Full Show Podcast: 06 April 2025

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks EDB. The only place for the big names,
the big issues, the big controversies and the big conversations.
It's all on Weekend Sport with Jason Vin on your
home of Sport News Talks ed B.

Speaker 2 (00:30):
Got a good afternoon. Welcome into Weekend Sport, the Sunday
edition for April sixth. Happy twenty fourth birthday to Australian
McLaren Formula One driver Oscar pr Street who's going to
start third on the grid at the Japanese Grand Prix
later today on his birthday. I'm Jason Pineshow producer Any
McDonnell talking sport with you until three jam Pack show

(00:51):
as usual, motor Racing, first up, motor Racing Royalty, first
up F one legend. David Coultard MBE is with us
very shortly ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix later on today.
Liam Lawson will start thirdeenth on the grid. He's qualified
ahead of Yuki Sonoda who's fourteenth. That of course after

(01:12):
the car swap earlier this week, Max for stapp and
absolutely tearing it up and qualifying. The thoughts of David
Coulthard shortly and then yours. How do you reckon? Liam?
Will go? This afternoon five o'clock is the scheduled start
time for the Japanese Grand Prix. Other matters around today,
Mwana Pacific are the real deal.

Speaker 3 (01:33):
Slader's head a good game onto Tyler, Oh my.

Speaker 4 (01:36):
Goodness, the right's gone all the way to me see
du pot.

Speaker 3 (01:39):
Daylight straight through passport offenders and the number right dots down.

Speaker 2 (01:44):
Back to back wins for the very first time Super
Rugby's entertainers half back Jonathan Tolmatin there is with us
after two and answer me this? Who is Auckland's favorite
rugby team?

Speaker 5 (01:57):
Now?

Speaker 2 (01:58):
When the Blues host Mawana pacifica next weekend at Eden Park,
who's going to have the most fans there? The Blues, meantime,
keep the season alive. Last night with victory over the Hurricanes.

Speaker 6 (02:08):
Christy asking if at time and guess guardness whose it is?

Speaker 2 (02:12):
He kicked it over the touch and a blue hang
on by one the Crusaders beat the drwer to move second.

Speaker 4 (02:18):
By James o'conda.

Speaker 7 (02:20):
There is the full time whistle and to the first
time the Crusaders beats the drawer in.

Speaker 2 (02:27):
Fiji and the Highlanders losing Street continued jame over.

Speaker 8 (02:31):
They have won two and lost five have the Highlanders
in twenty twenty five and it's another excruciating loss twenty
nine points to twenty.

Speaker 2 (02:42):
The Force are fourth, fourth fourth, goodness may All four
Australian sides meantime are still in the top six at
the midway point of the season. Lots to chew over
with Super Rugby. The black Caps, meantime starting to build
some next generation depth and new look side, sweeping Pakistan
in a three game One Day International series which wrapped
up yesterday at the Mount New Zealand. Cricket's former talent

(03:04):
identification manager and hyper pformance coach Paul Wiseman with us
after one. Is this depth actually real? Are we actually
developing a really good next generation of talents? Paceballer Ben
says on the show too, after he took back to
back five wicket bags. We're stayside with our latest rap
of us sportly on Buzzby checking in before three and

(03:25):
James mcconey in his regular slot on a Sunday as
well Live Sport while we're on their today, the Singapore
seven's continue the National League basketball competition and some National
league football to keep an eye on as well. But
well heaps of times for your calls as well and
your correspondents. You can get in touch on the phone.
Oh eight hundred eighty ten eighty nine two nine two

(03:45):
for your text messages emails in to me Jason at
NEWSTALKSEDB dot co dot Nz. Just gone ten past midday.

Speaker 1 (03:52):
Analyzing every view from every angle in the sporting world
weekends for it with Jason Vye the call eight hundred
and eighty and eighty News Talks EDB.

Speaker 2 (04:02):
Liam Lawson has outqualified stable mate Yuki Sonoda fit's an
it's Formula one Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka.

Speaker 9 (04:09):
This is a better showing from Lawson, who would dearly
love to put his racing balls into the top ten
at the expense of the Red Bull of Yuki Sonoda,
which was his car last time out. Lawson does go
top ten and does go ahead of Yuki Sonoda. Yuki
SODA's first qualifying then for the Japanese Grand Prix as
a Red Bull driver ends in disappointment. Out in Q two,

(04:31):
Liam Lawson just ahead of him. What a baffle that
could be between the two drivers in tomorrow's.

Speaker 2 (04:38):
Race here so Lawson and Sonoda will start thirteenth and
fourteenth respectively, just over a week after Red Bull made
the decision to swap the two drivers. Liam Lawson's best
time was point zero nine to four seconds quicker than Sonoda.
Both though eliminated in the second qualifying session, with only
the top ten going through to the final qualifying session,

(04:58):
and both Lawson and Sonoda later promoted a spot following
a penalty to Carlos Signs. So they were initially fourteen
and fifteenth. They'll start thirteenth and fourteenth meantime, Red Ball
number one Max for Stappin, we'll start from pole again
after setting a new track lap record in qualifying. He
flew around the track last night. McLaren's Lando Norris will

(05:22):
start alongside the Stappin on the front row. Fellow McLaren
driver Oscar Pastree and ferraris Charlie Kerr third and fourth.
It is a huge pleasure to welcome Formula One Royalty
to Weekend Sport. David Coultard MBE competed in Formula One
from nineteen ninety four to two thousand and eight with
Williams then McLaren and Latteralie red Ball. He was runner

(05:44):
up in the Formula One World Drivers Championship in two
thousand and one with McLaren and won thirteen Grand Prix
across fifteen seasons. He is now a highly respected F
one commentator and Red Ball ambassador and he joins us now. David,
thank you so much for taking the time to join
us on weekend sport here across New Zealand. Can we
start with Max Verstappin and that incredible qualifying leap yeast

(06:07):
that I want to change his hell? Does he go
so fast?

Speaker 4 (06:11):
Yeah, unbelievable. You know, I'm not actually in Suzuka this weekend,
as I only at ten sixteen of the Grand Prix,
so I'm a good old fashioned fan this weekend, just
watching on the television and I just you know, that
is why I love formula and that is what I
love when I was a kid growing up, you know,
seeing your favorite driver or seeing someone just do something

(06:33):
remarkable and really special. And there's no question that that
was you know y Max is a generational talent. That
car is clearly quick, otherwise it couldn't be on poll.
But he's he's certainly had to work his magic behind
the wheel to deliver the.

Speaker 2 (06:49):
Lab put us on the site, David with him if
if you can. What is it that he does so well?

Speaker 4 (06:57):
I think his senses are on such a high level
that he feels the car moving before mere mortals would
be lies. And of course all Formula one drivers are good,
they're all extreme talents. But in any elite sport you're
looking for the exceptional talents. And whether it's football, whether

(07:18):
it's you know, Kennis, whether it's Formula one, there's always
two or three guys at any given time that do
things and you go, I don't know how they did that,
And the truth is they probably don't know how they
did it. It's just so innate in their their their
the psyche, their their ability to feel adhesion. He's he's

(07:39):
clearly got a very very sensitive seat of his pants
and fingertips on the steering wheel.

Speaker 2 (07:45):
What a great way of describing at Lando norisoskops three
two and three? Does McLaren same significantly quicker way and
not have a step And you know in any cap
probably drives it fast, But does McLaren seem significantly quicker
to you?

Speaker 4 (07:58):
Yeah? I think the way McLaren are able to top
the times pretty much in every session, shows that that
is the car, that is the sort of car for
the varying conditions that we're seeing over the first three
ground PRIs whether it remains the car. Of course, it
depends on the development profile that McLaren are able to

(08:20):
say on. That's what brought them into contention last year
that they found correlation between their upgrades in virtual world
that enabled them to build them, put them on the
car and it delivered lap time in the real world.
And that's, you know, without getting overlaid Techi. That is
forever the challenge for these Formula One teams because you know,
you can't just sort of put the regulations into an

(08:42):
AI design tool, otherwise they'd all pop out the same
and they'd all be as quick as each other. You know,
There's there's different opinions as to how to exploit those regulations.
There's different ways of laying up the camp the carbon
fiber which allows it to flex and bend and all
of that sort of good stuff that hardcore fans will
be following. But right now McLaren is the car rebel

(09:03):
clearly in the hands of Max can be quick asm
and today I think that's one of those moments where
remember where you were when you saw Max get pole
position in Suzuka.

Speaker 2 (09:14):
Wellllam Lawson, of course, Amen, I know you've been following
with interest as where you have what's been happening over
the first two or three Grand Prix. He got out
of Q one qualified fourteenth on the grit. How much
confidence will he take from then?

Speaker 4 (09:25):
Yeah, it was an important weekend for him to rebuild
after what was very, very difficult first to Grand Prix.
And he won't be happy, because you're only happy when
you're a little bit ahead of your teammate. That is
your benchmark at the end of the day. But he
will be let's say, a little bit of pressure has
been released. He's back in an environment, he knows the

(09:46):
team well. They've done a great effort to welcome him home,
welcome him back into that team. And of course he
will be validated in his difficulties in the first two
races by going, well, look, Yuki was further up the
grids in this car and he's now behind me. So
there'll be a lot of those sort of box ticking exercises.
But when you take away that emotion when you take

(10:07):
away that, you know what sort of parenting desire to
put your arm around the shoulders of these guys. This
is formula one. And when you take away all the
opinion and you take away all the emotion, you're left
with data. And that data is called the stopwatch, and
that stopwatch doesn't lie. So I think Liam can feel good.

(10:31):
I think there's a great building block for him going forward,
big opportunity again tomorrow to see if he can bring
the car home and the points I believe in Liam.
I think he's a talent. I think he, you know,
just didn't quite get himself up to speed quickly enough
within the red Bulls scenario. But this is his opportunity
to rebuild.

Speaker 2 (10:51):
What about Yuki Sonoda, David, He's qualified fifteenth. That car
is clearly very difficult to drive. Liam head trouble in it.
Yuki fifteenth today? How do you predict he will go
in that car?

Speaker 4 (11:05):
Yeah, he will be disappointed, of course, because he was
within a few tenths of Max through the clean free practices,
which I think that's all that's really expected. If anyone
is matching Max consistently, you know you found the next
super talent. Haven't you. You know, but whether you're a
Maxi stepping fan or not, this isn't about putting your
favorite cap on. This is just about dealing with the facts.

(11:27):
You know, Max is a generational talent and for UK
or any of Max's teammates, it's about being within a
few tens and if you can be within a few tens,
then you're you're doing a great job. The difficulty, of course,
that anyone in that car right now is having Formula
one is so incredibly close. If you're half a second
or more away, you're outside the top ten. You're therefore

(11:51):
in a difficult situation to make strategy work to find
points in the Grand Prix itself.

Speaker 2 (11:59):
I looked at your career, David the third, in your
first full season with WILLIAMS Rainow in ninety five, I
pardiums including you might have Grand Prix win in Portugal.
How did you come to terms with the car so quickly?

Speaker 4 (12:13):
But I was doing a filming for F one TV
recently called Memory Box, and they were taking me through
that sort of ninety four, the tragedy of Senna and
Rattenburger sharing the carbonage of Mansel ninety five, As you mentioned,
my first cool season, I was a puppy and I
peed on the carpet a left, right, and center. I

(12:33):
made so many mistakes it's embarrassing looking back. What saved
me was I had underlying pace in that I could
drive the car quickly and I felt comfortable within the
Williams team. Could I've been the test driver for a
few years. But if I you know, if we had
the gift to be able to do it all again,
I would need to grow up. I would need to

(12:55):
get my brain into a to a space where you
are a full professional rather than just you know, wide
eyed and bushy tailed and just being react. So the
way I always feel I've been dealing with pressure is
pressure is when you feel you're losing control of a situation.
Pressure is not other people's expectations. And I say that

(13:18):
when I do my commentary, when when people would ask, oh, god,
the driver's under so much pressure, and I go, well,
is he does he feel he's not in control? Does
he feel he's you know, his destinies out of his hands?
If the answers yes, and yeah, I suspect he does
feel pressure. But if he feels yep, this is my moment.
Let me go and show what I can do then,

(13:39):
irrespective of what the outside world thinks, if that is
the driver's mindset, I don't think they feel pressure because
we've been doing this since we were kids. You know.
None of these guys just arrived last week and decided, Hey,
I'm going to be a Grand Fee driver. They have
been through a roller coaster of you know, winning, losing, mistakes, arguments,
you know, all of those things since they were kids.

Speaker 2 (14:02):
So so you to do then take any time at
all for you to feel comfortable in the car. Did
you ever feel comfortable in a machine like that or
was that just not possible?

Speaker 4 (14:14):
I understand the question in terms of how maybe people
would perceive comfort. A Grand Prix car is not a
comfortable place. It starts with it's not comfortable to sit in,
it's not comfortable to drive, and when the car is
trying to spit you into the wall, it's not a
comfortable feeling. My experience is fast cars are difficult to drive,

(14:39):
and that penny drops when I went from the ninety
five Williams, which was a Grand Prix winning car, to
the ninety five McLaren, which had been a really average
car during that season I tested it at the end
of the ninety five season and prior to me joining
McLaren in ninety six, and I was really worried because
I thought, this car is like two seconds slower. This
is going to be frightening to drive. And I went

(15:01):
out and it was like a limousine. And the reason
it was like a limousine it didn't have the downforce,
it didn't have the group to take the tires to
the limit of their adhesion. And you know, the same
compound and the same construction of tires on the Williams
was going two seconds quicker, so you can imagine they
had a lot more load going through them, a lot

(15:22):
more energy going through them. They were a lot more
taken to the limit of what those tires could actually handle.
So fast cars are difficult and uncomfortable. Slow cars the
drivers always think, yeah, give me a quick car and
I'll show you what I can do. Well, give me
a quick car. Sometimes they go, oh, this is a
bit difficult to drive. Why is it not easier? So

(15:43):
if you just think about it going I've never climbed Everest,
but I imagine getting to the top of Everest must
be pretty uncomfortable. Well, my old teammate Mark Webers say
is being in Formula One at the highest level is
like getting to the top of Everest and then taking
the oxygen mask off.

Speaker 2 (16:01):
I love that wayd Mac on the show a couple
of weeks ago, and it was as articulate as you.
You saw the chicken flag thirteen times?

Speaker 10 (16:09):
What is that like?

Speaker 4 (16:12):
It's a wonderful feeling of achievement. And I, again, having
gone down the old memory box filming last week, I
remember I'd see the checker flag, I would keep my
foot absolutely nailed until I was well across the line.
I would then have to ask the team, can you
confirm I won the race? Because I always had this
fear that I was in some kind of dream. And

(16:35):
you know, I've seen drivers lose races by lifting off
and celebrating before the checker flag and things like that.
You see it in running races, and I never wanted
to be one of those guys. So yeah, it seems
what I did two two hundred and forty or Grand
Prix and only one thirteen of them. The reality is
a Lewis Hamilton, who's the most winning driver in the

(16:56):
history of our sport. He's only won twenty percent of
the races he's entered. We do a lot of losing.
It is a horrible statistic if you were a box
or if you're a fund manager, you know, imagine if
you were only winning twenty odd percent of the time
in those businesses. But that's just the nature of our sport.
It's a privilege, though, to be in Formula one, to

(17:18):
work at that level with the incredible men and women
that design and build these cars, and to then steer
it on their behalf to the checker flag is a
wonderful feeling of achievement.

Speaker 2 (17:30):
Amazing. Can we just circle back to Liam to finish? David?
I mean, we love him, but we're biased. Of course,
he's one of ours. You alluded to it before when
you said you do say promising things in his future.
Can you maybe just expand on that. How do you
write him as a driver? What do you predict the
Liam Lawson?

Speaker 4 (17:48):
Well, I hope very much that this little hiccup is
kind of what we saw with Alex Albon, where Alex
had a tricky year, relatively young at the time, not
a lot of experience, and kind of struggle to pull
the whole season together. And again, like my ninety five season,
although I finished third, it was there was a much

(18:09):
bigger gap in the performance of the cars in those days,
so I was in a very privileged position. Formula one
today is so close that these guys have to be
at a higher level. They are at a higher level.
The next generation is always better. So you know, let's
start with the fact that Liam is a much better
race driver than I ever was, but he races in
a time which which is much much more competitive. He's

(18:31):
got to Formula one on merit, on talent. He's growing
up in the public eye because no matter how mature
and how you know, worldly he thinks he is, stick
him in five years in the same situation. He's just
going to be more mature. You know, you can't stick
an old head on young shoulders, much as we would
have loved that. And he has got to grow up

(18:55):
in the public eye whilst continuing to follow his dream
of becoming a Formula and world champion. I believe all
of those things that brought him to Formula one are
still there. He's got over the first third, which every
driver has hurdles in their life, and he's now can
take a breath and go and show that he can
bring points home for racing bulls. His next goal has

(19:17):
to be to be team leader. So he's got to
get in front of Hajja and if he does that,
he's back on track. If he's consistently a little bit
behind Hadja for whatever reason, whatever excuses anyone wants to
pull out the stopwatch tells us the running order, then
he's got to have tried absolutely everything to overcome that.

(19:38):
And only when he's tried absolutely everything can he just
accept his place in this world, which if he finishes
up as merely one of the very talented race drivers
that are lucky enough to be in Formula one, that's
still a pretty good place to be in New Zealand
can be proud. But I still believe there's enough promise
there for him to work this out and make his

(19:59):
way back to a winning situation.

Speaker 2 (20:01):
David, it's been such a pleasure and I education having
you join us across New Zealand. Thanks so much for
fi leaning. That's your expertise, We like you will watch
Liam's progress with interest. Again, thank you for your time
this afternoon. Thank you very much, Thank you, David. David
Coultart MBA, what a what a superban site into one
of the toughest sports on the planet. You've heard from
David Coultart. Let's get your thoughts now on anything you

(20:24):
picked up there, oh eight hundred eighty ten eighty, or
on the Japanese Grand Prix, any qualifying or practice that
you saw yesterday, Oh eight hundred eighty ten eighty. Does
yesterday begin the vindication for Liam Lawson? He couldn't drive
the red Bull car fast enough and was dropped down

(20:45):
after just two races. Yuki Sonoda wasn't any better in it. Yesterday.
Liam was faster than him in a supposedly slower car,
just as Sunoda had been faster than Lawson in the
first two Grand Prix in a supposedly slower car. Yes,
it's only qualifying, so let's just wait and see what

(21:06):
happens in the race itself. But I feel like Liam
Lawson yesterday proved a small point at the first time
of asking. On the evidence of yesterday, Yuki Sonoda is
not a better driver than Liam Lawson. Is that how
it feels to you? Or do we need a greater

(21:26):
body of work? And when the race starts around five
o'clock this afternoon, what are you expecting from Liam Lawson?
What are you expecting from Yuki Sonoda? And might what
has happened here actually turn out to be a good
thing for Lilliam Lawson. Being number two seat in Red
Ball has often been described as a poison chalice and

(21:51):
other words to that effect. You're in charge of driving
a vehicle that is set up for one of the
greatest drivers ever to get inside a Formula One car,
and you're expected to stay with a gilly of them,
which nobody has been able to do. Read a real
interesting piece this morning from Sergio Perez, who was number
two seat for Stappen for what four years, and he

(22:15):
said that the team has struggled to solve a recurring
issue the second seat. A string of talented drivers from
Pierre Gasley to Alex Albin have cycled through without finding
any stability alongside Max for Stappin, So Red Bull haven't
solved that. They've got, you know, a generational talent and

(22:38):
absolutely superb, superb driver in Max for Stappin, but by
the looks of it, they'll never get close to that
Constructor's championship again because they can't get a second seat
who drives as fast twelve to twenty nine oh eight
hundred and eighty ten eighty years and number nine two
nine to two on text. We'll take some calls when

(22:59):
we come back, Glenn, please hold. They're with you right
after this on Weekend Sport.

Speaker 1 (23:02):
The biggest seas in sports are on weekend Sports with
J Time and GJ Gunnods, New Zealand's most trusted home
builder news talks.

Speaker 2 (23:11):
They'd be twelve thirty two or eight hundred and eighty
ten to eighty talking Formula one and Liam Lawson qualifying
ahead of Yuki Sonoda. I know it's only a battle
within a battle, but it certainly has relevance given what
we've seen over the last week or so. Glenn did the.

Speaker 11 (23:24):
Jday finey Hey. I think if we can get through
the first lap today without there being a Lawson, if
you sandwich between Sonoda and Alonso, it'll be a great race.
And where he actually stacks stacks up, that's going to
be interesting for sure.

Speaker 2 (23:44):
What's your guard on Itt, Glenn? In terms of I mean,
I hope we avoid that as well. I hope that
he stays in the race the whole time. Look what
would be successful for him today getting in the top ten,
picking up some points for racing bulls.

Speaker 11 (23:59):
I would like to think getting in that top team.
I think if there is a little bit of little
bit of moisture out there, it's gonna going to help
him a lot. But I think finishing the race ahead
of where he started is going to It's really just
got to be that that first thing that he needs
to aim for, maybe leveraging those those pet strategies a

(24:19):
little bit better than they have in the past. But
you know, he's you think about this year, how many
times have ye actually started on fat straight?

Speaker 7 (24:29):
Yeah?

Speaker 11 (24:29):
I don't think he versus Alonso.

Speaker 2 (24:31):
Yeah, I don't think.

Speaker 11 (24:33):
Coming into this it's going to be coming into this
this this is his first actual proper race race part.
And then if we think about Sonoda, you know Efty one,
two and three, he was within one or two tenths
of Max, you know, virtually every single one of those
sessions and while he finished behind Limb, and the lap

(24:57):
that matters it is a single flying lap where he
probably let himself down in regards to the tire prep
leading into that. So is that actually a real reflection
of where he stacks up as the number two driver
in Red Ball. It broke my heart to see that
happened to Liam, but I'm also in that camp where

(25:18):
I didn't want to see it happen. But I think
it may be the better thing for him long term,
where he can prove himself as that real solid driver
in a Racing Bulls car that's easier to drive, that
they can get ahead of head on a consistent basis.
The seasure might not be with Red Bull, but he
could have a great, great career in any one of

(25:39):
those other teams like Elban, Mike Gasley.

Speaker 2 (25:44):
Well, I mean being in one of the twenty seats
straight away. I know he's aiming higher than that, But
you're so rightly, and you know he could well have
a future outside of the of the Red Bull operation.
I don't think we were going to get the chance
to see it because I can't see a time when
Yuki Sonoda and Liam Lawson are actually in the same car,
either with Red Bull or Racing Balls. But that's the

(26:05):
only way really defied out who's the better driver across
a number of races, isn't it.

Speaker 12 (26:11):
Yeah, And.

Speaker 11 (26:15):
Even even if Sonoda's with Red Ball next year, it's
up to debate. There's the whole. He's only a hond
the driver piece that's going around. But hey, if Snoda
and I won't say match, but stay within two or
three tenths, get that constructive championship fight really going up

(26:36):
the top there, and they're in the top one or
two positions in Ferrari and McLaren and Mercedes are with
them as well rather than that distant third, then you know,
Sonoda might be that long term number two driver no
matter what money and really throws behind him.

Speaker 7 (26:56):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (26:57):
I just had a quick check. Pariz was in that
seat for four years. I didn't think it was that long.
So he actually lost Yeah, yeah, yeah, you're right, Yeah,
but he lasted longer than you know. I think a
lot of people in hindsight anyway, we think that he
would have given all the problems they had last year
and have had at the start of this year.

Speaker 7 (27:16):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (27:16):
Interesting his comments saying that yeah, they've never they've never
solved the number two seat there.

Speaker 11 (27:21):
Yeah, But like I think Liam has got a massive future.
But I think David Coulthard really nailed it when he
talked about the maturity thing. When you think about Yuki
Sonoda two or three years ago, real hot head, losing
his call, blaming things that were you know, throwing other

(27:44):
things under the bus, not taking accountability for the car,
all of those things that comes with a lack of
maturity where you're probably a little bit fearful, a little
bit trying to protect your seats, so to speak. And
then I look at Liam. He's so he's been so
excited about the opportunity, has been really open about the

(28:08):
emotional role of coaster that he's been on as media training.
Is probably lacking a little in that, and that comes
through like massively around that that maturity thing, you know,
time and the seat time in formula one, the ability
to give those succinct answers not filled with emotion or

(28:30):
the ums in the RS that he tends to throw
in there, which I know, you know, who's who's going
to be claiming worried about all the ums and the
rs if you're at the top of your career in
the in the you know, the pinnacle of sport. But
it's just another little indication of how comfortable you are
in that environment. And the more he has to think

(28:52):
and the more he does the ms in the RS,
I think there is going to be that perception that
he is still that rookie mentality and he's not quite
there yet.

Speaker 2 (29:03):
Great obsolution, Glen, or right, pick us finishing position then,
Liam tonight. I know this is fraught with difficulty, this question,
but what do you reckon if.

Speaker 11 (29:13):
He has a good start and I would like to
think that he'll have a good start and get ahead
of Alonzo, I think you'll pick up another couple of
splaces and he'll be eleventh or twelve.

Speaker 2 (29:24):
Good man, Glenn. A lot of chatting to you, mate,
Please call back anytime we're talking if one of enjoyed
chatting to you. Thanks mate. Oh eight hundred and eighty
ten eighty ninety nine two one text. Here's Liam loss
Awson after his qualifying yesterday.

Speaker 4 (29:38):
It was okay.

Speaker 13 (29:38):
I think a disappointing ends. To be honest, I think
we had a competitive car yesterday, had a good sort
of Q one and we were trying to chase the
balance through through Quali and it got to a point
in Q two where, to be honest, we couldn't really
shoot it much more, and yeah, unfortunately we just sort
of had a wall of it. He struggled in that

(29:59):
run too. Honestly, it felt like a good laugh. So
it's something we'll obviously review.

Speaker 4 (30:06):
Fights. Yeah, that's it.

Speaker 2 (30:10):
What's your thinking for the race tomorrow?

Speaker 4 (30:12):
There might be some raine, yeah, I.

Speaker 13 (30:14):
Mean obviously that'll change everything really, but a large opportunity
for us to hopefully move forward fights. Yeah, around this
place and we've seen in the past it's it's quite eventful.
The new surface will be quite different as well to
drive in the rain. It will probably hold a bit
more water. But from where I'm starting, I wouldn't mind.

Speaker 2 (30:35):
It rain there, Liam Lawson, Yeah, easy to move up,
I guess when it's raining, although it was torrential rain
in Melbourne which didn't help of course. Interesting to go
back to what David Coulthard said and what Glenn alluded
to about how you need time in the seat, you
need time, you need time. That was the one thing
he wasn't given, certainly not the Red Bull team anyway.

(30:56):
But he has been given time now in the racing
Balls car, so as he builds his experience, you know,
I feel like in hindsight, when he looks back, maybe
it's it's got a silver lining. Maybe it's I was
gonna say, the best thing that could have happened. Maybe
it's not all bad. Nineteen away from one. A couple

(31:20):
on text here. I think there's too much emphasis on
the Yuki. The Liam discussion, says Ian. Liam's made if
one enjoy it. His only job this season is to
accumulate points and end the season as the number one
racing balls driver. Thanks Ny, appreciate it. Richie says Jason
Yuki has never ever been a better driver than Liam.
From day one, Liam spanned him every step of the way.

(31:42):
We'll see more of the same. It's hope, so, Richie.
Let's hope so, and Simon says great interview with David
Coultar Waddle legend Liam alongside Yuki on the grid from
lights out until after turn one. I will not be
breathing so excited for the race. Go Liam, Good on
your Simon. Great to hear from you, mate. Nineteen to one.
We're back with more of your calls after this Mark
with you next here on newstalksb.

Speaker 1 (32:02):
Don't Get Caught off side eighty Wends with Jason Payne
and GJ. Gunnomes New Zealand's most trusted home builder, News Talks.

Speaker 2 (32:12):
And News Talks sixteen to one. Michael asks question what happens.
If Liam Lawson is ahead of Sonoda by more than
a couple of cars, would red Ball Paul Rank on
racing balls and send Lawson into the pits for a
in inverted commas mechanical issue to save face. I wouldn't
put it past them. I'm not sure they can do it.
Can they read ball and racing balls? Are I get

(32:35):
what you're saying, Michael. They're autonomous of one another, aren't they.
I'm not sure that red Bull can Paul Rank over
racing balls, although nothing would surprise me in the world
of Formula one.

Speaker 10 (32:44):
Get a mark, Hey Piney, Yeah, I hope it rain
does rain, because then they won't have those spires of
the grass.

Speaker 2 (32:54):
How on earth have they not dampened down that grass?

Speaker 10 (32:57):
I don't know. And it just blows your mind that
it's something a sporting events, since what's both so many
people and sudden raced and practiced stopped by ass burning
you know, yeah, yesterday, I mean there was the obviously
the lem Law's and Saluda battle, but I mean the
stuff and just dominated. I think he just blew everyone away.

(33:20):
He blew the commentators away. I think he blew the
other drivers away. You know, and Norris was standing up
there on the going they just they just couldn't believe
how he drove that card to pole position, and it
was just incredible to watch. And the distance between him
and the rest of the drivers is just, you know,
it's quite a chasm. I think the rest of the

(33:41):
drivers in F one are all relatively similar to but
you know, he just has the ability to be able
to obviously drive a bit of a dog of a
car to pole position. I mean, it's it's quite miraculous
to me watching it. And I guess Red Bull aren't,
like I think I said last week, they're not really
that concerned with the second driver. I think they're focus
as they know they've got to keep Maxtra stuff and

(34:03):
at Red Bull because if he leaves, that's screwed. And
I think going into next year is obviously going to
be some huge changes and drivers and cars. I think
Liam just has to concentrate on going out there, you know,
getting the experience and making himself marketable because I mean,
who knows what Red Bull will do. They might get

(34:24):
rid of him, you know, at the end of the
year and promote a younger driver through you don't know,
but he's going to make himself get to the point
where he's a reliable, consistent driver performing above what would
they expect, getting in the points and getting their drive
for next year. That's going to be his focus. And
I think he needs to forget all the drama that

(34:44):
red Ball will put him through in Sonoda, you know,
because it's just going to focus on his career because
there's a lot of drivers, you know, who are in
Formula One and they're coming through all the time. Who
he's competing for for that spot next year.

Speaker 2 (35:00):
Absolutely, and look it's it's it's the staff and plus one.
That's what it is. You're so right, Mark, And look,
he's been there since twenty sixteen, I think he came
into the team, so it's a long time at the
same and the same team. But he is absolutely magnificent.
I've heard sort of, you know, rumor here and there
that he might be moving away from red Ball. I'm
not sure what the state of his contract is and

(35:20):
that sort of thing, but yeah, it's the team is
built around him and in as Sergio Pierre has said
in the in the interview i'd read with him this morning,
it's it's not the easiest place to be. Everybody wants
to be in one of those seats, but numbers of it,
red Ball's a pretty challenging place by the sounds of it.

Speaker 10 (35:39):
Yeah, and I just wanted to say quickly on the
Super Rugby last night, the Blues are quite lucky to
have both and beared I think, because I think without
that team is sort of ruddleless really. And yeah, it's
quite interesting to form this year and some of I
think Fiji and drew it to me which team is.
People haven't sort of commented, but they've been quite disappointing

(36:01):
this year after last year. I thought that'd really kick on.
I thought that'd really kick on year, and you know
they've lost their home advantage. I mean the Crusaders pretty
much whipped them yesterday and yeah, I think that quite
a disappointing along with the Blue is probably the two
most disappointing teams this year.

Speaker 2 (36:17):
Yeah, a great mark, good to chat mate. We look
forward to seeing Ellie and Laws and guys a bit
later on. Here is Max the stepping after his qualifying
leap yesterday which was a track record.

Speaker 14 (36:27):
Very happy. I mean, the whole weekend for US has
been quite a struggle. We kept on changing the car
actually quite a lot, and even in could find it
just took a long time to still feel quite satisfied
with the car. The final run was a bit better,
but I think it was also just knowing your limitations
and trying to adapt to it and then try to
make the best of it. So yeah, the last I

(36:48):
was very committed, no clear obvious mistakes, which I think
helps to put the lap in.

Speaker 2 (36:55):
And yeah, of course, very happy for everyone.

Speaker 14 (36:57):
I mean, the team is working flat out and you
know they're really giving it everything, you know, to understand
the car better.

Speaker 2 (37:03):
So for us this is a great result. Let's make
for stepping. They're very understated, as per usual. Gary asks,
can you please advise when the race will officially start tonight?

Speaker 10 (37:13):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (37:13):
Will five o'clock. They're or thereabouts. It's one of those
where they sort of aim for five o'clock, I think, Gary,
so yeah, in and around five o'clock is race start.
You can bet at the tab. I've been told by
a number of people on a specific bet for Liam
Lawson to finish higher than Yuki Sonoda, and he was
checking out the odds before. What was the latest odds

(37:35):
was Liam favorite? To he was two dollars thirty not
favorite to finish ahead, So one fifty five for Yuki
and two dollars what thirty two thirty, So it's almost
like a head to head who finishes first. I want
to see Liam succeed says this one. But he was
definitely lucky to get into Q two. It was only

(37:56):
a few tenths of a second ahead of the next driver.
Then in Q two it was Yuki having a poor
lap rather than Liam's performance. They put him in front.
His main competition is really now hadjar and had just
been significantly outperforming him in qualifying. Still early days, but
Liam needs to find a bit more pace.

Speaker 15 (38:15):
Hello Lee, Hey there. I think people don't realize that
to staff in winning and becoming world champions great, but
there's a massive difference where you end up in the
Constructor's Championship. I mean first prize one hundred and sixty one,
but then next down one fifty one, next down one

(38:35):
forty million, next one one thirty million, So between fourth
and first is forty million bucks. So they are really
really got to concentrate on getting our number two driver
to get them up to that to win the championship.

Speaker 2 (38:49):
How come they haven't been able to lee. Is it
just the balancing act of having a genius but also
trying to find a partial genius.

Speaker 15 (39:00):
I think that's where it's at. That they've been playing
around with Sonoda's car to try and give him a
car he wants to drive. Usually what happens when they
stuff and crashed the car and he's in line for
the World Championship, they'd put it straight in the second
cart and it doesn't help them. It's set up typically different.
But no, the Constructor's Championship is what they're after because

(39:20):
that's all picking order in the pit straight, you know,
it's boasting orders and all that sort of thing, and
there's a lot of money between first and fourth.

Speaker 2 (39:29):
I just can't. I just can't see how they can
how they can do it. I just can't don't see
how they can beat McLaren with the way the landscape
is at the moment.

Speaker 15 (39:38):
This year, next year, new car, new engine, so they're
going to have to really have and they're missing they
guy in Newie. But hopefully they've got some thoughts sorted
out about who they're going to get to design their
car for next year, because it's all on next year
with all the big changes, that's the change.

Speaker 2 (39:55):
Yeah, so does the step and definitely stay at red
Ball next year. Is that you're understanding.

Speaker 15 (40:01):
He's contracted too, but you know as in the e PL,
you know what happened to I do.

Speaker 2 (40:10):
Your contracts can be broken on occasion. Good stuff legod
inside thanks indeed eight away from one used talks it be.

Speaker 1 (40:17):
Let's scoop from the track, fields and the court on
your home of sort weekend Sport with Jason lyne Us
talks in B.

Speaker 2 (40:24):
Four and a half to one. So Liam Lawson will
start thirteenth on the grid. Yuki Sonoda fourteenth. Here's Yuki
Sonoda after qualifying yesterday.

Speaker 16 (40:31):
I think the warm up didn't didn't go as I wanted. Yeah,
I felt I mean still learning. Yeah, the warm out
how I ended up was the thought was okay, I know,
I knew it's gonna knew maybe a little bit compromised
by the penalty was pretty big. Yeah, shame that I

(40:53):
be able to accept the performance from the car. I
think they're looking from Q one and everything. So just
felt that overall worse and wars throughout. So yeah, very shame.

Speaker 2 (41:03):
Yeah, downcast. Yuki Sonoda after qualifying years today day, so
five o'clock this afternoon or thereabouts is when the it's
lights out, as they say at the Japanese Grand Prix,
and away they'll go. Another fascinating storyline set to be
written in the Formula One season and we're only in
to Race three, three and a half away from one.
After the one o'clock news is going to shift our

(41:24):
attention to cricket and the depth that is being built
in New Zealand cricket. A bunch of players now playing
international cricket under the age of thirty. Paul Weiseman on
that after.

Speaker 1 (41:35):
One the only place to discuss the biggest spoors issues
on and after fields. It's all on Weekend Sport with
Jason paid on your home of Sport US talks.

Speaker 2 (41:49):
Hello there, this is Weekend Sport on Sunday seven past one.
I'm Jason Pine and McDonald through the glass. We're until
three cricket shortly and the depth we're building in our
international sides red and white ball. Paul Weiseman on the show,
former identification manager with New Zealand Crickets, still involved as

(42:10):
a high performance coach. What does he make of the
depth that is building and is there more to come?
And how do you know if a guy can make
the step up from domestic cricket to international cricket. James
mcconey this hour as well. Don't forget, I say, I
don't forget. Don't worry. I know there was some worry
that I haven't got to the Super Rugby yet, and
I think there was a suggestion that the Hurricanes lost

(42:32):
to the Blues might be the reason for that. Not
at all, No, I'm not avoiding Super Rugby at all.
I was very impressed with Mowana Pacifica. I have to
say when I left he yesterday would have been half
time probably they were twenty one seven down when I
left the building yesterday are and three o'clock. I had
to get to the football, so I was sort of
absorbed in that, and then I checked the score and
I thought, what's gone on here? So I had a

(42:54):
big bit of a look back at the game and
was most impressed, as I'm sure you were, with my
Wanda Pacific as second half performance. Jonathan Domatina, their halfback,
is with us after two o'clock. A couple of final
tech to mop up on Formula one before we move
you heard from Glenn if you were listening last hour
one of our talkback callers. He knew a lot and

(43:14):
he's just sending at test. Glenn here again finding just
a couple of additional points. If there isn't a lot
of rain ahead of the race, there could be some
big upsets and gains, with the mid to lower tier
teams making massive gains. The nothing to lose strategy of
starting on sorts for quick positional gains, an early stop
to mediums and then use of the red flags for

(43:37):
grass fires for swapping tires and the pits still allowed
under the existing regulation, so the early compulsory stop could
allow for better tires and strategic positional gains if other
teams still have to make compulsory stops when not under
red or yellow flag conditions, and says Glenn, my dream
start for Liam Sonoda tactically chooses hard tires for a

(43:57):
longer first stint Liam on mediums so he can break
later into the turn and baits Sonoda into breaking way
too long. Eight, let some screen through on the inside
of turn one and take out Alonzo after he locks up,
Liam then just squeezes underneath the chaos and now thows
out the rest of the race. Glen, I don't mind it,

(44:17):
thanks for your insight. And from Graham Lawson eighth, SONODA twelfth,
Thanks Graham, good to have your your prediction there. And
finally from Rod, I hope that Liam slaps his detractors
down a notch with a scintillating performance. He can turn
it on. All things being equal, and a healthy dose

(44:37):
of good luck is useful too. The Japanese race is
terribly important to nailing his boots to the driver's title.
Thank you, Rod, and thank you for all your calls
and correspondence on Formula one this afternoon to Cricket we
go though at ten past one, the black Cap starting
to build some next generation depth. I made the point

(44:59):
on the show yesterday that it is now possible if
you wanted to to name a black Caps team with
white ball international experience, all under the age of thirty,
and this is the team I came up with Rehese,
Marty fin Allen, Tim Robinson, Rutch and Ravendra, Glenn Phillips,
Muhammada Bass, Mitch Hay, Nathan Smith, Zach Folks, Ben Sears

(45:20):
and will ow' rourke. Or if you wanted a spin
option Addy Ashok. Former New Zealand off spinner Paul Wiseman
was also former New Zealand Cricket Talent Identification manager and
still heavily involved in New Zealand Cricket's high performance program
as a coach. He joins us now, Paul, thanks for
taking the time. Do you feel like we are building

(45:41):
some quite significant international depth?

Speaker 7 (45:44):
Now? Yeah, without doubt we are. You know, it's great.
Obviously the recent series against Pakistan was a really highlighted that.
I think, you know, there's probably nine or ten players
that would normally be in that side, maybe three that
maybe three that would always be in that team play
against Pakistan the series and to win it as comfortably

(46:08):
as we did, is it sees a lot for the
depth that's coming through.

Speaker 2 (46:12):
Is international white ball cricket a good breeding ground for
international red bull cricketers?

Speaker 7 (46:21):
Good question. Look, there's more opportunities, aren't they. I suppose
there's more more games played of white ball crickets, so
there's opportunities there. I think the opportunities they're coming in
a funny way with all a franchise cricket going on,
it's meaning that we're having series like this where you know,

(46:43):
you've got nine players away playing ipl and so that
naturally has knock on effect and it means the players
that perhaps in previous years they wouldn't have got the
opportunity they're getting and they're they're coming in and they
look they look right at home, which is the exciting thing.
So it means that now domestic cricket is doing a

(47:05):
good job, coaches with them doing a good job, and
the programs that we're putting around what we believe are
our high potential players, you know, are starting to pay off.

Speaker 2 (47:18):
Yeah, I guess like any international experience and know whe
and Red Bull cricket very different, but just being inside
the black Caps environment for a young player, you know,
who has aspirations to play test cricket, surely just being
in and around the environment would be beneficial for.

Speaker 17 (47:32):
Them one hundred percent.

Speaker 7 (47:34):
I think every player you talk to that goes into
that Black Caps environment just always comment about how chilled
out it is, how easy it is, how welcome they
made feel. You know, it's a tough game as it
is at it's a tough enough game as it is
at the international level without without feeling welcome and feeling

(47:55):
feeling at ease when you come in and they all know,
you know, they played domestically with these guys as well,
but it's it's a real cuscious effort that the black Caps,
supports staff and players put in there. It probably wasn't
always that way. It used to be sort of think
will swim a little bit, but you know, it's certainly
a lot more encouraging these days, which is fantastic.

Speaker 18 (48:15):
Do you think that's intentional one hundred percent of yeah,
And that's players and support staff all brought into that
because they know if people come in and feel feel
are these they've got a better chance of performing out
there with their teammates.

Speaker 7 (48:31):
Sore works, which is brilliant.

Speaker 2 (48:35):
If you're looking at a young player who's playing domestic
cricket and trying to assess whether they could make the
jump from domestic cricket to international cricket, what are the
main factors that you would consider, Well, the IE.

Speaker 7 (48:51):
Test is one.

Speaker 19 (48:53):
For a start.

Speaker 7 (48:53):
You look at a player the first, the gut field
thing that's that's there. If you've been in the game
and long enough, you see those sorts of things with that,
as we look at players that can play quality spin
and paste because that's tends to be what you face
at the top level. There's not so much of the
medium pace stuff that we face a lot of, and
a lot of our players grow up facing naturally because

(49:15):
it's school cricket. That's what you get. You don't get
the top, top quality spinners and pastebol. So we want
to have a look at guys that we believe have
the ability to do that, and then we try and
put them in positions for them to learn those. So
you know, we've had recent tools to Chenni. We've taken
batters over there to work on playing spin bowling. We've

(49:36):
got a tools coming up, one in May to Bangladesh
and then one in South Africa, two completely different conditions
and so batters are going to be tested in different ways.
And then obviously with the pace bowler. Pace is something
you can't really coach. You can enhance it, but they've
kind of got it or they haven't. Can they move

(49:56):
the ball if they haven't got extreme pace? Have they
got height? Those sorts of things, and spinners, you know,
can that first first leg? The thing you look for
is what can they do with the ball, whether it's
in the air, off the pitch and I think overall
one of the couple of the key contributing factors that
we look at the talents and the love for the game,

(50:17):
and a work ethic and that competitive nature. So those
three things, coupled with the skills that you see, are
pretty crucial and forming a player that we believe can
play at the highest level.

Speaker 2 (50:31):
That eye testing is a really interesting one for me,
especially with cricket, which is such a complex game. As
you say, you look at a play, I think, man,
he can battle. Gee, what a good bowl of he is.
But you don't really know what's going on inside their head?
Do you until you get them inside an environment?

Speaker 1 (50:44):
Do you?

Speaker 2 (50:45):
Is it more hit than missus? Are there many who
come in and you've completely misread it.

Speaker 7 (50:51):
We have an nineteen program chairs the World cop every
two years and we'll eighty percent of the players that
go away on that will coup, will play domestic cricket
and pretty regularly, and probably thirty percent of that will
play for the black Caps. Won freak this year, which
I think is looking back on it now, has probably

(51:12):
set us in such good stead. Back in twenty nineteen
Under nineteen World Cup and the tournament leading into that
national tournament. We had sixteen Black Caps come out of
that one year. Like I said before, there's normal around three,
but we had sixteen. And so that's the Henrys and
the Lathams and the Sodees and sat Ners and all

(51:39):
most of the guys. So there's about sixteen came out
of that group, which meant that there was a bit
of a log jam for those underneath. So now what's
happening is we're getting players coming in that I've actually
had a number of years of hard domestic cricket under
their belts, so when they do come in, they're ready
and they're flying from ball one. And we've had probably

(52:00):
the last five six years of that. Actually every player
that's come in has succeeded pretty early on. Is awesome,
and it means that we're not just throwing guys in.
Perhaps we did that a little bit in the past.
If you can bowl one forty, then you're in, rather
than by one forty, you've also got to take a
bunch of five wook at bags and domestic cricket before

(52:20):
you get there, because the standard or the level of
the depth of players up there is keeping you out.
So it has it's had that knock on effect, and
I think it's I think it's been a really good
thing for us. And but also just recently we've we've
we've managed to get a couple of young guys and
the likes of Rys Mario and Eddie Ashok and Muhammad
A Bass, So that's exciting too.

Speaker 2 (52:43):
Indeed, how do you make sure, Paul, that you don't
miss anybody? If there's a guy getting potter runs up
in kay tire or taking a bunch of wickets down
and gore, how do you make sure no one slips
through the cracks.

Speaker 12 (52:56):
We've got a.

Speaker 7 (52:56):
Pretty good network out there with ours, work very closely
with them. They're they're basically our high performance. You know,
we were bringing at the plis to certain can and
A's and our Men's Development Group and nine teams and
so forth. But ours are the ones that do the
bulk of the O. The work with these guys and
they have networks within their MA that feed information through.

(53:21):
We probably need to get more eyes on players and
around the Auckland area. We're probably a little bit limited
there in terms of numbers, and that's just a cost thing.
Everyone has their own pathway manager in each EACHMA that Auckland,
as you know, is population wise, is so much bigger
than the rest of the country, and it's such an

(53:45):
exciting population with East Asian and South African and all
that sort of thing. So I'm sure there are some
players that get to a level that maybe don't get seen.
But the ones with the real skill I think will
still come through our program just because they're the ones

(54:05):
that that work. If that we talked about, that drive,
in the drive to get better, they will find a way.
That's not ideal. We need to get that right, but
I'd say ninety eight percent of players we're not missing.

Speaker 2 (54:19):
Do you also keep an eye on secondary score cricket.

Speaker 4 (54:23):
We do.

Speaker 7 (54:23):
We do that through those pathway managers that have networks
into schools and clubs. Again, I think all Auckland's in
the area that we can be a lot better at,
but we just need we need a biggest system, a
bigger network up here. I think the rest of the
country's pretty good. I think those players will come through

(54:44):
and start shining through we I suppose the ones that
the ones that you may miss along the way would
be the ones that show that real talent, but they're
very good in other sport as well, and they don't
get eyes on them early. And we have i mean
a lot of our best players, our black apps and things.
We're very good at other sports as well, so we

(55:05):
do have that, we do have that battle.

Speaker 20 (55:06):
With other sports.

Speaker 7 (55:07):
But it's been our philosophy and using cricketers that we
encourage all our cricketers play as much or as many
other sports as they possibly can until they have to
make a decision either way, because we believe at the
end of that if they've been playing rugby or basketball
or whatever sport they've been hockey or whatever it might be,
that we will have a better athlete if they come

(55:29):
and play cricket, and vice verist if they don't choose
us and they go to rugby one of those other
sports that sport will have a better athlete if they've
been playing cricket as well. So yep, we might miss
the odd one, but at the end of the day,
it's usually a dutfield thing with players and they'll have
had one preference one way or the other.

Speaker 2 (55:47):
Yeah, that balance is better. Philosophy has proven to be
extremely effective of course, for these young players to get
opportunities in the international environment. Paul somebody has to make
room for them. So how do you know when it's
the right time to move on from an established experience?
The player.

Speaker 7 (56:08):
Such a tough one and it's very very individual. I think,
you know, I think the player, and I think the
people that watch get pretty get pretty noisy, or that
you know, those that watch the game, the crowd and
the public, they start start talking about things as well,

(56:29):
and that's been going on for a while. But I
think what what news and create has done pretty well,
and it's they're never easy conversations. They have those conversations
with a lot of these players quite a long way
out about when they'd like to exit, how they would
like to exit, those sorts of things, so that those
sorts of conversations definitely do go on in the background.

(56:52):
They're not easy ones. And some players really that they
can go on forever, and which is wonderful, and that's
probably some of the characteristics that you have got them
as far as they have. But as you know, everyone,
everyone comes to that point where wary that their love
for it is starting to diminish, all their performance is

(57:12):
starting to drop. And then you've got young guys waiting
in the wings that are starting to shoot the lights
out on the levels below. So it's a natural thing
in sport. It's not an easy thing, but I think
using in cricket by large do it reasonably well.

Speaker 2 (57:30):
Just to finish. With more and more T twenty franchise
opportunities popping up everywhere. Do you think there might be
a generation of cricketers emerge who don't play for New
Zealand they just play franchise cricket or do they need
the domestic grounding first to even catch the eye or
to develop the skills to play in those franchise legs.

Speaker 12 (57:51):
Yeah, I hope it.

Speaker 7 (57:52):
Doesn't come to that. I hope the first and first thing,
and maybe it's wishful thinking that first and foremost they
want to represent New Zealand. There are players in domestic
leagues in Australia that have got picked up an i
PL and they go straight into that name Mounts, Money

(58:13):
and Andrew very well, and they don't don't end up
playing for their domestic side. But I think in New
Zealand at the moment, playing for New Zealand is certainly
the window, the window for them to be seen.

Speaker 20 (58:30):
Yep.

Speaker 7 (58:31):
You know, for Allen had that breakout season a few
years back for the Firebirds and he got picked up
in the IPL. But I think he still sees New
Zealand playing for New Zealand is the ultimate. And it's
also you know, if he does well at that level,
then his stocks rise again for franchise cricket. And I
don't blame anyone for wanting to play franchise cricket. I

(58:54):
don't think there'll be too many people in the world
that would turn down to sort of numbers that they
get paid for it, and it's only a short window
in your life that you get to earn it. But
I still think the vast majority of player as the
first and foremost drivers is to play for the black Caps,
no doubt.

Speaker 2 (59:13):
All Right, So that team I named at the top Mario,
Alan Robinson, Ravendra Phillips, Abass, Hay Smith, Folks, sez O
Rourke Drickon. That team beats the Grizzled over the thirties
in the Game of T twenty.

Speaker 17 (59:25):
It's an exciting team, isn't it.

Speaker 7 (59:27):
Yeah. I think that'd push him pretty hard. And that
is what is so cool, is that all of a sudden,
you know you've got guys looking over their shoulders, quality
players looking over their shoulders and so they're going to
keep pushing. And the thing is these days the guy
that's so much fitter than what they were when I
was playing, that they can play longer. So you know,

(59:53):
I had a look at some numbers a while, But
this is a couple of years ago where the twenty
most recent debut players in test cricket average age was
twenty eight, and it's twenty seven at one day cricket
in twenty six and twenty. It's dropped a little bit
in recent times, obviously with the likes of the Marios

(01:00:13):
and their basses and the airshocks and the Revenger is
coming in. But you know that just that tells you
that you've got to stick at the game for a
fair bit before you get your crack, unless you're absolutely exceptional,
which you know, if you are day booing at twenty
six to twenty seven, you've still got another decade of
international cricket ahead of you if that's what you want.
So guys are going to have to be patient, they're

(01:00:36):
going to have to push hard, and they're going to
have competition and that's only going to be a good
thing for New Zealand.

Speaker 17 (01:00:41):
Cricket.

Speaker 2 (01:00:41):
Absolutely right, Thanks so much for the chat, Paul, really insightful.
I appreciate you joining us this afternoon. No problem, thanks mate.
That's Paul Wiseman, former talent identification manager with New Zealand Cricket.
These days high performance coach, plenty to unpack. There be
keen to hear your thoughts. Oh, eight hundred eighty ten
eighty is our number, particularly around the regeneration of a team.

(01:01:05):
I think, you know, I think the most recent example
of this was Tim Southy in that I think the
general consensus, particularly around the Test game, was that he
continued to be selected for longer than most people thought
he should have been. And of course there was that

(01:01:26):
whole episode of when he became captain and then wasn't
guaranteed a place in the team, and that just opened
up an entirely different can of worms. So that's the
interesting response from Paul Wiseman is how do you know?
And he said, well, it is very individual. It's not
like a one size fits all. You reach the age
of thirty five and that's that you're gone, you know,

(01:01:49):
one you know, a player might be ready to be
moved on when he is thirty one and others can
go into all their late thirties. It's very individual. But
the regeneration is necessary, just like anything, any sport, any business,
you have to keep on regenerating. At the bottom amends,
that's stat at the interesting. At the end was interesting too,

(01:02:09):
wasn't it that you don't debut on average for the
New Zealand Test side until you're twenty seven twenty eight?
So that, though, does suggest a good body of work
domestically before you reach the point where you're selected for
the Test team. Unfortunately, what's going to happen these days
is that by the time a player reaches twenty seven

(01:02:31):
to twenty eight, they may well have had their head
turned significantly by T twenty cricket enfranchise leagues. So are
people going to opt out of the test game? Everyone
you talk to and that test team says, and I
presume they're telling the truth, that Test cricket is the
pinnacle for them. But you look around the world now

(01:02:52):
and you see the proliferation of T twenty leagues and
you think to yourself, is there going to be a
generation of cricketers who forsake the black cap? I mean,
there's a few examples now and there's more and more
now who are turning down contracts, but they're mainly at
the other end of their career. A guy that came
Williamson or Devin Conway, Jimmy Nisham saying, hey, I don't

(01:03:15):
want to be contracted because I want to be able
to make myself available for franchise cricket. But is that
going to happen younger and younger? Are there going to
be blokes coming through who, you know, maybe play a
season or two of domestic cricket, pick up a gig somewhere,
maybe not the IPL, but one of the other leagues,
makes a bit of a name for themselves and then

(01:03:36):
becomes hot property around the T twenty circuit. I would
hate to see it happen, but it's a possibility, isn't it.
And as far as the Test team and the one
day team is concerned, look, I was really excited with
this team over the last three games. You know, you
look at it and you say, well, actue. You know
there's guys there and I think most sports fans know

(01:03:57):
who came Williamson is, know who Devon Conway is, Tom Latham,
Daryl Mitchell, Tom Blundell, you know these sorts of guys,
but there are fresh faces in this team. It's exciting.
Muhammed a bass You know, only twenty one could be anything,
couldn't he? Oh eight, one hundred and eighty ten eighty

(01:04:18):
Let's talk some cricket. Half pass one back with your
calls after.

Speaker 1 (01:04:21):
This love Voice of Sport on your Home of Sport.
It's Weekend Sport with Jason Vine and GJ. Gunner Homes
New Zealand's most trusted home builder News talks'd be.

Speaker 2 (01:04:32):
Twenty eight to two talking cricket, regeneration of our international sides,
et cetera. Dobbo, get a mate, are you piney boy?

Speaker 5 (01:04:40):
This is Pandora's box opened in the sport that we've
no other sport claimed to have three professed or four
mats where players can play in all three and start
to pick and choose. It's extraordinary, isn't it?

Speaker 2 (01:04:52):
Yeah, it is it is, And you know, back in
my day as it was, and probably a little bit
of yours, Dobo. You know, it was just the red
ball stuff that was, you know, that was the main focus.
Now as you say, make completely different landscape.

Speaker 5 (01:05:06):
Could you imagine if Will Jordan says, look I can't
play the three Tests against France because I'm going to
go and play for RSSCA. Go, but I will be
back for the Rugby Championship because that's what we're seeing now.

Speaker 2 (01:05:18):
Yeah, no, it's a good comparison. It's a good comparison.

Speaker 5 (01:05:21):
It's just not going to happen in rugby and other sports.
But look, there's about one hundred issues. The one I
just want to bring up is that the fans are
short changed. And what we're going to see now is
I doubt we'll ever see New Zealand's strongest white ball
team ever play in New Zealand again at the same
time unless there's an ICC event and we hosted them
what in twenty fifteen and before that nineteen ninety two.

(01:05:43):
So from that viewpoint, the fans are going to be
short changed and it's bloody sad. But having said that,
the players have been given almost free will by New
Zealand crickets to pick and choose.

Speaker 10 (01:05:55):
And you know it wasn't that long ago.

Speaker 5 (01:05:57):
South Africa two summers ago sent their d tent for
their testing to New Zealand and we flopped them to Earland.
Cape Williamson scored three centuries out of four innings and
it was given full Test status with most of the
pro tier players staying at home to play in their
T twenty league, and then this summer Kane Williamson goes

(01:06:17):
and joins that T twenty league in the Republic and
misses games against Sri Lanka. We're definitely seeing the dog
wagging the tail here.

Speaker 2 (01:06:27):
Yeah, and I think if they've been red ball cricket
after Christmas, he wouldn't have gone. And see that again
is another discussion point here, Dobbo. No international red ball
cricket after Christmas.

Speaker 5 (01:06:39):
Yeah, astonishing. It's been a weird summer and it's like
having porridge for breakfast. What have we had the Pakistani's here?
What five six of the last seven summers. It's just
we've got no point pound New Zealand and neither is Pakistan.
So they're using each other just to have bilateral games.
But what annoys me is and good old Jacob Duffy

(01:07:01):
he's been the ODI or so, the T twenty number
one bowler but probably the world's tweet twenty bowlers in
the OPL right now.

Speaker 10 (01:07:08):
Yeah, I don't think it's meaningless.

Speaker 5 (01:07:11):
It's just absolutely meaningless, these bilateral ones. And what's happened
is international cracket, particularly Bilateral. It's our third year, we
got World Cup from ICC event's first, IPL second and
then playing for your nation and Bilateral's third, So franchise
is bigger than flag.

Speaker 2 (01:07:28):
Yeah, and I think that the perfect illustration of that,
Dobbo is that Jacob Duffy probably won't play IPL. He's
a top T twenty bowler in the world by the
ic C rankings, but you know, fair plays on good bowler,
but I doubt he'd play IPL.

Speaker 5 (01:07:43):
Well, I doubt he get packed. Let's be honest in
all their resources together.

Speaker 15 (01:07:48):
Yeah, he's not a pop choice bowl.

Speaker 5 (01:07:50):
He doesn't make our fixtal lessons, which just makes an
absolute mockery of the world rankings at the moment and
the B twenty International. But look, I'm just my point
is when will New Zealand's top T twenty and top
eighty team play to ether in New Zealand? Again, it
won't happen unless there's an icy event and we don't

(01:08:11):
get to host many of those.

Speaker 2 (01:08:12):
Yeah, Dobo, one hundred percent agree, You're dead right. They won't.
They won't. There's too many other directions they're being pulled
in good to chat as always, mate, Thanks for your call.

Speaker 5 (01:08:20):
Hey Ross, Hey Poney, No one I feel sorry for Piney.

Speaker 2 (01:08:25):
Is Mitch Hay Yep, Well he's not going to He's
not going to get into a Test team as long
as Tom's there. No, but that might not be for
that much longer. If you look at I'm just going
to bring it up so I don't get this wrong.
Tom Blundell is going to be thirty five at his
next birthday. Mitch Hay is still twenty three to twenty four,

(01:08:45):
plenty of time for him. Ross, all right, Tom Blundle, Tom,
Tom Blundle's thirty is going to be thirty five.

Speaker 17 (01:08:56):
He's a Test wicket keeper.

Speaker 2 (01:08:57):
He is Tom Blundell.

Speaker 10 (01:08:58):
Yes, Why do I think it was Latham?

Speaker 2 (01:09:01):
No, No, it's Tom Blundell. Yeah's Tom Blundell. Yeah, he's
kept working. Latham keeps in the one stuff. But Tom
Blundell's year on. Tom blundeleshe's Test keeper. And I think
they would be reticent to make Tom Latham keeping Test
matches given he opens the batting and if he's in
the field for one hundred overs crouching down, you know,
six hundred times or whatever it is. That's not the

(01:09:21):
ideal preparation for opening the batting. So yeah, I think
Mitch hates the heir apparent absolutely and I think having
the experience he's had in the white ball team will
stand him a good stead. I think he is absolutely
our next Test keeper. Well we can only hope, right,
I think, no, Look and I think for a while
we sort of wondered who it might be, who might

(01:09:42):
be the next we could keeper coming through in terms
of our a red ball side. And you look around
and you see this Max Chew down at Otago, Cam
Fletcher up in Auckland. Tom Blundle's first class numbers are
still pretty good and in the last Test series against
England he was I think our second top run scorer,

(01:10:03):
so he still does a job. I think he's a
Tom Saudiere. He gets a bit of jib when things
don't go well. He seems to be a bit of
a scapegoat. But I reckon another couple of summers and
he might sail off into the sunset and your man
Mitch Hay might be in the team.

Speaker 15 (01:10:16):
And one one more quick point if you've got at time,
of course, why the hell do the bowlers get all
the credit?

Speaker 21 (01:10:22):
Whin Headley would have got half his buddy wcaus it
wasn't for Smoothie.

Speaker 2 (01:10:27):
Yes, spoken like a true work at keeper. Ross spoken
like a true, true wicked keeper. Oh look, you're right,
I mean Court Smith Bold Handley was was pretty common,
wasn't it. Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, So I think smithe
would probably I think Ross, I think Smith. You would
probably say he wouldn't have got half the catchers without
Richard Hadley, But you know, probably it probably goes both ways.

Speaker 4 (01:10:47):
Mate.

Speaker 10 (01:10:48):
Well we go back to Cheney and all those though,
don't we have a long way back?

Speaker 1 (01:10:51):
Oh?

Speaker 2 (01:10:52):
Yeah, those were the days. Those were the days ros
didn't have to worry about tea twenty franchise cricke. At
the end, have we good on your mate? Good to chat?
Twenty one away from two. Let's take a break. When
we come back, we will have our regular catch up
with James mcconey. Actually, just before I did a couple
of texts here. Mitch Hay has to be in the
Test team to replace Blundell from now on, says this text,
so he can have at least a year's experience before

(01:11:13):
the Australia series. His first class average and batting skill
is better than Blundle's. His keeping is better. He has
to play. Now. Look again, I mean numbers only tell
some of the story. But in the most recent Test
series that New Zealand played, which seems an age you
go now, but was against England before Christmas, Tom Blundell
got one hundred at the base in reserve and across

(01:11:35):
the series scored two hundred and thirteen runs at an
average of forty three. So it was pretty handy. I
know that that ton in Wellington was just trying to
remember the circumstances, but I mean one hundred is still
one hundred. I get your point. And look, I think
we need to be patient. They're aware of Mitch Hay.
He's in there. Now he'll play. I would imagine quite
a bit of white ball cricket. Now, look, I maybe

(01:11:59):
it's time to move on from you know, from Tom
Latham in the one day side, although he is the
captain so when Satan is not so again it's that
whole thing of when do you move, when do you decide, Okay,
we need to bring fresh blood in. Yeah, I think
Mitch Hay has got his nose in front of the
chasing pack. Those other guys. I mentioned Fletcher and Chewy

(01:12:23):
By playing very well in this most recent series and
I think you see a lot more of him twenty
to two Back in a Moment with James mconey, The big.

Speaker 1 (01:12:31):
Issues on and after Field Call Oh eight hundred eighty
ten eighty Weekends Forward with Jason Pain and GJ. Gunner
Homes New Zealand's was Trusted Homilder News Talks Baby.

Speaker 2 (01:12:42):
Just on sixteen Away from two as always on a
Sunday afternoon. Great pleasure to welcome in James mcconey to
the show. Hello, James, Hi, biney ive.

Speaker 17 (01:12:51):
You had a little weekend in Auckland, have you?

Speaker 7 (01:12:52):
I have?

Speaker 2 (01:12:53):
And I know you know that because can I say
it was an absolute honor to be in the Alternative
Commentary Collective Commentary booth the other night as she called
your chiefs to another victory.

Speaker 17 (01:13:06):
It was great to have you there, Pony. I mean
no pressure. I couldn't work out what your hand gestures.
Where were you going up the chiefs? I'm hoping.

Speaker 2 (01:13:14):
If it wasn't obvious, maybe you need to work on them.

Speaker 17 (01:13:17):
Yeah you do, Yeah, there were fingers evolved. It can
work it out, but the thing is the chiefs. I
mean then it was a weak game.

Speaker 16 (01:13:25):
It was.

Speaker 17 (01:13:26):
It was a horrible game. I think the Chiefs deserved it.
But I also thought there was an incredible try non
try by Harry McLachlin Phillips the Clint Queens and Reds
verse five. It was such so close, and I mean
he partially bobbled the ball when he slid over the
over the goal line, but it was it felt like
it was a try. They should have given that. I mean,

(01:13:47):
you can't come back. I mean, are we going? It's
too much of a fine tooth comb For me, that
looked it looked like a great try. But meanwhile, there's
lots of other things that they let go and rugby,
so what.

Speaker 2 (01:13:59):
Would I know?

Speaker 17 (01:14:00):
Piney and the end, the Chiefs got it done and
Shawn Stevenson one hundred games that sort of sneaked up
on me. But hey, what a great servant he's been,
absolutely And I just.

Speaker 2 (01:14:08):
Feel like the Chiefs, I mean, all the other New
Zealand sides sort of tend to be, I don't know,
picking their way through inconsistency. I mean, the Crusader's won
in FIGIs today for the first time, so they're back
up to second. But the Hurricanes losing last night to
the Blues who have been underwhelming. The Highlanders lost again.
I think the bright light in all of this, apart
from your chiefs, is Molwana pacifica oh.

Speaker 17 (01:14:28):
Wow, I know what a game. And it looked like
they were going to get undone by Joseph Suerley. So
imagine that the sort of highest profile probably highest paid
pacifica player on the other team looking a million or
has every bit of his two million or four million
US America Australian sorry dollars. But then what happened is

(01:14:49):
that I think early in the second half Artie sa
Vier tackled him and pushed the seat of driven back
about seven meters and then a few minutes later he
got the ball and shrugged him off, and I was thinking, okay,
there's a welcome to rugby moment. You know from base
this is the big chief on the block and that
is Ardi. He leads that team so well. But the

(01:15:13):
way the style of the tries was incredible, just Champagne
rugby on a Sunday afternoon in the North Shore. A
lot to light about their resolve and also a props
going a hat trick.

Speaker 2 (01:15:25):
Oh look that was so good. I just loved everything
about it and I now look ahead to next weekend
when the Blues welcome Mowana Pacifica to Eden Park. I
think it's four thirty five kickoffs, so but a sunshine
hopefully still around. Although dallit Saving has finished, of course,
I reckon there'll be more there supporting Mowana Pacifica.

Speaker 17 (01:15:45):
Yeah, this is the problem. It's the battle for Auckland,
especially with bums on seats. I mean will the Warriors
are winning it right and then the Blues. It's hard
to tell with Eden Park how many they get there.
But it didn't look good last night against the Hurricanes
and they had some epic battles and just recently last season,

(01:16:05):
the last a regular season game last year between the
Blues and the Hurricanes was one full time, wasn't it
It was?

Speaker 20 (01:16:13):
There were Test match.

Speaker 17 (01:16:14):
Vibes last night too, But I think du Califish summed
it up pretty well when he just said, you know,
it's just small moments all decide games. And I think
he won a turnover and then he conceded a turnover attempt.
It's just it came down to that kind of stuff.
And Bowden slaowed as goals.

Speaker 2 (01:16:35):
It took about the battle of bums on seats and
across town. At the home of the Warriors, it was
Auckland FC again getting eighteen and a half thousand there yesterday.
I've been to all of their home games. I've been
very lucky to get the chance to work at them.
It's been a buzz all year. Yesterday was I think
even even bigger in terms of the FIRS. If Auckland

(01:16:57):
happened to win that game, I think that place would
have exploded, I know.

Speaker 17 (01:17:02):
And that's the other thing. I mean, if the wars
are winning, then Ork and the Sea in second position,
aren't they And it's really hurt the Blues in particular
that the I mean it was a one all draw
in the end, but you can tell when you're watching
the highlights because I missed the game live. Just the
energy and the crowd noise. It's just like nothing else

(01:17:24):
I've really seen in New Zealand football, not on a
regular basis like that. So they're onto something special there.
It was a bizarre Meddal game. I will say. At
the end their most experienced player, Saki, the Japanese international,
missed a pretty good chance that fell to his left foot.
Of course he's the right foot. But I would say

(01:17:45):
that if you're a young footballer out there, if you've
got a young footballer in your family, at least get
them to have a decent shot off their weaker foot.
You've got to have it for moments like that pinting
look as that ball came across to him.

Speaker 2 (01:17:58):
I remember this so distinctly, I think everybody it was
almost like that that moment you know before a goal scored,
where there's just that split second silence. Everybody just holds
their breath and then gets ready to explode with ecstasy.
Unfortunately that didn't come, but there was just that split
second of silence as Sarki approached the ball. And I mean,
like I said, if that had gone and I don't

(01:18:20):
know what would have happened to that ground, you know, But.

Speaker 17 (01:18:23):
Instead, because it felt his left foot, he pretty much
passed it to the keeper. Yeah, and so you do
have to have it.

Speaker 12 (01:18:31):
Just work it out.

Speaker 17 (01:18:31):
I don't care what you do, practice against the wall,
whatever it is with your week for work. You know,
find a way to volley with it and to shoot
with it, and then you will not get yourself into
a problem like Ssarko that had yesterday, it would have,
like you say, the place would have would have exploded.

Speaker 2 (01:18:47):
A couple of other matters, we've been speaking about the
depth building in New Zealand cricket, particularly in the white
ball side. A fairly new look side wrapped up the
three nil series, went over Pakistan yesterday and Mount Moganu.
There are some quite exciting and promising young cricketers starting
to make a bit of a name for themselves.

Speaker 17 (01:19:06):
Indeed, Rees Marty, who remember the name, He scored a
fifty on debut yesterday. And I think it's time for
these players to step up and make the team. It's
always been quite a close shot when you think about
how long players can stay in the side. And I
know that we've watched, you know, witness excellence of people
like sim Saudi, Trempolt, Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor, so

(01:19:28):
we've been spoilt. But now I just think, well, it
is time for this new generation to come through, because
even though we've had that golden era and we've made
you know, World Cup finals, and we've won that Test Championship,
to be honest, I feel like we've still been a
step behind Australia and some other top sides. You know,
we really haven't been able to compete with Australia that

(01:19:50):
entire time, so it's up to the next generation to
do it. And to be honest, I was a bit
disappointed to see that Kane Williamson has decided not to
play because he's commentating in the IPL not playing commentating.
So look, if you're going to do that, mate, let's
let's just let the young guys have the run of it.
And he's going to retire a legend, and I'm happy

(01:20:13):
for him to carry on and test matches and because
I feel that that record that he's gotten test matches
is the most important thing to him. We haven't got
many this year, but let him carry on. But at
these other levels, I think it's time to let these
guys play. And I'm talking about Muhammed a Bus, I'm
talking about Mitchell Ay and Reese Martou. You know, just

(01:20:35):
give them the spot.

Speaker 2 (01:20:36):
Did you just Donkin Williamson, did you see that clip
where they've basically used AI to change his language from
English to Hindi.

Speaker 17 (01:20:47):
Yeah, it's incredible and in fact, he was so good
that it almost felt just one of those things. We know,
you're not allowed, no one's allowed to do an Indian
accident anymore, pony, but they pretty much forced him into
it with his AI and it was perfect. I mean,
he was speaking Hindi in this AI clip, but I
was just thinking, okay, that's That's one of those things

(01:21:08):
where initially I was going, what is going on here?

Speaker 2 (01:21:12):
I know it was quite confronting almost it.

Speaker 17 (01:21:15):
Was, and yeah, good on them. It's it's it's it's
just AI is taking over.

Speaker 20 (01:21:20):
You know.

Speaker 17 (01:21:22):
I must say I've dabbled with AI songwriting and and
it's it's fun, you know, it's it's it's it's not bad.
But yeah, that's and obviously you know, you see a
lot of images that you could tell AI now, but
it's you can easily get fulled by and the AI
voices that come out. This is where you have to
be extremely careful. And I know it's caused problems before

(01:21:45):
with you know, Fordster is getting hold of it. So
you know, I've had an AI voice creator of Christopher
Luxon and it's bang on as it bang on.

Speaker 2 (01:21:55):
I mean, is this definitely you?

Speaker 20 (01:22:00):
Yes, it is me.

Speaker 17 (01:22:02):
Jason Pyne right to be Your show is the best
in the world. I think no, I mean this is
the whole thing. AI. Can you tell Yeah, it's tough.
It's tough, but it's going to be interesting in our
industry anyway. Will you get Ai Poney?

Speaker 2 (01:22:20):
Look, well, we might, but I'll never get Ai. James mconey,
I can assure you of that. Look forward to chatting
next Sunday with you or someone who sounds like you.
Thanks mate. Seven to two News talks every four to two,
Den says Poney. More test cracker next season. I missed
the last three months without it, and Hiroki Saka I
had time to turn onto us right and smash that

(01:22:41):
ball home the you know, yeah, I'm I get I'm
not sure he did. I think it was quite nicely
set for his left footed finish. Couldn't quite do it.
After two mona pacificat half back Jonathan Thoma, dinner is
with us and a black Apps pastballer, Ben says two.

Speaker 1 (01:23:00):
The only place to discuss the biggest sports issues on
and afterfield. It's all on James Ford with Jason Paine
on your home of sport.

Speaker 2 (01:23:11):
Or welcome back, all welcome in seven past two. I'm
Jason Pine. This is weekend Sport. And a McDonald's show
producer were had till three when Tim Beveridge will barge
in and take control of the microphone for the Sunday
edition of The Weekend Collector. Before we let that happen
quite a bit to cover off US sport state side
Leon Busby, a man on Weekend Sport, to update him

(01:23:35):
on all things to do with Major League Baseball, the NBA,
March Madness and other things he's with us before three.
Ben Sears became yesterday the first New Zealand male cricketer
to take consecutive five wicket bags and One Day internationals
and it was only his fourth One Day International yesterday.
I got five for the other day, five for yesterday.

(01:23:58):
Off to play for Yorkshire in county cricket in the
next little while. Ben Sears joins us this hour very shortly.
We're inside the more wineupc camp after back to back
victories for them for the first time ever, beating the
Warratars yesterday. As I say, I left at half time
yesterday about three o'clock when I left yesterday and they
were down twenty one to seven, ended up winning it

(01:24:21):
forty five twenty eighths or something. Stupid what on earth
was said at halftime Jonathan Tomatina they're halfback. Will shed
some light on that shortly and actually keen to talk
about the hearts and minds of Auckland sports fans. James
mcconey touched on it in his slot before two. But

(01:24:43):
where are the hearts and minds of Auckland sports fans
right now? The Blues, Mawana PACIFICA, the Warriors, Auckland FC.
There's a lot of jockeying for position. There's only so
much discretionary income. We can talk a bit about that
as well, and the other Super Rugby games too, Blues

(01:25:03):
getting up over the Hurricanes by a point, the Crusaders
finally winning in Fiji after a long time not being
able to do that. The Highlanders, what's happened to the Islanders?
What's happened to the Highlanders? I thought they were going
to be better this year. Anyway, we can cover all
that off phones are open, oh, eight hundred and eighty

(01:25:24):
ten eighty nine one text and if it's an email,
Jason at Newstalk SDB dot co dot nz. But as
we tick past nine past two, as we like to
do at this time on weekend, sport. Let's get you
up to date with some of the stuff that you
might have missed. Heaps are sport going on at the moment.
You can't possibly stay up to date with all of it.
So thankfully we've got this feature which helps you do that.

(01:25:47):
In case you missed it. Upsets galore in the NRL
last night the Eels. The Eels had to win their
first of the season's lighted fronts zachl maps.

Speaker 6 (01:25:59):
To help the.

Speaker 2 (01:26:06):
Father Dragon now hands his coats another form of dragon.

Speaker 3 (01:26:12):
Their first wins as Paramounta Reels.

Speaker 2 (01:26:15):
In twenty twenty five and a twenty three twenty two
over the Dragons and Golden Point and the Dolphins. The
Dolphins followed suit they got their first one of the season.

Speaker 15 (01:26:25):
So peety Cat don't have a on asaco Now you celebrate.

Speaker 8 (01:26:34):
Whatever handshake you God produce it now, Clippers going off
the Dolphins and Speig.

Speaker 2 (01:26:42):
Winners here on the golf game, they steamrolled the Titan
thirty sixteen, but the Broncos returned some normal programming to
the NRL roster last night. It goes i'st throwing into
the turning Rockers scorers this turning and turn it on.

(01:27:04):
There he had the Broncos smashing the West Tiger's forty
six twenty four. Let's go to super rugby out Western Perth.
The Western Force improved their position to fourth.

Speaker 8 (01:27:15):
Nick White left running ball out into the center field
at Joe's it's with Will Harris, Will Harris to Ben
Donaldson to Harry Potter and Harry Potter it's going to
score in the left hand corner and they hit.

Speaker 6 (01:27:28):
In the fronts.

Speaker 2 (01:27:29):
Malcolm Jordan loved saying Harry Potter's name. Twenty nine to twenty.
The Force winners over the Highlanders in the Premier League,
a rare loss for Nottingham Forest against a ramp and
tastin Villa Matson testing toass Yets and there's gold.

Speaker 3 (01:27:46):
It's it's many minutes from Runton Tascander.

Speaker 2 (01:27:49):
Wow, brilliant football to wondervelop as they stay in touching
distance of Champions League qualification and close to the home.
A small speed bump for Open FC. They drew the
Western Sydney Wanderers, but still stay well at the top
of the A League ladder. Quickly Milanovitch Nicholas.

Speaker 20 (01:28:14):
Area Era.

Speaker 21 (01:28:17):
From the Alex.

Speaker 1 (01:28:18):
Tolson and Nicholas Balmanovitch eleven goals for the season. Now
the scoot from the track fields and the court on
your homes Sports Weekend Sport with Jason talks.

Speaker 2 (01:28:33):
Me twelve minutes past two, Let's talk some Super rugby.
Majana Pacifica have won back to back Super Rugby matches
for the first time in their history. Slader, who's had
a good game?

Speaker 3 (01:28:44):
Onto Tyler, Oh my goodness made another's gone away?

Speaker 2 (01:28:47):
So me see two both Dayla straight.

Speaker 3 (01:28:50):
Through passport offenders and the number eight dots down the
crowd of loving it times up, there goes the honah
and the touch from Paleguini and the WAA have won back.

Speaker 20 (01:29:02):
To back Super Rugby.

Speaker 3 (01:29:03):
Games for the first time in franchise history.

Speaker 14 (01:29:05):
They what's the task in.

Speaker 3 (01:29:08):
The second half to win forty five twenty eight at
North Harber Stadium.

Speaker 2 (01:29:13):
Our magnificent call from Nathan Limb on the game yesterday.
After their thrilling victory over the Crusaders last weekend, Majauna
Pacifica have comeback from twenty one to seven down at
halftime to score six second half tries and run out
winners by forty five points to twenty eight over the
Waratars at Albany joining the show by Maana Pacifica halfback

(01:29:34):
Jonathan Tomatin. There, Jonathan, thanks for taking our call this afternoon.
Back to back wins for the first time in franchise
history for Mouna Pacifica. How big a result is this
for the team?

Speaker 12 (01:29:45):
Thanks? Thanks having me on.

Speaker 20 (01:29:48):
Yeah, the victory, yes, it was.

Speaker 12 (01:29:50):
What's the mess for us? We always see we haven't
done back to back ever, Roisa, to get Devin with
the belt and to be able to throw it in
front of our people with a maybe after the.

Speaker 2 (01:30:01):
Win over the Crusaderes last week, I guess there would
have been the potential to get a bit carried away.
How important was it that you you backed up what
you did last weekend back at home yesterday.

Speaker 12 (01:30:11):
Yeah, it's funny you said there, because Fan I was
real big on the boys just being grounded after I
think when last week I made it clear on Monday
that we better stay on because we needed the war
times were going to bust the very fast to be
able to stay on and they got the windows to
leave your horseless Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:30:31):
You were twenty one seven down though at halftime, So
how was Tanner at the break?

Speaker 12 (01:30:38):
It was true, he was true. We kind of knew that.
We kind of knew, like fourteen points down, we didn't
really play rugby in the first half. We're pretty much
on the defensive end. And when we did have a
chance in the first half, we just one pass away
from scoring points. So we knew were in it. We
just needed a great start and hold onto the ball.

Speaker 2 (01:30:58):
And was that the main thing that changed in the
second half? You know it was it was night and
day in terms of you know, ball in hand for
you guys and boring the points. Was that the main
thing that changed after the break?

Speaker 12 (01:31:10):
Yeah, pretty much. I mean for our team that that
belief was always there is pretty massive in our group,
and we knew what we could do and the players
we had in our team, we had some great leaders
idea as well at times, so we just needed to
hold onto the ball.

Speaker 2 (01:31:26):
And you are the competition's leading points scorers two hundred
and seventy four. Now in your seven games forty tries
in seven games. Can you give us some insight into
the attack strategy and and why it is so successful?

Speaker 12 (01:31:41):
Oh man, a lot of points. I mean, well, well,
pretty massive on getting one on ones. So I think
that's part of our super powers as Polynesians. So as
long as you hold the ball on and get it
to the people who it's pretty dangerous out wide, and
then our big fours is doing your work up front

(01:32:03):
or they did be scoring off to all that can
go on the fourth.

Speaker 2 (01:32:07):
Yeah, we had had Tanner on the show last week
actually after the Crusaders game, and he said that, you know,
he was doing his best to try and blend the
Polynesian flair that you've just talked about there with a
greater structure around the way that you play the game
consistently across eighty minutes. Is that something that that he
is enforcing or you know, imposing on you as well

(01:32:27):
to try.

Speaker 12 (01:32:28):
And do Yes, definitely. I mean we knew you always
love a bit of razzle and bring our Polly Flevor
and but they're still harbord to be hunters. So it
all for us to score points and bring on the
police say that we have we we firstly have to
work hard and we call it them one and real quick.

Speaker 2 (01:32:46):
It's also you know, as well as scoring points, you
have conceded a few as well. So does defense continue
to be a work on for the team.

Speaker 12 (01:32:55):
Yeah, that's it's just like we were heavily focused on
our our defense. But it's just a little moments where
we switch off because take breaks. I guess I'm a
few of that why and then that's more leading points
in it. We're just goin to stay.

Speaker 2 (01:33:14):
Now, what about your big front rower felt with a
hat trick of tries? Has he stopped talking about that?

Speaker 7 (01:33:22):
Man?

Speaker 12 (01:33:23):
I think as assignment was to get and I think
that's why just went hard looking for the wall.

Speaker 2 (01:33:32):
It was awesome. What about the nine ten combo that
you're starting to develop with Patrick Pellegrini, can you talk
a bit about about how much you're enjoying that.

Speaker 12 (01:33:40):
Yeah, he's pretty razily man. So all I'm trying to
do is put the ball in front of him and
just just listen to what he wants to do. And yeah,
let him do a thing. I mean he's been, he's
been sharply he so.

Speaker 1 (01:33:52):
Yeah, and have you.

Speaker 2 (01:33:54):
Gotten used to barking orders at Ardie Savier?

Speaker 16 (01:33:56):
Yet?

Speaker 12 (01:33:59):
For me, I'm doing it in my head. I'm doing
it in my head.

Speaker 2 (01:34:04):
Oh man, But I don't know whether this is true.
You might be tell us, but it has to be
like a guy like Addie Savilla would want his half
back to be in constant communication, wouldn't he.

Speaker 12 (01:34:15):
Yeah, i'mtty. I'm pretty close with for him, so I
guess that allows me to all them a little bit.
But I just gotta what it is. There's always very nice.
So you've been good.

Speaker 2 (01:34:28):
How big has influence been on this team?

Speaker 12 (01:34:32):
It's real what he can do and especially a leader,
and if you'll see what he can do on field far,
I think it's more the off field. It's really fun
the way our boys are playing at the moment. He's
a leader for us.

Speaker 2 (01:34:47):
What about you, J So you've been around the game
for a while or remember during your Hurricanes stays and
and you know you've you've played with a rugby. How
much are you enjoying it at the moment with Mona
Pacifica compared to you know, the rugby you've played across
your career.

Speaker 12 (01:35:01):
Yeah, I mean, I'm really enjoying it right now, just
being around our people because obviously pretty pretty big here
and just to just be able to help out and
to see where this team is now compared to three
years ago, it's it's amazing. I'm just happy to be

(01:35:21):
a part of it.

Speaker 2 (01:35:22):
Yeah, I mean, you're you're ideally placed to talk about
the development and the progress. As you say, you've been
there since day one. You know when it when it
first started, did you always feel as though the progress
would come, even though you know early on the winds
weren't coming. Did you always feel like days like yesterday
and last week would come?

Speaker 12 (01:35:41):
Undred percent of belief was always there. We just knew
that every movement's going to take a take a while
to take off. And it's so good to see that
we were starting to put things together now and starting
to get more wins.

Speaker 2 (01:35:54):
And the Blues next Eden Park next Saturday. That's going
to be like a home game for you guys, isn't.

Speaker 12 (01:35:59):
It pretty much? Pretty much? I guess.

Speaker 2 (01:36:04):
I mean, I can imagine. Man, you'll have your people
turning up for that, won't you.

Speaker 20 (01:36:08):
It'll be so cool.

Speaker 12 (01:36:09):
Yeah, it'll be so cool.

Speaker 2 (01:36:11):
All right, Well, enjoy the weekend or the rest of it. JT.
Good to get the chance to catch up with you.
Congratulations on a terrific performance from the team yesterday and
all the best for the week ahead as you're planning
for the Blues.

Speaker 12 (01:36:22):
Thank you so much. Thanks having me on again.

Speaker 2 (01:36:24):
No, thank you JT for joining us. Jonathan Tomotin, they're there.
The halfback from Maaia Pacifica has started every game this season.
Maaina Pacifica are real. They are a real team now.
They could make the six, they really could. You look
at the table at the moment, they're currently eighth, but
there are only two points behind the Waratars, so they're

(01:36:46):
a win behind. It's really tight. So Chiefs twenty six,
Crusaders twenty four Reds twenty three Force twenty Brumby's nineteen,
Waratars seventeen, Hurricanes and Mina Pacific are both fifteen. Then
Highlanders twelve, Blues eleven Fijan Drew have been the only
real disappointment really of this season. Down in last place
with seven points, Pacifica could absolutely make the top six.

(01:37:10):
They've got the Blues next Saturday at Eden Park four
point thirty five kickoff. What a contest that promises to be.
The Blues getting a bit of their mojo back last
night beating the Hurricanes, so there, I guess they'll think
back on track. Maana Pacifica could easily go to Eden
Park and win that game on the events of the
last two weekends, and I'll be so interested to see

(01:37:33):
where the weight of support on the day is because
it feels to me as though the Miner Pacifica fan
base will mobilize themselves for this game next Saturday. I
don't know, I could be way off here, but I
reckon there'll be more people at that ground cheering for

(01:37:54):
more Onner Pacifica than there will be for the Blues.
I mean it's across town Darby basically. In fact, you know,
Mina Pacifica have got a big fan base in South Auckland, haven't,
so they actually don't have to go as far to
get to eat Eden Park compared to Albany, where they've
been playing their home games. So mine to Pacifico. They've
got the Blues next week, then they welcome the Brumbies

(01:38:17):
now that game is at Pooka Coe, then the Fijian
drewer back at Albany. May is a little bit trickier
for them. They travel to Dunedin to take on the Highlanders,
then they have the Blues and the return fixture at
Albany and then away against the Chiefs and the Hurricanes
to finish the season. That is tough. So the next month,

(01:38:39):
the month of April could be quite pivotal for them
and on just on the sporting landscape in Auckland. I've
spent a little bit of time here recently commentating Auckland
FC games and the battle for the hearts and the
minds and crucially the wallets of sports fans in Auckland

(01:39:03):
is well and truly on because right now there are
four elite men's sports teams playing in our biggest city
at the same time, Blues, Mawana Pacifica, Warriors, Auckland FC
and most people. Most people can't afford to go to
them all. They have to make a choice now go

(01:39:27):
Media Stadium yesterday was absolutely jumping for that Auckland FC game.
It's great there anyway, but yesterday it just felt to
me when I got there and during the game that
it had gone up another level. The fizz inside that
place was incredible. It's the same with the Warriors, isn't it.
When they play there, They've found the formula for selling

(01:39:51):
out that place and engaging with their community. Mawana Pacifica
yesterday out at Albany. I only saw it on television obviously,
but it looked as though there was an atmosphere going
on there as Mowana Pacifica connect with their fan base,
even at a slightly unlikely venue of North Harborial for honest.
And then the Blues Eden Park last night, one of

(01:40:14):
the marquee fixtures in any Super Rugby season Blues v
Hurricanes and I don't know how many were there eight
on one thousand and he went along to boost the
numbers and the bar take no doubt at eden Park
last night. How many would there have been at eden
Park last night?

Speaker 22 (01:40:32):
Cap it at eight thousand, which made it a pretty
quick trip through the bars, to be honest.

Speaker 2 (01:40:36):
Well that's the upside, but eight thousand in that cavenous stadium,
it's hard to get an atmosphere.

Speaker 22 (01:40:42):
Gone as a I don't want to be too critical,
but it was a pretty dour environment to be in
and unfortunately it was a pretty the Super Rugby's being
fantastic the games and that was unfortunately fell fell way
short of the mark entertainment wise than most other games
the season. But that happens, granted, but it just a

(01:41:04):
lot of unfortunate things all came together to deliver what
was ultimately a pretty ordinary occasion. Unfortunately.

Speaker 2 (01:41:11):
See I think the standard of the rugby has been
really really good, really really good. The standard of Super Rugby,
the jeopardy, the contest that we're getting, not knowing from
week to week who is going to beat who, and
we had some more examples of that yesterday is excellent.

(01:41:32):
The level of the rugby is excellent, and the television
coverage as well, and I think what we provide on
Gold Sport and iHeartRadio as well is very very good too.
But it just seems to me as though the Blues,
I don't know, it just doesn't feel comparative to the
Warriors and to Auckland FC and even to Mawana PACIFICA.
It doesn't feel like they've quite connected with the fan

(01:41:54):
base and provided the match day vibe or experience that
you get at the other places. Like I say, it's
not a code bash here because the rugby it's compelling.
I hardly miss a game of Super Rugby now. I'll
watch every game and if I can't watch it live,
I'll watch it back, not just because I have to

(01:42:15):
for the job, but because I want to. I want
to watch Super Rugby, but for an on the day experience.
It's night and day between an Auckland FC game and
a Blues game. And yes, the kickoff time is another thing.
Auckland f C have nailed it with the five o'clock
keke offs, perfect perfect time. But if you haven't been

(01:42:38):
to a game, honestly go along and then you know
you tell me what you think. And for those of
you who have gone, I know you're sold on it.
The number of people who say they go to an
Auckland f C game for the first time and then
as soon as they've been there ten minutes, when can
we come again? Hem for your thoughts? Oh eight hundred
and eighty ten eighty nine, two, nine to two on

(01:42:59):
text just before you move, I look ahead to what's
on the agenda next weekend in Super Rugby? What are
we up to Round nine? I think it is round nine,
not that that really matters. I think we're halfway through,
aren't we. In terms of games played for most of
the teams, there are fourteen games in the season. Most
teams have played seven, So Round nine starts next Friday
night or this coming Friday night. Hurricanes Crusaders another Big

(01:43:23):
one Sky Stadium, followed by Warata's Chiefs. That's your Friday night.
Then on Saturday blues Mina Pacifica. As mentioned four thirty
five Highlanders drew a big game for the Highlinders. Must
win that game, must win that game, simply, must win
that game. And Red Sprumbies to finish the weekend. So
the games involving the New Zealand sides, we will have

(01:43:44):
them all for you on Gold Sport and on iHeartRadio.
If you'd like to make a point around Mina pacifica,
around the Blues, around the Auckland sporting landscape, lines are open.
Oh eight hundred eighty ten eighty nine two nine to
two on text. Hello chrisyday mate.

Speaker 21 (01:44:03):
It's good to see more on a pacificate pulling out
two good results in a row because they were sort
of a team that was thrown together to keep the
numbers up. But now they're making some dents and big teams.
I'm a Crusader and we lost to them last weekend,
so it's good to see that they're actually punching above

(01:44:24):
their weight, not over the Crusaders and the Warrior Tars.

Speaker 1 (01:44:28):
And.

Speaker 21 (01:44:29):
From from watching them, they're playing with a lot of
confident rugby and Polynesian flair, so this is great for
the competition.

Speaker 2 (01:44:37):
Oh, Chris, absolutely right. Oh look, eleven strong teams is
what you want and my wine of Pacifica just haven't
delivered on their undoubted promise consistently enough anywhere near consistently
enough since they entered the competition. They are now starting to.

Speaker 21 (01:44:53):
And that's that's great because you know, we're what the
Fiji and drewer and they've made them upset over their
times as well. So like this competition is actually really good.
Like this is the Super Rugby season I've seen for
years in terms of the quality of the games. And
it doesn't matter whether it's the Australians playing the KIV

(01:45:14):
teams or the or the Polynesian side. It's it's a
really good competition. So we've got we've got a lot
to look forward to in the future. But I wanted
to say something about Eaton Park. Yes, I think the
best idea for the Blues would probably go to Mount

(01:45:37):
Smart for their games outside of any finals performances and
have that smaller crowd in a smaller stadium and instead
of when you're watch an Auckland Blues game. Yeah it's
it's a big stadium and you're ever going to fill
it for a Super rugby game, so don't use it.

(01:46:00):
Take them to Mount Smart and you try and wiggle
room around the soccer side and the league team and
have a more intimate crowd and the people that will
go to that game will feel more engaged. I think
the Blues have got to look at that. Using a

(01:46:24):
fifty five thousand whatever it is seat.

Speaker 6 (01:46:26):
Stadium for nine thousand people.

Speaker 21 (01:46:29):
It's not it's not good. It's like when you watch
the regular League in Sydney. If you have.

Speaker 6 (01:46:35):
Spouts versus the Gold Coast at their stadium Australia and
there's ten thousand people there, you're looking at the empty seats,
not the full one.

Speaker 21 (01:46:45):
So I just think it's a good idea to open
your eyes and see what it is and project these
ticket tails and do the right thing by a fan
and encourage the environments to be hyper like Auckland FC.

Speaker 2 (01:47:04):
Hat and Decris got to move made unfortunately, but no,
you make a great point, you do, and unfortunately I
don't think the Blues can fit in it at Mount Smart.
I think Warrior is an Aukland FC. Once you block
out those dates, I'm not sure that there's much left
as far as the Blues are concerned. Thanks for bea
call mate. Twenty nine away from three got to get
a breakaway whomen come back into the black Caps camp.

(01:47:25):
Benc is back to back five us.

Speaker 1 (01:47:27):
He's on the show after this one crunch Hold Engage
Weekend Sport with Jason Paine and GJ. Gunderhomes New Zealand's
lost trusted home builder News.

Speaker 2 (01:47:37):
Talk B twenty six to three. The black Caps have
claimed an odio series sweep over Pakistan, a forty three
run win in the third game at bay Oval yesterday.
He's got one last chance that is up and that
is out and he's done it. Back to back five
wickeed bags for Ben says. That's the game. New Zealand

(01:47:58):
win by forty three, ten wickets in the series, just
the two games, great finish office final delivery.

Speaker 6 (01:48:06):
He gets it done.

Speaker 2 (01:48:07):
Yeah, back to back five wicket bags for Ben Sears
and Justice fourth o d I the first time a
new Zoombol has ever done that. And taking out man
of this series as well Ben Sears as well as
congratulations on the last couple of games. Ben Clean sweet
for the series for New Zealand as well. So what's
gone so well over these three matches for the for
the Black Apps?

Speaker 20 (01:48:26):
Oh, I just obviously it's a new team coming in.
Everyone was with quite a few guys over at the IPL.
I think everybody was just super keen to get stuck
in and just yeah, put the best product out there,
and it was it was just good fun.

Speaker 2 (01:48:40):
Yeah. How enjoyable was it being part of what might
be called a pretty pretty fresh looking white ball team?
How how exciting was that?

Speaker 7 (01:48:48):
Oh?

Speaker 20 (01:48:49):
It was awesome. Yeah, just obviously a bit of a
different bowling unit with myself in dust coming in and
obviously was was at the Champion Trophy, but yeah, it was.
It was really just a great group of guys really
enjoyed playing either and it was good fun.

Speaker 2 (01:49:06):
So back to back five wicket bags for you. Even
when you got your fifth wicket yesterday, I only ready
a hint of a smile from you. You must have
enjoyed though, contributing to another win in this.

Speaker 20 (01:49:16):
Way, Oh yeah, absolutely, no, it was great fun being
out there just to have yeah, Jacob Dufty and Willow
Rock bowling so well at the top. Yeah, it was
just it was an awesome opportunity just to come in
behind them and see if I could add a little bit,
and like the pressure they built through those games, all
three of them really we just put us on just

(01:49:36):
touch on the front foot, but yeah, it goes coming
hard at me and it was nice. It was nice
to get a few wickets on the back of that.

Speaker 2 (01:49:43):
What is your bowling strategy in fifty over cricket?

Speaker 20 (01:49:48):
Ah, Well, I just get main focus is just trying
to build on the pressure that the battles have built
before you, making sure I think, like on the wickets
were playing off the year, there was a bit in them,
So just trying to get it into two good areas,
especially when you've got bowling to guys like Bubba's arm
was pretty world class and yeah, like trying to build

(01:50:10):
pressure and then when you get the opportunity to get
it down there a little bit quicker and a little
bit yeah freer. Yeah, just taking advantage of that as well.

Speaker 2 (01:50:19):
The thing that stands out for me being as your
strike rate are wicked every twenty balls and ODIs every
seventeen balls and T twenty Internationals and all T twenty matches,
you get a wicked every fifteen balls, and a game
where restricting runs as power amount are you pretty much
given license to do that by bowling wicket taking deliveries
as often as you can.

Speaker 20 (01:50:42):
I think, to be honest, I've just been lucky to
play with some really good bowlers so far. So I
was playing ill last season. Obviously to him South he
was there Willow Roses that he's been outstanding. And so
those guys or Matt Henry the phenomenal and obviously Jacob
Dusky at the moment was just always number one twenty
twenty dollar in the world. So it's unbelievable to play with.

(01:51:06):
And so when you play with those guys and they
built a ball pressure, they put batsmen under pressure. Just
that happens when your first change bowl. They came ups
and often come after you. So yeah, just bowling, coming in,
just trying to get my product down there after then yeah,
you get lucky sometimes you get your wicket and it's

(01:51:26):
just just just how it's panned out.

Speaker 2 (01:51:28):
Well, you've done a tremendous job of deflecting any personal
price away from yourself.

Speaker 20 (01:51:32):
There.

Speaker 2 (01:51:32):
I must say mate to you to your bowling, you
know which I know that's what you're all about, but
I mean, has the way you know you've developed as
a white ball baller changed? Is this the best you've
bowled with a white ball?

Speaker 7 (01:51:45):
Ah?

Speaker 20 (01:51:46):
Well, yeah, I think it's always changing. I've i was
into quite a bit of a season, so there's a
lot of time to think about how you get a
bowl and yeah, just I'm just trying to get more accurate,
more consistent, just used my bouncer more regularly. But yeah,
it's it's been cool and yeah it certainly developed thing.
But just trying to well, especially why you're not playing,

(01:52:08):
just trying to constantly think so you can improve during
those times as well.

Speaker 2 (01:52:12):
How is your pace compared to other times in your.

Speaker 20 (01:52:15):
Career or yeah, it's been coming out really well, I think,
just certainly, and just the cricket. It's just picking when
and when and when to use the aggression there. Like
I'm saying before, like the wickets we've had or wicket yesterday,
was was doing a bit with the same to just
making like this foremost just trying to make sure that
you're in a good area and then when you get

(01:52:37):
a sniff with or a new betsman coming in or
someone who doesn't like a short ball or something like that,
just really trying to crank it up there a bit.
And yeah, it just give yourself the best shout.

Speaker 2 (01:52:48):
Now, what about Michael Bracewall's catch yesterday. Did you get
a decent view of it?

Speaker 12 (01:52:53):
I saw the dive.

Speaker 20 (01:52:55):
I didn't see the catch itself, but yeah he does.
He does Hollywood a little bit, so he had to
put some nail on and I don't think he needed
a dive.

Speaker 2 (01:53:07):
He doesn't drop me an, yeah, he's got big buckets
of hands, isn't he.

Speaker 20 (01:53:10):
No, he's a heck of a fielder. He's a head
of cricketer.

Speaker 2 (01:53:16):
And leading the team. So I mean, I know that
wasn't the original plan, but he you know, he stepped
into that leadership role. Obviously he's done it for Wellington
a lot, but you know he must have. Well what
did you observe from him? And there's leadership of this team?

Speaker 20 (01:53:29):
Oh yeah, Beasts. Yeah he's he's a true leader. Like
he's just a really good guy. Genuinely. It gets around
your looks after you having him office just this case
scenario and so yeah, just have him step in there,
like obviously he's had something. He's stepping in for Mitt

(01:53:49):
Stantner and then Tom Latham but they're awesome as well.
But just having Beast at Wellington and yeah, that's set
familiarity is just yeah, you can't pack to that. So yeah,
it's just awesome.

Speaker 2 (01:54:01):
It feels like Wellington's taking over this team, you and him,
Muhammed a Bass, Nathan Smith, Nick l in there now
as well. Nice to have the Firebirds so well represented.

Speaker 20 (01:54:10):
Oh yeah, heck yeah, it's awesome just having those goes around.
You've got so much cricket with them, obviously Rutching and
dev and Blundle and there's all those guys there as well,
Tom Robinson and the T twenty. So it's awesome mess
contingent familiarity. And then yet when you're starting in with
guys like the dust Man and stuff like that from
out and there. Yeah, it's just it's a really good

(01:54:32):
group of guys.

Speaker 2 (01:54:33):
And you had that one Test match being against Australia
last summer for wickets in the second innings, look like
you loved it in the white clothing for New Zealand.
And how strong is your appetite for more Test cricket
for the Black Cats?

Speaker 20 (01:54:44):
Oh absolutely, you just certainly want to play as much
as they can. Grateful for every opportunity I get. Just
see how it pans out, like, yeah, obviously there's a
great group of there's a lot of bolders coming through
dust obviously buying normally. Well, so yeah, if I get
another opportunity, I'm absolutely coozing for it.

Speaker 2 (01:55:02):
And you're off to play county cricket for Yorkshire. When
do you head off?

Speaker 20 (01:55:07):
I head off on the eleventh, so yeah, pretty soon.
I'm really super excited for that. So yeah, yeah, I
can't wait to get over there.

Speaker 2 (01:55:17):
Yeah, well you're heading off in good form being congrats
on the last couple of games, couple of five wicket
bags for you and man of the series. Thanks for
chatting to us, mate, all the best in the in
the northern summer and we'll catch you when you get home.

Speaker 12 (01:55:27):
Cheers.

Speaker 2 (01:55:28):
Appreciate it, No, I appreciate you joining us. Ben. Thanks
today Ben Sears on News Talks, he'd be eighteen to three.

Speaker 1 (01:55:33):
Would you be the TMO have your say on eight
hundred and eighty eighty Weekend Sport with Jason Hin and GJ. Guvnerholmes,
New Zealand's most trusted home builder News Talks.

Speaker 2 (01:55:44):
There'd be two forty five. Let's get your state side
to update you on all things American sport with our
man Leon Buzzby. Leon, thanks for joining us as always
let's start with basketball and the march madness into the playoffs. Yea,
too much.

Speaker 19 (01:55:58):
Madness is into the final stages with the Woman's Final
four taking place. It took place yesterday in Tampa, Florida
and turning it for the men this year. There was
a there was a bit of pushback because there were
no Cinderella Cinderella stories eight that's that's when a much
lower seeded team upsets one of the favorites. But at

(01:56:19):
the end of the day, we were left with the
best four teams of both competitions. So yesterday and the
women's final four we saw in semi final won the
overall top seed, the u c. L A Bruins. They
lost heavily to the number two seed, the Yukon Huskies.
In the other semi final, the number one seed and
the Benning champion South Carolina game Cocks in interesting eighth

(01:56:40):
also dominated the Benning, the Texas Longhorns, and another lot
sided games. So hard to pick a win in the
national championship game at both Yukon and Outh Carolina evenly match,
but should be a compelling contest none the less.

Speaker 2 (01:56:53):
Pony absolutely looking forward to that, and of course, the
men's games on at the moment, so we'll see who's
who's cutting down the net, as they say, next Tuesday.
You're right, though, about March's madness. It is about the
Cinderella stories, isn't it When when a least this fancy
team gets up over the top of somebody who's ranked
much higher. Just a lack of those this year, no
particular reason, it's just the way that it went. The

(01:57:15):
top sides just remained the top sides.

Speaker 12 (01:57:18):
Yeah, it's just the way of pair this year.

Speaker 19 (01:57:20):
So everyone loves to see the cinder on a story
bade for obvious reasons that just didn't happen this year,
and say there was a bit of pushback from the fans,
but the end of the day, we've got the best
teams competing for their national total.

Speaker 2 (01:57:33):
Okay, let's go to Major League Baseball, and I want
to start with the torpedo bats. This seems to be
dominating discussion now. Unlike a traditional bat that tapers down
towards a thick end cap, the torpedo bat shifts that
mass lower down the barrel. It creates a bowling pin
like shape, and I guess the idea is to concentrate

(01:57:54):
the weight where the players most often make contact, so
it gives hit us more power and control. I mean,
why has there been so much discussion about these new bats?

Speaker 6 (01:58:04):
Yeah?

Speaker 19 (01:58:04):
I don't know if I should say too much more Plenty,
you're still my thunder there, but yea, there's been a
lot of discussion around the recent use of this bat.
So for your listing audience final, I'll try to expand
the best.

Speaker 9 (01:58:15):
That I can.

Speaker 19 (01:58:16):
So it was first used last year by All Star
Yankee yon Carlos Stanton. He's renowned slagger and Major League Baseball.
So in October of last year when he first started
using it, his batting average for that month increased dramatically
when he had seven home runs of a boarding game span.
Then you fast forward to this season where the Yankee

(01:58:37):
batters they crushed fifteen home runs in their first three
games of the season using that particular bat. Now that's
an unprecedent. The strike graide Pony and then unders bear
the South. So there are currently forty one approved manufacturers
that supplied bats for the Major League Baseball. The bats
themselves have to meet strip measurement criteria as you alluded to,
and as long as they are within those parameters, you

(01:59:00):
can distribute the weight of the bat however you want. Now,
with that in mind, the creator of unconventional torpedo bat
as a retired physics professor Aaron Lennart, who at the
time was the New York Yankees front office staff but
is now employed by the Miami Marlins as a field coordinator.
The logic that Lenhard had was to redistribute the way

(01:59:20):
to the bat in intense, moving the so called sweet
spot to where the better strikes the ball most frequently,
which is about six or seven inches down from the
end of the bat.

Speaker 17 (01:59:30):
Now, I won't go any deeper.

Speaker 6 (01:59:31):
The matter would be.

Speaker 19 (01:59:31):
Here all day, Piney, but the torpio bet as well
within the rules that any player can use it, just
to know they're not all Major league basketball.

Speaker 17 (01:59:39):
Players choose to use that bat.

Speaker 19 (01:59:41):
But it's certainly a game changer. Personally, I think it's
a positive innovation for baseball because in region years, pitching
is dominated to the detriment of the game.

Speaker 2 (01:59:49):
Yeah, and crowds love big hits, which they're getting with
the torpedo bat.

Speaker 1 (01:59:53):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:59:53):
Absolutely So. We're still early on in the Major League
Baseball season, but that how are the standings panning out
in the American League.

Speaker 19 (01:59:59):
In the National League, yes, so in terms of early
season fixed pinet, it's a long regular season grind, as
you know, one hundred and six to two games before
the playoffs even begin.

Speaker 7 (02:00:08):
Now, I mean it's the real War of.

Speaker 19 (02:00:10):
Patrician for Major League Baseball in terms of the amount
of games they play and the teen that it's the
Commissioner's Trophy. At the conclusion of the board series, you'll
find as the deepest and healthiest roster they're currently The
teams that are off to a good start are the
defending champion LA Dodgers of course in the San Diego Padres,
and the Philadelphia Fills in the National League. In the

(02:00:31):
American League, the Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, and LA
Angels are leading the way. However, if you were to
compared both leagues, the National League is far superior to
the American League in terms of overall winning percentage. Case
in point keen of the fifteen teams in the National
League over five hundred, while in the American League only
six of the fifteen or five hundred or better.

Speaker 21 (02:00:52):
Big disparity there.

Speaker 2 (02:00:54):
Let's go to the NBA, then, where we find ourselves
near the end of the regular season eighty two game
regular season, about seventy seven seventy eight games for most
of these teams. Where are we with with those teams
that are likely to be playoff bound and those who
are making a late season run for it.

Speaker 19 (02:01:14):
In the NBA, there are only a handful of games
left before the postseason starts. In the Eastern Conference, it's
the Cleveland Cavaliers and the finny champion. Boston South is
basically ahead of everybody else here. However, in the top
heavy Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder, although they're one
of the younger teams in the league, they have the
best record, closely followed by the Easton Rockets, and the

(02:01:36):
next six teams following them are just s inf position
to try and to cure that all important home court
advantage in the opening rounds of the playoffs.

Speaker 2 (02:01:44):
What about for MVP discussion, leone's always as bigger discussion
as who's actually going to win the whole thing. Who
are the main names of the discussion for MVP.

Speaker 19 (02:01:54):
Yes, So this discussion or this narrative has been going
on for a while now. So there's much speculation around
us because as most people are aware, okay, see Thunderstone,
Shining Gilders, Alexander Everyone for them SGA, there's odds on
favorite win his first individual award, despite three time MVP
winner the Denver Nuggets Nikola Jokic putting up historical numbers

(02:02:17):
this year as old place for the greatest statistical season.

Speaker 17 (02:02:20):
Of the modern era.

Speaker 19 (02:02:22):
This season, the Jokers averaging a triple double and a
few games ago recorded an incredible sixty one to ten
and ten in a double overtime game in which ten
were lost. That's crazy numbers there, So if we relate
that to the NBA. An obvious example when we think
back is when Michael Jordan was playing in the NBA
during his tenure with the Chicago Bulls. Everyone knew he

(02:02:43):
was the best player in the league year in year out,
but was not a ward of the regular season MVP Award.

Speaker 7 (02:02:48):
Every year.

Speaker 19 (02:02:49):
Some of those had voted spelt like it was time
to give something out to the award, even though that
player was close to being but not only considered the
best player that season. Another very recent example was in
the NFL this past season. Previous two time MVP winner Jackson.
He's a quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens had much better

(02:03:10):
number than his previous MVP years, but the voters chose
to award the regular season MVP to Buffalo Bill's quarterback
Josh Allen, who had a breakout year. That was because
the voters were tired of Jackson. A fact. It was
someone else's turned to win the Cabinet award. Now in
a way that seems really unfair because the vote against
the mored of zebian player. It happens often more often

(02:03:31):
than we think, but I opened a way that shit.
Someone of them have paid the debate about the MVP
race in the NBA and the likely the outcome.

Speaker 2 (02:03:38):
It certainly does Leon. Thanks is always for your timely
on buzzby State Side with us regularly here on Weekend
Sports seven to three from.

Speaker 1 (02:03:47):
Breaking down the Hail Mary's and the very fail Weekend
Sports with Jason m News Talk NB.

Speaker 2 (02:03:55):
Four to three. That is our song Weekend Sport for today.
Thanks for listening and huge thanks to Anny McDonald legend
great guests this weekend. I forget all of our materials
available as a podcast. Just search for Weekend Sport wherever
he at your podcast time beverage After three songs to
take us out today. Well, Japanese Grand Prix only a
couple of hours away, turning Japanese Andy, how do you

(02:04:18):
feel about that?

Speaker 20 (02:04:19):
I don't know.

Speaker 2 (02:04:19):
I don't want to say anything or listen just look.

Speaker 15 (02:04:22):
The song.

Speaker 2 (02:04:25):
Seeing Tomorrow is on Sports Talk

Speaker 1 (02:04:35):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, Listen live
to News Talk said B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio

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