Samipeni Finau: All Blacks loose forward ahead of Japan test in Yokohama

All Blacks loose forward Samipeni Finau can't wait to be part of a monster forward pack in this evening's test against Japan in Yokohama. 

The front eight weighs in at a daunting 950 kilograms, just 21kgs short of the French test record. 

Finau is particularly keen to be reunited with Chiefs teammate and number eight Wallace Sititi, who he says has been a revelation at the international level. 

D'Arcy Waldegrave catches up with Samipeni Finau ahead of the test.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Wildegrave from News Talks dB.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
It's all about All Black a rugby now and we
go to one of the menacing loose forwards of the
All Black Semi Benny Been. Now as we look forward
to this evenings gain this afternoon's game up against the
Japanese semi Benny, Welcome to the show man. You've got
a big forward pack. How much fund? Is that going
to be a play around?

Speaker 3 (00:29):
Hey you guys, Yeah, thanks for having me. God, yeah
I did have noticed how big we were until seeing
an article about it, But yeah, that is a big pack.

Speaker 2 (00:41):
I'm expecting you want to try and run straight over
top of the opposition, but if you think that way,
you might trip up. So without revealing too much, what's
your master plan and the loose.

Speaker 3 (00:55):
I think we're just trying to play our game. We'll
put a plan together throughout the week and then I
think we've stick to plan and just execute it. We
should be all right. So yeah, yeah, we don't really
think I'm trying to run over them or or this stuff,
but yeah, we're just we've got a plan and hopefully
the plan works.

Speaker 2 (01:14):
Really interesting to see how this team works out, because
plainly there's some adjustments, there's some tweaks in this side
ahead of the rest of the Northern Tour, and one
of the big ones is one of your loose forward
trio mates. What a Satiti playing in his customary position
of number eight? What can we expect from him? Do

(01:34):
you think some of any.

Speaker 3 (01:36):
I think Wallace will play how Wallace player is obviously,
Oh you been watching how the championship going on? His
last three weeks he's stipped in then just carries if
he's a kid that just loves just get about his works.
So for me as on the side, I just I
just love watching watching him go to work and I

(01:58):
finally kind of admire as well. So yeah, what about.

Speaker 2 (02:02):
Coach Robertson, what's he expect out of you and your
sex position? Because it's been a while, hasn't it You ever,
I suppose a lot to prove or not? What what's
his attitude towards what he wants you to do?

Speaker 3 (02:17):
He just wants me to be me, so being physical
as a six and just play the game of foot
you that I know, and he just wants me to
bank myself And yeah, and then do it the right
way actually not trying to just fly off and obviously
you don't want to end up in the bin. But yeah,

(02:38):
for him, he's he's been great. He's giving advice to
everyone for sure. What the group we have this week
as a pretty young group other than the same chain
obviously the old ones, but yeah, the whole group is
pretty young. But his advice wise is just back in
and we're here for a reason.

Speaker 2 (02:57):
So yeah, is it difficult to control your natural instincts
to rampage without worrying too much if something goes slow? Right,
because if he's probably start trying to contain yourself, you're
not going to be the player you're going to be.
You're an explosive, physical player, so it's quite hard to

(03:17):
keep a little on that Semipenny.

Speaker 3 (03:20):
Oh yeah, it is hard. You got to pick a
moment and and test what you get. One one thing
wrong and slight hired on tackle or something, you're you're gone.
So yeah, at this level, you you've got to control it.
But good aggression is better than no aggression as well.

Speaker 2 (03:37):
So it's Peter Luck, I've been enjoying this so far.
He come out of nowhere. People have been looking him
for a long time. I'm sure. Well I'm going to
miss him in the in the NPC final. But again
another young guy in the loose. He's got huge promise.
You're all quite well, you're hardly the oldest sponge in
the world.

Speaker 3 (03:57):
Are you. Yeah, I know he's been great. Obviously got
caught in but he's been able for us start of
the year, so he knows how it is. But man
watching him and Wallace because obviously the two young ones
just stepping and tell them where we need it. But

(04:19):
both of them have been great, but they just take
the learning, keeps the learning for both of them. And yeah,
I don't know, they just felt like they belong here.

Speaker 2 (04:27):
So yeah, John Patrick, but I think he's got the
captain's arm band. Great to see him back as well.
He's a controlling influencer. Sam came probably doesn't mind you
calling him o old. But Patrick's having spring chicken. Is
he that he brings I suppose he brings some form
of shape to what's going on, in some form of
calm around the exchange.

Speaker 3 (04:46):
Yeah, well now doesn't mean it that way to both
of them, as don't want have been around the longest.
So yeah, but with them do the their leadership throughout
this whole week is has been great. So there's obviously
young fellows. We just listen and follow their lead. They've
been leading from upfront with the action as well, so

(05:07):
that both of them it has been great.

Speaker 2 (05:08):
What's it been like in Japan touring? Have you been
mobbed in the street you guys rock stars over there
or what?

Speaker 3 (05:15):
Oh? Other than the food, food he has been amazing.
I think that you asked any of the boys. The
food has been amazing. Food in the hotel is amazing.
We go out just yeah, try different things every day
and yeah, hopefully that nutrition this doesn't find out, but yeah,
fu it's been amazing and Tokyo has been great as well.

Speaker 2 (05:36):
Solways the driver for you. But guys, it's all about
what you can stick in your mouth and finally send
it Benny and thanks very much for joining us. When
it comes to success, what shape does that take for you?
Is it? Is it a school line? Is it a
way you behave? Is it a lack of yellows? Is
it what a success mean? Up against Japan? How do you?

(05:59):
How do you explore success?

Speaker 3 (06:03):
Uh? For for me looking for outside obviously playing success
for me as good team performance, obviously get the result
we wanted, and then coming out and knowing that I've
left everything out on the field. So yeah, that's pretty
much what success looks for me. And this weekends against
Japan is I don't really think about it too much

(06:26):
in a moment, so yeah, but thank you. Here did
a what most successful book like, get.

Speaker 2 (06:31):
Out there and play, love it be in the moment.
That's the way and I operate. Hey, great to catch up.
So and Fenny Fee, now, thanks very much for your time.
Enjoy it out there with all these young, huge, monstrous
human beings savaging the opposition. I'll be loving every second
and from my comfortable lounge chair, mate go well, thanks
for your time.

Speaker 3 (06:50):
Cheers, guys, thanks for having me.

Speaker 1 (06:52):
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