Full Show Podcast: 05 July 2026

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
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Speaker 2 (00:13):
The only place for the.

Speaker 1 (00:15):
Big names, the big issues, the big controversies and the
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Speaker 2 (00:25):
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home of sport.

Speaker 3 (00:30):
Hi Deck, You're a good afternoon, welcome and a very
warm welcoming to the Sunday edition of Weekend Sport Here
on News Talks EDB for the fifth of July. Happy
seventy second birthday, talk about great Test openers, John Wright,
I'm Jason Pineshow producer Andy McDonald. We are talking sport
with you until three o'clock this afternoon. That Dave Rennie

(00:52):
era is underway for you all Blacks.

Speaker 4 (00:55):
What a thriller to sign a new era of all
Blacks rugby at bull Ways than what thirty four point
thirty two.

Speaker 2 (01:04):
For you all Blacks cling.

Speaker 3 (01:05):
On Test one is done a nail biter against France
last night in christ Church or Black's assistant coach Neil
Barnes standing by the chat to us former All Black
John Preston. After one we'll hear from some of the
key participants last night as well, and your thoughts of course,
all Blacks fans. One down, plenty to go. How did

(01:27):
you rate the first test of the calendar year, the
first under Dave Rennie as head coach. Lines open immediately
and right across the afternoon. Also this afternoon, football World Cup,
black Caps pastballer Zach Folks on the show, the Warriors
Women ahead of their season opener this afternoon, and one
of our top softball coaches achieving great things in the

(01:48):
United States. But rugby is well and truly our focus
to start the afternoon. This is your show to contribute
to and participate in. Oh eight hundred and eighty ten
eighties the number nine two ninety two for your text
messages emails into Jason at Newstalkzeedbeek dot co dot NZ.
Eight and a half past midday.

Speaker 1 (02:07):
The biggest names in sport are here Weekend Sport with
Jason Vine News Talks NB.

Speaker 4 (02:15):
Right, Yeah, looking for quickboard at the back it goes
Beckenzie and Johnny Barren Will Jordant there, John it for
the right way corner.

Speaker 5 (02:22):
Tight through there.

Speaker 3 (02:23):
I think it there.

Speaker 4 (02:24):
I think it's given fine and I think that is
Will Jordan's forty sixty try.

Speaker 3 (02:29):
And then it was he added another to go to
forty seven All Blacks thirty four, France thirty two. Last night,
All Black's assistant coach, Neil Barnes is with us. Neil,
thanks for your time, Dave Reny said afterwards, there was
more relief than celebration. Was that your overriding emotion as well?

Speaker 6 (02:48):
Yeah, look at it all the close contest. That's always
good to get the one under your belt. But I
think we painted a lot of good pitcher's mindset wise
and have the want to play. And I guess the
awesome thing you take away from it is that there
are a lot of lessons to take out of it.
The worst thing is you get a resild and you
didn't get things right in the players actually think we've

(03:10):
got nothing to learn. So I opened this a perfect result.

Speaker 3 (03:13):
To be honest, what is at the top of the
review list for you and the other coaches today.

Speaker 6 (03:19):
Look, at the end of the day, just decision making
our guess during the obvious at times we're a little
bit frantic, but we asked the boys to play and
they certainly did so. It's just making good decisions. While
you're doing.

Speaker 3 (03:31):
It, asking them to play in that way with the optimism,
I think that's the word Dave Renney's use a lot
this week. Do you sacrifice a bit of accuracy when
you play that way or do you expect them to
be accurate and optimistic?

Speaker 6 (03:45):
No, we need to get both otherwise, yeah, we won't
get the results. So yeah, there's a I guess there's
a need for us to practice being under pressure like
that and being comfortable making good decisions while you're playing.

Speaker 7 (04:01):
And that's at that place, I guess.

Speaker 6 (04:03):
The only way I'd put it.

Speaker 3 (04:05):
How much confort do you get though that your key
attacking players were able to produce in those big moments?

Speaker 6 (04:13):
Oh a lot. But if you don't have a go,
you're never going to find out you can do these things.
So yeah, we'll fine tune what we're doing. The first
chance the boys have had to play under the system
we had, we only had a short amount of preparations,
so pretty comfortable or we got to incide one week.

Speaker 3 (04:32):
Yeah, pretty short runway into this game. What did you
place your focus on given such a short time frame
to prep.

Speaker 7 (04:40):
Just what we were talking about?

Speaker 6 (04:41):
Really, it was our mindset to play positively and have
a go first before we look at simple exit and
things like that. We're just trying to create more in
the game, make it a better spectacle to people to
watch them, for us to play.

Speaker 3 (04:56):
What did you make of the way Cam Royguard controlled things.

Speaker 6 (04:59):
Oh it's awesome, mate, but we're going an ALLBA team here.
The whole team were awesome. So yeah, it was good.

Speaker 3 (05:07):
Three new All Blacks last night as well. How are
they celebrated internally?

Speaker 6 (05:12):
Oh? Yeah, there's a lot of family involvement in that.
It's an honor, so it's tread with a huge amount
of respect and hats off to Jamie Hannah who came
in late and yeah, did a great job for us.

Speaker 3 (05:28):
Was it what you expected, Neil? Your first week with
the team in camp, new coaching team, new year, was
it what you expected or were there some surprises?

Speaker 6 (05:37):
Or to be fair, Jason Ryan had warned me that, mate,
there's a big machine that just keeps bloody turning and
everything's moving fast and here's one hundred percent right, So yeah,
we're under the pump. You get a lot of commitments
to get through in the first week and try and
get some content and so yeah, I'm stoked to get
through the first week, to be frank and get a
get a win.

Speaker 3 (05:57):
And for those watching last night, either at Takaha or
on television, if there's one impression that you want them
to take away about what the All Blacks are going
to be like in twenty twenty six and beyond, what
do you hope that impression is.

Speaker 6 (06:11):
That you got a team that's that wants to make
them more proud. You know, we take the responsibility of
being an all back team highly. It's legacy we want
to look after and we want our people to be
aligned to what we're doing.

Speaker 3 (06:24):
Neil, I appreciate your time this afternoon. Thanks indeed, Neil Barnes,
assistant coach with the All Blacks joining us here on
news talks, there'd be thirteen past midday. Let's chew this over.
Eight hundred and eighty ten eighty lines are open. The
first All Blacks test of any year never perfect, never ever,
we shouldn't expect it to be, and last night certainly
was not. But getting underway with a win was the

(06:45):
most important thing, making sure that the narrative this week
wasn't a first up defeat. It was a win. Despite
the fact it was a rusty one with plenty of imperfection,
but a win. Nonetheless, what we did see was the
intent with which Dave Reni wants the All Blacks to play,
the desire to get quick ball, to attack white spaces,

(07:07):
to play with pace and positivity. Accuracy can sometimes be
sacrificed in those situations, not intentionally, but sometimes when you're
playing at that pace, you can't possibly expect to be
one hundred percent accurate. But as you heard Neil Barnes say,
then they need to be both if they can, and
I think they will combine that accuracy of execution with

(07:32):
the dynamic way in which they want to play. We
will have a team which is both great to watch
and a team that will win Test matches. I like
one hundred eighty ten eighties our number Cam roy Gut standout.
The gap between him and the rest in the half
back ranks was already wide and it's getting wider. If

(07:53):
anyone is going to enjoy playing for the All Blacks
under Dave Rennie, it is camroy Gut. I thought he
was terrific last night. This was Sam Dowie's best Test match.
With the locking stocks severely depleted. Fabian Holland to play
Scott Barrett all out and Patrick tuy Pilot to a

(08:14):
late withdrawal. He really stepped up Sam Dowry on both
sides of the ball. I was really really impressed with
him last night. And Will Jordan his try scoring is
just inevitable now, isn't it, As is the fact that
he'll become our leading tri scorer in Test matches probably
before the end of the month. Forty seven tries now

(08:36):
for Will Jordan. He went past Christian Cullen, Joe Rocathoco
and Julian Savia last night. Only Doug Howleett is now
ahead forty nine. He got those and sixty two Test matches.
Will Jordan has forty seven tries and fifty five tests.
It's an incredible strike rate and you wonder just how

(08:57):
many he might end up with. And of course a
word on France. Despite all the talk of this being
a French B side, what we saw last night was
just further evidence of the incredible depth that has been
built in French rugby. Something happens when you put a
blue jersey on the back of a French player and

(09:18):
then send them into battle against the All Blacks. They
can never ever ever be written off. Regardless of who's
playing for them, they will be a force to be
reckoned with at the World Cup next year. And I'm
not sure really why we underestimate them so much. Regardless
of who's in the jumpers, they always always step up

(09:39):
against us. Lots to unpack, lots to analyze. Pick up
the phone. Oh, eight hundred eighty ten eighty is our number?

Speaker 8 (09:46):
Mark, Hi, hey, Tony, you have had Ba's ball. I
think this is Dave ball. It seemed a bit frantic
to me, sort of yeah, it was almost a bit
too frientic to me, especially towards the end. So nine
minutes to go in, nine points up, dmc throws them
into set pass. I mean it gets you consider take

(10:07):
it to a point. But you know, you've got to
have a bit of composure and control at some point,
and I think some of that probably goes to the
probably the inexperience of Ardi. I think he's got to
take more control of the game and maybe he sort
of set a tempo. You know, you're looking back to
our greatest captain, Richie McCaw and you know the way
he controlled the game. I think we need probably a

(10:29):
little bit more of that in the system.

Speaker 3 (10:33):
Interesting. Interesting, Yeah, I don't know. I mean, Ardie Savier
has captain the side plenty of times before in the
in the absence of course of Scott Barrett and before him,
Sam Kane. He's been he's been the leader a lot
of times. I do wonder whether it's it's different now
that he's the full time skipper. Whether before he always
knew he was handing the armband back, so he was

(10:54):
just sort of looking after it for a bit, whereas
now whether the realization has hit him that he is
the main man. He will lead us to the World
Cup next year, all things being equal. I don't know.
Does that way heavy on him? I'm not sure, but
but yeah, he's Look, he was very very chatty to
the referee last night. He was questioning a lot of things.
You know, he has always was a do as I

(11:15):
do leader rather than do as I say to his troops.
I thought he gave a pretty goo account of himself.

Speaker 8 (11:22):
Yeah, I guess. Overall, I just thought the game was
almost quite frantic, Although when you're looking, I looked at
the other games last night, obviously Australia versus Ireland, and
there's almost a style of play that sort of come
out now that just about all teams are playing, which
is this. Yeah, I mean there's a lot of points

(11:43):
being scored, which is great for the viewer, but yeah,
I just think we need a bit more composure. Having
Love and Dmaic at the back, you know, you've got
two sort of almost frantic players, and sometimes I wonder
whether having someone maybe Richard Wanga, I'd say, we'll come
back and maybe that will add a bit more stability

(12:05):
and control into the game.

Speaker 9 (12:06):
Maybe.

Speaker 8 (12:07):
I mean, do you think Richie wonna will come back
and take that ten jersey or not?

Speaker 3 (12:13):
That's a good question. I think he'll be given the
opportunity to take it. I certainly think he'll be given
the chance by Dave Rennie, who knows him well of
course from having watched him in Japan. I thought Ruben
Love was good last night, apart from the yellow card obviously,
which kind of stemy does involvement in the first ten minutes.
But look, I think Richie Wonger will be given the
chance to own the ten jersey heading to the World Cup.

(12:34):
He'll have some stuff competition from from Rubin Love. I
watched Damien McKenzie last night and I just prefer him,
you know, in an impact role or even at fullback.
But yeah, I think Richie will be given that opportunity.

Speaker 10 (12:46):
Yes, all right, Pony, let some others speak.

Speaker 3 (12:51):
Well, you have a good one too, Mark, thanks indeed.
Oh eight hundred and eighty ten eightyes out number. Luke,
good afternoon, Hey Pony, how you doing good?

Speaker 11 (12:59):
Luke?

Speaker 3 (12:59):
Good things?

Speaker 12 (13:00):
Hey man, I'm just pressed off with the positives. What
an exciting brand of rugby that the old books go
all Blacks put on last night, really really scintillating stuff.

Speaker 7 (13:10):
Yep.

Speaker 8 (13:11):
Obviously.

Speaker 13 (13:13):
Well I think.

Speaker 12 (13:16):
Just maybe they're forcing it when it's not there, you know,
like there was they scored one tray where they were
just doing one ups and just doing a little backdoor
and then and then they went forcing it and then
when the time came they put the put the extra
pass on. But you know, doing it in your you know,
in your sort of twenty meter of your field is
probably not you know, not necessarily a good idea. I

(13:37):
think it was just decision making. But you could see
the potential there, you know, you could see what they're
capable of. It was just execution and decision making, so
it was kind of a mixed bag. It was real
frustrating to watch, but exciting at the same time.

Speaker 8 (13:49):
So I'm excited for the future.

Speaker 12 (13:51):
I think it's literally just little tweaks.

Speaker 3 (13:53):
That's a great summary because they would have had to
take on board what Dave Rennie wanted in quite a
short space of time. They had ten days together, six
on the grass sessions. As I understand it, and and
you're right, Lou, you know they they would have been
encouraged to play a certain way, but you know, doing
it for the first time, you know, there will be
times when they make the wrong decision, when they put
themselves under pressure, when they think, Okay, yeah, he wants

(14:15):
us to play with intend, he wants us to get
it wide, he wants us to play at pace. But
are we in the right, you know, part of the
field to be doing that. It's a great point.

Speaker 12 (14:22):
You may, Yeah, I think they'll I'll think they'll look
at the video and then sort of just sort of realize,
you know, they'll be able to sort of hone in
on on on you know, what went well and what didn't,
and you know when it was when it was time no,
hone in on when it's time to make those sort
of those flashy sort of passes and those those chances
that you take to you know, put the defense out.

(14:42):
But yeah, also i'd just like to mention that can
we please just get rid of the box kicking unless
you're kicking out you know, get rid of it, because
two tries were scored a few phases after we kicked
a box kick twice and our from our sort of
twenty meter mark on side of the field and it

(15:03):
went up straight up in their fifty to fifty ball.
They caught it and scored a few phases. Did that
happen twice and then almost a third time with a
disallowed tray. So honestly, they just get rid of it.
Give it to your ten to kick or your fifteen,
make a few couple of phases, then get a good
you know kick from a good position.

Speaker 13 (15:18):
Those are I don't understand that.

Speaker 3 (15:21):
Yeah. Look, and I think they did less box kicking.
Look in the first half, far less than usual. And
you're right it was when they started doing the second
half the things, you know, perhaps turned against them. Yeah,
I think they definitely kicked less in the first half.
And yeah, you might get an argument from me if
they can get rid of the box kick all together,
I'll be a happy man. Good to jet to you, Luke.

(15:41):
Thanks for your thoughts. Mate. It sounds like your family's
vying for your attention in the background, they mate. So
I appreciate you picking up the phone and giving us
a call. Eight hundred and eighty ten eighty. Just on
the kicking. Mike Blair, assistant coach at the airport this
morning before the team flew out, was asked about kicking
and now where is this? Where is this cut of

(16:01):
his here? It is that there was not much kicking.
What were his overall thoughts? Mike Blair on the kicking
of the All Blacks last night.

Speaker 14 (16:08):
We think we're dangerous ball in hand and we can
stress opposition with that. I think it probably could have
kicked a little bit more, just to have a bit
of balance into the game. And you know, I think
I've spoken before about kicking in and kick.

Speaker 2 (16:21):
Kicking isn't a negative thing.

Speaker 14 (16:22):
Kicking can be used to break a game up, to
create unstructured turnover ball, winning winning scraps from kicks, creating
counter attack ball. Where you know, we counted pretty pretty
dangerously at times. So yeah, we need to get the
balance right with that. But I love the mentality to
go after the French team, hold onto ball and create
stress in our defense.

Speaker 3 (16:43):
There is Mike Blair, so yeah, clearly the intent is
to hold onto the ball. They kicked far less in
the first half and they did attle bit more on
the second, and there were reasons for that. But I
like the idea of ball in hand. As Mike Blayer said,
We're dangerous. Ball in hand. Twelve twenty three lines open
Talking All Blacks O eight hundred and eighty teen eighty
Ian place hold there with you after the break, spil

(17:05):
on if you want to jump board, talk some all
Blacks with us on Weekend Sport.

Speaker 1 (17:09):
Big Calls, Big Moments Weekend Sport with Jason Fine and
the Volkswagen Amarak Vsex from eighty nine ninety ninety for
a limited time News Talks.

Speaker 4 (17:18):
V Blackeyed Black Eye Drawing and Party to to Luckeye.
We All Blacks for the ticket of advice.

Speaker 3 (17:28):
Hitter Lucky Oh one hundred and eighty ten eighty any
aspect of last night you want to pick up on, Ian,
thank you for holding good afternoon, Hi Joyce, good Ian,
good Thanks mate.

Speaker 15 (17:40):
I thought I wouldness this morning, though I didn't watch
the full game last night, of course, but I think
I have just seen Jason the next World Cup winning
side in the people that were wearing the shots, we're
wearing them in the blue ones on.

Speaker 3 (18:00):
The bot Ian calm down. I actually wondered whether you
were going to go that way now. They were good,
weren't they. And that's not even their.

Speaker 15 (18:07):
Top team, seriously, and you know, coming back to that,
you know, people come back, you know to say being
and seasides and all that sort of thing. The Abs
last night could have quite easily have got beaten. And
maybe it was a very very good French side, was
the Abs too. Let's not get you know, out of

(18:30):
hand and there.

Speaker 8 (18:31):
But I'll tell you what, well.

Speaker 15 (18:32):
I saw these French guys to get their nine players
back all, they're going to be tremendously hard to beat
in the World Cup. Let me say that just for a.

Speaker 3 (18:45):
Fact, and you're dead right, you did right. The only thing,
and someone said this to me last night, is the
only thing that might be a little bit of a
fly in their ointments is how will they travel as
a team down to the Southern Hemisphere. I mean, it
might be nothing, it might be nothing. But you know,
it's a long tour. You've got to come down and
play six or seven games to win it. You know,

(19:06):
the Free have a bit of a history of not
necessarily having incredible harmony off the field. I don't know,
once they get on the field, it seems to be
a superpower, you know. But look, yeah, they're definitely a contender.

Speaker 15 (19:18):
And you're quite right there. You know, they're traveling schools
aren't what you'd call them, you know, great. But having
said that, once these people come together, and I mean
I've got their full squad together, they are going to
be tremendously hard to slide.

Speaker 3 (19:40):
Good observation. I thanks mate. We saw a bit of
them last night obviously, and as we've mentioned a number
of times, they are missing a number of players. If
they were to roll out their best fifteen, their best
twenty three, then there'd be at least half a dozen
and probably more who went there last night. Antwine du
Pont just seems singularly unable to travel down this way,

(20:04):
the world class half back. No doubt, of course he'll
be here for the World Cup, but I don't get
the feeling we'll get the chance to see him down
this way until then. Many others not available for this
Test and this tour for various reasons, but those who
were there. As I said at the top of the show,
I'm not sure why we and I'm as guilty of

(20:27):
this as anybody. I'm not sure why we continually underestimate
France when they don't bring their full side down because
whoever wears that shirt just steps up. Your thoughts are
welcome on this Oh eight hundred and eighty ten eighty
standout players. I mentioned Cam roy Gard. He was given
the official man of the match. I think it could

(20:47):
easily have gone to Sam Dowry. Listening to the commentary
last night as I was sideline, I don't think I've
ever heard Elliott Smith call a tight forward's name as
often as he called Sam Dowry in that first half.
On both sides of the ball, if he wasn't putting
in a map of tackle and pushing a French attacker

(21:09):
back past the advantage line, then he was carrying the
ball himself. He was often first man up taking it
into contact, and then he'd be back on his feet
and he'd be going again. I just thought he had
a terrific Test match. Sam Dowry, and there's been, as
I said before, a bit of concern about our locking

(21:29):
stocks and the fact that we're missing a few. Fabian
Holland of course had a standout season in twenty twenty five,
not available this year due to that long term injury
that he's nursing his way back from toy in the
current squad, but concussed and not available for this one.
Scott Barrett we know is coming back, even Patrick Twi Polotu,

(21:51):
Sam Dowry and I guess, to a lesser extent, Josh Lord.
Last night, I think they gave a good account of themselves.
And then Jamie Hannah with a Test debut that he
wouldn't have been expecting at all. I don't think he
was told he was playing till I think lunch time yesterday.
They said that he was sat down and told that

(22:12):
he would be He would be in the match day
twenty three because Patrick Twey Piloto would tweaked to calf.

Speaker 8 (22:19):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (22:19):
I thought Sam Dowry was good. How did he feel
about his game afterwards? Had a quick chat to Sam
Dowry shortly after the final whistle.

Speaker 16 (22:26):
Oh no, I'm absolutely spent and I'm struggling to peace
to you the words right now there was a war
of attrition. Uh, when you it would be when knew
the physicality that Fredrick were playing and the speed. You
know you're sawting that first line.

Speaker 17 (22:40):
Out of the game.

Speaker 16 (22:41):
They wanted to play fast. So yes, really took it
to us. But four foot to our voice is sticking
out and sticking out it.

Speaker 3 (22:46):
You were so involved in the whole game first half,
you were carrying, you were making big tackles. How much
did you relish the physical nature of tonight's game? You
might not relish it tomorrow. How did you reliship to nights?

Speaker 18 (22:56):
Oh?

Speaker 16 (22:56):
Mate, this is what you play the game for. You know,
you went hard ons this season to be in the
spot and a special special game for me staying across
Hurch best test here, a lot of family and friends here,
so it's us awesome to be able to put on
a performance and then come over.

Speaker 3 (23:11):
With the w There were Sam Dowry shortly after the
final Warsaw Blue last night and a piney says Steve,
a few reflections from last night. The attacking intent is
great to see. We'll need to bring balance to that
at times. Route one and being direct was actually working
quite well at times. Our exits after scoring points need
urgent addressing. This is a major hangover from Razor, and
it was still there to see last night. Defensively, we

(23:33):
got caught out to often. We never gave ourselves a
chance to put air between us and the French. French,
says Steve on the whole thy I was quite happy.
The Renny Ethos was quite prominent. Quite a few times
I saw tacklers backing up to make consecutive tackles as
an example of work rate. Interesting that the Northern Hemisphere
theme was France were missing several front liners, but we

(23:53):
were missing a third of our top starting line up too.
Food for thought. Both teams will get better and bigger
challengers are wait. Good summary, Steve good summary. Craig hy.

Speaker 19 (24:04):
Coney, that's Craig. We were at the game last night.
On one question we've got as Kevin Jamie Hannah was
called up. The All Blacks had another lot warming up
with them. Do you know who that lock was that
they called in in case someone else when injured in
their warmer?

Speaker 3 (24:22):
I don't, Craig, No, I don't. I didn't. I didn't
notice another person that We're starting to get down a
little bit, aren't we. It wasn't like Koy. I would
have felt he would have been the next one. You'd
recognize him with his dreadlocks.

Speaker 19 (24:35):
Though, No, it wasn't. Hermer was a very young lock.
So I'm just interested who was called in in case
someone went down in the warmer.

Speaker 3 (24:43):
That's a good that's a good question. We'll see if
we can find out. Somebody will know. Craig, what did
you make of the game? Did you enjoy the occasion?

Speaker 11 (24:50):
Oh?

Speaker 19 (24:50):
The stadium's fantastic. First time to the stadium. I can
see why Kroschus loves it. We went out for breakfast
and lunch, hospitalities thriving down there. It's Craig, what did
you want.

Speaker 3 (25:03):
To tell you? So you traveled from from elsewhere? Nelson piney, Oh,
it's that Craig. Love it mate. So you had a
good time the first time at the stadium. It is
a cracker, isn't it. It's a cracking venue for sure.

Speaker 19 (25:18):
Beautiful stadium. Thanks Piny. Find out who that lock was?

Speaker 3 (25:22):
I will, Craig, the word is out, mate. The question
has been asked, who was the lock who was called in?
Because obviously you still need cover if you know, God
forbid one of the locks had gone down. Who was
this mystery man, this youngster who was called in. I'll
see if I can find out. Probably I would imagine

(25:43):
somebody local.

Speaker 13 (25:46):
Was it?

Speaker 3 (25:46):
Liam Jack? Asks this texture? Maybe it was Liam Jack's
a That's a good start of for ten Craig could
have been Liam Jack, the nephew of Chris Jack, who
was a fairly handy lock, lives in Nelson these days,
as I understand it, Oh, eight hundred and eighty, ten eighty.
You can ask questions about the game, You can make
observation about the game. You can give us your impressions

(26:09):
of certain players, particularly if you were there last night.
Just another word on Takaha. Last night they had the
extra seating in. It hasn't been there up until now.
It adds five thousand capacity to one New Zealand stadium
At Takaha. Thirty thousand is the official capacity. Last night

(26:30):
they said it was sold out and the official capacity
was twenty nine, one hundred and fifty two. So I
guess that means that some people bought a ticket didn't
come because the official attendant is how many actually come
through the gates. But the fact that it's got a
roof on it, it just seems so obvious now, doesn't it.
And I've said so many times, if those who were

(26:54):
in charge of building Wellington Stadium had their time again,
they would put a roof on that thing, and they
would also they would also make it rectangular. That's another
thing that they would absolutely definitely do. All right, we've
got the I think we've got the answer. Craig from

(27:15):
Nick Buley, who is our absolute king of Canterbury Sport
here at news talks he'd be He says he thinks
it was Fitti Sah. He was at least in camp
with the team all week. There you go, fifty Sah
is who we're after. There hope, that's hope. That's given
you some comfort, Craig as you settle back into life

(27:38):
in Nelson Morris, what did you make of it?

Speaker 20 (27:42):
I was getting sick of ruffy last year watching the
all brecks and everything. It was all the same stuffed
kicking claipon. But last night I was very increased. There
was a combination of four different styles. I thought they
were physical of something so kind, open and running in
others and it was next enjoyed watching you know, Pioney,
I went to church this morning. Every tur I go
to church every Sunday morning. At that who were fiavn

(28:03):
for breakfast? There's an old woe narrated. I enjoyed that thoroughly.
I even enjoyed rugby for a long time. And next
is at all.

Speaker 3 (28:12):
It does look if rugby is becoming enjoyable for people
to watch, if they had perhaps fallen out of love
with a little bit Morris and now they're starting to
fall back in love with it. I mean, Dave Renny,
he knows he's got a responsibility to to you know,
to make rugby attractive to watch, but also to win
test matches. And there's more than one way to win
a Test. But I would imagine players would enjoy it

(28:33):
a lot more too, if they're playing that way rather
than just the one off running and the grinding and
the backs never getting the ball.

Speaker 13 (28:39):
Yeah.

Speaker 20 (28:39):
I actually I really impressed that they played a very
physical game of parts, but they were offloading in the physicality,
and they did a lot of different things. They played
a bit of a grinding game, they mixed it up,
they went wide, and I was very very impressed with
mister Love. I thought he wasn't a superstar at a
sus gape, but he was solent in his ability to

(29:01):
step and have a crack at the line when he
wanted to. He didn't over player's hand, And I thought,
you know, it's a big path considering eighteen months ago,
you're sort of falling out of love with the game,
even though it's you know, you don't know anything else,
and you starting to look at the other code across
at that says he was. That's more exciting. And when
you're speaking to a person like I was this morning,

(29:21):
Oh Nunnery is his name is? And he said he
really enjoyed it, and and you know he's getting up
there in eight things. You know that Hey, if he's
prepared to watch it, it must be okay. And so
congratulations to the team and the coaching staff love it.

Speaker 3 (29:36):
Morris Well, if they're happy at the Hua Pie tavern,
then I think is all as well with the world, mate,
all as well with the world. I had a brief
chat to Rubin Love after the game and just mentioned
to him at the Alakapa how he bounced back from it.

Speaker 21 (29:50):
Yeah, I especially I've got to apologize for the for
the tennis first ever yellow. So yeah, I don't know
what Mike I've done. I thirst falling short and going low,
so I tried to go low. But yeah whatever, Yeah
I'll scrappy also, but I think six trainings and you've
got to cover a.

Speaker 3 (30:04):
Whole game plan. So I'm just so out of the boys.

Speaker 21 (30:06):
We're coming together and six on field trainings, bro Low,
we know we can score tries. I think we got
to stop trizing our test forty teams can score from everywhere.
And yeah, once we lock that down and have a
few more trainings on our belt.

Speaker 3 (30:18):
Yeah, looking forward to it. Bit of a husky voice
there from Ruben Love, not surprising. He and Cam Royguard
were barking at the team. I can tell you an
amazing view sideline and both he and Cam roy Guard
were just absolutely barking at the forwards and telling them
what was needed. Artie Savier said afterwards, when when things
were getting tight at the end, Ruben Love told us

(30:38):
what we needed to be doing. That's a massive, massive
rap for a young first five twenty to one, George
with you right after this spearline, we're talking all blacks
to one. John Preston after one. If you want to
get to point across, it's a good time to do it.
Oh eight hundred eighty ten eighty sport.

Speaker 1 (30:54):
Doesn't stop at the full time whistle Weekend Sport with
Jason Vine and the Volkswagen amarank V Sex on sale
now from eighty nine to nine ninety call.

Speaker 2 (31:03):
Oh eight hundred and eighty ten eighty newstalk.

Speaker 4 (31:06):
Said, down the short lamp pensites pie, nice hands, joty
about back in teh right, God from the twenty two
gets his seconds off tonight.

Speaker 3 (31:17):
He's talked to me sixteen to one. Thanks for holding George.

Speaker 11 (31:20):
Good afternoon mate, No problems piny hey yeah, now, very
very positive start by the All Black.

Speaker 13 (31:26):
So I thought just just to comment on Ruben Love
and I know he was just on on the snippet
there before. I really hope he it goes well over
the next three test matches and gets the faith that coach.
Tricky old night for him getting yellow carded straight away.
He probably thought of a lot of the ways his
test could have gone. He probably didn't have that in
his mind at all, but I thought he went really well.

(31:50):
And it's a tricky one for him because he's probably
you know, got to make sure he doesn't try too
hard over his next few test matches to impress with
no longer coming back and sort of some of the
others around. But I think if they just provide the
environment for him to flourish and then he's going to
go really well. And he showed that last night. He
showed glimpses. I thought he got a little bit timid

(32:12):
towards the end, sort of in the Chiefs to the Canes.
Either on the season that might have been the case
as well, but I reckon the more he can get
in the driver's seat, the better he'll become.

Speaker 3 (32:22):
I feel as though they need to give him the
next test and probably the one after that as well, George,
whether they will or not, They've got other options. They
could play Damien McKenzie there, They could bring Bode in Barryton.
But yeah, I kind of feel as though, particularly because
he's near the start of his ten career in a
Black Jersey anyway, he needs time in the saddle. So
I'd be hoping that he backs up next week and

(32:42):
the week after two.

Speaker 13 (32:44):
I think you did right. It's a funny feeling when
you're you know, when he's playing for the Canes. He
knows he's the first choice ten and that the whole
game plan is kind of revolving around him. Sometimes it's
a tricky position when you're you know, you've got one
eye on playing the game and the other way on
trying to make sure you can stand the team. When
you have that freedom, when you know that the coaches

(33:05):
have got so much, and then you can just worry
about the game. And I think he did right. I
think only really Moonger should be the one to try
and challenge him this year, and maybe Body and Demic
just get their chances off the bench and cameos.

Speaker 3 (33:20):
Yeah, I guess we wait and see what the story
is with Richie Muong as we know as things stand,
he won't be selected for the South African Tour, not initially.
Any Way, he can be brought in as an injury
replacement if he plays a bit of MPC and the
timings would match up for that. You'd have to imagine
somebody will get injured over there, and even if it's
a prop, they'll probably bring Richie just to get him
on that tour. But yeah, that's going to be a

(33:42):
fascinating little storyline too.

Speaker 11 (33:43):
Isn't it.

Speaker 3 (33:44):
What sort of shape is Richie? And when he comes back,
by the sounds of it, he's still in very good shape.
How does Reuben Love's mindset change with a real you know,
with competition for that ten jumper? I think it'll bring
out the best of them, George. It seems like a
confidence guy who who will take it all in his stride,
rubin Love and and just give it his best crack.

Speaker 13 (34:04):
Yeah, I think he did too. He's you can tell
he's a confidence guy when he's playing with when he's
playing with that freedom, he's just he's one hicck of
a player and one hicck of a talent. And he's
got the luxury of having Routgard and side them, who
can kind of be a half back White du Ponts
where he just sort of controls the tempo of the game.
And that means Roygard doesn't have to Love doesn't have

(34:26):
to do that as much. But man, when he can
just feel like he's confident he can just play his game,
I think he's he's going to be great for us.

Speaker 3 (34:34):
Good man, George family well in the background, mate, good.

Speaker 8 (34:40):
Babysitting on a Sunday.

Speaker 13 (34:41):
But I found myself calling you instead.

Speaker 3 (34:42):
I need to get back to it, loved George, Thanks mate, Simon, Hi.

Speaker 22 (34:48):
Hey finey Hey, what a great night last night. I
watched all three games and that that came off the
back of being at sun Caught last weekend.

Speaker 3 (34:58):
So wonderful stuff. You're overdosing, Simon.

Speaker 22 (35:02):
I am, and you know I'm a football fan and
I enjoyed that.

Speaker 13 (35:05):
I enjoyed that.

Speaker 22 (35:06):
I enjoyed France this morning as well. You know, like
I just thought that the All Blacks played really well
for a first game last night. I thought, you know,
mistakes sure, but actually the signs are there that that
we we should do really really well this season, you know,
once once we get our our match fitness really going,

(35:29):
you know, at first game. But the surprise package to
me last night was Japan. I really enjoyed the Japanese
game and you know the way they play rugby and
I think at home especially their crowds are amazing, you know,
but yeah, it was, it was, it was for me.

(35:49):
I enjoyed the three matches last night.

Speaker 21 (35:51):
You know.

Speaker 22 (35:51):
Australia Ireland was was not dissimilar from from the All
Blacks match. So yeah, all, you know, all good packages.
You know, the Takaha put on a great package last night.
Everybody's talking about the All Black match. A lot of
people are talking about the way that the game was presented,

(36:13):
and I think that that's really important because that's where
rugby league is, you know, the NRL the package at
sun Court last weekend without standing and I'm thinking to myself,
you know, Rugby's not matching it, but actually Takaha actually
did last night.

Speaker 10 (36:28):
Love it.

Speaker 3 (36:29):
Simon, thanks mate, glad you enjoyed all the games. Yeah,
Japan beinging Italy twenty seventeen, so that's the team. Obviously,
the All Blacks play next weekend, so they've got a
bit of work to do before they faced the might
of the All Blacks in Wellington, twelve away from one Dallas, Charlie,
Hold there. We'll get to you right after.

Speaker 2 (36:45):
This when there's a mind call. It's your call. Weekend
Sport with Jason Fine News Talks Envy.

Speaker 3 (36:53):
Eight to one from Adabell on text. I don't know
a huge amount about rugby all sport, but recently, as
a twenty six year old woman, I found myself getting
so much more interested in it. I work at Rock
Paul and Mickey Finn's in christ Church great venue and
with the new start, the beer is flowing and all
the rug beyond. It's been absolutely fantastic. I've really enjoyed
watching the games and being part of the atmosphere. It's
also brought us some of the biggest weekends on record,

(37:17):
which has been amazing to see. It has honestly been
just awesome for christ Church. Love that, Annabel, thanks for
texting in tell us Hi.

Speaker 18 (37:25):
Yeah, Piney, what time has that folks on? I really
enjoyed his contribution to the last gest and the brilliant
young guy who's made the most of his opportunity too.
And yeah, it's great to see what time is he on?

Speaker 3 (37:39):
He'll be on just after two.

Speaker 17 (37:41):
Cool?

Speaker 18 (37:42):
Now the game these covered stadiums, finally, the are evolving.
The games evolving because you've got perfect conditions, right, and
so you can guarantee it's going to be perfect conditions underfoot,
no wind. So the game is evolving into the fas spectacle,
you know, handspeed passing, this sort of thing running. Everything's

(38:06):
speed it up and it's exciting to watch. And I'm
glad that as an Hurricane fan they adopted the Hurricanes
way of playing.

Speaker 9 (38:15):
That's right.

Speaker 3 (38:16):
Yes, they seem to have taken a leaf out of
the Hurricanes book, and certainly a number that all you
look at Roy guard Love Barrett as you're nineteen twelve,
and there was always going to be some some fingerprints
on there. Nice to see fair Hair get his debut
last night. I guess the trick will beat Dallas doing
it on a on a wet night, ironically in Wellington.
Mike blessed earlier on at the airport. He's checked the

(38:38):
forecast and the next eight days in Wellington are all
one hundred rain. Oh my god. Now we'll see, we'll
see Dallas, we'll see how we go. Good to hear
from here, Charlie, Hi mate, Hey Jason Aden. Yeah, good Charlie.
Are you nervous about tomorrow at all? I'm talking football now.

Speaker 7 (38:57):
Yes i am.

Speaker 23 (38:58):
I thought I'm talking about rugby though, I'm extremely nervous.
And I think that the Paraguayans, who've shown the shouts
from Maria and Central Americans how to win these games
or get close, so I suspect to be very physical
and yeah, it's going to be very testing for England.

Speaker 19 (39:16):
I think they're going to do it.

Speaker 8 (39:17):
But I think it'll be very testing.

Speaker 3 (39:19):
All right, let's get to the rugby then.

Speaker 19 (39:21):
Yeah, just a couple of things.

Speaker 23 (39:23):
One, has anyone done any stats yet about whether that
was one of the fewest kicking games that's been in
the history of rugby in the last ten years, in the.

Speaker 3 (39:30):
History of rugby. Yeah, look, I haven't seen anything in
terms of quantifiable stats, but enecdotally and to the naked eye,
I would say yes.

Speaker 8 (39:41):
Yeah, it was fabulous.

Speaker 23 (39:43):
I absolutely loved it. And the French played their part
as well. That's what it made a great game. My
question was about Quinta Pia. I didn't make you think
he had a great game. He seemed fairly anonymous, and
yet when he went off, one of the commentists said
he'd had a great game. But I'm not sure whether
I missed something or well, how did you see it?

Speaker 3 (39:59):
Yeah, I mean I hang and Georgie I think did
a lot of defensive work. I think also the ball
passed through their hands or the missed out a few
times in the urgency to get it wide. I think
Quinta pie was solid. I don't think he had a
spectacular game by any stretch of the imagination. But I
don't think he'll look back on it and say that
he had a disappointing outing. I just don't think he

(40:20):
got perhaps as involved in as sometimes he does for
the Chiefs, for example in his excellent Super Rugby season.

Speaker 8 (40:27):
Yeah, I mean I.

Speaker 23 (40:27):
Thought Jordy had a great game, and I was also
surprised that Billion was on the bench. I never thought
they'd put him on the bench unless he's going to start,
so I was quite interested in that as well.

Speaker 3 (40:36):
Yeah, you think he's a thirteen and only you are thirteen,
don't you, rather than like having Antonin, Lene Brown or
similar on the on the bench to bring on Charlie.
Got to go, mate, But I'll be thinking of you tomorrow.
Hopefully the game gets underway at the scheduled time because
there are thunderstorms, as you probably know, forecast for Mexico City.
A couple of final texts before we get to the news.

(40:57):
Best Test match I've seen in Age of says Mandy.
I love the new energy, I love the intensity, and
Luke Pearce impressed me. Ye, Mandy's talking about the referee,
referee Luke Pears. I thought he had a good game.
The other thing about Luke pears in fact, The best
thing he did was court was override the TMO who
was almost going to go France that try when there
was a clear knock on in the air when the

(41:19):
French player challenged Rubin Love in the air and they
put it up on the big screen at the stadium
and everybody could see it clear as day. Thankfully Luke
Piers did as well and said, hey, we need to
go back and have another look at that, and thankfully
sanity prevailed more on the All Blacks after one John
Preston will let us.

Speaker 2 (41:34):
Off the only place to discuss the biggest force issues
on had off the field.

Speaker 24 (41:42):
Got a story.

Speaker 1 (41:43):
It's all on Weekend Sports with Jason Vine and the
Volkswagen Amarok B SX on Youth Talks MB, your Home
of Sport.

Speaker 3 (41:52):
One oh seven Weekend Sport on News Talks MB. The
day after the first Test of twenty twenty six, broadcasting
from christ Church which has a buzz about it. I
can absolutely confirm Annabelle text of last hour talking about
the pubs, the cafes the same, doing a roaring trade
both yesterday and again this morning. A lot of people
out and about having coffee, having something to eat, discussing

(42:14):
what happened last night. Maybe they're locals, maybe they're waiting
for their journey home. But the city has a real
buzz about it and it is great to see Luken
text Pinee. Are we starting to see the best of
Peter Larky? I do hope so. Luke Jacobson solid, but
I'm not sure he's our future seven. I want a
quality fetcher. I also know it's tough to move Jordy

(42:35):
out of twelve, but I think Quintupire should be starting there. Interesting.
I think Jeordi had a good game. I mean, Jordy
Bartt and Quintepyre are the two best midfielders in New
Zealand at the moment. I don't think there's any argument
about that, certainly based on super rugby form. As Quintupire
a natural thirteen, probably I would say he'd be happier
at twelve. But who's the better twelve Probably Jordi Barrett,

(42:56):
So Quintupire shuffles out one. I like the midfield combo.
I'd like to see more. Pineer just joined your shows.
He's gonna I want to make the All Blacks eight
and a half out of ten, especially when it's the
first hit out. With limited time together, you can see
the all Blacks have a game plan and are all
working to the same plan instead of relying on an
individual piece of brilliance from a plier to break through.

(43:18):
Couple of issues, though, says Gunner, still need to be addressed.
One quinta pie slightly out of sincon d two Luke
Jacobson with a couple of early penalties around the ruck,
and three most importantly diffusing the box kicks, which to
me are all fixable. Quick comments in the referee thought
he had a very good game, but he could have
awarded a couple more scrum penalties from the sixty minute mark,

(43:39):
on which to the Av's in my eyes, says Gunner,
the reserve AB's front row was starting to dominate the
French scrum, which was wabbling. We missed out on some
bonus meters and possession. Good first up win though over
the Kings of the North lots to like. Thanks gun Up,
always good to get your thoughts yours are welcome to
OH eight hundred and eighty ten eighty nine two nine

(43:59):
to two on text.

Speaker 4 (44:01):
No peel away Cody Taylor. Taylor goes high to contact
take it two minutes shot.

Speaker 25 (44:06):
Oh don't enough for right guard, right upwards?

Speaker 4 (44:10):
Great started right the Red Sea kem Rougar, thank you
very much.

Speaker 3 (44:15):
Here came roy Gard with two tries last night. John
Preston played twenty seven times for the All Blacks, including
some berg Berg test matches, and remains an incredibly astute
analyst of the game. He joins us Now, John, thanks
for taking the time first test of the Dave Reny era.
What was your overall assessment of what you saw last night?

Speaker 11 (44:36):
Yeah, Look, I think the thing we need to start
with is being realistic about the situation. You know, new
coation groups come and first test, it's tough. These players
come straight out of Super Rugby. The coaching group had
very little time with them, and you've got some changes,
some new faces and new combinations in.

Speaker 13 (44:55):
There as well.

Speaker 11 (44:56):
So I think you're just got to be realistic about
what's achievable and these circumstances. So it was never going
to be the perfect ow thing, and it certainly wasn't.
They achieved ultimately what they needed to, which was a
first up one and against you know, I know the
Friends had a number of the top line players missing,
but they're still got a massive depth and highly talented

(45:17):
bunch of players they got to choose from, so I
think they'll be pleased that they ended up on the
right side of the leiguer. There's always plenty of things
to work on. In general, the attacking side of their
play was good, albeit some eras and little missed opportunities.
It's probably on the defense where they'll be looking a
little more closely.

Speaker 3 (45:35):
I would have put I want to get to defense
in a minute, but just on attack. Did you notice
anything different about the way the All Blacks were trying
to attack compared to in previous seasons.

Speaker 11 (45:45):
No, I didn't greatly myself. You know, there's limit of
what you can try and put together I think from CPS,
and you've got no time, so they keep that as
simple as possible in these early phases of a campaign
when the players have just come together, and then in
phase play it looked as similar type of structures that

(46:06):
have been used in the past to me. Actually, one
of the interesting differences for me was that the attacking
approach by both sides, so you know, we tend to
use that, particularly off nine we have the three forward pod.
Initially you got backs and behind and then players now
sweep from depth in the late to try and beat
rushing defense.

Speaker 2 (46:25):
And done well, it works really well.

Speaker 11 (46:27):
And the All Blacks got into the width doing that
pretty well and had some great games and ultimately scored
a lot of their points in those areas. The French
they tend to tally different approach where they'll have five
four or five six forwards almost in one flat line,
and they will hit maybe off nine. That pass is
a wee bit wider to start with, and it might

(46:49):
be the second or third receiver of those forwards, and
then he might carry, he might tip it on and
then they have a back sitting in behind in any
given time he can sweep in behind when they think
there's opportunity, perhaps a wee bit wider. And I think
what they did was it held the All Blacks defenders
in a little bit tighter and that's where the French
found some space once I held that defense.

Speaker 3 (47:10):
That's great analysis. And ell, I mean I get the
I guess the issue is they don't get to play
France again next week, do they. It's leader presend a
slightly different challenge for them.

Speaker 11 (47:19):
Well, that's right, and that's probably one of the one
of the difficult things.

Speaker 2 (47:22):
I mean, obviously.

Speaker 13 (47:22):
They know how the fringe play.

Speaker 11 (47:24):
They have seen that, although you know there's a big
contingent and Bordeaux players on that side, wasn't there and
they know each other inside out. So as you say,
the thing is, you can you can only play one
game in advance, and now it's going to be different defensively.
But having said that, it's defense is also about making
decisions and they want to get up, they want to
smack people over give them no space. But I thought

(47:47):
the French did it nicely and their decision making when
to let the affwards carry and when they'd seen the
opportunity that those All Blacks were committed to that front
line or five or so sick towards and they saw
the opportunity to go out the back because they could
get into wids. So that's what the game is about,
isn't it. You've just got to create opportunities and then
the decision to atitution.

Speaker 3 (48:07):
What did you make of Ruben Love's first start at
team for the All Blacks apart from the yellow cat
early on, once he got back on, what did you
make of his performance?

Speaker 11 (48:14):
I thought he's pretty sound. Actually, he had some really
nice moments on a tech as we know he can,
he's got he's got beautiful footwork, breached the line a
couple of times and then and then he's you know,
off the mark first medias he's quick. So he got
him behind that French defense on a couple of occasions,
which has been great because you know.

Speaker 13 (48:32):
That we need that.

Speaker 11 (48:33):
You've got to have a team who has that capability.
Can't just keep shoving it to midfielders and looking for
space on the outside all the time. So those parts
was going were great. He obviously had that little moment
at the start, which is can't happen to anyone, and
that can rock you. But it didn't seem to bother
him too much at all, and it was helped maybe
because the All Blacks scored a try and that period

(48:55):
was often things were going okay. The only probably side
to me was we you know, we expect Roy Gad
to do if your amount of kicking is is he
embarracked to the hurricane. And I just didn't think Ruben's Love,
Ruben Love's kicking at times was on the money. You
get less time you see space at that level, and

(49:15):
you get less time to take advantage of it because
you know the opponents are at a higher level as well,
and they'll shut down their space pretty quickly once they
see you shape the kick. And so he's probably with
his accuracy and his final decision making on kicking was
probably off a little bit, but that'll come with time.
You know, it's stepping up a level again. Guys have

(49:35):
come off Super rugby and that's play that pace for sure,
but international rugby is a different ball game and so
you get less time to do everything, and it's a
matter of adjustment and I'm sure he could adjust.

Speaker 3 (49:46):
With less time before the next Rugby World Cup. I
mean it's a short runway, John, isn't it. You know
they only got fifteen months. Do you feel like they
have to go all in on Ruben Love at first
five if they believe he's the man to guide them
to the World Cup.

Speaker 11 (49:58):
Yeah, well of course he've got my anger. He's coming
back and they know that, you know, we have to
be really honest.

Speaker 13 (50:04):
It remains to be seen.

Speaker 11 (50:05):
He's going to be form when he gets his chance, Tee,
because he's been out of the scene for a bit,
but they know he's been an absolute class player. And
Renny in particular would have been watching him. You know,
we week to week in Japan too, so they've got
him there. I've always stood by my view that you know,
Damie Kinney is an outstanding footballer, but I personally don't

(50:26):
think top top level teen is his best spot. Fall
back to the place for him and Boden Barrett hasn't
been in great forms, no doubt about that. He's you know,
class doesn't leave. But as we get older, the ability
to do the things athletic he we used to be
able to do start to drift the weaver it. So
we'll see him at some stage and we'll see how

(50:47):
he goes. But yeah, I mean outside of that, you know,
Reven loves the man and we need depth. We've seen
in wheel cups before you can have four or five
tens lined up and three of them can fall over,
you know, during the season or even closer to the
competition or in it. So we've been an area that
New Zealand's being blessed him for a long long time.

(51:07):
But for whatever reason, there's not a dearth, but there's
certainly less talent around that we could see with the
ability to step up at the moment. So yeah, they've
just got to put keeping him time because they just
get better with time. He's a talented talent to the footballer.
And I did hear Addie Seversa as I just heard

(51:28):
on the radio this morning that once they came under
the pump towards the end of the game there he
did take control. They heard his voice and that's what
you need out of your team, you know, in pressure moments.
He's still got to be the man in general who
dictates play and runs the game, and they heard that
from him, so that'll give him confidence as well.

Speaker 3 (51:45):
What about Cam royguard JP, I mean, I don't know.
It feels like if anybody's going to thrive under Dave
Rinny's system of optimism and of playing a dynamic style
of rugby, it's Cam Roygad How integral will he be
over the next fifteen months for the All Blacks?

Speaker 13 (52:01):
Massive as we see every time he takes the field.

Speaker 11 (52:05):
Now, yeah, you don't like to say he's any class
of his own, but he's just playing outstanding football. I mean,
he's a constant threat, remarkable health and he crosses the
line in one form or another. You know, he's got
all round game that that left boot of his his
gold as well, because he gives you options on different

(52:25):
sides of the field, and he's calm and composed and
very confident. And yeah, he's a massive I think for
the All Blacks at the moment. He needs to be
fit and firing in the biggest games. There's no doubt
about that. So you know, I mean, you dare say it.
The only thing that's going to Stottan would be injury.

(52:45):
You would think he's just in superb form and he's
an outstanding football all right, and.

Speaker 3 (52:50):
Anybody else who may be flow under the radar. For
for others who you thought it a good game, I
don't think he was in Yeah, it.

Speaker 11 (53:00):
Was had to pick up any individual who incredibly stood out.
It was a usual suspect. So I thought it was
a pretty much across the board.

Speaker 13 (53:08):
I was interested to see how.

Speaker 11 (53:08):
The Lucies would go, and I thought Jacobson, you know,
he's he's a tight toiler, he's a worker, and so
he gets buried and does that well. Addie Severe as Peru,
who came out with two or three important turnovers. Lack
I probably didn't see as much of him at six

(53:29):
as we may have done at eight. So it's that
mix and where those guys play ultimately will be interesting
to see. And if I like the Titi off the
bench myself, because he's just gives you that total point
of difference, and particularly when teams tire and I thought
the French did tire a bit in the second half.
You know, you bring on someone like him with this
incredible ethnic ability in that game, changing types of players.

(53:53):
So I like him off the bench. It's just it'll
be interesting to see what the mixing's up in the three.
And they've got some other talent of foot, you know, Signa.
I can't wait to see him play. I think he's
outstandingly talented. Mostly it's a great line out forward as well,
but he's shown he can play at seven and he's
an athlete, so you know, it's exciting to see how

(54:14):
they develop.

Speaker 13 (54:16):
And they've already put down a little bit of a.

Speaker 11 (54:18):
Benchmarket tech wise, and they'll get better, so as we say,
tidy up a few things and then work on that
defensive side, and yeah, it's going to be.

Speaker 3 (54:26):
Some good viewing, absolutely, some good viewing. Indeed, John, thanks
so much for joining us today. Really appreciate your time. Also,
thank you John, John Preston there with his thoughts. Yours
are welcome to what are we one twenty we'll talk
Rugby this hour James McCone, you've got to get him
in before two o'clock as well. Then we'll pivot away.
So if you couldn't get on the air in the
first hour and you'd like to get your point across,

(54:46):
line's back open on eight hundred and eighty ten eighty
anything at all that you had picked up on that
has become apparent to you that you woke up this
morning thinking, oh yeah, what what about that last night?
This is your chance to get that point across. Just
on the stadium. And I may mention out that if

(55:07):
Wellington or if those who were in charge of Wellington
Stadium had their time again, they would have put a
roof on it and made it rectangular. I absolutely stand
by that. Peter says, though Wellington would not have put
a roof on it or made it a rectangle. The
cost was one hundred and twenty million, and a roof
would have taken the cost to two hundred million, which

(55:28):
at the time would never have been approved because even
the existing stadium only got approval. There was a lot
of opposition. It's far more interesting to have outdoor games
because varying conditions add so much more. Indoor stadius sterilized
the game. Oval stadia allow cricket and AFL games, and
so many more events in a larger capacity. Peter, I
agree to a point. I agree. I agree that indoor

(55:51):
stadia take the conditions out of the game. I do
agree on that. I do not agree that oval stadia.
You know, well, I okay, I'll rephrase. I had agreed
that if you have an oval stadium you can play
a lot more there. But there is a world class
cricket venue in Wellington just a kilometer or so to

(56:15):
the south. It's called the Basin Reserve. When the stadium
was built in Wellington, I think the view was they
would play a lot more cricket there than they have.
There was even talk I remember, of Test matches cricket
tests in Wellington. Goodness me and AFL what have there
been a couple of games. Most of the sport that
has played at that stadium is a rectangular code, football

(56:39):
and rugby, Phoenix Hurricanes lines whoever it might be all blacks.
The viewing experience is greatly reduced by an oval stadium.
I don't think there's any doubt about that at all. Yes,
you might be able to get more in with an
oval stadium, thirty four and a half there, christ Yache
Stadium can hold thirty with the extra seats. But yeah,

(57:03):
you can't convince me that if they were to build
a state today in Wellington that they wouldn't make it
rectangular and check a roof on the thing. Of course,
this wasn't no one back then. Wellington Stadium is what
twenty six years old, so of course hindsight's always going
to be twenty twenty, isn't it. And that's the only

(57:24):
kind of cricket that's played there. Davey, Hey, pony, what's
on your mind?

Speaker 13 (57:31):
Dave?

Speaker 10 (57:33):
Next day the forts for us Next Sat Day you
have to have both buried in the in the mixed.
Next day, off the bench, brush into Ireland. She was
a close Knights last Saturday against Australia. Put him on
the bench and bring him off the bench for the
last twenty minutes.

Speaker 3 (57:50):
You're talking about the you're talking about the game at
Eton Park in a couple of weeks stay, you'd you'd
be you'd feel a lot more secure if body was
there to add his steadying hand.

Speaker 10 (58:02):
Yeah, you've got to protect that fortress. Yeah, you have
to protect that against Ireland, you can't you know, things
that well, goal kicking and that in the background he
can do what other first fives can't do, where he
has that magical power and brings up with his brothers

(58:25):
and steady influence in the last twenty minutes put him
off the bench. And you know this year against Ireland,
you know, you've got to have to have experience. Even
though Real Love played pretty well, you know, if you
need the experience, and basically with the spring Box coming
up in Australia, you know you need need experience, you know,

(58:49):
otherwise get exposed. They played pretty well for this game,
I thought, and what he thought of the English referee,
It wasn't too bad, was he?

Speaker 3 (58:58):
Who was that sorry, Dave?

Speaker 10 (59:00):
The English referee?

Speaker 3 (59:01):
Oh no, I thought it was good. I've I thought look,
pace was good and I was very impressed with the
way he spoke French. I'm not sure if you could
hear it through the sound effects if you're watching on television.
We certainly did on the radio. He was speaking French
to the French team as well as English. To the
New Zealand team. I think you'll get your wish as well. Dave.
I think you will find Boden Barrett in the twenty

(59:22):
three against Ireland. It's just a gut feel I have so.
Against England a couple of years ago, he came off
the bench and changed that game, won the game for
the All Blacks. He's had an indifferent season by his
own admission, I'm sure, but Boden Barrett can still add
a lot to an All Blacks environment, and I get
the feeling he'll get that opportunity. He might even get

(59:44):
it this week against Italy, but certainly against Ireland at
Eden Park. I just have a hunch that Boden Barrett
might be in that twenty three. Another Dave, Dave.

Speaker 9 (59:54):
Hi, Yes, Steven Christich. How are you?

Speaker 3 (59:57):
Dave? And Christich? I'm good. I'm here for another few hours.
I'm loving your city.

Speaker 9 (01:00:01):
Ah ha ha. Well I love it too. That's why
I live here, born and raised one eyed at that.
And I'm going to give before I get onto my Hey,
I've got to say something that's like a chicken bone
in my throat. But Dave, Rennie and the and the
coaching staff they're fantastic. The spectacle that was and the
controlled environment I believe contributed to the spectacle that was

(01:00:24):
absolutely fantastic last night. As I say, it's a bit
like a chicken bone in my throat to say it,
but I want to come out and pooh pooh and say, well,
boohoo to the all blacks. But a fantastic game of rugby.
And yeah, I got to give credit where credit is due.

Speaker 3 (01:00:44):
It's sorry, it's a it's a credit to you, Dave.
It is a credit to you that you're able to
sort of, you know, speak through that chicken bone and
give credit where it's due.

Speaker 9 (01:00:55):
Absolutely, I've got to say my piece and I'll give
it there. And I was very very impressed. And that
controlled environment with a roof on it, well there go.
I think the spectacle that was is greatly attributed to that.

Speaker 3 (01:01:13):
Love it, Love it, Dave. Good to hear from you.
Make callback anytime, even if I'm not in Christyich love
to have a proud Cantabrian on the line at any time.
And you're right, You're so right. It's a lot easier
to play running rugby and to plan to play that
way when you know the elements aren't going to be
a factor. Yes, of course it is. You know, it's

(01:01:35):
part of the layers of outdoor sport that contribute to
the uncertainty and the adaptability of teams. But when you
know you're playing under a roof, then you are able
to much more accurately plan for the game you want
to play. Look, well they adapt it this week. They'll
probably have to if you missed it last hour. Mike

(01:01:56):
Blair said earlier on He's checked the weather forecast for
Wellington and this comes. There's no surprise to me as
a Wellingtonian. But over the next eight days there is
a one hundred percent chance of rain on every single
one of those eight days. But they're going to have
to do something different, aren't they. One twenty seven back
in a sec oh eight hundred and eighty to ten
eighty speare line. If you want to jump on.

Speaker 1 (01:02:14):
From brilliant victories to battling selections, it's all fair game.
On Weekend Sport with Jason Vine and the Volkswagen AMAROKV
Sex Uncompromised Capability, Premium Comfort News talks'd be.

Speaker 3 (01:02:27):
One thirty long time rugby fan on Tech says I'd
lost a little bit of interest over the last few years,
but last night I thoroughly enjoyed less kicking. It was
great to see. When I played rugby, we were taught
to hold onto the ball and only kick it if
you had to. The opposition can't play without the ball
bang on. And that is why it was a mystery
to me why France kicked the ball away at the
end with ninety seconds to go and behind on the scoreboard.

(01:02:49):
Why would they kick it away? It just seemed odd
to me. It gave the All Blacks every opportunity to
just get the ball and one off running and grind
down the clock. Rodney high Hire, good thanks, Rodney.

Speaker 17 (01:03:03):
Yeah, yeah, much so. I'll the little backs from fifty years.
But quite one thing frustrates me now. It's the modern game.
Is a stupid box kick from the back of the scrum.
And that happened if French got the first try off
a stupid box check went down and in her own

(01:03:23):
twenty two, he kicked it up, came back to French
and they scored off it. And then in the second
half up in her own twenty two again you give
another box chick and they only made about four meters
off it and go it back to France. But luckily
they never scored off it. Yaw us feel I throw
up back to the first five or fall back and

(01:03:43):
they'd get about thirty meters out of it.

Speaker 3 (01:03:47):
Yeah, the box kick and the box kicker, Ondney, you
won't get an argument from me. I mean, the intent
obviously is to create contestable ball in the air, but
I still don't think the All Blacks are quite worked
out how to contest their own box kicks. In fact,
the aerial game on both sides of the ball was
probably a bit of a work on. But in fact
you've pinpointed a couple of times where it cost them.
They actually box kicked a heck of a lot less

(01:04:10):
than they have in the last couple of years. So
that was pleasing to see. Maybe at some stage, mate,
they'll stop doing it all together.

Speaker 17 (01:04:17):
Yeah. Well, well, just those two kicks have just study
out so much, and I thought, well, you.

Speaker 3 (01:04:21):
Know, to get it right, you know, get it right indeed, Rodney.
Good to get the benefit of your experience, mate, keep watching,
keep calling as well. Oh eight one hundred and eighty
ten out hiss our number as always, Reuben.

Speaker 26 (01:04:32):
Hello, yeah, hey, enjoy your program. Thank you.

Speaker 15 (01:04:36):
I don't have a TV.

Speaker 26 (01:04:37):
I don't have a TV, but I enjoy listening to
the radio commentators. What impressons me is the ability to
then play in the both teams and that that's incredible,
you know. And even then I can get a picture
of whe the game is said, half far away from
the train line and half far from the sideline and
all that sort of thing.

Speaker 3 (01:04:59):
And I can tell you, Reuben, I can tell you
Elliott Smith, who you would have heard called the game
last night, is one of the best going around. He
does particulous preparation on the teams. He knows all forty
six players are the pronunciations even like changes don't from
and the thing he does really well and you've just
pointed it out as he tells you where on the
field the action is happening. Field position for you and

(01:05:20):
other radio listeners who can't see. I mean, if we
talk about a passenger play on the radio, you don't
know where that's happening unless we tell you where it's happening.
And he's a master of that as well.

Speaker 26 (01:05:30):
I was very impressed. Anything that can tell us a statistic,
you know, who is the next one? All black and
all that sort of things, and the other thing, you're
you're only as good as your position. You know that
both team wants to win and the team will comes
abs that's the team that counts, and you know, and

(01:05:51):
good to see Cam Ruger the country's boy. We are
proud of him and this way he's unique, and I
think he's going to go a lot better. But anywhere
and doing the program, thank you, no.

Speaker 3 (01:06:00):
Thank you, Robin look and Cam Royas, you're right, you're
right to be proud of him. Good Counties boy, not
from that region of course, famously not wanted and white
cuttle one of the great fumbles of all time. But yeah,
represents Counties with pride in a proud hurricane of course.
But yeah, if you think he can get better, I

(01:06:21):
hope you're right, because he is a terrific player already.
If you can get better than he is, then Reuben,
I think we're all in for a bit of a treat.
Oh eight hundred and eighty ten eighty our number. You
would have been there last night, Graham, I didn't spot
you or thought you might throw something at me sideline,
I didn't see you there last night.

Speaker 27 (01:06:39):
No, I was going to throw a red and black
oval ball. If I'd seen that, you know was my
great hand eye coordination, but.

Speaker 3 (01:06:47):
You probably would have nailed me. I text you before
you came out. I must say last night, one of
your favorite sons, the ball was kicked into the crowd.
And you know, when the ball's kicked into the crowd,
everyone turns around and sees if somebody can catch it.
Or somebody did catch it. It was Karen Reid. Karen
Reid caught one of the balls that went into the crowd,
and I thought to myself afterwards, that is from him
to get up and try and catch it, because imagine

(01:07:09):
it's the All Blacks captain and and Test centurion of
of those glory days, had dropped the ball in the stand.

Speaker 27 (01:07:15):
Yeah, no, I know, Karen, well, I must. I didn't
know was that the game, so I didn't.

Speaker 3 (01:07:19):
Was it on TV?

Speaker 12 (01:07:21):
No?

Speaker 3 (01:07:21):
No, no, I just happened to turn around. It was sideline.
I wasn't on TV. I turned around and I saw
this all sail into the crowd. He was up there
with them. They must have had a bit of a
reunion casey La Lala was there with him. Ben Franks
was up there. But yeah, Karen Reid stood up, caught
the ball and you should have heard the ovation. It
was amazing.

Speaker 27 (01:07:38):
Good Man read. Oh yeah, he hasn't lost the thing.
He could still play for the All Blacks, I'm sure,
but it's got interview as Casey yesterday. I heard that
before I went to Club Rugby. But yeah, I enjoyed it.
I was a bit lucky in the ticket through someone
someone else's unfortunately not being well. But yeah, no, it was. Yeah,
it was a great spectacle under the roof and like

(01:08:00):
like John Preston and you said at the top of
the air, I thought, yeah, Reuben Love, you know, that
was a great test for him. I especially been rattling
for him and getting the card, you know, because it
was stayed no intent. But he came back on and
did well and I thought Royal Guard, well, I think
he always plays well just about he's one of those players.

(01:08:22):
And yeah, it was a good game and the French
brought plenty to it. There's plenty to work on, and
you know, I was very happy for Jamie Hanna, the
hometown boy coming on. Yeah, no, I was really really
pleased for him to get twelve thirty minutes who it was,
But yeah, it's just a shame we don't have another
testing for French next week, but they've got as lease
of interesting to see what they do going forward.

Speaker 3 (01:08:45):
And Graham and David well, yeah, got to move ma.
I've got a couple of other calls to get to always.
Good to talk to you. They made and I'm glad
you got the chance to enjoy it last night as
did I. It's a great venue down here, is't it made.
I'm good to chat to you as always. Jill High
Oh hi.

Speaker 24 (01:09:00):
I'm really enjoying your program, by the way, and it's
the first time I've called in. But what I want
to know is the next two games that the All
Blacks are playing. What time does the games start? What
time are they starting?

Speaker 3 (01:09:20):
Okay, Jill? So that next week in Wellington it's an
earlier start than usual. The game next week against Italy
kicks off on saturlly at ten past five. That's next yeah, yep.

Speaker 24 (01:09:32):
And then they got down and then down.

Speaker 17 (01:09:35):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:09:36):
I don't know why. I don't know why it's an
earlier kickoff, but it is. And in the following week
against Ireland and Eden Park it is back to the
ten past seven kickoff.

Speaker 24 (01:09:44):
Yeah, that's that's good. Yeah, that's good. It's just that
I saw going across the bottom of the game. I
watched the game live from a local club here that
I go to, and then I came home and turned
the television on to watch the replay because sometimes it's

(01:10:05):
hard to hear in the club with so many people
there and yelling at the screen and carrying on, including myself.
But I saw on the bottom of the the replay
that I was watching last night, it had that the
game was going to be at three thirty. I think

(01:10:25):
it wasn't Willington, but it's not. It's fine again, no fight.

Speaker 3 (01:10:30):
Maybe that was when Maybe that's when they'll start their
build up to the game, Jill. Sometimes they you know,
they want to let you know when they're going to be.
And that's quite a decent build up. That's an hour
and forty minutes, and I'm sure they can fill it.
But no, definitely, definitely ten past five next Saturday afternoon.

Speaker 24 (01:10:46):
Excellent. Look, Thanks very much for your help and keep
up the good work.

Speaker 26 (01:10:50):
Thank you, Jill.

Speaker 3 (01:10:51):
Wonderful to hear from you. Thank you for calling in,
and I'm glad you've got some like minded people to
watch the game with at your local club. That's wonderful stuff. Johnny, Hello,
how are you Johnny? I'm great mate. What's what's are
you feeling today? Made about the All Blacks? What's your
overriding emotion today?

Speaker 6 (01:11:08):
Uh?

Speaker 11 (01:11:09):
Yeah?

Speaker 9 (01:11:10):
It was yeah, great, great spectacle. A couple of yeah,
a couple of bits and pieces. I thought, Uh, Jacobson
had a great game, you know, But I was just
wondering about you know, why would you take Royguard off
before the last five minutes?

Speaker 15 (01:11:29):
Yeah?

Speaker 21 (01:11:29):
That was.

Speaker 7 (01:11:31):
To me.

Speaker 9 (01:11:33):
Bratimaher is I reckon whend that Christy runs all over
that guy? And where is he?

Speaker 3 (01:11:40):
Look you mean Finlay Christie. I thought you were making
a sprinting analogy. I was wondering. That's one of the
great I love it. I love no, I love it,
I love it. But just on Royguard at Latimer. I
almost felt a bit sorry for Cortez Latima last night.
To get four minutes at the end, it's almost like,

(01:12:02):
ve just leave Roygard. I'll just stay where I am.
I know they want to, But it wasn't.

Speaker 9 (01:12:08):
It wasn't as if Roy Garden disgraced himself during the
whole game.

Speaker 3 (01:12:13):
He certainly had not, and I think there is this temptation,
isn't there to always use your reserve halfback. It's almost
like it's compulsory. You don't have to bring him on.
I was pleased that they left cam roy Gard on
until they did, but even I think after he went off,
the French got their last try, didn't they and made
it close at the end. But look, i'd have cam
roy got on for eighty minutes. But I know they
have their their methods and their ways.

Speaker 5 (01:12:35):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:12:35):
Five to nineteenth, Yeah, big fan, A big fan of his.

Speaker 9 (01:12:42):
Yeah, and a couple of like Clark Clark was, Yeah,
there was. I mean I think there was just some
midfield you know, passes that went askew in the first
half and you know, second half, but that was pressure.
I mean, you know, the friends were pretty well right
on the line, if not offside, for quite a bit

(01:13:04):
of that game.

Speaker 3 (01:13:05):
I thought, you didn't really go Caleb Clark's way last night,
did it. It seemed to go to Will Jordan a lot,
but of a magnet. He turned up on the left
wing a couple of times too, and Caleb Clark's probably saying,
bugger off over your own wing mate, and let me,
let me get a touch of the book, touch the ball.
Good to hear from a Johnny the Live for Christy Finlake.
Christy one of the great. So I will remember that

(01:13:25):
for a long time and chuckle away. Thanks for calling, mate.
It's eighteen away from two. We'll take a right comeback
with James mcconey.

Speaker 1 (01:13:32):
Call it how you see us on eight hundred and
eighty ten eighty Weekend Sports with Jason Fahne and the
Volkswagen Amarok fix uncompromised Capability on sale from eighty nine
nine ninety News Talks.

Speaker 3 (01:13:45):
He'd be one forty five on news Talks, he'd be
James mcconey is with us, How are you mate?

Speaker 19 (01:13:51):
I'm all right, thanks pony.

Speaker 5 (01:13:52):
I'm coming to you live from London.

Speaker 20 (01:13:55):
Town in it.

Speaker 7 (01:13:57):
Oh good.

Speaker 3 (01:13:58):
Well they'll be looking forward to England v. Mexico and
the World Cup. We can get to that. Even though
you were in London, did you manage to catch the
All Black? Would have been breakfast time over there.

Speaker 11 (01:14:07):
I guess it was breakfast with Sean Fitzpatrick.

Speaker 5 (01:14:11):
Actually, look, I did enjoy the fact that it was
under a roof and there was flowing rugby and some
incredible tries scored by both teams, but really, when it
comes down to it, it was a little bit patchy.
And that is a France I call them France B
plus and because they do have a few stars that
you'd recognize from their six Nations top string side, but

(01:14:33):
not many, if any. And I think that they'll probably
take a little bit of a moral victory out of that.

Speaker 3 (01:14:39):
Yeah, I think so. I think they'll be relatively pleased
despite the fact they didn't win the game. As far
as the All Blacks were concerned. Did you start to see,
even at this early stage, Dave Rennie's game plan, his
fingerprints on what he wants the All Blacks to be.

Speaker 5 (01:14:52):
Yeah, And I did actually like the style of game
they played. I loved that they ran strike moves from
set peace. I thought that they were inventive. And Reuben
Love was apart from getting sindon, you could see the
space that he creates by playing square the way he
does and with his nice footwork. And you know, look,

(01:15:14):
no Roy Gard no win in many ways as well,
but there Dave's you know, the buzzword was brutality during
the week. Did you get a bit of that coming
through your airwaves on ZIRB as well.

Speaker 3 (01:15:26):
Indeed, yeah, brutality. Optimism was the other one that I
heard a lot. Optimism and it doesn't it's all word
that you are often associated with rugby. But I guess
it's about a confidence and you know, and a positivity
in the way that you play with ball in hand.

Speaker 11 (01:15:40):
Yeah, I like it.

Speaker 5 (01:15:41):
I don't mind that. One thing I would say is
that what rugby coach doesn't ask their team to be brutal?
You know, like if you're out there and you've got
a son who plays rugby or a daughter who plays
rugby and by a certain age, their coach is telling
them to go out there and if them up, you know,

(01:16:03):
because that is how rugby is playing.

Speaker 8 (01:16:06):
I'm I already shocked you, but that is what coaches
tell you to do.

Speaker 5 (01:16:09):
So I think brutality has always been part of the
lexicon and the vocab of a rugby coach, so that
to me was just nothing new. It shouldn't be anything new.
But yeah, the optimism and then there was composure, I
think was another one they're talking about. But after all that,
I watched that game and I thought, you can't tell

(01:16:30):
me that someone like Duplasi Kadifi wouldn't add value to
that team and doesn't play with optimism, composure and brutal.

Speaker 3 (01:16:38):
Yeah he does. He does all of those things. But
I actually thought Luke Jacobson had a good game. I
think there was a bit of a bit of polarizing
views around who should wear the seven jersey. I'm not
sure everybody landed on Luke Jacobson, but it wasn't a
typical game from a seven. But I thought he brought
the brutality, made some big hits and then set up
Jordan right at the end four for the final try.

Speaker 5 (01:17:01):
Absolutely, I thought I thought Jacobson had a good game.
I think, you know, he delivered what was asked of him.
I just think that when it came down to it
in terms of an impact and whether I'm talking about
a bench roll for Kiddy fe, I just thought there
was nothing there to say that you wouldn't pick somebody
that outstanding from Super rugby, you know what I mean.

(01:17:22):
I thought, okay, show me what you mean. And Peter
Larco was fantastic as well. The Loose Trio did do
a good job. But yeah, there's a few things there
that I guess the All Blacks probably needed a chance
to show and even look, it's a work.

Speaker 2 (01:17:43):
In progress, it's early days.

Speaker 5 (01:17:46):
I probably would like to see some of Will Jordan
given a chance at fullback as well. And ye're just
on that brutality thing. I was going to say, rugby
coaches that don't say to their teams, hey, these guys
have wives and kids.

Speaker 13 (01:17:59):
Can we just please not here's.

Speaker 11 (01:18:01):
Anyone out there today?

Speaker 19 (01:18:02):
Please?

Speaker 20 (01:18:03):
You know, they just don't say that.

Speaker 2 (01:18:05):
I just want to make that point.

Speaker 3 (01:18:06):
No, it's a good point to make a good point
to make. Hey, World Cup before we talk about England, Mexico, Portugal,
Croatia Portugal go through.

Speaker 10 (01:18:15):
I don't know.

Speaker 3 (01:18:16):
Was there a bit of a bit of controversy about
that decision right at the end. You know that that
gave gave Portugal the opportunity to win that game.

Speaker 5 (01:18:26):
Yeah, I think what it highlights and this is a
glancing heater. Apparently that that meant that the Croatian player
was offside. I mean, look, it's it's one of those
decisions where it didn't seem to be that much conclusive evidence,
but they did bring out I didn't realize there was
a snickometer.

Speaker 2 (01:18:46):
I mean, the Paul does have a mircrotchip in it.

Speaker 13 (01:18:47):
But what I found, I think in this.

Speaker 5 (01:18:50):
World Cup is the rest the refereeing has been pretty inconsistent.
There was a massive shove in the back of a
Senegalese player from a Belgian from Telemans when he scored
the winning goal and they didn't come back for that
at all. And and then Germany scored pretty good goal
to win and that was ruled out for what seemed

(01:19:10):
like a very minor obstruction on the keeper.

Speaker 13 (01:19:14):
So this is the whole thing.

Speaker 5 (01:19:15):
You do realize that some of these World Cup refs
aren't the best in the world. They just you know,
it's a bit of a lolly scramble to make sure
everyone's represented. So there's a whole host of reefs from
every single confederation. And I think that's what cost New
Zealand against Egypt. I thought that that ref was totally
substandard and and costs them probably a chance of least

(01:19:40):
getting a drawer in that game.

Speaker 2 (01:19:42):
But hey, look, all.

Speaker 5 (01:19:43):
I'm saying is that's part of the World Cup.

Speaker 2 (01:19:47):
But let's look forward.

Speaker 5 (01:19:48):
Let's talk about Mexico England at the Azteca. At altitude.
I have grave bears for England to get away with.

Speaker 3 (01:19:57):
A win, so do I but but I mean there,
I was gonna say they're eternally optimistic in England. They
are until they're table losers, and then they they tend
to turn on them. But do you sense in London
an optimism other Saint George flags flying around town As
you look forward to this Round of sixteen match in
the early hours.

Speaker 5 (01:20:18):
They definitely turning out like they turned out for the
Congo game.

Speaker 8 (01:20:22):
And I was at a pub in Islington.

Speaker 5 (01:20:24):
A lot of people there kind of very nervous as
Congo went ahead one knell for a while. But I
did notice Paul Skulls is a great one of the
greatest midfielders to ever played a game for England anyway,
and he was saying that even the Twuckle's selections for
England aren't quite right. He'd like to see different selections.

(01:20:45):
And so when you see somebody of that caliber, even
though England still seems to be going through okay and
qualifying and getting through the next round, there's just seems
to be a lot of unrest and I wouldn't be
surprised if there's a big pile one and perhaps some
calling for Tuckle's head if things don't go well. But
Mexico are really a team of battlers when you consider

(01:21:08):
the pedigree or Premier League, Bundesliga and of course Jude
Bellingham at Real Madrid, so you know it shouldn't be
a contest really, but I think the STEC and Mexico
is going to be really hard to beat and that
they are playing a really nice style at the moment.

Speaker 3 (01:21:26):
Yeah, and haven't conceded yet in the tournament. James always
great to catch up, enjoy it over there whatever happens,
and look forward to jetting again same time next week.

Speaker 8 (01:21:35):
The cheers Poney and yeah, I'm up the AB's.

Speaker 5 (01:21:38):
It was very good to see the first hit out
because far it's are no joke, so you know, good
on your day ready.

Speaker 3 (01:21:43):
Indeed, indeed, James, thanks indeed, James mconey. Part of our
Sundays on News Talks AIRB.

Speaker 1 (01:21:48):
It's seven to two, the big names and the big
calls on your home of sport Weekend Sport with Jason
Vine News Talks mb.

Speaker 3 (01:21:58):
BANG on four to two. We'll pivot away from the
All Blacks after two o'clock. Their next point of business Wellington.
Next weekend Saturday, eighteen past five, they take on Italy
We look forward to bringing you Saturday show from somewhere
in inner City Wellington, a build up to the Test
and for commentary here on News Talks EDB and the
next Sunday we'll do it all again. We'll review what

(01:22:18):
happened against the Italians after two o'clock though, we're focusing
in on cricket. The Black Caps a famous Test series
win in England and one of the big contributors in
the third Test to trent Bridge was Zach Folks, who
didn't even think he'd be playing, came in as a
concussion substitute, took six wickets. Zach Folks is with us

(01:22:40):
right after the two o'clock news.

Speaker 1 (01:22:43):
The only place for the big names, the big issues,
the big controversies and the big conversations. It's all on
Weekend Sports with Jason Vine and the Volkswagen Amarok v
SX on Youth Talks MB, your home of Sport two six.

Speaker 3 (01:23:01):
Welcome into the show, Welcome back to the show. As
the case may be. I'm Jason Pine. Andy McDonald's running
the show. It's Weekend Sport until three cricket shortly. Zach
Folks on the show, what an impact in the Third
Test against England at trent Bridge when he was called
in as a concussion substitute. Blair Tickner ruled out with
concussion during the Test match. Zack Folks comes in takes

(01:23:24):
six crucial wickets across the two England innings. New Zealand
win the Test and the series. Zack Folks is back
home in christ here, She's gonna have a yarn to
us shortly. We'll also get inside the Warriors women's camp
ahead of their season opener against the Bulldogs in Hamilton
this afternoon. One of our top softball coaches, Mike White,
has just guided his Texas Longhorns women's team in the

(01:23:46):
NCAA to back to back championships. He's chatting to us
this hour, and we'll cover off the World Cup as well,
in particular tomorrow's big clash at the Azteca in Mexico City, Mexico.
Welcoming England. Nathan Eleene football commentator, going to join us
and talk about that. Your calls and correspondents continue to
be welcome. Always blind away by the sheer numbers of

(01:24:09):
texts and calls we get around the All Blacks and
the high quality of them as well. I've always thought
the weekend sport audience has has I wouldn't say higher
brain power than other shows on the station or other
shows on other stations, but what I will say is
that it's always invigorating chatting all blacks with you the
day after a Test match on eight hundred eighty ten

(01:24:31):
eighties our number nine two ninety two. If you ever
want to get in touch on text, but with the
time at eight past two, as we always do it
this time on weekends sport, it's time to catch you
up on some of the things that have been happening,
and it turns out there has been quite a bit.
Andy McDonald's sleep patterns about to take a severe hit.

(01:24:52):
The Tour de France underway with a team time trial
in the bars Slona.

Speaker 12 (01:24:57):
Is it gonna be the thing?

Speaker 11 (01:24:59):
Is it gonna be?

Speaker 3 (01:25:00):
The Slovenian in the yellow jersey this evening.

Speaker 12 (01:25:03):
Here in.

Speaker 2 (01:25:05):
Ches he's running at that time.

Speaker 17 (01:25:10):
Thank you.

Speaker 2 (01:25:10):
We'll be in yether tonight.

Speaker 3 (01:25:12):
You heard correct, Tylee Pagacha won't wear the yellow jersey tomorrow.
Is Danish rival Joonas Bingergar taking the honors on stage one.
A big slate of international rugby overnight Japan with a
big result in Tokyo.

Speaker 28 (01:25:27):
Pock it into the red costly get it away Ito,
where's he off to?

Speaker 2 (01:25:31):
He loses it backwards?

Speaker 3 (01:25:33):
It's kicked down fields. Thenk ik on will be the
final moment of the match.

Speaker 29 (01:25:40):
Japan shock the Assourni to clame that first win against
Italy since twenty eighteen and just their third.

Speaker 2 (01:25:48):
Of all time.

Speaker 3 (01:25:49):
Yeh twenty seventeen Japan over Italy. Ireland taking out a
thriller against Australia.

Speaker 29 (01:25:55):
This is a huge might be kind to kill her
collapse short of the line now the picking of.

Speaker 17 (01:26:02):
Yesterday.

Speaker 29 (01:26:02):
Don't hello the room us can we are square greenegas
for the leaf got it that conversion?

Speaker 3 (01:26:13):
The difference in Sydney Ireland winning thirty three thirty one
and the spring Box were just ruthless against England's.

Speaker 1 (01:26:21):
South Africa's male continues to advice Malcolm Max in control.

Speaker 4 (01:26:29):
The defense crumbling in front of him and South Africa
over for a sixth Malcolm.

Speaker 3 (01:26:34):
Max forty five twenty one, South Africa over England to
the NRL. The Dragon's resurgence continues, so the Dragons go
to their left to try and expose that long from.

Speaker 16 (01:26:46):
Government homes back off the left there Valentine homes with
a double, maybe a winning.

Speaker 3 (01:26:54):
Double for Bound. It was the twenty fourteen went over
the Tigers, giving Saint George their second victory of the season.
The Sharks means on have handed the Broncos their eighth
their eighth straight loss at the.

Speaker 29 (01:27:07):
Back till Bondo stag losses, straining punder the lacks.

Speaker 2 (01:27:13):
Poppin shakes down.

Speaker 11 (01:27:16):
You're not gonna get it.

Speaker 3 (01:27:17):
Tridder Pember blow on Brisbane twenty eight to sixteen. The
defending Premier season in tatters. End of the Football World Cup.
Morocco have ousted co hosts Canada and they might not
be finished.

Speaker 29 (01:27:33):
Grahim Diaz and now Raheeme.

Speaker 19 (01:27:38):
To put the gloss on it.

Speaker 29 (01:27:40):
Look at the scenes here, Sofia.

Speaker 2 (01:27:43):
Raheemi what's his name?

Speaker 16 (01:27:46):
In lights again for the second time out this.

Speaker 3 (01:27:49):
World chart three and all the final score Morocco into
the quarterfinals. They'll play France, who have overcome Paraguay to
advance to the quarters thanks to their main man ten
dollars he has in.

Speaker 6 (01:28:00):
The worldcome knock arounds.

Speaker 29 (01:28:03):
Its Simbappe who step saffers to the nuts.

Speaker 2 (01:28:08):
Who was it ever?

Speaker 11 (01:28:10):
Insouts Ran says one hundred and fifty dollars.

Speaker 2 (01:28:14):
A worldcome the biggest names in sports.

Speaker 1 (01:28:17):
Talk to Finy Weekend Sport with Jason Vine and the
Volkswagen Amarank FE six on sale now from eighty nine
to nine nineteen News Talks at me.

Speaker 3 (01:28:27):
Twelve minutes past two. What a week it's been for
the black Caps. A Test series win in England one
of the toughest achievements in world cricket. New Zealand have
done exactly that, coming from one Test down to win
it two to one, producing a superb performance of the
third Test to clinch the series on English soil. One
of the great stories of the victory pastballer Zach Folks,

(01:28:48):
who came into the deciding third Test as a concussion
substitute and seized his chance with both hands.

Speaker 28 (01:29:00):
From right on it's falling apart for England. Don't forget
the work that New Zealand have put into that gritty
one hundred from Darryl Mitchell and now the wickets for
Folks for Stokes than Bethel and now Brook.

Speaker 3 (01:29:14):
Yeah, six wickets across two innings for Zack Folks, including
Ben Stokes twice, Harry Brook twice and Jacob Bethel to
help propel the black Caps to a win by one
hundred and sixty runs at Trent Bridge. Zach Folks is
back home and joins us, congratulations on a brilliant week.

Speaker 15 (01:29:30):
Mate.

Speaker 3 (01:29:30):
You weren't even expecting to play such a big role
in the deciding Test, but suddenly you find yourself right
in the middle of one of New Zealand crickets great
overseas series victories. Has it all sunk in yet?

Speaker 30 (01:29:44):
Now it's been will win a few days. Actually, obviously
didn't didn't think I was going to play any part
of that Test. And then to play play a part,
to contribute to a Test one in a series one
was very very exciting and very rewarding.

Speaker 3 (01:29:59):
Really, I guess if you are in the eleven or
kind of know you're in the eleven a few days before,
that's a different proposition from the one that faced you.
As I say, is a concussion sub for Blair Tichner.
How difficult was it mentally? And like it's physically two
to go from thinking you're not going to play any
part to suddenly being right there in the thick of it.

Speaker 30 (01:30:17):
Yeah, it's obviously very strange. Like obviously here's twelfth man
and stuff. You do your training and stuff for before
the day's play, and you do your gym and you're
not really preparing to play. And then obviously no one
likes to see anyone get hit.

Speaker 3 (01:30:33):
In the head.

Speaker 30 (01:30:34):
Thoughts went out to Blair and yeah, he said, tough
old run with injuries and bit of luck hasn't really
gone his way. But yeah, it was funny, like it's
almost probably not a bad thing, so you don't think
about it too much and sort of just go out
there and play.

Speaker 3 (01:30:48):
Really, what was the message you got from Tom Layton
when he said, right, you're in, here's what I need
you to do.

Speaker 30 (01:30:54):
It was a funny old process. So I had to
field for a little bit and then before or everything
got signed off, and then he sort of just came
up to me and said, just do your thing. We
sort of knew knew them out of how we were
going to go about it. Keep her up for the
stumps and just try and be nice and boring and
relentless with our line and lengths. And then yeah, the

(01:31:15):
wickets sort of started to play a few tricks, and yeah,
we saw the way they played in the second and
which was a little bit rogue but worked in our favor.

Speaker 3 (01:31:25):
Really, it was, wasn't it. Rogue is a great word,
a great word for it. It was. It was quite
remarkable watching them bat in that way. Did you expect
that from them? And when they started batting that way?
What was the conversation going on among you guys.

Speaker 30 (01:31:40):
Yeah, we sort of assumed Stokes he was going to
play like that after promoting himself up the order, and
then we didn't really expect the rest of them to
go about it that way. But we sort of just
thought we'd just do our stuff and the work. It
was obviously offering a little bit. That's why they were

(01:32:00):
playing like that. So if we could just hang in there,
the odd ball would hops hopefully bounce or keep low
or do a little bit, a little bit of something sideways,
and we'd get our we'd get our treats that way.

Speaker 3 (01:32:11):
Really, was there a point at which you thought, right,
we've got this, we are in control here during the
fourth innings, I mean, I.

Speaker 30 (01:32:19):
Don't know, because it's very dangerous, so bat very deep
as well. You see Josh for Archer betting at nine
or ten, and he's very capable with the bat. So
we saw them have a partnership Jamie Smith and Gus Atkinson.
They played pretty normally and made it look pretty easy,
so we obviously knew there was a lot of tough

(01:32:39):
work to do that final day and those two runouts
are probably pretty pretty critical for us.

Speaker 3 (01:32:45):
Really funny old Test day with you know, as you say,
Ben Stokes announcing his retirement mid Test, it's it's unprecedented,
and then you go on and win it and then
all of the postmatch stuff is about Ben Stokes. From
what I could see over here, it was obviously, you know,
pretty good you know coverage of the black Caps, but
did it feel weird after which you'd just made history
in England and everybody's talking about the retiring blow from

(01:33:06):
the other side.

Speaker 30 (01:33:07):
Yeah, it was a bit strange, and just the way
he announced it during the session as he was bowling
and then proceeded to get me out twenty five seconds
later or something that wasn't wasn't ideal, but yeah, it's
just the way it is.

Speaker 25 (01:33:24):
Really.

Speaker 30 (01:33:24):
He's been a great servant of English cricket for maybe
like fifteen years, so he sort of gets his chance
to retire how he wants, so I guess, But yeah,
it did seem yeah, a little overshadowed the result that
we actually got. But yeah, I guess we're proud of
our result and that's what really matters at the end

(01:33:45):
of the day.

Speaker 7 (01:33:45):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:33:46):
I love that word you used before, and it is
a positive word. Boring, you know, but I think it
means consistent. I think it means knowing your game plan
and sticking to it. And look, I don't know, I
just thought you guys played some tremendous Test cricket across
the three Test matches. What was the degree of satisfaction
afterwards when you sat back in the change room and thought, right,
we one a series here in England, our brand of

(01:34:07):
Test cricket.

Speaker 30 (01:34:08):
Yeah, very satisfying. And you saw the whole squad got
to go really obviously, came retiring, gave Henry Nichols a
chance and he took that with both hands, which was
awesome to see, and then all the bowlers like came
in and just sort of done pretty seamlessly. Really, CS
and Nathan Smith was great whole series, being of the

(01:34:34):
men of series. Yeah, it was very very rewarding series win.

Speaker 11 (01:34:38):
Really.

Speaker 3 (01:34:38):
Yeah, you're a part of a of a good bunch
of seam bowlers. Now, you know, I think we all
sort of worry for a while when Trent Bolt, Neil
Wagner and Tim Southi retired and Kyle was in and
out with his back injuries, you know where the scene
bowling would come from. But now it feels as though
there's a real cohort of scene bowlers. And you just
reeled off a few names. There must be a pretty
exciting time to be part of this seam bowling unit

(01:34:59):
for New Zealand.

Speaker 13 (01:34:59):
Is it?

Speaker 17 (01:35:00):
Yeah, definitely.

Speaker 30 (01:35:01):
And we all sort of gel off each other and
get around each other, which is awesome to awesome to
see really, and we've also got Jacob Duffy coming back
as well. Yeah, it's obviously an exciting time for New
Zealand cricket. We've got I think eight test matches in
the next however many months, which is going to be
very exciting, and we're going to need all that pasteballers,

(01:35:23):
I think.

Speaker 3 (01:35:23):
Yeah, So how do you push for your place, Zach,
when there's so many different options? I mean, you don't
just want to be a go comes in as a
concussion sub because that's not going to happen very often.
I wouldn't imagine how do you put your best foot
forward now ahead of this really exciting period of red
ball cricket for New Zealand.

Speaker 11 (01:35:39):
Yeah, I guess not.

Speaker 30 (01:35:40):
Just try not to overcomplicate it and try to just
get better and add a few strings to my bow
and yeah, trying to be as consistent as possible.

Speaker 7 (01:35:49):
I guess. Well.

Speaker 3 (01:35:50):
Congrats mate, it was just awesome to see your part
in this and in New Zealand winning your Test series
over there for just the fourth time. You're back home now, mate,
So what are you what's the media? Are you even
winter training that sort of thing? What's what's next for you?

Speaker 30 (01:36:04):
Yeah, we have a little bit of a gym block
and a train and stuff before the home summer kicks off.

Speaker 3 (01:36:09):
Really good stuff, Zach, Thanks for chatting mate. Congrats again,
always good to catch up. Awesome truth, punny Thank you mate.
That Zach folks off the back of his key role
in New Zealand winning a Test series in England for
just the fourth time. Twenty past two. Today he sees
the start of a brand new n rl W season
for the Warriors. They open their campaign against the Bulldogs
in Hamilton this afternoon. Coach Ron Griffiths is with us Ron,

(01:36:33):
thanks for your time. After a full pre season, where
do you feel this team has improved the most since
last year's inaugural return to the nrl W.

Speaker 13 (01:36:43):
I think general, you know, for us understanding of the game.

Speaker 31 (01:36:46):
We obviously had a lot of players that have never
played rugby rugby league before, so you know, a lot
of converts, So I think general understanding. And also further
to that, I think, you know, team Colhesian, we put
some good structures in place last year or were able
to get to evolve those this year and then fall
straight back in normal and hopefully and no doubt we'll
see them today on game day.

Speaker 3 (01:37:06):
I've heard you say the sides around thirty percent better
than it was last year. Where will we notice the
biggest difference?

Speaker 31 (01:37:14):
I think, you know when I've said that, it's the
program as a collective, so from front office right through
to the team. But no doubt we'll see that in
the you know, from a team perspective on the field,
when the game really bites, you know, you'll certainly see
our thread as a team.

Speaker 15 (01:37:30):
It'll be really evident, I.

Speaker 31 (01:37:31):
Think, and it was last year, but I think in
times of been able to get through those moments where
it's really tough, I think we'll.

Speaker 15 (01:37:38):
Be able to see it more then.

Speaker 3 (01:37:39):
I think last season perhaps was all about laying the foundations.
Is twenty twenty six for you about genuinely pushing for
finals football.

Speaker 19 (01:37:48):
Now, no doubt.

Speaker 31 (01:37:50):
Like we you know, we were certainly in twenty five
had aspirations of playing finals football, but you know, one
year on we're certainly well versed in what it'd take
to be there, so you know, that's certainly a realistic expectation.

Speaker 3 (01:38:02):
We believe you have introduced some new player as again
this season. How quickly have they settled and what have
you done to integrate your new players into the school?

Speaker 31 (01:38:13):
Yeah, I think you know, naturally they've you know, they've
got great characteristics and really great personality, so they've been
able to integrate really quickly. We've done some connection pieces
in particularly like a connection camp where we went away
for a weekend to build to make sure that they
can integrate. And yeah, for us, it's protured us that

(01:38:36):
we've signed those players because they're from New Zealand, they're experienced,
they've been around for a long period of time and
played in many, many different systems, so you know, they've
fitted in quite easily.

Speaker 3 (01:38:45):
Have you got about blending those from different backgrounds in
terms of, you know that those who have played rugby
union mainly for example.

Speaker 31 (01:38:52):
Yeah, I just I think one thing that we've got
is a good crew of leaders there who have some
of them have played rugby and been able to cross over.
So from that perspective, they've been really really helpful and
getting the players to integrate into our system and in
particular rugby league.

Speaker 3 (01:39:08):
How pleasing hasn't been as well run to see players
coming through the Warrior's own development pathways.

Speaker 31 (01:39:15):
I think that's the you know, for long term sustainability,
that's exactly what you need.

Speaker 23 (01:39:19):
You know.

Speaker 31 (01:39:20):
We were fortunate enough to align with the Auckland Rugby
League Competition or Auckland Rugby League and run a Cathwharton
competition which we had our n RLW players playing. Further
to that, we had some players that we'd signed out
of that competition and some players that have just trained
with us for a period of time through the preseason.

Speaker 3 (01:39:37):
And the start of the season can be a bit unpredictable.
So beyond getting the two points, what are you hoping
to see on the field from your team?

Speaker 31 (01:39:45):
This afternoon, in the moment, in the moments when the
game bites, you know, we need to see some of
those principles that we've introduced throughout the preseason to stick
to really come to the fall. That's all we're chasing
this afternoon.

Speaker 3 (01:39:59):
You seem to put a huge emphasis on this team
from the outside looking and ron on standards on culture,
how much ownership do the player take of that sort
of thing.

Speaker 15 (01:40:08):
Yeah, they're well on their way to doing it.

Speaker 31 (01:40:10):
You know, at this point in time, we haven't all
quite nailed it. But you know, I've had several conversations
over the last week, and you know we've spoken about,
you know, by round six or seven and we should
be humming along in those.

Speaker 2 (01:40:21):
Sorts of things.

Speaker 31 (01:40:21):
They're certainly driving it, but it's now a matter of
just making sure that each time we walk through.

Speaker 7 (01:40:26):
That door living it.

Speaker 3 (01:40:27):
And have you noticed a different level of belief compared
to this time last.

Speaker 9 (01:40:31):
Year, Yeah, no doubt, no doubt.

Speaker 31 (01:40:33):
And I think the you know, with some of the
young players who were twelve months on it's a second
preseason done. Some of the older players who are now
in their fifth, sixth, seventh preseason, you know, it's another
year for them, and then some of the experienced players
were brought in, so it's a it's a melting pot
of inexperience and experience, but further along than what we
were twelve months ago, and that, you know, I think

(01:40:54):
the other thing on the back of that is they've
worked extremely hard, so the confidence they've got, the belief,
you know that they've done the work.

Speaker 3 (01:41:02):
And just to finish regardless of what happens on the
school board at the end of today's game, what would
you want Warriors fans to see from your team today?

Speaker 31 (01:41:11):
You know, a performance that they can be proud of.
You know, the players walk off with the held head
high and knowing that they've given it all and they
leave a performance out there that they're proud of, and
you know our supporters can be proud of.

Speaker 3 (01:41:22):
All the best for game one this afternoon on and
for the rest of the season. Look forward to catching
up again in the next few weeks. Thank you, Take care,
Bye bye bye. That's Ron Griffiths, coach of the Warriors
women three forty five. This afternoon, they open their season
against the Bulldogs in Hamilton to twenty five. Take a break,
come back, talk some football World Cups, specifically England's game
against Mexico tomorrow said to be an absolute cracker. We're

(01:41:45):
talking World Cup. When we come back on Weekend Sport.

Speaker 2 (01:41:48):
The scoreboard only tells half the story. Finally tells the rest.

Speaker 1 (01:41:52):
Weekend Sports with Jason Vine and the Volkswagen Amarok v
SX Power and Comfort combined on sale Now News.

Speaker 3 (01:41:59):
Talks V News Talks to twenty eight. We're into the
round of sixteen at the fee of World Cup and
today's games and Morocco two good for Canada winning three nil.
They'll play France in the quarterfinals after they needed a
second half penalty given under var review to beat Paraguay
one nil. England have a massive task tomorrow if they're

(01:42:20):
to join those two in the last eight. They take
on Mexico at the Azteca in Mexico City, one of
the most intimidating arenas in world football. That's before you
even start talking about the altitude. To preview this, we're
joined by football commentator with TV and Z and FIFA
plus Nathan Eleene. Nathan, just how big a test is

(01:42:42):
this for England.

Speaker 25 (01:42:44):
It's a big one. In that Piney Hey doing Yeah,
I think this is possibly a defining moment for Thomas Tutchel.
He's got to get his tactics absolutely spot on. He's
got it all kind of against him at the moment, haven't.
As you've already mentioned, the altitude is going to be
a problem the atmosphere inside the stadium and no doubt
the Mexican fans will be trying to keep the English

(01:43:06):
English players a fortnight outside the hotel like they did
with Equidor. And the fact that England haven't been able
to prepare properly for this altitude change, I think is
really a big factor. And you know, you've kind of
seen some of the commentary are from the England camp
already coming out saying it's far from ideal and it

(01:43:27):
doesn't help us and fever having help to sort of,
you know, prepare properly. But that being said, I take
a little bit of solace from the fact that Brad
Friedel was on the Rest of Football Show on Netflix
the other then he was saying, how much better miles
better England are than Mexico really, and they've just got
to hold out of opening twenty minutes, which is when

(01:43:49):
the altitude really apparently impacts you.

Speaker 3 (01:43:51):
Harry Kane dragged them into this round with his two
goals in the last round almost single handedly got them through.
Is it as simple, Nathan as if Harry Kane plays well,
then England will progress.

Speaker 25 (01:44:07):
Well, It's not necessarily because look, Harry Kane is obviously
the main man for England and without him and his goals,
they yeah, you're right, they wouldn't be where they are
and he is having an amazing season. But you know
what we've seen in this tournament so far is that
in and not particularly solid at the back. They don't

(01:44:28):
seem to have quite got their combinations sorted out in
midfield either, and so while Harry Kane can drag the
team forward in terms of scoring goals and splitting defenses,
et cetera, the England really are going to rely on
their defense tomorrow and I think if they haven't, they
aren't bang at it, then that's going to be a
big issue for them, because you know, we saw against

(01:44:51):
Croatia how they've been a little bit a little bit loose.
We saw in the last game how they how they
against Congo had let that goal and against seven Months
could have been too nil down when they hit the
post as well, and you just think their defense has
really got to step up to the play to enable
Harry Kane to do what he does without all the
jets and whatever.

Speaker 15 (01:45:11):
But it's exciting.

Speaker 25 (01:45:12):
It's a really cool matchup.

Speaker 3 (01:45:13):
Oh Look, without doubt. Look, it's one that everybody's looking
forward to. Me even more so, Nathan. Unlike you, I
don't have any skin in the game, so I can
just watch it as a somewhat of a neutral the
fever pitch that Mexico will come into this game with,
because I get the feeling this crowd will just be
absolutely raucous when kickoff arrives. Do you feel as though,

(01:45:34):
and you mentioned it before, England have to really sort
of soak that up for the first twenty minutes and
take the crowd out of it.

Speaker 25 (01:45:41):
Absolutely. I think that's that's going to be one of
the biggest factors, isn't it. I Mean the thing with
the thing that England have got on their side with
this is that they are all you know, they have
all played Champions League football, They've played you know, the
majority of the squad played in you know, the Euro finals.
They got to the quarter finals of the last RockA.
They're used to big games they playing the Premier League
or the Legua or bunderse atmospheres and intense atmospheres is

(01:46:05):
something they'll be used to. I think so in a way,
that's kind of something that I think they can deal with.
It's the altitude that worries me a little bit. But
as as as well, Jim Andez is saying their kind
of game plan for Mexico is go hard for the
first twenty minutes, and I think that that means that

(01:46:27):
England really have to be solid that first twenty minutes,
to quiet the crowd, to keep things that an even keel,
and then hopefully push.

Speaker 8 (01:46:34):
On from there.

Speaker 3 (01:46:36):
Peace has been been a strength of England at major tournaments.
Mexico very good defensively, in fact, I don't think they've
conceded yet. So might see peace be an area that
England made target if they are to get some big
goals one, it's a target Mexico on this one, oh,
I think so.

Speaker 25 (01:46:54):
I think what England scored at least two goals already
from set pieces this tournament, haven't they, And you kind
of think again, with the physicality of the England squad,
that it's going to be important. They've got really good
set piece delivery merchants in that the likes of Rice
if he's playing soccer, if he's playing you know, Rashford
can deliver a good ball. And you've got people like

(01:47:14):
Harry Kane. We've already talked about who can get on
the end of things in the box and nine times
out of ten score goals. It was interesting to actually
see Piney that England have are among the top two
teams I think to have created chances in this tournament
so far, they haven't scored all those big chances. I
think France are the other team that have created the
most big chances. But England seemed to be able in

(01:47:35):
this new two chill ball silent play to create a
openings and it is going to be about putting them
away and from dead ball situations.

Speaker 15 (01:47:42):
You're absolutely right, that's that's going.

Speaker 3 (01:47:44):
To be key a German in charge of England. You know,
it was always going to be an interesting narrative, wasn't it.
I mean, if he wins the World Cup, he'll be
he'll be given the keys to the palace voting. But
how do you think he's regarded by by English football
fans in general?

Speaker 8 (01:47:59):
Well, look, I think there was an element of.

Speaker 25 (01:48:05):
When he was appointed, you know that some of the
tabloids gave him a bit of a hard time and whatever.
But the point with Thomas tuccill is that he's been
there and seen it and done it all at club football.

Speaker 19 (01:48:15):
He's done it in knockout competitions such as the.

Speaker 25 (01:48:18):
Champions League before. He knows how to make, you know,
big substitutions and to alter tactics as a game's going on.
So he's a big he's a big manager. He knows
what he's doing and I think the majority of England
fans would just be I don't care who who's in charge,
as long as England can win the World Cup. You know,
sixty six is a long long time ago now and

(01:48:40):
if it, if it is a German that takes it
to the world title.

Speaker 3 (01:48:43):
Then I'm all for it. It's fantastic. England haven't played
at the Astikas since nineteen eighty six, the quarter final
against Argentina. Sorry to break over these old coals with
you as well. The famous hand of God games something
almost almost symbolicers and they're about returning to one of
the most famous stadiums in football history. Four decades on. Yeah,

(01:49:05):
returning to the scene of the crime.

Speaker 25 (01:49:08):
It's very interesting, isn't it that this, this particular stadium
for England has gone down in folklore for something that
happened in world football history. Is one of the most
recognizable moments in the World Cup. And so yeah, I
think it's it's you know, well, the echoes of World
Cup's past come back to haunt England or or can
they write a new history. I'm hoping it's the latter.

(01:49:30):
But yeah, I mean from all the games I've seen there,
I think anyone who's watching the World Cup, who's seen
the games at the Azteca, and you know some of
the imagery of it, it's it's incredible stadium, isn't it.
And and it looks like a proper footballing theater, so
it should be. It should be a heck of a
heck of a game.

Speaker 3 (01:49:51):
All right, prediction time. I know this isn't really very fair,
but ninety minutes extra time penalties? What are we looking
at tomorrow? It's midday start New Zealand times, a very
friendly viewing time for us. What are we looking at?
And in our England marching into the quarters?

Speaker 25 (01:50:05):
I think and I'm going to go with Brad Friedel here.
I think if England, no question, are the superior slide
technically and ability wise, and if Thomas Tucor gets his
tactics correct and we hold out for the first twenty minutes.
There's a lot of caveats here.

Speaker 3 (01:50:23):
Aren't there.

Speaker 25 (01:50:24):
I would I would probably probably go for a two
Neil England win, but that's going to be very difficult,
and you know it's going to be it's going to
be very very tight all the way through. But I'm
going for an England win.

Speaker 3 (01:50:37):
Fantastic, Nathan. Thanks for your insight this afternoon, mate, Really
appreciate you joining us.

Speaker 25 (01:50:41):
All right, Pinty nice is here.

Speaker 3 (01:50:43):
And YouTube Nathan Eleen there. You'll recognize the voice from
his commentaries on TV and z end on FIFA Plus.
So yeah, tomorrow, actually it's a cracker of a day
tomorrow the World Cup. Two big, big games. First of all,
eight o'clock tomorrow morning, Brazil against Norway. Brazil. Anybody who's
watched the Football World Cup knows how iconic that yellow
jersey of Brazila's up against Norway, who have one of

(01:51:05):
the most dangerous strikers in the world. In earling Harland
and their ranks. That game is at eight o'clock and
then midday tomorrow Mexico against England. The respective winners of
those two games will meet in a quarterfinal at nine
o'clock next Sunday. The World Cup is rarely starting to
reach its business end. Twenty two away from three, we'll

(01:51:25):
take another break, come back and talk with Mike White,
a former top softball player now a top softball coach
in the United States. Will chat to him about his
recent successes in Texas when we come.

Speaker 1 (01:51:37):
Back from grassroots to the grand Stand Weekend Sports with
Jason Vine and the Volkswagen Amarok FEESX from eighty nine
nine eighty for a limited time for all eight hundred and.

Speaker 3 (01:51:48):
Eighty ten eighty news talks that be two forty one
on Weekend Sport. Mike White has become one of the
most successful coaches in world softball. The Wellington born former
Black Sox pitching great has now guided the University of
Texas to back to back women's College World Series titles,
cementing the Long Horns among the elite programs in college softball.

Speaker 2 (01:52:13):
Twing in of this.

Speaker 4 (01:52:16):
One out of way from back to back rings Final Strike,
Texas does it.

Speaker 14 (01:52:26):
And they have the up for a second national championship
in a row.

Speaker 3 (01:52:32):
Mike White is with us from the United States. My
congratulationship now won back to back national championships. Has this
one had a different feeling to the first or are
you still trying to take it all in?

Speaker 7 (01:52:44):
Yeah, I still trying to take it all in, Jason,
because everything happens so quickly. You know, once you kind
of finished the finished with the season there you're one
of the last team standing, of course, and it goes
right into recruiting and the transfer portal, which is something
new that's happened in the last few years, and just
amending and getting ready for the following year. So it
took a little bit of time, but you know it

(01:53:04):
was ultimately that a little different because you have a
different team each year. But the feeling was just great.
It's almost surreal, so to speak.

Speaker 3 (01:53:13):
You had to come through the loser's break at and
win six straight elimination games. Mike, Can you tell us
about that period of the season and what you saw
in terms of the resilience and the belief in your players.

Speaker 15 (01:53:26):
Yeah.

Speaker 7 (01:53:26):
We talk about the fact that the game doesn't know
who doesn't know that you've lost a game, and ultimately
it's only just one more game than you would have
done if you'd won straight through. So back to the wall,
and which is I being the most dangerous when that happens.
You know, we got nothing to lose, and you know,
the expectations maybe a little bit lower. So just free
yourself up and compete. And that's all we can ask
of ourselves is just to compete at the highest level

(01:53:48):
that we can and see where the chips lay, and
ultimately we're able to put some pressure on those other
teams and obviously had tremendous performances from our pitching and
clutch hitting.

Speaker 3 (01:53:59):
Coaches often talk about culture, and as you mentioned, the
team changes every year. So when people watch your team's
regardless of who was playing, what are the values you
hope that they say reflected?

Speaker 7 (01:54:13):
I think love for one another. And it's something that
I've worked hard on. Its becoming less of a transactional
coach and more of a transformational coach. And so what
that means is just carrying for the players more than
just you know, chess pieces on a board, so to speak,
and you know then and just then playing for one another.
And one thing we said about for this is, you know,
ultimately there's the pressure that comes upon one player, you know,

(01:54:35):
I feel like you have to do it, you know,
for yourself or you don't want to underperform or anything
else like that. So just pick out someone else that
you're playing for and play for them. And that's what
the team did this time.

Speaker 3 (01:54:46):
Yeah, what a great attitude. I know you've said it's
hard to compare the two titles. Was there though, a
particular moment during this latest title run when you thought
to yourself, you know what, we've got a pretty special
team here. We could win this well.

Speaker 7 (01:55:00):
I think it actually went two weeks before that, you know,
when we were playing against Oklahoma and we were down
two in the series and you play the best of
three and you play three games actually, and we were
down O two and we were down. We're in this
last game, and we came back and tied it up,
went ahead, and then we gave the run back up
and it went extra endings and then we came from

(01:55:20):
behind again and it was like, you know, this team
just doesn't want to quit. And so that was one
one instance of it. And then of course winning the
SEC title going through and winning the Championship series, running
three straight games and being a really good Alabama team.
So that was when you kind of had an idea.
You know, this team has the goods to be able
to get the job done.

Speaker 3 (01:55:38):
Your number one pitcher, Taken Cavan outstanding throughout the season
and the World Series. How special has her development been?
And where does she rank among the pitches that you
have coached?

Speaker 7 (01:55:50):
Oh, I think she's right up there. I've been blessed
to coach a lot of good pitches over my coaching career,
but you know, she stands up there for maybe not
on a full season number, but just her ability to
step up in the big moments and get the job done.
I mean that those last two when she came in
and we had the one run lead to start with
and it became three, but she was just in total

(01:56:12):
command and just was, like I called on her an assassin.
She was just just giving them no shot at all.
And you know that's that's the ability to lift your
game to another level.

Speaker 3 (01:56:22):
And every championship team has unsung heroes as well as
the obvious stars, like Teaking we've just talked about, were
there players in your team who maybe he didn't grab
the headlines so much, but were absolutely vital to your
title run.

Speaker 7 (01:56:38):
Yeah, I think our secondary pitching set Lalie Gutarius, who
was our second string pitcher, because that was one of
our issues throughout the season was finding someone to step
onto that number two role. We knew we had the
number one, but who was going to be the supplemental
player to be able to give us give them a
break of teaking were struggling at any point during the
during the run, and that was Lally. She stepped up

(01:57:00):
huge for us and was able to hold them the
other team down for three to four innings until Teagan
was able to come in and close it out. And
the same thing happened the year before with Mac Morgan.
There was another secondary picture for us, and without that
contribution from those people and being ready to come in,
would never have happened.

Speaker 3 (01:57:17):
Mike, you've now built Texas into one of the premiere
programs in college softball in the US. When you arrived
there seven years ago, did you genuinely believe the program
could reach the heights that it has.

Speaker 7 (01:57:31):
Yes, I did, and that's one of the reasons I
made the move, and fortunately I was able to bring
four of my players from Oregon down to help kind
of kickstart it and everything and just get the momentum going.
And that's a big thing, is like, you're not going
to win it straight away. I mean you've seen that
with Texas Tech pumping a lot of money into their program,
they still haven't won it in two years. So you
can't just buy a team, so to speak. And it

(01:57:53):
took a time to develop and get going. But I
felt like with the recruiting resources, you know, the ability
to group from across the country, the standing of the
university as an academic institution, being one of the top
ten public institutions in the country, I thought we had
everything that we needed to attract the top talent.

Speaker 3 (01:58:11):
You talked about recruiting and how important that is, especially
when the team is turning over so often. When you
are recruiting, what are the biggest things you look for
beyond talents out on the diamond.

Speaker 7 (01:58:23):
Yeah, I think grits and teamwork and respect. I mean
I think just how they treat their parents, how they
treat their teammates, how they treat the game, just the
way they carry themselves. You know, confidence is hard to
kind of teach, so did they have that confidence in
themselves as a playoffs but.

Speaker 13 (01:58:38):
Not the arrogance.

Speaker 7 (01:58:40):
I think that that is a big part, and that
they learned how to contribute in the team setting. So
it's all part and parcel of one package, and you
try to build that as you go along. I mean,
obviously the physical characteristics are huge, but the mental parts,
the intangibles, are what separate us.

Speaker 3 (01:58:56):
In your own journey, Mirket started in Wellington, You're playing
career through the Black Sox and now you're one of
the most successful colleges college softball coaches that there is.
Did you ever imagine that life would take you where
it has?

Speaker 7 (01:59:12):
Certainly not. I mean there's been some you know, I
love the year Jogi Barrit quote that talks about when
you come to a fork in the road, take it.
And I've taken several forks and been fortunate to be
able to come out the right way on some of
these roads that I've taken. But it's been about building
the relationships I've had some obviously going to the Mirramart
Club and learning from that program, that system, and then

(01:59:34):
of course Mike Walsh with the New Zealand national team.
Mark Sienson all the great players that I've played with
contributed to what I've brought into the souptball game at
the women's level and my success toimate my success and.

Speaker 3 (01:59:47):
Just to finish that two national championships. Now, does the
thought of a third straight championship will restart bubbling away?
Or have you forced yourself to enjoy this one for
a little while before you start thinking about next season.

Speaker 7 (02:00:00):
No, I'm already starting on the third lines, you know.
And we want to keep attacking and getting better. And
I think we were very fortunate in the transfer portal
to pick up three exceptional players, got a great recruiting
class coming in and again my goal is to just
become a better programmers, continue to play the game to
a level that I think we can get to, which

(02:00:20):
is above where we're at right now. And that's the
challenge is just continue to put that carried out there
and keep pushing. We're the winner lose. I mean, I
think that we're all ambassadors for the game of softball,
and with the Olympics coming to the US in twenty
twenty eight, it's another exciting time for hopefully fast Best
Shuffle to promote it and to grow.

Speaker 13 (02:00:40):
As a sport.

Speaker 3 (02:00:41):
Congratulations again, Mike, great to chat to you. Thanks for
taking the time. Mike White, who's guided the University of
Texas to back to back women's College World Series titles.
A couple of texts three while we were chatting to
Mike Jase. Mike white Wood a legend in New Zealand
and international softball. I watched them playing for the Black Sox,
says Vincent at the nineteen ninety six World Championships in Midland, Michigan.

(02:01:03):
Another legend who's coaching Florida Seminoles is Travis Wilson. I
remember that name a man, says Vince. And I headed
the privilege of playing with at the Papa Nui Tigers
here in christ Church. Good stuff, and Simon, says Poney.
Mike white was selected for an All Whites tournament. It
didn't take place, but Mike was an outstanding college footballer.
He would have played for New Zealand at football for
sure if he hadn't chosen softball. One of the best

(02:01:25):
players I've played with and another product of Wrongatai College
in Wellington. A great guy as well. I think you
can hear from that interview just what a what a
solid human being Mike White is coming up nine to
three News Talks.

Speaker 1 (02:01:38):
dB analyzing the plays and getting the inside weekend sport
with Jason Vine News Talks heb.

Speaker 3 (02:01:46):
Coming up six away from three. That'll just about do
us for weekend sport. For today and for the weekend.
It's been an enormous pleasure, as always being in christ
Church to bear witness to the first All Blacks test
of the year, the first of the Dave Any era,
the first under the roof at one New Zealand Stadium
at Takaha. The All Blacks have already it out. Next

(02:02:07):
stop Wellington, although I believe they're going to Auckland first.
I'll spend a few days up there, then jet hunt
Wellington at the back end of the week ahead. Next
Saturday ten past five they will take on Italy at
Henry Stadium, and then the following weekend it's to Auckland,
the fortress that is Eden Park where they take on Ireland.
You won't miss a minute here on News Talk shad

(02:02:28):
B build up commentary review. We love talking All Blacks
Rugby with you, so thank you for those who have
taken the time this afternoon to do exactly that. Tim
beverage after three Massive thanks to Andy McDonald for pulling
the show together yesterday and today. Enjoy a few a
few hours of rest and relaxation. Mate. I'll hop on
a plane and get back to where I came from

(02:02:49):
and leave you with our exit song about this very
city from one of the city's most popular and successful bands,
The Exponents, and their song about christ Church. See Tomorrow
Night on Sports Talks. Absent to the Act, So Awesome five.

Speaker 22 (02:03:31):
Last day.

Speaker 7 (02:03:34):
You may.

Speaker 2 (02:03:36):
Stays and.

Speaker 4 (02:03:39):
Wait to fallow.

Speaker 2 (02:03:41):
The suits.

Speaker 3 (02:03:46):
Cry and cattle stream at the light together.

Speaker 2 (02:03:54):
We will be together together.

Speaker 7 (02:03:58):
Together Monday, Monday, Londay, won Day.

Speaker 3 (02:04:03):
One day, one day Day.

Speaker 1 (02:04:22):
Wait for more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. Listen

(02:04:44):
live to News Talks It Be Weekends from midday, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio

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.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}Betrayal Weekly

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Full Show Podcast: 05 July 2026

Betrayal Weekly