Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the sports Talk podcast with Dancy Wildergrave
from News Talk ZEDB theas Talks eb Well.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
For many of us, it is like Christmas Eve in
the sports world, the night before the first All Blacks
team of the year is released for Sathaday's Tests against
France and Christes. Not only the first Test of the year,
but the first test under a new coach and Dave
Rennie and new selectors Neil Barnes and Sir Graham Henry.
(00:34):
There are several big decisions for that trio to make.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
In joining me now to pour over them.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
As former All Black John Prieston appreciate you picking up
the phone, JP. Let's start with a position on the
field you know a fair bit about other than half back,
and that of course is first five. Once more, we
have three options, two veterans of the international scene in
Boden Barrett and Damien McKenzie, and a young up and
comer and Reuben Love, who as we know, has had
(01:03):
a tremendous Super Rugby season. All the clamoring is for
Ruben Love to be given the keys on Saturday. What
say you do you want to see him there? And
do you think the selectors will put faith in them.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
Yeah I do that.
Speaker 5 (01:16):
Yeah, yeah, you have to really, don't you. I mean
he's been the form teen. I know he's been planning
in an outstanding side and your job's a lot easier
when that happens, particularly when you've got the class the
head inside and outside. But he's to developing ten. We're
not flush with him at the moment. We've got two
other guys. You'd have to say, Burden Barrett hasn't been
in his best form. McKenzie bit of a mixture as well,
(01:38):
and whether he's actually you know you're starting Test ten.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
I'm reserved on anyway. So for me, give give Love
the crack.
Speaker 5 (01:46):
You know, you've got to keep developing the guy outside
of Mwanga coming back. We don't have a long list
at the moment. We need to see how he can
go and test match footy. It's not the strongest French side.
Speaker 4 (01:58):
You know that they will face. It's in New Zealand
as well, so I hope they're give him the run.
Speaker 3 (02:03):
Well so do I.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
So you don't have to preach to the You do
the converted here, John, But what's impressed your most about
the way in which Ruben Love has gone about is
Super Rugby season because of course he has been part
of the All Blacks set up in the last couple
of years. He's played five Test matches, a couple off
the bench, a couple starting at full back, but he
raally came of age in.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
The first five position.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Of course, there was some flashy moments and bits of
individual brilliance. But what did you like about his overall
game that gives you the confidence that, yep, he deserves
his crack at the ten jersey in an All Blacks environment.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
I mean, I've said it often enough. I think that
it's Tom said all. Particularly in the position like ten,
experience counts for a lot.
Speaker 4 (02:45):
We know, as you see, he's.
Speaker 5 (02:46):
Got tons of fleair. We saw that in the final,
we saw that in multiple games. He's a dangerous runner
when he gets his opportunity.
Speaker 4 (02:52):
But what I liked about what he did mostly is
because of the strength that.
Speaker 5 (02:56):
The Harrycullion said all around him. He really just he
became a bit of a link to some degree, which
was which was the role for that thing? It was
it was ideal. You know, he's a sharp end, sharp mover.
He can kick when he's called upon. I mean, he's
lucky with the head, Roy Gadd inside him with left foot,
and then you know Jordi Barrett with a big right
(03:16):
foot as well, so they take a lot of the.
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Pressure off for the hurricane.
Speaker 5 (03:19):
So I assume they'll pick those guys inside and outside
him for the test as well when he plays, so
he'll be in the same situation. And that's combinations too,
which are critical, particularly when you just you know, when
you're new to the scene, bedding in again or knew where.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
I should say.
Speaker 5 (03:34):
But I think he's just he's just growing and composure's
growing in game understanding, and.
Speaker 4 (03:38):
He just fulfilled the role he needed to for that side.
Speaker 5 (03:42):
He's going to have to take another step quite clearly
when you get to test level, and that's you know,
that's a little unknown until he gets run under the
absolute heat of that situation.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
But there's only one way to find out.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
John Preston with us here.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
So let's say Ruben Love does get the night at ten,
how do you utilize Damien McKenzie and all Bowden Barrett.
And again this is assuming Will Jordan is fot he's
been declared foot and assume he'll start at fullback.
Speaker 5 (04:08):
Yeah, well, yeah, if he is fit in available, I
hope they do start him because he's probably the best
fullback in the world when he's playing at his best,
and we assume he.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
Is one hundred percent now, so probably yeah. I mean,
Boden Barrett hasn't been a great form and you know
that it's a different environment.
Speaker 5 (04:23):
You'd have to say that about a few of the
Blues players as the season went on too, But I
just wonder whether they might give them a breather if
they play Ruben Love at ten and perhaps have McKenzie
off the bench who can can cover those two positions
nicely as well. So that's possibly the way they'll go
about it. Freshness there as well, but yeah, it remains
(04:43):
to be seeing.
Speaker 3 (04:44):
We will find out tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
A couple of other areas, John, where it's far from
an obvious choice staying in the back line the center position. Now,
you talked about familiarity in combinations with nine, ten, twelve,
roy Gard Love, Boarrett. Where does Billy Proctor fit And
for you, QUINTUPI, of course we did so seem play
a fear bit of center last year, but has played
(05:05):
primarily twelve for the Chiefs.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Which way do you reckon they'll go here.
Speaker 5 (05:10):
It's a bit of a conundrumus because both you know,
Jordi Barrett, I mean, he was playing extremely well for
the Hurricanes as well, and two piles on.
Speaker 4 (05:18):
Fire for the Chiefs. They're both with a great form.
Speaker 5 (05:21):
I suspect they may play two Pirates center. You know,
he's got that game international level, powerful, very direct, extremely
good defender as well, and as you said, he said
he has played there a bit too. So look, I'm
a fan of Billy Proctor.
Speaker 4 (05:36):
Again, another guy. He had a really good season.
Speaker 5 (05:39):
But I just wonder on the international stage is what's
required that they might not just go for two pire
for that reason, he's worked well and that position with
his first test is absolutely our stand center and that yeah,
for me, that is possibly the way they'll move.
Speaker 2 (05:58):
What about the wingers then, John Preston, because of course,
if New Zealand Rugby and the All Blacks go after
fair for the young and off or like they have
and I know at this point in time he sounds
like you still go to Newcastle Pats towards the end
of the year. But if they're still picking him knowing
he's going overseas, do you get the sense that they
play him if you're going to go to all that effort,
(06:20):
and where does that leave others in the in the
mix like Caleb Clark, Leroy Carter another uncapped player and
Josh Morby, Who's who's your starting wingers?
Speaker 5 (06:31):
Yeah, well, again, as you say, the fact that they're
going hard after him quite clearly they're given that signal.
They need to make it the aldiment signal and start them,
play them and see what he can do again. He's
you know, he's been a sensation for the Hurricanes, and
he's given the things that you want from a winger,
which is that ability to finish time and time and
time again and produce things that perhaps some other wingers can't.
(06:54):
We've got to find out about these guys sooner rather
than later. There's no point in me, my mind, chasing
the guy and trying to get him out of his
contract and keeping using on if you're not going to
give him a crack. So I would hope that they
would start him on the left wing, of course, because
that's where's pretty much played through our arts and when
you guys are playing you know first Test, well hadn't
played a lot of Test footy. I think it's critical
(07:15):
that you play them in the most comfortable position as well.
Speaker 4 (07:17):
It's a lot of.
Speaker 5 (07:18):
Easier transition, so that leaves you know that that puts
pressure on Caleb Clark, I suppose, who's more a left
winger as well, quite clearly, so maybe they'll rest him
for this one and then right wing.
Speaker 4 (07:29):
She's going to headed up the hurricane bloody background a
lot of people.
Speaker 5 (07:32):
But look, I'd love to see we'll be played because
again I'm a great thing.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
He just does everything right. He's got a broad skill set.
Speaker 5 (07:39):
He's big, big your man as well, which they haven't
don you are international level and god he's been one
of the form players too, so he's a possibility. But
if they really want to mix in a bit more experience,
maybe they a lot for Leroy Carter, you know, who's
a right winger too, So it's a wee bit of
position all thing. I don't know how how daring they're
(08:00):
going to get where they're going to reduce, you know,
introduce that many players first up in this first Test
of the year. But I'll be exciting backline if they did.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
It will be indeed just one more on the Fords
and we could go over every single position here.
Speaker 3 (08:14):
I am conscious of time John Preston.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
The loose Ford makeup is always a talking point, and
of course Artie Savia is bolted on as the captain.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
But I'm curious to what they do at six.
Speaker 2 (08:27):
And eight and how much they weigh in the dynamic
and the balance there. Of course, with your pedil archives,
your Wallace Stitis, some bigger bodies like a you know,
uncap player like Anton Segna or Simon Parker. What do
you think in regards to the composition of the loose
Ford trio.
Speaker 5 (08:46):
Yeah, for all those reasons you talk about, I'm just
wondering whether they might go Severe seven, park of six
and la Wait eight. You know, like I has been
been outstanding for the Hurricanes again and Gose.
Speaker 4 (08:57):
We saw how much of Netli. He wasn't that final,
but he's got an.
Speaker 5 (08:59):
All around game. He's got the work great too. Severe
Severe He's going to play. If that's the plan. You
just got to find which position. And you know, he's
world class whether he's seven or eight. And then for me,
you get that, you know, the bigger body, the worker,
the grinder Parker type player who sort of rounds out
that trio for me, and then that enables you of
(09:22):
titis fit. You can have him from the bench where
we've seen him before, and he you know, he brings
that different dynamic if you need to introduce that, or
they would if he was off the.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
Bench at some stage.
Speaker 5 (09:32):
And then perhaps you know Signor and Jacob some quite
similar in many respects. The thing I like about Signa
is we've got years. Some limitations may be at Locke.
I understand that they might not be available. Not too
sure about that was concussion. So you know with a Signer,
he's been outstanding line out time, being one of the
(09:52):
blues best lineout players as well as his all aroundability.
It mostly sacks, but we saw him play at seven
as well, so he'd be another top contender off the
bench and he give you a different dynamic.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
Just lastly, John Preston overall feelings, how are you feelings
as a former All Black and a fan about not
only the prospects of Saturday nights but the international season
ahead and the start of a new era under Dave Rennie.
Speaker 5 (10:19):
Well, it's exciting, isn't it, Because there's no doubt we're
going to see some change. We're going to see some
of these players introduced, whether it's a lot of them
on Saturday or mixed over the.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
Next few weeks.
Speaker 5 (10:28):
In the change to the approach of the game, you know,
get a whole new coaching group. Obviously philosophy is going
to be slightly different. They know they need to make
some change and improvements in areas, so that's just exciting
in itself.
Speaker 4 (10:40):
Really.
Speaker 5 (10:40):
I think it's you know the French of the French
that I thought they leave in the top fourteen finalist
guys are going straight to Australia, aren't they. So it's
not the temp top French side. It could be, but
are often a headful, regardulous and they play a great
style of rugby, so it'll be a good tears you
know where we've never been quick status international season. Maybe
(11:00):
with a different coaching group that might give them a
web of impetus. But they've got things to sort out,
you know, they got combinations to sort maybe some new
players and with a new coaching group. Sometimes we've been
settling in too, so yeah, it'll be testing for them, but.
Speaker 4 (11:16):
It's just for me.
Speaker 5 (11:17):
Probably the most exciting thing is just seeing a little
bit of change and how they go about it.
Speaker 3 (11:20):
I'm excited too.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
Hey, John Preston, really appreciate your time, your thoughts, your analysis,
Enjoy the test on Saturday, and as I say, really
appreciate your time here.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
On News Talks, he'd be that stuff.
Speaker 4 (11:31):
We'll do things Nick.
Speaker 1 (11:32):
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