Full Show Podcast: 09 May 2026

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.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
The only place for.

Speaker 1 (00:15):
The big names, the big issues, the big controversies and
the big conversations. It's all on Weekend Sport with Jason
Vine on your home with Sport News Talks EDB.

Speaker 3 (00:28):
Yes, Hi, Kyodi, Good afternoon. Welcome into the Saturday edition
of Weekend Sport on News Talks EDB. It's the ninth
of May. Happy sixty seventh birthday to former New Zealand
batsman Andrew Jones. Pots of runs quite a unique technique
but a great bat for us. Happy birthday, Andrew Jones.
I'm Jason Pine. The show's put together and produced by

(00:49):
Andy McDonald. We are here till three talking sport with you.
Friday night suber Rugby, the Crusaders beat the Blues and
got their horses back. The Chiefs beat the Reds and
went back to the top of the table for the meantime.
Going to cover both of those games off for you
this afternoon and get your views. Damien McKenzie's on the
show but later on today. Another massive game of football

(01:09):
for Auckland FC tonight semi final first leg against Adelaide,
United Go Media Stadium, six pm kickoff. Auckland keeper Michael
Vaut is on the show. After two a penalty shootout
Hero a week ago. He won't have to worry about
that tonight. This is the first leg so effectively at

(01:30):
full time tonight it'll be halftime in the tie. They
go to Adelaide next Friday for the resumption and conclusion.
But well we'll get Michael Voud's thoughts about not the
penalty shootout, but how they're prepared for this one as well.
First up today, though New Zealand Rugby have a new CEO.
It's the man who's been doing it for the last
six months in an interim capacity, upgraded now to the

(01:52):
full time gig. Steve Lancaster, of course is the man.
He's with us shortly. Ken has always for your views
too on where Steve Lancaster should be focusing his attention,
because it's a wide brief, isn't it a very wide brief?
So Steve Lancaster long, very very soon. Lines of communication
always open for you on weekend sport oh eight hundred
and eighty ten eighty. We'll get you through on the

(02:12):
phone nine two nine two for your text messages, emails
to Jason at NEWSTALKSEB dot co dot Nz. Coming up
nine past midday.

Speaker 1 (02:21):
Analyzing the plays and getting the insight. Weekend Sport with
Jason Vine News TALKSB.

Speaker 3 (02:28):
New Zealand Rugby has ended its lengthy search for a
chief executive by appointing interim boss Steve Lancaster permanently to
the role. The former Crusaders locke and longtime rugby administrator
has spent the last six months steering New Zealand Rugby
through coaching upheaval, structural change and ongoing financial and player
retention challenges. Now with the interim tag gone, the focus

(02:52):
turns to his long term vision for the game in
New Zealand. Steve Lancaster is with us on Weekend Sports. Steve,
congratulations on the appointment. When did you first get the
indication that the board wanted you permanently in the role?

Speaker 4 (03:06):
It could all happen pretty quickly this week, to be honest.
We had a board meeting on Wednesday and at the
start of the board meeting the board dropped it on
me that they would like me to take on the
role permanently and we announced it the following day.

Speaker 2 (03:20):
Do.

Speaker 3 (03:20):
It would have been a fairly easy yes, presumably for you.

Speaker 5 (03:24):
Yes, it was.

Speaker 4 (03:25):
I didn't have to think about it very long, so
it wasn't a problem to be announcing the following day.

Speaker 3 (03:31):
You've had six months in the hot seat, if we
can call it that already. Did that period confirm for
you that this was a job you genuinely wanted long term?

Speaker 5 (03:42):
Yes?

Speaker 2 (03:42):
It did.

Speaker 4 (03:43):
I've really enjoyed the last six months, and I've I've
been pretty open about that with anyone that's asked. It's
just a huge privilege actually to sit in this seat,
and I felt like it's been an immense privilege for
the six months that I've had it, and I feel
really grateful that I know of the opportunity to keep
the seat warm for a bit longer.

Speaker 3 (04:03):
Well as we know, you know. Chair David Kirkis said
the board conducted a wide ranging search. What do you
think ultimately convinced them that you were the right person
for the job.

Speaker 4 (04:16):
I'm always loath to speak on behalf of the board
because that is really a question for David and the board,
but David has spoken quite openly about that over the
last forty eight hours and what he's been saying is
that the last six months have given the board the
opportunity to see me in the role, see how I operate,
and understand my capabilities, and thankfully they've been satisfied that

(04:40):
I offer what the role requires.

Speaker 3 (04:43):
What was your mindset during that time, because the interim
always just sat there at the front of your title.
Did you treat it though as a full time gig,
that this is my job interim or not. I'm the
chief executive at the moment, and that's how I'm going
to act day today.

Speaker 2 (04:58):
Yeah, I did.

Speaker 4 (04:59):
I very much took the mindset that I was in
the role. I didn't know how long it would be
in the role for, and I want to make the
most of it. As I say, great privilege, great opportunity,
and so I just was very much focused on turning
up every.

Speaker 5 (05:14):
Week, doing the best job that I could for.

Speaker 4 (05:16):
The business, for the game, and not focused on or
worried about the outcome. Quite frankly, I guess I do
a lot on my days as a player, and the
mindset that most players apply, which is your turn up
every week. You focus on the process and you let
the results take care of themselves, all right.

Speaker 3 (05:32):
So the interim's gone. You are the chief executive of
New Zealand Rugby. How would you assess the state of
the organization that you are now leading.

Speaker 4 (05:39):
Formally, we're in good shape right and this is something
I'm always glad to be asked, because if you believe
everything that you read, you would think that maybe we're not.
But actually we've got a really healthy financial position. We
have incredibly strong participations in base. We have over one
hundred and fifty thousand participants spread across four hundred and
seventy five plus clubs throughout the country. We've got all

(06:03):
our key appointments in place around our teams in Black
now Black fans have started really strongly this year, undefeated
and bringing him the pack four in the O'reiley Cup,
the All Blacks, you know, the management team getting into
their work and we're looking forward to that. So we're
in good shape.

Speaker 3 (06:19):
Can I ask you about the community game? You're deeply
invested obviously in that game. You came through the community
side of rugby. How much of your focus is going
to be on making sure that the grassroots game continues
to thrive, grows. You know, faces its problems head on
which are well documented how much your focus is going
to be on the community game.

Speaker 4 (06:39):
Yeah, it's going to be a big part of my focus,
but I guess I no longer have the luxury of
that being my sole focus either. What comes with this
role is the responsibility to be during that all parts
of the game get the appropriate amount of focus. But
the last eight nine years for me leading the community
game has given me really good insight into the state

(07:02):
of the game, the challenges, the opportunities, and I'll I've
also have been and continue to be involved in the
game at a community level as well, and that keeps
me really grounded and gives me a first hand insight
into the state of the game, the opportunities and challenges
that we face.

Speaker 3 (07:18):
How healthy is the community community games, Steven? Excuse met?
What are the biggest challenges facing it?

Speaker 5 (07:24):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (07:24):
Well it is still healthy, right, and that's important thing
to not lose sight of you. As I said, we
still we have over one hundred and fifty thousand participants.
We have a really strong network of clubs and really
strong school participation. But we do have some challenges and
we certainly don't hide from that. Junior participation is a
really big challenge for us. We've got some works to
address some of the perceptions, which are actually misperceptions about

(07:47):
the game at a junior level around risk of injury
and those types of things. Keeping young people, drawing young
people into the game and keeping them into the game
is an immense challenge for us. At the other end
of the spectrum, senior rugby and senior club rugby, when
players leave school and making choices about the rest of

(08:07):
their life, we want rugby and continue to participate in
rugby to be a valid choice and something that they
see is adding value in their lives and declining volunteerism.
The increasing challenges on people's disposable time and income certainly
make that hard. But again, we're not putting our heads
in the sand, but we feel we're well positioned to take.

Speaker 3 (08:27):
On some of these challenges as far as the best
young players are concerned. Let's say teenage players. Do you
feel you're in a battle with Rugby League to attract
and retain our best young emerging talent.

Speaker 4 (08:42):
No, we don't, and look, we're very focused on ourselves
and what we're doing here, but the reality is that
there's an immense amount of raw talent in New Zealand
that is coming through the school system through a multitude
of sports, and we're a late specialization sport. We make
no bones about that. So we encourage kids to play
as many sports as possible right up through their teenage years.

(09:05):
And we're very astonishing that our system is attractive and
compelling and there's a clear line of site to fulfilling
their ambitions and dreams when they do leave school. But
we don't look across defense at other sports. Were very
much focused on what we do.

Speaker 3 (09:18):
Let's go to the elite level and the retention of
your very top players, it remains an issue. Do you
believe you need to change the model around you know, okay,
let's put it on the table that you don't have
to play super rugby to play for the All Blacks.
Do you believe that you will have to evolve that
model too, you know, to fend off the huge money

(09:40):
that's coming in for maybe not our top All Black Steve,
but the ones who sit just below them in terms
of the money that's been offered to them.

Speaker 4 (09:48):
First part of your question was around the player movement
or saw being an issue, and look it as an issue.
It's something that we constantly contend with. But it's not
a new issue, right, It's just factive life and professional
sport that players get to a point in their career
where they either want to experience a new culture, or
a new new competent or a new environment, and they
have the opportunity to earn a significant amount of money

(10:10):
in doing that. So that's just the fact of life
in our sport, not something that's ever going to stop
or change. In terms of our approach to eligibility, we're
very clear and have a strong amount of belief in
our policy for selection to the All Blacks, which is
we want our best talent in New Zealand playing in
our competitions are visible and accessible to our rugby public

(10:34):
and we believe that that provides the strongest space of
so much to field a competitive and winning All Blacks teams.
So no, we're not contemplating any changes to that policy.
We continually look at it, we continually scan the horizon
and the context, but it continues to bring us back
to the fact that the policy that we have is
fit for purpose and it works for us. And interestingly,

(10:54):
if you look around the world, number of the other
leading rugby nations now are actually tysoning their own eligibility
policies so that there is less scope for plays to
be selected from offshore international teams.

Speaker 3 (11:06):
Can I ask you about a specific case of player
eligibility and that's Richie Moonger. He's coming home this year
and under the current rules, he'll have to play NPC
before he can be selected to play for the All Blacks,
so that, as things currently stand, would rule him out
from selection for the upcoming Rugby's Greatest rivalry tour of

(11:28):
South Africa.

Speaker 5 (11:29):
That's right?

Speaker 3 (11:30):
Was the board asked and did you discuss relaxing that
rule and allowing him to be selected for the South
African Tour without playing in PC.

Speaker 4 (11:39):
Yeah, so we have not asked the Board to do that,
but we have had a conversation about it and using
Richie as an example because it's timely and topical. But again,
this is something we regularly do revisit with the board, right,
It's a really relevant thing for our board as governors
of the game, to regularly consider and reflect on. But no,

(11:59):
we haven't asked the Board to relax that policy around Richie.
As I say, we think the policy works for us.
It keeps our best players in new Zealand playing in
our competitions, and I think you've also got to think
about other players that are in the system, right So
we've got especially we've got some great players in the
same position, world class players, and a number of those
have committed to stay in New Zealand and play in

(12:21):
New zeal on the basis of the policy. So we've
just got to think about the implications of the policy.

Speaker 5 (12:27):
And a relaction in the policy.

Speaker 3 (12:28):
At any point in time, has Dave Renie asked you
to relax the policy and Richie's case.

Speaker 4 (12:33):
Now, he hasn't asked us to. We've had a lot
of live conversations with Dave over the last month about
the eligibility policy. We've certainly talked about Richie and days
very clear he would like Richie to be available for
selection right because his job is to ultimately to win
the World Cup next year and he wants the best
talent available to the All Blacks. And that's a really
healthy tension for us to have right where we've got

(12:53):
a coach who rightly has a focus on winning today
and tomorrow, and then we've got ourselves as the administrators
of the game, who have to have a systems lens
in a medium to long term lens on what's best
for the game. It's a healthy tension. They're very healthy
debates that we have been having with David will continue
to have, and I think it would be that be

(13:14):
a symptom of things not being right if we weren't
having those discussions.

Speaker 3 (13:17):
And they're only your rules, aren't they There are only
New Zealand rugby rules, so you can work within them.
For example. And I don't want to ask too many
more questions about Richie Moong specifically, but if he played
a couple of games of NPC, could he then join
that tour?

Speaker 4 (13:30):
Yeah, potentially he could because the policy is really clear
around players playing in New Zealand having played in the
preceding competition to be abilable for selection. So, as I said,
the Board have considered and confirmed the policy stands as
it is, which we're very comfortable with. And that means
that Richie will not be named in the initial squads

(13:52):
for either the July Series or Rugby's Greatest Rivalry. But
once rich is back in New Zealand and playing, and
if we do have injuries, then potentially he could be eligible.
And again we've seen examples of that in recent years.
I think lester Fone Andnooker would be the most recent
unple when he returned from France and was selected out
of Tasman to join the All Blacks mid campaign due

(14:13):
to injuries.

Speaker 3 (14:14):
Good to get that clarity, thanks Steve. Will there be
an Anzac Bleed Usload Cup test next year and potentially
moving forward?

Speaker 4 (14:22):
Yeah, I can't. I can't give you an answers to
that right now, but what I can confirm is that
it is on the table. It's something we are discussing
with Rugby Australia and we're open to it, you know,
we see the merits in it, right but there are
a lot of considerations that we have to work through
in order to confirm that that will happen. Now we

(14:43):
have to think about the implications for Super Rugby, left
to think about implications for the All Blacks and for players,
and they're financial and commercial considerations as well. So that's
that's a conversation that we're having right now, both with
Rugby Australia and with our other stakeholders, and it's a
possibility we'd be in a position to give a firm

(15:03):
answer on that, probably with it of the coming weeks
to months, And.

Speaker 3 (15:08):
Can I ask you about the commercial side of this role, Steve.
I mean, we know you're you know, you're played to
a very high level. We played Super Rugby, deeply invested
in the community game. That's been your role over the
last little while. Have you had to upskill yourself, you know,
to sit across the table from big sponsors, multimillion dollar
sponsorship contracts with the All Blacks and such like. Is

(15:29):
that something that you know that I guess I don't
want to call it a work on necessarily, but is
that an upskilling area for you?

Speaker 4 (15:36):
Well, yeah, it is in some ways and in other
ways it isn't. I mean, I've been on the executive
team at ins Rugby now since twenty twenty, so I've
been exposed to and involved in a lot of those
conversations over that time and in other executive roles that
I've had in sport over previous years. But I'm the
first to admit that my depth of experience and knowledge

(15:57):
in that space isn't as great as it is in
the game itself. But we have a really strong and
capable team here at insied I. We've just appointed a
new chief communcial officer and Chris who brings incredible capability
to the role and to the organization. And I kind
of liken this role to a bit like the captain's
role on the rugby team, right, Like the captain isn't

(16:17):
a positional expert in every position on the field, but
he has to understand enough about all the different positions
on the field to get the best out of the team.
And that's how I'm approaching this role as well.

Speaker 3 (16:28):
It's a good analogy. Just to finish. This role, as
you know, comes with huge scrutiny. How prepared are you
personally for the pressure that comes with being CEO of
New Zealand Rugby.

Speaker 4 (16:40):
I feel like I'm well prepared for it, right I'm
I'm fully cognizant of the responsibility that comes with the role,
the expectations this country has on the game. But I
think I've also got a good enough perspective, having been
in the game for long and time to understand it.
Even when people have different views to us, or different
views to me, it comes from a place of here,
and again, I think we should be worried when people

(17:02):
stop caring enough to have opinions about the game. So
I always bring that perspect regardless of what someone's viewers.
They're only offering it and thinking of because they're care
enough to do so.

Speaker 3 (17:13):
Yep, it's not a bad approach. Steve, congratulations again on
getting the role full time. I appreciate your time today,
look forward to staying in that constant touch over the
time ahead of course.

Speaker 5 (17:23):
Thanks maiming, no, thank.

Speaker 3 (17:24):
You, Steve. Steve Lancaster no longer interim CEO of New
Zealand Rugby. He is CEO of New Zealand Rugby twelve
twenty four. Lines open plenty to pick up on there
our eight hundred and eighty ten eighty anything you want
to pass. Comments on the Richie Moonger comments absolutely caught
my ear and amongst all that probably yours as well.

(17:44):
More on that in a sec. Just an observation on
that interview and the other media that I've seen and
heard Steve Lancaster do this week since he was given
the job full time. He communicates well. He's positive in
his outlook, clear and concise in his answers, which don't
go on for too long. He's an advocate for the game,

(18:07):
the game he's now overseeing. Keen to dampen down anything
with which he thinks is unfair criticism keen to advocate
for his game. Oh, eight hundred and eighty ten eighty.
I think that was the first chance I've had to
chat to Steve Lancaster as full time CEO with chatted
during his time as interim CEO. But yeah, I think

(18:29):
he comes across well, I think that's a you know,
a big part of it. You have to be able
to communicate in this role to all sorts of different people.
So I tick there for Steve Lancaster. The Richie mcwonga
issue here. Richie mcwoga will not play for the All
Blacks until he plays NPC. That was the rule when
he resigned, but I think there was a school of

(18:51):
thought that an exemption would be granted that he'd come back,
and the All Blacks have put a bit of pressure
on New Zealand Rugby's executive to go to the board
and seek an exemption for Richie Morgan to say, hey,
come on, guys, he doesn't have to play MPC. We
want to take him to South Africa for this massive tour,
so how about it. Well, that will not be happening.

(19:15):
Unequivocal from Steve Lancaster there that won't be happening. NPC
starts on the thirtieth of July. The first game of
the South African tour is a week later, so that
the team to tour will clearly be named well in advance.
We've got the July Internationals, so the name of squad
for that. He was never really going to be in
the mix for those, but I think, as I say,

(19:36):
there was a school of thought that he would be
given that exemption and be able to join the team
on that tour of South Africa. That won't be happening.
He could in the case of injury, and that may
well happen, and it doesn't have to be an injury
to another first five. If they pick up an injury,
he could be flying across. But the board have made
their position clear and the executive led by Steve Lancaster,

(20:02):
have clearly not even taken it to the board. You
heard him say that the board have made their stants
clear on this. Dave Rennie is keen for Richie to
be available, of course he is. He wants to win
test matches, he wants the best players available to him.
But New Zealand Rugby have been steadfast in their policy
around eligibility and this specific case, it's the right decision.

(20:26):
It's the right decision for two reasons. It's a position
of strength. We have a number of options at first
five and two. It doesn't set a precedent if they
do it, because how would those other guys Boden Barrett,
Damien Mackenzie, Reuben Love and anybody else who's got designs
on a black jersey with a ten on the back

(20:49):
feel if not only you know, had someone just signed
for a very short period of time, which is effectively
what fifteen sixteen months? I think it's an eighteen month contract,
comes in, doesn't have to play MPC, go straight into
the All Blacks and then has designs on the World Cup.
Richie mu Wonga will have plenty of time to push
his case for the Rugby World Cup. He'll be available

(21:09):
for the Bledisloe Cup tests in October because he would
have played the MPC by then. He may well go
to South Africa because that's a long tour and guys
get injured, so he may well turn up there once
he's played some MPC, which like I say, starts on
July thirty, so he'll play MPC presumably that week, so
he ticks that box and then he will be available.

(21:31):
But this is the right decision and it's it's good
firm leadership. I think from New Zealand rugby, as I say,
Dave Rennie would be fairly convincing. I'd imagine and what
he wanted, but they said, nope, that's the rule and
we're sticking to it. Twelve twenty eight oh eight hundred
and eighty ten eighty Simon High.

Speaker 5 (21:50):
Yeah, good Fannie and I'm a good interview with Steve
Winks for thanks. I'm just saying it's quite ironically how
they expect the players that have to play in New Zealand,
but the coaches the supposed to go over sea to
get experienced.

Speaker 3 (22:02):
Yeah, I guess there's only so many jobs at the
very top level for the coach, which is Simon would
be what they would say in response. Look, I to
take your point, but yeah, does a player become absolutely
become a better player going overseas? I think some of
them do. I think, yeah, we look, I look at
Jordie for example, that was a sabbatical that's different. I
think he's come back a better player. I hope Richie

(22:23):
Morgan comes back a better play. He was bloody good anyway.
I hope he coomes back a better player. I do
take your point, but I guess what what they're saying is,
in order to lead the All Blacks, you do need
to get that international experience. And I think Scott Robertson
was probably a cursorytail there.

Speaker 5 (22:37):
You know, But I think they want to keep the
players at home because the you know that they want
they want public to go and watch the games. But
but but Steve Likester didn't really address how they're going
to stop losing money. Because the losing money for we
will now, haven't they?

Speaker 3 (22:55):
Yeah, they yeah, they have, and and you know, there's
a couple of ways to address that. One is to
cut costs and one is to make more. And I
think there's still some revenue to be driven out of
the All Blacks in particular, you know, as you I mean,
the broadcast deal we know was reduced this time around.
But you know, he's got no, he's got some issues.
You're right, but I'm not I'm not certain that letting
All Blacks go and play overseas would would help the

(23:18):
balance sheet. In fact, I think it would probably be
to the detriment of the balance sheet, because I think
Super Rugby would suffer as a result.

Speaker 5 (23:25):
You know what, They use it with sybellicle, which I hate.
But I think once you play fifty test maators, I
think you're vent.

Speaker 6 (23:30):
You're right.

Speaker 3 (23:31):
Hey, it's the ghetto rule, isn't it? It's the ghetto rule?
And who simon? Who knows? You know that it's a
fluid and fast moving landscape, this one, and it's a
it's a conversation topic that comes up often, and I
hope we continue to talk about it. At the moment
there they're very, very unequivocal. There's no gray area, there's
no fifty test rule, nothing like that. You play super

(23:54):
Rugby if you want to play for the All Blacks.
And in the case of people returning as Richie Moringer,
Moringer is you have to play rugby here. Super Rugby
is finished. You have to play in PC before you
play for your Blacks. Good on you assignment. Good to
chat to eight hundred eighty ten eighty twenty nine away
from one speed line if you want to jump aboard
heaps coming through on text. But if you want to

(24:15):
get your point of cross we'd love to chat to you.
Oh eight hundred eighty ten eighty back in a secon
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Speaker 1 (25:12):
If it matters in sports, it matters here. Weekend Sport
with Jason Paine, News Talks that Be.

Speaker 3 (25:19):
It's coming up twenty five to one talking well, talking
Richie Wonga, talking Steve Lancaster, talking rugby issues.

Speaker 7 (25:26):
Hello, Mark, Hello mate, You just wanted to say that
was awesome. Mandavie seems very switched on Steve givenly seems
like somebody said they see under the disc a lot
longer than a week, and it's good to see that
he's going to carry on. And I did like his

(25:47):
points about the eligibility, where you know, the rules are
the rules, and there's players that are here that would
the head to that that you know you've got to
respect as well. You can't have these superstars going off
and one and back in because what we're seeing there

(26:10):
exactly is in cricket and it's not working. Is that.
I mean we're fielding B sides even in Will Cup competitions.
All the other players who are playing the IPL expensive
contracts come and go and say please, So no, I

(26:30):
hope they keep the rules the same and if you
want to be an All Black you must play here
in the country.

Speaker 3 (26:36):
Yep, And that's obviously the rule that they're sticking by. Mark.
Just on the cricket I think, you know, for the
upcoming Test tour, for example, I think they're all back
the tour of the recent tour of Bangladesh. I think
you can probably you know, chalk off as a bit
of an almost meaningless bilateral series. But I take your point.
I think cricket have found it. Yeah, I think cricket

(26:58):
found a middle ground. Though Mark they found a middle
ground in that they they say, right, go and make
your money in the franchise windows, but if you're contracted
to us, you be available for us during the home
summer and other test windows. And I think most of
them have found the happy medium. There are guys who
are only ever going to play T twenty, like Finale
and Tim Seifert, and they've started picking them for World
Cups even though they're not contracted. But I think cricket

(27:20):
found a happy medium. It's slightly different from rugby in
that there are these different formats and a lot more
money to be made by shopping yourself around, but it's
a similar it's a similar conversation and eligibility is going
to be top of mind for a lot of sports.
I mean netball's gone through it too, with Silver Ferns
now playing in Australia. What has that done to our
domestic comp and things like that you confident?

Speaker 7 (27:43):
Is wow, pretty lackluster to be fair. So we needed
to get into these Australian competitions just like a football tonight,
and just like the Worriors had to, you know, which
is great for that game. But these guys going off
and paying in Japan for a car company for three

(28:05):
years or five minute grand and then extinctally we come
back and walks straight back in Black Jersey, Well those days,
those days should be gone. Yeah, you makes your beat
in your Lioness.

Speaker 3 (28:18):
Good call, Mark, And that's exactly what Richie Moonger is
going to do. He knew that he knew the rules
when he went away, and look, I don't know this
to be true, but I would be almost certain that
Richie mo Wonga wouldn't want the rules bent for him,
He wouldn't want exceptions made for him. He as you said,
Mark knew the score when he left. When he left,
he knew that if he was going to come back

(28:40):
and play for the All Blacks again, he would have
to play a period of either Super Rugby or in
PC Rugby before he was eligible for the All Blacks.
And the way the Japanese season works, it overlaps Super
rugby as we know, so there was no opportunity for
Richie Moonger to play Super rugby this year. Therefore, his
next available domestic rugby is in PC and the timing

(29:01):
of the South African tour means that he cannot go
on that tour, not initially anyway, he can not be
selected for that tour. As I said at the you
know a little while ago, there was a school of
thought that they would make an exemption. They're their own rules.
They can make an exemption if they want to. If
Dave Rennie, you know, petitions which he has the executive

(29:21):
team to go to the board and ask them for
an exemption that you know that is well within the
framework of what we're talking about here. But clearly that
discussion has been had between Dave Rennie and Steve Lancaster,
probably probably the two of them, and Steve Lancaster said, long,
we're not going to do that. We're not going to
take it to the board. The board have made their
have made their their view clear on this. Sorry, Dave,

(29:44):
You're not going to get Richie until he's played MPC,
which means bleed us Low Cup probably at the earliest.
Unless there is an injury, Mark, I appreciate you cool,
Thanks very much, Peter.

Speaker 8 (29:55):
Hi ah Hi, So who's probably said that, Josh Jacob.

Speaker 3 (30:02):
I think Reuben Love's probably third. I think Boden Barrett,
Damien McKenzie, Ruben Love would be the three.

Speaker 8 (30:08):
Well, they'll run Love as a reserve for the fallback
or something anyway, won't they.

Speaker 3 (30:14):
I would have thought, I would have thought, Peter, that
they would give Ruben Love a run in some of
the games before the Test matches. They played the you know,
the old supersides over there. I mean, they know what
what Bowden can do, they know what Damien can do.
I'd be astounded if they didn't give Ruben Love a
game or two before the Test matches, just to say, hey,
could he if we select him? Were the number ten
Jersey in a Test match for the All Blacks.

Speaker 8 (30:36):
So one of them, as Richie wish to be, had
to come early, would wouldn't be there, you know what
I mean. They normally only call two first spice for
the verse, don't they.

Speaker 3 (30:51):
Yeah, they'll take a big squad to South Africa, Peter,
because of the you know, the riggers of the tour,
the Test matches and the other games I think they're
talking about Yeah, they're talking about a forty man squad
for that tour. Yeah, forty two. Yeah, we'll take it.
But you and I might be in contention, Peter, we
might get a call up. Yeah, No, it's going to
be a big squad. But look, I think they'll take it. Well,

(31:14):
I would. I'd be astonished if they didn't take Boden
bar At, Damien Mackenzie and Rubin Love as three first fives.
We know Reuben can play fallback. We know body can
play full back. We no, Damien can play fallback. They're playmakers.
And if yeah, if there's an injury, Look, if there's
an injury, and even if it's an injury to a
front rower, I reckon I'll probably take the chance to
get Richie over there and may maybe give him a
test at the end. I don't know that that might

(31:34):
be in their thinking. They they have Shannon Shannon Frazell and.

Speaker 8 (31:40):
He come back at the same time, and it's the
same criteria.

Speaker 3 (31:43):
Yeah, hey'd have the same criteria. I'm not sure when
Shannon Frazzell is due back. There hasn't been quite as
much There haven't been quite as much sort of chat
around about that, but he knowing that.

Speaker 8 (31:54):
A blind side for the last ten.

Speaker 3 (31:56):
Years been trying to replace their own kind or for
as long as we can remember. Peter, Yeah, I will
check on that with Shannon, but he would he'd be
exactly and exactly the same vote if he was coming back,
he would have to play n PC before he could
play test rugby. See the reason this is a thing
is because it's because of this tour and how big
it is and how big it's been built up to be,

(32:19):
which it is, you know, a four test tour against
South Africa. You know, in that sort of July August window.
Normally we have the July Internationals, then there's a webreak
and then we're into sort of rugby championship stuff. Aren't
we different this year? So the timing as far as
Richie Moronger is concerned, just doesn't work because NPC doesn't
start until that team's gone. Someone's meantion saying here he

(32:43):
could play the first game of they could name him,
says Steve, subject to playing the NPC game the week before. Again,
I think you pick your team of from eligible players,
and Steve Lancaster has made it quite clear in that
interview that Richie Moonger is ineligible for the All Blacks

(33:04):
until he plays NPC eligible for selection. Yeah, I know
we can talk, you know, dates and stuff, and yes
you could pick him. Hey, play your game of MPC,
then hop on a plan and come and join us.
But it kind of it feels like it's getting around
the rules rather than adhering to them, which I think
you know is the right thing to do in this situation.
Seventeen to one News Talks, there be spear line to

(33:26):
jump aboard. We'll talk rugby toll one back after this.

Speaker 1 (33:28):
From Grassroots to the Grandstand, Weekend Sport with Jason Plain,
News talksv.

Speaker 3 (33:34):
News Talks ab and Weekend Sport fourteen away from One
spare line which there hasn't been this house if you
want to jump aboard and past comments on on the
eligibility conversation or anything you heard from Steve Lancaster. There
another thing people have picked up on text and I'll
read a couple of these. Hout is my question to
him about rugby league. And there has been a school
of thought for quite some time, both philosophical and anecdotal,

(33:58):
that rugby is in a battle with rugby league for
our best young talent. And I asked that, and if
you missed it, he basically said, we are not looking
over the fence, are looking after our own, our own garden.
I guess you'd say he didn't say that, but you
know what I mean that they don't see themselves in

(34:20):
a battle necessarily. What their battle is to is to
attract young players to rugby and retain them while they're there.
There have been a couple of texts come through on
that note. Here's one from Neck. It says just one
thing that stood out to me, The comment that they're
categorically not worried about league poaching players is a bit

(34:41):
of a concern to me. I'm heavily involved in grassroots
rugby at high school level in a major city, and
over the last six weeks, representatives from the Sydney Roosters,
Melbourne Storm, Saint George, Illawarra Dragons, Paramatta Eels, Canniby Bulldogs
and Gold Coast Titans have all been spotted at high
school and first fifteen games in our area. So that's

(35:04):
genuinely not a concern to them. I find that a
bit surprising interesting. I think I think the way that
Steve Lancaster worded it. He kind of I don't think
he completely rejected the idea that rugby League was coming
and looking at our best young athletes. I think he
kind of flipped the answer a little bit to say, well,

(35:24):
we'll focus on what we can control. Another one here
from Kerry. I'd love to hear some discussion on the
future of rugby given the dwindling pool of kids coming
through at high school level. My son is in the
first fifteen of a Super eight school. I can tell
you the biggest risk to rugby is that the pool
of schoolboy talent is vanishing. To rugby league, they need

(35:45):
to make it a better product for boys coming through
or the feeder for Super Rugby much less. The All
Blacks is in trouble. The depth is nothing like what
it used to be, and that will start showing up
in the next few years. Thanks very much indeed for that.
Just sort of hauling through or trawling through a couple
of these texts here, which are coming through a lot

(36:07):
of thought into these texts, a lot of thought. Another
one here from Tony, quite concerning that Steve is quite
dismissive of the challenge that rugby faces from other codes.
Focusing on internal processes alone is not going to address
the issues that rugby is faced with at grassroots and
player eligibility level in the current rugby competition structure. Look,

(36:29):
I think, I think you know that this conversation will
carry on. The conversation about about the battle for the
hearts and the minds of our young players, both male
and female. Rugby league is turning heads. There is absolutely
no doubt about that. There's not a lot that rugby

(36:50):
can do about that in it in and of itself,
what they can do, and I think what Steve Lancaster
was driving at is make rugby an attractive proposition for
young men and women as they are coming through and
have a few options, the very top ones they do
have options. This happens in Australia as well, Australian Rules,

(37:13):
NRL rugby union football. You know, you know what it's
like a lot of kids growing up are good at
a bunch of stuff and at some point they have
to decide which one. If they want to become a
professional sports person, they have to decide which one of
those is the path that they will take. Rugby just
has to make their path attractive.

Speaker 9 (37:35):
And I think.

Speaker 3 (37:36):
I mean, it can often be used as a punching
bag rugby. You know, we only have to talk about
rugby on the show and criticism starts to flow in.
Rugby is doing a lot of things right, but that
doesn't mean that they don't have to have a look
at where they could be better in certain areas. I
fully believe the battle for our best talent is real,

(37:59):
and whether it's something that is rugby versus league or
just looking after your own patch better, then it has
to be. I mean, I would be astonished if those
that the Warriors weren't either consciously or subconsciously trying to
attract the best players in the Auckland region to league
rather than rugby. I'd be astonished if that wasn't the case,

(38:22):
and rugby should really be doing the same. Night Away
from One News Talks EDB.

Speaker 1 (38:27):
The big Names and the big calls on your home
of Sport Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, News Talks.

Speaker 3 (38:35):
NB coming up six to one good, I dave.

Speaker 10 (38:38):
Yeah for a short time, mate, must have been going
on for a few years, going even right to the
old NURL days in the late eighties. We've always said
this problem but one thing that they overlook is touch rugby.
Was that's mainly league driven and in a lot of
scouts around the touch rugby too in the schools been
picking the players in the night, bringcome contracts with in

(39:01):
ourl clubs.

Speaker 3 (39:03):
Do you reckon rugby? Scouts are at touch as.

Speaker 10 (39:05):
Well, ah within the schools and a run both seeing
in a few years as have been able to arend
at the first hitting they're in also touch rugby, Yeah,
they do because touch is normally the touch competitions and
the ones that have the money like Peter Walter's Galaxy
and all those guys if he's still around, normally driven

(39:27):
by the club, and most of the touches re base
if you know what I mean. It's much more that
are quite successful both run by rugby. But and the
scouts are there and looking and they get that, you
know with the young guys, you know.

Speaker 3 (39:45):
Yeah, and touch is very similar the league, isn't it
without the context? You know, it's you know six again
kind of thing, you know, And and you can see why,
you know, a scout would turn up and if for
you know, certainly for now for someone who's perhaps a
back rather than a rather than the middle yeah, I'm
sure there are. There are riches to be had and
to be seen on a touch.

Speaker 10 (40:04):
Field, and then you got to see the soon so
Mayby's got a better and they go. I was surprisingly
in gess that said that. The other thing I think
that was bad that they should promte I know it's
more media is.

Speaker 5 (40:16):
When they talk away the.

Speaker 10 (40:18):
First of theme games being played live on TV, and
that attracted people.

Speaker 3 (40:23):
Yeah, that's that's actually a conversation I had with somebody
the other day, Dave, and I was going to have
that conversation on the air. Actually, you've prompted me, you've
reminded me, and it actually it's thanks for your car.
By the way, it relates to school sport in general too.
Basketball a lot of a lot of schools are deciding
that their games at tournaments and such like are not

(40:45):
going to be streamed, so schools can opt out of streaming.
And if I use basketball as an example, there are
schools who, if they go to a national tournament, specify
that their games are not to be streamed. So if
your school is playing against their school and the parents
and you know, friends and that of your team want

(41:05):
to watch the game, you can aren't because the other
team has said no, we're not Our games are not
to be streamed. It's so, I mean, the rationale is
they don't want to put too much pressure on young athletes,
but it does have a flow on effect. Dave, good
to chat to you, mate. Thanks for all your calls
and your feedback on Steve Lancaster. We'll chat with them
often across the year and through his tenure Real Rugby though.

(41:29):
On the field, Rugby after one the Crusaders.

Speaker 1 (41:33):
The only place to discuss the biggest sports issues on
a head.

Speaker 3 (41:38):
Off the field, We've got to score.

Speaker 1 (41:41):
It's all on Weekend Sports with Jason Vine on your
home of Sports News Talks.

Speaker 3 (41:46):
Me Hi there, Welcome into the show. Welcome back to
the show one O seven. This is Weekend Sport until three.
I'm Jason Pine. Andy McDonald is running the show. We're
going to talk football after two. Michael VABs on the
show penalty shootout hero or one of them. Last week
for Auckland FC, they got them into a home and
away semi final against Adelaide United. The home leg is

(42:08):
this evening at six, had go media. Michael Vaut after
two on that. Damon McKenzie's on the show today as
well a couple of texts to mop up from our
discussion last hour. Piney Steve was right on the button.
This is Steve Lancaster, says Rob. They can't be looking
over their shoulder worrying about other sports. First priority is
our game and adding to player registration, young ones in particular.

(42:30):
It always amuses me, says Rob, when these discussions come up.
Our league friends are quick to jump on board, telling
Rugby they should be very worried. We've been hearing this
longer than I can remember. Thanks, Rob, appreciate it. And
a similar text to the people who were concerned that
Steve didn't acknowledge that it was an issue. The bottom
line is you can only control what you can control.
He can't control the league scouts coming over to look

(42:52):
at rugby games, but he can control what goes on
in his own backyard. And that's pretty much exactly what
he said. Just one final thought before we move on
the texts. Whenever we interview a CEO, it is very rare,
in fact, I think just about unheard of that we
get positive texts about them. I mean it's we're a

(43:14):
pretty tough crowd, aren't we. When it comes to the
people right at the top of our sports. But a
lot of positive feedback on Steve Lancaster, which I think
is very encouraging. I guess we'll see how he goes
now that the interim has been removed from his role.
But really he's been doing the job for a while anyway,
hasn't he. Let's get you under the roof In christ Church.

(43:35):
The Crusaders have dominated the back half of their second
Super Rugby match at one New Zealand Stadium at Taka
in christ Church to beat the Blues thirty six twenty.
George Bauer scored his very first Crusaders tried in his
one hundredth match. They go quick head our little seat
please played. Dorge Power. He's done it.

Speaker 11 (43:56):
He's done it in game one hundreds tried for the Crusaders,
a training ground move for power. Unbelievable five grade tick
tick George power, all power.

Speaker 3 (44:09):
Love it from Nick Billy and the team down there.
George Bauer grabbing the first of the crusaders six tries.
Four of those came in the second half. Crusader's assistant
coach Dan Perrin is with us, I congrets on the windown,
but I want to go straight to George Bauer's try.
How much planning went into that set peace move and
how satisfying was it to you know, to see it

(44:30):
come off so perfectly.

Speaker 6 (44:32):
Yeah, it was.

Speaker 9 (44:33):
It took away while and see we line out leaders
Jamie Hannah, Antonio Shelf and himself met last Sunday and
he sort of come up with a bit of a
plan and saw had good would be to get Geo
a try on his hundreds, because we knew he hadn't
had one. So yeah, we pulled a couple of moves
out of the vault and had a look at them
and just he edited them to suit Geo getting that ball,

(44:53):
and then yeah, just driving.

Speaker 6 (44:55):
The details throughout the week. It was important that.

Speaker 9 (44:57):
Our front lifters stayed strong and didn't get smacked back
so that Lester didn't trip up, and Christian Leo Willie
did a great job on the short side making sure
that no defenders got off the mall and gave to
a free runner the line. But he's had a bit
of work to the big man, he's got quick feet
on him and to get the ball placement down with
a left arm as well as like you'd scored one
hundred of them, so you know, but when ended up planning.

Speaker 6 (45:20):
But yeah, really stoked for Geo.

Speaker 9 (45:23):
He's a massive part of our group here, and yeah
we'll just read that we could get him over the line.
But line out leaders, you know, they can take a
lot of credit for that one.

Speaker 3 (45:32):
Yeah, so good and joy among the players, and then
they fleshed up into the coaching box. It seemed like
there was more joy up there than at any point
during the game. Even when the final whistle went. There
was obvious delight that you finally got him across for one.

Speaker 9 (45:46):
Yeah, I got out of my seat and after camera
captured that one, but I was I was no good
for five minutes after that as a lot we won
the bloody championship. But yeah, Pens and Vay, I think
the whole coaching group you got up out of their
seats and enjoyed that one. So special players don't come
off that often these days. Teams you know with their
analysis and you know how good they are around defense.

(46:07):
So for one to come off for a special man
like Joe where a rat from Yeah.

Speaker 3 (46:11):
Great moment and the perfect start to a good performance
from the side, how happy Having given it? The overnight
test were you with the way your team played last night.

Speaker 6 (46:20):
Yeah, there were parts.

Speaker 9 (46:21):
Of the game we were really impressed with. You know,
we controlled the territory battle in that first half.

Speaker 6 (46:27):
I think we had nine.

Speaker 9 (46:28):
Entries into the twenty two, but weren't really capitalizing. But
we were really confident that, you know, with that game
plan that we had, just to keep trusting it, keep
backing it. We're taking a lot of gas out of
their legs in that first half, so just probably wentn't
quite accurate enough and executing our skill set in a
few other parts. But we kept applying the pressure in
the second half and then the territory game, will the

(46:50):
backs put us in the right area of the field
and we've got to mall going and we're able to
shift a point of attack on the Blues. And yeah,
for most parts that were pretty happy. But the exciting
thing for our group is so much more to get
better at, and you know there'll be the area we'll
focus on we get back from our.

Speaker 3 (47:06):
Boy least a fighting Onnok starts the game at seven
moves into midfield. When you lose Dallas McLeod. He beat
more defenders, won more turnovers, made more offloads and more
tackles than anybody else in your team. He also had
two tri assists, including a little grubbacact for Seavie Reese's try.
Did you know he could play the hybrid role in
this incredible fashion for you?

Speaker 9 (47:29):
We knew he had done it over and too long
when he was there finished the back end of games there.

Speaker 6 (47:35):
We've spoken about it in the preseason.

Speaker 9 (47:37):
He actually played thirty minutes against the Blues in a
preseason game there. We've been planning it as a coaching
group for most of the year, but never really.

Speaker 6 (47:47):
Had the opportunity.

Speaker 9 (47:48):
Actually is quite a big effect on your makeup or
your squad and your balance and your bench, and he
couldn't jump in the line out, but we've managed to
get that happening to it. There were just a few
things around our line out, but once we got our
head round out and then made it work, and you
just got to have him on the field, and you've
got to have him as close to the action as possible, because,

(48:08):
as you've mentioned, when he's there, he is some sort
of footy player and.

Speaker 6 (48:12):
In some sort of form at the moment.

Speaker 9 (48:14):
It's impressive to watch and I think it's impressive for
the game as well. It's changing the game and yeah,
that's got to be a good thing. It's gaining a
lot of interest in a lot of commentary, so we're
rapped for Leicester.

Speaker 3 (48:26):
Do you feel as though it's something Dwan he could
do at test level?

Speaker 6 (48:30):
I do now, yep, one hundred percent.

Speaker 12 (48:32):
I do.

Speaker 9 (48:32):
I think you've just got to get a skill set
in the action and whether he's at seven or at
thirty or a hybrid on the bench that can come
in and open up a game in the last twenty minutes,
one hundred percent can see him doing that in the
Black Dusey.

Speaker 3 (48:47):
After super Round, I went to an interview on post
match for Radio. You had just had a conversation with
him and you said, as you're walking off, ask him
about the scrums. I know he's not in the in
the front row, but how's he going at scrum time?
When he's taking down.

Speaker 9 (48:59):
He's starting to give he's starting to give Fletcher Yule
a bit of feedback, so you know that's a good thing.
And he's got the right boots on, which is flankers
tend to wear their molded studs and they're more like
on ice skating.

Speaker 6 (49:10):
Rinks at times. At scrum tome, but he's.

Speaker 9 (49:13):
Got the right sprigs in there and he can push.
I'll give you that much. You know, he's pretty vocal
at scrum time. Give us plenty of energy for the
front rowers and they need that. And he's starting to
understand the pictures as well, so he's not afraid to
get flecky. We tap on the shoulder around We're to
be better.

Speaker 3 (49:31):
It's so good to hear. At one point, you're down
to thirteen And even though they scored shortly after, Jack
Sexton with sun Banja controlled territory and possession for the
rest of the game. Was that one of the more
satisfying periods of the game from a coaching perspective.

Speaker 6 (49:45):
Yeah, I think it was. I think the leaders really
took control.

Speaker 9 (49:48):
That we're out there around where we wanted to play
the game and apply pressure. We knew they were going
to try and run the ball out from that kickoff,
and we defended with only one in the backfield, so.

Speaker 6 (49:59):
That was technically the leaders.

Speaker 9 (50:02):
They came up with that on the run and we
just had to apply pressure and stay composed.

Speaker 6 (50:06):
Once we got the ball back.

Speaker 9 (50:07):
They made a couple of years trying to run it
out and we just parked up in that corner and
was awesome to see Belly go over and keep that
bonus point of alive for us, which is going to
be really important towards the back end. But I thought
the leaders did a great job of controlling that last
ten minutes. Yeah, even Ethan even instigating, and we push
and shove to run the clock down too with Smart.

Speaker 3 (50:27):
He got a lot of leaders in that pack. But
I just want to ask you about Christian Leo Willie.
He started all twelve games for you. It's a tough
role to play, really physical. How do you week to
week evaluate his ability to back up and go again,
because that's a lot of rugby week on week.

Speaker 9 (50:44):
Leo's best when he's rolled out every week. You can't
really give him a week off. You know that the
continuity for him is massive and he's just starting to
find that sweet spot round form.

Speaker 6 (50:55):
He probably be the.

Speaker 9 (50:57):
First to admit he wasn't playing the best in the
sort of first five or six rounds and he was
a late start with us.

Speaker 6 (51:02):
He had the all Black rest as.

Speaker 9 (51:03):
Well, so he need a short run into Super So
we needed to get minutes into him. We need to
get minutes into his legs. And yeah, he is a
bit of a silent hero in our full pack at
the moment. He's a great leader, he's got a great
off for the game and what's required. And you know
he's sitting in the background there and driving a few
of the shots too. And we've seen you know, a

(51:25):
ball and handworks coming to the four now as well, so.

Speaker 6 (51:29):
Where he's at. And still here's a couple of reeas
in his game. He can grow, which is exciting.

Speaker 3 (51:33):
You've got the buy now, as you say. And then
Chiefs at home, Hurricanes at home, two big games. Are
going to use the upcoming by week to make sure
that you are ready for those final two matches and
then on towards the finals that will almost certainly now follow.

Speaker 9 (51:48):
Yeah, it's a week out of Rugby Park that the
boys have got a good planning around the week and
they'll still be training off in their own individual silos
or in groups. I think that's really important. It's a
bit of a mental refresh, it can't be a physical refresh.

Speaker 6 (52:02):
We've got to, like you said, we've.

Speaker 9 (52:04):
Got two big games, two big chess matches, origin games
for us when we get back at home place that
we love in front of our people. So the message
was given last night after the game that we've got.

Speaker 6 (52:15):
To use this reset week properly as players.

Speaker 9 (52:20):
And his management and comeback really refreshed and energized on
that Monday. But the strength and conditioning group have put
in a great plan for the players and they all
brought in last night. So yeah, she's a big run home,
exciting run home for us.

Speaker 3 (52:33):
How different is this Crusader's forward pack and the way
it plays compared to the pack and the bunch of
players that you inherited when you first arrived as forwards
coach back in what twenty twenty three?

Speaker 6 (52:46):
DNA doesn't change, does it.

Speaker 9 (52:47):
It's in the walls at Rugby Park and I don't
know if you've ever stepped our foot into the Pig
Pennant's now called the Fords Meeting Room.

Speaker 6 (52:55):
It just trips off the walls in there.

Speaker 9 (52:58):
And these boys, you know, we've always got the watchtower
that the guys that have been there before us, and
we difference in quite a bit. And I'm Antonio Shelfer
and Jamie Hannah, George Bell, Taylor Cahill, those guys are
they're just about to hit their prime and I'm extremely
proud of where they've got to in their rugby careers

(53:19):
and what's ahead of them.

Speaker 6 (53:21):
So exciting.

Speaker 9 (53:21):
And then you've got your your season leaders, Cody, Taylor,
Fletch and you're Ethan Blackadder.

Speaker 6 (53:27):
That's you know, they just drive the standards and.

Speaker 9 (53:29):
The habits day in day out, and they're the ultimate professional.
So for those guys to see that and feel that
and breathe it, I think that's what sets up this
Crusader fall pack.

Speaker 6 (53:39):
And they're intelligent, smart group of rugby players. So it's
a Jorda coach them and.

Speaker 3 (53:44):
Two from two under the roof. How much of a
fortress reckon that might become for you?

Speaker 9 (53:47):
That place, well, you know at the end of the season,
fair enough, fair enough, it's all mate, that is it
doesn't feel like New Zealand. Rolling up to it in
the bus and the punters swarm us, and then we're
you know, on the bus ride and again the people
walking into the stadium start chere and and we dropped
the boys off at the terrace and you know, again

(54:10):
the bus got swarmed and it's it's a special place
and it's starting to build a little big storyline for us.

Speaker 6 (54:17):
But we know that there's there's a.

Speaker 9 (54:19):
Big road ahead of us, and if we want to
respect that and what it's, what it's been built for
and the purpose and Cross just deserves it, then you
know we've got to put on a performance that betrays it.

Speaker 3 (54:30):
And you got your horses back. Your horses are back.

Speaker 6 (54:35):
We don't like to get to see them.

Speaker 9 (54:36):
We're in the changing rooms, but I think, well, the
feedback that Big Cole got when they took them out
of there, I think there was only one thing that
was going to happen, wasn't there.

Speaker 6 (54:45):
So yeah, Stoke, their.

Speaker 9 (54:46):
Marketing crew and venues Oa Tay managed to put that
back out for the punters. It's a big part of
Crusader's tradition and yeah, awesome to see and it just
gets the crowd up and going and prommed up for
the foot he doesn't it, So yeah, Stoke.

Speaker 3 (55:00):
Congrats on the one last night. Dan enjoyed the blow
week mate, Thanks for taking the time for a chat. Champion,
thanks mate, Thank you mate. That is Dan parent assistant
coach or one of at the Crusaders after their win
over the Blues last night by thirty six points to
twenty lines open on that on a couple of features
of it, eight hundred and eighty ten eighty. The Crusaders

(55:21):
needed to win that game. That's a very important win
for them. They needed it. If they'd lost that game,
and we're now talking hypothetic alls, but if they'd lost
that game, they were in severe danger, real peril of
being swallowed up by the chasing pack. They would have
been ready just within the teams coming up behind them,

(55:43):
the likes of the Reds, the Brumbies, even the Fijian Drewer,
the war Tars, to Highlanders, they would all have been
within sort of striking distance. Because the Crusaders only have
two games to go, a lot of the teams below
them have three, in some cases four. The war Tasers
still got four games to go. So had the Crusaders
not got the win last night, and they got the

(56:05):
bonus point as well, well, they would have been looking
over their shoulders. But they were very good, very good
under that roof. Now we need to talk about Leicester
faight inger Anuku. His skill set is so wide ranging,
so all encompassing, so impressive. He is now starting to

(56:29):
present a very compelling case for doing this at test level,
Dan Parrien, I wanted to ask him that and ask
him direct, can he do it at test level? And
Dan Parrien said, now that I've seen him do it here, yes,
I think he could.

Speaker 6 (56:45):
So.

Speaker 3 (56:46):
Are we in a situation now where he will be
a genuine hybrid player for the All Blacks? I mean
he'll be in the All Blacks. I think we can
all accept that that's going to be in the All
Blacks this year and next as we head towards the
World Cup. But in what capacity? Even when they name
the team, you know, when they name the team and
they they put it into groupings. Here at the front rowers,

(57:08):
here of the hookers, here are the midfield backs, et cetera.
Where do you even put him? Where do you put him?
Can you see a time where Lester wears the number
seven jersey for the All Blacks? Because it's not now
drawing too long a bow?

Speaker 9 (57:22):
Is it?

Speaker 3 (57:23):
He's starting to build a body of work in that position.
When he did it once, we'll look, okay, cool, you
know he obviously you know he did it a bit
over in France. Okay, cool, that was interesting. Then he
did it again, and last night he did it again,
and yes, he went out into midfield when Dallas McLeod
had to go off at halftime. But that just proves
the point even more, doesn't it. That you've got a

(57:44):
player who can genuinely, genuinely play on the open side
and in midfield and probably in the back three as well.
In fact, definitely in the back three because he has
played there. He is a genuine option now as your
number seven. You look around and you say, okay, let's
just say that he wasn't a midfield back. Let's just

(58:04):
say that he wasn't to util it's let's just say
that he was a number seven. On the evidence of
the past three weeks, he's one of the better sevens
going around the comp turnover ball. He hits hard, you know,
he's he's getting off loads away. His tackle counters higher
than anybody else in the Crusaders. He made sixteen tackles

(58:25):
last night, didn't miss a single one. These are quality
stats for a loose forward. So are we at the
point now where he is a genuine loose forward option.
It's been a position where we've always had great depth.
We've always had a lot of very very good loose forwards,
many of them have never even made the All Blacks.
But as Dave Rennie now in a situation where he

(58:47):
has a player, a very unique player and a very
unique proposition of a guy who can genuinely cover positions
in the forwards and in the backs. Eight hundred and
eighty ten eighty's our number nine two nine two for
your text messages back in a sec talking rugby will
do it for the next fifteen minutes or so. You
want to jump aboard hundred eighty ten eighty.

Speaker 1 (59:08):
The biggest names in sports talk to Fighting Weekend Sport
with Jason Fine News talks that'd.

Speaker 3 (59:14):
Be one seven said, That's why I love these kinds
of issues because here are two texts that came in
almost at the same time. First one says, calm your
jets brother, the Fellows played three super games at breakaway.
That doesn't make him richie. And then the next text
that came through says, here's a positive fining Leicester is
the best number seven in the world, not just in
super rugby, in the world. Dave really will have him

(59:37):
as a seven first and a back up as his
second pick. And Hamish asks a very very pertinent question,
is he big enough to go up against the South Africans.
Let's get to the lines, Peter.

Speaker 13 (59:49):
High Yeah, how you're doing You want to twist that
second texts they might be Lester's Mum.

Speaker 3 (59:55):
That's true. We need to check the check the number. Yeah,
the best in the world. I think we did. I
think we do need to just sort of hold our
horses a little bit.

Speaker 13 (01:00:03):
Yeah, I mean, the hybrid players not not unheard of.
I mean you go back in the old archives. Member
old Jonah used to play number eight at Willesley College
and then on the wings when they were playing into
the wind. You know, Grifi played at half back at
secondary school level before he goes into the loose. Ardie
Savii have played in the centers before he went the loose.

(01:00:26):
So it's not uncommon. But the idea of a hybrid
player on the bench would be absolutely brilliant to be
going up against the box in their bomb squad. It
effectively gives you a six to three bench.

Speaker 3 (01:00:39):
Yeah, you're right, you're right, it's effectively I would call
it a five and a half two and a half bench.
But you're banging on Peter, you know you've got to
You look along your bench and you say, oh shiit
As we need another loose four, there's one. Or we
need another outside back or a midfield back, there's one.
And it's the same bloke.

Speaker 13 (01:00:55):
Yeah, absolutely absolutely, And of course even if you've got
him in the starting fifteen, it it still gives you
that flexibility. So yeah, I think as an option to
counter the ball squad, I think it's absolutely one that
needs to be utilized. So it's full of sixteenth.

Speaker 3 (01:01:12):
Yeah, And I think the word flexibility you mentioned there
was proven last night as well, Peter, in the fact
that when Dallas McLeod was injured and had to go
off at halftime, they could I mean, they could have
brought on a back reserve if they wanted to. Instead
they brought on the excellent, dominant Gardner and said to Leicester, okay,
go back and play, you know, go back and play
in midfield, and he can. It was easy to pick

(01:01:33):
him out to he had his head gear on.

Speaker 13 (01:01:35):
Not to mention it would be bloody useful to have
a player like that when you're playing with thirteen guys
because of dual discipline as they were last night.

Speaker 3 (01:01:42):
Indeed, there's a lot of a lot of things in
the positives column that we're writing down here Peter, A
lot of a lot of positives we're writing down. Thanks
for your call, mate, drive safe. Oh eight one hundred
and eighty ten eighty's our number.

Speaker 14 (01:01:52):
Gay Chris, Yeah, I got a piney. Hey, how good
interview with Steve Lancaster. Just briefly, he's yeah, I think
I think he turned out to be more on the
stew in the seed two mold than Matt Robinson. You know,
he'll be a CEO, not a not a politician.

Speaker 5 (01:02:08):
So yeah, so that was good.

Speaker 14 (01:02:11):
A couple of points against the spring Box. If Blackadder
was fit, the three guys I'd have starting the game
would be less of uh easthan Blackadder and and Ardie
at the back because of my view that you know,
certainly black out of a, certainly the hard men Lucies
in New Zealand. But the question is and how how

(01:02:35):
where the recent can can stay on the paddock. The
other thing I just wanted to say is about sta
just a just a just a word of warning to
your mates at the Canes. The two in the last
ten years, the only time another teams won the Super
Rugby title the Blues and the Canes was was when
the Crusaders were in the playoffs.

Speaker 3 (01:02:58):
That's right. Yes, No, it's a very good point, you mate, Chris.

Speaker 15 (01:03:01):
Uh.

Speaker 3 (01:03:02):
And we know how good they are when they reached
the playoffs. I think it's I still think the Chief
are favorites. I have them as I have them as
marginal favorites from the Hurricanes on the body of work
we've seen now. But I think the Crusaders have entered
the chat. As my kids would say, they are back
in the conversation and they will have plenty to say

(01:03:24):
before that silver were gets handed out and last night
was a great example of that. They remaining two games
are under that roof. They seem to like it down there.
I know it's a small sample size, but two from
two down there wouldn't be at all surprised Chris if
they're still playing rugby deep into the playoffs.

Speaker 14 (01:03:40):
Yeah, i'd like to see, actually, i'd like to see it.

Speaker 6 (01:03:42):
I'd like to see a.

Speaker 16 (01:03:43):
Canes Crusaders final in Wellington or a Cane's Chief final
in Wellington. And I'm a Cantabrian, but I'd like to
see the Canes get home this year.

Speaker 17 (01:03:54):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:03:54):
Well, look, you won't get an argument from me, Chris,
as you know, you won't get any argument from me
about those two Grand finals. Actually, I mean the Chiefs
you forget, don't you. Well, you don't forget. I'm sure
they don't forget. They've been in the last three finals
to get across the line. Is this the year? Is
this the one where they finally take that final step?
Good to chat to your Chris, Thanks Mat high Mark.

Speaker 18 (01:04:14):
No, it's not the year Pioneer?

Speaker 3 (01:04:17):
Is it ours? Mark? Is it ours? Ten years on
from the last one?

Speaker 6 (01:04:21):
Yeah, the Highlanders won't be hopefully won't be.

Speaker 3 (01:04:25):
Well, it doesn't look like they will be anyway.

Speaker 18 (01:04:27):
Spoil the party, but don't yeah, don't, don't keep talking
about the Crusaders. They don't like that at all.

Speaker 6 (01:04:31):
It's not good.

Speaker 18 (01:04:32):
They're a bit look at phenomenos last night. Yeah, they
still have always made it a late run, don't they, the Crusaders.

Speaker 3 (01:04:38):
I just listening to sorry just before you go on.
I just listening to Dan Perrin as well, talk about
the DNA of the of the Crusaders forwards and the
pictures he painted about the way that they just embrace
what it means to be a Crusaders forward. I thought
that was really instructive, you know, and I'm sure other
teams are the same, but they just keep on churning

(01:05:00):
them out, don't they. And you know, Jamie Hannah is
a great example. He's played a lot of rugby this
year and been really impressive. Christian Leo Willie, you know,
Ethan Blackader is back Leicester, Cody Taylor, Fletcher and Yell.
I mean they're a pretty powerful forward pack. Anyway we
carry on, I'm starting to get worried.

Speaker 18 (01:05:15):
Yeah, Dane, Dane Coles was a bit of a hybrid,
wasn't He was always seen out on the wing.

Speaker 3 (01:05:20):
He didn't mind. He didn't mind to try in the corner.

Speaker 19 (01:05:22):
Did he?

Speaker 18 (01:05:24):
Now you'd like to put a one in front of
his number at some some time. I think this could
be the answer to sort of almost defeating the box
in a way, having these hybrid players, and a lot
of them are actually Pacific Island. It's like Addie Savia
you see it in the Warriors with Leka held Sima

(01:05:44):
and Leicester is just another another one of these players
who you know, don't look out of place in the
forwards or the backs, and they have you know, all
the attributes of both the speed and power and yeah,
physicality of a Ford and yeah, work well in the
back line, and I think for me, Dave Rennie and
has started to play it's almost an adventurous style of player.

Speaker 6 (01:06:06):
Dave Renner.

Speaker 18 (01:06:07):
Don't know whether it's changed much over the years, but
he's always encouraged ball playing and you know, players taking chances.
And for me, this year the All Blacks selection is
probably going to be one of the most exciting, you know,
just to see what type of rugby in style Dave's
going to bring to the ORB, because I mean it

(01:06:27):
must be pretty exciting for him, you know. I mean
obviously here in Palmerston North, you know, he brought manum
a two back from just the lighting the disaster and
you know, made it a sort of a respectable team
again and he developed a lot of really good players
through that you know obviously are increasing and Aaron Smith
and yeah, just the way in style of his play

(01:06:48):
is quite exciting.

Speaker 3 (01:06:49):
Yeah, I totally agree, Mark, and I'm really looking forward
to his first selection as well, just to give us
a couple of clues as to the way he wants
to play the game. I don't think there'll be anyone
that comes from completely left field, but in a couple
of positions it'll be really really interesting to see which
way he goes.

Speaker 9 (01:07:05):
Mark.

Speaker 3 (01:07:05):
Always good to chat to you, mate, Thanks for taking
the time. Chiefs all the way, did you not watch
them last night? I did watch them last night. I
did watch them last night. Okay, yes they were good.
And like I said I just said before, the Chiefs
I think are marginal favorites to win Super Rugby. I
think if we sit here right now, if I absolutely
had to bet on a team to win Super Rugby,
much as I would love my Hurricanes to win it,

(01:07:27):
I would say the Chiefs are marginal favorites to win it.
Six on the trot. But can they get over that
final hurdle? I guess we might find out. Wouldn't mind betting?
Says this one that Lester could play number ten. I reckon.
I look at ego b lady position, he's a yeah,
he's a bit of a freak. He's turning into a freak. Graham,

(01:07:48):
what did you think?

Speaker 19 (01:07:50):
Oh yeah, well I was there last night of course. Yeah. Yeah,
another great display by Lester fog and uku. And then
to move into the you know in the midfield, Well
there's natural position. I think there's Rob Penny said he
still views them his best there, but I mean he's
been outstanding as a number seven, and yeah, I think

(01:08:11):
he's a monty to be in there. I think everyone
agrees that he'll be in the All Black squad and yeah, yeah,
it's a option. And I thought, yeah, there's another call
of Sith and Blackadder all the way for the All Blacks.
I thought he's great, going great since he come back
from from his injury calf must or whever it was.

(01:08:34):
But yeah, it was a good display and yeah, I
think Leicester just yeah, I just think he's got to
be there there thereabouts in terms of you know, the
match day twenty.

Speaker 3 (01:08:45):
Three, who do you reckon would be? If you're picking
an all Black team today? Graham? Who would be in
the seven jumper? It would be Ardie, wouldn't it?

Speaker 19 (01:08:53):
Oh be Ardie? Yeah, I think so, Yeah, I think
because I think six and he's got been moved around
a bit recently. Yeah, no, I think it would be.

Speaker 3 (01:09:04):
Yeah, but least you're right. I think Leicster just he
now is presenting a compelling case to be in every
twenty three man All Black squad, isn't he? And what
what you I guess you don't want and is for
him to be tagged as a as an impact player
because he offers two rolls off the bench that you
always have him on the bench. I'd like to see him.
I mean, what would be the problem with starting him

(01:09:25):
in a Test match in July in the seven Jumper
and say, let's let's find out, let's find out how
he goes, maybe even against Italy and Wellington for example,
of the three test matches that are, on the face
of things, the the most comfortable. Why not give him
a run in the seven Jersey just to see how
he goes.

Speaker 19 (01:09:42):
Oh exactly, No, I think that you know, I think,
you know, I hate to say that, but the previous coaches,
you know, elect a bit of adventure at times, and
I think there's been the case for a while, and
I think that, yeah, he des theres a chance to Yeah,
I think it's he's going to be You're going to
you know, throw the diceer. But sometimes and I think

(01:10:02):
that I think that you know, the flight's been you know,
white clean, and I think that he you know, I
would wouldn't surprise me if he's get to start seven
in one of those early tests.

Speaker 2 (01:10:15):
I agree.

Speaker 19 (01:10:16):
I mean, last night, you were here a couple of
weeks ago. All you could see was, I mean it
stands out because of the hid gear. But yeah, you
see this white hig gear next to pop up here
and pop out there, and he seems he thrives on it.
As somebody else said, it's true Polynesian players like Ardie
and and Lista. Yeah, those guys, some of them, and Jonah,

(01:10:38):
I mean Jonah played in the forwards started off. I
think as the forwards. Yeah, I mean they just some
of them have that ability just to move around and
because their speed and strength.

Speaker 3 (01:10:50):
Yeah, yeah, good stuff.

Speaker 5 (01:10:51):
Greg.

Speaker 3 (01:10:52):
I was very pleased for you last night that you
got your horses back as well. What did you think
when the Yeah, I guess you knew the horses were
coming out. Good to see the back out there. Oh,
I loved that. Good on you. Thanks for calling in party.
Understand what you said about the Crusaders needing to win,
but as a Canes fan, says John, I also wanted
them to win so that the Blues were held back

(01:11:14):
on the points table, giving the Canes a better chance
of winning the title this year.

Speaker 2 (01:11:17):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:11:17):
Well, the Canes will go back to the top of
the table if they beat Onana PACIFICA tonight and you
would have to say that they will. So at the moment,
the Chiefs are top on forty points with nine wins.
The Hurricanes have forty points and eight wins, but they've
played one fewer games, So beat me Onana tonight. They'll
go to either forty four or forty five and they'll
be back on the top of the table. Those two
seem like the two but the Crusaders are starting to

(01:11:39):
and it's on the evidence of one game. So yeah,
but this is what the Crusaders do. They sort of
come right at the right time or they just live
at the top of the table, which they haven't this year.
But the two remaining games are against the Chiefs and
the Hurricanes, tough running both at home, so that will
help them. But I think we're going to find out
a lot about the contenders in the back end of

(01:12:02):
the season.

Speaker 20 (01:12:02):
Dan, Hi, good a party.

Speaker 3 (01:12:06):
Thanks mate, How are you getting on?

Speaker 20 (01:12:08):
I'm very good, Thank you, Barnie. I just want to
talk about this the Abs. Everybody's calling for basically the
same side that was done against sign them and had
the pulling year last year. But what is wrong with

(01:12:30):
the depth of New Zealand Rugby.

Speaker 3 (01:12:32):
Well, I think, Dan, I mean, yeah, what Dave Rennie's
done though, is he's coming and said right, it's a
clean slate there. I Am coming in here with a
fresh piece of paper and I'm going to pick on form.
So I think to suggest that he's just going to
run out the same guys as last year. Of course,
a lot of them are going to make the All
Blacks because they are our best players. But I think
there's an opportunity for those who were overlooked under Scott Robertson,

(01:12:53):
or perhaps who have had their opportunities limited in the
last couple of years to put their hands up again.
I'm really excited to see what squad or who's in
the squad that Dave Rennie picks for July.

Speaker 20 (01:13:05):
Well, basically I am in the way, but I would
personally like to see a broomby sweet and give us
some players that lead on to twenty twenty seven and
to the World Cup.

Speaker 5 (01:13:23):
Sick with the same old players that.

Speaker 3 (01:13:25):
We have been, Dan, I don't think there's any point
at all and picking a player in twenty twenty six
who is not at least in the conversation for the
World Cup. You know and there aren't two. I mean,
I guess you'd look at and this is the conversation
that's been had around Fairir, Finniang and Norfolk. Who is
the form winger in Super rugby but is off at

(01:13:45):
the end of the year and so therefore will not
be eligible for the World Cup. So I think there's
your answer to that. You don't pick him. Compelling as
his form has been and sensational as he has been playing,
you don't pick him because he's not going to the
World Cup. Anybody who plays for the All Blacks this
year so close to a World Cup has to be
in the conversation for the World Cup. Otherwise would they

(01:14:06):
be there? Dan, good to chat to you made eighteen
away from two back in a secon across the Tasman
with our Australian correspondent Adam Peacock.

Speaker 15 (01:14:13):
Don't stay on the sidelines.

Speaker 1 (01:14:15):
Call eight hundred eighty ten eighty Weekend Sport with Jason
Pine News Talks.

Speaker 3 (01:14:20):
That'd be bang on one forty five. Let's get you
across the Tasman. Adam Peacock, as our Australian correspondent. He joins,
us has your week been mateus?

Speaker 6 (01:14:28):
He been good pinting yourself.

Speaker 3 (01:14:29):
Very good, Yes, the same, busy but good. So let's
let's get into some of the things that have been
keeping you talking on that side of the Tasman. To
start with, earlier in the week, there was an announcement
that there would be no soccer row's watch parties in
downtown Melbourne. This, of course, is something that happened at
the last men's and the last women's World Cup and hundreds,
if not thousands gathered to watch and it wasn't going

(01:14:53):
to happen. And then a few people yelled about it,
and now it is going to happen. Tell us about this.

Speaker 12 (01:14:58):
Yeah, yeah, me being one of them, I've had a
little rant on it, which was that's nice being able
to use your pipe to get a message out there
that ordinarily might be missed. And it might have been
missed the general sentiment about this and kept to social
media and you know, piney a social media is a
place where people wins all the time. So yeah, it

(01:15:20):
was Look, I think it was a decision made without
true thought, true understanding. And then in the end the
Premier's office came over the top and said, no, actually
that's not going to happen. We actually oversee that precinct
and the people in charge that we've got in charge
to run that precinct to have come up with something left
of center that we want to our center, and that's

(01:15:42):
what they did, so they overturned it. And the good
news is the people of Federation Square in Melbourne can
people of Melbourne can get to Federation Square. And I
think they're coming in the rest of the Australia. There's
one in Sydney about to be announced as well. And
do you guys really do that? I can only advise
that it's good fun. You could ever run around the
big strain and have a good time.

Speaker 3 (01:16:03):
Yeah, I haven't seen any advertised over here yet, which
would suggest that maybe we're a bit behind the eight
ball when it comes to that. But no, I've seen
the well, I saw the scenes from Feed Square, you
know at both the last Women's and the last Men's
World Cups. What was the original reason for not going
ahead with it.

Speaker 12 (01:16:21):
A couple of people with flares, So like, I'm not
discounting the fact that people shouldn't beat Actually people absolutely
shouldn't throw flares. If you rip one, and you rip one,
and if you're smoky. The point was that the usual
media that smash soccer football for being unsafe, they were

(01:16:43):
using these images as oh wow, look at this, So
I'm like, well, hang on a minute, you can't bag
it with At the same time, use it on your
front page and go look at this. But also the
fact that yeah, they just I think they just misspread
the fact that that's about five people that might do
something ridiculously stupid amongst nearly twenty thousand. Come on, if

(01:17:05):
we going to do that, well let's go and start
canceling ANFL games where there's fights, and NRL games where
there's the odd varney and look, you're going to get
idiots at every sporting event. Chuck them out, don't let
them come back, and let everyone else get on with
a good time.

Speaker 3 (01:17:19):
Yep, hopefully and luckily and fortunately sant has prevailed. Look
forward to seeing some of some more great scenes from
the watch parties when the World Cup gets underway. ANZAC
Day led us Low Cup test this idea of starting
to gain some traction. Does it feel like a good
idea to you to stop down in the middle of
Super rugby for an ANZAC Day bled a slow Cup

(01:17:41):
test I.

Speaker 12 (01:17:43):
Think it does. Yeah, i'd say only a week. You
wouldn't want to hold the momentum of the competition for
two weeks, but yeah, chuck it in the middle there
and then after it. I think that's when you place
here you're super round to kind of get people's focused
back on super rugby, not straight away, but maybe two
weeks after the ANZAC test.

Speaker 18 (01:18:02):
But I like the idea.

Speaker 12 (01:18:03):
Firstly, it gives It doesn't make sense that basically you're
only window of international footy is confined to like two
months down here. I like the idea of having a
little date on the calendar. Rugby union get it front
and center at the same time as rugby League and
ANFL have done a great job, you'll pack it out.

(01:18:25):
I think Brisbane, if you're going to have it over here,
is probably the right place because Sydney has a massive
rugby league game. Melbourne goes big on AFL, so I
think you chucking game up to Brisbane. Look Ansaco next years.
On Sundays so I don't know if you've played on
the Saturday night or play on the Friday night, I'm
not sure, but I think there's a place for it.

Speaker 1 (01:18:44):
What about you?

Speaker 3 (01:18:45):
Yeah, I think the idea is gaining traction over here.
We've had a change of CEO and the previous CEO
and the previous administration. We're basically against it. They said, no,
we don't see that as part of a part of
what we're about. So no, that will not be happening,
but a change of change of leadership. And now all
of a sudden it's been talked about, it's been debated
a lot over here. I think there was a yes,

(01:19:06):
and it might be in Perth, and that would have
been a bit tougher to get across the line in
terms of the travel. I think you're right. The Eastern
seaboard seems like the most obvious place. Sun Corps Stadium
seems like the perfect place for it. You know, I
think it's starting to gain a bit of positive acceptance
over the side.

Speaker 12 (01:19:22):
Yeah, per Perth doesn't make sense to me for something
of that. Yeah, it's kind of like not really a
known They've got the western port, but not like a
historical Rugby Union state on mass like a Queensland like
in your South Wales. So yeah, it'll be a good occasion.
You might struggle in getting I don't know what your
rules are I can't keep up with All Blacks playing overseas,

(01:19:44):
but might struggle and getting a couple of guys back
from Europe, But then that puts the focus on Super
rugby and make it it's a bit of a selection
narrative through the first half of the competition. I can't
see too many downsides.

Speaker 3 (01:19:57):
You know, we don't let anyone from outside of Super
rugby play for the All Blacks. It wouldn't be an issue.
It wouldn't be an issue getting anybody back that'd already
be here. They would already here. He finally. Today, reports
out of the UK that former Australian all rounder Marcus
North is set to be appointed England's new national selector,
helping out Brendan McCallum. As they said about trying to

(01:20:20):
regain the ashes. Marcus North, I don't know a hic
of a lot about him. Would this be a good appointment.
I think he's been director of cricket at Durham since
about twenty eighteen.

Speaker 12 (01:20:32):
Yeah, it's frustrating cricket. It's good because it's always wonderful
to have a double agent really succeeding in life. So North,
he's going to put him come up with some really
highly questionable selections and put English cricket further in the
My no, he's he's a terrific guy and he's done

(01:20:53):
his time over there. He knows that's scene backwards. I've
spoken to him a couple of times. You're right, he's
almost a naturalized English friend. He follows Newcastle United, so
in my eyes, he's a.

Speaker 6 (01:21:03):
Really good bloke over there.

Speaker 12 (01:21:05):
He's lived in the North East and he's a great
pick up for English cricket. I would question what our
nerve has gone on with English cricket if you need
not only the key week coach but the Australian selector.
But that's by the bio. I just hope that if
Bas moves on, that they don't go down the path
of a Ricky Ponting or something like that. But yeah,
top guy, great appointment. He'll get it right, unfortunately for

(01:21:26):
Australian cricket, because it means English cricket will be stronger
for it.

Speaker 3 (01:21:29):
All right, Well, heaps happening as always on your side
of the tessment, Adam, thanks so much for keeping us
up to date. We'll check it again same time next Saturday.

Speaker 6 (01:21:37):
Sounds good.

Speaker 12 (01:21:37):
Thanks Binnie.

Speaker 3 (01:21:38):
No, thank you mate. That's dam Peacock, our regular Australian
correspondent here on Weekend Sports seven and a half to two,
News Talk Hippy.

Speaker 2 (01:21:45):
When there's aline call, it's your call.

Speaker 1 (01:21:48):
Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, News Talks HB.

Speaker 3 (01:21:52):
Coming up four to two on text. Pint I just
want to shout out High School Old Boys Rugby Club
in christ today celebrating one hundred and twenty five years
home to thirty plus all Blacks, the best little rugby
club in the world. Yeah, congratulations high school boys on
your one hundred and twenty fifth Andrew Mertens, Ruben Thorne,
Richard Lowe, Graham Baship, Aaron Major, Nathan Major all came

(01:22:15):
out of there. Hope the festivities and the celebrations go
very very well for you High School Old Boys Rugby Club.
Today after two o'clock we're going to flick our attention
across the football. Massive game at go Media Stadium tonight
from six the first leg of the A League semi
final between Auckland f C and Adelaide United. It's a
home game for Auckland first and the next Friday they

(01:22:37):
head across to Adelaide for the second leg. How will
they approach it? It's very different from last week where
it was sudden death, knockout, do or die, whatever you
want to call it, and they went to a penalty shootout.
That won't be the case tonight at full time tonight
it'll be halftime in the tie. So how will Auckland
f C approach this one? Michael vowed their goalkeepers on

(01:22:57):
the show. Damien mackenzie also after.

Speaker 1 (01:22:59):
Two the only place to discuss the biggest thoughts issues.

Speaker 2 (01:23:04):
On off the field.

Speaker 8 (01:23:07):
Got a store enough.

Speaker 1 (01:23:08):
It's all on Weekend Sport with Jason Lyne on your
home of sports news Talks in me.

Speaker 3 (01:23:15):
Two o seven. Welcome back to the show, Welcome into
the show. This is Weekend Sport until three. I'm Jason Pine,
Andy McDonald here too. Tim Beverig's ready to go after
three before we can hand over football tonight, massive game
at go Media Stadium, Aucland FC Adelaide United. Michael Vaud
along shortly Auckland FC goalkeeper. We'll get an Adelaide view
as well from former A League champion Bruce Jitte, one

(01:23:37):
of their greats in terms of appearances and goals these days,
a very astute football observer and pundit. We'll get the
adelaide view from him. Damien McKenzie's on the show this
hour as well. The Chiefs won last night in case
you'd missed that thirty one twenty one against the Reds
and Brisbane to go back to the top of the
table for the meantime anyway, So how do they assess

(01:23:58):
the performance Damien McKenzie this hour, and we'll play a
sporting chance, your chance to win a one hundred and
fifty bonus bet and then decide where you want to
place it place wisely and you get the winnings a
sporting chance with the tab This our too. Oh eight
hundred and eighty ten eighty is the phone number nine

(01:24:19):
two nine to two. The text line emails to Jason
at Newstalk SDB dot co do on in Z. Lines
of communication remain open as always right across the show.
But as we always do after the two o'clock news
on Weekend Sport, it is time to catch you up
with some of the things you might have missed in
case you missed it, and we start with the Chiefs.
Actually a starring performance from Wallace Setiti propelling the Chiefs

(01:24:42):
to a win over the Reds in Queensland.

Speaker 21 (01:24:44):
The chief scrubber's been good at wait Ooh they've got
to push on to and they've got me At Martin
citt Sir tete under the crossbar number eight wearing number
twenty seven down, But Cirtiti has got it his second
of the night.

Speaker 3 (01:25:01):
Yea the ten point one, putting the Chiefs back on
top of the Super Rugby Pacific table for now. To
the NRL, the Roosters have cruised past the Titans boosters
in possession five tries on the board, heading.

Speaker 9 (01:25:14):
Towards a sixth straight win and a seventh straight here
at Gosford.

Speaker 6 (01:25:18):
To Disco's Drake's navigates, the defense fold in.

Speaker 3 (01:25:23):
Tenny has a double James to Disco, what a player
and what a player? Indeed leading a side to a
twenty eight twelve win as they remain third on the ladder. Meantime,
a golden point thriller has seen the Eels pick up
a desperately needed win.

Speaker 21 (01:25:40):
Push this away for the jew Oh now he cuts
back in field.

Speaker 3 (01:25:46):
Oh they're so close. Big run from Volkla inside the thirty.
It's an angle, but.

Speaker 12 (01:25:51):
It's Moses and he cleansed the kick.

Speaker 22 (01:25:54):
Awayway please jus Moses with the game.

Speaker 3 (01:26:00):
Yeah, they snapped the Cowboys winning streak and in a
peculiar finish also kicked a penalty for contact on Mitchell
Moses on his field goal attempt to ultimately win it
thirty three points to thirty and finally the Coolcutta night
Riders have been carried to an IPL win thanks to
a maiden IPL century from our own Finellen fin Allen

(01:26:21):
ninety four not er bookes coar Allen goes.

Speaker 23 (01:26:27):
Higher into the stands for six. That is a sensation
of it to finish this cricket match and one hundred
nine out of forty seven both to US eighteen of
twenty and he's gone on to hit ten sixes in
a staggering display of power of taming of presence.

Speaker 3 (01:26:48):
This is an innings for.

Speaker 1 (01:26:49):
The ages, the big names and the big calls on
your home of sport Weekend Sport with Jason Fine News talks.

Speaker 3 (01:26:58):
Mb coming up eleven past two. Auckland FC through to
the A League semi finals after one of the most
dramatic nights in the club's history last weekend, the elimination
final against Melbourne City went all the way to penalties.
The first twelve all successful. It was six all before
Auckland FC goalkeeper Michael Vaud produced a decisive savest Horth

(01:27:23):
Melbourne City six seventh penalty as Nathaniel Amkinson part pay
to the goalkeeping him. Michael, that's TOFC. What a touching
distance of the semifinal. Dan Hall then converted his SPOTKCK

(01:27:46):
to send Auckland FC through seven to six on penalties.
Now the focus shifts to a two legged semi final
against Adelaide United. The first leg is tonight from six
pm at go Media Stadium in Auckland. Michael Vaut joins
us before we look ahead to tonight's game. Michael, in
terms of moments in your career, where's that penalty shootout

(01:28:07):
win rank?

Speaker 15 (01:28:09):
Yeah, I'd probably say that it'd be right up there.

Speaker 17 (01:28:12):
To be fair, I think I told you after the
game on set that had been on the wrong side
of some penalties, so to be on the right side,
you know, it was just an unbelievable feeling. And to
do it in front of the port, do it at
home in an elimination final, which just you know, just
made it an amazing night for everyone involved.

Speaker 3 (01:28:29):
In the week leading into the game. How much preparation
goes into being ready for the possibility of a penalty shootout.

Speaker 17 (01:28:37):
Yeah, I think in the back of my mind and
the goalkeeper coach and the goalkeeper unit, I guess we
always know that there's a chance to go to penalty,
so we you know, do the homework, look at you know,
all the penalties that all the players have taken recently, and.

Speaker 15 (01:28:52):
Ultimately it comes down to luck a little bit.

Speaker 17 (01:28:54):
But I think there is an element of strategy to it,
and you know, lucky enough we got it right once,
which was enough on the weekend to win the game.

Speaker 3 (01:29:02):
When a player is lining up to take a penalty,
even if you've done the prep and you think, okay,
this guy goes to my right, are they tells? Are
there are there signs you look for as they're getting
ready to take it and even as they're running up
that give you a clue.

Speaker 15 (01:29:16):
Yeah, I think so.

Speaker 17 (01:29:17):
I think it's about you know, their body position and
sometimes where they're looking in that. But you know, I've
got to say, like on the weekend, the penalties were
really you know, high level penalties, and ultimately, if the
striker gets it right, you know, it's kind of unsavable.
So yeah, I felt I've thought that the penalties were
pretty good on the weekend, and you know, lucky enough,

(01:29:39):
one dove the right right way.

Speaker 15 (01:29:41):
And one was in my you know, kind of range
to be able to save it.

Speaker 3 (01:29:45):
So as you looked up and saw Dan Hall striding
up to take the seventh one for Auckland f C,
did you have high confidence that he would get the
job done.

Speaker 15 (01:29:54):
Yeah, one hundred percent.

Speaker 17 (01:29:55):
I think you know, Dan also knowing that that one
was the one that was going to win it. I
think that, you know, it just lifted him a bit.
And yeah, to be honest, Pliny, it happened real quick.
Everything from the penalty save. As I got back to
my kind of spot you stand as a goalkeeper, he
was already ready to take it. So yeah, it was
happened really quick, and I don't have much memory after

(01:30:16):
the penalty saved.

Speaker 3 (01:30:17):
To be honest, just before we move on from the pens,
Hiroki sarkis one. I mean that's a gutsy penalty, man.
I mean, he misses that and you're out because of
the situation. I mean, he's gone top corner man. What
were you thinking when that one sort of hits the
bar and goes in.

Speaker 15 (01:30:32):
Yeah.

Speaker 17 (01:30:32):
I was holding my breath for a second because I
think the whole stadium heard it.

Speaker 15 (01:30:36):
Hit the post, and I was like, wow. But you
know what a penalty under the pressure he had, and
you know, that just sums him up, doesn't it.

Speaker 2 (01:30:44):
Really?

Speaker 17 (01:30:44):
You know, the level he's played at and to have
the confidence and belief to do that in a knockout
penalty is just unbelievable. And I guess it's a huge
reason why the club signed him. You know, it's for
moments like that, and you know he delivered at the
highest level.

Speaker 3 (01:30:58):
Let's take it back then to the end of normal time.
You won the Latin, it's almost done, and then Melbourne
City score very late to take it into extra time.
How tough was it to mentally get ready for extra
time after conceding so late and thinking we've got this
and then having it snatched away.

Speaker 17 (01:31:15):
Yeah, I'd be lying, as though I didn't say it
was tough. I think that, you know, we were thirty
seconds away from getting it done and for it to
happen and probably the last kick of the game was tough.
But you know, I just think it shows how resilient
we are. I think it's easy to say that, but
in moments like that, that's when you really see how
resilient you are as a team. And you know, I
think and the extra time we probably had the better

(01:31:37):
of the chances, and that just showed how well we
bounced back. But in that moment, obviously it was difficult,
and you know, we just had to regroup, which I
think we did well, and just concentrate the next thirty minutes.

Speaker 3 (01:31:49):
Absolutely, So after you get the job done on penalties,
did you allow yourself some time to enjoy that moment
or we immediately focused on recovery and then preparing for Adelaide.

Speaker 17 (01:32:01):
Yeah, I think, you know, once parodies have done, obviously
you do the interviews and I try and you know,
seal the fans and.

Speaker 15 (01:32:09):
Give back to them a little bit.

Speaker 17 (01:32:11):
And then yeah, I had a message after the game,
and then the next day we were in.

Speaker 15 (01:32:16):
Having recovery and then you know.

Speaker 17 (01:32:18):
I think, you know, in sport, you know there's pioneer
the next game comes quicker than you realize, and you know, yeah,
we ultimately there's no point in us winning that game
if we don't if we don't come and perform on
tonight's game, So yeah, the focus moves pretty quickly.

Speaker 3 (01:32:34):
Very different set of circumstances. Last weekend, when it takes
all sudden death, knockout, whatever you want to call it,
somebody's season finishes last weekend. After tonight's game at full time,
it's effectively only halftime in the tie, of course. So
what is the broad approach to the first league, the
home league?

Speaker 17 (01:32:53):
Yeah, I think you know, obviously with us playing at
home tonight, we want to we want to win. I
think everyone in the league knows, everyone in the A
league knows how hard Coopers is away from home, especially
you know, for being sold out and everything. So you know,
tonight when we need to win, and we need to
make sure that, you know, we take something to Adelaide
that we can at least hold on to.

Speaker 15 (01:33:13):
But you know, it's not going to be easy. They're
a good team.

Speaker 17 (01:33:16):
The coach well, they've got a lot of young players,
so yeah, we know it's going to be tough.

Speaker 15 (01:33:20):
But yeah, these are the.

Speaker 17 (01:33:22):
Games we want to play as individuals and as a team,
so we're really looking forward to it.

Speaker 3 (01:33:26):
Can you talk a bit more about Adelaide United and
the specific threats that you think they'll present to you
not only tonight, but across the one hundred and eighty minutes.

Speaker 17 (01:33:35):
Yeah, I think Adelaide they play a good brand of football.
I think they've got some really good.

Speaker 15 (01:33:40):
Young players and I just think that they've probably got
better as the season's gone along.

Speaker 17 (01:33:46):
You know, I think the last teen games or so,
they've been on a really good run.

Speaker 15 (01:33:50):
So yeah, I think we've played.

Speaker 17 (01:33:51):
In three times, two draws and one wins, so you
know it's going to be a close game and I think,
you know, with.

Speaker 15 (01:33:57):
Our strengths, we give ourselves good opportunity to win the game.
But it's an even game, i'd say.

Speaker 3 (01:34:04):
And strengths at both ends. One of yours as a
team this year has been defensively. I think only Sydney
FC have conceded fewer goals than than Auckland f C.
What have been the keys to the defensive solidity of
the team this season.

Speaker 15 (01:34:20):
Yeah, I think defensively we've been good. I think it's
not been that easy at times.

Speaker 17 (01:34:23):
You know, there's been a lot of a few injuries
in the back line and that, so that's obviously had
an impact on things. But I think, you know, we
work well as a unit. I think, you know, first
and foremost, we have really good defenders. I think I've
got one of the best center backs in the league
with Dan Hall, and you know, going rights are so
very good. So I just think that, you know, big

(01:34:46):
players have stepped up at big times, and we just
know that if we can keep a cleanch sheet or
you know, defend well, then that gives us a good
opportunity in the game.

Speaker 3 (01:34:55):
And with those injuries and players coming in and out,
looks like I has been an out Pinaker has been
in and out. Dan's been there pretty much the whole time.
Good would write, you know, but when you have players
coming to look, look of Visselitch came in and started
the game, didn't I know you didn't start that one.
But but how do you make sure that even if
players coming and out of Francis is the other one
I should have mentioned, you know that that the basic
philosophies are still the same.

Speaker 15 (01:35:17):
Yeah, I think that that's just how we train. I
think that you know, like Luca, I think, you know.

Speaker 17 (01:35:22):
As the potential to be one of the best center
backs in the A League. You know, he's got everything
at such a young age. And I just think that
the gaffer and that they you know, they give these
young guys confidence to go out there and express themselves
and as players.

Speaker 15 (01:35:36):
You know we were once young and you know we
know how it feels.

Speaker 17 (01:35:39):
So just giving them confidence and belief and ultimately Pony
that they're being picked because they're good enough and you
know there's no reason why they you know, shouldn't be
able to do well.

Speaker 3 (01:35:51):
Exciting game and prospect tonight, first leag of a two
leggod semi final. Michael, thanks so much for taking the
time to chat to us. Look forward to seeing you
in a few hours from now.

Speaker 15 (01:35:58):
Cheers, Pony, Thanks mate, No.

Speaker 3 (01:36:00):
Thank you mate. Michael Vald their goalkeeping hero and in
the penalty shootout for Auckland FC last weekend. None of
that nonsense tonight. Well it's not nonsense. It's huge drama,
but it's a very different kettle of fish. As discussed
with Michael there. It is just the first leg ninety
minutes tonight, that's no extra time, no penalties. But they
carry the score over to Adelaide next weekend or on

(01:36:22):
Friday night at what is bound to be an absolute
cauldron at Cooper Stadium in Adelaide. There are no away
goals in terms of away goals counting for more. In
the event of a drawer, whatever the score is tonight,
they pick it up, they drop it down in Adelaide
and then whatever the score is across the two legs
after Friday's game is who goes through to the Grand Final.

(01:36:44):
We may have extra time and penalties on Friday, of course,
but we will not have those tonight twenty past two.
Let's take a break and come back and get an
Adelaide view on this. Bruce Jitte is an Adelaide United great.
He won the Premiership Championship double with them the last
time they won silverware in the A League's regular season

(01:37:05):
and grand finals back in twenty fifteen sixteen. These days,
he is a highly regarded football pundit and analyst among
his many other very very busy, you know things that
he does in his life. But football is what we
want to get home on to talk about. Bruce j
tay with an Adelaide view when we come back here
at News Talks, heb we're.

Speaker 1 (01:37:26):
The weekend's biggest calls are made Weekend Sport with Jason
Paine News Talks.

Speaker 3 (01:37:31):
V Weekend Sport on News Talks b two twenty four,
as we continue to preview tonight's A League semi final
first leg Auckland FC against Adelaide United Go Media Stadium,
six o'clock kick off. I've heard that ticket sales have
been excellent, really really really good. We had a by
Auckland FC standards anyway, a fairly mediocre crowd last weekend

(01:37:56):
just to tick over eleven thy three hundred turning up.
As I understand it, they've already pre sold about fifteen
for this one. There are still tickets available obviously, so
if you want to make the decision to get along,
six o'clock kickoff, so you've got an extra hour to
make up your mind. Normally Auckland FC games s kick
off at five, but it's six o'clock tonight. But it
is set to be absolutely jumping. I'd be very surprised

(01:38:17):
if that number doesn't tick over twenty thousand tonight, which
is the kind of crowd that will do a game
of this magnitude justice. It may well be Auckland FC's
last home game of the season if they were to
go through next week, even to the Grand Final. There's
no guarantee that they would host that Grand final if
Newcastle will make it through from the other side as

(01:38:38):
top qualifiers. As premiers, they would host the Grand Final.
So for Auckland FC to have another home game, they
would need to get past Adelaide over two legs and
hope that Sydney FC beat Newcastle in the other semi
and then the Grand Final would be here in New
Zealand in Auckland a couple of weekends from now that
all lies ahead of us. Of course, it's a huge

(01:39:00):
pleasure to welcome in an Adelaide United legend one hundred
and thirty three a league game for the club, he
scored thirty five goals, one of the Reds all time
leading goal scorers, double winner in twenty fifteen sixteen when
Adelaide won the Premier's plate and the Grand Final as well.
Former Soccer U and now one of the sharpest football

(01:39:21):
analysts in Australia, it's Bruce Jitta who joins us. How Bruce,
thanks for taking the time. How much you're looking forward
to this two legged semi final playing out over the
next seven days or so.

Speaker 2 (01:39:32):
Oh, it's going to be cracking anytime Adelaide United in
Auckland Sea of you know, gone head to head. It's
been a fantastic contest and in the finals it'll be
no different.

Speaker 3 (01:39:43):
Adelaide have had the week off Auckland had to survive
that dramatic elimination final, including a penalty shootout against Melbourne
City last week. From an Adelaide perspective, Bruce, how big
an advantage is that freshness heading into a two legged semi.

Speaker 2 (01:39:57):
I think it's a huge advantage when you consider your
opponents gone to extra time and all the way through
the penalties. I think where all Auckland have still that
raging fire in their belly is that this is the
stage at which they stumbled and they're really going to
want the last season and they're really going to want

(01:40:17):
to right that wrong from an Auckland deceived perspective, so
they'll be super motivated to make sure they get to
the big dance this time around.

Speaker 3 (01:40:28):
The dynamics quite an unusual one and that it's across
two legs. So if Adelaide, for example, come away from
Auckland level or even narrowly behind, would they still feel
confident heading back to what is sure to be a
cauldron at Cooper's for the second league?

Speaker 2 (01:40:44):
Absolutely. I think if Adelaide come away with a draw
or with a narrow defeat. When I said narrow, I
mean by one goal, no more. They would certainly back
themselves to be able to level, if not turn the
tie completely around in the second leg. They've been strong

(01:41:04):
at home. They're undefeated in about ten games. There's a
real belief amongst the Adelaide United squad and the club
and the state and city more broadly, which makes them
a force to be reckoned with that as they shown
in the latter half of the season. So you know,
I think adelat will definitely go there to win, there's
no doubt about that, but they'll play perhaps a more

(01:41:27):
pragmatic game in the last twenty odd minutes than what
we're probably accustomed to strategically manage the game.

Speaker 3 (01:41:35):
Adela United head coach Aton Andreoli has leaned heavily on
young South Australian talent again this season, and it's no
surprise given the fact that he's worked with many of
them through his time at the academy. How much pride
is there in South Australia and Adelaide about the club
continuing to produce and trust young local players.

Speaker 2 (01:41:54):
I think it's huge and I think, you know, it's
best reflected in the home crowd numbers. You know, I
think they've averaged twelve thousand this season. That's a lot
more than a number of clubs in much larger jurisdictions
and much larger cities. It speaks to it's more and
yes they've been successful this season, they've finished second obviously,

(01:42:16):
but it's more than just the results on the field.
There is a connectivity with the community. There are stories
that people have bought into. There's young South Australian talent
that people are willing to back, whether it's you know
that they're on an undefeated run or whether they're in

(01:42:37):
a bit of a rut. Because it's more than just
the results on the field, so it works in many ways.
And Adelaide United have stuck to that philosophy for the
best part of six or seven years now. And not
only are they transferring players overseas and that's become a
real revenue stream for them relatively consistently, but they're also

(01:42:59):
getting results on the field and that's turning into commercial
opportunities off the field because like all jurisdictions in Australia
are parochial, but South Australia is certainly one of the
more parochial jurisdictions in the country.

Speaker 3 (01:43:13):
They're fun to watch too. That's scored a lot of goals,
but also something Andreoli's done as tighten them up defensively.
I think last couple of seasons fifty odd goals and
both of them only thirty six in the regular season.
This time around, what has he done defensively to shore
them up?

Speaker 2 (01:43:29):
Yeah, I think a couple of things there. You're absolutely
right that we call them the box office Reds because
it doesn't matter who they're playing against, it's always some
sort of drama. In terms of tightening up the defense,
I think one of the one of the real positives

(01:43:49):
has been how much more solid the team is defensively,
and in large part, in my opinion, it's due to
the fact that Piraeus has been out injured and Barnett
is now playing right back. Barnett plays right back. He
defends first. No, he won't give you the marauding runs
up the right wing, but absolutely he is, you know,

(01:44:13):
as safe as a bank at the back there. Play
simple does his job, holds the shape Pereus very attacking
right back. He's really a winger playing as a right back.
He was always really high and you know that was
obviously part of the strategy and the plan. He wasn't
born that off his own back, but that really exposed

(01:44:34):
them the last couple of years significantly exposed Adelaida United.
They'd always get hit on the counter. You know, they
were always at one defender down, the number six was
covering where they could. But they leaked a lot of goals,
as you rightly say, but I think seriously, with just
Barnett moving into their due to Perees's injury, it's allowed

(01:44:56):
them to be a lot more assured at the back.
And notwithstanding Smith's is a great goalkeeper.

Speaker 3 (01:45:01):
Interesting analysis upfront, No, luki Yvanovitch for those first leg
the I mean, the Adelaide have scored goals and all
sorts of places, but he's the joint Golden boot Winerworth
eleven has read card in the last regular season game
rules them out. How much of a blow is that
to them? Not to have you Vanovitch tonight.

Speaker 2 (01:45:19):
Look inside that he has contributed a lot of goals.
What I would say though, is you know he didn't
start the last game. He came off the bench and
had a huge impact. But when you look at that,
what I suspect will be the Adelaide United bench in
Craig Goodwin coming back had a huge impact off the

(01:45:40):
bench a couple of weeks ago against Melbourne City. You've
got Burkett coming off the bench as well. We saw
him score hat trick earlier this season off the bench,
and he's always had an impact every time he's come
off the bench and potentially Munis all of a sudden
you're starting to look at a pretty very very strong bench.

(01:46:02):
So there's you've had it, chose a loss, but you
know they've got good when coming back, he'll be even
fitter than he was a couple of weeks ago. They
got the news who's probably going to come off the bench,
and they've got Burkett who can come off the bench
and cause some damage. I think Anton will be pretty
certisfied with the five paws off the bench. Notwithstanding out

(01:46:22):
they will miss y Ivanovitch's impact for sure.

Speaker 3 (01:46:25):
From an Adelaide point of view, I mean Auckland have
been very good defensively, second only to Sydney FC in
terms of regular season goals conceded. How can Adelaide United
expose them? And create chances against a pretty good defensive
side at home tonight.

Speaker 2 (01:46:41):
And that's you know, credit to Auckland. They're very resolute.
You know what, Steve Croker is built there in very
very very short space of time. Clubs have failed for
ten years to build in the A League, right, so
huge kudos to everything that's happened in Auckland. I think
a different dynamic is now that and Selmo is fit

(01:47:04):
for Adelaide United, very strong striker. It'll be a great
battle that that that he'll have over over in Auckland night.
And then you consider, I think the best way for
Adelaide and to expose Auckland damage Auckland is to playoff Anselmo.
If he can hold the ball up and bring those

(01:47:26):
attacking midfielders, whether it's Ryan White Johnny Yale into into
the game, then I think that's where you know, Adelaia
and ia Chem calls Auckland some some difficulty, but Anselmo
is going to play a key role because one of
the things in earlier in the season when these two
teams have Lockthorn's has been that Yovanovitch has largely struggled

(01:47:54):
in general play. I'm saying I'm not talking about goals
or anything like that. In general, playing in the ability
to hold the ball up, bring players into the game,
make runs in behind and stretch him. He's struggled against
Auckland on that score, I think, and Selmo brings a
completely different dynamics. So yeah, I think, you know, and

(01:48:18):
Selmo bringing the midfielders who are dynamic, fast, you know,
agile into the game. Is Adelaide United It's best road
to success.

Speaker 3 (01:48:28):
Just to finish, Bruce, you played, as I say, a
lot of games for Adelaid you night, a lot of
finals games. You won a Grand final with Audelaide United.
Much as players, I'm sure we'll say, look, it's just
another game. It's not as How different does finals football
feel compared to a regular season game.

Speaker 2 (01:48:43):
It's different, absolutely, and we'll see it on our screens.
The intensity will be very different. I'm interested in how
the teams, both teams approach it. It's two leged tie.
Is it like the buy in PSG first leg in
the semi to the Champions League which was five to
four and they both got gun ho God wouldn't we

(01:49:05):
both like the whole Everyone would love to see that.
But you saw the second leg of that game much
more cautious. People don't want to make mistakes, you know,
very small margins that make a difference. Do the teams
enter the game with that mindset? Tom will tell we'll

(01:49:26):
know early on how that game is going to play
out for the benefit of all the fans, Neutrals, Auckland fans,
the Reds fans. Let's hope for an early goal because
that really opens everything up. But yeah, I think you know,
the intensity will be high. People will be conscious about
not making mistakes only because it's two legs, so you know,

(01:49:48):
you're better off finishing nil all and going into the
second leg and it's a one off game. Then you know,
going hellful leather in the first game, maybe exposing yourself
at the back, and all of a sudden you two
kneel down at halftime. So you know, I'm intrigued to
see how both coaches set their teams up to who
tackle this game. But it's going to be a cracking contest.

(01:50:10):
Everyone loves finals.

Speaker 3 (01:50:11):
Football, YEP, can't wait for these two matches. Bruce Jita,
great to get your analysis. Really appreciate you taking the
time to chat to us.

Speaker 2 (01:50:18):
Enjoy the game today, Jason, Thanks for having me on.

Speaker 3 (01:50:20):
No thanks for joining us, Bruce, Bruce JiTT there Adelaide
United legend these days, football pundit. You can tell just
listening to him how deeply he follows the game and
how deeply invested in it he is. So Auckland FC
Adelaide United six o'clock to night, Vicky says on text.
Craig Goodwin is a phenomenal player, Pinty, I consider him
a real danger man. I do too, VICKI. He has
only had thirteen minutes of football in the last three

(01:50:42):
or four months, but I definitely take your point. Weirdly,
says VICKI. I'm more confident this week than I was
last week when I had to walk around the block
for the whole second half and extra time and just
ask my husband to send me the final score and
go the Phoenix women. Yes, indeed, we'll talk more about
the Phoenix Women tomorrow because they too are in an
A League semi final. It's the Second League tomorrow at

(01:51:04):
Potty to A Park. They are two to one down
in that tie. That tomorrow is said to be an
absolute blockbuster at Portydoor Park as they look to overturn
that deficit and make the A League Grand Final for
the very first time, Damien Mackenzie before three o'clock. But
let's play a sporting chance with the tab. I am
going to offer you, if you're new to this, I'm

(01:51:24):
going to offer you the choice of three bets, A short,
an evens and a long. You decide which one you want,
and we will place a one hundred and fifty dollars
bonus bet on your behalf and if it comes home
if you if you have a winning bet, the winnings
minus the initial one fifty, of course, are all yours.

(01:51:44):
You've got to be over eighteen if you would like
to play eight hundred eighty ten eighty or take all
a number.

Speaker 1 (01:51:50):
Five, No TMO, no drs, just your call on eight
hundred eighty ten eighty. We can sport with Jason Pave
News Talks B It's time for a sporting chance thanks
to TB.

Speaker 3 (01:52:04):
Yeah, one of my favorite parts of the show.

Speaker 10 (01:52:06):
So rarely.

Speaker 3 (01:52:06):
Going to offer you a choice of three bets, I'm
gonna say you. I'm going to offer it to Vaughn,
who was called a five.

Speaker 1 (01:52:14):
Vaughan.

Speaker 3 (01:52:14):
I'm going to give you three options, are short and
evens or a long that you decide which one you
want to bet on, we will place the bet and
if it comes home, the winnings minus the initial one
fifty all yours. Pretty simple concept to understand. Do you
understand the concept?

Speaker 5 (01:52:29):
Yep, yees?

Speaker 3 (01:52:29):
All good, okay, Vaughan. Here are your three options. Your
short option is a rugby option. The fair Hair Scores
a lot of tries special Monda Pacific are Hurricanes, fair
Hair Fineanga north Fall the Prolific Hurricanes try scoring Wigger
to score a try at any time. It's paying a
dollar thirty eight. You would win fifty seven dollars. That

(01:52:52):
is your short option. The evens. The evens is a
football one. We're just talking about this game. The Adelaide
more like Satellaide Special. This is Andy putting these things together.
By the way, Auckland FC Adelaide United for Auckland f
C to keep a clean sheet tonight, to not concede.
It's paying three dollars twenty. You would win three hundred

(01:53:14):
and thirty dollars if you choose that one, all right,
I yeah, yeah. And your long is a cycling bet.
The Strong Investment Special zero Detaalier Stage two, which I
believe to be tonight. Yes, it is tonight, Corbyn Strong,
the keiw is there. If he wins stage two, it's
paying seven dollars, you would win nine hundred. So fair

(01:53:38):
he Finniang and Norfolk to score a try to win
fifty seven dollars, Auckland FC to keep a clean sheet
to win three hundred and thirty. Corbyn Strong to win
stage two of the zero detealier to win nine hundred. Vaughn,
what would you like to go with I'll go Auckland
f C to keep a clean sheet. I like that bet, actually,

(01:53:58):
I think that's a very very good Betvorn. Okay, we'll
place the one hundred and fifty dollars bonus bet for you,
and if Auckland FC do indeed keep a clean sheet tonight,
then three hundred and thirty dollars will come your way.

Speaker 12 (01:54:10):
Awesome, thank you very much.

Speaker 3 (01:54:11):
Stay there on. We'll just make sure we've got all
your details. Andy will talk to you a bit more
and we'll get that bet place for you and keep
our fingers crossed. We'll do it again next week. Thanks
to our mates at the tab. Bet tracker is now
available on the tab app. Follow your bets during games
and see them update in real time as the action unfolds.
As always, please bet responsibly. Coming up sixteen away from three.

Speaker 22 (01:54:35):
What a hard fort win for the New Zealand Chiefs.
My word, they've gone to sun Corp Stadium and they've
unlocked a beauty. It was a torred encounter, but the
Chiefs have won it by ten fifty one points to
twenty one.

Speaker 3 (01:54:52):
Yeah, late Wallace a tit try stealing that win for
the Chiefs over the Reds. It was a second try
of the night. All Blacks teammatee and hooker Summersauni Tokiyaha
also scored two tries. The wind lifts the Chiefs to
the top of the table for the meantime, they're level
on points with the Hurricanes, but they've had one more win.
The Hurricanes have a game in hand though they play
Mowana tonight. Chiefs and All Blacks first five. Damien McKenzie

(01:55:14):
is with us. Damien, thanks for taking our call. Six
straight wins now top spot on the ladder again. What
pleased your most and what do you think pleased the
coaches the most about your performance last night?

Speaker 24 (01:55:26):
Yeah, it's a tough one. Like I said, an easy
place to come and come and play at fan Corporin. Yeah,
we're a tested throughout the whole way minutes and I
think I was really happy and proud of how well
our falls matched up and dob later around their carries
and how physical they were and was an other pack
as well, and.

Speaker 6 (01:55:45):
Yeah, thank you.

Speaker 24 (01:55:45):
Just the moments where you know, we faced a little
bit of the rest of the we lost our momentum,
but we're out of a great get it back quite quickly,
and I just really proud of how we're able to
do that.

Speaker 3 (01:55:56):
You seem really composed and even when momentum was with
the Reds in the second half, that composure never seemed
to desert.

Speaker 5 (01:56:03):
You.

Speaker 3 (01:56:04):
Is game management becoming one of this team's biggest strengths now, Yeah.

Speaker 24 (01:56:09):
I guess you know, this is a pretty experienced group
we've gotten. You know, it was learned from what over
the past sort of four or five years, and I
think a few strings to our phone the way we
want to play and could when you come over year
by nausea, it was a little bit hot, and you know,
you pretendially maybe fatigue a little bit quicker.

Speaker 6 (01:56:28):
It's about the day.

Speaker 24 (01:56:29):
It was really important about getting the board in front
of our board, and you know, I think we did
did that pretty well at most the most parts of
the game last night. And then when we got to
our seat peace and got into our work and our
phase playoff thought our falls really matched up and got
a slightly go from Bourn.

Speaker 2 (01:56:46):
You know.

Speaker 24 (01:56:46):
So you look at the score shooting and a couple
of forward scoring tries through slowly through a couple of
wall tries, and Wally just throw his dominant carries. So yeah,
we're happy with the way we're trending. Obviously, still I've
seen it before, we're not quite the finished from it,
but yeah, pretty pretty exciting and happy with the way
we're going.

Speaker 3 (01:57:04):
They threw plenty, yet you didn't they did. It feel
like one of the tougher eighty minute contests you've had
this season, given the way they played and the conditions
that you outliged before. But hotter over there.

Speaker 24 (01:57:14):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely it was right from the game. Obviously
we can see them points early and luck you said earlier,
and the I guess for us as leaders, and the
way we gave our messages was to panic and just
sort of stick to a game plan. And yeah, I
was just really happy with the way we responded, particularly
after we lost a little bit of momentum and your

(01:57:35):
body is a little bit sore today. We're obviously back
home and then another Friday game next week, so yeah,
it was a tough one. You know, the Reads are
a quality side and to be able to come over
here and get a winners as great for our season.
So I'm extremely.

Speaker 3 (01:57:48):
Proud of that for it last night, I just want
to ask you about a couple of plays, Damien Wallace.
A Titi is the first one you've got them back
after a period out through injury. A couple of tries
last night in another excellent all round game. How much
of a boost does he give you?

Speaker 2 (01:58:00):
Oh?

Speaker 24 (01:58:01):
Yes, a great boots show. We're pretty fortunate with Luswood
trio and Lucy's we've got em.

Speaker 6 (01:58:07):
Yeah.

Speaker 24 (01:58:08):
Well, he's still a young man, but he brings a
lot of experience and purity.

Speaker 5 (01:58:13):
Around his game.

Speaker 24 (01:58:14):
So you're having him playing last night and getting for
a full lady. You know, the sopecial talent, and you
know he showed that last night to us. A cisicality
and a couple of great triales.

Speaker 3 (01:58:25):
Toy score Quinti Pier. I think he's one of the
only guys. He might be the only one who started
all eleven games. His you know, his form's brilliant. He's
probably the form midfielder in the camp. Have you seen
a step up on what he's bringing you or has
that always been there?

Speaker 24 (01:58:41):
Yeah, I think it's it's for me, it's you know
about I've seen girl as a play over the past
few years, and I think that he's always had that.
I guess he's really shown through this year and you know,
just another year's experience and vice captain of the team,
and he's given him a real good letters role on
in the most of the group, and I think he's
taken it with both hands. And you know, he just

(01:59:03):
goes about it as work. He doesn't do anything fancy,
carries hard physical, he's credit defense, and you know, he's
been a huge part about the success we've had throughout
the season. And see we're going to need that through
the letter part of the season coming into playoff time.
But yeah, he's been an instrumental to to the way
we've played this year. And I always knew he's had it,

(01:59:23):
but he's really shot on through this year.

Speaker 3 (01:59:25):
He certainly has, and this was the first time you've
started at ten with Xavier Rowe starting at halfback. Every
other time it's been Quartel Latima is the is the
starting half back. How similar or not are those two?

Speaker 24 (01:59:39):
Yeah, there's similar enough.

Speaker 19 (01:59:40):
You know.

Speaker 24 (01:59:40):
They both great lines, got both really good right games,
great kicking. Pretty fortunate to play with both of them.
They both bring a lot of great skill set around
the attack and they do won a little bit of
the contact stuff as well. So yeah, either outside or

(02:00:02):
received the ball from you, they were pretty pretty blessed
with out of the halfbacks we've got playing some great rugby.
Because maybe I had an outstanding games one of them.
I mean, you know, do out a break guy like Tears.
With the amount experience and kind of a benches, we're
pretty pretty thought to it there. So it's a pretty
good better around the nine position at the moment, which
is which is always good.

Speaker 3 (02:00:21):
How are you feeling about your own game at the moment?
You're happy with how you playing?

Speaker 24 (02:00:26):
Yeah, not too bad, I think. Yeah, I guess you're
still a little bit of rust here and there, and
I guess, you know, for me, it's just keep run
each week and get myself in the game. I feel
my last name. Last night was sort of full dominant games.
I guess is acting myself is just you know, picking
the right times to come into the game. And yeah,

(02:00:48):
happy enough where I'm where I'm at. I know there's
still plenty to focus on. You know, I was mister
tech on the corner was putting back three points, which
is a little bit disappointing. So for me, it's always
trying to grow each week and learn from the previous
week and get better for the following.

Speaker 3 (02:01:05):
How different and is johnnah Gibbs from Clayton McMillan.

Speaker 24 (02:01:11):
Uh, sort of a big, big mean uh, you know
they own the room. But now he has been great.
You know, we fortunate that was fortunate enough adult for
the last few years and had John and around the squats.
I usually outstandings. We've got a good mix around our
coaching group and always really respect and working out there

(02:01:34):
and place with johnn wa sits o weak up and
you know, we worked out through the week and then
we'll get outdown. Tollykin was the team and he really
tries to so he's.

Speaker 3 (02:01:44):
Been great all right, just to finish six in a row.
Genuine title favorites, I think again, Hey, going to make
sure you take that final step this time and win
one of these things.

Speaker 24 (02:01:56):
Yes, hopefully this is the year. You know, we're obviously
falling short last years, and I think, like I said earlier,
we got a great experience in this group, so you know,
for us it's about the dailing is next sort of
three weeks of the past few twos with artists coming
up against quey teams, and then from there it's about

(02:02:18):
one week at the time and making sure we now
each week and enjoy ourselves. Have been here a few
times before, so hopefully we can go.

Speaker 6 (02:02:25):
On with this year.

Speaker 3 (02:02:26):
Well on behalf of all Chief fans. I'm sure you're
you're speaking their language, Damien. Thanks for taking our call mate,
Appreciate it very much. Damien McKenzie from Brisbane, where last
night the Chiefs beat the Reds thirty one twenty one
to three. Matches remaining in around thirteen of Super Rugby.
Pacific Highlanders war retars four thirty five this afternoon in Dunedin,
Bwana PACIFICA against the Hurricanes at Albany from five past seven.

(02:02:50):
The Brumbies against the Force wraps around at nine thirty
five out of Canberra. The first two Games Highlands Warratars
and ma Wana Pacific are Hurricanes. Available on News Talk,
ZB Sport and iHeartRadio. Full live commentary from those two matches,
Eight Away from Three Talks Epic, the biggest names and
sport are here.

Speaker 1 (02:03:10):
Weekend Sport with Jason Vine, News Talk SIMB.

Speaker 3 (02:03:14):
Five to three that will just about do us on
Weekend Sport for today, look ahead to tomorrow. Joined after
midday tomorrow on the show by three of the members
of the consortium who were looking to take over Mowana
pacifica all former All Blacks, John R. Ford, Sam to
topor Ben ar Tinger in studio and online with us
after midday tomorrow. Also Test Captain Tom Latham and we'll
bill towards the Phoenix women's game against Brisbane. Thanks for

(02:03:37):
listening and huge thanks to any McDonald four putting the
show together. What's our exit song today? Mate, Piney, the
Crusader's superpower is back. Of course, I am talking about
the horses.

Speaker 4 (02:03:47):
They're back.

Speaker 3 (02:03:50):
See Tom.

Speaker 1 (02:04:36):
Thank you for more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine.
Listen live to News Talks it Be weekends from midday
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.

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