Full Show Podcast: 10 May 2026

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
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Speaker 2 (00:29):
Hello there, Cura, good afternoon and welcome and to the
Sunday edition of Weekend Sport on.

Speaker 3 (00:34):
News Talks EDB. It's Mother's Day.

Speaker 2 (00:37):
Happy Mother's Day to my mom, to my wife, to
my sister, to producer Andy's Mom, to your mom, and
to you if you are a mom. Best wishes to
if you're missing your mom today. It's May tenth, big
day for sporting birthdays. Happy twenty seventh to Chiefs and
All Blacks midfield of Quentin Fire, one of the form
players in Super Rugby this season. Speaking of handy midfield backs.

(01:01):
Happy thirty fourth to forty test All Black Malachi Fakatoa.
Happy fifty seventh to Dutch footballing legend Dennis burg Camp
And happy sixty fifth birthday to Olympic gold medal winning
equestrian blythe Tape. Those are the birthdays and the Mother's
Day's salutations out of the way. Auckland FC have drawn
the first leg of their A League Football semi final

(01:23):
one to one with Adelaide United, all to play for
in the second leg on Friday in Adelaide. Assistant coach
at the side Danny Hay with us after two. Meantime,
the Wellington Phoenix Women are on the cusp of their
own piece of history. They face Brisbane from two thirty
this afternoon in Pottidoa. It's the second league of their

(01:43):
A League semi as they look to make the Grand
Final for the first time. We'll get you inside their
camp this afternoon. Black Caps test skipper Tom Latham on
the show today as well as they prepare for their
upcoming test tour of Ireland and England. First up today
though Mowana Pacifica can they be saved? There is a

(02:04):
consortium which includes a number of prominent former players who
believe absolutely they can and who want to take over
the license. Canilower Rugby want to not only resuscitate this
team but allow it to grow and to thrive.

Speaker 3 (02:20):
But as it now a bit too late.

Speaker 2 (02:22):
Three members of the consortium, all former All Blacks, are
with us shortly very keen for your views and your
feedback as well.

Speaker 3 (02:29):
We all want Mawana to stay.

Speaker 2 (02:30):
I think that's the commonly held viewers and it we
all want this rugby team to survive. We don't just
want them to vanish, but can it happen? Mawana Pacifica
our focus. First up today, lines open all afternoon. Oh
eight hundred and eighty ten eighty nine two nine two
is the text number emails into Jason at newstalkseedb dot

(02:51):
Co dot NZ nine past midday.

Speaker 1 (02:54):
When there's a line call, it's your call. Weekend Sport
with Jason Fine News Talks v.

Speaker 2 (03:02):
Mawana Pacifica's future has become one of the biggest talking
points in New Zealand rugby. With a Pacific led consortium
keen to take over the running of the franchise. Canoloha
Rugby wants a stronger Pacific voice, greater transparency and a
long term model built by pacificer people for Pacifica Rugby.

(03:22):
Three members of the Canniloha Rugby Consortium with us in studio,
Blues Centurion thirty six test All Blacks Front Row and
our GM of University Rugby set Piece Coach at Counties
and head coach of the New Zealand Underrady five team,
John R. Far Nice to see you, cheers mate, very well,
Thanks John. Great to have you with us and joining

(03:44):
us online. Former Auckland Otago, Blues, Edinburgh and All Blacks
fullback now working in player welfare, Ben Tinger. Good to
have you along, Ben, How are you doing?

Speaker 4 (03:52):
Very good?

Speaker 3 (03:53):
Thanks, Jeremy, good to have you here.

Speaker 2 (03:55):
And former Blues chiefs Auckland and All Blacks midfielder now
running his own player agency, Sam to it took poor.
Nice to see you Sam.

Speaker 3 (04:02):
How you doing yeah, good, thank you.

Speaker 2 (04:03):
It's great to have you all here as we try
to find a way through through this and try to
find a way to keep more on the Pacifica alive.
I guess the first question really is about each of
your involvement and why you want to be involved in
in kind of law of rugby and keeping Mowana going. John,
can I start with you, what's the motivation behind your involvement?

Speaker 5 (04:22):
Well, I guess let's just keep in like Pacifica Rugby going.
And when Tracy Matt came to us what five six
years ago, and they're already in that sort of community space,
Pacifica space, and they're like, oh, look, man, we need
to do some kind of team to have players have
a real pathway into professional contracts overseas and then obviously
into the international game for their home nations. And you know,
we talked about it, and we started conversations and we

(04:45):
had a chant six years ago to do something and
here we are, you know, five years later. And I
think it's around giving back, it's around looking after our
heritage and you know, just it's in an exciting brand
of foot that the Islanders playing. You know, I want
to make sure that's still going.

Speaker 2 (04:59):
Okay, let's go to you, Sam. Do those sort of
things resonate with you as well? As that your reason
for being involved, even though you're you're twelve thousand miles
away at the moment.

Speaker 6 (05:06):
Yeah, no, exactly. And I guess, you know, for me,
and I think that's one of the biggest things about
me be becoming a player agent as well, is like
helping boys, finding them opportunity abroad, and you know, and
exciting to see like our players that are going on
and representing other countries in that. But I think it's
time for us to sort of start, you know, for
the for our players to have their own pathway and

(05:28):
then be able to play for Tom and Salmore because
what being a game would be, you know, to see
as Tomra and Salmore and Fiji and that actually you know,
compete against New Zealand and Australia and you know that
will just create such an awesome atmosphere but a good
competition as well.

Speaker 2 (05:45):
And for you Ben, this is something that is deeply
personal for you as well.

Speaker 5 (05:50):
Yeah.

Speaker 7 (05:50):
Yeah, obviously we're all sort of islands in this group
and so rugby is what we know best and so
you then naturally we want to be of service to
the Pacific Rugby and our people. You know, that's just
that's just who we are. Services is one of the
course stones of our values as specific people. So you know,
we're all working in different spaces, but within the professional game,

(06:14):
you know. So it's it's a huge opportunity for us
to be able to contribute to something that we we've
already been in you know, our entire.

Speaker 2 (06:24):
Lives almost Sam, can I come back to you because
as you say, you're involved in in player agency, how
can do you think PACIFICA players would be to play
for Mowana if they knew that it was financially stable
and that it provided that pathway for them into professional rugby,
but also to their respective national sides.

Speaker 6 (06:42):
I think massively. You know, you look at the likes
of Fiji Lawyer. You know, you've got the Super rugby
where it's thriving Withdrewa. You know, many boys now are
looking to sort of head back to Fiji because they
want to be home with the family, They want to
grow up with their with their cousins and that. So
I think it's just time now that we can sort
of create this pathway for not only for Fiji before

(07:04):
Tomorre and Slimo as well.

Speaker 8 (07:06):
John.

Speaker 2 (07:06):
So what's happened here right Maana Pacifica. Basically we you know,
the current ownership groups has said we can't continue to
be involved in the funding of this franchise and so
if a new backer is not found, then this franchise
will fold. What's the situation with Knaaisa Rugby and taking
this over and keeping this franchise going.

Speaker 5 (07:28):
I think it just continues from our journey five years
ago when we sort of put the bid in for
that super franchise license and were unsuccessful and we sort
of sa let them take over and mine I got
the bid, so we're like, oh, look, congrats, you're looking
out for the Pacifica Rugby. Then you know, we met
them last year when there was issues around sort of
taking over, and they said, you know it's it's okay.

(07:49):
Well you know, we've got something else sort of, so
that's great. And then I think over the last couple
of months with the news broke, it was a bit
of a bit of a shock, and firstly around the
team and the news that we got by then straight
away to the players and then to the management and
to all the people that involved them in Mina Pacifica
and their sort of lovelihood. So I think now it's
just around discussions and getting the noise out there that yeah,

(08:10):
we're here, we want to help, we want to keep
it going, and we want to make sure there's something
for our Pacifica people going forward.

Speaker 2 (08:16):
So what's happened here then, because by the sounds of it,
you've been you've been willing to help, willing to step
and willing to say, hey, let's keep things going here.
What has happened? Where where are we right now? In
terms of that discussion, Well.

Speaker 5 (08:29):
I think it's it's a mixture of just trying to
get in front of the right people. And you know,
there's a lot of different parties involved, as you know,
and you know, you talk to one person, then you
go to another conversation, they tell you to go back
to the other person. So it's like a mixture. And
you know, we're really looking for some real clarity because
we want to get this going, but we need to
make sure that you know, we sit in front of
everyone and we know what they want and we know

(08:50):
what we're actually getting, because I think that's the big
one where yeah, we want to help take over the team,
we want to keep it going, but we need to
make sure we know what's evolved in and that's the
real conversation we need to have with the likes of
inded R and indeed Irpa Ben.

Speaker 2 (09:03):
Do you feel as though you'll be able to get
that clarity as a as a group, do you feel
as though I mean, like I say, you guys are
on the other side of the world, but technology is
a wonderful thing. I know you're in constant communication with
one another and with these interested parties. Do you have
a confidence that you'll you'll be successful in this that
Mowana can continue.

Speaker 7 (09:19):
Yeah, yeah, we hope, you know, we hope that that
that we can get some clarity on it. You know,
you know, we've been reaching out to to r UN
involved with the decision process and you know, so it's really,
I guess difficult to understand as two, why why there's
been a breakdown on communications stuff. So we're just kind

(09:41):
of you know, we're hopeful that that that we will
get this over the line. But you know, again, it's
it's it's going to take some you know, very open
and honest kind of now conversations for people who you
obviously are making decisions around the license, just.

Speaker 2 (09:57):
On the area that you're involved in player welfare. How
stressful a situation must this be for Mowana's players with
the uncertain and see that they don't know whether this
is a team that they'll be able to play for anymore.
They've got families, they've got livelihoods, this is their job.
How stressful is it for these players right now?

Speaker 9 (10:16):
Ah?

Speaker 7 (10:16):
Yeah, you know, it's it's tough because you know they're
all going to be in different obviously circumstances situations, and
but you know, you've got guys who have been in
the game for a while. So guys who have just
come into the pro game, you know, for guys who
have been in the game, you know, for for a
good amount of years, you know, it's it's and it
comes at a complete shop like this and a very

(10:38):
sudden stop. You know, it's a very challenging time for them,
you know, to to to answer those questions of what's next.
But then along you know, I think the biggest thing
is the kind of psychological impact that comes with that
will comes with change, a change of a new career
or having to go into a new career. You know,
there's a you know, this huge identity crisis around professional sport,

(11:02):
and so those I think it's more around the psychological
side of things that players are going to really struggle with,
you know, and obviously younger players or players we are
new to the pro environment who are potentially going to
be you know, without a contract next year or elsewhere.
You know, they've got to weigh up you know, the

(11:24):
kind of again, like like I mentioned, the kind of
psychological psychological impacts that will come with with that. You know,
there's a lot of you know, there's obviously you get
your stresses around your kind of financial transition as well,
you know, and making sure that you've prepared and and
that you have the kind of the skills and tools
to be able to kind of make a smooth as
transition as possible out of the game, you know. So

(11:47):
there's a lot of a lot of things, a lot
of I guess a lot of this is that they're
spinning for all at once, you know, So I can't
imagine how difficult it is for the players, but again
for the people around them that they're hugely obviously the
most important people to them, which are your family and
their friends.

Speaker 2 (12:08):
Sam, can I come to you? It was a similar
question to the one I asked before, But we know
that family is tremendously important to people from the Pacific Island.
So how how good was it to be able to be
able to place players or to or to have a
place for players to play close to their families. They
didn't have to go to the to the UK as
you know, as many have in the past. They could

(12:29):
stay based around New Zealand, based close to their families.
How big an attraction was that and how you know,
how cool a thing and good a thing was that
for these players? Yeah?

Speaker 6 (12:39):
No, No, it's it's something that's really special when you know,
I currently have a son who's in on one at
the moment, you know, and he would love to stay
in New Zealand and carry on that pathway because he
loves being around family. I know how difficult is for
me leaving New Zealand back in two thousand and seven,
you know, and that's something that you know, they're all

(13:00):
sticks back in my mind is like being able to
play in front of all my family, you know. I
used to have like sixty sixty sixty sixty people, our
family members come to my game. And unfortunately, like you know,
my son, who's my younger son who's here, he's playing rugby,
you know, and he has me and in a couple
of cousins and friends that come watching them, you know.

(13:21):
Where I want him to have that experience of having
all the family members and they come and watch him.
So I think there's something that our boys definitely miss out,
but something that they'll cherish if we can still create
their pathway for them.

Speaker 2 (13:33):
John, what would more on the Pacific actually look like
and feel like under Canda Loa.

Speaker 5 (13:39):
Oh, I think it'll be.

Speaker 10 (13:41):
Very much.

Speaker 5 (13:41):
I wouldn't say the same, but you have to start somewhere.
And I think the bones of it are there because
what is it for as a team for the Pacific.
It's a team for pathway for guys for a future,
as to reversent a heritage. So I think those things
won't change. Other things that might change will just be
how would your business because the business hasn't seemed to
work because they haven't got the funds to run it.

(14:02):
So and I think that's when we have some great
people behind us. We have Tracy's running the cad for us,
who's very sharp. So I think that will be the
big change. I think the shop window people see a
great product, some great footy, exciting for the somewhere to
go with your family, watch rugby. Behind the scenes that
we've messed, that's where the big changes will metrobably happen.

Speaker 7 (14:21):
We've we're talking about this a lot as a group,
you know, and you know we believe that under a
kind of more group, you know, we believe in a
stronger on franchise, you know, a financially discipline and stable franchise,
a franchise with the player identity, a franchise that would

(14:43):
adopt smarter business strategies. You know, we'd like to create
stronger links to communities throughout digital content, our grassroots programs,
and something that is also really big within our group
that we talk about a lot is actually wanting to
build partnerships with specificate owned businesses as well.

Speaker 3 (15:01):
Is that something that you don't feel has been done?

Speaker 7 (15:04):
H yeah, too degrees. You know it's for us though,
it's it's a huge thing because you know, I guess
there's always been a mentality around you know, with the
Pacifica communities that you know that we can't we can't
lead or govern ourselves and any kind of I guess

(15:26):
entrepreneurial environment, you know. So you know, that's where we
want to empower, you know, the community around us and
bring them with us on this journey.

Speaker 2 (15:36):
What strikes me is the best people to run Pacifica
Rugby are Pacifica people. That just strikes me as just
basic common sense. But the dollars and cents have to
be there as well. And John you alluded to it
is the money there?

Speaker 5 (15:48):
Oh, that's it. When I think I'm getting asked every
other day, is the money there? And you're can ask
the load because they've obviously in the cash, and then
the loot did the financial check earlier last year and
they had no issue either, So I think that's always
the one. People are like, oh okay, and some people
might think it's unfair, but obviously with mine a sort
of falling over here, they're like, oh, that's going to
be the question. So the money's here, I think that's

(16:09):
the key, and then everything else needs to be right too,
because this won't be enough. You need the right people,
you need the right players, you need the right strategy.
So it's the whole package, and we think we can
sort offer that.

Speaker 2 (16:17):
So I'm still trying to get my head around where
we are with this whole thing. Where we currently said, who,
what is the next step?

Speaker 11 (16:24):
Go to you?

Speaker 8 (16:25):
Sam?

Speaker 2 (16:25):
What is the next step here? Who do you need
to talk to? What do you need to get across
the line? How can we make this happen? The current
Super Rugby season has only got a month to go
and then there's no more Moana unless you guys or
somebody else steps in.

Speaker 3 (16:36):
So where are we Sam?

Speaker 2 (16:37):
Who who are the most important people to have conversations with?
And what would you say to them if you if
you had the chance to get in front of them.

Speaker 6 (16:44):
Yeah, I think it's about you know, really reaching out
to you know, we we have made that contact with them,
but it's about them coming down and then sitting at
the table and understanding where we're coming from. Everything has
been you know, they've they've had that five years ago
and we'll still we presented at it last year as well,
so we still have that in place. You know, we

(17:04):
just need them to have a look at it and
have a proper position. And you know, we've been reaching out,
you know, for so long now, and now it's about
them sort of taking the next step. They've got to
meet us halfway now because and now action needs to
be backed up of words going forward.

Speaker 2 (17:20):
So when you say them, you're talking New Zealand Rugby,
New Zealand Rugby Players Association, the current owners of Juanna.

Speaker 6 (17:27):
Yeah, I'm talking about current owners of my pm A
and also in New Zoom Place Player Association and ZIM Rugby.
You know, we hopefully we can get that over the
line in the next couple of weeks, you know, just
sit down with them, just so that we can have
a fair sort of communication full for a lot. So
then that way we're not just dealing with one group

(17:49):
we're dealing with ver run all together and in the office.

Speaker 2 (17:52):
How optimistic do you feel, Sam?

Speaker 6 (17:55):
Listen, you know, run the deadline and and and where
we say that everything happens for a reason and you
know it's all in God's plans. But you know, I
feel there's been a big, big shift in the last
couple of weeks, but we're still not there. So you know,
at the moment, I'm still fifty to fifty. But if
we can get to the right people in that and

(18:17):
sit down and talk about it, I think we can
really get get it over the way.

Speaker 2 (18:20):
And then if you sat down with the right people,
I mean, it feels to me from chatting to the
three of you here that you'd be able to get
the messaging across. Do you feel as though if you
are in the right room with the right people, that
you'd be able to get the messaging across that would
convince them that this is the way forward for this team.

Speaker 9 (18:35):
Yeah.

Speaker 7 (18:36):
Yeah, we're very confident in our group.

Speaker 6 (18:39):
You know, we.

Speaker 7 (18:41):
You know, we have the we have the right people
in place. You know, we have the funding, we have
the model, we have the community backing, you know, and
we have the well we have the will, we have
the drive to make this happen. And like we've said before,
you know, all we need is to have that one
shot and we just need to have that conversation with

(19:04):
the right people. You know, Amuel was mentioned as you mentioned,
you know, with throber Nickel out in JEDRPA and with
with the pm A group as well. You know, I
think if we sit down and have a talk, we
can you know, we can we can clear up, you know,
any any kind of clutter that has happened in the past.
You know, at the end of the days, it's all

(19:24):
about business and you know, and it's and obviously this
is something that's very meaningful to all of us in
this group and to the the pm A group, you know,
so it's hugely important for us to just get together,
sit down and have a constructive conversation to see what
we can do to to keep one specific alife.

Speaker 2 (19:45):
Just to finish with you, John, what what message would
you like to give to to Pacific Island rugby fans,
to Milana fans, to those in the Pacific Island rugby community.
What do you want them to hear today?

Speaker 5 (19:57):
I think it's just hearing there's still a chance, and
we're still here. We're still going to push for that
PACIFICA rugby team, and then just for them to keep
showing their support and keep using their voices, because I
think that's been the big one. We've been working by
and closed doors the last five years, trying to get
things done and they sort of get shut down. But
because it's behind closed doors, no nobody hears about it.

(20:18):
We're at the moment it's sort of front and center,
and it's not I wouldn't say it's putting a lot
of pressure on the other parties, but then it's making
people accountable and if they say no, then these most
probably needs to be a good reason why, or people
will be like, well why not.

Speaker 2 (20:32):
You know, do you think they'll say yes?

Speaker 5 (20:34):
You know, I'd love just to think they'll say yes,
But they did it five years ago, and then you know,
there's a lot of other things that need to get sorted. Yes,
they might inter Ande, I might say yes, interne Up
is still going to take it off, and then we
still need to see you know, what MP and how
they've operated and their true numbers. So you know, we're
definitely here to get it done. But you know, there's
so many other things that still need to come into

(20:55):
play for us.

Speaker 2 (20:55):
Well, there's a lot of people talking the talk. It's
great to have you guys and the rest of your
consortium walking the walk. It's been great to get some
clarity today. Benatinga Sam toy to Paul John R. Far
thanks for being with us and let's hope that the
way forward is a positive one for Water PACIFICA. It
feels like it's in good hands to me if you
guys can get this across the lines. So thanks so
much for taking the time today. All right, thank you,

(21:16):
No thanks guys. Three members there of the Canallia Rugby Consortium,
John R. Four, benartinga Sam too. We took all former
All Blacks others in the consortium, Jerome Kinnor, Joe Rocothocco,
Anthony Turtevaki and Benson Stanley among others. So keen for
your feedback. Oh eight hundred and eighty ten eighty. I

(21:36):
must admit, even after that, I'm still slightly confused about
one major thing here. Why is collaboration not happening to
save this team? There are four parties involved here as
far as I can see. New Zealand Rugby, the New
Zealand Rugby Platz Association, the current owners PMA, and these
prospective owners CANILAA Rugby. Surely, to goodness they can all

(22:01):
get around a table and work this out. If CANILAA
have the funding to keep Maana Pacifica going, and they
say they do, why wouldn't the license be transferred at
the very least. Why wouldn't it be investigated as a possibility.
Why wouldn't everybody involved be doing everything they possibly can

(22:25):
to keep this franchise alive. At their best, Mawana Pacifica
bring a huge amount to Super Rugby on and off
the field. Last year was a great example of that.
They played well, they won a lot of games, they
almost made the playoffs, the crowds turned up and Mowana
last year were the darlings of the competition. Yes, Rdie
Savier was there, that was a big part of it,

(22:46):
but surely it wasn't just him, not just one player.
This team and its community can add plenty to Super Rugby.
If it can be saved, it should be saved surely,
because what's the alternative? Hundred and eighty ten eighty is

(23:08):
our number? Twelve twenty nine got to get a breakway, Paul,
hold that spear line if you want to jump aboard.
Very very keen to hear your thoughts on this, Oh,
eight hundred and eighty ten eighty back in a second
Weekend Sport Hard.

Speaker 1 (23:18):
Tackles harder opinions. Weekend Sport with Jason Vine News Talks.

Speaker 2 (23:23):
There'd be coming up twenty eight away from one talking
more on a pacific of this hour eight hundred eighty
ten eighty can to get your thoughts today, Paul, thanks
for holding mate.

Speaker 12 (23:31):
Yeah, good a finny, Yeah, I have someon heritage. Very
proud summon. But I just can't help feel that this
team was built on a nice idea. You know, there's
one big thing that they need and it's cash. And
to involve New Zealand rugby union in there, who lost
seven million dollars because of their overspending as opposed to

(23:53):
what's coming in, there's no way that they can get involved.
I can't see the New Zealand rugby public supporting that.
It will just be bad business. You know, John I
five said the money's there, you know, where's the time
and some government helping to fund this?

Speaker 9 (24:09):
If I mean it's it's.

Speaker 12 (24:11):
Basically become a feeder team to the New Zealand Rugby
and you've got players that have picked the eyes on
them from other frenchisers funneled into there and they go
on to be All Blacks. Where's the pathways for these
players to represent Samar and Tonger? You know, they're basically
a Pacific Island team based in New Zealand from New
Zealand Civic Island players.

Speaker 3 (24:32):
Yeah, I think I think that pathway that is the
goal port.

Speaker 2 (24:35):
I think that pathway is there and and Moana PACIFICA
players will inevitably go on to represent Tonger and some more. Yes,
some have had As you say that the eyes have
been picked out. I mean we look at Karen talmay
Fillow for example. He's probably the best example. Recently he's
gone from Moana to the to the Chiefs, and I
guess he's he's stated he wants to play for the
All Blacks and that was the reason. But then you

(24:56):
you look at you know, there's been a couple of
Levi l.

Speaker 9 (24:59):
Moore.

Speaker 2 (24:59):
Remember he went to the Crusaders with every intention of
playing for the All Blacks and he just about fell
off the edge of a cliff. We didn't see him.
But back to your points, I think that it has
to exist for that reason, to provide that pathway, to
give a professional option to players so they don't have
to go to the other side of the world. But
also I think they've got to be competitive inside super rugby.

(25:20):
The money, you're right, I mean, I don't think New
Zellan rugby is you know, they're not the ones who
have to provide the money for this. It's the backers
who John talked about there, who they presumably have, who
feel deeply enough about the retention and growth of this
team to put their money where their mouth is.

Speaker 12 (25:40):
Yeah, but the thing is pointing you need I mean
to start up a new professional frenchise. You look at
the NRL, it takes years of planning and so forth.
Just whip up a team, you know, and then just
think that it's going to sustain itself. I mean, you
know they played last week at North Harvard Stadium. You know,
well just after there was announce that they're going to fold,

(26:03):
and there was probably one hundred and fifty people there.
I mean, there's no support for them in New Zealand
and the world's largest Pacific island city. There's no support
or very very small support to me. I mean, and
the guys. I respect the guys, but it just comes
across as a go fundly page trying to kind of

(26:23):
charity case.

Speaker 6 (26:23):
You know.

Speaker 12 (26:24):
You know, if anyone where it's supposed to be a
professional sporting franchise.

Speaker 2 (26:29):
Do you think that crowd and the crowds that they
have turning up are basically a product of what's happened
to the team though everybody, you know, I mean, when
you find out a team is going to fold, I mean,
your temptation and motivation to go and watch them play
is greatly reduced. You look at the crowds that we
onely got last year when they were winning games, they
got massive, colorful, loud crowds.

Speaker 12 (26:49):
I think, well that was largely because of one player,
you know and all black, who came in and then left.

Speaker 9 (26:54):
I mean, when you.

Speaker 12 (26:57):
Look at the whole pressure, I mean it don't get
me wrong, I'd love to see them succeed, but I
just think it's a charity case. You know, they're pleading
for money, vibe, and you know what's the end of
I mean, I don't know, maybe someone else might have
had the answers but now.

Speaker 2 (27:14):
I appreciate you starting the conversation with us. Paul, got
on you mate. What's good to chat to you? When
a Pacific aren't the only super rugby team who you
know who doesn't make a bucket load of cash. You
look around there's a number of Super rugby franchises who
are struggling financially. So I take it back to my
original point. And maybe it's a little bit rose tinted

(27:34):
and perhaps a bit of a generalization and an overarching
kind of opinion, but at the heart of it all,
I feel as though this team, if it can be saved,
should be If there's a conversation that can be had
that at least opens the door to the possibility of
this franchise not vanishing into thin air, then those conversations

(27:58):
should be had. If discussions can be held between the
right parties and there's a consortium canialwa and there might
be others as well. In fact that you hear that
there are others who are willing to also be involved
in the continuation of this franchise.

Speaker 3 (28:17):
Just talk.

Speaker 2 (28:19):
And again, I know it's naive because you know what
happens when these conversations happen there's a lot of territory guarding.
And look, I don't know. PMA might not want to
enter conversations because they would presumably have to open their books,
wouldn't they because Canelia would have to know what they
were taking over. They'd have to know the state of
the organization that they were assuming control of. How much

(28:43):
debt is there, what do they owe? What is the
full transparent picture of this team? Again, though, why can't
we just put the team in the middle of this conversation.
It's players, it's staff, it's hard working community around that,
around that club, and say can we keep them going?

(29:07):
Is there a way? And only when you've exhausted all
possible avenues do you say, you know what, we gave
it a crack. It ain't gonna work. Get the pet here,
good peak, good things, mate.

Speaker 13 (29:21):
They want to save money, But I listened to one
of your hosts talking about last week and all the
players they are all in business class. They are saving
right there. They can get them on a normal plane,
set them all together, but they don't have to fly
business class. I'm just going to pay for that.

Speaker 3 (29:37):
Where are they flying business class too?

Speaker 9 (29:40):
Oh?

Speaker 13 (29:40):
Apparently? And they go on where they go over see
their own business class or the plan over. Oh here
they got they're sitting in business class. Only I'm not,
I'm not. I don't want to sound nick enough. Okay,
there professional people, but they don't have to be sitting
in business class. Do they sort of money?

Speaker 2 (29:57):
Oh no, No, that's a very good point.

Speaker 14 (29:59):
No.

Speaker 2 (29:59):
No, If you've got looking at cutting costs then then
absolutely And I know a lot of teams have done that.
I don't know. I don't know that there'd be enough
business class seat on trans Tasman planes to get forty
guys across there in business in business class. But look,
they have to look at all of their all of
their costs. Obviously they can't just be spending money willy nilly.
We know that, pete. But you know, as I say,

(30:20):
I still think they should try and find a way
to keep this, to keep this franchise alive, that the
class want.

Speaker 13 (30:26):
To go business class or go for your pan for
salary for that on your pete.

Speaker 2 (30:32):
Honestly, I don't know that to be true. And like
I say, most of the time when you fly to Australia,
there's you know, you can sit up near the front
of the plane can't you. And there is there is
business class available. See my complete unfamiliarity with this. I've
never been anywhere other than about forty eight d pete.

Speaker 15 (30:49):
I wouldn't be.

Speaker 2 (30:49):
Able to tell you maybe there is enough business class capacity.

Speaker 3 (30:53):
But yeah, you're right.

Speaker 2 (30:54):
If you're looking at saving money, then you look at
all sorts of things like accommodation is another one. You
know a lot of franchises have to do this, you know,
I look at the A League clubs for example. You know,
clubs like the Phoenix and Auckland FC. They decide which
day they travel to Australia. Sometimes they travel the day before,
sometimes they travel two days before. The cost of traveling

(31:16):
two days before, clearly is that you've got to pay
for another night's accommodation for everybody who's there. You know,
it stacks up. That's you know, those costs start to
stack up. So yeah, cut your cloth to soup. Good
on your peat. I appreciate it. It's twenty to one phil
with you after this spee line there if you want
to join the conversation. Oh, eight hundred and eighty ten
eighty call.

Speaker 1 (31:37):
Us, how you see it? Hollow eight hundred eighty ten
eighty weekend sport with Chase and Paine news talks.

Speaker 2 (31:43):
That'd be sixteen or my back to the line shortly.
You just want to clarify the business class stuff it.
I had a number of messages saying that's not true,
that they don't they don't travel business class. Well one
apecific I don't travel business class. None of the Super
teams do to my knowledge. The All Blacks do. Yes,
that's part of their deal. But yeah, Super Rugby teams
don't travel business class to Australia unless they get a

(32:07):
complimentary upgrade or something like that. Is that a thing
I don't know. I had never had that either. I've
never had that. Here's a man who's flying a bit
of business class?

Speaker 3 (32:15):
Could I fill.

Speaker 9 (32:17):
Ye?

Speaker 4 (32:18):
Not recently, Pinty. I was going to say, joke and leave. Okay,
then if they don't fast like business class, one star hotels,
no more four flight star babies this day, and they
public transport to the game, just joking, I think.

Speaker 2 (32:35):
I think a lot of those costs travel and accommodation
are picked up by the competition as well. So they
tell you, okay, here's your hotel, here's your flights. Yeah,
so it's it's it's a red hearing of a conversation
anyway over to you.

Speaker 4 (32:46):
Yeah, yeah, I just joking.

Speaker 9 (32:49):
Yeah, I would like.

Speaker 4 (32:50):
To see them stay in the competition. I hope they
get saved. And I'm a bit like you. I listened,
you know, see the interview with the three guys that
want to take it over, and and I'm a bit
puzzled still like you. Whereas as you say, I just
don't quite understand what's going on here, because it seems
like you've got these people that want to take it over,

(33:13):
and they say they've got the cash and everything's good,
and they're ready to go on the bank, but for
some reason they're not being allowed to, you know, or
the people that are already who already owned them holding back.
So I just don't understand what the problem is, you
know why they just don't say, okay, fine, we want
to get out of it. The people that own them.
You know, it's not we're losing. It's not to standable.

(33:35):
Here's people that want to take over. You think it
would be a no brainer, you know, for a business adventure,
if you are losing money and people come along and say, well,
we've got the money, We've got the plans, the back
end and everything, so we'll take it over. So I
just don't get it. But I think too that although
one player, you always say one plague, that doesn't make

(33:58):
a difference. But I think they've really suffered this year
Minopacific and I watched the game. I was on Friday
or last night.

Speaker 15 (34:08):
We watched the.

Speaker 4 (34:08):
Game, and they Artis are there. They really miss him.
He was huge to that team and their results, you know.
But I still think, you know, they've they've got great,
good players and near like their winger with the mustache
and I can't just think of his name, but he
was really he's good on the wing near like that
try that he got where I think he had to

(34:29):
beat about two or three people when he was right
near the line. You know, it was a great try.
So I would Yeah, I think they would be good.
It would be good for Rugby Super twelve for them
to stay in the competition and play, you know, and
then these young players too coming through because they've got
a young winger there, haven't they that they're just introduced
and he's a big, young strapping fellow. Looks like he

(34:50):
could be pretty good in the future.

Speaker 2 (34:54):
So yeah, yeah, not fair enough too. For I know
you want to talk about the Crusade. Yea, you're talking
about Tama who got the got the try last night. Yeah,
some Oeen born and raised and look, they do have
good players. But the unfortunate thing if Moana does fold,
then not all of these players are going to be
picked up by super rugby franchisers.

Speaker 3 (35:14):
Some will be There'll be some.

Speaker 2 (35:16):
Players who turn the heads of the Crusaders, the Hurricanes,
the Chiefs, whoever it is. I think miracle for a
lungy there. Their captain is one who would pick up
a contract elsewhere. But I can't imagine that anywhere close
to even twenty twenty five percent of those players will
pick up contracts. So all of a sudden they're unemployed.
You know, this is these guys job. So you know

(35:38):
their their livelihood has taken away by you know, by
the folding of their team. So again, if it can
be saved, why don't we have the conversations anyway, I'm
going to give you. I'm going to I'm going to
give you sixty seconds on your Crusaders because I have
to move.

Speaker 4 (35:54):
Okay, thank you mate, But yeah, I'm right with you.
I'm right with you on the mine up pacifically. Yeah, boy,
that's Leicester absolutely, because I tried to get in yesterday
but I couldn't beause it was just too busy. But yeah, Lester,
I would definitely put him in the All Blacks as
a number seven. I'd have no trouble, you know, like
him going in that position, like that game against the Crusaders.

(36:16):
Like his creativity as well, you know, to do the
little chip kicks and things like that along the ground,
showing that in invention, you know, fantastic. So he's really
impressed me. And I thought when they lost those two
men near the end, I thought they weren't going to
be able to hold on. But you know, like guys
like black Head at what a game he had as
well for him, and like Cody Taylor and the senior

(36:38):
guys really stood up pinning the Blues down and keeping
them down there, not in that in their own territory
to get that win. So yeah, they just knuckled down,
didn't They put their head down in that second half?
Typical And like I say, when they lost two guys
right at the end and then they managed to not
panic and the senior guys just stood up and battled

(37:01):
it out, you know, to pin them down there, not
give them the chance to get the Troy and this
they got a breakake away. So but like I say, yeah,
really impressed with Leicester. What a player he is.

Speaker 9 (37:13):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (37:13):
And the horses, mate, how good was it?

Speaker 15 (37:16):
Horses?

Speaker 3 (37:17):
Maybe they're lucky, Phil, Maybe they're like a charm again,
you know.

Speaker 2 (37:22):
Good to have them back. Good to have a yarn
with you mate. Thanks indeed, Yeah, we'll talk more super
rugby a bit later on this afternoon. Thanks for you call.
Philhallow Mark, Hey, Piney.

Speaker 16 (37:32):
The world's a bit of place today with obviously the
Hurricanes back at the top of the table where they
should be. I'm going to be controversial today women's rugby.
They're pouring a lot of money into women's rugby and
it's not it's never gonna give give her a return.
And you know, I'm not saying it's a bad thing
or a good thing, but to me it's a little
bit ungrateful. Whereas where you're looking at Moana, because without

(37:56):
our Pacific Island Britain, the All Blacks would have been
pretty pretty average, crappy team, to be honest, And when
Mona came around. I thought they were going to invest
in it. I thought they were going to take it
to Samhara and Tonga. I thought they were really going
to sort of be like, you know, make it a
really sort of team that their culture could get behind.
And I think, yeah, I think Super Rugby has let

(38:19):
them down a bit. They haven't really had a stable
sort of platform or home to go to. And yeah,
I mean I'd love to see it saved. I mean,
I was watching David Kirk this morning. Seems a pretty
smart man. I mean, maybe he could get things done.
It seems to be a guy that can make decisions
and get things done. But I think it'll be a
real loss to the Super Rugby, which is really sort

(38:41):
of waning at the moment, isn't it.

Speaker 2 (38:43):
Well, just about what you said about how they were
supposed to be based in the Pacific eyes, that absolutely
was the goal. I think when they were set up,
there was this grand plan that they would be based
out of up here in Samoa and that you know,
the team would be based there, they would play all
of their games there. They would get massive support like
the Fiji and Druid when they play in Artoka or
bar or wherever. They play Suber you know, they get

(39:05):
massive crowds and it's a huge home advantage, but they've
got obviously a lot better infrastructure wrapped around that. You know,
this has never come to pass. I think they've played
one or two games up in the islands. So how
are you supposed to get that connection with your most
passionate fans and your your home nations if you don't
play there. I know Auckland's got a big Pacific Island population,
but it's nowhere near the same that was the initial aim,

(39:27):
and clearly that just hasn't come to pass. David Kirk,
I think at the board meeting the other day said look,
you know it's he almost it wasn't saying it's not
up to us, But in many ways I think he
was just saying, look, we we You can't expect us
to bail them out. They need to stand on their
own two feet and and well again, I keep coming

(39:48):
back to it. I just hope that they can have
at least a conversation about keeping them in life.

Speaker 16 (39:51):
You know, yeah, I said, I think Super Rugby is
going to be a lesser competition with than gone for sure.
I mean, you know, you've lost the Rebels. If you
lose Molwhana, it's going to become you know, just D
window and dwindow and wonder wasn't it a ten team competition?

Speaker 14 (40:08):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (40:09):
Ten team competition next year?

Speaker 3 (40:10):
Mark?

Speaker 2 (40:10):
This if this is a year which is sorry, carry on?

Speaker 16 (40:14):
Yeh, look.

Speaker 2 (40:17):
I have still got you there, Mark? Sorry, mate, I
are you just about to make one final point?

Speaker 16 (40:21):
I think, oh yeah, yeah. I was just gonna say
it's back to super team where it was started.

Speaker 2 (40:26):
Was Yeah, that's right, it's back to the future.

Speaker 5 (40:30):
Mate.

Speaker 2 (40:30):
Good to jet you.

Speaker 3 (40:31):
Mark.

Speaker 2 (40:31):
Thanks for calling in seven and a half away from
one News Talks EDB.

Speaker 1 (40:35):
Analyzing the plays and getting the inside Weekend Sport with
Jason Vine News Talks.

Speaker 2 (40:41):
MB coming up four to one on News Talks, HEB,
this is Weekend Sport. Thanks for your causing correspondence on
ONEA PACIFICA. We'll keep a running watch on what happens here.
Time is starting to run out, isn't it. What are
we now mid May or getting towards the middle of May?
Only a couple of games left for this team. I
guess if they continue the conversations throughout the off season,

(41:03):
but there has to be a point at which we
know whether Mowana are there or not there because they
have to put a drawer together. All those sorts of
things are they Is it an eleven team competition or
is it a ten team competition? Hopefully, as I say,
the conversations between the right people can be had. After
one o'clock we're going to get into Test cricket mode

(41:24):
as the black Caps are right now. The team or
the squad rather has been named for the upcoming test
matches back end of this month. There's a one off
tests against Ireland and then three against England in England.
The team will be led, of course by our Red
Bull captain Tom Latham. He's on the show after one
and vacisen out of the Wellington Phoenix women as they
shoot for a grand final.

Speaker 1 (41:45):
The only place to discuss the biggest sports issues head
off the field you get a score. It's all on
Weekend Sport with Jason Vine on your home of Sports
News Talk SAT ME.

Speaker 2 (41:59):
Gooday, welcome into Weekend Sport, Welcome back one oh seven.
I want to get you inside the Wellington Phoenix women's
camp this hour. In about an hour and twenty minutes,
they'll kick off against Brisbane at Potty to a park,
a jam packed potty to a park, a potty to
a park with extra seating. They're expecting well over five
thousand close to six thousand this afternoon to turn up

(42:21):
to watch the Phoenix up against Brisbane. This is the
second leg of their semi final. Brisbane won the first
league two to one, so I think you can probably
do the mats. The Phoenix have to first of all
draw the tie level and then I guess go ahead

(42:42):
if it's level on aggregate after ninety minutes extra time
and the possibility of a penalty shootout. Vic Essen has
been a standout in goal for Wellington this season. She's
on the show this out James mcconi in his regular
Sunday slot as well. For those wondering about Auckland FC,
we will cover them off after two o'clock with their

(43:02):
assistant coach Danny Hay.

Speaker 3 (43:04):
But want to start this out with Test cricket.

Speaker 2 (43:08):
The black Caps heading back to the UK for a
three Test tour against England that follows a one off
test at the back end of May against Ireland. The squad,
a big squad, an extended squad of nineteen players, has
delivered a fascinating mix of experience, returning firepower and fresh opportunity.

(43:28):
Kyle Jamison, Will O'Rourke and Ben Sears all back in
the Test picture. Dean Foxcroft has earned his maiden Test
call up. Jacob Duffy will miss the tour. He's going
to stay in New Zealand as he and his wife
await the birth of their first child. Kane Williamson is
back into the red ball environment plenty to dissect ahead

(43:49):
of one of the toughest assignments in world cricket, that
is winning a Test series in England. The team is
Tom Latham who's the captain, Tom Blundell, Christian Clark Devon Conway.
Christian Clark by the way only for the Island Test
Devon Conway, Zach Folks, Dean Foxcroft, Matt Henry Coldjiah Emerson,
Darryl Mitchell, Henry Nichols, will I Row, Glenn Phillips, Michael

(44:10):
Ray who's there for the Island Test only, rtch and Ravendrun,
Ben Sears who will be there for Ireland and also
a traveling reserve for England. Nathan Smith, Blair Tick now
came Williamson and Will Young who was there just for
the Irish Test. New Zealand Test captain Tom Latham is
with us. Tom, thanks for taking the time. First of all,

(44:31):
what's your overall assessment of this squad that you've been
able to name for these Test matches against Ireland and
then on to England.

Speaker 8 (44:39):
Yeah, I was really excited about the group that we've gotten.
Obviously the first one against Ireland. There's obviously a few
things up in the air with guys returning from the
IPL and all that sort of thing, but yeah, I'm
so really excited, as you said, a little bit of youth,
a little bit of experience, but also some guys coming back,

(45:00):
you know that haven't been around the Test scene for
a while, you know, the likes of Cold Jameson Willow Rourke.
So it's great to see them be back on the
park and you're really excited about the next sort of
four weeks but also the next sort of twelve twelve
months of Test cricket coming up.

Speaker 2 (45:18):
Yeah, certainly exciting times for fans and no doubt for
players too. Can ask you about Carle Jamison Willow Rourke,
as you say back in the mix after injury layoffs
with Cole Jamison, he you know, he's been through a
bit of a wretched time. He's been building back through
white ball cricket. What have you seen from him that
gives you the confidence he's ready to play Test cricket
again after such a long time away from the red

(45:39):
ball international game.

Speaker 8 (45:41):
Yeah, I think with Kj's obviously had a tough time
you know, probably not necessarily last twelve months, but sort
of the last the previous twelve to twenty four months
in terms of you know, injuries coming back and things
not being quite right. But I think the work that
he's put in certainly over the last yeah, twelve eight
and twenty four months to get himself back on the park,

(46:03):
I think we've obviously seen he's played a full summer
of white wall you know, which is which has been
great and it's all building blocks for him to get
back to playing Test cricket, which which he loves and
obviously wants to do again, which is a huge benefit
to New Zealand cricket. So you know, really excited to
see him back in a Test squad and sort of

(46:25):
Willow Rocks a little bit the same and you know,
a similar injury. You played a little bit of white
ball cricket over the last sort of a month or so.
But to see him, to see him charging in the
nets as as really exciting. And again to have both
of those guys play alongside each other, which they haven't
done in test cricket, is is hugely exciting and they're

(46:47):
really excited to have them both both back in the group.

Speaker 2 (46:49):
With the heightened bounce that they both provide. Tom, you know,
do you feel as though English conditions will will be
perfectly suited to the way they go about their past bawling?

Speaker 7 (46:59):
Yeah?

Speaker 8 (47:00):
I think with those two, I think their ability to
adapt is probably the biggest one. I think you look back,
you know, when kJ was playing Tess Crek, I think
the ability for him to bring the stumps into play,
for for a big, tall guy to be able to
sing the ball both rays, and obviously the balance that
they both get a as a huge asset. We know

(47:20):
how good England, how good a side they are, and
obviously it's their first you know series post sashes, you know,
which is obviously going to be an exciting time for
them too, but you know, really excited the I guess
the attributes that both those guys bring sort of balance
out our bowling attack out quite nicely and I.

Speaker 2 (47:38):
Made and call up for Dean Foxcroft, who have seen
the white ball stuff. Of course, what was it about
him that that impressed the selectors and yourself to suggest
that he could he could be a red ball option
for you as well.

Speaker 8 (47:51):
Yeah, I think from a role point of view, you know,
we're sort of one of the like to like, you know,
in terms of what you know what obviously mtch brings
to the group and it's I guess a similar role
that we were we were trying to cover and I
think you know, the way he performed Bangladesh and you
know it was was quite quite impressive. He's come a

(48:11):
long way, certainly over the last twelve adding months, play
a little bit of a cricket, you know. So I
think just the ability for him to come in and
keep being himself, you know, keep I guess learning, keep
striving to be better and learn from the different guys,
and that's certainly what he's done the times that I've
been involved with him, certainly over the last month in Bangladesh.

(48:33):
So yeah, I always exciting when guys get their first
opportunity to be in a test squad and also really
excited Foxy to do in the mix there.

Speaker 2 (48:41):
You mentioned Mitchell Sander there. His shoulder injury is going
to continue to be monitored as he rehabilitates. How confident
are you that he might play some part later in
the series. Maybe maybe obviously not Ireland, but maybe in
some of the test matches against England.

Speaker 8 (48:56):
Yeah, definitely confident that he will get back to or
be fit for available for selection. Obviously it's a week
by week case. Obviously want to give himself the the
best opportunity to get it right first and foremost, and
hopefully we're presented with the opportunity that he will be available,
whether it be first, second, third test welllst. He just

(49:17):
have to have to wait and see what that looks like.
But it never injuries and never ideal timing. But he
guttered for much to unfortunately pick up this little injury
over and over and out of there.

Speaker 2 (49:30):
Does it feel as though Tom the that you'll you'll
rely largely on the same attack that that you're spending
all around it might be Glenn Phillips for example.

Speaker 8 (49:38):
Yeah, I think if you look over well a long
time now, you know that in terms of the balance
of our squad that we've had not necessarily the last
twelve months, but three, four or five years ago. I
think that's a balance that we've sort of tended to
have in conditions you know, like England, like New Zealand.

(49:59):
I think the strike that I said, the strides that
GP's taken over the last you know, a couple of
years being in that role from a spin point of view,
you know, he's gone from strength to strength and is
boyling someone that certainly leaves no stone unturned. He works
really hard at that aspect of his game. And also
think some of the knock that he's played from a

(50:20):
batting point of view have been hugely vital in that
sort of middle order for us. And you know, we're
very fortunate that we do have someone like Ruction as
well who does offer us another spin option, you know,
if conditions do suits. So yeah, that's obviously the balance
that we've tended to go with and I'm sure it'll
be similar to to I guess what we're facing over

(50:41):
in England as well.

Speaker 2 (50:42):
From a batting point of view. What are the biggest
most specific challenges batsman face and English conditions.

Speaker 8 (50:50):
I think, first and foremost, it's obviously a different ball.
I'll say the Joke's ball compared compared to a Cookobar
ball here in New Zealand, you know, it obviously tends
to do a little bit more off the surface, but
you know, surfaces over in England can be a little
bit slower, and you know the ball ten to I guess,
move sideways a little bit off the surface and it
can swing a little bit more. So we're kind of

(51:13):
fortunate that most guys have played in England at some point,
whether it be international, where it be county cricket. So
I guess it's important for guys to to lean back
on those experiences and tack that ino what's obviously going
to be a really exciting series, one that's obviously been
I guess highlighted, you know, a couple of years ago,
and to I guess to finally be here as really exciting.

(51:35):
I'll see it a Test against Island first, which is
you know, just as exciting for us as well. But yeah,
just I think guys are looking forward to the opportunity
of getting back and to rebel cricket. You know, it's
been a light diet of Test cricket, obviously only playing
three this summer, but yeah, I've seen from a test
point of view, you look at the next twelve twelve months,

(51:58):
you know, it's a I guess it's a period of
cricket that we've never really been exposed to from a
from a test point of view.

Speaker 2 (52:03):
Yeah, it must be exciting as you say, I mean
Island in England and then India back here and then
that four Test of Australia for you know, for someone
who enjoys their red ball cricket as much as you
do and will get obviously the opportunity to lead the
side through this very exciting period. You know how exciting
a prospect is the next twelve months for you, Well.

Speaker 8 (52:23):
It's hugely exciting, I think. Yeah, as I said, it's
probably you know, a time that New Zealand cricket has
never had in terms of the amount of cricket that
we tend to play in a short space of time.
And to have twelve Tests in the space of you know,
a twelve month period, you know, maybe even a little
bit less as massive for us, and especially to be

(52:45):
playing eight over our home summer. You know, when you
get to the back end of this year is really
exciting and we know we're going to need a full
squad you know, throughout those eight Test matches at home,
you know to pick from and you know, as I said,
it's unique. You know there's going to be different times,
there's going to be different challenges from and you know,

(53:07):
bodies and getting through that amount of cricket. But you know,
we're fortunate we've been able to build up a squad
over the last or twelve twenty four months. You know
that anyone that we do call upon as ready to
go and it had experience in Test cricket.

Speaker 2 (53:22):
Do you get a sense that England will temper the
way they've played Test cricket given their heavy Ashes defeat
or do you still expect the bean Starg's Brendan McCullum
strategy to be a very aggressive one.

Speaker 8 (53:36):
Yeah, it's sort of hard to know. I guess. I
guess you look at their squad as a whole, regardless
of who they picked. There's so much talent in England
that I think their ability for them to adapt to
play a style that they want to play, and you
know that they're able to do that because they also counted.
So I guess whatever they do come with, whether it

(53:57):
be a similar approach or whether it be something slightly different.
For us, it's always about trying to adapt to the
way that they play, but also focusing as much as
we can on the approach that we want to take
into things, to look into the opposition and what they
might do or what they might not do or Hudel
pick and you know who's going to play. But for us,

(54:18):
we know if we play our style and our brands
as best we can, and we know we'll have the
ability to adapt to what's thrown at us and hopefully
that will give us a good opportunity towards the back
end of Test matches to put ourselves in winning positions
and go from there.

Speaker 2 (54:35):
Very exciting times. Fans of Test cricket have been hanging
out for this period to arrive. It almost has Tom.
Thanks for taking the time for a chat this afternoon.
Travel safe, mate, look forward to seeing hey you go
over in Ireland and England and then back here when
the home summer approaches.

Speaker 15 (54:49):
Perfect.

Speaker 2 (54:49):
Thank you very much, No, thank you very much, Tom.
Tom Latham there, red ball captain for New Zealand. So
the Test against Ireland, the one off Test, it's a
four day Test, starts on the twenty seventh of May,
runs through until the thirtieth in Belfast, and then three
Test matches against England at Lord's June four through eight,
at the Oval in London June seventeen to twenty one,

(55:12):
and then to trent Bridge, Nottingham for the Third Test
June twenty five to twenty nine. I'd be keen to
hear your thoughts on your levels of excitement. I guess
it's still a month or so away, isn't it, So
maybe we don't get too excited about it until it arrives.
Fans of Test cricket, of which I count myself in
their number looking forward to this. I mean it's going

(55:33):
to be a few nights of you know, of broken
sleep obviously, but Test matches against England there's just something
about them, isn't there, you know, watching watching our team
in the middle of the night our time go up
against England. The thing that Tom Latham alluded to there,
which will be I guess a little bit disruptive at
the start, is the IPL players who won't join this

(55:58):
group until after their respective IPL players sorry, IPL commitments
are done. Rutch and Ravendra En, Philip's, Matt, Henry Cole, Jamison,
Zach Folks, They are the five in this nineteen who
are in the IPL. And the final of the IPL
is the first of June, and as I just mentioned,

(56:19):
the Test against Ireland is from May twenty seven. So
that's the reason for the big squad and why some
of these players, as I mentioned before, are only there
for the Irish Test. They're not there for the England
Tests that follow. Because those five are Vendra Phillips, Henry
Jamison and Folks, all of who would have to be
in contention. He'd have to think for a first eleven

(56:40):
to face England in their conditions until they arrive. The
other part of this, obviously is what does that do
to their preparation. They will have had next to no
red ball preparation, in fact none. They'll come straight from
the IPL to Test matches. And I saw Gavin Larsen

(57:00):
quoted during the week of saying, look, of course it's
not ideal. In an ideal world, they would have been
hitting red balls and bowling a lot of red ballovers
in the period leading up to the Test series. But
the reality, says Gavin Larsen, and this is you know,
this is self evident. The reality of international cricket now
in modern day scheduling is that it just doesn't happen.
But players are becoming more and more proficient at transitioning

(57:24):
between formats, looking after their bodies, getting their loads up,
And I think the bowlers are the main one. Right
if you come from the IPL where you basically bowl
four overs to test matches where you might bowl twenty
plus overs a day, very different, right, very different. So
they talk about getting the loads up. So if you
can't do that in the game, then clearly you have

(57:45):
to do it in the nets. You spend time in
the nets and you bowl a certain number of delivery.
Sports science is a wonderful thing these days. I'm sure
that the black Caps sports scientists can say to Kyle Jamison, right,
you need to bowl this many deliveries at full you know,
at full noise. So get out in the nets on
your days off and bowl the equivalents of let's say

(58:05):
twelve us, then tomorrow do fourteen, then have arrest and
do sixteen or something like that. You know, that's very
vague from me obviously, but I'm not a sports scientist.
But they'll have to get their loads up in order
to cope with the rigors of test cricket, Kyle Jamison
in particular, who hasn't played Test cricket for quite some time.

Speaker 3 (58:23):
Very exciting to have him back. We know what an
impact he made when.

Speaker 2 (58:26):
He burst onto the scene as part of that team
that went to the World Championship Fine Test Championship Final
and won it. He was a big part of that
team with Bolt Sow, the Wagner, Jamison and to Gronholm
in there as well. He had an enormously successful start
to his Test career, cut down by injury in the
last couple of years.

Speaker 3 (58:46):
Great to have him back.

Speaker 2 (58:47):
You just pray that his body will hold up now
and he can again be a big part of our
Test side. No, Jacob Duffy, as I say, he will
stay home with the full blessing of New Zealand cricket
and the black Caps. Very special moment to see and
his wife await the birth of their first child. So
Jacob Duffy, who was the Sir Richard Hadley Medal win

(59:09):
the last year, wasn't he across the formats will not
be there but yeah, plenty of pace, bowl and cover
and as I say, Jamison willow rock coming back. Man,
Henry know how good he is exciting times ahead one
twenty five.

Speaker 17 (59:22):
It is.

Speaker 2 (59:23):
I'll talk some cricket with you if you like. Our
eight hundred eighty ten eighty still to come before too,
James mcconey in his regular Sunday slot, and we'll get
it to the Wellington Phoenix women as well, who went
out just over an hour away from the biggest game
in their history, the second leg of their semi final
against Brisbane. But line's open to talk about a cricket
if you like.

Speaker 3 (59:39):
Oh, eight hundred eighty ten eighty.

Speaker 1 (59:41):
Hevin matters in sports. It matters here Weekend Sport with
Jason Fine news talks.

Speaker 2 (59:47):
They'd be news talks have been Weekend Sport football shortly
one twenty eight, just updoting you on the basketball. This
is NBA playoff time, of course, the LA Lakers up
against the OKAC Thunder in the NBA's Western Conference semi Finals.
The Thunder lead too nil. This is Game three, and
so the Lakers really do need to turn this around

(01:00:08):
and get something before before it gets away from them.
Getting towards the end of the first half and the
Lakers or ahead narrowly forty eight forty seven. This game
is at Crypto dot Com Arena in Los Angeles, so
LA forty nine, forty seven ahead now with about three
minutes to go in the in the first half there,
I pinally I think the cricket will be a physic
for New Zealand, as will Silver Ferns games at this

(01:00:32):
or for Silver Ferns at the Games this year. Preparation
is key and both of these codes have slash will
have next to none of that. Yeah, I mean preparation
is key, isn't it. But and I think the netballers
will be okay, they would have had the A and
Z Premiership. I'm not sure what they've got planned in
terms of warm up games before they get to Glasgow
for the Commonwealth Games. But as far as the black

(01:00:55):
Caps are concerned, I just think it's a fact of
life now, isn't it.

Speaker 3 (01:00:58):
There just isn't time. They've got to you know, just
got to work with what they have. The IPL is
here to stay.

Speaker 2 (01:01:07):
It has been for a long time and will always
take up the window right up to the end of
May and into early June. It's what teams face when
they play England in the English summer. In England that
their IPL players just have a very limited build up
in terms of red Ball. In fact, next to none
if any of the five black Caps in the IPL

(01:01:29):
have a team that makes the Grand Final, and that
actually looks unlikely, but even so, just theoretically if they
were to, they won't arrive in England until the second
of June at the earliest, and the first Test starts
on the fourth of June, so it was that a
couple of days that, as Gavin Larsen said during the week,
he'ds elected for the team. These players have got very good,

(01:01:50):
very very good at transitioning between formats and being able
to I guess, get themselves loaded up while they're at
the IPL in terms of their work that they do
in the nets. I guess we will soon find out.
The biggest game in the history of the Wellington Phoenix
women's team is just an hour away. They play the

(01:02:12):
second leg of their A League Women's semi Final against
Brisbane raw Potty Too A Park two thirty this afternoon.
Brisbane won the first leg two to one in Brisbane
last weekend.

Speaker 14 (01:02:24):
It's designed by Miller a Chance got Brisbane and for
Prown and they have turned it around from one milltown
to lead the semi and it's their talented teenage striker
who has got that John done there.

Speaker 2 (01:02:38):
So two to one, but the job's only half done. Rarely,
this is a two legged semifinal and so it is
the aggregate score across the two legs, no away goals
counting for more or anything like that. Basically it is
halftime and the Phoenix are two to one down and
about to embark on the second half of the tie

(01:02:59):
on home soil. I spoke on Friday with Wellington Phoenix
and Football Ferns goalkeeper Vic and asked to first of all,
what was the feeling like in the side after the
narrow two one first leg loss.

Speaker 18 (01:03:13):
It was a disappointing result for us and in a
slightly disappointing performance, although there was elements of greatness within it.

Speaker 2 (01:03:21):
But look it's half time.

Speaker 18 (01:03:22):
It's halftime of a big game, a semi final game,
and we get another shot at it. So I think
everyone's worring to go for Sunday and this whole week.
You know, we're tied on the screw on things in
training for sure, but yeah, we're really looking forward to
getting out there on Sunday and.

Speaker 2 (01:03:38):
Just yeah, seeing what we can do anything specific that
came out of the first leg that's been focused on
in the second or is it really a clean slate
as you look towards a one off game perhaps on Sunday.

Speaker 18 (01:03:49):
We always look to learn, of course, so we watched
the game back the next day and saw, you know,
things where we probably came away from us a little bit.
So we're looking to make sure that we do us first.
You know, it's Brisbane did cause us problems, of course,
and that's what happened in football. You try and choke
the other team and force them to do things that

(01:04:10):
they want to do, and at times they did that well.
But we started off the game fantastically. I think, you know,
for us, it's about how we can continue that on.
So that's what we're going to look towards doing on Sunday.

Speaker 2 (01:04:21):
How important is it that you start well? I mean
you're a goal behind and that goal could come at
any time, or two three goals could come at any time.
But is a fast start, a good positive start a
pretty important part of this.

Speaker 18 (01:04:31):
Yeah, definitely. I think the Phoenix have shown that if
we can score early then we can be pretty lethal.
I think the exciting thing about us is sometimes we
can have great games and we can score many, but
the main focus for us is that we need one.
We realistically need one to keep ourselves in the game
and give us a chance to go through. So the

(01:04:53):
main goal is to not concede to get one, and
then we'll see how the rest of the game goes.

Speaker 2 (01:04:58):
Just zooming out on the season as a whole, it's
been a terrific defensive season by the team across the
regular season, and I guess a big part of that's
been consistent. So you've played all game, The three in
front of you were started every game. How important has
that consistency been to your defense of excellence this season?
Do you think?

Speaker 18 (01:05:15):
I think consistency is key. You know, it's not just
the center backs and the wing backs. You know, our
defense starts at the front, and we pride ourselves on,
you know, our press really and I think we're at
our best when our press is working and we've scored
goals off our press. So it does start from front
to back. But yeah, definitely, like having multiple players, especially

(01:05:38):
in the back line, playing week in week out differently
helps because you get a bit of a flow and
understanding of players tendencies and I definitely think that helps
with you know, stopping shots, blocking crosses, and of course
hopefully getting clean sheets.

Speaker 2 (01:05:52):
How do you assess your season personally or do you not?
Do you look at the team? Ash, I'm going to
ask you, how do you assess your season personally as
a you know, as a goalkeeper.

Speaker 18 (01:06:02):
Yeah, I think it's a good question. It's not one
I've been asked, actually, but I think you know, I
came back from Europe and I hadn't had a lot
of game time, so for me, it was trying to
get up to speed as quick as possible.

Speaker 2 (01:06:17):
I think we.

Speaker 18 (01:06:20):
We started quite well as a defensive unit during the
start of the season, and although that's fantastic, I probably
wasn't tested quite as much earlier in the season as
maybe you would have liked. So I think it was
a bit of a slow build for me personally, and
I've probably gotten better, I think because the season's gone on.
So you know, for me, it's about consistency and trying

(01:06:41):
to be as consistent as possible across the whole course
of the season. And you know, if I come back
next year, then it'll be hopefully be able to pick
up where.

Speaker 9 (01:06:49):
I left off.

Speaker 2 (01:06:50):
Do you take pride there in the game against Prisman
because it could have been three one, four one, You've
made some terrific saves. Do you take personal pride in that?

Speaker 12 (01:06:58):
Yeah?

Speaker 18 (01:06:59):
I take personal pride in keeping the ball out of
the back of my net, of course, and sometimes as
goalkeepers you can't save everything, but I want to at
least say the ones that I can say, the ones
that I'm expected to save it and that I know
it can save. So yeah, yeah, it's it's hard. You
lose too, you know, you lose two to one. You
can't focus too much on the goals conceded, although of

(01:07:22):
course we're going to learn from them now I'm going
to learn from them as well, But think bigger picture.
You know, you get a little bit of confidence from
making saves as goalkeeper, coming out and taking crosses. Of
course that that all builds into it. But keepers, you know,
everyone's you only as good as your last game. And
I think you've got to turn around really quick because
you can't focus on what you've done in the past.

(01:07:43):
You've got to focus on the future and turning the
screw and making sure that you know this this game,
this game for us is hopefully the best game I
can have all season.

Speaker 2 (01:07:52):
Or a couple of days out from it. And here
at Polydor Park you can see the extra seats have
gone and they're all sold, expecting over five maybe six
thousand here on Sunday. What's that prospect like as a
as a home team, as you try to overturn a
narrow difficult like this, how much is they going to help?

Speaker 18 (01:08:09):
Immensely? You know, there's nothing like going to if I
think if the shoes on the other foot and I'm
going away to Brisbane. You know, when we played out
away leg in the regular season, there was quite a
lot of fans in the crowd because it was a
double hitter, and I think from the very first kick
in the warm up, I had fans giving it to
me behind me and I thought, goly, gosh, this is

(01:08:31):
going to be a long day of the office. And
then you know, last week, actually the fans were pretty quiet.
They didn't cause me too much grief, and I thought, okay, so,
you know, that's surprisingly nice. I was expecting a little
bit more, actually, but I do hope that our fans
can give them a little bit of grief, because you know,
that's what you get that's the benefit of having home games,

(01:08:51):
and we're going to have an extra I think maybe
three thousand or so hopefully in the crowd this week,
and I really do think that that noise will I
hope it will suffocate them really.

Speaker 2 (01:09:04):
Just to finish this game, could finish. One possible outcome
is a penalty shootout. That is one possible outcome, one
possible scenario. Are you ready for that of that transpires?

Speaker 18 (01:09:14):
Absolutely out. Look, we've practiced the penalty process for weeks
now and I can say that the team's definitely ready
if that is the case. So you know, he is
hoping that we can finish it a normal time, but look,
if it comes to penalties at the end, then I've
got full faith that our team will be able to
finish it off.

Speaker 2 (01:09:31):
In a positive note, all the best in your quest
to earn one more Monday, Vic, thanks for the chat.

Speaker 18 (01:09:35):
Thank you very much.

Speaker 2 (01:09:36):
Funny that is a vic Essen. Wellington Phoenix and Football
Firm's goalkeepers set to be a big part of their
quest to overturn this deficit, first of all today and
then to well either to win at a normal time
or extra time or even who knows, a penalty shootout.
That is what is lying ahead of the Wellington Phoenix
Women this afternoon. You heard Vicksen there. If you're drive

(01:09:59):
into the game and listening to this, if you're part
of that crowd, you've got to make sure that Brisbane
know that they are on enemy territory. It's called home
advantage for a reason. That doesn't necessarily mean that you
have to throw abuse at them, but just make a
lot of noise for your team. It is going to
be absolutely jumping out there. It's a terrific place for

(01:10:20):
a game of football. To watch a game of football,
it's rectangular, it's enclosed. The extra seeding is right up close.
So wherever you are, whether it's in the main grand
stand the extra seeding or sitting on the bank, and
that's going to be packed this afternoon as well, just
make a lot of noise for your team. Make it
an intimidating cauldron for the visiting Brisbane players. Look, I

(01:10:42):
fully expect that the Wellington Phoenix Women have what as
they fully expect. I know that they have it in
them to win this game this afternoon. I've watched all
of their games this season under BEV Priestsman, they have
improved markedly as a football side. They've all improved, it
seems to me, as players under her coaching, and that

(01:11:03):
is the mark of a great coach, can improve the
players under your care. They have gone further than any
Phoenix women's site has ever gone before. They did that
when they made the top six in the previous four seasons.
This team had never made the top six, had never
made the playoffs. They finished second in the league last

(01:11:25):
weekend was a setback, a to to one defeat in
the first leg. But I just wonder whether maybe nerves
played a part, you know, a frontier that had never
been crossed before. Most of these players had never played
finals football before. A couple of them from other clubs had,
but it was all quite new. They come back home,

(01:11:46):
nice day in Wellington, big crowd, yet two to one down.
Go out there and make a bit of history and
if they can win, they will play in the Grand
Final against Melbourne City next weekend. Melbourne City earned their
place with an aggregate win over Melbourne victory, so they
will host the grand final. If Wellington Phoenix can win

(01:12:07):
this afternoon then they will join them in the Grand
Final next weekend. What a chance to make history. If
you're going out there, make a lot of noise. Twenty
to two, Take a break, come back. James mcconey in
this regular Sunday slot.

Speaker 1 (01:12:19):
From Grassroots to the Grandstad Weekend Sports with Jason Paine,
News Talks, There Be.

Speaker 2 (01:12:26):
News Talks theb on Weekend Sports seventeen to two. Peter says,
I'm at the game, fine, Sonny Weather. No wind, couldn't
be better, Peter couldn't be better. James mconey's here.

Speaker 16 (01:12:35):
Hello, mate, Yeda Piney has things very.

Speaker 2 (01:12:38):
Good, thanks mate, very good. But to get through with you,
so can we start with rugby. The Crusaders are back,
The horses are back. Are they going to win it?

Speaker 11 (01:12:46):
Yeah?

Speaker 9 (01:12:46):
Great to see the horses back. I mean iconic. Really,
I was thinking about animals in sport and you know
Philadelphia have got their eagles. You know there's been I
think the Oklaholma soon has had problems with the horses
slipping a cart at one point. But look, I'm happy
for the Crusaders fans, the people of that region and

(01:13:06):
look the team you throw Will Jordan back in there
and Scott Barrett and they are definite title contenders, no doubt.

Speaker 2 (01:13:14):
Yeah, I agree, I agree. They went through some pretty
lean times there a little while ago. They had back
to back losses in Australia, didn't They came back under
the roof of Super around the beat the warriorsars but
lost to the Hurricanes last week. So what's that three
losses in their last four before they beat the Blues.
They kind of needed to win that game, didn't they.
They were in a bit of danger of being swallowed
up had they not got that victory exactly.

Speaker 9 (01:13:37):
And they just need to make the playoffs because I
think Scott Barrett will be back five of the last
regular season game or the first playoff game. He's going
to play Super Rugby. He will play Super Rugby. They
just can't put a date on it. So let's just
watch the space for him, and let's remember he's a
world class player when he's at the peak of his powers.

(01:13:57):
He is a big human who can mix it with
all of those guys like Ebonet Sabeth and so I
think we just forget how important Scott Barrett is to
the All Blacks. And well, there might be a change
of captaincy, but he's one of the first guys I'd
write down on my team sheet anyway.

Speaker 2 (01:14:13):
Yeah, and look if and when they get him back,
and you're right, if they get Will Jordan back, then
the Crusaders are an entirely different proposition, aren't they. If
we look at the top, If we look at the
top of the table, we've got the Hurricanes they are
on forty five points, the Chiefs they are on forty points.
Both of those teams have played eleven games. The Blues
have played twelve games. They're on thirty eight. Then the
Crusaders twelve games thirty two. The Hurricanes relatively comfortable against

(01:14:36):
Mawana last night, the Chiefs getting home in a tough
environment in Brisbane to beat the Reds who are Super
Rugby favorites.

Speaker 9 (01:14:45):
James Well without cam roy Guard, I think it moves
the needle towards the Chiefs, but not enough for me.
I think I think they've got enough cover there at
the Hurricanes, they're still a well oiled machine. Rubin Love
will be back soon. I know, a carp injury, which
is what cam roy Guard has got and coincidentally what
Will Jordan's been battling. It will take a little bit

(01:15:07):
of time, but I think that it's the Hurricanes title.
They are the front runners Hurricanes titled to lose, but
I did. There's two things that I wanted to talk about.
One is Josh Morby. I mean we can't have for
he finiang and or four going to Newcastle. That's a given.
So I'll be happy with Josh Morby. He reminds me

(01:15:28):
of He's a Ben Smith type guy, hard to put
down on the first tackle, all about support, plays, speed,
multi skilled, you know the foot fullback type skills and
twelve tries. He's actually breathing down for his neck. He's
got fifteen and is about to break the record.

Speaker 2 (01:15:44):
Crazy twenty seven tries between those two guys. Mowana as
a team have only got thirty six all season and
those two twenty seven.

Speaker 3 (01:15:53):
Did you hear Clark Ladler afterwards?

Speaker 2 (01:15:55):
He said, oh maybe this will chair Josh upper but
he's been a bit grumpy that the other bloke's getting
all the tries.

Speaker 9 (01:16:00):
Yeah. And then meanwhile over on the Chief side, it's
the comeback or the re emergence of wall Titi. He
is crucial and probably future captain c material full of
the All Blacks. So I think Wallace coming back and
playing that well in a really competive game against the Reds.
Says to me that, I mean he broke the Hurricanes

(01:16:21):
hearts a few years ago. We all know about that,
but it's more that he is. He's another one, he'd say,
as a starting lineup All Black and look, I love
what Lester fin and Uk is doing at number seven,
but I still think he's someone who can transform the
bench for the All Blacks if you like, or or
playing as a midfielder and then switched later in the game.

(01:16:44):
That's I know lots of people are talking about and
switching to the Hordes. I don't think so.

Speaker 2 (01:16:50):
I've got I've got Wallace a tt In and my
best All Blacks fifteen. What a player, James, What a player?

Speaker 9 (01:16:57):
Yeah, Wallace is and I think we're spoilt for choice
at least forward.

Speaker 4 (01:17:03):
I like all these.

Speaker 9 (01:17:04):
I mean, I like Devin Flanders and he's signed to
go overseas, so there's a player draining thing that Steve
Lancaster has to address as well. But it's just nice
seeing Caleb tanneytail back out there because really, at when
we do need some excitement machines when we play South
Africa and this year, let's be honest, it's all about
that South African tour. That could be the breakout for

(01:17:25):
someone like Caleb Tangeytawel. And we've seen when they's do
that for the All Blacks many times in their debut year.
And of course you know nehim on the scutter is
probably the standout in recent times.

Speaker 2 (01:17:37):
Yeah, we've had a lot of discussions about this the
hot hand as yet into a World Cup. Yeah, particularly
in those in those wing spots. Yeah, up for grabs,
Up for grabs. A couple of other matters I want
to ask you about a league, Simmis. The OrCAD FC
Adelaide tie is tied up at one apiece after last night.
Neither coach last night wanted to wanted to say that
Adelaide were favorite. The Adelaid coach didn't want to say, oh,

(01:17:59):
we're favorite, and Steve Goreker said they're not favorite. We've
just got to go there and win. So quite an
intriguing second league coming up next Friday.

Speaker 6 (01:18:07):
Yeah.

Speaker 9 (01:18:07):
I don't know how you feel about Adelaide, Poney, but
I think they are the danger team for and they
have been for all New Zealand sides in recent history.
And they've got those three things that you really need
in the a league one is a senior pro who's
just an all time great of the club. And they've
got that in Craig Goodwin left wing, a great left foot,

(01:18:28):
you know, he holds it down together and all the
attacker goes through him too. They've got speed, so they
used to have him the story and Aaron Kunda, who's
gone away tanzan nball players. Now I think with Watsord
piney well, they've got Yayad Cooley who's who created their goal,
their equalizer. He's got so much pace no one can

(01:18:50):
actually live with him. And I worry about what he
could do to Auckland over there. And I've got a
youngster who's going to obviously go on do really good
things in Europe eventually. That's Harry Crawford. Does organ FC
have players to combat that? Well, we had Jesse Randall
in really good form. I think we're more of a
collective than having I guess those elite pieces that Adelaide have.

Speaker 2 (01:19:14):
Yeah, and that then so then you ask yourself, Okay,
in a semi final and what is now effectively an
elimination game on Friday, that's what it is. Forget about
last night. We're basically in a one off game. Now,
is it more important to have game breakers who can
seize upon moments or do you need that collective?

Speaker 3 (01:19:29):
And I don't know what the answer is.

Speaker 2 (01:19:31):
I'm not sure.

Speaker 9 (01:19:32):
Yeah, And that's that's the one thing is I think
we need Jesse Randall to come alive again because he
is that expactor.

Speaker 18 (01:19:39):
He.

Speaker 9 (01:19:39):
I mean, it's all well and good scoring from set
pieces and I love that we do that, Auckland do that,
but it's just and look all eyes on gemo.

Speaker 4 (01:19:49):
Mind.

Speaker 9 (01:19:49):
I'm not sure what his injury is, but that that
is a problem too.

Speaker 2 (01:19:52):
Yeah, ankle injury. By the sounds of it, not good,
not good. So I guess we wait for an update.

Speaker 3 (01:19:57):
Just before you go.

Speaker 2 (01:19:58):
Charlie Slader Walker is officially in w NBA players. She's
made her debut for Connecticut Son or the Connecticut Connecticut Son.

Speaker 9 (01:20:06):
Yes, a struggling Connecticut Sam. They lost pretty heavily to
the New York Liberty, who did win the title a
couple of years ago. But the heartening thing is the
twenty one minutes. Okay, she only scored four points, but
twenty one minutes says to me that she's very much
a big part of their plans. Is no way they
would have taken her that high in the draft if
they didn't want her to be playing big minutes and

(01:20:30):
running their offense. They do have a really good point
guard ahead of her, Sniya Rivers, but she's a taller,
more kind of like defensive oriented, can do everything sort
of point guard. I think they're going to watch a
space in a few weeks time. I think they'll run.
Those two can coexist and we'll get to see Charlie's

(01:20:51):
as one of the key game drivers for that team.
So I'm pumped.

Speaker 2 (01:20:55):
I'd take ten seconds in the NBA. I'd be happy
with ten seconds twenty one minutes in her first game.
As you say, the first twenty one of many, you'd
have to think, surely.

Speaker 9 (01:21:05):
Well, the good thing with you, Poney, is it actually
looked a part in the NBA.

Speaker 15 (01:21:08):
You know.

Speaker 9 (01:21:10):
The problem with me is not many of my bodies
hype in the NBA. And we'll just leave it there.
But it was always a dream.

Speaker 15 (01:21:17):
I love the idea of being able.

Speaker 9 (01:21:18):
To play basketball really well. And you know I could
touch the hoop at my peak, Poney, but could never dunk.
I'm sure you could, no.

Speaker 3 (01:21:25):
I know that's the thing I never could. I've got
a got a height.

Speaker 2 (01:21:29):
I'm a bit taller than you, so I've clearly didn't
have what my son would call the hops. I didn't
have the hops.

Speaker 9 (01:21:36):
The hops are actually speaking of big deals and big leapers.
Steve Lancaster, he's on the Rugby CEO, is live on
the Breakdown tonight seven thirty on Sky Sport one, so
I should mention a very good jumper as well. He
could dunk Ex Crusader's lock he's and definitely tune him

(01:21:58):
for that. And if you've got questions is there's a
thing called your shout with your skin your QR code
and you can put lengths on the spot. He's a
really candid sort of open guy, so I look forward
to him being on the Breakdown tonight on Sky.

Speaker 2 (01:22:13):
Good Man, James, we look forward to having you back
next Sunday. At the same time, always enjoy our chats.
Thanks so much as always, James mcconey. Crago's Wild the
alternative commentary collective across your socials as well and a
big part of our Sunday Afternoon seven Away from Two
News Talks EDB.

Speaker 1 (01:22:29):
The biggest names and sport are here Weekend Sport with
Jason Vine News Talks NB.

Speaker 2 (01:22:36):
Four to two after the two o'clock news Danny Hay,
assistant coach of Auckland FC one one against Adelaide last night.
How does he assess that they are they disappointed they
couldn't get a home win or do they now head
to Adelaide with a bit of confidence that they can
take the final step to the Grand Final? And sports fandom.
We are all sports fans, but would you travel forty

(01:22:59):
hours on a whim to watch your team play?

Speaker 3 (01:23:03):
More on that after two the only place did discuss
the biggest sports issues on.

Speaker 15 (01:23:10):
Head off the field.

Speaker 17 (01:23:11):
You've got a score a lot.

Speaker 1 (01:23:12):
It's all on Weekend Sports with Jason Rone on your
home of Sports News Talks.

Speaker 2 (01:23:18):
Ev Yes, welcome back into the Weekend Sport. Just coming
up seven past two. I'm Jason Pine, Andy McDonald running
the cutter. We had till three when Tim Beveridge takes
over with the Sunday edition of the Weekend Collective.

Speaker 3 (01:23:30):
A bit to get through before we get there, though.

Speaker 2 (01:23:32):
Danny Hay, assistant coach of Auckland FC, standing by to
chat to us after the one all draw last night
between Auckland FC and Adelaide United all to play for
in the Second League in Adelaide this coming Friday night.
What was Danny Hayes' assessment of last night and how
do they plan the week to head to Adelaide and
make sure that they can well get the result they
need to go to a first ever A League Grand final.

(01:23:55):
Speaking of grand finals, the Wellington Phoenix women are targeting
their first ever A League Grand Final this afternoon. They're
going to shortly kick off at Potty to A Park
against It has been raw two to one down after
the first leg, so they need to overturn that deficit
if they are to play in the grand final next week.
We'll keep eyes on that for you from two thirty
this afternoon and also this hour. If you think you're

(01:24:19):
a sports fan, well imagine jumping on a forty hour
flight just to watch your favorite sports team play with
just a few hours notice. We've got a sports fan
coming up on the show who did exactly that. Our
lines are open as always. Eight hundred and eighty ten
eighty nine two ninety two is the text line emails
to Jason at NEWSTALKZB dot co dot nz. But as

(01:24:42):
we always do at around this time on weekend sport.
It's time to catch you up with some of the
things that might have escaped your attention. In case you
missed it as the name of the feature, and in
case you missed that, the Newcastle Nice have continued the
NRL's beatdown of the Saint George Illawarra Dragons.

Speaker 3 (01:24:59):
Sha, there's time on the skip sets for drag Marzu.

Speaker 2 (01:25:12):
Forty four points to ten Greg Marzhu with five tries.
The Dragons are oh and nine. Then in front of
Russell Crowe, South Sydney put on a proper clinic to
beat Cronulla.

Speaker 3 (01:25:23):
Going to play it a minute left? Let a course
stadium who he's path to Cammel Graham And in game.

Speaker 9 (01:25:31):
One hundred and fifty, why not give the milestone name.

Speaker 2 (01:25:36):
Here's moments thirty six points to twelve. There and Karen
Forn's Manly Sea Eagles just keep on rolling, demolishing the
defending champions.

Speaker 4 (01:25:45):
Short past, beautifully red and Tarta's pass has been put
down just teventy barely bodies a free play they're training.

Speaker 19 (01:25:53):
It has tit Hello, Turners in the clear mus chase
it TURLAA.

Speaker 18 (01:26:01):
Traveler is over? What why?

Speaker 2 (01:26:04):
Thirty two to four in a boil over at Brookvale
to Super Rugby. The Highlanders have held on somehow to
beat the Warritars. Why the path runner Monevicki nickins, why
my row picking up as no, he's gonna get a
second ll get another one Jack alone scores. They won
thirty one twenty six after leading twenty eight to seven
at halftime, so they certainly gave the war Retars a sniff.

(01:26:27):
The Hurricanes, meantime, have surged back to top spot.

Speaker 15 (01:26:30):
Books to his lieuten sidewalker Leo Whendi for Morby the
Hatred Hero three Shakespeare attack out about Josh Morby four.

Speaker 2 (01:26:38):
Like John Bully fifty seventeen. Great stuff from Elliott Smith
Josh forb four tries as they beat one of fifty
points to seventeen.

Speaker 3 (01:26:46):
And the Brumbies have stayed in the mix with a
win over the Force Rubbies. He's rolling the sleeves up
now the picking.

Speaker 14 (01:26:54):
Gui and it's Bichelson on top.

Speaker 9 (01:27:01):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:27:02):
The Deputants try icing the win in Canberra to the
Premier League. Manchester City have kept the title race alive
with a crushing win over Brentford.

Speaker 3 (01:27:11):
That it's with arling Harland.

Speaker 20 (01:27:14):
Mothers that does the job basedly for City, three goals,
three more.

Speaker 2 (01:27:22):
Points, fans still on Arsenal's tail and finally won. All
is the score in both A League semi finals after
the respective first legs, Sydney FC and Newcastle battling out
a draw to set up a blockbuster weekend next weekend.

Speaker 5 (01:27:39):
And what a a pormos of the answer And that's
Burgess doing the same job for Newcastle and stey.

Speaker 3 (01:27:45):
To absolving first claim the Premier.

Speaker 17 (01:27:50):
The newcastel away from home at Atliatt Stadium, the home
of Sydney FC, had in respect between the two cents.

Speaker 1 (01:28:01):
Of players analyzing the plays and getting the inside Weekend
Sport with Jason Vine News talks.

Speaker 2 (01:28:09):
'b eleven minutes past two. Auckland FC's A League semi
final finally poised after a tense one to one first
leg draw with Adelaide United at go Media Stadium last night,
all square after the.

Speaker 19 (01:28:26):
First leg, all to play for six nights from now
in the City of Churches. Tanks emptied at go Media
but we're only halfway there. Quiet satisfaction probably from Eton
Andreoli as he'll take the tie back home level.

Speaker 2 (01:28:49):
Yeah, the Black Knights led through former Adelaide player lockey
Brook before the visitors hit back in the second half,
leaving everything to play for in one of the toughest
away trips in the competition. A second leg at Adelaide's
intimidating Cooper Stadium on Friday night. It's great pleasure to
welcome in Auckland FC assistant coach Danny. Hey, Danny, you've

(01:29:10):
given it the overnight test. I know you've been together
with the playing group and the coaching staff today. What's
the overall feeling about the one to one result and
the performance of the team last night.

Speaker 10 (01:29:21):
Oh, look, result wise, pretty comfortable with it. Obviously we
would have liked to have taken a lead in but
you know, I think mentality wise, it's not a bad
thing for us. We know that we've got everything to
play for. If I look back to last season and
when we brought a lead back home in the semi
I don't think with this group of players that it

(01:29:42):
was such a positive thing as you would think it
would be. We probably tried to defend that a little
too much rather than actually go out and try and
win the game, which obviously now comes Friday in Adelaide.

Speaker 15 (01:29:54):
We're going to have to do.

Speaker 2 (01:29:55):
There seem to be a real finals intensity about this game,
more physical, less space. Did it feel different from a
regular season match pretty much straight away last night?

Speaker 10 (01:30:06):
Lutely, I think the last couple of weeks. Have you know,
you know, when you're into finals football, the players can
sense it. Obviously opposition as well. Yeah, right from the
get go you could just see the level of intensity,
the level of concentration, the speed of the game picked
up considerably compared to a normal game. So I thought

(01:30:27):
our boys really equipped themselves particularly well in the first half.
I thought we were by far the better side, created
the better chances. Second half, you know, I thought they
came back into it a lot more. And obviously there
are quite a few disruptions with some injuries for a
few of our boys, and we had to change things
up a little bit, which which obviously didn't help the
flow of the game. But that said, we got through

(01:30:48):
that period and I thought we finished the game quite
strong as well.

Speaker 2 (01:30:51):
Because you Mami was was you know, the scenes were
terrible watching him go off limping, you know, quite heavily.
You can never tell, I know how bad it is
on the night. Have you got any any update on him.
Is he any chance to feature again on or beyond
if you go that far.

Speaker 10 (01:31:09):
Yeah, Look, we haven't had the scan as yet, but
it's not looking great for him at this stage. He's
in quite a bit of discomfort. He's in a moon boot,
so it's not looking not looking promising. But that said,
you know, stranger things have happened. We can only cross
our fingers for Gashimo. He's such an important player for us.

(01:31:30):
I thought he was playing particularly well as well before
the innocuous injury as well. But you know, we can
only hope the best. But he was devastated and you
can understand why when he came off. So it's just
like I said, hoping that things can turn around for
him and he gets a little bit of luck.

Speaker 2 (01:31:47):
We'll keep our fingers crossed on that. Michael Vaud came
up with a couple of big saves early on. He
has in recent games been massive for you, you know,
and well, Danny, is he producing some of the best
football you've seen from from Michael you know. I mean
he's right right in the eye of the storm at
the moment for you guys, isn't he.

Speaker 10 (01:32:06):
Yeah, Look, Michael, I know the quality of michael possessions.
He's a he's a he's a top goalkeeper. You just
look at him physically. He's got all the attributes of
a of a modern day top class goalkeeper and he's
and he's showing that on a regular basis. I think
the thing for that's always been for Michael is just
staying concentrated, staying in the moment, staying in the game

(01:32:28):
and not not losing those those little one or two percenters.
And he's and he's doing that consistently at the moment.
And I think the thing that has been fantastic for him.
I watched when Gordy took the goalkeepers out onto the
pitch at the beginning of the game. He said, and
the reception he got from the port fans in particular
that were already in the stadium was tremendous and you

(01:32:50):
you would have seen it yourself. And I think Michael's
Michael's one of those players. I don't like using the
sort of phrase confidence player, but he he very much
lives in breeze on when people have belief in him.
And when he got that sort of reception, I could
see just his chest when there's like he grew another
foot or two. And you know he performed so well

(01:33:10):
with some crucial saves early on in the game that
kept us in and it allowed us to swing the
momentum in our favor.

Speaker 2 (01:33:17):
That's quite the redemption arc for him, isn't it. You know,
you think about that game against the Central Coast Mariners
when he led on a goal at the end that
he would be very disappointed worth and really couldn't get
off the pitch fast enough. All he soil comes in
but then gets injured Michael's back and you're so right, Danny.
You know the crowd have now embraced Michael vaud and
you're right. He seems I mean, goalkeepers are big anyway,

(01:33:38):
but he seems to have grown another foot. You know,
he's just spoken for that World Cup squad. Now, I reckon,
isn't he.

Speaker 16 (01:33:45):
Oh for me?

Speaker 10 (01:33:46):
For me, it would be a travesty if he didn't
make it. And that's just me being very very blunt
about it. He's I think, and knowing the state of
the goalkeeping ranks that we've got in the national team,
the way he's playing at the moment, he's one of
the few goalkeepers that is playing consistently at the top
of his game, so I'd be very surprised if he
if he doesn't make that squad. But look, he knows

(01:34:09):
that he's got at least one and hopefully two games
to continue to perform at the best of his ability
for us, and you know, nothing would be better than
going into a World Cup with a Grand Final victory
under your belt.

Speaker 2 (01:34:22):
Francis Devrez made a long awaited, not long wait, but
made a return last night, which was very encouraging to
see how big might he be if he you know,
he's got the minutes under his belt last night as
he head off to Cooper's and maybe a bigger role
for a player who's been massive for you over both seasons.

Speaker 10 (01:34:39):
Sorry, I did you? Were you talking about Francis there?
I just lost you there for a second.

Speaker 3 (01:34:43):
Definitely talking about Francis Devrees.

Speaker 2 (01:34:44):
Yes, yeah, yeah, I send that.

Speaker 10 (01:34:47):
So, yeah, it's great to have Frannie back. Everybody knows
how important he is to the side, not just what
he does as a defensive left back, but more what
he produces for us in an attacking sense, and a
lot of a lot of our opportunities that we create,
the goals that we score come down his side. His
combination with Jesse Randall has been exceptional over the course

(01:35:08):
of this season. France has got many assists as well.
His set piece delivery is obviously critical for us as well.
So it was really good to see him back and hopefully,
hopefully that will have done him a world of good personally,
just in terms of his own belief and confidence that
he's actually over the injury now, which you know medically
he is. But you know, sometimes for players, they just

(01:35:30):
need to get those those few minutes under their belt
to really understand that they're good to go again.

Speaker 2 (01:35:35):
So after Cooper's on Friday, a cauldron. I know you've
spoken about it as you know, one of the toughest
to wave venues. But I saw Jonathan Gould after the
game last night and he said, how good is this
We get to go over there and and make a
Grand Final? Is that the overriding of you know, kind
of view that you get from within the in the
playing group.

Speaker 10 (01:35:55):
Absolutely like for us, for us, outside of playing at home,
Cooper's is the number one place to go and play,
and you know, it's why we haven't lost there over
a couple of seasons, and that is going to stay
the same in our opinion, we're very confident that we
can go over there and upset them. I watched some
of the Adelaide players at the end of the game
celebrating like they thought they were already through the Grand

(01:36:17):
Final after obviously picking up. They're very confident that they're
gonna take us to their home ground and get the
win that they that they desperately want. But you know,
I think our team away from home, particularly this year's team,
the second season we are, we seem to galvanize. When
the chips are down a little bit, we come together.

(01:36:39):
The boys can sense those moments and they tend to
put on a really good collective performance in terms of
coming together as one and really shine what awk FC
is about.

Speaker 2 (01:36:50):
Big week ahead, massive game in coming on Friday. All
the best, Danny, thanks for chatting this afternoon and yeah,
go well mate, we'll we'll be watching on Friday night.

Speaker 10 (01:36:59):
Cheers, Binney, appreciate it.

Speaker 2 (01:37:00):
No, I appreciate your time, Danny thinks. Indeed, Danny, Hey,
they're assistant coach of Auckland FC one one last night
nine thirty five New Zealand time. This coming Friday, Cooper's
Stadium and Adelaide and as then he said, there, I
noticed the same thing. Actually last night there seemed to
be a bit of a I don't want to call
it an overreaction from the Adelaide United players, but it

(01:37:21):
was almost as though they thought, hey, we've got this.
We've held Auckland FC to one one at their place.
We'll go home now and win this. But then, as
I say, I spoke to Jonathan Guld, the assistant coach,
and I'm prompted. He just walked past and he goes,
how good is this? How good is the prospect of
going over there and winning a game over there to

(01:37:41):
make a Grand Final. They will be well up for this,
well up for this. That's not great news about Kuzumo
Mai though, with the ankle injury, it did not look
good at first look. Last night, I have to say
when he came off and you might have seen the
television footage of him being assisted down the tunnel afterwards,
he couldn't put any weight on that ankle at all.

(01:38:02):
He's in a moonboot. Look he maybe he need some
of Weisuki Noholo's what did he around his knee or
his ankle? Ahead of the twenty fifteen World copy Fiji
and herbs. That's right, Fiji herbs and it all came right.
So maybe Aukla the FC need to get Gijiomo Maai
over to Suvas rappers ankle and Fiji and herbs and

(01:38:25):
who knows he might be Okay, we'll soon find out.
Good to see Francis Devreefs back of course, all right.
Two twenty two, the Wellington Phoenix women about eight minutes
away from kicking off their second leg of the semi
final against Brisbane Raw. Massive crowd out at pottid Or
Park Jury Colin Stadium, Absolutely brilliant scenes with this massive game,

(01:38:45):
the biggest game in the history of the Wellington Phoenix
women's side. We'll keep eyes on that for you. Speaking
of fans, though we all think we're fans, we all
follow our sports teams, but some sports fans take it
to another level. And when I'm talking another level, I'm
talking making a spur of the moment decision to hop
on a plane travel from New Zealand to Switzerland to

(01:39:09):
watch your beloved ice hockey team win the Swiss title
for the very first time. A key we buy the
name of Fabian Herzog did exactly that.

Speaker 3 (01:39:20):
He's back.

Speaker 2 (01:39:21):
He's going to join us with a slightly slightly affected voice.
I understand after yelling himself horse over the last week
or so, he's back. I'm now going to join us
and tell us all about this incredible story of sports fandom.

Speaker 3 (01:39:35):
When we come back on Weekend.

Speaker 1 (01:39:37):
Sport, the biggest names in sports talk to Fine Weekend
Sport with Jason Fine.

Speaker 3 (01:39:43):
News talks that'd.

Speaker 2 (01:39:44):
Be news talks had been Weekend Sport two twenty six.
Most fans reckon, they're committed to their sports team, but
how many of you would jump on a forty hour
journey from New Zealand to Switzerland at just a few
hours notice. Well, Baseilborne, Fabian Herzog did exactly that to

(01:40:04):
watch his beloved ice hockey club Freebag got along chase
and historic first ever Swiss Championship title, and he arrived
just in time to see them do it, winning it
in overtime. What a journey literally and figuratively. Fabian Herzog
is back home now and joins us. Now. Thanks for

(01:40:26):
chatting to us, Fabian, take us back to the moment
we decided, right, that's it, I'm going to Switzerland.

Speaker 15 (01:40:34):
Yeah, a bit crazy, look at it was the series
as a seven, seven game series, and after Game six,
my favorite teams people got them on. They just wanted
an overtime. That was I think it was a Wednesday
morning in New Zealand at about eight nine o'clock am.
And yeah, and so I just called the mate back

(01:40:56):
in back home in Switzerland, quickly touch space with my
wife who brought the kids to school. They already knew
that was going to happen. And yeah, then straight lot
for an hour after book book the flights, and then
two hours later at the airport.

Speaker 2 (01:41:10):
So you're in New Zealand one moment and all for
the airport three hours later. So it really was that
spontaneous or had you thought an advanced look if this
scenario arises on eddygot on that plane.

Speaker 15 (01:41:23):
Yeah, I did. Actually I didn't think about it, and
I wanted to leave a couple of games earlier. Unfortunately
they kept losing the two in a row, and then
it came down to that sixth game where they could
have lost it and they would have been all over
or wanted and got themself a chance to go to
Game seven. And so yeah, I was sort of anticipating
and hoping it would happen. At the same time, we

(01:41:44):
were watching at home with the wife and kids in
regular time, and then the kids had to go to school,
so I before overtime, and we knew that overtime was
going to happen. It could both go both ways, and
so I told them, look, I'll give you a big hug. Now,
you guys go to school. If everything goes well, i'll
see you in a week. Otherwise, i'll see you later today.

Speaker 3 (01:42:07):
Oh that is magnificent.

Speaker 2 (01:42:09):
So thankfully you were on the on the plane forty
hours of travel. That's brutal the best of time. So
did did you get any sleep or what was it?
What was the journey over like?

Speaker 15 (01:42:19):
It was a bit unfortunate. Normally it's a bit quicker,
but somehow I needed to stop twice just because there
wasn't any any flights available that took me there more
directly at the time, and I obviously needed to get
there before game seven, which was two days later. And yeah,
I got I think I got a little bit of sleep,
but you know, the news broke in Switzerland that this

(01:42:41):
is happening, that I'm coming, and somehow, I think got
bombarded by messages and a new supporter got hold of me.
So it took a while. I had about three or
four hours sleep, I think on that on that journey,
but that's fine. I was full of adrenaline and then yeah,
just it was just a great moment.

Speaker 3 (01:42:57):
How did you get a ticket to the game.

Speaker 16 (01:43:01):
Yeah, So what.

Speaker 15 (01:43:02):
Happened was I I was on the flight, I stopped
on Melbourne, and then for Melbourne, I took a flight
along flight to Dubai, and on that flight I thought
it'd be a good idea to let some more people
know that I'm coming. Yes, my family knew, and my
friend and Basel, who I wanted to go on watch with.
But I had some other friends who are also fans,
so I wrote them messages and said, look, I'm coming,

(01:43:24):
and they all thought I'm crazy, and they were super
stokes as well. But one of them actually works in radio,
and so he ended up sort of asking me if
he should sort of, you know, get in touch with
some people in radio, and I said, yeah, that's fine,
and I might do an it. That's fine, But then
he said, actually, I've got a better idea. I'll I

(01:43:44):
know the sports director of the biggest news I live
in Switzerland, and so he said, I'll give him a call,
and I believe they'll do a story and they might
even be tickets after that. And so I said, hey,
hold on the moment, that's that's quite big because it's
a big, big sports outlet. I touched base my wife
quickly and and a couple of friends, and I said, nah,

(01:44:06):
you know, you got to do it, and I'm like, yeah,
I'm really got to do it because it gives publicity
to the club as well. End up ended up doing that,
and then half an hour later I was in chat
whatsip chat with a news reporter from that outlet, and
so we just interviewed, got interviewed on the plane basically,
and look after after all that, they created a new story.

Speaker 9 (01:44:27):
And and sort of laid it down.

Speaker 15 (01:44:29):
Later in the morning, while I was sort of flying
to Zurich, they told me that the club and the
new startler got together and organized some tickets for me. So, yeah,
just a crack concident.

Speaker 2 (01:44:40):
So just to clarify then, So when you got on
the plane, you didn't have a ticket to the game.

Speaker 15 (01:44:45):
No, I didn't, Yeah, exactly. So I was just going
to go to soak up the atmosphere. They do public
viewings over there, so where the town and in the
city where it's happening, where the club's bomb they did
a public viewing, but the game was actually played at
the other town, so it was an away game. So
I was just going to go to the freebook to
the town and watch it there in a public viewing

(01:45:07):
for mate and just you know, have a good time
and watch it on a big screen. So yeah, I
didn't have any tickets and I didn't think I'll get
any because it's ever sold that since since a while.

Speaker 2 (01:45:17):
Amazing, Well this is great. So yeah, so you've got
your ticket, so you land your land and then what
how long did you have to get Did you have
an overnight? Did you could you sleep? How long before
the game did you arrive?

Speaker 9 (01:45:32):
Yees?

Speaker 15 (01:45:32):
So I arrived in Switzerland on at like two pm,
I think in the afternoon and the game was at
eight pm the same day and then in a bit
of a drive away because the team that they played
was in the mountains and so that's about a three
and a half hours drive. So again it was all go.

Speaker 2 (01:45:50):
And I also understand that you got stuck in traffic
on the way to the game and what missed the start?
So after traveling for forty hours. There must have been torture.

Speaker 9 (01:46:02):
It was.

Speaker 1 (01:46:04):
So yeah.

Speaker 15 (01:46:05):
I jumped in the car with a mate. We drove
into the mountains. Normally it's not that long, and somehow
we just got into that they were renovating something somewhere
in the tunnel, and we got into traffic and we passed.
We even passed that fan buses that walls are late.
That came from from people that went to Dovo's demos
as the city where it was held, and so yeah,
we we got We got there late. I knew that

(01:46:28):
was happening, and the CEO of the club wanted to
meet me beforehand and hand me the tickets over and
maybe do a photo or something. And I had to
fight him and said, sorry, we're going to be late.
It's really unfortunate, but I'm stuck in traffic. So we
got there, i'd say about fifteen minutes after it started.
At the start of it, we watched in the car,
so my mate was driving, I had the phone out

(01:46:50):
and we screened it and watched it the end, and
at some stage I jumped up and celebrated and he's like,
what's going on. I said, Oh, they just scored it's one.
Now let's go, well, let's go. Well, yeah, it all
it was all It's just one moment after the others.
So it was really crazy.

Speaker 2 (01:47:05):
And then you arrived. What was it like once you
got inside? And what was it like when they won?

Speaker 15 (01:47:12):
Okay, it was it was just so great. We walked
into the stadium. We we just frushed in. I think
my ticket didn't work somehow, and I just kept walking
and I said, some way, I have a ticket, it
will work. I'll just look walk past. And we walked
into the stadium and it's just a great atmosphere because
at ISAK you you're really close, and it's obviously it's
a fast paced game, and things happened at both fans

(01:47:34):
pretty quickly. And we sat there and watched it the
first part and they just scored, literally when we walked in,
they scored the two nail and so it was a
great atmosphere for for us the away fans, and we
celebrated and and and watched that third and and then
what what also happened was during my journey, at some
stage the National TV reached out to me and asked

(01:47:55):
if we can do an interview in the breaks, and
so I knew that was happening. So the guy was
calling me at that place, and so I didn't had
to rush around all the way on the other side
of the stadium, and a five better interview on national TV,
which I think my men I didn't realize that I
was coming. So she saw that on TV and she
almost fell off a chair.

Speaker 2 (01:48:18):
But then but then, what's so turnal up? But did
it go to overtime? Eventually?

Speaker 18 (01:48:23):
So what so?

Speaker 2 (01:48:24):
So they got backed, they got back into it. You
must have been sitting there thinking I have not come
all this way to watch my team lose.

Speaker 6 (01:48:32):
Yeah.

Speaker 15 (01:48:33):
Look they were tunel up. It was all going great.
And then in the second third. That's a bit of
a weakness for the team. It's been a weakness since
a little while.

Speaker 9 (01:48:40):
The second third.

Speaker 15 (01:48:40):
So they they conceded a goal, they hung in there.
Im I gave another ensue and in another and if
another uselet newslet company in between. And then I still
I told them on the on the interview, I said,
I have a good feeling it's going to come. Well,
I knew myself there was going to be some drama
with with this club. There's always drama with It's always drama,
so I knew it was going to come close. So

(01:49:01):
then they conceded in the third, so it's too all.
And then we head into overtime. And a lot of
people because this club hasn't won, hasn't ever won a
championship and has been in the final four or five times,
a lot of people know that, and they had that
with them, and they were carrying this and they were
really scared at the overtime, and I kept saying, now, guys,
it's going to come, it's going to come.

Speaker 6 (01:49:22):
Right.

Speaker 15 (01:49:22):
I have a few good feeling. You know, it's just
one goal and you win it. It's you know, if
you if you if you get the situation at the
start of the season and you know you're going to
be in game seven and it's overtime, it's just you
just got to go full attack and get it. And
so they got a power play, so they were men
up and they rotated the puck. Well had one guy

(01:49:43):
just he had a stick up for eight as the
bass game to him. He shot, got the goal, and
from then on it was just scenes, just just just yeah,
people just falling over each other, jumping into each other,
random people haggling, being showers all over the place in.

Speaker 9 (01:49:59):
Where I was heading with my mates.

Speaker 15 (01:50:01):
It was just epic, epic moment.

Speaker 2 (01:50:04):
So when that's happening, you must think this was all
worth it, All of this was worth the journey, the traffic,
getting your ticket, everything else that's going through your mind.
Probably sleep deprived, I would imagine, but running on fumes
and adrenaline, you must have thought to yourself, this is magnificent.

Speaker 15 (01:50:23):
Yeah, absolutely, Jason. Absolutely, I was there, and you know,
initially we're just tumbling around and falling and hugging. And
about three four five minutes later, I just stood there
and I took it all in and I just it
just it just you know, that feeling of adrenaline it's
still there, and and I just got goosebumps and I
shared a few tears standing there with my mates, and

(01:50:46):
I just it just all came together so well. Also,
some of the people that that that were there, I
knew them from from my childhood and and I hadn't
seen them for so long, and it just all fitted
to get into a perfect story.

Speaker 18 (01:50:56):
You know.

Speaker 15 (01:50:57):
I just couldn't believe it, and it was just it
was just magical, really magical.

Speaker 9 (01:51:00):
I get goosebumps now talking.

Speaker 2 (01:51:02):
About it to say, I'm so pleased you've had the
that you that you've taken our call and you tell
it's all about it because this is this is tremendous stuff.
So how do you normally follow the team back here?

Speaker 3 (01:51:10):
Just online?

Speaker 2 (01:51:11):
It's a streaming sort of some late nights, early mornings
to watch your team play.

Speaker 15 (01:51:16):
Yeah, look, normally I I followed on that on the
take a life ticket that I know what the score
is going, and and on the weekends, if they showed
the game on TV, I tried to screen it. It's
often they don't because there's obviously a lot of lots
of other games happening at the same time. There's actually
a fan radio. There's there's fans who do who go
to every game, who record on the radio. So I
tune into that and there's you know that's quite quite

(01:51:39):
quite good, good value because they sort of commentate a
bit out of the box. So yeah, that's how I
follow normally during the season. And then once they get
into the playoffs they can watch more games and yeah,
so it's it's yeah, early mornings often you know, with
a coffee rather on the r T rather than with
a beer. But I got to experience that at the stadium,

(01:52:00):
so that was great, and you know, a great party afterwards,
and yes, just great.

Speaker 3 (01:52:05):
So you're back home now life's back to normal. Do
you sort of thing? Did that actually happen?

Speaker 2 (01:52:09):
It must be surreal to be back home with your family,
back into normal life. You hug your kids again and
life goes on, but you'll always have this, but there's
a feel as though, you know, it's quite surreal that
it actually happened.

Speaker 15 (01:52:20):
Yeah, absolutely, it does feel quite surreal coming back. I
was away for part a week and what it makes
it even more surreal. It's just just the people that
wrote me, who you know, who saw me young, the
news on the TV, and people I haven't seen and
so long and brought me messages and even I can
tell you that the club held a parade on Saturday,

(01:52:41):
so a couple of days after an official parade, a
big two parade, and so I went there with a
mate just to soak it all in and celebrate and
chance and then eighty thousand people on the streets. It
was really magical. But what happened as well as we
walked across to meet some other friends and that was
even more surreal. It was just every hundred meter or
soil or fifty meters someone has come up and recognize

(01:53:02):
me and want to do a selfie because they then
here was the guy from the all away from the
LLNT copy.

Speaker 16 (01:53:08):
Hey you the Kiwi.

Speaker 15 (01:53:08):
You must be the Kiwi. And it was just so surreal,
even you know, even the players. After after the game,
we've got to meet some of the players, and the
captain came along with the trophy and and I just
thought I'll ask him for a selfie, you know, like
a lot of people do. And and I turned and
he looks at me and said, yeah, that's right. And
he says, hey, you're the Kiwi that came all the
way across to the other side of the world here

(01:53:29):
to watch us play. I can't believe this. I take
my hat. I take my hat first. All these things
are just so real, so you know, it was there
was just except yeah, a bond in a lifetime experience,
I see wonderful.

Speaker 2 (01:53:40):
Well, as I say, Favan, there's a lot of super
fans listening to the show. We think we support our teams,
but this is next level stuff.

Speaker 3 (01:53:46):
Mate.

Speaker 2 (01:53:47):
I'm so pleased you got to do it. I'm so
pleased you got to experience it. It sounds, as you say,
like a once in a lifetime experience. Although who knows
they make the final again, you might have to head
back up. Yeah, but this is wonderful mate. Thank you
for joining us this afternoon to tell us the tale.
It's a it's a cracker mate. I really appreciate your time.

Speaker 15 (01:54:06):
Happy to do it. Thank you very much as well, Jason, No, thank.

Speaker 2 (01:54:09):
You very much, indeed, Fabian. Amazing stuff for Fabian Herzog
there forty hours from Auckland to Switzerland to watch his
team win it for the very first time. That's the
Swiss Ice Hockey Championship in overtime. What a journey. Something
he'll have to tell his grandkids about and well with

(01:54:29):
the aid of that interview they can hear all about it.
Wonderful stuff. Thanks Fabian, good to chat to you. Nineteen
away from three, we've had nine minutes at body to
a Park no score in the Second League between the
Wellington Phoenix Woman and Brisbane so Brisbane continue to lead
to one on aggregate. We'll mop up a bit of
Super rugby when we come back on weekend.

Speaker 3 (01:54:48):
Sport, don't stay on.

Speaker 1 (01:54:50):
The sidelines Call oh eight hundred eighty ten eighty Weekend
Sports with Jason Main News Talks That'd be.

Speaker 2 (01:54:57):
To forty four, Round thirteen of sixteen and Super Rugby
Pacific in the books. We spoke yesterday about both of
the games that happened on Friday night, Crusaders thirty six
Blues twenty in christ Church and the Chiefs getting home
against the Reds in Brisbane thirty one at twenty one.
Let's have I got the two games that were played
yesterday here in New Zealand. The Highlanders thirty one twenty

(01:55:20):
six a much needed win over the war Retars, although
they did give their fans in Dunedin a few nervous moments.
They were twenty eight to seven ahead at halftime and
seemingly cruising before the war Retars brought it back to
twenty eight twenty six with a minute or so to go,
before a late cam Miller penalty got them out within

(01:55:41):
or out to a five point margin. They eventually won
it thirty one points to twenty six. Jamie Joseph as
head coach of the Highlanders. Of course, he was asked
for his overall thoughts afterwards.

Speaker 21 (01:55:53):
I thought we played some brilliant Ruby in the first
half and you know's got some really good tries, lots
of lots of skill, holy coordinated team effort.

Speaker 11 (01:56:03):
I felt that we played probably a besh rugby since
I've been hit in forty minutes. Then yellow cards put
a put a pressure on the team. The Warta has
got some pretty flesh backs there, and you know, without
the pressure, they really came back house. So you still
to take your head off to that. And then in

(01:56:23):
the end we just had the grid our teeth ready
and say some wheel ticket and the boys found a
way to win the game.

Speaker 5 (01:56:29):
So it was really pleasant.

Speaker 2 (01:56:31):
That's Jamie. Joseph Holand's captain is Ethan Degrut. He was
asked why the first half was so.

Speaker 3 (01:56:36):
Good, just through our prep throughout the week.

Speaker 20 (01:56:38):
You know, Jamie gave us a license to back our skill,
and you know when we get into that twenty two
we managed to finally score some nice drides through skill.

Speaker 5 (01:56:49):
It wasn't always pretty, but we got.

Speaker 20 (01:56:51):
Over the line and it was just yeah, like doubling
down on that in the second half, and we knew
that Wartar was going to come in hot, but yeah,
pleasing for ust after our lineout operating and scrum dominant.

Speaker 5 (01:57:04):
The alfacets of our game.

Speaker 11 (01:57:06):
Yeah, working well on.

Speaker 2 (01:57:07):
There for us, right, it's Ethan de Grootz. And finally
from this game, the Highlanders had to do it out
numbered for large periods to Mati Tava Tanawai given a
yellow card in the twenty second minute, so he spent
ten minutes off and then Jenna Reki was yellow carded
on the hour mark and that was upgraded to a red. So,
first of all, Jamie Joseph was asked whether he thought
Tava Tava nahwai is yellow was a yellow.

Speaker 11 (01:57:30):
We obviously it was a yellow because it's what's the
referee seat. In my mind it wasn't and then then
the then the yellow card up grade to recard. It
was hard to actually I don't agree with that one either.
So but you know, you win, you win or lose
on either side of the referee decisions for them.

Speaker 6 (01:57:49):
So you know it's not just one.

Speaker 11 (01:57:51):
Guy, these two touches and t o So no, we
haven't hit the rubber the green with a refree.

Speaker 5 (01:57:57):
But yeah, maybe the title change.

Speaker 2 (01:58:00):
There's Jamie Joseph after the game, so that win lifts
the Highlanders to seventh place. They are three points behind
the Reds and five points behind the Brumby so are fifth.
The Reds have played eleven games to the Highlanders twelve,
so the holands Is still have a buy before the
end of the season, but at least they are within
striking distance now. They do, though, have the Chiefs and

(01:58:21):
the Hurricanes to play in their final two matches, so
that won't be easy. They will have the buy this
week and then Chiefs and Hurricanes to finish their season.
And to the Hurricanes, who last night ran out very
comfortable winners over Milwana pacificat another defeat to Mowana, the
Hurricanes winning at fifty points to seventeen at Albany.

Speaker 3 (01:58:44):
Clark Laidlaw was.

Speaker 2 (01:58:45):
Asked afterwards, head coach of the Canes, whether the score
reflected the game.

Speaker 22 (01:58:51):
No, I don't think so. I think I thought the
first half was pretty scrappy. One I was under pressure
a couple of teams. I was fifty twenty twos. But yeah,
I quite enjoyed the way the man controlled the game
in the second half and hold on the ball and
find space. Yeah, we scored some nice tries and I

(01:59:12):
thought some of the defense in the twenty two was encouraging,
especially with a view to the Blues next week around
how they try and play. So yeah, there was playing
to light.

Speaker 2 (01:59:21):
Yeah, lots of tries for the Hurricanes last night, Josh
Moreby scoring four tries, oddly Finny Yang Andfo Finniang Andofo
who's been the top scorer of course in terms of
tries this year, didn't get a single one. He hit
fifteen before this game, still has fifteen. Four tries for
Josh Morby. How impraised was Clarke lied law with that.

Speaker 5 (01:59:42):
He'll cheer him up.

Speaker 22 (01:59:43):
He's been a bit miserable because other guys have been
scoring tries, so yeah, yeah, I thought he played really
well tonight and joy you know, he switched the fullback
which allowed Kenny to come in the field, which yeah,
which was good. And one thing about Josh as he's
creating energy, he's always you know, there on then side,
he's always there for an offload. So he rouped the
benefits of that work ethic tonight.

Speaker 2 (02:00:03):
So a big win for the Hurricanes. They go back
to the top forty five points from eleven games. The
Chiefs have forty points from eleven games. Then the Blues
with thirty eight from twelve, the Crusaders thirty two from twelve,
Brumby's twenty nine from twelve, Reds twenty seven from eleven games.
So we're starting to get towards the business end. Now

(02:00:24):
rounds fourteen of sixteen starts on Friday night with the
New Zealand Derby the Chiefs up against the Highlanders in Hamilton.
We'll have full commentary of that one for you on
newstalk zedby Sport. Then on Saturday it's the Fiji and
Drewer welcoming the Warratars to Suva. The Blues up against
the Hurricanes Eden Park. That is next Saturday night at
five past seven. Commentary of that one on newstalks Edby Sport.

(02:00:48):
And then the Force welcome the Reds to Perth. So
just the four games next week. We came with a
couple of buys and then we're into the home strait
of Super Rugby Pacific. It's ten to three still Neil
nil at pottido A Park. Back in a second Weekend Sport.

Speaker 1 (02:01:05):
The Big Knie Games and the big calls on your
home of sport, Weekend Sport with Jason Fine News Talk Zimbi.

Speaker 2 (02:01:13):
Seven Away from three. That'll just about do us for
weekend sport. For today, just a quick update from Pottydoor Park.
Still nil all there, remembering of course the Phoenix Women
have to overturn a two to one deficit. Still early
though only twenty odd minutes gone there. The sunshine is
evident and it's a massive crowd there at Pottydoor Park.

Speaker 3 (02:01:32):
It looks so good on television.

Speaker 2 (02:01:33):
Six thousand people packed in to hopefully raw the Phoenix
home to a win and a place in the Grand Final.
Tim Beveridge is on your radio after three o'clock this
afternoon with the Sunday edition of the Weekend collect A
huge thanks to Annie McDonald for producing today and across
the weekend. Thanks mate, having enjoyable and relaxing afternoon. I

(02:01:55):
hope you have a enjoyable and relaxing afternoon as well.
We'll be back tomorrow night on Sports Talk between seven
and eight to wrap up the week. We also do
a thing called Piney's Power Rankings on a Monday night.
Will you give you the best, the worst and the
in between bits from the sporting weekends, So we normally
do it around about quarter to eight ten to eight.
We find ten things and we rank them. It's a

(02:02:17):
feature we enjoy putting together. Maybe you might want to
tune in for it anyway, entirely over to you, of course,
entirely over to you taking us out today, Well Mother's day,
of course. Hope you've had a great day. If you're
a mum, you've had a great day. If you've been
spending time with your mum, and I hope you've been okay.
If you're missing your mum today. Here is Taylor Swift
song about her mum. This is the best day to

(02:02:39):
take us out today, Happy Mother's Day. See him on day.

Speaker 23 (02:02:44):
And I'm going to start too. I laughing on the
car home with you, gonna say to the argym, I

(02:03:04):
know I have the grass day with you.

Speaker 10 (02:03:09):
Today.

Speaker 4 (02:03:14):
I have an excellent father.

Speaker 23 (02:03:18):
His strength is making me stronger. God smiles on my
little brother inside and out.

Speaker 13 (02:03:26):
He's better than I am.

Speaker 23 (02:03:29):
I grow up in up pritty house, Snaya say to
run and I.

Speaker 3 (02:03:38):
Had the best days with you.

Speaker 23 (02:03:45):
There is a pity I found from back when I
was three.

Speaker 1 (02:03:52):
He set up upping, said in my kitchen and you're
talking to me.

Speaker 23 (02:04:00):
It's the age of princesses and pirih ships and seven.

Speaker 11 (02:04:08):
Daddy smart, and you're.

Speaker 23 (02:04:09):
The prettiest lady the whole wide world. No, I know
why all the trees change in the fall of I
knew you were on my side even when I was wrong,

(02:04:29):
and I loved you for giving me your eyes, staying
back and watch me shining. I didn't know if you knew,
So I'm taking this chance to say that I have
the best day with you today.

Speaker 1 (02:04:52):
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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