Anton Sagner: Auckland captain on their loss to Waikato, second NPC clash against Canterbury

It was a dramatic start to the 2025 Bunnings NPC, with Auckland’s narrow loss to Waikato at Eden Park – 36-35. 

The team started strong, with new captain Anton Segner opening the scoring in the fifth minute, but they were unable to hold back the Tron, who landed four tries in the last twenty minutes. 

Segner joined D’Arcy Waldegrave to discuss how they’ll bounce back this weekend, and their plan to take on Canterbury as the away underdog. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldgrave from News Talk SEDB, and.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Here he is as promised. Good morning and on good morning.
How there going all right? Yeah? Good massive game and
back in the old days when you were what before
you were born, I'd expect the Auckland Canterbury clashes in
the NPC were something to behold. Do you know much
of the history between Blue and White and Red and Black.

Speaker 3 (00:31):
I don't know the details of it, but obviously this
past week I have seen a few throwback videos of
some of the greats going at each other and some
pretty big hits. Yeah, both with the shoulders and the
fists too, So yeah, I guess I'm somewhat aware of
the rivalry that we have.

Speaker 2 (00:46):
Please tell me you're going to keep your fists away. Yes,
that's the plan anyway at Orange Theory down in its Crusadersville,
but it is Canterbury. Do you carry some of the
grief from Super Rugby through or is that not necessary now?

Speaker 3 (01:04):
A yeah, personally, I don't think I've ever actually one
down there before, so every opportunity that I get is
pretty special. And yeah, the boys are definitely looking forward
to it and so because yeah, like I said, I've
never won down there and I'd definitely like to change it.

Speaker 2 (01:19):
You're looking back at what happened in that Bombay battle,
I'd say filthy is probably an understatement, but you gotta
look forward. So what baggage do you have to unpack
in order to deal with this Canterbury side after what
the Yacasians did.

Speaker 3 (01:36):
You Well, they obviously pride themselves on their line and
also looking at their lineup, they've they've actually named four
locks in their lineup, so yeah, there's it's it's no
secret that they've got a strong line out and they
showed that against Wellington as well and why can I
got us? I think they scored two more trays on
us as well, So that's been a big focus of ours.
And yeah, we're sure that Canterbury was was watching ghost

(01:59):
clips from our game against Why Could I licking their
lips and ready to take us on there. So yeah,
we've done a bit of work. We got together as
a forward pack to make some changes and yeah we
look forward to the challenge.

Speaker 2 (02:10):
Do you feel a little slapped, a little punched in
the nose after what happened against Why I cut them,
especially when you've got Limasopowanga, who what joined up on
a one dollar contract. We're at a deal at the
pub actually stripping you guys at the end, that's just
that can't be carried well.

Speaker 3 (02:26):
One hundred percent, we definitely took it as a slap
in the face and probably one one that we definitely
won that we deserve because yeah, we obviously we put
ourselves into a great position to win that game and
at the end to let it slip isn't good enough
and isn't up to our standard either. So yeah, we've
had a good, honest review on Monday, but obviously, yeah,
it's a it's a quick season, so you have to

(02:46):
move on pretty quickly from it, which we have.

Speaker 2 (02:48):
And what about yourself? Do you pick your own game apart.

Speaker 3 (02:51):
In one hundred percent, Yeah, the first thing I look
at as my own performances, and yeah, me myself, I
had to be better at crucial times during that game,
and yeah, I've reviewed my performance and I've looked at
it and I've made some points around where where I
need to be better, and yeah, I did those work
ons during the week this week and hopefully set myself
up for a good performance.

Speaker 2 (03:11):
Canterbury probably listening. Well, maybe they're not, so don't give
away too much, but is there one key focus point
for you in your game?

Speaker 3 (03:20):
As a loose forward, the contact area is obviously pretty key,
and I think I can be a bit more dominant.
I've had a good amount of reps on the table
bag and even body and body this week already. But
we're pretty close to game down now, so yeah, it's
time to put the contact aside.

Speaker 2 (03:36):
When you look at that, is that a technique issue,
an attitude issue, a combination? Where do you think you
can pick that collision physicality up? Where does it come?
Is it your headspace, is it what you're actually doing?

Speaker 3 (03:48):
Or Oh, the correct answer is probably that there's a
bit of both. It's got to do with mindset and
technique as well. But I'm a firm believer that if
you have the right mindset, I'm gone to it, then
your body will take care of the rest and put
you into those good strong positions to dominate contact. So
you have and foremost, I I just need to make
sure that that that I'm in the right had space

(04:09):
and yeah, actually out there wanting to dominate collisions and
having that in the forefront of my mind.

Speaker 2 (04:14):
Dominate the collisions without the ucy of firsts. Please very well. Hey, hey,
what's the sickbay? Did you get anyone beat up last week?
And are you looking pretty good as far as the
players on the deck.

Speaker 3 (04:27):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, we're pretty good. Just from memory, I
don't think I kind o. We obviously lost lost Alex
Harford with a Yeah, he hit on the deck pretty hard,
so he's out for I think mandatory twelve days. But
we got young because Simpson stepping up and then another
exciting young project and Cohen coming off the bench too,

(04:48):
So yeah, those are two boys to be looking forward
to playing. But apart from that, we're pretty good. We
obviously we've got a few injuries like Steven Piterfetta and
Caleb Tanya Tael, Tom lute Lea, and they're still managing
their injuries as well, but I think yeah, they'll be
looking to come back within the next week or so.

Speaker 2 (05:03):
You're a scene your member of this team now annually in.

Speaker 3 (05:06):
Yeah, yeah, it's a it's a very young team, but
the fact that I'm going to send you a member of
the Steam probably goes to support that even more. I mean,
our oldest not meaning to throw them under the busy
of our oldest is Angus and he's thirty five, and
then our second older is I think Stevie at twenty seven.
So yeah, it goes to show how young this scroop
is and how exting the future of it is.

Speaker 2 (05:27):
Right, don't say thirty five. You need to start saying
level thirty five. He's reached level thirty five. That sounds
so much cooler. You'd have good health points as inventories
looking great, So start rolling that line please, and you
even know it might even get some traction with you
rugby lads. Hey Anton, thanks for your time, mate, Go
well tonight, enjoy the freezing cold of christ Church. Maybe

(05:51):
take some long John's.

Speaker 3 (05:53):
Yes, possibly we'll have a look. Probably not the forwards.
That's that's that's more of the becks thing.

Speaker 1 (05:59):
For more from the All Sport Breakfast with Darcy Watergrave,
listen live to News Talk said Be on Saturday mornings,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio