Full Show Podcast: 02 August 2026

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Fine
from News Talks EDB, the only place to discuss the
biggest sports issues on.

Speaker 2 (00:17):
A head off the field.

Speaker 3 (00:19):
You've got a story.

Speaker 1 (00:21):
It's all on Weekend Sports with Jason Vine and the
udi Q seven Dynamic Black Runout editions on news Talks EDB,
your home of sport.

Speaker 4 (00:30):
Hello, deck you on to good afternoon. Welcome in. This
is Weekend Sport, the Sunday edition on news Talks EDB
for August second. I'm Jason Pine Show produces Andy McDonald.
We're going to talk to you about sport until three.
The warry is how good? Really good? On the Gold
Coast forty two six? Just what was needed after that

(00:51):
defeat to the Bulldogs last week and ahead of a
massive game on Friday at home against the table topping Panthers.
How good is that going to be? Going to breakdown
yesterday's game after one che had over with you Chance
Nicol Kluksta is going to join us back in the
fullback role last night for the first time in a while.
Keen to know how he found that and keen to

(01:11):
know from you Warriors fans, how you enjoyed it. I
just loved it watching us run riot in the sunshine
on the Gold Coast, one of my favorite places. How
good is Friday Night? Going to be at Go Media
against the Panthers League after one. New Auckland FC coach
Pedro Maldas on the show today, will preview the gold
medal match and the netball at the Calm Game Silver Ferns,

(01:33):
Jamaica tonight. And one of our best ever tennis players,
Marcus Daniel, is on the show too with his latest
initiative linked to some of our top athletes performances at
the Commonwealth Games going to start today though. With rugby,
the All Blacks have arrived in South Africa. First game
next Saturday morning out time against the Stormers in Cape

(01:54):
Townham quite curious to find out how South African rugby
fans and the South African rugby public are feeling about this.
Are they confident? Are they optimistic? Do they have any
sense of nervousness or trepidation about the incoming challenge of
Dave Rennie's All Blacks going to get a South African
view shortly? Also this sow find out how many key

(02:16):
we are going to be over there? Watching up close
several hundred at least as I understand and have purchased
packages which include match tickets and such like. We'll get
some more detail on that.

Speaker 5 (02:28):
Actually.

Speaker 4 (02:29):
Keen to hear from you this hour as well. If
you've been to South Africa to follow the All Blacks,
what is it like? Really keen to get your experience
as your stories in particular, And I know this is
taking a few of our younger listeners out of the equation,
but if you were there in ninety five for the
World Couple ninety six for the last time the All
Blacks tour at South Africa, that famous tour, but keen

(02:51):
to hear what it was like over there, or if
you've been there at all, to watch the All Blacks
live sport This afternoon, the NPC continues Round one Northland
up against Mine over' two just up to two and
fung it A will keep eyes on that for you.
As always, the show is open for you to involve
yourself in oh eight hundred and eighty ten eighty is
our phone number nine two nine two for year text
messages and emails to Jason at newstalksb dot co dot nz.

(03:14):
Coming up ten past midday, the.

Speaker 1 (03:16):
Scoreboard only tells half the story finally tells the rest.
Weekend Sport with Jason Vine and the Audi Q seven
Dynamic Black Runout Edition Test Drive Today News Talks NB.

Speaker 4 (03:28):
The All Blacks have arrived in South Africa for the
highly anticipated Greatest Rivalry Tour. Around five thousand fans attended
an open event at DHL Stadium in Cape Town, where
the All Blacks will begin the tour against the Stormers
next weekend. Great pleasure to welcome in one of South
Africa's most experienced and respected rugby reporters and analysts and

(03:51):
longtime observer of the spring Box, Brendan Nell. Thanks for
joining us, Brendan. Does the arrival of the All Blacks
still generate a different level of excitement compared to other
touring teams.

Speaker 6 (04:03):
Well, definitely.

Speaker 3 (04:03):
I think the only other team that comes close is
probably the British and Irish Lions when they when they tore,
and that's so seldom anyway. Yeah, I think there's always
a buzz around the All Blacks in South Africa, and
just as there's in I'm sure in New Zealand with
the spring Boxer there, but especially ahead of a tour
like this because yeah, I was, I was chatting to

(04:24):
somebody the other day. Nineteen ninety six was my first
tour as a rugulay writer, and it's just it's bizarre
to think it's been thirty years since there's been a
proper tour. So yeah, there's a lot of excitement about
that going around in the next couple of weeks. And
I think it's even just now that the All Blacks
a years can just get bigger.

Speaker 4 (04:42):
South Abreger of one, five of the last sixtiest between
the two nations. Despite that, is there still an overriding
feeling that you can never take the All Blacks lightly?

Speaker 6 (04:53):
Well, I think so.

Speaker 3 (04:54):
I mean I always remember when, I mean when the
All Blacks were so dominant back in was that fifty
seven mill at Albany that that that horror day that
we had. Yeah, two weeks later it was in Cape
Town and was a one point game.

Speaker 6 (05:07):
So yeah, I think the spring Box there's so much respect.

Speaker 3 (05:10):
Between the two sides that they know that the All
Blacks on the one side that can lift themselves.

Speaker 6 (05:14):
We saw in the World Cup, I mean, gaining that final.

Speaker 3 (05:17):
Everybody thought the spring Box were one song They're going
to win it, Yeah, and the All Blacks made it
an extremely difficult game which the spring Boks are probably.

Speaker 6 (05:25):
Lucky to get away with it.

Speaker 3 (05:27):
Then there then went on for another ten minutes it
may have been a different result.

Speaker 6 (05:30):
So yeah, you're never safe against the All Blacks.

Speaker 3 (05:34):
It's it's it's always a game where there's probably less
than less than a try in it normally. And yes,
I think South Africans respect the All Blacks a lots
and we're looking forward to this challenge because things have
been going very well for the Box at the moment,
but we know the one team that can give us
a lot of problems are the All Blacks.

Speaker 4 (05:53):
Well, the other layer to this, of course, is that
the All Blacks come into this series under a relatively
new coaching team lead by Dave Rennie and after wins
in July and the Nation's championship against France, Italyan Ireland,
have those performances set and those results caught the attention
of rightb people in South Africa.

Speaker 6 (06:11):
Well, I think it.

Speaker 3 (06:12):
Has because for a couple of reasons, you know, I mean, obviously,
sitting on the side of the world, we're not always
privy to what happened with Raiser and behind the scenes there.
We've heard a lot of stories obviously, but yeah, we
always felt it was a bit harsh on Raiser because almost, yeah,
it was almost like Heinekameyer when the All Blacks were
so dominant twenty eleven, twenty fifteen. It doesn't matter how

(06:34):
good a coach you are, when you've got a team
that's that dominant, you're always going to your results are
always going.

Speaker 6 (06:38):
To look a bit chevvy. So I felt for.

Speaker 3 (06:41):
Raising a bit because this is a very dominant era
for the spring Box. But what Dave Renny has brought
is is we can see the All Blacks playing with
a purpose, with a lot more a lot more direct,
and a lot more the All Blacks of all that
we've seen as well, so very much the DNA of
the All Blacks that we've seen in the past.

Speaker 6 (06:58):
So I think I think the other thing.

Speaker 3 (07:00):
As well is well, we're also vary is because Dave
Renny might have had a terrible record at the Wallabies.
I think it's thirty eight percent record, but against South
Africa and that period, winners at the wallabasy one three
out of four. Now, I mean there's always asterix and
there's a couple of the things you can say woul
happened in each game, but still that's a good record
against Russian russemus.

Speaker 6 (07:18):
I don't think there are many coaches.

Speaker 3 (07:19):
In world rugby that have their record against Russi as well.
So yeah, that's also another reason that the Box are
taking this very seriously.

Speaker 6 (07:27):
This is the biggest test for then this year. Russy
got a bit of blowback when you.

Speaker 3 (07:31):
Said the Nations Championship wasn't that big, because this is
the big thing this year and I think we all
feel that way.

Speaker 4 (07:36):
All right, Well, let's talk about South Africa, then world's
number one ranked team, back to back World Cup winners.
They comfortably won all three of their Nations Championship matches
in July. You've seen a lot of All Blacks and
South African rugby matches, Brendan. How does the South African side?

Speaker 7 (07:54):
Right?

Speaker 4 (07:54):
Is this among the best South African sides you've seen?

Speaker 1 (07:59):
Well?

Speaker 6 (08:00):
In my time, it's certainly the best spring Box side.

Speaker 3 (08:03):
I'm not one who likes comparing eras because I feel,
you know, the game changes. If you look at the
games twenty thirty years ago, they look very different than
the games played now. Yeah, but The only team I
can really compare it to in this area is probably
that two thousand and seven team of Victor Matfield, BUCkies,
bether John Smith, those Brian Habana, those type of guys,

(08:24):
and the difference between this team and that team is
this team's been dominant between World Cups. The South Africans
then have at times slipped between World Cups and their
standards and the depth in this team is incredible at
the moment. I think we saw it in last year
when they turned New Zealand. We saw after Eden Park
that almost changed the entire team, and then they had

(08:44):
a huge winning Wellington and they had a point luckily
all Extreen twenty eleven, twenty fifteen that they could almost
feel two separate teams.

Speaker 6 (08:52):
We saw the sere in the Nations Championship.

Speaker 3 (08:54):
They made I think eleven changes against Scotland and still
won that game quite comfortably at the end.

Speaker 6 (09:00):
So they're in a very good spot at the moment.

Speaker 3 (09:02):
There's a lots of competition in the team and there's
a host of youngsters. South Africa is also back to
back Junior World champions and you know there's a host
of host of those guys coming through pushing for places
and hopefully for the next World Cup.

Speaker 4 (09:15):
We're just on that depth and the number of quality
players that Rascia Erasmus now has to select from that
must also be a challenge for him because everybody wants
to play, but not everybody can. So how has Racia
Erasmus managed his side with so much depth, and of
course the young players coming through as well.

Speaker 6 (09:33):
I think it's it's probably it's going to sound like
a hell of a ciche that.

Speaker 3 (09:37):
I mean the year at a lot in New Zealand
as well about you only you only you've only wearing
that jersey for a while. You know you're keeping it
warm for the next guy, You're keeping the legacy going.
And it's very much that I think Russi's will say
brutally direct at times. Anybody who's seen Chasing the Sun,
that famous scene where he said to cause is not

(09:58):
the most important thing in South Africa and and you
think a captain as iconic as here and somebody is saying.

Speaker 6 (10:04):
That to him, only Russi would be able to do that.
So I think also what happens is.

Speaker 3 (10:09):
They've got to a point where the training sessions are
test match intensity and there's a very honest approach with
saying that some of these double World Cup winners are
reaching the end of the thing. If they can still
handle the training sessions, and they can still handle the
youngsters in those training sessions, then.

Speaker 6 (10:28):
They'll be fine to play tests.

Speaker 3 (10:29):
But we've already seen a couple of guys bombing and
the numbie Fifter Clark cars like that we didn't think
would fall by the way, so so quickly who have
so early?

Speaker 6 (10:38):
As we go along, we'll see that.

Speaker 3 (10:39):
And at the moment he's going to squad of I
think forty three plus a couple of probably around fifty players.
He's going to cut a hold of those before we
go to the World Cup. So there's going to be
some guys before, by the way.

Speaker 4 (10:48):
So all right, Brennan, well, please give us here in
New Zealand some hope.

Speaker 7 (10:52):
Can you?

Speaker 4 (10:53):
Are there any weaknesses in the South African side, all
areas that all Blacks might look to exploit?

Speaker 3 (10:59):
Well, I think I think the one thing that this
book team has shown, the one difference to this team,
and that's why I've heard so pundits in the last
couple of weeks saying you've got to run the spring
Box off their feet and and so makes All Blacks
saying things like that, this team with Tony Brown is
probably a spring box team, will probably run you off
your feet a lot quicker than you will. Then they
extremely fit. Yeah, they like playing the expensive game. They

(11:23):
still got the physicality, they still got the scrub.

Speaker 6 (11:26):
I think.

Speaker 3 (11:26):
I think what the All Blacks need to do is
obviously match that physicality. I think that's any team who
plays the spring box. That's no state secret that. But
the All Blacks have X factor in their back line.
And yeah, they've got some great players who can rip
a game open.

Speaker 6 (11:41):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (11:42):
And and I think South Africa's biggest thing is you
can't let the All Blacks get a start.

Speaker 6 (11:47):
You can't.

Speaker 3 (11:48):
It's going to be a fight to the end and
you've got to be in that game for any minutes.
So yeah, Russie's team is going to be very interesting
because we're playing against Argentina now in the next week.
It's just before we play the All Blacks, and that's
to give a bunch of the returning guys a chance
to play.

Speaker 6 (12:04):
But the team that the twenty he's going to pick
for the test, there's going.

Speaker 3 (12:08):
To be the team that's going to beat the All
Blacks in his mind, and there's gonna be a lot
of competition for that.

Speaker 6 (12:13):
So to me, rugby ball, you know, I always say
to people, well the Welsh. I was on BBC Wales before.

Speaker 3 (12:19):
The Wells Test and they asked me the same thing,
give us some hope and it's hard with Wales and
where the state they are. And all I said to
them was, you know, rugby ball bounces. You just need
to have one wrong balance, one ball go into one
player's hands and it changes the dynamic of a game.
We've seen itself. And the All Blacks are not Wales.
They are much much better team and the spring Boks

(12:39):
know that they respect that.

Speaker 6 (12:41):
So I think the.

Speaker 3 (12:42):
Biggest factor for me in this test series is probably
going to be the four back.

Speaker 6 (12:46):
To back tests. These games are incredibly physical.

Speaker 3 (12:51):
Modern rugby players haven't played four back to back tests
other than on in November too, and usually there's some
tests that's a bit lighter in those tests than they are.
But these four intensely physical tests are going to take
a toll and I think that's where squad depth is
in the coming So it's going to be very important
the team that's gonna be left standing by the time
they get to Baltimore is going to be the team

(13:12):
that's probably gonna win it.

Speaker 4 (13:13):
That'saw a really interesting tweet from you during the week, Brendon,
and you said, I know people have the right to
support whoever they want, but given everything Racy and see
as Box have achieved and what they mean for the
majority of this country, it's still astounds me to see
many South Africans support another country against their own. In
the past, understandable, but not now. That's what you tweeted out.

(13:34):
So we know how much South African rugby fans respect
the all blacks and love the all blacks. Is there
still a deep affection for the all blacks in parts
of South Africa.

Speaker 6 (13:45):
I think there's two different things.

Speaker 3 (13:48):
When I was addressing those tweets said, we saw a
bunch of all black fans turn up in Cape Town,
and there's always been a lot of support historically because
of a part time, because of the exclusion of a
large part of our population. At a lot of fans
supported the opposing team against the spring Box for good reason.
I just think we you know, with thirty years on
more than thirty years on now. The people that they

(14:10):
were there yesterday weren't born, but we know all that happened.
And I think more than that, this Springbok team at
the moment probably represents the country more than any Springbok
team I've ever seen. It's taken the whole concept of
race out of the discussion around the spring box, which
always was there.

Speaker 6 (14:26):
We used to have talk about quotas and things like that.
That's all by the way.

Speaker 3 (14:30):
So every player that's in that team now at the
moment is there on merit and has been X fact
and would probably walk into most world teams as well.
So I feel for that, and well I would see
that and Russia I have done with this team has
probably done a lot more for South African politics, sha say,
or race relations than anything anything of politicians done.

Speaker 6 (14:52):
So to me, you still see.

Speaker 3 (14:54):
South African fans supporting the all blacks, I don't quite
understand it. To each day own you can support whoever
you want to at the end of the day, I
don't understand it, and I think that's what I was
pointing out. I think just generally that crowd which was
four or five thousand yesterday, twenty years, fifteen years ago
will probably fifteen or twenty thousand, so I think that's changed.

Speaker 6 (15:14):
It's getting smaller.

Speaker 3 (15:16):
But on the other the rest of the country in
nineteen ninety percent of the country I think respects the
All Blacks in terms of we love the rugby, we
love the culture, we love the rivalry.

Speaker 6 (15:28):
But I mean, at the end of the day, we
still want to smash your guys, and I think that's
what it comes down to. It's exactly the same on YOURSLFE.

Speaker 4 (15:34):
Absolutely absolutely it is. Well, let's talk about the series
to finish. We've been talking a lot over here about
what might happen in these four test matches in particular,
and what would be a good result and acceptable result
for us in terms of series, and there seems to
be a bit of a consensus that if we were
able to square the series against the number one team
in the world, that would be a good result. What

(15:54):
about from your point of view, Brendan, would too, too
be considered a failure for South Africa.

Speaker 6 (16:03):
That's a good question. I'm not quite sure. I mean,
obviously I think the spring Box would probably want to
win for NOLA.

Speaker 3 (16:08):
I mean that if you ask them, But I think,
as I say, back to back tests and the way
I've seen I mean, that's the one thing we don't
have anymore in modern rugby when we used to have
the three test series, and the last couple of years
we've seen how teams have adapted from the first test
to the second test. So I think the box know
this challenge is going to be very real. So I
wouldn't personally say it's a failure. It depends on how

(16:31):
those defeats are and how those you know, if there's
a blowout, I think it will be seen as a failure.
But yeah, there's so much pride in the Springbok team.
I think these games are all going to go down
to the y and at the end of the day,
you just hope you're on the right side of it.

Speaker 6 (16:44):
I don't.

Speaker 3 (16:45):
I think South African fans don't. I won't say mind
losing the All Blacks. I think they understand it a
lot more. We just don't want to see a fifty
seven nolar like we saw in Albany. I think that
was the low point for US all, probably even lower
than losing to Japan at the World Cup, which I
was also at. I mean that one just it was, Yeah,
it was a horrible day, but that fifty seven and

(17:06):
they still sticks, sticks in your brain the whole time,
just like I'm sure Wellington does last year, because that
was a superb performance by the spring Box. And yeah,
so I think I think to too it probably would.
It would be seemed like a too two draw. It
wouldn't be seen as favorable or unfavorable. But I think
they'd win it, win all forward.

Speaker 4 (17:24):
Yeah, well, the forty three to ten still sticks to us,
sticks in our minds. Brendan, I can assure you of that.
That's a bit more recent than the fifty seven nil
at Albany, over a decade or so ago. Now, great
to chat to you. Thanks for painting a picture for
us from a South African point of view. Whatever happens
over the next couple of weeks or so, a couple
of months or so, I really hope you enjoy it.

Speaker 6 (17:45):
Oh yeah, I can't wait. I can't wait. I must
have been ninety six was a blast.

Speaker 3 (17:49):
I don't think I appreciated it because I was very
young as a journal But this one I'm really looking
forward to.

Speaker 7 (17:54):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (17:55):
So awee, Brendan saw We Thanks for joining us, mate, Brendan.
Now there out of South Africa with his thoughts on
this upcoming series. I just I feel though if I
was South African, I'd be supremely confident. I'd look at
my team and go, you know what, we're the best
team in the world. We're playing at home against a
team with a new coaching staff who we've beaten in

(18:16):
five of the last six Test matches, including forty three
ten in New Zealand the last time we locked horns.
So they, I guess, are right to be confident. But
that just makes me want to beat them more.

Speaker 5 (18:31):
I just.

Speaker 4 (18:33):
Even listening to Brendan there and heck of a nice guy.
I love them, But you can South Africans think they're
going to beat us four nil. That's what they think.
What do you reckon? I mean, we've sort of been
over and over this kind of you know what would
be a successful series score and that sort of thing.
We've had that conversation. You could add to it if
you want to, But I just now want to beat

(18:54):
them more than ever. I will say, keen to hear
from you if you have followed the All Blacks two
South Africa. Nick Roland from Sports, Travel and Hospitality Group
going to join us before one to give us some
insight into how many New Zealand fans are traveling for
this tour. But were you there in nineteen ninety five
for the Rugby World Cup or in nineteen ninety six

(19:16):
when the All Blacks last embarked on a full tour
of South Africa really came to hear his stories? If
you were, oh, eight hundred eighty ten eighty on that
or any aspect of the upcoming tour which begins next
Saturday morning against the Stormers in Cape Town, lines are
open on eight hundred eighty ten eighty Anthony, Good afternoon.

Speaker 8 (19:37):
Good afternoon, made hwaa very good, Thank you hey mane. Yeah,
I've just listened to your previous call, and I guess
it's probably a journal a journalist, and it is so
easy for people to talk about these thirty years have
gone and why haven't people moved on? You know what, Piny,
just a couple of years ago, I took my four
or five years ago, they had this Smatfield guy who

(19:58):
absolutely and relating to Damien vallenca about him not being
a springbog worse a springbok jersey. You know, we had
a guy the name of Ashmund Willemser, who was absolutely
banned to Siberia after he criticized to a part that
fossils I would call him Nasburta and Nick Mallet, you know,
and and and and and So when you see those

(20:20):
four five thousand people at Cape Down Stadium, uh, you know,
showing their support for the or Blacks, I can understand
what people say about thirty years ago. Uh we we
got uh we had uh a political freedom of got
political freedom but conveniently forgeed but conveniently.

Speaker 9 (20:41):
Forgetting that.

Speaker 8 (20:44):
During all that time, it was a struggle for us
to get acknowledgement you know from South African media specifically
Uh that we uh, I mean the old quota system,
which was a hated word in our community. You know,
it took us years to to sort of like show
that we actually belong there. And uh and then when

(21:05):
you see the fort four thousand people at Cape Down
Stadium the other day, Uh, this is just a manifestation
of all of that. I mean, I can go back
three four hundred years you know, of struggle. But that's
not uh this conversation. But it is important to note
that to this day, we still have to show every
single game you know, have you have your your Assuan

(21:27):
Vudums and those guys, and you have your Chase in Kolby.
They have to show every single game that they belong
there or the medium will just adverbly rip into them.

Speaker 7 (21:38):
You know.

Speaker 8 (21:38):
So we still have this thing, and then people talked
about thirty years ago we should forget about it. I
think it is pretty a rich of people just to
say that without knowing the history of the sport.

Speaker 4 (21:51):
Good points. Well, mate, Anthonay, So how long have you
lived in New Zealand?

Speaker 8 (21:55):
Oh, best part of three years, you know. Uh And
and and look, I come from from the non racial
sporting fraternity, the old secos of fraternity, which is South
African councilor on Sport. And you know, we had these
kind of players like like Jesslad and those for players
for decades or the only thing was that we could
not represent the country of our birth and and and

(22:17):
and so it's really really annoying. It's really frustrating, you know,
like like like the medium, the majority of the media
don't actually try to even talk to people who could
come from from that era where we had all these
players you know that could have easily walked into a
Springbok team.

Speaker 10 (22:35):
Uh.

Speaker 8 (22:35):
And then of course the media also like trying to
bash us for for with even everdation all black teams
specifically or New Zealand team playing there that we still
supporting in the New Zealanders. You know, I'm sure majority
of US wants to move on, but the media and
and and and a large majority of of of white

(22:55):
son Africans do not allow us to move on. So
I look, I don't blame those people at all. I
give Rush all the credit that I uh that I
can get a fantastic job into to see what what
what our boys can do now. And I just look
at the Common World Games, how well our people have

(23:16):
have have done at the Common World Games. But it
is just that that the specifically the wide meetings of
every gay they need someone to hate. And I can
tell you one thing, if someone like Sasha or Money
Lobos do something wrong, you will hear about this forever.

Speaker 4 (23:31):
In a day interesting and sorrh Anthony, thanks for calling
in mate. I hope you enjoy the series on the field,
but thanks for giving us your thoughts. I'm really and yeah,
eloquently I appreciate your call mate. Thanks to day Drive
sive twelve thirty AH one hundred and eighty ten eighty
back in the stake on Weekend Sport.

Speaker 1 (23:49):
Big calls Big Moments Weekend Sport with Jason Vine and
the out e Q seven Dynamic Black Runout edition from
one thirty ninety News.

Speaker 4 (23:58):
Dogs they'd be twenty seven aiy from on Pontier. I
thought there was a bit of a defensive response from
Brendan Nell about the crowd at Cape Town, says Mike,
saying that the few years ago it would have been
fifteen and not the five that turned out. To me,
that's his fear, fear of losing, looking for a scapegoat.
Fun Times Ahead, says Mike. Yeah, love it, Mike, thanks,
mighte appreciate it? Alan, you were there in ninety six.

Speaker 9 (24:20):
I was, indeed, I was lucky enough to be there.

Speaker 11 (24:23):
Yeah.

Speaker 9 (24:24):
There was a group of twenty of us, ten miles,
ten females went on a private tour. We were part
of a club that had equivalents over there, not a
rugby club, a service club, and we had equivalents over
there and they home hosted us. So we went to
all the games and by enduring memories apart from the
rugby which of course was fabulous apart from the last Test,

(24:46):
but never mind, we won the series. But two of
my enduring memories were the very first game we went
to was against Bowland. I seem to recall it was
a midweek game. We arrived there a bit late, and
as such I didn't get to get a seat in
the stand that was chocer block, so I watched it
standing on the stea way up into the stand, and

(25:08):
there was a colored boy standing beside me, and I
don't think we spoke as such, but we both enjoyed
the first half together. Then at halftime, he turned and
looked up into the green stand at the seated people,
and there were the off duty All Blacks, mainly Test players,

(25:30):
sitting in a cluster up in the stand. And he
looked and he said out loud to himself, but anybody
who could hear him, I'm sorry it someday, but he said,
Jesus Christ Jolna longel Jesus Christ Jolna lol, and with it,
and with that I said to him, would you like

(25:52):
to go up into the stand, Because apart I'd had
finished technically, but it was still pretty strong in some ways.
So the pair of us went up there together and
although we didn't actually get to talk to the non
playing all Blacks, he got so much closer than he
could have reached out and touched them, and I think
that made his day to be able to see John

(26:12):
who Jonah up.

Speaker 4 (26:14):
Close and so real, amazing, amazing.

Speaker 9 (26:18):
But the other memory I have is one of on
our flight from Port Elizabeth to Durban the midweek game
and Port Elizabeth and the first test of the series,
the second test actually, but the first test of the series.
Who were flying to that and the plane had only
just taken off and someone down the backs and Kiwis

(26:41):
down the back sung the New Zealand National NA. Nothing
to do with our group who was sort of towards
the front of the plane. But the team leader said
to me, you learned to do the harker, because I
told everybody they had to learn the harker. But you're
the only one who did get up and do the harker.
I don't do the harker and the plane get up
and do the harker, he said, so part we're all parts,

(27:05):
and most moray cringe at my version of the harker.
But anyway, I get up into the aisle of the plane,
and I do this fault on Harker almost the standing
ovation when I went to sit down, modesty preventually saying
it was a full standing ovation. But anyway, I went
to sit down, and a hostess came up behind me

(27:27):
and very sternly tapped me on the shoulder, and I
turned around to see her stern face and her finger
wagging at me, and she said, listen, listen. They did
not see that in business class. Would you go up
there and do it again?

Speaker 4 (27:42):
Had?

Speaker 9 (27:48):
I said, listen, listen, I'm sorry, but there's only one
Harker in me per day. I'm sorry. I could not
do another one. So that in the Colored Boy two
of my Enduring Rugby Memories of South Africa ninety six,

(28:09):
and what a tour it was. You know, we were
spot rotten. We were originally going to go in ninety five,
but the organizer found it was becoming extremely difficult to
get tickets and at what costs. So our South African
connection said, look, don't come ninety five. Come ninety six.
You'll be on your own. You'll be treated like God's

(28:32):
being supporting the all blacks. Come then, and we'll really
look after you. And it was the best decision we
could have made. It was just the most fabulous tour.
And you know, all the troubles in South Africa. I
never saw so much as two people having an argument
in the six weeks we were there. We were lucky,
I guess, because everybody had a story to tell. All

(28:55):
the South Africans had a story to tell about. Let's
call it the troubles, almost like a Northern Ireland, but
the troubles. And you go to a dinner party or whatever,
and the South Africans would have had a brief before
we arrive.

Speaker 12 (29:11):
We will not talk.

Speaker 9 (29:13):
About the problems. The kiwis are coming is going to
be lighthearted. And that's how it was for about the
first three minutes of any dinner pardy, but slowly but
surely the conversation would get ground to the difficulties of
living there at the time, and they were hopeful that
things would improve. And I'm sure they have. And I

(29:34):
said to our tour leader the other day, you know,
we've missed a trick here. We should have been on
this to thirty years to the day, virtually since we
were there, and we should have gone again.

Speaker 4 (29:47):
So Ellen, Ellen, brilliant Thank you so much, mate. I
just wish phones that had cameras had been around at
the time to capture your hauker and both economy and
business class mate, you could have dined out for years
on that footage. But oh you told it so well, mate, brilliant.

(30:08):
Thanks for calling in Allan. Hope you enjoy the month
ahead even from the side of the world. Barry, you
were there in ninety five for the World Cup.

Speaker 13 (30:16):
I was there in ninety five for the World Cup. Yeah,
this group of us from the Keviedy case forty versuen
over and we're there for a month and so we
did basically the whole time.

Speaker 4 (30:27):
What was the enduring memory? What are you remember? I mean,
obviously some fantastic games to fine or notwithstanding the were
you at Ellis Park for the final?

Speaker 6 (30:35):
You were?

Speaker 13 (30:36):
Certainly We're at Allis Park in the final and the
jam jam packed in that stand, which is it's just
so steep and so imposing. With that plane that came over,
no one could believe, you know, no one could believe
what's happening. He was shown on the big screen. Is
to get the plane coming. Knew it was coming, but
never thought that they would sort of drop it into

(30:58):
the stadium the way that they did, and as it
roared out, it's just total silence. They were looking at
themselves and what the hell was at And that came
for a second time, and there's a big sure we
all went up the second time and it went through. Yeah,
that was the injuring memory of the final But my
enduring memories a week before when we're in Cape Town

(31:19):
with all those poems, so we're so confident what they
were going to do to do the All Blacks that
day and you know it's done and dusted in the
first five minutes.

Speaker 4 (31:29):
Did you get a good view of Did you get
a good view of Jonah running over the top of
Mike Cat.

Speaker 13 (31:34):
It was right in front of us the keywi is
there about I guess two or three hundred of us
down in one corner And it was right in that
corner that he scored the try And it was right
in that corner Josh Cromfeld scored five minutes later, and yeah, yeah,
we couldn't got a bit of you for the whole thing.

Speaker 2 (31:51):
Absolutely.

Speaker 13 (31:53):
And the other enduring memory is we actually got to
got told takeout boots. I was one of the younger
guys on that tour. I was in my mid forties
and we paid.

Speaker 11 (32:06):
We played a game.

Speaker 13 (32:07):
It's for sure your first game I've ever played under
lights and we played against the smoke called team that
came out, So I think that's or playing the All Blacks.
Our age would have been in the fifties. The are
everage age was probably twenty three and under and twenty
kgs and these came these guys came out. They really
meant business and fortunately for us, the lights failed, so

(32:29):
we hit the bar very quickly. They were frankly get
the lights back on again.

Speaker 9 (32:33):
There's no way we were going to leave the bar.

Speaker 13 (32:36):
And so there was my debut game in South Africa
as well.

Speaker 4 (32:41):
So when you say when you say the lights failed,
it wasn't anything to do with one of your party
sort of sneaking around the mack and unplugging the unplugging
the lead by any chance.

Speaker 13 (32:51):
We weren't smart enough to do that, but we were
smart enough to get out on the padict we had nowhere.
We were smart enough to turn anything off.

Speaker 5 (32:58):
That.

Speaker 13 (32:59):
Yeah, it was a very special trip where it was
were catered so well, it's a private trip back in
the days of ninety We did in ninety nine as
well for the UK when you could actually buy tickets,
and then in two thousand and three it came the ballot,
so you had difficulties in getting tickets and you had
to use a big tour companies after that. Yeah, it's

(33:22):
a private tour that we did. And one of the
guys had a contact in South Africa in the travel
industry and he's set up this magnet. Everything outside of
the rugby was just so good as well, because you
know he had your weekly games. But the other one
that's defining on that one that a lot of people
remember is that South Africa probably shouldn't.

Speaker 7 (33:42):
Have been in the final.

Speaker 13 (33:44):
He swear that the game in Durban with the well
the woman was sweeping the pitch when it was absolutely
pelting down with the rain that was flooded, the game
got delayed by a couple of hours and the French
number eight scored a clear try. Bevan was the referee
didn't give it and was it lou late that them

(34:06):
with the gold watch afterwards? Yes, yes, And that's truvusly
because it was so clear to everyone in the stadium
that got scored. But the only one didn't see it
was was the referee. Yeah Shaw Deans and ninetyen oh five.

Speaker 4 (34:22):
I guess oh, I guess so very At least they
gave you Allis Park and the memories from that day,
even if they were slightly colored by the fact that
we didn't win the game. Hey, thanks Barry, appreciate you
calling some great stories from you as well. So pleased
you were there to see Jonah run over the top
of Mike Cat up close with all of those confident
Englishmen soon becoming slightly less confident. Good to hear from you, mate.

(34:44):
Six Steve away from one back in a second.

Speaker 1 (34:45):
Sport doesn't stomp at the full time Whistle Weekend Sports
with Jason Vine and the oldi Q seven Dynamic Blank
Runout edition. It includes thirty thousand dollars of premium upgrades.
Call oh eight hundred and eighty ten eighty news talks.

Speaker 4 (34:59):
They'd be thirteen away from one talking the spring box
all blacks and being there. John were there in nineteen
seventy six.

Speaker 14 (35:10):
Yeah, that's right. Yeah, we were doing our oe and
we were there was a group of us were in
England and we decided to go down and do the
tour of South Africa. I can't remember exactly, but it
was twenty odd games and it was over three months
the tour started, and I mean it's a little bit bigue,

(35:32):
but the tour started mid to late June and finished
around the twentieth of September. They played four test matches
I think was as I said, twenty twenty two games overall,
and we lost the series three to one. But I
do remember quite vividly the last Test, which was in

(35:54):
joe Burg, was we lost by one point and we'd
been ahead until the last bit of it. But the
South Africans at that time they haven't changed. You know,
they were cheating then and they still cheat now.

Speaker 4 (36:09):
And the cheap fifty years have hurt for you mate.

Speaker 14 (36:15):
Well, at that time they were lifting in the line
out and that was something that no one ever did,
but they'd perfected it and the referees couldn't see it.
But of course we had home referees then it was
South African referees, so they were part of the training
session and they watched them lift and do all that
sort of thing. But it was a great tour. I mean,

(36:36):
we had a fabulous time. We had midweek matches, amongst
the supporters. We played in bare feet and we'd select
teams North Island, South Island, Alphabetical teams, age teams, and
every week we'd go to a different club in the

(36:57):
area that we're at. We were hosted by them and
we just had a fabulous time of supporters. It was marvelous.

Speaker 6 (37:05):
There was no in the tour.

Speaker 14 (37:08):
We just got together and as well meaning individuals and
enjoyed the South African hospitality. We had a fabulous time
and you couldn't get away with ten percent of what
we did. Then you wouldn't get away with ten percent
of it now. It was We called ourselves the New
Zealand Paralytic Team, just to give you an idea of.

Speaker 11 (37:28):
And we had.

Speaker 14 (37:30):
We had all the all our clothing had a New
Zealand fern on it was Paralytic Team seventy six underneath it.

Speaker 4 (37:39):
I hope you've kept it. I hope you've kept a
couple of those polo shirts or whatever they were. John
maybe similar to a previous caller. Probably quite a good
thing that phones weren't around them with cameras. Sounds like
I had a great time though. Were just looking at
those test scores that that series so close the one
you referenced at the end. There was the fifteen fourteen defeat,
but the scores and the Test series South Africa sixteen

(38:02):
to seven, the All Blacks fifteen nine, South Africa fifthfteen ten,
and then the fifteen fourteen so all very close. Margins,
glad you were there to be a witness, mate. Sounds
like a great tour nine and a half away from one.
Back in the moment.

Speaker 1 (38:16):
Analyzing the plays and getting the insight. Weekend Sport with
Jason Vine News Talks NB.

Speaker 4 (38:23):
Text thro here that says reminded me that in nineteen
seventy six Billy Bush played nine games in a row
Saturday Wednesday, Saturday Wednesday. For nine games in a row,
he must be in shocked that they need eight props
now for seven games that Texas from if it's who,
If it's from who, I think it is a fairly
handy front rower himself. Thanks for the thanks for the text,
you term, Hi, thanks for holding mate.

Speaker 15 (38:44):
Oh, I see no worries.

Speaker 7 (38:45):
You've been enjoying it.

Speaker 15 (38:46):
I just it's just a brief thing, but I think
it's it's a big thing, and it's a theory. I
don't know the population of South Africa. How many jokers
are playing rugby, but I slay it's pretty big. But
the big I thought this for years, that I reckon
that the know know that the box is so strong

(39:08):
because the depth of human specimens players. You think, it's
a good point. It's not diluted to the best of
my knowledge, by playing league, or certainly not as rules
like Australia.

Speaker 7 (39:22):
I mean, but.

Speaker 15 (39:25):
Do they play league at all? I don't know. I've
never heard of it.

Speaker 4 (39:29):
They do, Yeah, if they do it, it's be a
small pocket term. And yeah, it's a great point mate,
in terms of oval ball sport over there it's rugby
and then daylight mate.

Speaker 15 (39:40):
Yeah, there you go. I think that's a huge, huge point,
you know, and that you know they're not diluted you
or how many of the warriors they would get into
the into the all books. But yeah, I'm sure there's
some good, some great players playing league. But you know,
like I'm just repeating myself, But then look at Ossie,
there's some great players. They're playing Aussie rules. Ye'd be

(40:02):
like in the backs. But I just think it's you know,
it's a brief point, but a good point, a.

Speaker 4 (40:09):
Very pertinent point. Yeah, it has to play into the
hands of Rassi Erasthmus and for everybody involved in the
South African rugby development system. Football is obviously big tim
as I'm sure you know. But in terms of oval ball, yeah,
it's rugby or nothing really, so they get all of
those athletes who are who are built. Imagine of South

(40:31):
African's did play league, says this text. Be amazing at it,
wouldn't they? I appreciate you, called tim text to finish Kjason.
I was a student living in a dormitory early sixties.
We were strictly supervised, lights out, no visitors, no transistor radios,
only at our three minutes on the only land line,
et cetera. I was the only child of a Canterbury
rugby fanatic who was horrified I was not able to

(40:53):
listen to the ABS playing in South Africa, so my
dad smuggled me in a very small transistor radio middle
of the night. Twelve girls piled onto my bed and
we listened to the game very quietly.

Speaker 2 (41:06):
Great text.

Speaker 4 (41:08):
Yah, that's the other thing about South African rugby, isn't
it is? The you know, you think of the days
gone by watching these games in the middle of the night,
getting up at three in the morning to watch them.
We'll get the opportunity to do that over the next
month to six or eight weeks or so as well.
Thanks for all your calls and all your texts. I
haven't been able to get to anywhere near all of them.
Appreciate them though very much after one up the wise.

Speaker 1 (41:30):
The only place for the big names, the big issues,
the big controversies and the big conversations.

Speaker 2 (41:38):
It's all on Weekend Sports with.

Speaker 1 (41:40):
Jason Vine and the LDQ seven Dynamic Black Runout edition
on Youth Talks.

Speaker 2 (41:45):
It'd be your home of sport one.

Speaker 4 (41:48):
Hello, this is Weekend Sport on News Talks. It'd be
good to have you listening, and you've arrived if you
have just arrived, and time to talk Warriors with us.
Because off the back of defeat last week to the Bulldogs,
and that off the back of a rather unconvincing when
the previous week against the Dragons, wasn't it to sit
down there yesterday afternoon around five ish and watch the

(42:11):
Warriors go to work against the Titans on the Gold Coast,
And didn't it look like a home game for the Warriors.
So many kiwis on the Gold Coast as we know,
and they were out in good numbers watching the demolition job.
And we'll come to the lefts my dumm easy goes
in for a double.

Speaker 16 (42:30):
Our second post half timer Tamar lay Marden filled them
with a flamboyant dummy. They needed to bounce back the
Warriors and they have in a big way.

Speaker 4 (42:44):
They're running eight tries to one. They've dominated the first.

Speaker 16 (42:49):
Half, were on the job in the second and built
are forty two points to six.

Speaker 1 (42:56):
Routes.

Speaker 4 (42:56):
Yeah a route it was. I tries to won five
of those tries in the first half. The Warriors third
on the ladder. The Sharks can draw level with them
today if they beat the Rabbit O's that games in
a few hours. Jake thinks they will on text up
up Crinulla, says Jake, Well, we'll see. I want to
talk about the top four, top two, top eight situation
in a moment, but let's get you across the Tasman

(43:18):
where fullback chants Nicol Klukstar joins us from the airport.
I think as the team prepares to fly home, chants
congrats make great performance from you and the team. How
did you approach the week after the disappointment of the
loss of the Bulldogs a week ago.

Speaker 11 (43:33):
Yeah, it was.

Speaker 17 (43:35):
It was a simple Fox really. It was just getting
back to what we knew works and what we've been
doing the whole year. So for us, it was really
making it as basic as possible and focusing on what
we've been doing.

Speaker 7 (43:49):
Well.

Speaker 4 (43:49):
Well, you did a lot of things well last night.
The forty two is impressive, but you restricted the Titans,
who have scored thirty eight points in each of their
last two games, to just one try. So how pleasing
was the defensive side of things?

Speaker 6 (44:02):
Yeah?

Speaker 17 (44:03):
Really pleasing. There was a little mishappen first half where
they did score their first try, but apart from that,
I was really happy how we closed out the game.
There there was a few opportunities where they attacked our
line really well, and for us to be able to
finish the game like that was a real highlight.

Speaker 4 (44:19):
Your first game back at fullback in a little while,
how did it feel slipping back into that number one jersey?

Speaker 2 (44:26):
Yeah it felt good, Thank you.

Speaker 17 (44:27):
I was really pleased with how some of the things
they do need to focus on a fullback felt like
I had never left, and there's obviously a few things
that I want to fix up. All in all, I
was really happy with my first game back in a fallback.

Speaker 4 (44:45):
What are the big differences, you know, between playing fullback
and filling some of the other roles on the back
line as you have over the last little while.

Speaker 17 (44:53):
I would say your involvement was what the team's doing,
and fullback you're probably looking at both sides of the
footy in terms of attacking defense, and you actually have
one of the best seats in the house. For me
as a fallback, it's making sure that I can give
information on the run to the boys so we can
meet those adjustments if needed, and making sure that when

(45:15):
I do chime in that my involvements are as positive
as possible, and making sure that from a defensive point.

Speaker 2 (45:22):
Of view that whereas whereas yeah, as solid as possible.

Speaker 4 (45:29):
Well, after that game down in christ Church against the
Cowboys on the wing when you scored four tries, did
you think about a career change? And you know, I
quite log it out here on the way.

Speaker 17 (45:37):
Nah, Nah, I didn't, I didn't. We have we have
some we have some really elite wingers in our team.
So for me to try and get in get in
there with those boys and amongst the healthy squad, I
thought or would be nearly impossible. So nah, there was
no thought of changing positions at that stage.

Speaker 4 (46:00):
Well, one of those wingers, they fleshed up a stat
last night after he scored Olafiana Camperira sixty six tries.
He's got in sixty sixty NRL games. I like to
do a double take. What makes them so prolific?

Speaker 2 (46:13):
Oh man, it's a speed, isn't it.

Speaker 17 (46:15):
It's something that you just can't teach, something that you
can chain, but a lot of that type of speed
you can't. So it's definitely a superpower. And when he
gets into space, he's gone. So I like how he's
he's finding where he can implement himself into the game.
And we as a team, we've just got to build

(46:35):
around a lot of the boys' superpowers and what they
bring to a squad, and part of Loti's as a speed.

Speaker 4 (46:41):
Of course, he was playing against his former side last night,
as was Aaron Clark. The you sense a lift from
from you know, players when they play against their former side.
Do you get that when you play against the Raiders,
for example?

Speaker 2 (46:53):
Yes?

Speaker 5 (46:54):
No? Yes?

Speaker 18 (46:54):
Or no?

Speaker 17 (46:55):
I think maybe the first few times that you're playing
your old team, it's a little bit like that. But
once you get a few games under the bout against
and it's it's sort of like just another game, isn't it.

Speaker 4 (47:05):
So yeah, I was really.

Speaker 17 (47:07):
Happy with how all our boys contributed, but especially the
boys that were formerly at the Titans.

Speaker 4 (47:13):
And you welcomed a new member to the Warriors family
as well, a daboo for Riley Price, he and Steve
the first father and son to have played for the club.
That's a call milestone. How do you acknowledge deboo's internally chance?

Speaker 7 (47:26):
Yeah?

Speaker 19 (47:27):
I love it.

Speaker 7 (47:27):
For their me, I was.

Speaker 17 (47:28):
I was so so over the moon and proud of Riley,
like you said, for his father son duo. And he's
only been a part of our squad for maybe a month,
five six weeks at most, and he slotted and really well.

Speaker 18 (47:42):
I was real.

Speaker 17 (47:42):
I was really really happy for him when I when
I noticed that he was on the field.

Speaker 4 (47:47):
Whenever you play on the Gold Coast, you get massive
key we support, don't you. I mean you do everywhere
in Australia, but particularly on the Gold Coast. How much
do you hear and feel that key we support in
a place like SeaBus.

Speaker 2 (47:58):
Yeah, massive, massive.

Speaker 17 (47:59):
Like I said yesterday after the game, they make us
feel like it's our home game and they always turn up.
So now we've got a really good ten everywhere we
go really, not just on in Queensland.

Speaker 2 (48:09):
But yes, that's really nice to have.

Speaker 4 (48:11):
All right, And just to finish, I know you're just
the day after the Titans game, but now attention turns
to Penrith on Friday night. Top of the table man,
I know fans are looking forward to it. Is there
something a bit extra special about what lies ahead this
week and on Friday night in front of it will
be another packed house?

Speaker 17 (48:28):
Yeah, there is, you know, clean at the highest level,
you want to play against the best in the comp
and Penrith's been that for the last five, six, six years,
so it's going to be a real good test for
us as a team and the club and see where
we're at, especially since the last time we played them.

Speaker 4 (48:46):
Congrats on the win yesterday. All the best for the week.
Your head can't wait for Friday night against the Panthers.
Thanks for taking the time for a chat, Chance.

Speaker 2 (48:52):
Thank you very much for you guys.

Speaker 17 (48:54):
Have a good rest of the week.

Speaker 4 (48:55):
Yeah, you have a good rest of your day too, mate,
travel safe chance. Nicol kluksta out of the Warriors forty
two six last night over the Titans. It's hard not
to get excited, isn't about what lies ahead? On Friday
night at Go Media Stadium, the Warriors are up to
open the lines. Incidentally, oh eight hundred and eighty ten
eighty anything you saw last night, you want to come
in on the Warriors. So the Warriors are thirty two

(49:17):
points from nineteen games. There are two points behind the
Roosters and a further two points behind the Panther. So
it goes Panthers thirty six, Roosters thirty four, Warriors thirty two.
The Sharks have thirty but they've still got one game
or they they still got to play today against the
rabbit O's. So they win that, they move level with
the Warriors and then the Dolphins on thirty points. Then

(49:39):
you'd dropped down a couple of points to the Knights,
the rabbit Os, the Bulldogs. That's the top eight at
the moment with a couple of games. Still, the players,
I say across the weekend, is this a top two sides? Still?
I look at the games that are still to be played,
and there's still a few twists and turns I reckon

(49:59):
in this regular season. For example, the Roosters run in.
Four of their last five games are against teams in
the top eight, so they've got a bit of I mean,
much as they're playing very well. They've won their last
six games, the Roosters, they've still got to play the
Bulldogs at home, the Panthers away, the Dolphins at home,

(50:23):
and the Rabbit O's away. All four of those teams
are currently inside the top eight. They've also got the Tigers,
should win that, okay. By contrast, the Warriors, it's an
interesting running the Panthers obviously Friday, then the Broncos away,
the Rabbit O's at home, the Knights are sorry, the
rabbit Is away, the Knights at home, the Sea Eagles
at home. So three of their last five games the

(50:45):
Warriors are against teams currently in the top eight. Yeah,
I don't know. I mean, finishing the top four obviously
is clearly important because you get that extra life in
the finals. Format of the NRL Finals, of course, is
that one plays four and two plays three in Week one.
Winners of those two games go directly through to the

(51:05):
semi finals. Effectively, they get a week off and the
losers get that second chance and then host against the
winners of five v. Eight sixty seven. But you're finishing
the top Two's important because you get to host that game.
The Warriors sat in the top two for a long time,
didn't they and they could still be there. Last night
was excellent. Needed needed that win last night with the

(51:29):
Panthers in coming on Friday, and I then get picked
up on just on Chance Nickel Klukstar before we go
to the lines. There's a selection issue now for Andrew
Webster Taine to old pick. He's been very good there.
He's kept Chance nickel Klukstar out of the number one jersey. Effectively,
Chances had to play a bunch of different positions. He's
played on the wing, he's come off the interchange bench.
The latest I saw during the week was that the

(51:50):
foot injury that kept tained to Old Pikey out this
week is a one to two week proposition, So I
guess that means he could potentially be in contention to
play the Panthers. But I thought Charles was excellent last
night at fullback. As he just said, then you know
he was. It all came back to him pretty quickly,
as as you'd assume it would. He played a lot

(52:12):
of fallback last year, so there's a selection issue, which
is a nice one to have when you got guys
out like well, you know Roger tu Vasaschek, Tanner Boy
Jackson Ford. You know, these guys not available and others too,
but nice to have some competition for places. Frank, you
would have enjoyed that, no doubt.

Speaker 20 (52:29):
That was absolutely brilliant. I was looking for that sort
of a game though, Piney many many few months ago.
When they first started. I mentioned about one swallow doesn't
make a summer, and I've been looking for a lot
more swallows during the time that they've been playing. Where

(52:52):
He's got so much talent from that new South Wales
Cup team to form and have the depth to knit
together a great unit. That great unit has been there
or they're are, but not fully displayed until last night.
It came together and it created I think fair in

(53:16):
the hearts of the opposition. Another analogy I like to
make is like a horse race. This performance will create
this team confidence as well as the fanclop club confidence,
which will give the momentum as we approach the home
stretch where the Broncos, the rabbit Os, the Knights, the

(53:38):
Sea Eagles are there for the picking. Also, hopefully, I
think jackson Ford could be back for maybe the last
couple of games, which will bolster our power in the forwards. Metcalf,
I have a question of I would have liked to

(53:59):
see him when we were looking so dominant last night,
to bring him on, to say twenty minutes, to give
him some of that game time. I know he's been
playing very well in the in the Cup side, but
just to get in that because I think like Harris
de Vieda and Tmio Martin, I mean, they're playing brilliantly
in the halves, but they could be They could get

(54:20):
a nega, they could get an injury and met Carver
with the perfect position to put him in. But anyway,
are you still there, Pony, I'm.

Speaker 4 (54:29):
Not, Frank, No, I'm listening. I'm listening and nodding my head. Absolutely. No,
I'm always always listening to your thoughts. Yeah, you're right
about jackson Ford. I've just checked as you were talking.
Then the latest information they say is the final rounds.
That's a bit funny, yeah, but it feels to me,
maybe maybe a couple of three weeks away, but I
look at that team and and the forward pack Fisher,

(54:52):
Harris Egan, Barnett, Capewell, Laban Clark, it just feels like
a really consistent solid if they can all stay fit.
And I've probably jinxed it, but it just feels like
a good, solid bunch of forwards, doesn't it. With the
guys coming off the bench to help out if we
can keep people foot and Jackson Fords back into that
Max who knows.

Speaker 20 (55:13):
And you've also got Halaesima yep, I mean what a
ball breaker. He is absolutely good time what you can
name any of these guys, They're all so good. And
as I say that, they've finally come together and I
think this is going to give them the confidence to
know that they can do it. I mean the Titans

(55:35):
they were no but they weren't easy beats. I mean,
we just struggled to beat the Dragons, and then the
Titans gave them a bloody or sorry of workover, and
then it was looking like the Tiger. The Titans in
their home ground, they were they were very strong, but hey,
we just we just smashed them.

Speaker 7 (55:57):
And I loved it.

Speaker 4 (55:58):
I loved it, freak, I loved it too, and I
love talking to you the day after games as well,
so please keep ringing. Yeah, forty two six, it was
a lot of fun to watch. Thanks for your call, mate.
Fred's porting out to me. The Sharks have got a
much easier runner than all the rest, and Fred, You're
right they have. They play the rabbit Os today and
then the sharks last five games are all against teams

(56:21):
from outside the top eight currently Dragon's, Raiders, Titans, Eels, Storm.
That's their running. It's pretty comfortable, isn't it. But well,
as the NRL always shows us, you can never take
anything for granted. Lyle, you got invited into the corporate area. Mate,
you would have loved it up there. They would have
loved you up there. Yesterday at SeaBus.

Speaker 18 (56:41):
Well no, I had paid for the ticket, but were
meant the game with the made of minees unfortunately not
going to be with us much longer. He couldn't make it,
but a sun and the pile of his friends we
all went. Yeah, it was a great atmosphere. Look, I'm
going to be honest. The last team matches from the Titans,
I expected better from them. Yesterday. Hopefully me Rabbits can

(57:04):
do the Warriors a favor of the same the eon
and beat the Sharks. But I don't see it happening.
I don't really see the Roosters slipping up going into
the finals, so I think they're probably on the chance
the Warriors of finishing in the top two. Hopefully I'm wrong,
But to put it in a nutshell, no, they played
well yesterday, but they needed to. They could have got

(57:27):
home by one point and as long as they played well,
they needed to put a good performance on the paddock.
They got home by obviously a lot more than that,
and they put a good performance on the paddict. But
the acid test will come this Friday. A lot of
the supporter said to me, oh, we only lost the
penrift by two points last time, but the penriift side
they only lost too by two points, wasn't in the

(57:49):
form the current penwift side was. Looks ranger things have happened.
I mean, no one would have seen that cricket score
that popped up on Thursday night in the NRL is
a funny competition, but yeah, I think they to win it.
They need to finish in the top two. Have definitely
the two home semis. They may be able to do

(58:10):
it from outside of there, but to win it, even
on yesterday's performance, they're going to have to go another
twenty five to thirty percent better. And also, although it
didn't matter in the end because of the number of
tries score, they have to have a goal kicker that
kicks it less eighty percent. Because Clary kicks at about
ninety five. You know, you've just going to be able

(58:32):
to lift that much further. Or hear a rumor he's
flogging them at training to put miles into the tank
so they can use it, you know, when it comes
to the semis. But it's a fine wine, fine line
to walk that one loading them up at training and
then expecting them to keep winning games. But you know,

(58:53):
best of luck to them, hopefully they can do it.

Speaker 4 (58:55):
Yeah, good on your law leadge. Enjoyed yourself yesterday, mate.
In regards to your to your mate as well and
his family. Yeah, I'm looking at the table and I'm
trying to find a way to get the Warriors into
the top two. Just I'm having a look at this
table and they're looking at the game's remaining So you
feel like you want the Roosters to have a drop

(59:17):
in form or the Panthers to have a drop in form.
The Warriors still have to play the Panthers, so that's important.
If the Warriors can beat the Panthers this week, and
then who the Panthers got left roost I've got the Roosters, Storm, Bulldogs, Tigers.
So yeah, that's not that tough.

Speaker 17 (59:38):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (59:39):
Like I say, if I'm trying to find a way
and I'm just thinking out loud here of getting the
Warriors back into the top two, maybe the way to
do that is for the Panthers to have a catastrophic
dropping form or at least a dip loose to us,
loose to the Roosters, and then maybe it's us and
the Roosters of the top two. Like iause, I'm just
trying to work this out in real time. So yeah,

(59:59):
forgive me one twenty five, We'll take a break, come
back before if your calls of eight hundred and eighty
ten eighty to talk the Warriors from.

Speaker 1 (01:00:06):
In victories to baffling selections, it's all their game. On
Weekend Sports with Jason Vine and the alti Q seven
Dynamic Blank Runout Edition available whilst Dog's Last News Talks V.

Speaker 4 (01:00:18):
One, Duncan says, good, Jason, I reckon it's time on it.
That's a different text, Duncan says. Aaron Clark looked great
at a halfback as a ballplayer, setting up moves. Looked
like it confused the defense of it. Andrew Webs was
asked about that afterwards. You will never hear the end
of it. A couple of kicks. Aaron Clark used to
be a halfback. I don't think I knew that, but yeah,
you're right Duncan. He did look good going into into

(01:00:40):
that position on occasion. Jamie, Hi, mate, thanks for holding.

Speaker 11 (01:00:44):
No worries, Jason.

Speaker 6 (01:00:45):
He just said that.

Speaker 11 (01:00:46):
I just listening to that interview with Chans and he's
sort of they'll be working on the training. Was getting
back to the basics and all that mets. Yeah, I
sort of held over the last few weeks the Warriors
didn't they have the quite the attacking mojo, but I
think that's sort of maybe been rediscovered last night in
What the Hell with That?

Speaker 7 (01:01:06):
As well, I thought was.

Speaker 11 (01:01:09):
We've got the benefit of the refs calling the six agains,
which I don't think they've been doing over the last
few weeks which enabled the forwards to give that roll
on and and then for the backs to do their things. Yeah.

Speaker 4 (01:01:23):
I think there had been some question marks over the attack,
hadn't they, Jamie. You know, you only score six against
the Bulldogs. I mean bull Dog's good defensive side. But
even the twenty twelve went over the Dragons at home,
it wasn't as though the fluidity was necessarily there. But yeah,
if that was what they were working on, going back
to basics and it led to that yesterday, then more

(01:01:44):
of it, I say, stick to the basics of that's
what the result is.

Speaker 7 (01:01:48):
Yeah.

Speaker 11 (01:01:49):
And in terms of the rest of the season. To
finish in the top two, we might have to win
all of our remaining games. But I mean even if
we win, even if we just went and say that
most of them three like three or four, then then
we should still be still being the top four at least,
which you know, which we'll take with and ends.

Speaker 4 (01:02:07):
Absolutely. Yeah, I think you're right, Jamie. If you and
I had been chatting back in February March and we'd said, okay,
we'll be top four, we would have taken it, wouldn't we.
You know, you know, a guaranteed home final at least
in the second week if if that's the case, and
two lives in the playoffs. Yeah, I think you're right mate, Panthers, Broncos,
rabbit Os, Knights, c Eagles, I think yeah, four ones

(01:02:30):
out of five there and I think you'd almost certainly
be in the four. Yeah, yeah, good on your mate,
Thanks for calling us. Always good chatting to you. Look
forward to the back end of the season. Eight hundred
and eighty ten eighty as always as our number mark.

Speaker 12 (01:02:42):
Hey hey FINALI yeah, I was just thinking it's quite
unusual in sport where the final has sort of played
at a neutral stadium, you know, like most most sporting
events in New Zealand and Australia, you know, the top
team usually hosts a final. I don't they, So it's
quite unusual in that regard.

Speaker 4 (01:03:00):
Yeah, I think AFL, the AFL, the finals always at
the g in the AFL. But you're right, yeah, like
in I look at the A League Super Rugby. Yeah
it's it's obviously it doesn't doesn't help the Warriors if
they ever get to, you know, to a Grand final again,
it's always going to be over there.

Speaker 12 (01:03:17):
But yeah, look it's I guess that is what it is,
and I guess on there we're based with that. Even
if we finished second, you know, we're still going to
go and play over there in the final. So to me,
it's going to be a hell of a game next week.
I mean, Penrith came out last night and sort of
went answered the Warriors game with a smashing of the Raiders,
who are an actually quite good form as well. I thought, so, yeah,

(01:03:40):
it's going to be probably the game of the season
because last time the Warriors met they obviously didn't have
three of the top stars on the side. I'm not
going to give way any coaching advice, believe it or not,
but I quite like Chance at fullback. I think he
had a great game and I think they look I mean,
I know til Picky has you know, being pretty good,
but he's he's really quite lightweight, you know, bringing that

(01:04:03):
ball back with the back three. You know, Camperiers speed,
Dellan's sort of got the bulk in the sort of
speed to bring that ball back, and I think that's
quite important, especially in big games, to have their ability.
And you know, when Tippicky gets tackled a lot of
the time, he's going backwards, you.

Speaker 7 (01:04:20):
Know what I mean.

Speaker 4 (01:04:21):
Yeah, Yeah, he's gutsy though, isn't he gutsy is all
hat and yeah, you're right, he's not the biggest guy,
but he's he's got a ton of courage and clearly
I mean Wheb, he clearly likes him because even when
you know Chance has been available, he's he's stuck with
Taine a fallback, and that, I guess makes me think
Mark that Weber's a bit like, you know, don't change

(01:04:43):
a winning team kind of mentality. So I get the
feeling Chance will play against the Panthers even if even
if Tan to a Picky is available on Friday. I
reckon Chance will start at fall back again because he
did yesterday and played really well there. As you say,
I reckon he'll stick with it.

Speaker 7 (01:04:57):
Yeah.

Speaker 12 (01:04:57):
I like the idea of what Rassi does with his
bomb squad, but playing impact players, you know, if you
brought to a Picky on sort of like you know,
ten minutes to go in the second half or like
twenty minutes to go in the game. He's got speed,
which you know can really make a difference with tiring players.
And he's very similar as well. He he comes on

(01:05:18):
to me, he's a superstar as well. Then he's coming
off the bench and probably you know, he is being
injected into the game. And as one of your other
callers said, you know, getting Metcalf back in the game,
I think might be important because you know, there's got
to be injuries between now and the finals probably, so
it's just a matter of where that happens. And I

(01:05:38):
think having another half to come in, you know, even
if our six seven nine get injured, it'd be quite
good to have Metcalf up to the Narl sort of
standard to be able to go in because for me,
it's sort of a weird one with a Metcalf because
he was such a good player and then he got
injured and as the injury really sort of hampered his ability.

(01:06:01):
Or is it because I mean he was probably one
of the best number sevens in the competition when without he.

Speaker 4 (01:06:07):
Was the best last year when he went out. Yeah,
he was leading the Dally M not just the best
half back, the best player. He came back to early
this season, I'm almost certain of that. They brought him back.
They were talking about round six or seven. He came
back in round four and then he pulled his hammy
in round five and was out and then the whole
moving away thing happened, so that can't be discounted in
this whole thing. I've been wrestling with the whole Luke

(01:06:30):
Metcalf thing for a long time. Mark, you know, I
and I you know, and I absolutely admire Andrew Webster
sticking with to Mighty Martin. But I just think Luke Metcalf,
while he is a warrior, could still add something. And
he kicks goals, which is the other part of this
which is important too. So yeah, let's see what he does.
Good to chat Mark, thanks mate. Tak Tuopiki are very

(01:06:52):
rarely used off the interchange bench. In fact, I think
only once this season. He's had lots of starts at fullback,
but I think only once this season has he been
used in an interchange role. So it feels like it's
either a start for him or he does and get
on the field. Paul, how are you, mate? How are
you feeling good?

Speaker 10 (01:07:10):
I finy, Yeah, I'm feeling I'm feeling good. It was
it was a good win. It isn't a good when
we when we're talking about whether the Worry is going
to be in the top two or not.

Speaker 4 (01:07:19):
You know, yeah, we're disappointed if they they might only
be top four. Yeah, I know what you mean.

Speaker 10 (01:07:25):
Yeah, so that's a good, good place to be. And
we've got three home games left, two away games, so
I mean, to be honest, I'm still not convinced of
where they're at going by the last two games. You know,
the Dragons in the game last night. You know, let's
face it, you know the Titans. They're a good team,

(01:07:45):
but you know they're not a top eight team. So
we'll find out this week. And you know, we all
know that that Glass game, the Panthers beat.

Speaker 7 (01:07:54):
Us by two points.

Speaker 10 (01:07:55):
A lot of the commentators are saying, and I agree,
we were a bit of team on the day, so
we can absolutely beat them at home.

Speaker 4 (01:08:01):
So yeah, a couple of selection things, Paul, what would
you do at full back? Or what do you think
he will do? Do you think it'll stick? He'll stick
with chance there, even though Tane's been his man for
most of the last two or three months.

Speaker 10 (01:08:16):
Pence, how how long Taine's out for back two backs?

Speaker 18 (01:08:20):
Soon?

Speaker 10 (01:08:20):
I think you'll bring Tames straight back. And the other
one was I heard that Rocco Berry was brought in
to start in the centers and Pompey and Leota will
both drop. But I think hearing Pompey, sorry Rocco Berry
stun as hemmy and the poor guy can't can't catch
your brain. Yeah, so obviously went in there. Cleka Halima

(01:08:43):
is not a center, There's no doubt about that. He's
a back rower. So yeah, I'm not sure what they
do there. You bring back Pompy Breck and I wouldn't
be surprised. But this this week's game is going to
be massive. But I just can't wait to spend the
day down there at go Media Stadium and the Panthers
are rolling and it's going to be epic made. And
you know, I've got I've got full confidence the boys

(01:09:05):
can beat the pants is at home this weekend. So
we'll see how we go.

Speaker 7 (01:09:10):
Mate.

Speaker 4 (01:09:11):
Our only issue, Paul Is, is only Sunday. We've got
to get to Friday somehow, mate, How are we going
to get screwed that week? I know what you mean,
because I can't wait for Friday to arrive and I'm
not even going to be there. I'm going to be
sort of you know, I'll feel like a cat on
hot and roof for most of the week. But yeah,
it should be just what Actually, while I've got your
one more thing on Luke Metcalf, have you got a
view on on whether or not he should be used

(01:09:32):
at some point in the next couple of months.

Speaker 12 (01:09:36):
I think so.

Speaker 10 (01:09:37):
I it's interesting because we've got about six five or
six games left. You never know what can happen. You know,
Tomight he could go get a hamstring, an injury could occur.
So I think he's just wait where he's just keeping them,
you know, on the on the bench to see what happens.
But you know, we've got a million dollars apparently sitting
on the bench there, so you know, he should be playing.

(01:10:00):
And if and if there was a replacement, i'd replace
Channell with was Luke Metcalf? H Yeah, but mine you should.
I had to have a good game yesterday, so it's
a tough one, mate, but a good problem to.

Speaker 4 (01:10:11):
Have, very good problem to have. Good on you, Paul, Hey,
good luck getting through the week, mate, Enjoy Friday. Hopefully
we can chat next Saturday about another terrific Warriors win.
Good to hear from you, Hey, Mark.

Speaker 21 (01:10:23):
Hey, here you go, mate, good thank you. Hey, Just
on the fullback and half situation. Just from the point
of your lead thing, they'll probably from what I can understand,
they'll probably go tain just because of his creative nature.

Speaker 12 (01:10:37):
And they always say, you know, when.

Speaker 21 (01:10:39):
You're playing top fourteen, what it really comes down to
is being able to create something when the defense is
so strong, and I think that's probably his advantage over chance.

Speaker 4 (01:10:50):
Yeah, it's a good point. And clearly, as I just
said before, Andrew Webster likes him. He's had the opportunity
to play, he's had them both foot for large parts
of the season. He's gone with Tayane, so you'd expect
them to go back to that of Taine's foot even
for this coming Friday.

Speaker 21 (01:11:06):
I think if he if he's at if he's really
you know, play at one hundred percent, they'll go with him.

Speaker 12 (01:11:12):
But I think there's a chance that he.

Speaker 21 (01:11:14):
Doesn't play this week just because they want to be sure.
You know, the last thing you want is to aggravate
an injury. Just on their halfs are currently got if
you look at like the defensive nature of what they do,
even in that Bulldogs game when they basically all didn't
really step up the tackling that was made by some

(01:11:36):
of the halves in that game really kept the scoreline
from blowing out. And I've noticed the kicking game of
the current halves in the last four or five weeks.
If you look at where we leave the ball at
the end of a set, a lot of it's within
the twenty, if not in the ten. When they first
got the roles, they couldn't even do that, So they've

(01:11:57):
really made great strides. So I can't see Metcalf playing
again for the Warriors and this and something really happens.

Speaker 4 (01:12:08):
Thanks Mark, Yeah, great points. Well, mate, Yeah, I get
the feeling.

Speaker 18 (01:12:12):
You're right.

Speaker 4 (01:12:12):
I think it'll be Martin and and Harris Tavita unless
there's an injury. Still, nice to have Luke Metcalf there,
and I wonder whether he does have a role to play.
Thanks for calling mate, twenty to two. It's like a
right come back with James mcconey.

Speaker 1 (01:12:24):
Call it how you see Us on eight hundred and
eighty ten eighty Weekend Sports with Jason Vahine and the
Audi Q seven Dynamic Black Runout Edition available at your
local Audi dealership.

Speaker 4 (01:12:36):
News Talks, HEADB, News Talks, HEADB and Weekend Sport. James
mcconey as always is with us on a Sunday up
in Glasgow covering the Commonwealth Games as part of Sky
Sports coverage. Good to chat to he has always James,
How good was Eliza McCartney's gold in the women's pole vault.

Speaker 7 (01:12:52):
Well, it's it's just incredible the perseverance shown, right, And
this is this is somebody who every time I see her,
she's you know, battling in Achilles injury and I mean
she's still the Achilles is still a problem, but she's
just learned to manage it and it has come back
and just been world class. And she's just a class

(01:13:15):
act anyway. You know, she's getting fluenced in today or mahldy,
she's just a ray of sunshine and so and also
not only a hero to Imogen Heiris, but her mentor
as well. Now so and I'm sure Olivia mctaggett feels
the same way. So hard luck for Live missing out

(01:13:38):
because she is a really top performer as well. But
just seeing Liza do that with with image in there
just shows that in terms of what our strongest event is,
it probably is right up there women's pullbot.

Speaker 4 (01:13:54):
Absolutely yeah, So a golden a bronze there and then
a silver for Tory Morby in the in the women's javelin.
Had the chance to do a couple of events with
Tory Morby. What an impressive since she is, but great
to see her on the podium as well with silver
and the women's javelin.

Speaker 7 (01:14:11):
It's just so great because she she dabbled with leaving
she's toying with leaving javelin last year she wanted to.
She played cricket last summer. She was playing for the
Northern Brave and women's team and the I think was
the b team there for a while, but they were
really hopeful that she's going to stick it it. Obviously

(01:14:31):
could bowl very very fast and throw very far from
the boundary, so you know there were certain things, you know,
they were just liking the way that she was making
those strides. But then she sort of managed to find
her way back throwing the javelin and falling in love
with it again. So good on it for doing it,

(01:14:53):
and you know, seeing her success and that of Zoe
Hobbs who's from Stratford and Taranaki of course Tories from
Gore down in Southland, it does remind me of you
know that song by journey. Don't stop believing. You know, yep,
just a small town girl and so you know, living

(01:15:14):
in a loney world and then just basically catching them
in night train. But you know the one thing that
they don't do, Piney, they don't stop believing.

Speaker 4 (01:15:22):
Okay, there is the secret to it all. Don't stop
believing small town boys and girls. Anything is possible. Hey,
we've heard the Australian national anthem far too many times,
but we're not going to hear it the net ball.
Jamaica beat them in the semis.

Speaker 7 (01:15:37):
Yeah, I know, jamaking me crazy. That is just one
of those things. If I heard the Jamaican fans singing
no Jamaica, No Party, and I was going, that's quite
good from them. And look the Silm fans are in
with a great shot. I think Grace and Wiki is

(01:15:59):
just an incredible goal shooter. And you know, as long
as she's out there on the court, I think the
New Zealand's got a good chance for gold. So it's
pretty cool to see. And look the Aussies. Last time
I saw on the middle table that was fifty nine gold,
So you know they've done all right.

Speaker 18 (01:16:17):
They have.

Speaker 4 (01:16:18):
As the curtain comes down on the Glasgow event. It's
been shortened of course, and that was because of the
short time frame that Glasgow had to organize it after
Victoria or Melbourne pulled out. What sense do you get,
James about the future of this event of the Commonwealth Games.

Speaker 7 (01:16:35):
I think it's I think it's been revised nicely. It's
been trimmed down. I think there's probably because of the
short notice they couldn't. You know, you can see there's
a lack of outdoor sports, so I think a Lenox
felt like it was the only thing that was on
outdoors and I think they could probably add a few

(01:16:56):
back in. I think triathlon needs to come back in
and some of the distance events, so I'd like to
see that happen. I think the next edition is going
to be an Indian. I think New Zealand could actually
host the Commonwealth Games. They'd have to share it around
a bit, but it's definitely doable. You know, we've got
we've got a valodrome, we've got that there's there's a

(01:17:19):
couple of pools that could be used or expanded and
really it's just the price of working out where to
have the athletics right. But I think there's enough big
venues in New Zealand. If I'm happy to let a
country host that, I think New Zealand should put a
bit in that. That's my feeling, and the Comonwealth Games
at the size it is at the moment is possibly

(01:17:41):
about right.

Speaker 4 (01:17:42):
Yeah, I totally agree, and I hope that that that
that has investigated the ability of a country to host
the Commonwealth Games. And yeah, I think New Zealand should
definitely get their their hat in that ring. A couple
of other matters I wanted to get your thoughts on.
You're following the Gianni Infantino FIFA saga.

Speaker 7 (01:18:00):
Yeah, I mean, I don't know how I feel about
Johnny and Fantino because when you look at previous and
then set black, Infantino is a massive upgrade. You know,
he wasn't there for those those terrible years of just
blatant corruption and by all those different he called them delegates,

(01:18:21):
but they were terrible. You know, you chuck Blazers and
I forget the guy from Trinidad. You'll remember his.

Speaker 4 (01:18:27):
Name, Jack Warner, was it?

Speaker 7 (01:18:30):
That's right? Warner? Like, he basically built an entire high
performance football academy. But he is funny enough. He owned
the land that it was on, so it became his.
And so look, this is the whole thing with FIFA.
Infantino years clumsy. His relationship with Trump is regrettable, and

(01:18:52):
giving a peace prize to Trump is just absolute madness.
But at the same time, this thing is all about commerce.
He wanted to privatize or sell sell off some of
the World Cup and look, maybe they need to find
a way to inject more money into the game because

(01:19:14):
like most those or most of those organizations, world rugby
is the same. The World Cup is everything. That's where
the money comes from, and they've got huge expenses covering
everything else. So look, he's going to back down. I
don't know if there'll be a coup, but let's just
hope that the next person is less weird than in Fantina.

Speaker 4 (01:19:36):
Yeah, let's hope. So that's quite a low Barber, So
we'll see what happens. I always good to chet to you, James,
loving your coverage as part of Sky's coverage of the
of the Commonwealth Games. Go well for the rest of it, mate,
and look forward to catching up at around about the
same time next week. Nine Away from too News talks
when there's a.

Speaker 7 (01:19:56):
Mind call, it's your call.

Speaker 1 (01:19:59):
Weekend Sport with Jason Fine News TALKSB News.

Speaker 4 (01:20:04):
Talks six to two. Couple of its corresponds just to
mop up dinoyes. They should call it the Aussie Wealth Games. Yeah,
they should, also, says, do make Australia compete at States,
New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, et cetera, to make it fair.
They'd probably still Win't too easy for them. Yeah, they
do seem to be monstering the Games, don't they. Piney.
I think New Zealand has already submitted for hosting the

(01:20:27):
twenty thirty four Commonwealth Games. I know that they had
expressed an early interest. I seem to remember we had
somebody on talking about this in ZC lodged and Expression
of interest. A Metabad is host of the twenty thirty
Commonwealth Games. Formal discussions and detailed proposal timelines from the

(01:20:51):
Commonwealth Games Organization anticipated to begin towards the end of
twenty twenty seven or early twenty twenty eight. So we
should just give it a crack. We'll talk about this
another day. There's not enough time today, but we should
give it a crack, especially if there is the ability
to host it in more than one place, you know,
move it around a bit. And I'm not talking about

(01:21:14):
a truck hated games like this one, a full Commonwealth
Games like nineteen ninety, you know, like Birmingham twenty twenty two.
This one is short because it had to be. But yeah, anyway,
we can talk about that another day. Write that down, Andy,
Let's talk about Commonwealth Games hosting twenty and thirty four
at some stage in our future. Just before we get

(01:21:36):
to the news. The Warriors love talking about the Warriors,
especially when they play like they did yesterday. You could
be seeing out the rest of this NRL season in
a brand new one New Zealand Warriors jersey. We're giving
this away through our Instagram page, So get onto Instagram,
search up news Talk ZB sports, follow the page and

(01:21:57):
then like and comment on the pinned post that you'll
see there. It's the one with the Warriors jersey on it,
and you're into it. Pretty simple, really, I don't think
there's a lot of time left before we close this off,
so get there and do it. News Talks MB Sport
on Instagram, follow us, like in, comment on the post
and you're into win news Talks HEB Sport on Instagram
is the place to find a lot of cool stuff

(01:22:20):
straight to your feed after the news. At two Auckland
FC have a brand new coach, got big shoes to fill.
Steve Corricker of course the coach of Auckland FC for
the first two seasons of their life A League Premiers
and Season one A League Champions last year. So the
man to fill those boots is Pedro Modada confirmed as

(01:22:42):
their new coach. During the week he's going to join
us for a yar and after two.

Speaker 1 (01:22:47):
The only place to discuss the biggest sports issues on
on head off the field, better store enough. It's all
on Weekend Sport with Jason and the Udiq seven Dynamic
Black Runout edition on news Talks MB, your home of Sport.

Speaker 4 (01:23:04):
Two I six Welcome into Weekend Sport. Welcome back to
Weekend Sport. We can collect of after three with Tim Beveridge.
Before we get there, I want to preview tonight's gold
medal match in the netball. The Silver Ferns with a
chance to break a sixteen year gold medal drafts at
the Calm Games. They take on Jamaica in the finals tonight.
A few people have asked me when Center pass is

(01:23:25):
at midnight Tonight's New Zealand time midnights, so it'll be
a late one can either push on or maybe you
get a couple of hours kipping Evon willerin going to
preview that game for us this out. Marcus Daniel, one
of our best ever tennis players, has moved into a
really interesting area posters playing career. I want to hear
more about that. Pedro Modeda, new coach of Auckland FC,

(01:23:46):
on the show this hour as well, and we'll keep
eyes on the MPC Northland against mont Or two about
to kick off, or may have kicked off already. We'll
keep eyes on that for you. Oh, eight hundred and
eighty ten eighty and number nine two nine two. The
text line get in touch whenever you're like seven past two.
Let's keep you across though, or get you across a
couple of the things that have happened in the last
little while that you may have missed in the midst

(01:24:07):
of doing everything else in your very busy life. In
case you missed it, we've heard all about the Warriors.
Also in the NRL, the Penrith Panthers back to dominance.

Speaker 19 (01:24:18):
It could be the matchic the right. The Raiders have
to hang on panthers with you Clary double pup the game.
So the one take it to night. What a first
for Peglot.

Speaker 4 (01:24:31):
Yeah, they ran all over the Camber Raiders forty two eighteen. Meantime,
Andy McDonald's Newcastle Knights demolishing the Broncos chipkick welsh Man.

Speaker 22 (01:24:41):
Oh the bounce Snuggert didn't get there on the floor.
Now look out, shut start away, He's gonna scarf. I'd
stick on the cake for the Newcastle Knights. Whit are
shark never in doubt.

Speaker 4 (01:24:56):
This is a stirring went for the Newcastle Knights by
thirty points to six to the Calm Games. Another track
and field medal for New Zealand.

Speaker 23 (01:25:04):
But it's Morby and so but needs better than sixty
one eighty eight to launch into gold finals row for
Tory Morby.

Speaker 4 (01:25:15):
Can she turn it into gold?

Speaker 23 (01:25:17):
No she cannot, But it's a silver celebration for Morby.

Speaker 4 (01:25:21):
Yeah, brilliant from Tory Morby, a silver Togo with Alish
Andrews bronze and our women's para time trial gold in
the velodrome. So our Glasgow Metal talley continues to climb
the Blues women have taken home the Spoils. On the
Super Rugby Champions Final our basin.

Speaker 24 (01:25:37):
Bumping off Tea Hines around the corner comes Rus the captain.
She reaches out and scores the try, the Blues landing
a hammer blow here in the Champions.

Speaker 4 (01:25:52):
Final, Yeah they bet the Wartas twenty four to seventeen
in Sydney and in the NPC, Taranaki picking up a
winning pookakoe to the.

Speaker 24 (01:25:59):
Boot find space. It bounces, Sam CARKU has it, Sam Cark.

Speaker 4 (01:26:06):
He's got to score a try.

Speaker 3 (01:26:08):
One of the most unlikely ways, the bounce of the ball.

Speaker 4 (01:26:14):
It's frozen the Steelers. I went over the Steelers by
twenty points to five. Otago upset Stagg Day proceedings and
in the cargo.

Speaker 25 (01:26:22):
Power from Otago irving one of the replacements thought about
throwing it, held it against the lamb that comes to
Miller cloats the pass over the top turned the Nina
keywoll unselfishly flick it out to Christian leo' willie.

Speaker 4 (01:26:38):
Who will score his second try. Otago Big One is
forty one fourteen and Richie Moonga has made his New
Zealand rugby return in a match winning shift for Canterbury
against Auckland.

Speaker 16 (01:26:49):
The arms out from Paul Williams, Wonga in there, got it,
darts his way through, ripped him on.

Speaker 13 (01:26:59):
Well.

Speaker 4 (01:26:59):
He might have missed the conversion to go in front,
but he's called the try that's given him the league.
You a long wait to get it back, but it's
been worth it. A category fans are thinking right.

Speaker 1 (01:27:10):
Now here One Madison Sports Weekend Sports with Jason Vine
and the Audiqwo seven Dynamic Black Runout Edition available at
your local Audi dealership.

Speaker 4 (01:27:21):
News Talks V coming up eleven past two. Auckland FC
this week announced their new head coach for the upcoming
A League men's football season. Pedro Modeta arrives after a
recent stint in Uzbekistan. He's also worked as an assistant
coach at FC Porto Shakta Denetsk and as Roma. Pedro
Modator is with us. Congratulations on the role, Pedro, and welcome.

(01:27:45):
What was it about Auckland FC that convinced you this
was the right opportunity for you at this time of
your coaching career.

Speaker 26 (01:27:51):
Hello to everyone. It's a pleasure to be here. It's
a pleasure to be on the country. On the club,
on a great club like Auckland FC. It's really an
amazing challenge for me and to understand the possibility to
play in a Hay league, to be on the greatest
club in New Zealand. I'm really really happy with with

(01:28:12):
such a challenge, important challenge like this and I'm very
I'm very happy to be here.

Speaker 2 (01:28:18):
It was it was really, it was really dead.

Speaker 26 (01:28:21):
When when when the chance appears, I really study everything
around the team, around the squad. Of course, we as
a manager study study everything to be possible to have
an interview of a meeting with with them.

Speaker 2 (01:28:33):
I start I started this process.

Speaker 26 (01:28:35):
A few years ago with with a relation with Black
Knight group or understanding why where my kind of game
and the way that I play as as a coach,
and I passed the patents that have passed to my
to my teams, the way that we that we demand,
the demands that we create on the game. I share
that with them and I don't even I don't even

(01:28:57):
and I don't even have the idea that could be
possible in the future of such a possibility so far
away from home like like New Zealand, and when the
chances appear, I spoke with Nick, I spoke with Terror,
I spoke with Bill. It was really a fantastic opportunity
and I study everything around and when when we shared my.

Speaker 2 (01:29:16):
Ideas, the chance was created. And I'm really happy to
be here.

Speaker 5 (01:29:21):
Now.

Speaker 4 (01:29:22):
You come into a team that already, even in short existence,
has had good success I League Premiers in their first season,
I League champions last season. How do you balance respecting
what has been built but also putting your own stamp
on the team.

Speaker 26 (01:29:40):
First of all, you must to understand their detached that
air from Steve Okay, it was really two amazing years
in the last in the last two seasons, with a
lot of quality. Okay, in the quality, in the way
that they play, the demands that they created the championship,
the way that the ambition that could be possible to
create on the players, on the relation between the between them,

(01:30:01):
even don't we could never forget the logistic situation that
the club like this have to play in Australia. Okay,
the time that they pass in flight moments, in hotel moments,
it's it's so different than the other the other teams.
We must do understand this, and really it was the
challenge that they create for the way that could be

(01:30:23):
possible to repeat these two years in a row, and
I hope that to be possible in the two years
in a row. I know the difficulty that will be
in the future. I know the demands that are created already.
I'm completely ambitious for that. I will work hard with
all of my boys to be possible after chance, with
my with my really with my individual stamp, but especially

(01:30:47):
to be to have a chance to pass the spotlight
for what they will do on the pitch, the quality
of football, the organization of the team, the way that
we will create chances, don't allow chances to the opponent.

Speaker 2 (01:31:00):
There's really something that we could have done. We could
not forget that.

Speaker 26 (01:31:03):
A few things that already change in the in the club,
the salary cap, the ceiling that are created for the
new for the new season, the renew of the squad.

Speaker 2 (01:31:12):
Also the situation that create also.

Speaker 26 (01:31:16):
That must to create more ambition in these players for
the future, and I'm here to work with them to
be possible in the future, improve everything and a lot
of situations from from the present to the future.

Speaker 4 (01:31:28):
Tell us about your coaching philosophy. What can fans expect
from from your teams. How do you like your teams
to play?

Speaker 26 (01:31:38):
First of all, we must understand what they did in
the past, the good things that they did, and use
use that kind of situation. The organization, first of all,
two depends on tactical systems, but first of all depends
of the way that we fulfill the spaces when we
don't have the ball, but especially when the moment that
we have the ball, because that that is the moment
when we will be possible control the game and show

(01:31:59):
more quality to our fans and also to have the
superiority instead of the whole opponents. What I like, what
I like in the teams is that's be possible to
the supporters to be allowed to the supporter check. This
is an organized team that work hard and fight hard
for the victory for every every play that participates. And

(01:32:21):
we are organized and we have a relation between sectors,
between the spaces to really recover the ball as soon
as possible and don't allow the chances. In the same way,
try to play as a position of play with the
quality in attacking football and in the moment that instead
what happened with the opponents, we play a lot for
the spaces that the opponents allow us and we will

(01:32:44):
try to play with quality.

Speaker 2 (01:32:46):
Can be inside, can be outside.

Speaker 26 (01:32:48):
But really to create the reallation between of the players
that could that could be possible to control the games
with quality. In this situation, we have a lot of
players that show in the in the recity in the
recently past that we have real equality and we must
work hard to be possible in the next season show

(01:33:08):
the same thing for all of all of our supports
and keep the same happiness in the stands that we
had in the last two seasons.

Speaker 4 (01:33:16):
You come into the team peg driven and you very
much inherit the plying squad. The squad is pretty much complete.
So how much does that change your approach? Are you
able to come in and allow those players to apply
your style even though you didn't pack them yourself.

Speaker 2 (01:33:38):
There's two situations that we can think about it.

Speaker 26 (01:33:40):
First of all, since the moment that we spoke about
this opportunity, I discussed this with Nick and Terry especially.
Of course it's important to share that of course I
don't choose a lot of players that we have in
the team, and also we renew a few a few
of these players to keep the players the team more young,

(01:34:00):
more ambitious also and it's important sometimes we must create
a good environment for this kind of players with in
their lives improve on their careers and could we are
speaking about fantastic players with quality, with such an amazing
future to be possible to play in a team like
Auckland f C. Even in this kind of situation when

(01:34:20):
we spoke about we have a change, even in this
guy and in this moment to increase the quality of
the team with two three spots that we have free.

Speaker 2 (01:34:29):
From the future.

Speaker 26 (01:34:30):
But of course we change a few situations from the
present to the future. We are speaking about a different
salary cap. There's a lot of situation that we must
change since the last season. Of course I'm inside, I
will try. But the main thing I was thinking about
in the beginning and I changed my handser. But the
most important situation, it's about the understandable what is the

(01:34:52):
club culture and what is the player's characteristics? First of all,
when we build up a new game model in the team,
so we will use what we did it well in
the past. We will create with my idea, with my
coaching staff support, we will create a new philosophy. In
a few situations, but we can use. We have this

(01:35:14):
big advantage to use the good things that they use
with Steve in the past, and could be possible to
approach from my ideas as soon as possible, to control
the games, to have that chance to win more games.
And the only thing that I could promise, even to
don't choose the players, even for a different coach, even
for a different culture. What I can promise is commitment

(01:35:36):
and have for to be possible with the hard work,
improve in the in the next games.

Speaker 4 (01:35:41):
Already, something that's been a big feature of your coaching
career Page Rivers being developing young players. It's been a
consistent theme throughout your career. How important does that to
your vision for Oakland DEFSA.

Speaker 26 (01:35:57):
It's very important if anyone, My career starts on the
development of really off young kids. I work in the
small clubs in Portugal, in the youth, I work in
Portuguese Federal for that, and I finish my Hugue career
in Sporting and Sporting Lisbon working with nowadays international Portuguese Squad. Okay,

(01:36:17):
I work with them in the beginning of the career
with twelve thirteen years old. The moment that they change
for seven a side for eleven side. Okay, it's really
the beginning of the career. It's very interesting after that
I enter in a professional professional football like an as
system of Polophonsic in a different in a different roles
inside of technical staff. Also that creates me and allow

(01:36:40):
me to understand a lot of things that nowadays I
ask for my assistance and really for me, it's very
important to understand that there's a chance to bet on
the young guys. But also is important and I share
that with my board, I share that for the people
that I have around me here in Auckland. It's important
to create a good environment for that to be possible.

(01:37:02):
Even when they have the responsibility to play in such
a huge team like Oakland f C. They have a
possibility to show their qualities and don't forget when they
are young, they have to take risks, they have to
have a possibility to make mistakes, and such a club
like this sometimes we don't have time and space to

(01:37:22):
do it.

Speaker 2 (01:37:23):
But I believe in the quality of them.

Speaker 26 (01:37:25):
I believe that could be a chance, an opportunity for
all of them to increase their own qualities inside the
collective idea that allows us to achieve more victories in
the future, just.

Speaker 4 (01:37:36):
To finish Pedro. There are a lot of Aukland FCA
fans listening to this interview. Do you have any message
for them? What are we a couple of months out
from the new Eye League, Sason? What is your message
to the club's fans.

Speaker 26 (01:37:53):
I like to share that's very important for me to
be possible field the support of the of the port,
with all of the supporters of Oakland f C. When
I analyzed the team, when I saw YouTube videos, when
I saw documentary about Oakland f C, when I analyzed
the way that they play in the past, come on,
it's unbelievable. The way that they push for the team,

(01:38:15):
the way that they are happy understands, the way that
they create entertainment around the game of football with such
a high quality like this, and the biggest example was
the forty thousand that we had Understands and then the
game against against Spurts. We can call it a friendly game,
but that was not friendly. That was something to show

(01:38:37):
really the strength that we have on the stands with
such such a quality of supporters, I believe a lot.
I believe a lot in the proximity I have a
lot of pitm I'm really a pity that that cannot
possible to see a game inside of the port. It
will be a fantastic experience for me as a coach,
as a fan of football to have a chance to

(01:38:59):
be inside of the port. Nowadays it will be very difficult,
but it's true, it's true, it's really just really, really
the ever opportunity. Don't forget that. I play a lot
of derbies around the world. I play romad Derby, I
play in Portugal, fantastic games. I play in Ukraine against
Dina Mukiev and chackdad on Edge, really the strongest teams

(01:39:21):
on the country. You can feel the atmosphere. But what
I saw, what I saw in the celebrations of the
titles here in Oakland, it's it's really different. And I
hope to be possible that the guys in the future
feel the way that these players will work hard to
be possible. And I want to feel the applause instead

(01:39:43):
of the result, instead of the result, to fill the
plows that the guys could feel every game that we
achieve the maximum skill, the maximum effort in our skills
to be approached, the victories in each game, so I'm
very happy to be here. I'm very happy to to
to share my game, to share my my my players

(01:40:07):
and my team and the an our hour way of
playing with these kind of supporters and I hope to
be happy on the future with all of them.

Speaker 4 (01:40:14):
Well, it's wonderful to have you here. I know the
club's fans are very much looking forward to watching Auckland
FC with you in charge. Pedro, thank you so much
for joining us today and I look forward to catching
up throughout the season.

Speaker 2 (01:40:26):
Thank you very much. It was a pleasure. Okay, and
thank you and let's go Aukland season.

Speaker 4 (01:40:30):
Let's go indeed. Pedro Moderator, new head coach of Auckland
f C. Their A League season starts on Saturday, October
seventeen to twenty four. News Talks they'd be back in
the mow.

Speaker 1 (01:40:41):
From Grassroots to the grand Stand Weekend Sport with Jason
Vine and the Altiq seven Dynamic Black Runout edition from
one thirty nine, nine ninety all eight hundred and eighty
ten eighty News Talks.

Speaker 4 (01:40:52):
Ab coming up to twenty seven. Marcus Daniel one of
our great tennis players. He reached the Australian Open doubles
quarter finals in twenty eighteen and twenty twenty one, the
Wimbledon quarter finals in twenty nineteen. He made fifteen ATP
doubles finals, winning five of those. He was as ranked
as high as number thirty four in the world. He
won Olympic bronze with Michael Venus in twenty twenty one,

(01:41:14):
our first Olympic tennis medal since Anthony Wilding won bronze
in Stockholm in nineteen twelve. With fellow Olympia and Hugo English,
Marcus Daniel founded High Impact Athletes. They work to connect
the sporting world with the most rigorously evaluated charities on
the planet across climate action, global health and animal welfare,

(01:41:35):
and now High Impact Athletes has convened Sport one Carbon Zero,
a global athlete led climate fund, which involves New Zealand
athletes at these Commonwealth Games. Paul Valter, Eliza McCartney, javelin
thrower Tory Morby and weightlifter to David Letti, all of
who have meddled at these Games, have pledged to turn

(01:41:56):
their performances into donations for climate action. With every centimeter
they clear, meter they throw, and kilogram they lift, raising
money for projects aimed at reducing global emissions. Marcus Daniel
is with US Marcus Sport one Carbon Zero. Where did
the concept of athletes linking their performances directly to climate

(01:42:17):
donations come from?

Speaker 5 (01:42:20):
Yeah? Thanks Jashon. That was a hell of a roundup
as well.

Speaker 27 (01:42:23):
So I think it's human nature to pay more attention
to things if you have something writing on it. And
I thought, instead of, you know, putting a few bucks
towards a sporting competition, why don't we put impact on
the lane. You know, you're more likely to follow an event,
You're more likely to follow a performance.

Speaker 5 (01:42:41):
If you have a vested interest.

Speaker 27 (01:42:43):
So, yeah, these athletes have made these beautiful commitments where
their performances on the field of plea are directly related
to impact off field, and kiwis anyone around the world
can make a pledge alongside them and get involved.

Speaker 4 (01:42:57):
When you approached the likes of Eliza Tory, David hay
Mission and pitched the idea to them, what was their
initial reaction on the whole.

Speaker 27 (01:43:07):
Really cool thing is that all of these athletes jumped
at it. I think it's a common problem amongst the
athlete community that a lot of athletes want to give back,
they want to do good in the world, but they're
usually energy poor and don't really trust the charities that
they've come across that they've grown up with, and so
I think this provided a really deeply researched and vetted

(01:43:29):
way for them to get involved, and also just the
reframing of attacking the climate problem in a really forward
looking positive way. So rather than sort of trying to
put a band aid over past harms, we're looking at
what are the biggest leavers that we can pull on
to make a difference for the future and try to
make sport greener for generations to come. And I think

(01:43:52):
that optimistic positive framing really really landed with athletes.

Speaker 4 (01:43:55):
Do you think there's a growing feeling among elite athletes
that they have an opportunity but also a responsibility to
use their profile and their platform for causes beyond the
sport that they play.

Speaker 27 (01:44:09):
Yeah, I think the opportunity part is definitely becoming more
known amongst athletes.

Speaker 5 (01:44:15):
The responsibility is mixed.

Speaker 27 (01:44:16):
You know, there are still a lot of athletes who
are just head down and very narrowly focused on their
sport and that's totally fine, right, Like, I know, how
much mental focus and effort it takes just to try
and sort of stay there and make a living out
of sport. So I don't begrudge any athletes who just
want to focus on their sport, but it is it's

(01:44:38):
pretty amazing to see how many athletes are using their
platforms to speak up, and not just in the climate space,
but more widely. You know, an example that comes to
my mind is Marcus Rashford and Great Britain talking about
school lunches, and he's created a real movement there, So
I think, you know, maybe it just takes a few
more superstar athletes speaking out for it to become more
of a trend.

Speaker 4 (01:44:59):
In terms of the climate change side of this, there
has been a bit of rain in Glasgow particularly some
of the trend and field that I've seen, but the
backdrop is another European summer of extreme heat. Do you
think athletes are now seeing climate change is something that
is actually affecting their careers rather than just something which
is a bit abstract to them.

Speaker 5 (01:45:19):
Yes, I do, But I also don't think it's new athletes.

Speaker 27 (01:45:23):
You know, there are plenty of surveys that can be
found that show that elite athletes have been very concerned
about climate issues for a long time. I think that
I saw one recently that it was close to eighty
percent of all athletes surveyed. We're deeply concerned about climate
and the effect that had on them. So I don't
think it's a new thing, but I do think, well,

(01:45:43):
it seems to me anyway that there are more of
these quite strange, pretty extreme events that are happening around
the world and that are affecting sporting events. I mean,
you know, you saw these hydration breaks at the World
Cup for the first time ever. So yeah, it's sort
of starting to starting to penetrate a bit more deeply
into the day to day of sport.

Speaker 4 (01:46:05):
You mentioned before, Mark that some athletes have a bit
of skepticism, maybe some suspicion about the charities that they
are approached to become involved in. How do you make
sure that the money that is raised through initiatives like
this go to the right places?

Speaker 27 (01:46:23):
Yeah, well, that's where I think we have a point
of difference at high impact athletes. A lot of the
charity space is based on vibes, and you need the vibes, right,
you give from the heart. But what we really specialize
in is working with research organizations that are the most
rigorous in the world. So these are organizations that spend
tens of thousands of hours a year researching where the

(01:46:45):
best place to give is, and all of their research
is publicly available, and they come out with a very
very small list of recommendations that pass all of these standards.
So the upshot is, if you choose any of those
organizations to contribute to, then you can be pretty much
as sure as you can be in the space that
your dollars doing as much as it can do.

Speaker 13 (01:47:06):
And I think.

Speaker 27 (01:47:07):
It's sort of this it's like a high performance framing
of charity, and I think that's actually something that lands
for athletes because athletes, you know, they pretty much every
decision they make in their day is around trying to
trying to find that extra zero point one percent. You know,
it's a high performance lifestyle, a high performance focus, and

(01:47:27):
it's just applying that same mindset to charity.

Speaker 5 (01:47:30):
So what I think we can truthfully claim is that,
especially in the sport.

Speaker 27 (01:47:36):
Times charity space, we are the most impactful per dollar
in the world, and athletes can be very very comfortable
that anything that they choose to support through high impact
athletes is amongst the best in the world.

Speaker 4 (01:47:49):
Elite sport involves a massive amount of international travel. So
how do you respond to people who say, well, that's
very difficult to reconcile with climate action.

Speaker 27 (01:48:01):
I think they're one hundred percent correct, And the question
I'd ask those people is, would you rather that athletes
did nothing or tried to do something to address it.

Speaker 5 (01:48:13):
I don't think that sport will ever be will ever
not involve travel.

Speaker 27 (01:48:19):
I think the beauty of sport is that it's loved
around the world, and fans of sport around the world
want to see the best athletes playing on their home ground.
So athletes are going to have to travel. I don't
think that's ever going to change. And so the question
we asked is, well, if that is the case, pragmatically,
what is the best thing that we can do to

(01:48:40):
try to reduce, for example, the emissions that come from
aviation or from shipping, which is also a huge part
of you know, getting gear and getting teams around the world. So, yeah,
I think they're correct, but I also think it's better
to do something than to do nothing.

Speaker 4 (01:48:57):
In the last ten years of your own professional tennis career,
you donated a portion of your prize money to charity.
In your final year, half of your winnings donated to
help fight child poverty, animal abeuse the impacts of climate change.
What led to your own perspective changing, Marcus about what
success looked like beyond just winning tennis matches.

Speaker 27 (01:49:19):
Yeah, a great question. I also I had a shocker
of a year in my last year, so that fifty
percent was not nearly as big as I hoped it
would be.

Speaker 5 (01:49:31):
But yeah, so.

Speaker 27 (01:49:34):
Through through the early stages of my professional career, I
was just head down trying to make it. You know,
it was really touch and go. I was sleeping on floors.
I was trying to just keep the dream alive. And
then when I reached the stage where, you know, I
felt some sort of security in the idea that I
could make a living through playing tennis. You know, I
was getting to the end of the year and actually

(01:49:56):
actually having a little more money in the bank account
than when i'd started the year, and that was new.
But when that happened, I felt this really strong urge
to get back. Because sport is selfish like that, I
don't think there's anyway around it, and it's necessarily selfish.
You know, you're trying to outcompete everyone, even in a
team situation, you're trying to outcompete.

Speaker 5 (01:50:15):
For the position that you play.

Speaker 27 (01:50:17):
And you know, I'm a competitive person by nature, but
that sort of killer instinct way of being on the
field of play, it never really sat perfectly with how
I wanted to sort of be in general life. And so, Yeah,
I felt this urge to give and didn't really know
what to do with it, and ended up coming across
this sort of niche in the charity space of giving effectively,

(01:50:40):
so trying to make your dollars do as much as
they could do. And the more I read about it,
the more it resonated with me, and I realized that
I needed to pull the trigger. Yeah, made a donation
and then, honestly, the biggest change for me was the
following year. I started with a one percent pledge, so
one percent of my earnings on tour, and the moment

(01:51:01):
that I internally committed to that pledge, that was that
was a real turning point for me, because suddenly it
meant that every match that I won, Okay, it was
great for me. I was ambitious. I wanted to, you know,
get to the top of the world in tennis. So
there was all of that sort of personal benefit, but
there was also this really small piece that was for
something so much bigger than myself. And it sounds I

(01:51:26):
don't know, it sounds like a bit of a cliche
or maybe I'm exaggerating it, but that actually that had
a huge impact on my enjoyment of the whole process.
You know, it's like getting out of bed in the
morning and your body's just in pieces and you're in pain,
and you need to go out and do another six
hour training day, and then there's this little piece in

(01:51:47):
my mind that's like, we'll just shut up and stop
being a selfish prep like this is for something bigger
than yourself. And yeah, ultimately it's been a huge positive
in my life. Like getting to the end of the
year and making those donations, figuring out what that percentage
meant in dollar terms, and clicking the buttons to to
get the money to where it needed to go. Those

(01:52:09):
are some of the most sort of positive, beautiful moments
of those years. So I don't regret a single moment.

Speaker 4 (01:52:18):
I can see why those you approached to link their
performance to this sort of thing. We're convinced by by
what you've just said. There, you're on the IOC Athletes
Commission as well, you're having these conversations around sustainability. My
gutfield Markers is that younger athletes would embrace these conversations
more readily perhaps than older athletes. But are you seeing

(01:52:38):
support for this sort of thing in older athletes as well?

Speaker 10 (01:52:43):
Yeah, I am.

Speaker 27 (01:52:44):
It's climate's an interesting one, right, Like, even that word
I think has become a little bit polarizing in this
day and age, and it's a shame that that's the case.
But I've seen research recently that shows that, especially younger consumers,
they would only buy from brands that they feel have
a purpose driven piece of what they do.

Speaker 5 (01:53:05):
So I think, you know, I think and I hope
that the younger.

Speaker 27 (01:53:08):
Generations are leaning into, you know, the wider picture and
thinking more about purpose and yeah, the good that can
be done in the world rather than just consumerism to finish.

Speaker 4 (01:53:20):
Then, if people are listening, they like the concept, but
they're not elite athletes, I mean most of us aren't.
Can every day sports fans make a meaningful contribution in
the space as well?

Speaker 7 (01:53:32):
Oh?

Speaker 27 (01:53:32):
Absolutely, Like at the end of the day, a dollar
is a dollar, and I'm really bullish on athletes being
the leaders in this space, so you know, stepping up,
putting their money where their mouth is, and then trying
to bring as many people along with them on the
journey as possible.

Speaker 5 (01:53:47):
So you know, for everyday people.

Speaker 27 (01:53:51):
You know, if you if you appreciated admire some of
these amazing Kiwi athletes who are competing at the comm Games,
then check out their campaigns, check out what they're committed
to and get around them. Or if you wanted to
give directly to the charities, then give give directly to
the charities. Like what we care about. What I care
about is that at the end of the day, good

(01:54:12):
is done in the world. And I just think athletes
are incredible front people to be pushing the sport sport.

Speaker 4 (01:54:19):
One carbon zero driven out of high impact the athletes. Marcus,
amazing work you're doing, mate, Thanks for joining us and
telling us all about it. I hope I hope that
it that it grows and grows and grows.

Speaker 5 (01:54:29):
Mate.

Speaker 4 (01:54:29):
It's always good to catch.

Speaker 2 (01:54:31):
Up with you.

Speaker 5 (01:54:31):
Thanks so much, Jason, appreciate it.

Speaker 4 (01:54:33):
No, thank you, Marcus. Marcus Daniel there with us on
weekend Sport twenty to three. Speaking of the Calm Games,
a medal in the offing for the Silver Ferns tonight.
Will it be silver? Will it be gold? They take
on Jamaica in the final. Evon willerin going to preview
it for us when we come back.

Speaker 1 (01:54:49):
The biggest themes in sports Talk to Piney, Weekend Sports
with Jason Vine and the audi Q seven Dynamic Black
Runout edition includes thirty thousand dollars of premium month grades,
Youth Talks, EDB, News.

Speaker 4 (01:55:02):
Talks, EDB and Weekend Sports sixteen to three. The Silver
Ferns will play for the gold medal had the Commonwealth
Games in Glasgow tonight after an emphatic sixty one fifty
four win over England and the Semis, there are opponents
in the final bit of a surprise I'll played Jamaica
after they downed defending champions Australia forty six to forty five.
New Zealand have already beaten Jamaica fifty three forty eight

(01:55:24):
in Paul play. The last time the Silver Ferns won
Commonwealth Games gold was in Deli in twenty ten. Former
Silver Ferns player and coach and now Netble commentator and
analyst Yvonne Willering is with us to preview this one.
First of all, Yvonne, how surprised are you that it's
not Australia in the final. It's Jamaica.

Speaker 28 (01:55:43):
Yeah, and I think everyone would have expected that, wouldn't
they have, you know, an Australia New Zealand final. But
for World's netple as a whole, I mean that it
couldn't have been scripted better to have had Joe Jamaica
coming through that.

Speaker 8 (01:55:56):
But what gets me is that, I mean it could
have gone.

Speaker 28 (01:55:58):
Either way, to be fair, right on the buzzer, Australia
had an opportunity to draw the game. But having said that,
the jama I had led throughout. But now you look
at it, Australia has actually done both Jamaica and New
Zealand for that matter, lots of favors because in that
some Corp Super League, that's where the players are getting

(01:56:19):
all their experience, and certainly the Jamaican defense they took
it to that Australian combination and you know, they were
well aware of what they were about. They've played against
them in the sun Corps Super League and it showed
and so Australia must look at their league to say,
do we really want so many import players because next

(01:56:39):
year is World Championship here.

Speaker 4 (01:56:41):
Indeed, indeed, well Jamaica getting there. As you're saying, the
game that could have gone either way. By contrast, I
thought the Silver Ferns were excellent against England. What did
you make of their performance in the semi.

Speaker 28 (01:56:52):
Yeah, absolutely they were. But also keep it in perspective
when Australia played England, they had an easy one against
them as well, So you know, England, I believe, just
makes too many substitutions. So yeah, it was a situation
right from the start. Though you know, New Zealand meant
business and what I liked about it, We do have

(01:57:12):
a main lineup. Few changes were made, one or two
tweaks at times, but you know, I think that we
certainly won that game as a whole, and you could
see that it was a team on the mission. And
Kate Heffern in particular is playing really, really well and
that is why she is retaining the center berth. Like
some people have criticized Rouale of Buchanan playing wing defense

(01:57:34):
when she hasn't played that why she hasn't really played
that at all. Reason for that is because they want
I believe it's because they want to keep the Burger
Jackson combination in circle because that is also really firing up,
and they really want to keep Kate Heffernon at center
rather than putting a back to wing defense. And it's
certainly working for them. My only concern is we still

(01:57:56):
have a really great reliance on Grayson WICKI.

Speaker 4 (01:58:00):
Yeah, and I guess when you have Grace in the
shooting circle, there must be that temptation evil mustn't there
to trying, you know, to feed the bull to as
often as possible. How ready will Jamaica be for that, though,
That's what.

Speaker 28 (01:58:13):
That's the concern. That's to say worry, But I mean
we wanted a really good final obviously, and I looked
at Jamaica after that game and they were all over
the place, and I was just wondering whether Jamaica feels
that really has been their final, you know, and often
it is really hard after such a tight game, and
it was. It was a great game, you know, well

(01:58:36):
in some people's eyes obviously, you know, whether they can
come back and do it again against New Zealand. Now Jamaica,
if they play to their full the ability and their strength.
That is going to be a close encounter against New Zealand.
Appreciate that the Jamaican defense they have come up against

(01:58:56):
Grace and Wicki in the sun Corps Super League Super League,
so in theory they should know what to expect, you know,
from the New Zealand attacking end. So you know, it'll
be really interesting to see. And my main thing is,
you know, have Jamaica played their final already?

Speaker 4 (01:59:12):
Yeah, it's a very good point. What about New Zealand's trajectory,
if we can call it that through the tournament? Ivan,
have you seen them improve across the tournament?

Speaker 13 (01:59:21):
Yeah?

Speaker 28 (01:59:22):
Absolutely, I think initially I have a look at it
and you're going whoa very hesitant they still, I believe
on attack play the ball back too often. I think
there are opportunities playing the ball forwards. And I'm not
just talking about the big boment of Grayson Wicki. I
think just on the whole players need to be available earlier.
I think timing has been out, but certainly it's a progression.

(01:59:45):
And are they ready for the final? I think they're
as ready as they possibly can be. And even you know,
Hall being injured and no disrespect to her, but she
was always going to sit behind the Burger Jackson combination
because that has in fact been grown with every game.
But certainly, you know, yeah, even in that last game

(02:00:05):
Kate and not just her attacking player but also her
defensive play. You know, it was really brilliant for the
Ferns and if they can reproduce that effort, it is
going to be I'm expecting a close encounter. But obviously
we're looking for in New Zealand.

Speaker 4 (02:00:21):
To gain the gold the Burger Jackson defensive pairing. How
much of a solid base has that provided for this
team and how crucial will they again be tonight?

Speaker 28 (02:00:31):
Absolutely, yeah, absolutely, because I think that Aiken is increasing
in confidence, you know, the big timber in the back
for Jamaica. She is increasing confidence and I thought she
played well against Australia. So again it's a situation we'll
be looking for the.

Speaker 18 (02:00:46):
Ball earlier on.

Speaker 28 (02:00:48):
But yeah, I think that you know, that combinations really
works well probably in the sun Court Super League. Both
those players I believe had a reasonably quiet season, although
I think Jackson gained an award, some award for her
Firebirds efforts. But yeah, I think that she's really come
out and you know, I've probably been I'm not criticized them,

(02:01:09):
but have certainly said on occasions that Jackson in particular
isn't always what you call the sixty minute player like
she you know, it takes time for her to come
into the game. But against England, boy New Zealand set
the tone. They have to do exactly the same. Against Jamaica.
They've got to put and make sure that they've got
a number of goals ahead of them so that Jamaica

(02:01:32):
doesn't have the support of the crowd, and they will
have quite a bit of support from the crowd because
they always love the underdogs and obviously they would love
for Jamaica to take this out.

Speaker 4 (02:01:42):
All right, great summary is always our Any problem is
getting to midnight tonight New Zealand's time. I'm not preferring
to Isaac klop Seed to path and I'm honest.

Speaker 28 (02:01:52):
Yeah, that's really interesting. I was going to be watching
the game and it's not the same with the replayer. Normally,
someone damnill tells you the results anyway. So yeah, but
what a way to finish the com games really and
three fair you know this is this is for netple
like even like obviously we've had our lows during the
season for the Silver Ferns, just to make the finals

(02:02:13):
as a beggie, absolutely they haven't done it for quite
a while, you know, but should they come out with
goals and I'm not saying you forget about the problems
within the country with a netle, but you know, it
certainly is a slight icing out there. So they've worked
hard for this, you know, as a whole group, not
just the players but everyone else involved as well. So yep,

(02:02:34):
if they can take another step up and really yeah,
it's also to be fair interesting to see who the
umpires are Australia and the Australian Jamaican came, they would
not have been happy.

Speaker 12 (02:02:45):
With the umpires.

Speaker 28 (02:02:46):
Found it interesting that both umpires officiating were from New
Zealand and normally you'd have like an English umpire and
a New Zealand umpire. Appreciate now against against Jamaica, it'll
probably be Australian umpires that we will get. But Bruce
in the Australian game, I mean she was heavily penalized
and in the end, in fact she was taken off.

(02:03:07):
So will the umpires be involved in this game.

Speaker 7 (02:03:10):
I hope not.

Speaker 28 (02:03:11):
I hope that it doesn't become a totally physical encounter,
and I hope we see some really skillful netball and
really promote the game as it should be.

Speaker 4 (02:03:20):
I hope all of the same things, Yvonne, all of
the same things. Great summary is always thanks for joining us.
Enjoy the game tonight. That's Yvonn Willering previewing the gold
medal match at the Commonwealth Games, the Silver Ferns up
against Jamaica from midnight tonight seven and after three News
Talks V.

Speaker 1 (02:03:36):
The biggest names in sport are here Weekend Sport with
Jason Vine, News Talks EDB.

Speaker 4 (02:03:43):
Coming up four to three. That will do us as
well as our netball is track, cycling, judo and bowls
on the final day of the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, so
more medals hopefully up for grabs in those sports. Thanks
for listening in this afternoon. Really appreciate you spending some
time with us. Massive thanks to Andy McDonnell for producing
is always great work over the last couple of days.

Speaker 7 (02:04:02):
Mate.

Speaker 4 (02:04:03):
Enjoy some sunshine this afternoon. If in fact there is
any in Auckland plenty in Wellington, I can report Anyway,
enough of that. Our out song today, our exit song,
silver Phone's playing Jamaica, which is where Uncle John is from.
According to the song from the Vinger Boys, We'll see
tomorrow night on sports Talk by Now, Uncle.

Speaker 19 (02:04:43):
John from Jamaica keeps song calling every day to buy
a tick, get a tack, a summer holly holiday.

Speaker 1 (02:04:53):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, Listen live
to news Talk said B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio