June 12, 2025 • 9 mins
Sportstalk host and native Cantabrian D'Arcy Waldegrave is absolutely fizzing for the Crusaders' home semifinal against the Blues.
He's so excited that interviewing just one Crusader ahead of the game wasn't enough, he had to do two at once.
So assistant coach Matt Todd and openside flanker Tom Christie spoke to D'Arcy on the show.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Duncy Wildergrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
It's a very warm welcome to the program to a
couple of men from the Crusaders. We welcome in assistant
coach mister Matt Todd and some I'm Christy joins us
as well. Get a men house tricks.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
How are you shaping good? Good?
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Good to be here? How are you know?
Speaker 2 (00:31):
I'm I'm all right. I'm really looking forward to Friday night.
It's an understatement to say you would be as well,
because these are the clashes, aren't they? Up against the Blues.
These must tighten you up quite a lot.
Speaker 4 (00:43):
Yeah, I think history kind of shit there and Stone
and then we just go out there and lover. The
Blues are playing some good rugby at the moment, so
we'll just go out there and give them a lesson.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Hopefully it's the idea. They've peaked right at the right time,
haven't they. They've got their timing and I suppose they
haven't done it too late, but it's been right on
the edge. So they've got some wonderful energy there.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Matt, he exactly their time. They're un nicely. I guess
you could say, and certainly they went on the weekend
very good win so and you know they're proven winners.
They got the job done last year, so we know
the challenge is going to be this weekend and we're
excited about This is the top of year you want
to be playing and to be playing at home this
time of a time of year is exciting.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
How much from a coaching perspective have you laid on
these guys after what's been achieved in the last couple
of weeks? Man? Where where do you need to push?
Where do you need to lift?
Speaker 3 (01:34):
It's a balance of Tom the year. You know you're
not getting any fitter, really stronger this time of year.
It's just making sure everyone's clear on what they need
to do on the weekend. They're fresh and I guess
the fuel tanks are full for Friday night. So it's
a balance balancing act. But you know, I've had finished
a good session here in cold conditions, but I've had
(01:54):
a good week so far and happy with whe we're
at of the team.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Do you look back Tom at the enviable record of
the Crusaders when it comes to big matches like semi finals.
Do you carry that into games like this.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
I mean, it's a nice stet to have, but at
the end of the day, history doesn't actually mean anything.
You got to start at no lol, and the best
team will go out there and one. So obviously history
is nice to have on your side. It's nice to
look at, but at the end of the day, it's
not going to give you anything on the field or
no sort of advantage. You've got to go out there
and earn it every time you play and finals foot
(02:28):
that's what it's all about.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
What did you pick up man out of last week's game?
Was there anything alarming, anything of concern that you need
to tweak And of course conversely, what made you smile?
Speaker 3 (02:40):
No, there was plenty of good stuff. I think the
way that we controlled it for large parts I think,
you know, it just showed when we went a man
down the difference it makes to those small margins at
playoff time. That's the discipline side of It's important. But
we did a lot of the basics well. We kecked well,
set peace, perform well, put them under pressure, and that's
what you need, you know, cold wet nights, those are
(03:01):
sort of the areas you need a nail. And then
when we had opportunities to take once we took them,
and we all know this time of year, you know,
the margins are smaller, so when you get opportunities, you've
got to take them. And we executed pretty well on
the weekend. Same again this week.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Tom the pack that was a well oiled machine. And
I think when you've got a monster like fletching Nele,
I mean, what can't the guy do? He is a
monstrous player.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
Yeah, he's he's a base or even walking around the
facility in the gym, he's a big boy, he moves well,
he's athletic, and then the key mindset is he just
loves a scrub, so he loves putting his head and
those dark places and going forward and that we love
about a title prop.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
What's the chat been like Tom around the shed since
that victory? What have you guys been focused on or
do you just ignore what's going on and talking about
golf be or something else.
Speaker 4 (03:52):
Yeah, there's definitely a lot of chet around golfer and
a good crew always gets out on the day off.
But I think finals fody, there's only four teams lists,
so there's an element of just enjoying every day and
not taking that for granted, because we've got to go
go out and another week and another day, just keep
earning it. So yeah, there's a lot of fun. We
have a lot of fun behind the scenes. But there's
(04:14):
a lot of hard work, a lot of rugby conversations,
and a lot of details that goes onto it.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Who's got the game? Who can actually wield a club
with great success? That don't say Will Jordan, I don't
want to hear that the guy's too talented.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
Wow. Well, we've actually got an orange hat that goes
to our kind of tour leader on the golf course
every week. And to be fear Will Jordan has played
some terrible, terrible goals this year and he won't mind
me saying that, but he did front head the most stable.
But who's currently the holder?
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Wow?
Speaker 2 (04:46):
So he turns it on when it really mattered. That's
a means Matt, as a former open side yourself and
you can talk to this as well.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Tom.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
How much time do you spend in Christy's ear telling
him what he's doing right and what he's doing it
wrong and then retelling tales from back in your healthyon days.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Now, I think you always want to see him it
is best your help out in any way can. But
Tom's played a lot of big match Foody and a
lot of Foddy this time, so he knows what's required
this time in the year. And that's what's great about
the squad. There's plenty of big match experienced guys, so
they know what's important and what they need to get
right through the weekend. As coaches, it's just about in
the best environment to set them up for the weekend.
(05:26):
So Tom doesn't want to hear any of my old story.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
There's it's good to sound out ideas and ask for
little feedback. I mean, I'm pretty confident these days and
know what my game where my game sits bess, but
the ability to ask someone like Poddy little gyms or
little pieces of ad bus just on the flyers really
good for my game as well.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Playing at home, possibly for the last time at the
Orange theory lean to kind of bittersweet because hopefully the
weather is horrible for the Blues when they come down,
But kind of weird if it is goodbye to that
place been your home since the earthquakes, that.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Yeah, it has been a home and well it's probably
a ground most team take coming to It's probably not
a great ground to watch foot him, but it is
special to us. That's a lot of fond memories there
and a lot of you know, special memories there for
us as a team. So it will be a sad,
I guess goodbye, but also exciting because of what we're
moving into next season if we when we'll get a
(06:26):
home final, and.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
That would be a hell of a way to see
off the place, wouldn't it to go like that for
the crowd to say goodbye? Do you think maybe the
fans might like butcher the place and they leave and
take seats and everything else with them.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
I think it will help with the demolition of it
a couple of seats, so they'll probably be encouraged.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
There's just maybe a bit more urgent to finish that
new build in town and then we can get in
there for around one Oh.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
My lord, how is that building? As a former christ
Jets resident myself, every time I go down, it's it's
like something out of war in the World's the way
it's looming up. That is one dominant stadium, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Yeah, it's going to be. It's going to be great
for the city. It stands out and it's impressive, and
you know, and it won't just be for Body, It'll
be all sorts of things that brings to the city.
So it'll certainly add plenty. And by all accounts that
you know, it's on track ahead of schedule, which is
very rarely stays to builds that size. So certainly something
we're looking forward to in the future. But you know,
at the moment, we're worried about a game this weekend.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
It took long enough to build on him, come on,
it should be coming in before time after it started.
Hey who he not not freaked out about, but who
within the Blues team requires maybe a little more attention
than the other guys because as you said, they're playing
really well at the moment. So is there a focus
(07:47):
point at all, Matt.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
They've obviously got a lot of quality players, you know,
well led by Paddy. He's a great leader for them
and a you know, probably an inspiration for them, and
Body at ten, you know, very influential figure in the game.
But if you've put too much attention on one or
two people, you know, and they've got any quality plaers
as they do, someone else will hurt you. So we
understand their strength and you know what we need to
(08:13):
take care of and certain individuals are part of that,
but you know, across the board we need to be
on and be fed to a job.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Tom Rob Penny, how's he at the moment? He'd been
trying to calm the fun but after last season, he'd
be dancing jigs, wouldn't he.
Speaker 4 (08:27):
No, he's a real level headed leader of us, and
he does that really really well. I think Toddy can
probably touch on it more. But the way he drives
the coaching groups each bring the best out of them,
but then oversees our whole program, gets around the players,
kind of lifts has all those little conversations around the group,
and he does that really really well.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Yeah, I hang it. You know, obviously he's experienced coaching,
has seen a fifty winters and a fear few different
seasons and that so has been in the ups and
downs and coaching for a long time now. So like
Tom said, he keeps it nice and level headed. You know,
does can get too high on the winds or too
low on the losses, and keeps him in perspective. And
he's been great this year, and you know he's excited
(09:11):
for this weekend, as we all are.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
It's the weather going to turn pear shaped. Tell me please, No, it's.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
Pretty cold today and it doesn't look like that we're
going to see any more sun today, so I'm not
sure it. Certainly it won't be tropical. I think it's
only seen sun for that for three minutes since it
that winter last week, So it's been cold. And you know,
by seven o five Friday night, even if the sun
does make an appearance during the day, it'll be it'll
be cold and you know where it's running and I'm
not sure, but it'll certainly feel wintry and you know,
(09:40):
be a cold that night.
Speaker 4 (09:41):
The good news is for us sevens, if it's raining
snowing window, it doesn't really change our game all that much,
So it's more for the nine's, tens and backs to
sort out and look after.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
For more from sports talk, listen lived to News Talks
there'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Duncy Wildergrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
It's a very warm welcome to the program to a
couple of men from the Crusaders. We welcome in assistant
coach mister Matt Todd and some I'm Christy joins us
as well. Get a men house tricks.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
How are you shaping good? Good?
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Good to be here? How are you know?
Speaker 2 (00:31):
I'm I'm all right. I'm really looking forward to Friday night.
It's an understatement to say you would be as well,
because these are the clashes, aren't they? Up against the Blues.
These must tighten you up quite a lot.
Speaker 4 (00:43):
Yeah, I think history kind of shit there and Stone
and then we just go out there and lover. The
Blues are playing some good rugby at the moment, so
we'll just go out there and give them a lesson.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Hopefully it's the idea. They've peaked right at the right time,
haven't they. They've got their timing and I suppose they
haven't done it too late, but it's been right on
the edge. So they've got some wonderful energy there.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Matt, he exactly their time. They're un nicely. I guess
you could say, and certainly they went on the weekend
very good win so and you know they're proven winners.
They got the job done last year, so we know
the challenge is going to be this weekend and we're
excited about This is the top of year you want
to be playing and to be playing at home this
time of a time of year is exciting.
Speaker 2 (01:24):
How much from a coaching perspective have you laid on
these guys after what's been achieved in the last couple
of weeks? Man? Where where do you need to push?
Where do you need to lift?
Speaker 3 (01:34):
It's a balance of Tom the year. You know you're
not getting any fitter, really stronger this time of year.
It's just making sure everyone's clear on what they need
to do on the weekend. They're fresh and I guess
the fuel tanks are full for Friday night. So it's
a balance balancing act. But you know, I've had finished
a good session here in cold conditions, but I've had
(01:54):
a good week so far and happy with whe we're
at of the team.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
Do you look back Tom at the enviable record of
the Crusaders when it comes to big matches like semi finals.
Do you carry that into games like this.
Speaker 4 (02:08):
I mean, it's a nice stet to have, but at
the end of the day, history doesn't actually mean anything.
You got to start at no lol, and the best
team will go out there and one. So obviously history
is nice to have on your side. It's nice to
look at, but at the end of the day, it's
not going to give you anything on the field or
no sort of advantage. You've got to go out there
and earn it every time you play and finals foot
(02:28):
that's what it's all about.
Speaker 2 (02:29):
What did you pick up man out of last week's game?
Was there anything alarming, anything of concern that you need
to tweak And of course conversely, what made you smile?
Speaker 3 (02:40):
No, there was plenty of good stuff. I think the
way that we controlled it for large parts I think,
you know, it just showed when we went a man
down the difference it makes to those small margins at
playoff time. That's the discipline side of It's important. But
we did a lot of the basics well. We kecked well,
set peace, perform well, put them under pressure, and that's
what you need, you know, cold wet nights, those are
(03:01):
sort of the areas you need a nail. And then
when we had opportunities to take once we took them,
and we all know this time of year, you know,
the margins are smaller, so when you get opportunities, you've
got to take them. And we executed pretty well on
the weekend. Same again this week.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Tom the pack that was a well oiled machine. And
I think when you've got a monster like fletching Nele,
I mean, what can't the guy do? He is a
monstrous player.
Speaker 4 (03:25):
Yeah, he's he's a base or even walking around the
facility in the gym, he's a big boy, he moves well,
he's athletic, and then the key mindset is he just
loves a scrub, so he loves putting his head and
those dark places and going forward and that we love
about a title prop.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
What's the chat been like Tom around the shed since
that victory? What have you guys been focused on or
do you just ignore what's going on and talking about
golf be or something else.
Speaker 4 (03:52):
Yeah, there's definitely a lot of chet around golfer and
a good crew always gets out on the day off.
But I think finals fody, there's only four teams lists,
so there's an element of just enjoying every day and
not taking that for granted, because we've got to go
go out and another week and another day, just keep
earning it. So yeah, there's a lot of fun. We
have a lot of fun behind the scenes. But there's
(04:14):
a lot of hard work, a lot of rugby conversations,
and a lot of details that goes onto it.
Speaker 2 (04:20):
Who's got the game? Who can actually wield a club
with great success? That don't say Will Jordan, I don't
want to hear that the guy's too talented.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
Wow. Well, we've actually got an orange hat that goes
to our kind of tour leader on the golf course
every week. And to be fear Will Jordan has played
some terrible, terrible goals this year and he won't mind
me saying that, but he did front head the most stable.
But who's currently the holder?
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Wow?
Speaker 2 (04:46):
So he turns it on when it really mattered. That's
a means Matt, as a former open side yourself and
you can talk to this as well.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Tom.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
How much time do you spend in Christy's ear telling
him what he's doing right and what he's doing it
wrong and then retelling tales from back in your healthyon days.
Speaker 3 (05:04):
Now, I think you always want to see him it
is best your help out in any way can. But
Tom's played a lot of big match Foody and a
lot of Foddy this time, so he knows what's required
this time in the year. And that's what's great about
the squad. There's plenty of big match experienced guys, so
they know what's important and what they need to get
right through the weekend. As coaches, it's just about in
the best environment to set them up for the weekend.
(05:26):
So Tom doesn't want to hear any of my old story.
Speaker 4 (05:28):
There's it's good to sound out ideas and ask for
little feedback. I mean, I'm pretty confident these days and
know what my game where my game sits bess, but
the ability to ask someone like Poddy little gyms or
little pieces of ad bus just on the flyers really
good for my game as well.
Speaker 2 (05:48):
Playing at home, possibly for the last time at the
Orange theory lean to kind of bittersweet because hopefully the
weather is horrible for the Blues when they come down,
But kind of weird if it is goodbye to that
place been your home since the earthquakes, that.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Yeah, it has been a home and well it's probably
a ground most team take coming to It's probably not
a great ground to watch foot him, but it is
special to us. That's a lot of fond memories there
and a lot of you know, special memories there for
us as a team. So it will be a sad,
I guess goodbye, but also exciting because of what we're
moving into next season if we when we'll get a
(06:26):
home final, and.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
That would be a hell of a way to see
off the place, wouldn't it to go like that for
the crowd to say goodbye? Do you think maybe the
fans might like butcher the place and they leave and
take seats and everything else with them.
Speaker 3 (06:41):
I think it will help with the demolition of it
a couple of seats, so they'll probably be encouraged.
Speaker 4 (06:46):
There's just maybe a bit more urgent to finish that
new build in town and then we can get in
there for around one Oh.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
My lord, how is that building? As a former christ
Jets resident myself, every time I go down, it's it's
like something out of war in the World's the way
it's looming up. That is one dominant stadium, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (07:04):
Yeah, it's going to be. It's going to be great
for the city. It stands out and it's impressive, and
you know, and it won't just be for Body, It'll
be all sorts of things that brings to the city.
So it'll certainly add plenty. And by all accounts that
you know, it's on track ahead of schedule, which is
very rarely stays to builds that size. So certainly something
we're looking forward to in the future. But you know,
at the moment, we're worried about a game this weekend.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
It took long enough to build on him, come on,
it should be coming in before time after it started.
Hey who he not not freaked out about, but who
within the Blues team requires maybe a little more attention
than the other guys because as you said, they're playing
really well at the moment. So is there a focus
(07:47):
point at all, Matt.
Speaker 3 (07:50):
They've obviously got a lot of quality players, you know,
well led by Paddy. He's a great leader for them
and a you know, probably an inspiration for them, and
Body at ten, you know, very influential figure in the game.
But if you've put too much attention on one or
two people, you know, and they've got any quality plaers
as they do, someone else will hurt you. So we
understand their strength and you know what we need to
(08:13):
take care of and certain individuals are part of that,
but you know, across the board we need to be
on and be fed to a job.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Tom Rob Penny, how's he at the moment? He'd been
trying to calm the fun but after last season, he'd
be dancing jigs, wouldn't he.
Speaker 4 (08:27):
No, he's a real level headed leader of us, and
he does that really really well. I think Toddy can
probably touch on it more. But the way he drives
the coaching groups each bring the best out of them,
but then oversees our whole program, gets around the players,
kind of lifts has all those little conversations around the group,
and he does that really really well.
Speaker 3 (08:48):
Yeah, I hang it. You know, obviously he's experienced coaching,
has seen a fifty winters and a fear few different
seasons and that so has been in the ups and
downs and coaching for a long time now. So like
Tom said, he keeps it nice and level headed. You know,
does can get too high on the winds or too
low on the losses, and keeps him in perspective. And
he's been great this year, and you know he's excited
(09:11):
for this weekend, as we all are.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
It's the weather going to turn pear shaped. Tell me please, No, it's.
Speaker 3 (09:17):
Pretty cold today and it doesn't look like that we're
going to see any more sun today, so I'm not
sure it. Certainly it won't be tropical. I think it's
only seen sun for that for three minutes since it
that winter last week, So it's been cold. And you know,
by seven o five Friday night, even if the sun
does make an appearance during the day, it'll be it'll
be cold and you know where it's running and I'm
not sure, but it'll certainly feel wintry and you know,
(09:40):
be a cold that night.
Speaker 4 (09:41):
The good news is for us sevens, if it's raining
snowing window, it doesn't really change our game all that much,
So it's more for the nine's, tens and backs to
sort out and look after.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
For more from sports talk, listen lived to News Talks
there'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
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