Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Who knows exactly what it's like to put the black
jersey on form All blacksmithfielder, key member of some outstanding
Crusaders and Canterbury teams, and the scorer of one of
the most iconic Super Rugby Grand Final tries out. It's
a bit messy for the Crusaders, but they've got it now,
have they changing?
Speaker 3 (00:35):
I think it jubulation everywhere Casey La Lala.
Speaker 4 (00:44):
It is. It's a crucial try at the stage of
the game.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
It took this poem and TJ and Mix a little
while to work out it was fog final try scorer
Casey La Lala, how are you mate?
Speaker 4 (00:56):
Thanks? He has some really really good things and great to
be here today. It final.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Wow, twenty years ago? Can you believe that twenty years ago?
That fog file?
Speaker 2 (01:06):
Well not really, because you're still looking like you could
play today. What do you remember most about that night?
Speaker 4 (01:11):
All I remember there was a the day was a
really nice day, so we thought, oh, it's going to
be a cracket tonight. Obviously two really really good size
I was going up against uh I think Conrad or
Autana as well as the team. So we were you know,
we've had some great battles through the years with those
(01:31):
guys and when Tana, especially when Tanna was playing, because
we've all kind of grew up looking at Tanna and
how he played the game. So yeah, no, it was.
It was a nice day and by six o'clock, this
fog just came down and and literally just blind everyone,
including the stadium. And I remember we Robbie said, Robbie
(01:53):
was really really great at keeping the protecting the team,
and I think he got up, he got us into
the zone or just getting ready. You know, you just
never know. And they were talks about postponing again the
next day. The one that that was mentioned as well,
I was hovering a helico, a helicopter in the fog away,
(02:17):
So think about think about it now. Back then there's bunkers.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
So once the game starts, Chital a couple of guys
in the Hurricanes team.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Shannon Pucker was one. He played that day. He was
out white. He couldn't even see the ball. You're a
bit closer, but what was it like, was like could
you see much at all?
Speaker 4 (02:38):
I think it was about five meters in front of us,
so you had no idea what was going on on
the other side. Yeah it was. It was quite thick
as well, and it's just stayed there. And I remember
when I scored that chart. It was a one three cut.
And people that knows ropy well is that the tenthkets
of the ball and in the third in cuts behind
(03:00):
the twelve and the ten. And in my I know
that Jerry's on the other side, Thank goodness, he was
packing the scrum on the other side.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
You don't want to go that one.
Speaker 4 (03:10):
But also know that Christmas saw is uh is on
this one and the open side. And then who was
numberin again, just trying to think who.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
The number right there? I'm going back.
Speaker 2 (03:22):
We're going back far too far for brand shields Masoi
Collins so yellow.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
Yeah, so yellow, yeah yeah yeah, so yeallow And and
I thought, I remember vividly I went out to that,
come on, let's do one three cut, you know, yeah,
give me the ball. So anyway, got got the ball
out one three cut, and all I told myself was
that when you go in, make sure that you come
back out. And trying to get to pitty and thankfull
(03:48):
y Pitty was I think Pitty saw me really really late.
He couldn't even see me, see me coming down his channel,
So thankfully I went through. Yeah, my parents came from
came down to watch the game, and obviously at the
top part of the stadium, you know, they couldn't see
a thing. So but heyes, my claim to fame now,
(04:11):
I think that will live on for a while and
I can I can claim that one.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
It was just one of the one of the outstanding
Crusaders teams you were a part of. For what made
those teams so successful year after year after year.
Speaker 4 (04:25):
A lot to go with the you know how Robbie
and obviously the whole management team around the team. I
think Robbie was such a consistent person and what he does,
and it's all about the team. The team always comes
first and one thing coming up with different values of
what a Crusader man is is another thing living them
each day and also outside of rugby itself, So for
(04:49):
him was looking out for the families, the wives, obviously
the girlfriends, and that was the biggest strength and I
think you see the love because ultimately the little things
that you do outside the game, those are the things
that you can see the little things that nobody sees
but Bobbie and then the team sees that kind of
(05:11):
and we used to have a an award after game.
It's not so much who scores the triice. It's called
the sacrificial act. So I could be scoring the try,
or say record Gear will score the try on the
other end, o Ralfie, but Robbie will go back or
(05:32):
go back to a ruck that was two or three
phases before and pick out why that ball was able
to clear that ball out was because all you can
see someone say Breadthorne, running from ten to fifteen meters
away to clean that ruck. So that for that, and
those are the little things that really count when it
(05:52):
comes to big games. Is you can tell someone to
make say five, seven to ten tackles, but it won't
make them do that extra effort to cover the ball
and make the the last secle that saves a try.
So and I think that was his strength as teams
(06:13):
comes first and living those each day with little little actions.
Speaker 3 (06:19):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
The sacrificial act, man, I love that. Yeah, that is
quintessential Crusaders rugby to me. Let's bring it forward to
twenty twenty six. Jordi, Barrett Quintin, Pier the midfield per
Tonight you like that?
Speaker 4 (06:34):
Yeah, I think those boys have been outstanding throughout the season.
I really love the way Hurricane has been playing this
this year. I think a lot of eyes up rugby,
but still have real structure in their game. With those two,
they've got real X factors and they become real good
defenders as well as you know, if you're in the midfield,
you've got to be a really really good defender, and
(06:56):
both of them defend really really well. And I think
it's time to build a partnership now heading into the
World Cup. Yeah, I think that's another thing that we
should look at. So they're defying that part of I mean,
you've just got to look at mar and Conrad a
partnership and that's built on their time in the Hurricanes
(07:19):
and then obviously in the All Blacks and this who
are exciting to watch as well.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
Yeah, they certainly are.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
And so I mean it is a short runway to
the nixt Rugby World Cup. It's fifteen months away case,
you know, so normally a new All Blacks coach if
they take over, has four years. Wren's Dave Renny has
fifteen months, So do you feel as though he can't
really experiment too much. He has to quite quickly land
on what he thinks his combinations will be in certain areas.
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Yeah, I think it's already it's pretty obvious some of
the positions. And I think the loose forward probably there's
a few people that you know, they can put up
their hands, But I think when it comes to a
first five is another crucial position. I think we but again,
I think the most important thing is is is getting
(08:09):
them to play for each other. And obviously if they
do that, you know, we all know that there's this
pressure that comes with the black jersey. But I think
protecting the boys and and and make them feel safe
and be themselves. You know, the byproduct of that is
obviously doing for the Becker picture, which is which is
for the nation. And you know, when you when you
(08:32):
when you yourself in any situation, you express yourself. You know,
and in through the years, we've we've also said to
ourselves that pressure is a privilege. And how that sort
of interpret that, you know, there's different people, different people
interpret that in different ways, but it's a beautiful thing
(08:54):
when you get it right.
Speaker 2 (08:56):
Casey La Lala is a guest on Test Match Settler
in christ Church.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
What's it like being an All Black?
Speaker 4 (09:01):
Oh my goodness, you know what. It's hard to explain
as many moons ago now, but you always dream as
being an All Black, but you never thought you'd get there.
I think sometimes when when you do get in the
possession of of wearing the black jersey, sometimes you get
in our own way. And I think once I got
(09:23):
out of the way and having the right people and
it became a reality. I remembered when I got my jersey.
I went up. I was rooming with Milsmilia in Cardiff.
I went up to the room and I took my
jersey and went to the into the bathroom looking at
the mirror, and I started my tears. I started running
(09:43):
down my eyes. It was more that you start to
reflect on the journey and what it meant, and then
you think about your parents and I think, and then
again you still got a job to do the next day.
But it was everything to me, and I think it
(10:06):
is one of those things you look back and you
can sell the grandkids and and be proud of and
know only that also for my dad and my mum.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Yeah, lets you say the journey, and I think, I
mean there'll be a couple of guys tonight who will
do it for the first time save you know me
for you know, Anton Signa and Josh Morby will wait
there too, and you know it's it's an exclusive club,
as you say, it doesn't have many members. But everybody's
journey is different. But at all the thing when I
talk to guys about becoming an All Black, it's it's
(10:38):
it's the journey and the people who made it possible
for them that jump to the front of their mind
when that moment arrives.
Speaker 4 (10:43):
Yeah, I think this through the journey as well. A
lot of time we doubt yourself, and I think there's
a lot of people through that journey that believe in
yourself and push you into the right direction some and
sometimes also it's the a lot of trauma in a
lot of that comes into play. So it's how you
push through those to make something out of yourself and
(11:05):
not so much prove people wrong, but prove to yourself,
because that's at the end of the day that's more important.
It's like I've given been given this talent and now
I've grabbed to be both hands and I'm able to
squeeze every ounce of of work and and and capacity
out of it. So no, it's pretty it's pretty sweet
looking back now.
Speaker 3 (11:26):
Could you believe is still playing?
Speaker 2 (11:28):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (11:29):
I sent him a message the other day a couple
of weeks now. I was like, you keep finding that
flag for us because we're trying to hold on easy
gain and you're still playing against these uh twenty twenty
year olds and uh wow, honestly, but that's a real
testament to him though, And never in a million years
I think he'll carry on and become the person the
(11:51):
play that he was and still is playing now because
he was just yeah, he was just wild from the
outside looking in. It was just you know, it gave
us so much trouble on the field against the Hurricanes.
He looked like he was short fused. But man, it
was a challenge. You know that you have to turn
up otherwise you'll just run rings around you. So no
(12:15):
fear played him as we say, And you're.
Speaker 2 (12:16):
Joining with a few of your former All Blacks teammates
to get to the game tonight. You're looking forward to
you want to have been to the stadium for a
super right by game already I'm sure have you.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
Yes, yes, the Crusaders that they do very welcome back
to my story is like it's a It's another thing
that we've noticed is that even us six players, the
Crusaders still make sure that we're well looked after. It
is so amazing. And they did a guard of honor
for us the first the first game here. Every year,
(12:45):
we they contact us so that we've got this gathering
that we're going to put on something for you come
to the game. Because life goes on and most of
us have just moved on. And but to be able
to be acknowledged from and then it goes back to
the to to what the said is about, and when
(13:09):
you still lived that still and maintain that true to
them to what it's about, it's pretty really special. And yeah,
not Chris Chriss did it for us, and now the
All Blacks Fear play. The All Blacks has done that
as well. Although we have to do something. It's not
a handout. Guys, come on.
Speaker 3 (13:29):
You atle of provo work as well tab at the church.
Speaker 4 (13:37):
Hey, look, whatever it takes, but we're happy to do
that and also get amongst that. You know, we're fans
of the team and the All Blacks and obviously just
get around everyone. And I'm taking my son as well,
which is so special.
Speaker 3 (13:50):
Amazing.
Speaker 2 (13:51):
Yeah, Casey, great to meet your mate, Great to see you,
Thanks for stopping and enjoy the rest of of today
and and thanks for having a bit of a wonder
Dan memory name with us.
Speaker 4 (14:01):
Thank you for having me and God the Abs.
Speaker 2 (14:03):
Go the Abs indeed, Casey La Lala joining us at
Robbie's look Field on Test Match Stday.
Speaker 1 (14:08):
For more from Weekends Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
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