one Oakmont Country Club. It's a
(30:19):
challenge to say the least. How's Ryan Fox gone? How's
he looked? What about the rest?
Speaker 8 (30:25):
Some history?
Speaker 2 (30:25):
I hope as well from Graham because it's a remarkable
golf course. This is news talk, as zed B Graham
a gas up next here on sports talk. You know,
I wanna be nowhere but here with you.
Speaker 7 (30:49):
One in this.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
Speech, Sims away from age sports talk ere on News
Talk z B managed to collect Barrett and a scone,
so Barrett's had to exit stage left for an h
I as off the at the moment, not sure if
(31:11):
we should do it is going to get ten or
the full gamut, but I think looking at the low
end of the scale with that class, you should be
okay to get back on the park again. Fourteen to
seven blues over the Crusaders. Right, let's go to the
more genteel exercise of golf now, Graham Agars joins us
(31:33):
talking about fun and games, if you can call it.
At the Oakmont Country puppy joins us. Now, welcome to
the show, Graham.
Speaker 8 (31:41):
Aren't you doing well?
Speaker 2 (31:43):
I'm doing very well, enjoying the golf when I can
stay awake for it. What a place, Oakmont. You've been
there on numerous occasions. You know what it brings up.
All the talk about the thick rough, maybe not enough
about the devastating greens. But your packers will work together.
This is a monster, isn't it, Graham.
Speaker 3 (32:03):
Yeah?
Speaker 8 (32:03):
This is recognized even the members as the hardest golf
course in America. And it was designed back in nineteen
oh three to be just that, to be the most
difficult golf course in America. And it's lived up to
that reputation through all the decades. And here we are,
you know, in twenty twenty five, and it's still regarded
(32:26):
as the hardest golf course. I'll tell you a funny
little story on the side. Many course designers over the
years have made changes along the way, obviously to adapt
it to the changing nature of golf as it progresses
and gets longer and all that sort of stuff. And
most recently one of the great golf course designers the world,
Girl Hearts, was given the contract to completely renovate the
(32:51):
golf course, but he had to do it in one
year and not interrupt member play, which many had to
do it in the middle of winter when it gets
really cold up north. And he did it. And that
the one thing that he was instructed to do by
the members. When you have finished your work, we want
to make sure that it's even harder than it was before.
(33:13):
And he has delivered. In States, what has.
Speaker 2 (33:16):
He done predominantly because I know, I don't know, maybe
twenty thirty years ago they are cut down like hundreds
and hundreds of trees to make it more like a
Lynx track. So what is the latest edition being to
make it even more or more teeth bearing.
Speaker 8 (33:32):
Yeah, when it was first build, it's an unusual course.
There's a turnpike that runs right through the middle of it,
and it's sort of in a valley, and you play
the left slope where the clubhouse is, you go over
the turnpike and then play the upper slope on the
other side. That in itself makes it very unusual. But
it was farming country and industrial country. There were factories
(33:53):
around the place, so everything was flattened and it was,
as it started out, pretty much a Lynx Course, even
though it's nowhere near the ocean. Then over the years
they started planting trees to the point where there was
so many trees that every hole was an individual event.
You couldn't see any part of the other course. And
the shadows from the trees were making it difficult for
(34:15):
the grass to grow because it couldn't get enough sunlight.
So the committee decided they were going to get rid
of the trees, and they did it in the dark
of night when the members couldn't see it. And after
that finished, they'd taken down fifteen thousand trees. And the
only ones, and the only ones you see now are
(34:36):
around the perimeter of the property. But you can stand
at the top of the course on let's say, on
the left slope, looking down to the turnpike, and you
can see every hole now, namely a golf course. Anywhere
in the world where you can do that. It's quite extraordinary.
(34:57):
And its defenses are one thick thick thick rough. And
deal with that rough. It's been cut to five and
a half inches exactly by the moas that the usga use.
And after the moers go through it, the fluffers go round.
Guys with rakes, fluffing the grass up so it faces
(35:21):
straight up. It doesn't fall down because if it did
that balls could sit on top of the roof and
you might be able to get a shot at them.
So when the fluffers are finished and a ball goes
into the raf, it just disappears straight down five and
a half inches, and it reduces you to just basically
hacking it out. There are no special shops. You've just
got to be lucky to get it out, and that's
(35:44):
the main penalty on the course. And the other one
is the greens, which are the most bizarrely shaped greens
in the world, some of them leaning into you, some
of them leaning left, some leaning right to left, and
some leaning even away from you, which is almost unheard
of in a golf construction around the world. Frequently run
at about fifteen on the stent meter. Think that a
(36:08):
normal PGA two event runs about twelve, and amateur golfers
play on courses where the greens running about nine or ten.
These guys are playing at fifteen or more, and the
current amateur champion at the golf club said that when
he won, the greens were running at eighteen point one,
which means it's almost impossible to keep a square golf
(36:30):
ball on the green, let alone a round.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
I love the history lesson, I've learned so much, but
I want to know what's going on with Ryan Fox.
I know the JJ spawn has had a boguloss round,
which is fantastic. But where's Ryan sitting right now? You
see like thirty third I think it is is he
still with the shot? Because of the nature of this track,
it can tain on a dime. I suppose.
Speaker 8 (36:52):
Yeah. JJ's a winner on the tour, and he lost
to the Players Championship the fifth major earlier in the
edit to Rory mcwroys, so it's not a surprise to
see him doing well. But the old thing is you
can't win the Open on day one, but you certainly
lose it. So you know, there's so much golf left
to go. But just because he's on top of the
(37:13):
leaderboard now it doesn't really mean anything. Ryan Fox what
a character. He got into the PGA Championship by winning
his first US Tour event the Sunday before the Championship,
turned up, turned up at the PGA, virtually had no
time for a practice round and did pretty well. He
(37:33):
did the same thing as time he won the Canadian
Open on Sunday to get in as the last guy
into the US Open, turns up again. No time to practice.
He was saying earlier in the week that he only
played two nine whole practice rounds on two days before
the tournament and really didn't get much out of him
because he was exhausted and his brain was just marsh,
(37:56):
he said after winning in Canada and that dramatic four
hole playoff. But he steered it around the place in
two other past seventy two, which is pretty good if
you look at the course, at the big players who
were on the course of day Oberg the Swedish player,
one of the favorites seventy two to two over part
(38:16):
Sanders Schoffle, who won two majors last year, seventy two
to two over par Scotty Scheffler, the overwhelming favorite coming
into the tournament. Three other part seventy three defending champion
Bryson the Chambo three out of seventy three. So that
puts Ryan Fox's seventy two into perspective. He's done really
(38:37):
really well. Two thirty two bogies and just one double
bogie late on the fourteenth hole knocking out of finish
at even par so he's going to be there or thereabouts.
The good news is he's a long hitter in this course.
Certainly it doesn't hurt being able to pound it out
there a long way, and he's an excellent putter, and
(39:00):
he's got well, he's just got a good attitude for golf.
He's pretty relaxed with the way he goes about it.
It doesn't make it too much of a big deal
when he's playing, and you know the rewards are coming
in stage as it breaks through on the US Tour.
Speaker 1 (39:15):
The right call is your call on eight hundred and
eighty ten eighty Sports Talk Call on your home of
Sports News Talks EDB. For more from sports Talk, listen
live to News Talks EDB from seven pm weekdays, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Waldegrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Good evening, Welcome into Friday night, June thirteen, twenty twenty five.
It's a Friday. I'm a Darcy with through Tel eight
o'clock tonight. As we do a number of things. I talk,
you talk, you text, I read texts, I stare at
television and update you in the scores as the Saders
(00:47):
host the Menace from the North, the Blues unbeaten in
thirty playoff matches at home. But results of the past
have zero bearing on results of the future. Should be
tweet the super King Golds Border God at iHeartRadio. Can
(01:09):
ever listen to that? And you can carry on listening
to me and my guests and everybody else, And I
love date. You're right the way through. It's seven after seven.
Tonight's program consists of Grahame a guards that are on
the piece. He's a golf correspondent, a dear friend of
us here at News Talk ZB. He talks the opening
round from Oakmont Country Club. What sounds so lovely, doesn't
(01:30):
the old country glob It's just an absolute savage. We're
also catch up with Neil Barnes Studanhucky Balls, NPC head coach,
at the future of the MPC television riots, whether they
can compete with with eyeballs, What needs to change, what
the structures we know? Neil, he is very good at
calling out spades for exactly what they are. Be great
(01:52):
to talk to him, because we're not that far away,
are we from n PC. And we're going to kick
things off of Brendan Hartley, Toda Kazoo, a race car driver,
the FIA World and Durance the WEC Championship that's on
World Insurance Championships right. The WEC is on the twenty
four hour of Lemar and he'll join us shortly to
(02:15):
voi chen Wag about the funning games in the most
ridiculous race. There is a motor sport before we do
any of that. Let's do a lot of this sport
today and in sports today. Finn Ellen, it's two words.
Vanellen unleashed his inner Barbarian in the opening game of
(02:39):
the United States of America's TEA twenty comp Major League Cricket.
He's scored the quickest one hundred and fifty in T twenties,
and he scored the most six's nineteen. He's put a
couple of Keywis to the sword as well, like Ravendra
Phillips and see us all on the opposition, they felt
the wrath of the thin sky sport were there.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
It's a record for number sixers nineteen and it takes him.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Time one hundred and fifty. Blase prop Angus Taraval is
talking a good game, challenge and the Crusaders with our
the strongest up front. The bunfight is getting underway about now.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
We're trying to get back to our DNA and that's
through our set piece and our forwards play. And we
felt like we put ourselves in the right places when
we were down there last time, we just missed out.
And I think our through our set piece, we've got
some good turn of baller at lineout and our scrum
held up pretty well.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
JJ spawn Hans taking the lead after around one of
the US opened. The Major is being contested at Oakmont
Country Club, which sounds free proper, but the track plays
like a thug. JJ shot a bogie three four under
sixty six. Bro, Well, that's well jerged, so he's going
to tap that in.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
He's going to have twenty six puts in the opening round,
which on these greens was quite You can't.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
That's a wow and it is a while. The World
Test Championship final hairs deteriorated into a T twenty Test match,
if there's such a thing. Twenty eight wickets have been
snared in two days. It's like none of the players
actually care. Along Gingide picked up three f in Australia's
second innings. He describes skipper timber Bavooma's expectations.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
He was asking me to do certain things and I
just said, you know, let me just get into my spoll.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
Please, let me just get some rhythm going.
Speaker 4 (04:33):
And then you know, once I felted was clicking, then
I just kept running with it.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
And that's sport today, eh Tim Past seven race cars.
Brendan Hartley joins us the Twitter Kazoo race car driver
looking your head to the twenty four hour of Lemon. Brendan, Welcome.
I'm presuming everything's looking good and the car is in
good neck right.
Speaker 6 (04:57):
Look, the car hasn't changed from last year, so we've
we've had no updated at all. A few of the
other teams have small, small updates, so we know this
car there's been you know, a bit of development on
how we set the car up, how we use some
of the tools. You know, after three or four years
in the same car, you refine things. So there's been
some small improvements, but you've got to assume the others
(05:20):
have been improving too, and arguably more than us, considering that,
you know, a lot of the teams, I'm not going
to call them unexperienced, but they have less experience with
their car than us. But yeah, we feel good. I
wouldn't say we're the favorites. I do believe Ferrari have
have the best package and performance, but we are very,
(05:44):
very motivated to try and stand on that top step.
They beat us the last two years, which still hurts.
You know, we were so close on our car to
win that bloody race the last two years. So yeah,
the motivation is very high. Is it always is in
lamh Yep, we're going to go for it from memory.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Last time out it was a Ferrari that finished it
for you, wasn't it.
Speaker 5 (06:05):
Ah, Yeah, that is true. But as I said, yeah,
the last the last two years that they do her.
Speaker 6 (06:10):
You know, there's so much work and emphasis goes into
this race from everyone. I mean, we respect our competitors too,
and yeah, but for to slip away towards the end,
which which happened the last two years, was tough to take.
It was a tricky two weeks mentally after the last
one last year, last year's last year's race.
Speaker 5 (06:30):
But yeah, this year is going to be.
Speaker 6 (06:34):
Well, it's going to be incredibly be tough again, arguably
tough for the last year that I think the competition
is only getting. I mean at the front has always
been tough, but it's the depth. You know, there's twenty three,
twenty three cars just in the hypercolor class. Still sixty
two to three cars on track at a time, but yeah,
that that depth and competition is massive. You know if
every single every single lineup, you know that every driver's
(06:58):
either been an F one, could have been an F one,
or they've made their their career through endurance. I mean,
there's no weak link. And that goes for the teams
and all the other manufacturers as well, and that's going
to get even tougher the next years as well. With
with Genesis Ford McLaren, I mean, yeah, I think it's
something that's never seen before which is going to make
(07:19):
it even more specially if we do get to stand
on that podium.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Sorry to bring that up, but you said it was
tough as a driver and a team. It's pretty tough
as a viewer too, after watching for all that time.
The depth. We spoke a few years ago and there
wasn't a lot of hyper car reaction. You were saying, yeah,
but in the next few years a number of manufacturers
are turning up. And you look at it now and
(07:43):
you've got Ferrari, Toyota, BMW, Cadillac, Porsche, Pugo, Aston, Martin Moore.
People are climbing on board. What's the excitement around hyper
cars around the Endurance Championship? Do you think?
Speaker 6 (07:58):
Did you have to read those off a list? Also,
just curious how big effect? Okay, good, all right, because.
Speaker 5 (08:02):
I was just thinking if I had to listen to all,
I'm going to miss one. You've done the job.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
Yeah, thanks for calling me out. I've got to be prepared, Britain.
I can't just turn.
Speaker 6 (08:10):
I was just saying, how how much of a fan
you work? I know you do actually watch the races.
I do believe you, because what was the what was
the actual question.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
Why the acceleration scuse the pun toward manufacturers in world endurances. Now,
why why's so big? It's getting bigger? What's the what's
the drive?
Speaker 6 (08:31):
It's a world championship cold On And I think the
other big draw is Lamon as a race. That the
history of the prestige. What that means for the manufacturers
as a brand. Most of the manufacturers have a history
in motorsport and specifically Lamare And yeah, I guess all
these manufacturers want to develop and show what they can
(08:54):
do in a competitive environment.
Speaker 5 (08:55):
I mean, effectively, we're we're car salesmen.
Speaker 6 (08:58):
I guess you could you could say that, you know,
we're we're selling cars, but you know, in a way
I know exactly what I can speak for Tweed. You know,
they want to develop new technologies in a competitive environment,
you know, to continue making ever better vehicles, and they
want to translate that into the road card.
Speaker 5 (09:15):
And that's always been like that.
Speaker 6 (09:18):
But yeah, I guess to answer your other part of
the question, they've changed your regulations a few years ago.
It's become more affordable, easier for manufacturers to come in
and produce a card that they can compete with. And
it's worked, and you know, you've seen a flurry of
new manufacturers and the competition that was highed. There's stacked
(09:39):
field with with drivers and teams and private teams as well.
You know, you've got private teams who are buying a
Porsche or a Cadillac, who are an incredibly high level
and can take over those those manufacturers cars.
Speaker 5 (09:50):
And yeah, it's awesome, mate. It's definitely a bit of
a gold mirror for for insurance racing and.
Speaker 6 (09:55):
Lucky to be with one of the one of the
most experienced teams.
Speaker 5 (09:59):
And now we've got to put that to goodness, you do.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
I was angling toward the money side of it, because
you know, high level motors sport does end up getting
ridiculously experienced expensive. So they've thrown some caps on it
and it's actually worked. It's still not cheap, but it's
still I mean, you mentioned you being a car salesman.
They've always said the old adage from sixty seventy eighty
years ago. You went on Sunday, you sell on Monday.
(10:24):
That's the way it rolls.
Speaker 6 (10:25):
Still you, I think there's a There is definitely a
bit of that and as well, Yeah, there is, I
think there is.
Speaker 2 (10:32):
That's simple. Let's go back to your drivers. You're talking
about the quality of the drivers around and if you
go and look through I'm reading again just so No,
I'm not going to but there are some there, a
whole lot of them. I was going to name check
a couple of them that that would reverberate people would
know who these guys are. Brendan Hartley, Sebastian Bumey, Mixed Schumacher,
(10:57):
is there, Kevin Magnuson, alex Lynn Bambur a key as well,
Sebastian bord Day, one of your teammates coming to Kobayashi,
Pescal Pescal Virlin. Sorry that they really do. There is
a high qualit natzis a lot for the quality of
the racing that you're attracting these kind of drivers.
Speaker 6 (11:18):
Yeah, I mean, and you've you've missed a few few
except one drivers as well, which which is not that
doesn't mean everything, you know, there's there's plenty of drivers
that deserve to get to F one and didn't, and
many of them have have ended up in.
Speaker 5 (11:31):
An endurance racing or just made their career there and
actually preferred it.
Speaker 2 (11:34):
Well, but you wanted me to say Jens and Button,
didn't you?
Speaker 5 (11:38):
That was the one I thought of. But there's.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
Robert Kobitza is racing there as well.
Speaker 5 (11:44):
There you go, Robert, Robert Cuba. There there's another one.
Uh do you have a Nazi? There you go. Just
I've just I don't even have a listen in front
of you. Mate. No, look, I'm taking the mickey.
Speaker 6 (11:53):
But the level of driving, like I'm not I'm not
saying the best drivers in the world are here, but
the depth, I mean it has to be the most
top performing drivers in one place at one time.
Speaker 5 (12:05):
That has to be for this race. You know, it's impressive.
Speaker 2 (12:09):
From a driver's point of view. Brandon, how do things
change for you year and year out? I mean, you've
won it, you've been there. I don't know what year
this is now you know the track, but I'm presuming
that there's different energy when you approach this about how
are you going to put down on the track, what
your car is going to do? Does it keep ramping
up for you or is it a case of here
(12:30):
we go again?
Speaker 5 (12:32):
Yeah? Look, it does change a bit every year.
Speaker 6 (12:35):
I Mean the nice thing is we've got exactly the
same car from last year, so we know that car. Well,
I've been with the same teammates for free years now.
We know each other well. I guess some of it
comes down to the preparation, and we've had a really
strong first three races as a car crew, which is nice.
Speaker 5 (12:51):
So we come here with confidence.
Speaker 6 (12:52):
We're people in the championship, which I know it doesn't
sound great from our standards. You know, we won the
Manufacturer's Championship last year, we won Drivers was before, but
we've been on the back step in terms of performance
for the first three races of the year. We go
we went into the races knowing there was no chance
to win, and to finish on the podium was almost
out of the question, and we ended up with two
firsts and the fourth, which meant we executed, we delivered,
(13:15):
and we actually punched above our weight in terms of
those results. So we're coming in here with a lot
of confidence, which is nice, and I think other years
that it might it can be different. I would say,
I'm also evolving as a as a human. You know,
I'm a father.
Speaker 5 (13:28):
Now I'm getting old.
Speaker 6 (13:30):
You know, dynamics change how you approach things, they subtlely change,
and you try and learn from your mistakes. I think
that's that's the big point. You know, last year I
took it badly that we lost that race when we
were in a position for so long to win it,
and it crumbled at the end when it started to rain,
And you do a lot of reflection and try and
figure out what you can do differently, not just point
(13:51):
the finger and everything else. So yeah, you always try
and learn from those previous races as well. To say,
as a team in terms of personnel drivers, we're very
experienced and as now we've got to put it into action.
Speaker 5 (14:05):
But yeah, what are the.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Ferraris doing so well? Because they're one, two and three
in the drivers Championship, then you're sitting in fourth, so
it plaining me their car is working. What particularly about
this set up, this Ferrari in these drivers actually gives
them the upper hand here.
Speaker 6 (14:24):
I mean, that's a that's a difficult question to answer.
That they have had some updates from last year, so clearly.
Speaker 5 (14:28):
They're doing a good job. They've got a very quick car.
Speaker 6 (14:31):
We also have something of balance. We have something call
balanced performance in the championship, which is incredibly complicated to
explain and I'm not going to go there, but there
is an element of that as well.
Speaker 5 (14:42):
But I think it's going to be I think it's
going to be a closer race.
Speaker 6 (14:45):
I still believe that potentially the favorites that they've they've
they've come with a very good car. I feel like
we're closer and it feel good to put it on
P one on the test day, so that that was
already Yeah, that's added a bit of confident of confidence
for us going into this week.
Speaker 5 (15:01):
That being said that there's it's not just us and Ferrari.
Speaker 6 (15:04):
On the test day, I would this Actually I wouldn't
write anyone off. Everyone looked quick and that was the
same last year. You know, the Cadillac was on pole
until the last moments. Last year, Portia took poposition. We
were all on the fight until the closing moments of
the race. So I hope it's going to be well,
I'd be lying if I said it. I hope that
we walk away and lap That would be amazing, But
(15:25):
it's not going to be the case. And I'm pretty
confident it's going to be a fight until the end
and we're going to go for the win. We're not
going to leave anything on the table, and we're definitely
that is that is our goal. We're not expecting anything,
but we're definitely going to be fighting for that victory.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
Really looking forward to this weekend as always, it's such
a delight. Just don't break my heart like you did
last time. Thank you bringing the hearty. Thank you very
much for your time. Stay safe mate, drive fast, get them.
Speaker 5 (15:52):
Yeah, cheers, We'll do our best. No need for the DMO.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
We've got the breakdown on Sports Talk Coola.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
Britain Hartley. They're one of three drivers pieing around their
Twitter Gazoo HyperCard. Twenty four hour of a Limon gets
under way and six hours I think it is. You
can't see it on sky you've got to pay for it,
sore you go, but it's a great thing to have
running in the background and you just got to sit
down and watch it for half an ancid I want
(16:24):
another hour or just sit there like a vegetable watch
the whole thing. It's kind of possible. Great to catch
up with Brendan, such a great character and said such
huge success and people talking about being an ex Formula
one driver who cares. He's one of the best endurance
car races we've ever seen. Nice work and also Twitter
(16:45):
Racing series. He cut his teeth there as well, so
like a number of drivers in New Zealand have gone
on to great things. The Twitter Racing series now that
you Formula oce Now and Now series has done it
for him. Let's move across now to the rugby where
fourteen minutes in it to that rugby and currently the
(17:06):
Blues are up seven zip seven zip. And to make
things even worse for the Crusaders fans, braden enaw has
been done for a dangerous tackle on Hoskins Setutu big
head class standing up into the clash and he's off
(17:28):
waiting to see if it's going to be a red
card that will continue or just a yellow car for
the ten minutes. So we'll see. But let's listen to
the tray by the Blues.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
They work it back openside right now through to Polo two.
Good GameLine work there from the Blues in our Studu's
next around the corner back to the right, right in
front of the post five meters out.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Of the Blues. They shift it right.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
Sullivan got a score of the Carneraco and it's bark
to Layer who's got the first try of the nights
in the eleventh minute, Lovely hands out in front Sullivan
to Barrett and to layer by the Blues.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
Five, Yeah, that got converted. Seven that nailed through fifteen
minutes waiting on what happens to Braiden En or they
both kind of stood up in the tackle. It was
quite the head clash. Thought jaws might have been broken,
but the blame has been laid on Braiden Naal as
the tackler. So they find out more later on the
piece coming up next. Here on Newstalk's airb Neil Barnes
(18:29):
joins us Taranaki balls NPC head coach, top bloke talk
about the NPC, what asked to tweet? What's changed? What's better?
Is it going to be better on TV? Do we
need it on Free to Wear TV? What do we need?
We know that Super Rugby has gone, but can the
NPC do the same thing? And he was coming up next.
(18:51):
You're on New Storks MB ticking back and you cast the.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Riffs call, you make a call on Sports Talk on
your home of sport US talks be.
Speaker 2 (19:16):
Well, some kind of tom foolery, jiggery pokery going on
out there at the moment in the rugby I thought
that the Blues had a throwing right on their line. Well, sorry,
the Crusaders tryline, but then the reffs run around waving
(19:40):
his arms out of the place and blowing whistles and
what's going on doesn't look good. But long story short,
Fimmy Christy's got the ball and it looks like they're
going to go for a scrum right on the five
meter line. Twenty minutes in Blues leading Crusaders seven nail.
It's now talk more rugby, MPC Rugby. We're joined by
(20:02):
Neil Buns Tartanaki Balls, NPC head coach. Welcome to the.
Speaker 5 (20:07):
Show, Neal, Yeah, Darcy, how you doing, mat I'm doing well.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
You're getting prepped up and ready to run before the NPC.
How long have you got now?
Speaker 7 (20:16):
We come together about the fourteenth of July. This is
pretty much in a month that we had a shield
game against kin Country two days ago which ran really
really well. Good crowd in the stadium for its opening,
for the new stand and everything on what was a
pretty rough day weatherwise in our province. But wrapped that
four to five thousand people turned out to watch it.
Speaker 6 (20:35):
It's been a.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Fort How they the MPC can springboard off the success
of super rugby bit he told me and set up
to this. That's the other way around. Super Rugby's springboard
and off what NPC did last year.
Speaker 7 (20:49):
Yeah, I thought NBC was being challenged before that. There's
been a fair but going on behind the scenes with
impact and the direction of our game, but I was
wrapped with our NBC went last year. The competition was
titled The Way. I really did think that there was
a lot of teams playing a really good brand of
rugby that the public bod into and there appeared to
me to be a lot of interest in it all
the way through, so I was unhappy about how it went.
(21:12):
We can always be better, but yeah, it's carried on
too into the Super season.
Speaker 2 (21:16):
What were the keys to last season? What do you
think happened playing wise across the coaching staff and everything
to do with the National Provincial Championship? What lifted it?
Speaker 4 (21:26):
Neil?
Speaker 7 (21:27):
I can't put my finger on it totally, but there
are a lot of people playing with an attacking mindset,
so it was a good brand of footy. The public
seemed to get involved it and like you mentioned to me,
you know, there are a lot of smaller grounds being used,
so it's a bit more atmosphere, but it's the whole lot,
like just as a genuine interest in NPC because a
little bit tribal, the communities get with it. Yeah, and
(21:50):
Super is another level up and performance wise, but it's
a collection of all the provinces in one place, so
it's a bit harder for them to get that tribal stuff.
But they've got a way bigger.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
Audience playing at smaller grounds, playing local rugby essentially local provinces.
How important do you think that is for the reach
and the effectiveness of the game?
Speaker 7 (22:12):
New Well, if you want an experience for the crowd,
it's obviously better to have a full ground, whether people
are actually closer to the ground. You know, we get
a lot of multipurpose grounds nowadays where the field is
miles away from the stands, the stands are half empty.
It's just not a good feel for the game. But
everyone's got to buy into an entertaining day, whether it
be the owners, the councils, the coaches of the teams
(22:35):
that play foot that people want to see and no
one gets too entertained by just box kick and jills
all day. So yeah, chance your arm at the end
of the day and play with a positive attitude and
people will enjoy it as well as the players.
Speaker 2 (22:48):
It's interesting that it's not confirmed yet. It looks like
the Sky deal with you said a rugby and we've
been waiting so long for this little come out of entries.
A good chance that TV in said are going to
be the free to air partner. How important is that
that there'll be access to games free aware of the NPC.
Is that a very important part of the structure of
the competition, do you think? And the relevance of it.
Speaker 7 (23:09):
Yeah, I've honestly got no skill sets in that area.
Like the only part that would worry me is that
people will sit at home and the comfort on night
games to watch on TV. But you want people to
be seeing the game at the end of the day.
So yeah, there's not something I'm strong on or know
too much about. That's the people above.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Myself, the strong nature of the camp with the attacking attitude,
the way people want to play, the smaller grounds. Is
there anything else you'd add to that? The way the
game is refereed seems to be good, The rule book
seems to be working out. Is there any other tweaks
you can see from your position?
Speaker 5 (23:45):
Now?
Speaker 7 (23:46):
Yeah, well I've got a comproment Chris Pollock, who runs
referees in this country, because they're communicated with us or
what we want and what they want and we're all
actually working together. And it's something you said on Rugby
you're doing a lot more effort to do now too,
is to find out what everyone wants and you can
actually see little steps in the right direction at the
moment rather than being dictated to But one hundred percent
(24:09):
of new ZUMM referees at a role to play and
trying to keep our game going. So it's a more
entertaining brand for everyone to watch and that's going to
be good. The same can't be said for the world
refereeing associations who just continually keep changing the rules all
the time in over referee situations.
Speaker 2 (24:25):
There's not a lot of doubt in that when you
look globally. But likeally, it has been good and isn't
it lovely? And we've seen this in Super Rugby too,
in the development of nz R of the last few
years that they're actually listening to the stakeholders. They're listening
to the players and the coaches and the fans and
the club's going, hey, what do you want? What do
you need and then applying it. This is how it
(24:46):
should work, right.
Speaker 7 (24:48):
Yeah, it's a shame we sort of have to get
through rock bottom before changes are made, but yeah, you
don't have to be a rock star to see that
this shift's being made. With David Kirk at the top,
he's a personally got a fair better respect for don't
even norm in person. But yeah, he's had involvement in
the game and a lot of levels, and even when
you got to the Silver Ape side of it, a
(25:09):
lot of the things that him and Rob Michel alluded
to before that was agreed to have actually happened. And
now he's sitting on our board and we're suddenly seeing
some ships and management positions up there. So yeah, he's
obviously got a plan with a new board about how
they want things to go. And I'm sitting back with
interest and waiting to see where it hads. But from
(25:31):
my position at the moment, I can see some good
things happening in the game, So let's hope that continues.
Speaker 2 (25:36):
Being media, you always like to attack the bad, so
I probably will try what needs to really be changed?
Is there any screaming problem here that you think just
get rid of that? Or maybe not.
Speaker 7 (25:48):
Well, yeah, that's a very open question. But I'm an
old person and I sit back, and when you start
getting bureacracies in place where people can't move and you've
lost control of your costs, and a lot of it
to me is at the top level, you've got to
ask what you're actually doing and making sure you're aligned
and got a purpose involved. So, yeah, there's some questions
(26:10):
being asked at the moment whether we are actually all
aligned to what we're trying to achieve here. And like
I said, there's some good moves on place at the
moment to find out what direction this game needs to
go in and the way it's run, and to get
control of our costs because as our leaders have pointed out,
there's nothing wrong with our income that's continually gone up,
but there's been massive increases in our costs across the board.
(26:32):
So that needs to be looked at.
Speaker 2 (26:34):
Does that happen at your level as well, an MPC level?
Speaker 7 (26:39):
Something does you're in dangerous ground now because we've had
the finger pointed at us an MPC is that we're
not economically viable or fit's a purpose and out of
impact comes to facts that actually MPC, the costs haven't
gone up bugger all than ten years, and when you
look across the rest of our game, they've gone up
by just about ten percent a year in that time.
(27:00):
So the thing's got pointed in the wrong direction. So
there's an awareness of that now. Like I say, the
group of people starting to come into the top level
that are going to ask some tough questions and that's
got to be good because we need that money spent
in the right here is to keep us strong for
good and you need to be heard.
Speaker 2 (27:17):
As we went back on before. You can talk all
you want, but if no one's listening, there's no point.
But now you feel that actually you are. People are
paying attention to the applight for one of a better
word of NPC.
Speaker 7 (27:29):
Yeah, well again, you know we all prove who reviews
and that. But the impact report came out and it's
alluded to a lot of things, and one of them
is that NPC is actually vital in the pathways. So
you talk about public interest, but the public should be
interested to see who the new talent is coming through
the systems. And the way I look at things, they've
just always pathways for the very very best players to
(27:52):
come through so you can accelerate that. You still need
to keep doors wide open for people that come through
school club and into MPC and then make their way
up into Super because they happen all the time. But yeah,
we've got this national elements in our game now that
only no professional rugby think the only way you can
progress is through an academy and be fast tracked when
(28:13):
you're eighteen to twenty years old. There's elements of truth
in it, but there's also a large number of people
that progress at a later stage.
Speaker 2 (28:21):
And when you see that, everybody stands in cheers. Guys
that have all girls, that have done the work and
they've gone through situations and they find themselves ready to
represent them ready to play their best football, and they're
not fifteen.
Speaker 7 (28:33):
Absolutely. It's like a list of the examples of people
that have been on the tills. So they're in their
early twenties and suddenly get a chance at NPC level
and light it up and find their way into super rugby,
and you'd like to think they're on the track for
a little more time. They might even make themselves into
an all that Jurney. There's great stories out there. Just
respect those different pathways. If everyone respects each other and
(28:57):
make sure we're all aligned to what we're trying to achieve.
Speaker 1 (28:59):
You hear it from the biggest names in sports, and
then have your sale sports store in your home of
Sports News Talk Zippy.
Speaker 2 (29:09):
It is seven thirty eight. Back to the Rugby Crusaders.
Now I have dragged one back again. It's after the
Blues scored twice, so it's fourteen seven Blues other Crusaders.
After twenty seven minutes, Joshua has been walked for ten
maybe longer. Dangerous head contact, so he's gone for a
(29:32):
bit of a stroll and just sitting there. That's our
blackhead has been replaced by Grace. Not quite sure what
it's about. It's hard when you're you haven't got a commentary.
You're just kind of staring at a screen and trying
to broadcast at the same time multitasking. Okay, but we'll
keep you up to date with as much as we can.
I'm sure Marcus Last will do the same thing when
he starts this program just after eight o'clock. This sevening
(29:55):
coming up next here on Sports Talk on News Talk
z B. Graham AGAs no, no, no, he's a golf correspondent.
He's a tennis correspond him. He's a major major watcher.
Given up. How many scene now across both tennis and
golf was loving this one Oakmont Country Club. It's a
(30:19):
challenge to say the least. How's Ryan Fox gone? How's
he looked? What about the rest?
Speaker 8 (30:25):
Some history?
Speaker 2 (30:25):
I hope as well from Graham because it's a remarkable
golf course. This is news talk, as zed B Graham
a gas up next here on sports talk. You know,
I wanna be nowhere but here with you.
Speaker 7 (30:49):
One in this.
Speaker 2 (30:49):
Speech, Sims away from age sports talk ere on News
Talk z B managed to collect Barrett and a scone,
so Barrett's had to exit stage left for an h
I as off the at the moment, not sure if
(31:11):
we should do it is going to get ten or
the full gamut, but I think looking at the low
end of the scale with that class, you should be
okay to get back on the park again. Fourteen to
seven blues over the Crusaders. Right, let's go to the
more genteel exercise of golf now, Graham Agars joins us
(31:33):
talking about fun and games, if you can call it.
At the Oakmont Country puppy joins us. Now, welcome to
the show, Graham.
Speaker 8 (31:41):
Aren't you doing well?
Speaker 2 (31:43):
I'm doing very well, enjoying the golf when I can
stay awake for it. What a place, Oakmont. You've been
there on numerous occasions. You know what it brings up.
All the talk about the thick rough, maybe not enough
about the devastating greens. But your packers will work together.
This is a monster, isn't it, Graham.
Speaker 3 (32:03):
Yeah?
Speaker 8 (32:03):
This is recognized even the members as the hardest golf
course in America. And it was designed back in nineteen
oh three to be just that, to be the most
difficult golf course in America. And it's lived up to
that reputation through all the decades. And here we are,
you know, in twenty twenty five, and it's still regarded
(32:26):
as the hardest golf course. I'll tell you a funny
little story on the side. Many course designers over the
years have made changes along the way, obviously to adapt
it to the changing nature of golf as it progresses
and gets longer and all that sort of stuff. And
most recently one of the great golf course designers the world,
Girl Hearts, was given the contract to completely renovate the
(32:51):
golf course, but he had to do it in one
year and not interrupt member play, which many had to
do it in the middle of winter when it gets
really cold up north. And he did it. And that
the one thing that he was instructed to do by
the members. When you have finished your work, we want
to make sure that it's even harder than it was before.
(33:13):
And he has delivered. In States, what has.
Speaker 2 (33:16):
He done predominantly because I know, I don't know, maybe
twenty thirty years ago they are cut down like hundreds
and hundreds of trees to make it more like a
Lynx track. So what is the latest edition being to
make it even more or more teeth bearing.
Speaker 8 (33:32):
Yeah, when it was first build, it's an unusual course.
There's a turnpike that runs right through the middle of it,
and it's sort of in a valley, and you play
the left slope where the clubhouse is, you go over
the turnpike and then play the upper slope on the
other side. That in itself makes it very unusual. But
it was farming country and industrial country. There were factories
(33:53):
around the place, so everything was flattened and it was,
as it started out, pretty much a Lynx Course, even
though it's nowhere near the ocean. Then over the years
they started planting trees to the point where there was
so many trees that every hole was an individual event.
You couldn't see any part of the other course. And
the shadows from the trees were making it difficult for
(34:15):
the grass to grow because it couldn't get enough sunlight.
So the committee decided they were going to get rid
of the trees, and they did it in the dark
of night when the members couldn't see it. And after
that finished, they'd taken down fifteen thousand trees. And the
only ones, and the only ones you see now are
(34:36):
around the perimeter of the property. But you can stand
at the top of the course on let's say, on
the left slope, looking down to the turnpike, and you
can see every hole now, namely a golf course. Anywhere
in the world where you can do that. It's quite extraordinary.
(34:57):
And its defenses are one thick thick thick rough. And
deal with that rough. It's been cut to five and
a half inches exactly by the moas that the usga use.
And after the moers go through it, the fluffers go round.
Guys with rakes, fluffing the grass up so it faces
(35:21):
straight up. It doesn't fall down because if it did
that balls could sit on top of the roof and
you might be able to get a shot at them.
So when the fluffers are finished and a ball goes
into the raf, it just disappears straight down five and
a half inches, and it reduces you to just basically
hacking it out. There are no special shops. You've just
got to be lucky to get it out, and that's
(35:44):
the main penalty on the course. And the other one
is the greens, which are the most bizarrely shaped greens
in the world, some of them leaning into you, some
of them leaning left, some leaning right to left, and
some leaning even away from you, which is almost unheard
of in a golf construction around the world. Frequently run
at about fifteen on the stent meter. Think that a
(36:08):
normal PGA two event runs about twelve, and amateur golfers
play on courses where the greens running about nine or ten.
These guys are playing at fifteen or more, and the
current amateur champion at the golf club said that when
he won, the greens were running at eighteen point one,
which means it's almost impossible to keep a square golf
(36:30):
ball on the green, let alone a round.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
I love the history lesson, I've learned so much, but
I want to know what's going on with Ryan Fox.
I know the JJ spawn has had a boguloss round,
which is fantastic. But where's Ryan sitting right now? You
see like thirty third I think it is is he
still with the shot? Because of the nature of this track,
it can tain on a dime. I suppose.
Speaker 8 (36:52):
Yeah. JJ's a winner on the tour, and he lost
to the Players Championship the fifth major earlier in the
edit to Rory mcwroys, so it's not a surprise to
see him doing well. But the old thing is you
can't win the Open on day one, but you certainly
lose it. So you know, there's so much golf left
to go. But just because he's on top of the
(37:13):
leaderboard now it doesn't really mean anything. Ryan Fox what
a character. He got into the PGA Championship by winning
his first US Tour event the Sunday before the Championship,
turned up, turned up at the PGA, virtually had no
time for a practice round and did pretty well. He
(37:33):
did the same thing as time he won the Canadian
Open on Sunday to get in as the last guy
into the US Open, turns up again. No time to practice.
He was saying earlier in the week that he only
played two nine whole practice rounds on two days before
the tournament and really didn't get much out of him
because he was exhausted and his brain was just marsh,
(37:56):
he said after winning in Canada and that dramatic four
hole playoff. But he steered it around the place in
two other past seventy two, which is pretty good if
you look at the course, at the big players who
were on the course of day Oberg the Swedish player,
one of the favorites seventy two to two over part
(38:16):
Sanders Schoffle, who won two majors last year, seventy two
to two over par Scotty Scheffler, the overwhelming favorite coming
into the tournament. Three other part seventy three defending champion
Bryson the Chambo three out of seventy three. So that
puts Ryan Fox's seventy two into perspective. He's done really
(38:37):
really well. Two thirty two bogies and just one double
bogie late on the fourteenth hole knocking out of finish
at even par so he's going to be there or thereabouts.
The good news is he's a long hitter in this course.
Certainly it doesn't hurt being able to pound it out
there a long way, and he's an excellent putter, and
(39:00):
he's got well, he's just got a good attitude for golf.
He's pretty relaxed with the way he goes about it.
It doesn't make it too much of a big deal
when he's playing, and you know the rewards are coming
in stage as it breaks through on the US Tour.
Speaker 1 (39:15):
The right call is your call on eight hundred and
eighty ten eighty Sports Talk Call on your home of
Sports News Talks EDB. For more from sports Talk, listen
live to News Talks EDB from seven pm weekdays, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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