September 21, 2024 • 12 mins
The jostling for inclusion at the 2026 Commonwealth Games has ramped up after confirmation Glasgow will step in as host.
A lite edition of the event featuring 10 sports will be staged at four existing venues.
Swimming and athletics are guaranteed with netball, sevens and track cycling looking odds on, given the stadia selected.
Silver Ferns Coach Dame Noeline Taurua joined Piney for a chat about the importance of netball’s inclusion in the Games.
“For us, it's, it is very important because it's counted as a pinnacle event for us – we don't have the opportunity to go to the Olympics.”
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Fine
from Newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Confirmation this week that the Commonwealth Games will go ahead
in Glasgow in twenty twenty six, the Scottish city stepping
into the breach after the Australian state of Victoria renegged
on their hosting of the Games due to rising costs.
But it'll be a scaled down event with a reported
ten sports compared to nearly twice that many in Birmingham
(00:34):
a couple of years ago. Now, the Silver Ferns have
meddled at all but one of their seven appearances at
the Commonwealth Games. They won gold in two thousand and
six and again in twenty ten, and after a fourth
placed finish on the Gold Coast in twenty eighteen, they
were back on the podium in Birmingham, New Zealand. When
the bronze medal in Birmingham and the Black Dresses rush
(00:55):
off the benures to embrace their teammates, They've done it
fifty five to forty eight.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
The bronze medal belongs to New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Coach of the salas is Dame Nolin Todo, who joins
us now Dave Nolin, Thanks for your time to chat
about this. How important is it to you and the
Silver Ferns and the Elite Netball program here that netball
continues to be a part of the Commonwealth Games and
is specifically included in the program for twenty twenty six.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Yeah. Look, for us, it is very important because it's
counted as a pinnacle event for us. We don't have
the opportunity to go to your Olympics. When you're talking
sort of pinnacle event, you're talking about funding, whether it's
government organization connection or your opportunity to showcase your own sports.
So Commonwealth Games has already been one of our biggest
(01:47):
obviously because netball is played majority by Commonwealth countries, so
it's massive to hear that it's still going to head.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
How confident do you feel that netball will be included
in the program for Glasgow.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Yeah, look, we're still waiting for that confirmation around. The
things that we're really happy about is that Glasgow or
Scotland sorry, and the European countries, whether it's Island, Wales
and also England are really strong in netball and so
we're sort of relying on that profile of netball, which
is why we think that netball will be still involved
(02:23):
with Commonwealth Games. Still waiting to hear if that's definitely
going to be it, but fingers crossed that it will be.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Do you feel like precedents should be given in some
way in this unique situation to non Olympic sports, sports
like yourselves and lawn bowls, where where the Commonwealth Games
is a pinnacle event.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Yeah. Look, I understand, you know, like people going okay,
the main event is Olympics, you know, so I can
understand that, but not all sports are involved in Olympics,
you know, and that landscape is starting to change. I
think we think of breakdancing now, you know, export or
you know, whatever that may be. Even that is starting
to change as well. So we're happy that it's going ahead.
(03:07):
I understand from countries how expensive it is, and you know,
probably why Victoria pulled out, but it's great for us
that it's still a part of, you know, our ability
to get out there and include or improve our profile.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Can you have any influence on this, Dan Nolan, can
you get on the phone to somebody or Jenny Wiley
does and try and push netball's case to the organizers
in Glasgow or do you just have to have to
wait until everybody else finds out along with you.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
I think it's well I as I believe you know,
no one's sort of known apart from the last couple
of days, and I think everything was relying on who's
going to support it and back it, hence Scotland being
able to do that. And there's always things, you know,
like politically, anbars happens no matter what is to sports.
Try to promote your own sport or ensure that these
(04:00):
pinnacle events go ahead. And now I'm assuming behind the
scenes you know that definitely be happening for sports to
ensure that they're part of that team. As I say,
I think, I'm not saying we've got it because I
wouldn't have a clue, but there's some really positive things
about us being involved in that part of part of
the Earth.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
You were on the Silver Fern's team which won silver
in Kawhala Lumpur in nineteen ninety eight. You're also in
a medal at a World Championship mentioned the gold medals
that were won by the Silver Ferns and six and
twenty ten. How do you think the Commonwealth Games compares
to World championships.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Oh look, it's always one of those. It's totally different.
And why I say that is you're involved with other
sports and that's probably the difference. I mean, when I
was there in nineteen ninety eight it was the first
time that netball sort of took part in Commonwealth Games.
You get appreciation, from my perspective of what other athletes
(04:56):
have to go through. We're very lucky, I would like
to think, because you know, we don't have to pay
our own way, and to some degree some of our
players are professional or semi professional, so you get appreciation
of what other sports have to go through to be
able to compete.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
And by the sounds of things, even though we'll go ahead,
it might be scaled down in terms of the fact
that there may not be an athlete's village. I know
that's a big part of the Commonwealth Games and Olympic
Games experience. Would that at all dilute the experience of
being part of a wider New Zealand team if you
were just sort of I guess, staying by yourselves in
a hotel.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
I think I can understand that as well. I'm probably
because Scotland has secured it so late and the piece
is a lot of logistics, a lot of financial expenses
that go when you have a village, and then obviously
also you know, like what happened after the Commonwealth Games
with the village, you know, you know, and I think
(05:53):
that's part of the expense as well. So you know,
we'll take what we can and we're used to anyway,
you know. With the New Zealand, I think New Zealand
Olympic Committee are quite good in how we can keep
that sort of atmosphere even though we may be staying
in different places. So I'm sure they'll start to think
of some ideas. When we were in Jesus, I can't
(06:15):
even remember where it was the last one, you know,
we stayed. Probably we didn't have a village as such,
so we were staying in three different locations, but still
the same Bible was there, which was really.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Positive, good stuff. Well, let's hope that we get the
correct outcome as far as netball is concerned. Just while
I've got your busy end of the year coming up,
of course, you've got three tiny Jamison tests against England
and four Constellation Cup tests against Australia. How are you feeling?
What are we about a week out from the first
game against England.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Yeah, really good. We're in camp at the moment in
Napier sort of where new players have coming in. We're
sorting our cycle out to get to twenty twenty seven.
So there's a we know we've got a lot of
work to do, but there's quite nice confidence. I think,
you know, this is the first time that we've been
(07:05):
able to have camps before chests. They have five days
under our bout before that first sort of match against
England's going to be great for us. So really happy
how we're currently sitting in the work that we're doing.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
All the best for that. Look forward to those games
and look forward to having the Silver Ferns in Glasgow
fingers crossed in twenty twenty six. Dave Nolan always appreciate your.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Time, brilliance. Thanks for the call.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
No, thank you for taking the call, Dame Nolen. Dame
Nolin Toto, coach of the Silver Ferns ahead of the
Tiny Jamison and Constellation Cup, with more her thoughts on
the Commonwealth Games and Netball's place and it clearly they
want to be there. Clearly they do. Being a pinnacle
event for netball. I think is a big tick in
their favor. Same with lawn bowls. I'd have both of
(07:47):
those there. While they both have their world championship, neither
are Olympic sports, and the Commonwealth Games is treated as
a pinnacle event, rightly so by both of those sports.
Teen sports we're told will feature in Glasgow, so very
much pared back, as I say, there were nineteen in
Birmingham and twenty twenty two just the ten we're told
(08:11):
in Glasgow and twenty twenty six as things are scale
back for financial reasons. We know for certain that swimming
and track and field will be there. They are not
negotiable in a Commonwealth Games program and they're very much
the bedrock upon which Games the Olympics as well, to
be fair sit Swimming in the first week, athletics in
the second. Whether it is a shorter time period, we
(08:31):
don't know, but they'll be there. And as I say,
I reckon netball and bowl should be there as well.
And it also chucks cycling into that mix in all
three of its forms. I think you can have all
three forms mountain bike, track cycling, road cycling. So I'm
making a bit of a list. Say there's five, then
we have to start making some choices, and you look
(08:52):
at things that you think, okay, Well, would I be
okay not having that there? I think that's probably the
first place to start. And I run an eye down
the list and I land on things like T twenty
women's cricket. I could live without that being at the
comm Games. Beach volleyball probably yes, table tennis, badminton, wrestling,
and judo. I think we're going to be given the
chop anyway, so I'd be quite happy to get, you know,
(09:16):
to be without those. I would keep boxing in there
to have a combat sport element to the comm Games.
I'd keep squash if you're getting rid of badminton, table tennis,
I'd keep squash as a as a racket sport, if
you can call table tennis a racket sport. I'd leave
weightlifting in. I think the weightlifting brings a lot to
a Commonwealth Games, and gymnastics as well. I'd leave that
(09:38):
there too. So what are we up to? Their boxing, squash, weightlifting,
gymnastics and the other fight. That's nine, so I'm up
to nine. It's got one spot left. Hockey I could
take or leave sevens, even though we're very good at
normally medal at it, normally win it. I don't know
about sevens, you know, again, I wouldn't be that disappointed
if SEVENS wasn't there shooting. I think shooting was due
(10:00):
to return. I don't think we had shooting in twenty
twenty two. Again, doesn't really ring the bell. I'm kind
of I feel my I'm left with a choice between
triathlon and three x three basketball, both of which I
really like. I like having basketball there in a shortened form.
I think it's exciting. I think it adds to it.
(10:20):
And triathon I really like the spectacle that trithlon brings.
And it's all over in a day, so that might actually, well,
it's the male and female one obviously in the mixt one,
so let's say three days. But you get my drift.
It doesn't take up two, three, four days of stadium space,
so maybe triathlon gets there. So there's my ten. That's
a very draft list off the top of my head.
(10:42):
Athletics and swimming, bowls, netball, cycling, boxing, squash, weightlifting, gymnastics, triathlon.
If that was the Commonwealth Games program in twenty twenty six,
I'd be okay with that, But then again, it is
my choice, you might think to yourself, No, I'd rather
have the sport of that sport there and I can
take or leave one of the ones you've mentioned. We
(11:03):
are apparently going to find out inside the next sort
of two or three weeks what are we now where
a couple of years out? So sports have to start planning,
don't they for being there or for not being there?
And I heard Nicki Nickel from the New Zealand Olympic
Committee during the week say they obviously want clarity as
soon as they possibly can so that they can help
(11:23):
support the sports who are going to be there, but
also lend support to the sports that aren't going to
be there and have a pinnacle event taken away from them.
So how do they continue to support the high performance
athletes and the sports that no longer have are Commonwealth
Games to look forward to? This is only, of course,
for twenty twenty six. Beyond that we don't know what.
Nicki Nichol also said it's her hope that we get
(11:46):
back to the full service Commonwealth Games sooner rather than later,
and the twenty twenty six is a one off. No
bids yet for twenty thirty. Nicki Nichol also said that
they have expressed an interest in twenty thirty four, but
if they were to host. If New Zealand was to
host in twenty thirty four, it wouldn't be a one model.
(12:07):
It'd be more a multi city model. For the Commonwealth
Games in twenty thirty four, we can talk about that
another time, but we wait to see which of the
sports gets the tick for twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to news Talks at b weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Fine
from Newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Confirmation this week that the Commonwealth Games will go ahead
in Glasgow in twenty twenty six, the Scottish city stepping
into the breach after the Australian state of Victoria renegged
on their hosting of the Games due to rising costs.
But it'll be a scaled down event with a reported
ten sports compared to nearly twice that many in Birmingham
(00:34):
a couple of years ago. Now, the Silver Ferns have
meddled at all but one of their seven appearances at
the Commonwealth Games. They won gold in two thousand and
six and again in twenty ten, and after a fourth
placed finish on the Gold Coast in twenty eighteen, they
were back on the podium in Birmingham, New Zealand. When
the bronze medal in Birmingham and the Black Dresses rush
(00:55):
off the benures to embrace their teammates, They've done it
fifty five to forty eight.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
The bronze medal belongs to New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Coach of the salas is Dame Nolin Todo, who joins
us now Dave Nolin, Thanks for your time to chat
about this. How important is it to you and the
Silver Ferns and the Elite Netball program here that netball
continues to be a part of the Commonwealth Games and
is specifically included in the program for twenty twenty six.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Yeah. Look, for us, it is very important because it's
counted as a pinnacle event for us. We don't have
the opportunity to go to your Olympics. When you're talking
sort of pinnacle event, you're talking about funding, whether it's
government organization connection or your opportunity to showcase your own sports.
So Commonwealth Games has already been one of our biggest
(01:47):
obviously because netball is played majority by Commonwealth countries, so
it's massive to hear that it's still going to head.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
How confident do you feel that netball will be included
in the program for Glasgow.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Yeah, look, we're still waiting for that confirmation around. The
things that we're really happy about is that Glasgow or
Scotland sorry, and the European countries, whether it's Island, Wales
and also England are really strong in netball and so
we're sort of relying on that profile of netball, which
is why we think that netball will be still involved
(02:23):
with Commonwealth Games. Still waiting to hear if that's definitely
going to be it, but fingers crossed that it will be.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
Do you feel like precedents should be given in some
way in this unique situation to non Olympic sports, sports
like yourselves and lawn bowls, where where the Commonwealth Games
is a pinnacle event.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Yeah. Look, I understand, you know, like people going okay,
the main event is Olympics, you know, so I can
understand that, but not all sports are involved in Olympics,
you know, and that landscape is starting to change. I
think we think of breakdancing now, you know, export or
you know, whatever that may be. Even that is starting
to change as well. So we're happy that it's going ahead.
(03:07):
I understand from countries how expensive it is, and you know,
probably why Victoria pulled out, but it's great for us
that it's still a part of, you know, our ability
to get out there and include or improve our profile.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Can you have any influence on this, Dan Nolan, can
you get on the phone to somebody or Jenny Wiley
does and try and push netball's case to the organizers
in Glasgow or do you just have to have to
wait until everybody else finds out along with you.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
I think it's well I as I believe you know,
no one's sort of known apart from the last couple
of days, and I think everything was relying on who's
going to support it and back it, hence Scotland being
able to do that. And there's always things, you know,
like politically, anbars happens no matter what is to sports.
Try to promote your own sport or ensure that these
(04:00):
pinnacle events go ahead. And now I'm assuming behind the
scenes you know that definitely be happening for sports to
ensure that they're part of that team. As I say,
I think, I'm not saying we've got it because I
wouldn't have a clue, but there's some really positive things
about us being involved in that part of part of
the Earth.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
You were on the Silver Fern's team which won silver
in Kawhala Lumpur in nineteen ninety eight. You're also in
a medal at a World Championship mentioned the gold medals
that were won by the Silver Ferns and six and
twenty ten. How do you think the Commonwealth Games compares
to World championships.
Speaker 3 (04:36):
Oh look, it's always one of those. It's totally different.
And why I say that is you're involved with other
sports and that's probably the difference. I mean, when I
was there in nineteen ninety eight it was the first
time that netball sort of took part in Commonwealth Games.
You get appreciation, from my perspective of what other athletes
(04:56):
have to go through. We're very lucky, I would like
to think, because you know, we don't have to pay
our own way, and to some degree some of our
players are professional or semi professional, so you get appreciation
of what other sports have to go through to be
able to compete.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
And by the sounds of things, even though we'll go ahead,
it might be scaled down in terms of the fact
that there may not be an athlete's village. I know
that's a big part of the Commonwealth Games and Olympic
Games experience. Would that at all dilute the experience of
being part of a wider New Zealand team if you
were just sort of I guess, staying by yourselves in
a hotel.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
I think I can understand that as well. I'm probably
because Scotland has secured it so late and the piece
is a lot of logistics, a lot of financial expenses
that go when you have a village, and then obviously
also you know, like what happened after the Commonwealth Games
with the village, you know, you know, and I think
(05:53):
that's part of the expense as well. So you know,
we'll take what we can and we're used to anyway,
you know. With the New Zealand, I think New Zealand
Olympic Committee are quite good in how we can keep
that sort of atmosphere even though we may be staying
in different places. So I'm sure they'll start to think
of some ideas. When we were in Jesus, I can't
(06:15):
even remember where it was the last one, you know,
we stayed. Probably we didn't have a village as such,
so we were staying in three different locations, but still
the same Bible was there, which was really.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
Positive, good stuff. Well, let's hope that we get the
correct outcome as far as netball is concerned. Just while
I've got your busy end of the year coming up,
of course, you've got three tiny Jamison tests against England
and four Constellation Cup tests against Australia. How are you feeling?
What are we about a week out from the first
game against England.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Yeah, really good. We're in camp at the moment in
Napier sort of where new players have coming in. We're
sorting our cycle out to get to twenty twenty seven.
So there's a we know we've got a lot of
work to do, but there's quite nice confidence. I think,
you know, this is the first time that we've been
(07:05):
able to have camps before chests. They have five days
under our bout before that first sort of match against
England's going to be great for us. So really happy
how we're currently sitting in the work that we're doing.
Speaker 2 (07:17):
All the best for that. Look forward to those games
and look forward to having the Silver Ferns in Glasgow
fingers crossed in twenty twenty six. Dave Nolan always appreciate your.
Speaker 3 (07:24):
Time, brilliance. Thanks for the call.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
No, thank you for taking the call, Dame Nolen. Dame
Nolin Toto, coach of the Silver Ferns ahead of the
Tiny Jamison and Constellation Cup, with more her thoughts on
the Commonwealth Games and Netball's place and it clearly they
want to be there. Clearly they do. Being a pinnacle
event for netball. I think is a big tick in
their favor. Same with lawn bowls. I'd have both of
(07:47):
those there. While they both have their world championship, neither
are Olympic sports, and the Commonwealth Games is treated as
a pinnacle event, rightly so by both of those sports.
Teen sports we're told will feature in Glasgow, so very
much pared back, as I say, there were nineteen in
Birmingham and twenty twenty two just the ten we're told
(08:11):
in Glasgow and twenty twenty six as things are scale
back for financial reasons. We know for certain that swimming
and track and field will be there. They are not
negotiable in a Commonwealth Games program and they're very much
the bedrock upon which Games the Olympics as well, to
be fair sit Swimming in the first week, athletics in
the second. Whether it is a shorter time period, we
(08:31):
don't know, but they'll be there. And as I say,
I reckon netball and bowl should be there as well.
And it also chucks cycling into that mix in all
three of its forms. I think you can have all
three forms mountain bike, track cycling, road cycling. So I'm
making a bit of a list. Say there's five, then
we have to start making some choices, and you look
(08:52):
at things that you think, okay, Well, would I be
okay not having that there? I think that's probably the
first place to start. And I run an eye down
the list and I land on things like T twenty
women's cricket. I could live without that being at the
comm Games. Beach volleyball probably yes, table tennis, badminton, wrestling,
and judo. I think we're going to be given the
chop anyway, so I'd be quite happy to get, you know,
(09:16):
to be without those. I would keep boxing in there
to have a combat sport element to the comm Games.
I'd keep squash if you're getting rid of badminton, table tennis,
I'd keep squash as a as a racket sport, if
you can call table tennis a racket sport. I'd leave
weightlifting in. I think the weightlifting brings a lot to
a Commonwealth Games, and gymnastics as well. I'd leave that
(09:38):
there too. So what are we up to? Their boxing, squash, weightlifting,
gymnastics and the other fight. That's nine, so I'm up
to nine. It's got one spot left. Hockey I could
take or leave sevens, even though we're very good at
normally medal at it, normally win it. I don't know
about sevens, you know, again, I wouldn't be that disappointed
if SEVENS wasn't there shooting. I think shooting was due
(10:00):
to return. I don't think we had shooting in twenty
twenty two. Again, doesn't really ring the bell. I'm kind
of I feel my I'm left with a choice between
triathlon and three x three basketball, both of which I
really like. I like having basketball there in a shortened form.
I think it's exciting. I think it adds to it.
(10:20):
And triathon I really like the spectacle that trithlon brings.
And it's all over in a day, so that might actually, well,
it's the male and female one obviously in the mixt one,
so let's say three days. But you get my drift.
It doesn't take up two, three, four days of stadium space,
so maybe triathlon gets there. So there's my ten. That's
a very draft list off the top of my head.
(10:42):
Athletics and swimming, bowls, netball, cycling, boxing, squash, weightlifting, gymnastics, triathlon.
If that was the Commonwealth Games program in twenty twenty six,
I'd be okay with that, But then again, it is
my choice, you might think to yourself, No, I'd rather
have the sport of that sport there and I can
take or leave one of the ones you've mentioned. We
(11:03):
are apparently going to find out inside the next sort
of two or three weeks what are we now where
a couple of years out? So sports have to start planning,
don't they for being there or for not being there?
And I heard Nicki Nickel from the New Zealand Olympic
Committee during the week say they obviously want clarity as
soon as they possibly can so that they can help
(11:23):
support the sports who are going to be there, but
also lend support to the sports that aren't going to
be there and have a pinnacle event taken away from them.
So how do they continue to support the high performance
athletes and the sports that no longer have are Commonwealth
Games to look forward to? This is only, of course,
for twenty twenty six. Beyond that we don't know what.
Nicki Nichol also said it's her hope that we get
(11:46):
back to the full service Commonwealth Games sooner rather than later,
and the twenty twenty six is a one off. No
bids yet for twenty thirty. Nicki Nichol also said that
they have expressed an interest in twenty thirty four, but
if they were to host. If New Zealand was to
host in twenty thirty four, it wouldn't be a one model.
(12:07):
It'd be more a multi city model. For the Commonwealth
Games in twenty thirty four, we can talk about that
another time, but we wait to see which of the
sports gets the tick for twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to news Talks at b weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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