November 27, 2025 • 10 mins
Former Aussie cricket all-rounder Shane Watson is the latest big name to sign on with the upcoming Black Clash.
He joined D'Arcy to reveal why he's signed on with Team Rugby.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Wildergrave
from News Talk ZEDB thirteen.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
The Minister a Black Class on the way rapidly becoming
one of the go to events and sportainment in this country.
Because that's what it is. The Hotspring Spars Black Class
and association with wolf Brook. Plenty of rock stars have
appeared in the Black Class. It's former All Blacks, the
former Black Caps and the latest man de sign is
(00:35):
Shane Watson and all Rounder. He's going to Team Rugby.
They've got a wild card Mike Cassi who heard on
the program a couple of months back, but they managed
to get Michael Hussey over the line. He joins us. Now, Shane,
welcome to the show. So what got you involved with
the Black Clash?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Yeah, well thanks for having me, Darcy. Yeah, look, I've
got involved in the Black Class. Look, I've always been
a huge All Blacks fan since a kid, and Steven Fleming,
who coached me at Channel Super Kings for three years,
he always talked to me about the Black Clash right
from the start of when it kicked off and how
(01:15):
big and how big it was going to be, and
then obviously seeing how it's continued to grow and being
one of the premier sporting events in New Zealand. I
was always I'm looking forward to an opportunity to be
able to play in it, and this year the schedule,
my schedule sort of worked out that I'm available and
I get a chance to bet, to live out my
(01:36):
dream in some way to play for the All Black.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Yeah, kind of being an All Black. Look, i'd take
a chain. What kind of state and physically are you
ready to roll?
Speaker 3 (01:46):
You're good, Nick, I mean decent. Nick. I'm still playing occasionally.
There are some Masters tournaments that have been popping up
over the last couple of years, so I'm playing like
I'm playing probably one of those a year, So I'm
still in decent enough. Nick. My body was always a challenge,
especially through my career, be honest, So that's that hasn't
(02:09):
changed when it comes to getting up and going and
running and all those things. But batting wise, skill wise, yeah,
it's all. It's still decent with me still playing occasionally
here and there, so but I'm looking forward to just
the whole event. You know. I've just heard so many
incredible things about about the Black class and been able
to camp against some of my old New Zealand cricket
(02:29):
buddies as well. That's going to be a lot of fun.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Back to the rugby, I'll believe you've played a bit
of rugby as well. Flank cub at number right, Is
that for real?
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Yeah? I did. Through my high school years, I did.
I love my rugby. You know. I grew up in Ipswich,
which is sort of just west of Brisbane and it's
a really big Voluntep Susagram which is a big rugby
school out of Brisbane. So yeah, i'd love my rugby played. Yeah,
flanker number eight to look at decent a decent level,
but in the end I wasn't big enough as a flanker.
(03:01):
Flankers were getting baller as well. They're guys that I
was up against. But also I just that little certainly
that it much better at cricket. So in the end
I sit a sicker sitting on the bench from a
rugby perspective, where I wasn't being twelve man in crickets
ended up being cricket in crick.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Info describes you as a man who overcame the limitations
of a fragile, injury prone body to become one of
Ossie's premiere all round us. When you were moving through
your career, how did you prepare for that? How did
you deal with the fact that you had a fragile carcass.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Yeah, look, I've always absolutely loved the game of crickets
since I can remember, and with those injury challenges I had,
whether it's thrust fractured in my back or soft tissue injuries,
cars and hamstring injuries and a shoulder reconstruction. Like through
all those times, and there were certainly some challenging ones
where my body was letting me down, I just always
(03:55):
had that burning desire to be the best cricket I
possibly could. So, even though there was some challenging times
not knowing sort of when I was going to be
playing again and whether I was going to be able
to continue to be an all because I was mainly
getting injured through bowling that, I always just had that
burning desire to be the best cricket I could. So
I never lost the love of the game and the
(04:17):
desire to be the very best. But there's certainly worth
the number of challenges where it didn't it looked like
I might not realize my dream of being the best
arounder that I possibly could, that I might have just
had to sort of cut the bowling side of me
as a cricketer. But fortunately with finding I was very
resourceful in a way. I looked anywhere I possibly could
(04:39):
to be able to get someone who could help me
understand my body that bit better and help me on
the path. I've been able to be more resilient, and
I certainly I found that for a certain period of
time for my career.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Anyway, looking back, would you have changed anything as far
as looking after your rig during your career and the
young people coming through, what advice would you give to
them about looking after your carcass because it can be
you up as kind it it does.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Yeah, look at that, I suppose the advice that I
would give people from you from my challenges that I had,
one is how incredibly important your core strength is also
as much as important as strength work is. To be
able to be as strong and be the best athlete
you can, you need core strength. You need length in
(05:31):
your muscles muscles as well. So yoga would be it
would would have been something that I would have done
from you from as a teenager to be able to
keep the length in my in my muscles, in my
in my joints. Whereas when I was in the gym
and getting bigger and stronger, then your muscle do tighten
up to a point then you know they're on a
point of breaking, especially as a trying to bowl as
(05:52):
fast as I as I tried to, So that would
be that those would be from a physical point of view,
those would be the sort of the biggest learnings that
I've had through my career, because then it was sort
of just because of the because of what I did
through my teenage years and early twenties, then I was
just sort of troubleshooting for the rest of my career
in that regard. So if I set the foundation better,
(06:16):
then it's certainly I think it would have been a
little bit different, a little bit easier anyway. But when
you're pushing the limits to your body anyway, that you're
always going to have you're always going to have injuries.
It's just a few less would have been more.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Idea. You've been playing a bit at Master's cricket recently.
In fact, T twenty Masters cricket started a year you
managed to notch up three tons, so you're still seeing
it like a pumpkin, aren't you.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Well I was during that tournament. Yeah, I'm going to
have to certainly, I'll be getting back in the nets
over the next month or so to be able to
sort of get ready to go. But look, batting in particular,
because it's not as physically demanding, is something that I know,
not probably it's something I know better than needing my life.
It's what I It's what I've done since I was
a kid. So getting in the nets for a month
(07:00):
having hits, it doesn't take a long time to sort
of get my skills back to a point where I
feel I can play nicely if the bowling's generous and
the conditions, the batting conditions are nice as well. So yeah,
that was a nice little period of times that started
the year that I've got to certainly, I know how
important it is for the All Blacks to be able
to beat the Black Caps after only winning two times,
(07:24):
So I'm going to be doing all I can to
try and help out where as much as I can.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
How's the relationship with mister Cricket. He's going to be
there as well.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Yeah, I love Mike Cussy. He is one of the
really good people that I've ever played with a been
around in the cricket world. So yeah, he stopped playing
a little bit earlier than me. But knowing Mike Caussi,
he will be absolutely ready to go. He's stilling great, Nick,
He's still I think he ran a marathon only a
(07:55):
month or two ago, so physically he'll be ready to go.
Skill Wise, I know Mike Cussy, he's not coming into
a game under Cooks, so he'll be ready to go.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
You're a rugby and there I bring up the Wallabies
and their season and also with cricket as well, what's
going on with the Ashes two day Test match? What
on earth climbed up Travis Head's backside in order for
him to do what he did?
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Yeah, Look, the Wallabies, there was a lot of hope
after the winter here with the way they played against
the British Lions and the All blacksmen in win. But
they still played very well. So there's some really exciting,
exciting developments and growth for the Wallabies. But yeah, the
(08:41):
Northern Hemisphere toour was a disaster unfortunately for the Wallabies.
But yeah is the Ashes at the moment and it's
always great to be able to see the English having
to take a few good look at good looks at
themselves in the mirrors at the moment after getting flogged
in two days. Yeah, Travis had he's something else. For
the last two or three years in particular, he has
(09:03):
played some ridiculous clutch innings at the most important times,
whether it's a World Cup final in challenging conditions in India,
whether that's in Perth, it's he's something else. That was
that was something to witness for sure.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
What about the ashes as a whole? Are only these
teasts going to last more than three days? And what
about Glenn McGrath, do you reckon you're gott to roll
them five now?
Speaker 3 (09:29):
So no, I'm certainly never going to give you the
glenmorgra ay glenmograth who gives those predictions. But look, it's
going to be it's going to be really challenging for
England to be able to win. There's always going to be.
The conditions here are different enough. The ball that we
the kookabarro ball, is different to what they used to
bowling with, a duke ball, which is more bowler friendly.
(09:49):
So look, and knowing that the next Test match is
the Pink is a pink ball Test at the Gabble,
which is that's not going to go more than three days.
You wouldn't think so the way the Aussies play, but
especially why the English play. I'd be very surprised if
any Test match goes past day three. And with that, yeah,
look English might they might be able to win one
(10:11):
Test match if things sort of go well, because I've
certainly got match when it's in there, in there in
their whole line up. But to be able to do
it consistently out here, especially after they got punished in
the first Test matches, is going to be a challenge
for them.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to news Talks
they'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Wildergrave
from News Talk ZEDB thirteen.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
The Minister a Black Class on the way rapidly becoming
one of the go to events and sportainment in this country.
Because that's what it is. The Hotspring Spars Black Class
and association with wolf Brook. Plenty of rock stars have
appeared in the Black Class. It's former All Blacks, the
former Black Caps and the latest man de sign is
(00:35):
Shane Watson and all Rounder. He's going to Team Rugby.
They've got a wild card Mike Cassi who heard on
the program a couple of months back, but they managed
to get Michael Hussey over the line. He joins us. Now, Shane,
welcome to the show. So what got you involved with
the Black Clash?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Yeah, well thanks for having me, Darcy. Yeah, look, I've
got involved in the Black Class. Look, I've always been
a huge All Blacks fan since a kid, and Steven Fleming,
who coached me at Channel Super Kings for three years,
he always talked to me about the Black Clash right
from the start of when it kicked off and how
(01:15):
big and how big it was going to be, and
then obviously seeing how it's continued to grow and being
one of the premier sporting events in New Zealand. I
was always I'm looking forward to an opportunity to be
able to play in it, and this year the schedule,
my schedule sort of worked out that I'm available and
I get a chance to bet, to live out my
(01:36):
dream in some way to play for the All Black.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Yeah, kind of being an All Black. Look, i'd take
a chain. What kind of state and physically are you
ready to roll?
Speaker 3 (01:46):
You're good, Nick, I mean decent. Nick. I'm still playing occasionally.
There are some Masters tournaments that have been popping up
over the last couple of years, so I'm playing like
I'm playing probably one of those a year, So I'm
still in decent enough. Nick. My body was always a challenge,
especially through my career, be honest, So that's that hasn't
(02:09):
changed when it comes to getting up and going and
running and all those things. But batting wise, skill wise, yeah,
it's all. It's still decent with me still playing occasionally
here and there, so but I'm looking forward to just
the whole event. You know. I've just heard so many
incredible things about about the Black class and been able
to camp against some of my old New Zealand cricket
(02:29):
buddies as well. That's going to be a lot of fun.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Back to the rugby, I'll believe you've played a bit
of rugby as well. Flank cub at number right, Is
that for real?
Speaker 3 (02:38):
Yeah? I did. Through my high school years, I did.
I love my rugby. You know. I grew up in Ipswich,
which is sort of just west of Brisbane and it's
a really big Voluntep Susagram which is a big rugby
school out of Brisbane. So yeah, i'd love my rugby played. Yeah,
flanker number eight to look at decent a decent level,
but in the end I wasn't big enough as a flanker.
(03:01):
Flankers were getting baller as well. They're guys that I
was up against. But also I just that little certainly
that it much better at cricket. So in the end
I sit a sicker sitting on the bench from a
rugby perspective, where I wasn't being twelve man in crickets
ended up being cricket in crick.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
Info describes you as a man who overcame the limitations
of a fragile, injury prone body to become one of
Ossie's premiere all round us. When you were moving through
your career, how did you prepare for that? How did
you deal with the fact that you had a fragile carcass.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Yeah, look, I've always absolutely loved the game of crickets
since I can remember, and with those injury challenges I had,
whether it's thrust fractured in my back or soft tissue injuries,
cars and hamstring injuries and a shoulder reconstruction. Like through
all those times, and there were certainly some challenging ones
where my body was letting me down, I just always
(03:55):
had that burning desire to be the best cricket I
possibly could. So, even though there was some challenging times
not knowing sort of when I was going to be
playing again and whether I was going to be able
to continue to be an all because I was mainly
getting injured through bowling that, I always just had that
burning desire to be the best cricket I could. So
I never lost the love of the game and the
(04:17):
desire to be the very best. But there's certainly worth
the number of challenges where it didn't it looked like
I might not realize my dream of being the best
arounder that I possibly could, that I might have just
had to sort of cut the bowling side of me
as a cricketer. But fortunately with finding I was very
resourceful in a way. I looked anywhere I possibly could
(04:39):
to be able to get someone who could help me
understand my body that bit better and help me on
the path. I've been able to be more resilient, and
I certainly I found that for a certain period of
time for my career.
Speaker 2 (04:51):
Anyway, looking back, would you have changed anything as far
as looking after your rig during your career and the
young people coming through, what advice would you give to
them about looking after your carcass because it can be
you up as kind it it does.
Speaker 3 (05:08):
Yeah, look at that, I suppose the advice that I
would give people from you from my challenges that I had,
one is how incredibly important your core strength is also
as much as important as strength work is. To be
able to be as strong and be the best athlete
you can, you need core strength. You need length in
(05:31):
your muscles muscles as well. So yoga would be it
would would have been something that I would have done
from you from as a teenager to be able to
keep the length in my in my muscles, in my
in my joints. Whereas when I was in the gym
and getting bigger and stronger, then your muscle do tighten
up to a point then you know they're on a
point of breaking, especially as a trying to bowl as
(05:52):
fast as I as I tried to, So that would
be that those would be from a physical point of view,
those would be the sort of the biggest learnings that
I've had through my career, because then it was sort
of just because of the because of what I did
through my teenage years and early twenties, then I was
just sort of troubleshooting for the rest of my career
in that regard. So if I set the foundation better,
(06:16):
then it's certainly I think it would have been a
little bit different, a little bit easier anyway. But when
you're pushing the limits to your body anyway, that you're
always going to have you're always going to have injuries.
It's just a few less would have been more.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Idea. You've been playing a bit at Master's cricket recently.
In fact, T twenty Masters cricket started a year you
managed to notch up three tons, so you're still seeing
it like a pumpkin, aren't you.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Well I was during that tournament. Yeah, I'm going to
have to certainly, I'll be getting back in the nets
over the next month or so to be able to
sort of get ready to go. But look, batting in particular,
because it's not as physically demanding, is something that I know,
not probably it's something I know better than needing my life.
It's what I It's what I've done since I was
a kid. So getting in the nets for a month
(07:00):
having hits, it doesn't take a long time to sort
of get my skills back to a point where I
feel I can play nicely if the bowling's generous and
the conditions, the batting conditions are nice as well. So yeah,
that was a nice little period of times that started
the year that I've got to certainly, I know how
important it is for the All Blacks to be able
to beat the Black Caps after only winning two times,
(07:24):
So I'm going to be doing all I can to
try and help out where as much as I can.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
How's the relationship with mister Cricket. He's going to be
there as well.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Yeah, I love Mike Cussy. He is one of the
really good people that I've ever played with a been
around in the cricket world. So yeah, he stopped playing
a little bit earlier than me. But knowing Mike Caussi,
he will be absolutely ready to go. He's stilling great, Nick,
He's still I think he ran a marathon only a
(07:55):
month or two ago, so physically he'll be ready to go.
Skill Wise, I know Mike Cussy, he's not coming into
a game under Cooks, so he'll be ready to go.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
You're a rugby and there I bring up the Wallabies
and their season and also with cricket as well, what's
going on with the Ashes two day Test match? What
on earth climbed up Travis Head's backside in order for
him to do what he did?
Speaker 3 (08:20):
Yeah, Look, the Wallabies, there was a lot of hope
after the winter here with the way they played against
the British Lions and the All blacksmen in win. But
they still played very well. So there's some really exciting,
exciting developments and growth for the Wallabies. But yeah, the
(08:41):
Northern Hemisphere toour was a disaster unfortunately for the Wallabies.
But yeah is the Ashes at the moment and it's
always great to be able to see the English having
to take a few good look at good looks at
themselves in the mirrors at the moment after getting flogged
in two days. Yeah, Travis had he's something else. For
the last two or three years in particular, he has
(09:03):
played some ridiculous clutch innings at the most important times,
whether it's a World Cup final in challenging conditions in India,
whether that's in Perth, it's he's something else. That was
that was something to witness for sure.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
What about the ashes as a whole? Are only these
teasts going to last more than three days? And what
about Glenn McGrath, do you reckon you're gott to roll
them five now?
Speaker 3 (09:29):
So no, I'm certainly never going to give you the
glenmorgra ay glenmograth who gives those predictions. But look, it's
going to be it's going to be really challenging for
England to be able to win. There's always going to be.
The conditions here are different enough. The ball that we
the kookabarro ball, is different to what they used to
bowling with, a duke ball, which is more bowler friendly.
(09:49):
So look, and knowing that the next Test match is
the Pink is a pink ball Test at the Gabble,
which is that's not going to go more than three days.
You wouldn't think so the way the Aussies play, but
especially why the English play. I'd be very surprised if
any Test match goes past day three. And with that, yeah,
look English might they might be able to win one
(10:11):
Test match if things sort of go well, because I've
certainly got match when it's in there, in there in
their whole line up. But to be able to do
it consistently out here, especially after they got punished in
the first Test matches, is going to be a challenge
for them.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to news Talks
they'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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