Full Show Podcast: 14 March 2026

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Fine
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Talks EDB.

Speaker 3 (00:30):
Good afternoon, Welcome into Weekend Sport. It's a Saturday, fourteenth
to Mark twenty twenty six, seven after midday. My name's
Darcy Walter Grave sitting in for the magnificent Jason Pine
for the afternoon. Very much looking forward to this show
and everything we can provide to you in the sporting

(00:50):
world and of course what you can provide for us
as well. You'll have an opportunity for gappy birthday today
to Steph Curry thirty eight years old, Simone Biles water
Rocks day she's only twenty nine in a very happy
birthday to Sir Bob Charles ninety years old today. That

(01:10):
is epic. I'm in for Piney and I'm going to
make the most of it. And on the show we
have today plenty to sink our teeth into. Are we
talking with Stacy Jones up after one o'clock about the
phenomenal performance of the Warriors last night at go Media
Stadium as they well they literally rinsed the canber Raiders.

(01:31):
The weather was atrocious. We got to Adam Peacock, he's
a regular Australian correspondent. We've got some action in the
Six Nations and what a competition that has been so far.
BBC Rugby correspondent Chris Jones joins us up after two.
We got a Nick Becker. He's Legrond from ours, the
CEO of Auckland FC. Big test taking on the Newcastle

(01:54):
team that run away leaders of the competition. It's the
top of the table clash and there's something different for
you the clay Target World Champs. We're covering that off
as well. Well. We're going to start the program with
former Chief Executive of New Zealand Cricket Justin Vaughn, as
we look at the complex issues around the introduction of

(02:17):
franchise cricket to New Zealand in Z twenty. Looks like
it's the favor. Have they done their due diligence? Is
this the right decision? Justin will join us on that
subject and then we'll take your calls on eight hundred
eighty ten eighty that's a free phone number nationwide. You're
always getting touched through the text machine as well. That
attracts the standard text charge nine two ninety two ZB ZB.

(02:42):
That is our plan. So let's get amongst at nine
minutes after.

Speaker 1 (02:47):
Twelve, analyzing the plays and getting the inside weekends for
it with Darcy Waldegrave News Talk ZB.

Speaker 3 (02:56):
It's a smolding and bubbling story. What is happening within
Z twenty, What is happening with franchise Cricket. What is
the future of either Super SMA Big Bash are revised
Super Smash or in Z twenty which is firming as
the favorite in the fallout of this New Zealand Cricket
I've lost a CEO and it seems the black Caps

(03:18):
playing in summer well, it already is a thing of
the past, but it might really be a constant thing
of the past. To discuss that and all the complexities
around this situation, we're joined by former New Zealand Cricket
CEO mister Justin Vaughan.

Speaker 4 (03:36):
Hi, Justin, Yeah, get a Darcy.

Speaker 5 (03:39):
Good to hear your voice again after quite a bit
of a.

Speaker 3 (03:44):
Break, indeed, and thanks very much for acquiescing to this demand.
New Zealand cricket is in a very interesting state right
now and that is probably the biggest understatement of the year.
They are caught between the rock and a hard place
around what happens next for not only their T twenty

(04:04):
franchise but the international the domestic game. It is messy
to say anything else from your position in Australia. What
have you noted about the ruckus going on at NZI
cricket right now?

Speaker 4 (04:19):
Well, it's.

Speaker 5 (04:22):
What could I say? I mean, it's been coming for
a long time. I mean the issue around franchise cricket
and it's impact on I feel like the traditional way
that cricket has operated with a country versus country model
being paramount that the tension between those forces has been

(04:44):
obvious around the world. I mean we're currently in Australia
as well. And you know, even when I was CEO
over a decade ago, you could feel that this was
this was a train that was gathering momentum and at
some stage you were going to have to make some really,

(05:08):
really important and really difficult decisions. And I think that
time is coming very soon for New Zealand cricket.

Speaker 3 (05:16):
It's the dominant force in world cricket, whether you like
it or not. T twenty is here to stay and
it really is shaping the landscape, isn't it. With private
franchises first and foremost. That's where the money is at,
and that's where the eyeballs is at. Did you see
this domination continuing or growing?

Speaker 5 (05:37):
I mean, it's hard to see it not, you know.
I mean I was born at a time when you know,
the summers were spent listening usually to the radio of
either domestic first class cricket or international long form cricket,
with test matches being obviously the pinnacle. And you know,

(06:00):
during my playing time, test cricket was still the the
type of game that you aspired to do very well at,
and the short form cricket was fine, but it wasn't
anywhere near as dominating as what it is now. I
think now, if you were I don't know, an aspiring

(06:20):
teenager or a child even younger, it would be hard
push to not want to do well at T twenty cricket.
And that's you know, I guess that's an evolution of
the sport and how national bodies and how the whole
framework of cricket internationally adapts.

Speaker 4 (06:44):
To this as well.

Speaker 5 (06:45):
It's anyone's guess how the landscape is going to look
in ten years time. I personally hope that test cricket
remains and that it is still seen as the you know,
the original and perhaps the purest form of the sport.
But you know, I'm a bit of a dinosaur. Maybe

(07:08):
maybe that's old fashioned thinking. So yeah, well we'll wait
and see. I'm a sort of spectator as much as
everyone else who's listening.

Speaker 3 (07:17):
It's very much a modern phenomenon. It's that whole tech talk,
whatever you want to call it. We want entertainment, we
want it very fast, we want it done and dusted.
That's that's the way society is going. So it's completely understandable.
I suppose when you look at this, you've got to
hover above the entire global ecosystem of cricket to my eyes,

(07:39):
and you may disagree or agree the ICC, whether that's
through the BCCI or not, I don't know who runs
the show these days. They've got to establish some form
of international situation where there are distinct windows so we
know when our bilaterals are, what purpose they have the tests,
so on and so forth, and that's the only way

(08:00):
the game can go forward if there's control from above
or is this a pipe dream for me?

Speaker 4 (08:06):
Justin No, I don't think it is.

Speaker 5 (08:10):
Wanting your you know, the governing body internationally to create
a framework around which sort of member countries can operate.
I think is reasonable, but it is very complicated.

Speaker 6 (08:24):
You know.

Speaker 5 (08:24):
You see that issue in rugby as well, talking about
having a global calendar or you know, a way that
that sport can operate, and cricket's just the same. I mean,
you've got you know, only certain you can only play
cricket in New Zealand during certain months of the year.
You can only play cricket in India or in England
at certain times of the year. And so when do

(08:47):
you play if you like the country versus country forms
and when does you know and can you also fit
in domestic competitions which you know it's such a challenge.

Speaker 4 (09:03):
It's such a challenge.

Speaker 5 (09:04):
Obviously when I was CEO the IP we all started
and there was a lot of pressure for the players
to be able to play in that competition and that
meant giving them, if you like, leave during the.

Speaker 4 (09:17):
Period particularly April.

Speaker 5 (09:21):
And the start of May and most other countries allow
their players to play in the IPL.

Speaker 4 (09:28):
But even just with the IPL.

Speaker 5 (09:30):
Which is now extended beyond the six week tournament it
was when it started. You know, that's now reducing the
amount of time when the players play for their country.
And every time you create these windows for franchise competition
or whether it's going to be reversed, and you create

(09:52):
windows for when the countries play against each other. It's
a big undertaking and it takes a lot of work
at the international level and domestically to be able to
adapt to that is is Yeah, it's a it's a
big Rubik's cube, Darcy, you know, and but you do

(10:16):
have to be very conscious of what's happening.

Speaker 4 (10:19):
It's the globe.

Speaker 3 (10:20):
I think New Zealand Cricket have been very nimble so
far with their ability to essentially contract players or not
and a lot of players are making the most of
that because this is a year round earnings potential for
these players and they're going to look at that and say, well,
I can make decent money here. But I don't think

(10:41):
you can bow down to the top level players at
the risk of decimating the grassroots of the game. And
this is something that New Zealand cricket have to seriously
think about It's all very well for the big guns
to make all the money, but if they were to say,
lose control through various franchise crickets or the NZ twenty

(11:05):
for example, there to seed control through that, how much
would that affect it at the grassroots? Tell me if
I'm wrong, But surely in New zelln cricket's job is
to look after cricket as a whole in the country,
not just worry about top level regardless of the trickle
down of income. No, it is.

Speaker 5 (11:26):
And now you would like to think you could have
your cake and eat it too, that you know, your
top players could be going around the world earning you know,
a lot of money. I mean you see that. Let's say,
for example, in soccer or football. You know, players go

(11:46):
around the world and they make a lot of money.
Kids still want to play football because they see it
on television and they and there is a strong domestic
grassroots structure that's supported that way. Cricket hasn't been like
that that We're very much alied upon international cricket during

(12:09):
a New Zealand summer usually in January to bring eyeballs
to the game to sort of get kids along to
watch their heroes play. That's been the model, is that
the model forever in the day? Look, I don't know,

(12:31):
it's the issue is going to be that whatever decisions
you make, that those decisions are reasonably irreversible. That if
they were to create a franchise based competition and you're
selling equity in teams to private investment, that isn't something

(12:53):
that can be reversed very quickly. So you've got to
be really sure that what you're doing is in the
best interests of the game. And as you say, the
obligation in New Zealand Cricket is to look after the
game in its entirety from spectators, grassroots participation, from schools

(13:15):
through the clubs and then to have a high performance
of professional level of the sport all the way through.

Speaker 4 (13:24):
So those are the.

Speaker 5 (13:25):
Challenges that have faced the board and you know, the
New Zealand Cricket as a whole, to try and figure
out what the best part forward's going to be.

Speaker 3 (13:35):
Scott we think stepped down from his role, lost his role,
lost the faith in the board based on his fact
he wanted to do due diligence when it comes to
the reforming of franchise cricket. Here be a super smash
big bash in ZED twenty. From what I can gather,
he wanted to take a bit of time in ZED
twenty though, which is the preferred format if you talk

(13:57):
to most people in the cricketing world, the players particularly,
there's been a need to get this I suppose underlying
and done and tied up now. So a hasty decision
because they need to start it in January. I'm not
sure if anyone made a great decision in haste, and

(14:18):
Scott didn't want to do that probably cost him as job.
Do you think it's fair to lay that pressure on
say we need to do it now. That's a bit pushy.

Speaker 5 (14:28):
Or oh, I guess I'm not close enough to the
detail to be able to sort of really understand.

Speaker 4 (14:36):
But you do need a.

Speaker 5 (14:40):
This is a decision which, as I said, has got
You know, you can't reverse out of the decisions you
make easily, so it needs to be thought through very carefully.
That isn't to say that you don't make any decision.
You have to choose what you're going to do, I mean,
but at the same time you do need to be
aware of what's happening internationally and what's happening with the

(15:03):
structure of the game around the world.

Speaker 4 (15:06):
So how many of these.

Speaker 5 (15:07):
Franchise competitions can the sport bear, Because if you're looking
at January, then the issue is going to be that
you've already got the Big Bash operating in Australia, You've
got the South African TA twenty competition operating, and you've
also got the ILT twenty going on in the Middle East,
which you know that's quite a lot of T twenty

(15:28):
cricket going on around the world. So look, there are
it's complicated. New Zealand create needs to get their head
around it and they will need to make a decision
fairly quickly. But there are a number of considerations, which
means I sort of understand why you might want to
think carefully before you actually jump.

Speaker 3 (15:51):
I'm sure they're thinking carefully. I don't think they're fools
rushing and more angels fear to treat. They understand that
the weight of this decision is a lot of pressure
coming from the player base and when push comes to
South we know about domestic cricket and grassroots cricket, but
people want to see these stars play and if you
lose them to the international game, it's a punch in

(16:13):
the nose. And if you look at the January window,
this is what it used to be a time where
we would see international cricket over here. That's rabbishly rapidly
diminishing now that situation. So it's a question of do
you sacrifice the good of international cricket at the altar
of the T twenty franchise system. And we've even experienced that.

(16:36):
I'm not sure if that's good for the game and
your experience. Would you like that to happen?

Speaker 5 (16:45):
Darci the horse to a degree has bolted on that.
You know, there are these franchises are operating around the world.
Players could make, you know, significant amounts of money playing
in those competitions, and that's great. You know, it's good
to have that commercial engine for the sport. The issue

(17:10):
is going to be how do you fit in proper
international cricket, particularly in the country like New Zealand where
your calendar is limited by the weather.

Speaker 4 (17:25):
You know, I was slightly bewildered.

Speaker 5 (17:30):
I tried to watch a series between the Black Caps
and Australia which was staged for October in New Zealand last,
you know, during the summer just being and hey presto,
of course it was weather affected. The chances of playing
you know, good cricket in New Zealand are pretty much

(17:50):
limited to probably three months of the year, so you know,
and how can you make sure at the same time
that you're going to be able to have the top
tier countries visiting your to play series of Test cricket
or ad I and T twenty cricket at the time

(18:12):
when you want them to, because they may not be
able to come at that time.

Speaker 4 (18:17):
We saw the issue.

Speaker 5 (18:18):
Was it a summer or two ago when South Africa
sent basically their seateam to New Zealand because they wanted
their top play in their franchise T twenty competition back
at home. That doesn't look good to me in terms
of preserving the integrity of international cricket of country versus

(18:40):
country cricket. So there's got to be a way through this.
I just you know, it's really tricky. You know, it
would be great if New Zealand could have a franchise
competition and we could have a sort of a thriving
Black Caps team playing at the time when you know,

(19:04):
New Zealanders can watch them play in the backyard. I
would love that to be able to happen. Can it happen?
I'm really not sure.

Speaker 3 (19:12):
Very interesting article in The Australian by Andrew Jones like
referencing the BBL on the way that is developing, and
he makes the point that Cricket Australia and private investors
in the BBL are very different goals and incentives. Investers
want to make money, caa need to grow the game,
and he finishes with this wonderful quote, it's hard to

(19:35):
serve two masters, or put more bluntly, it's hard to
ride two horses with one ass. And that probably summarizes it,
doesn't it justin.

Speaker 5 (19:45):
Yes, there are forces pulling you in many different directions.
Cricket Australia is facing exactly the same issue really that
New Zealant cricket is that BBL has operated for a while,
there is now talk about bringing in private investment. They
haven't decided whether that's going to happen or not, and
if so, to what degree and what level of control

(20:08):
Cricket Australia will have over that competition. And it's exactly
the same question that New Zealing Cricket is grappling with Yeah,
it'll be fascinating to see what takes place over the
next two or three months.

Speaker 3 (20:20):
Break out the popcorn. Justin Vorm Vaughan, former CEO of
n Z Cricket, We thank you so much for your
time and your opinions. You look after yourself and have
a tremendous weekend.

Speaker 4 (20:32):
Thanks a lot, Darsy, good to talk to.

Speaker 3 (20:34):
You and always great to talk to you. The good
doctor Justin Vaughan for my CEO of n Z Cricket
with his opinions and thoughts around the tumult surrounding when
New Zealand Cricket goes in the future, specifically with the
franchise situation. If you'd like to introduce your thoughts to

(20:54):
that conversation, I'd love to hear from your free find
number nationwide. Oh, eight hundred eighty ten eighty. You can
also shoot me a text nine to ninety two. That's
ZEBZB as standard t charge though does apply. This is
a really interesting situation. I'm not saying there's a good
way or a bad way, a right way or a

(21:17):
wrong way. My main concern arouse this is urging caution
as the good doctor pointed out, Essentially, you can't put
the jenny back in the bottle again. And there's a
lot on the horizon that suggests it's going to be
a great exercise in money making. Is that quote from
Andrew Jones. It says there's always free cheese in a

(21:41):
mouse trap. You've got to be very careful about that.
So I don't believe that n Z twenty is a
bad idea. In essence, if it does work out as
well as its plan to work out, you'll have a
situation where you'll have a number of franchises employing a
number of New Zealand cricketers, not just the highest level

(22:02):
but some of the fledging level players as well, which
will give them that experience. The concern I have and
I hope the board no more, because we believe the
decision is going to be coming to all of us
sometime late next week around in which direction New Zealand
Cricket are going to travel. You can't jump into this

(22:24):
in too much of a hurry and risk a mess.
You really can't. You've got to be careful, considered and stage.
But look, if they do go with n Z twenty,
of course I'll buy in. I'm a cricket tragic I
think we all are. And it's just and pointed out.
We've got a situation where the horse has already bolted.
We don't really have January International cricket anyway, We've got

(22:46):
late spring cricket and early autumn cricket. So is it
really that much of a loss? I urge caution, and
I think that's the only sensible way of looking forward.
I'd love your calls the guts of this. If n
Z twenty franchise cricket ends up killing off January International cricket,

(23:06):
which is essentially on its knees anyway, will you accept
that it'll be up against the SA twenty, the big bess,
the IL twenty, which is the United Arab Emirates based
competition ended twenty as well. That's a thick fixture. You
give us a chance of your thoughts. One hundred and
eighty ten eighty, and we now go to Aparama. He's

(23:28):
got a few thoughts on the subject. Greetings, welcome to
the program.

Speaker 7 (23:32):
Got to Darcy, how are you very well?

Speaker 3 (23:34):
What's on your mind?

Speaker 8 (23:36):
M The golden rule, Dace, whoever's got the gold makes
the rules and we know who that is.

Speaker 9 (23:43):
In world cricket.

Speaker 8 (23:45):
I've talked to Pioneer a bit about this, b c
C b ccilight. I think you should have beforre ICC.
They're basically the same thing. You saw the carry on
when India won the World Cup on Monday morning with
Jay Shah x BCCI chief Now ic C. You know

(24:06):
you see represents the International Cricket Council. Yeah, he was
fan boying with you know, his team. Bro, you don't
have a team anymore, but you know it's India's game.

Speaker 3 (24:20):
So this is the concern of mine. And you say
the golden rule, who has the gold makes the rules?
That doesn't necessarily make them the correct rules, right, And
you've got to be alarmed with that. And I look
at the creeping death is what I'd like to call
it of major international backers through the BCCI, the big money,

(24:40):
and how they slowly but surely, like the blob, they
just envelop everyone around them. And you can't stop that happening.
So you've got to be careful what you wish for.
You let them in, they won't go away. You can't
stop them. That's why we've got to be very careful
in that space because suddenly we've seeded any control over

(25:03):
the game in New Zealand and it's paymasters from India
or anywhere else who suddenly rule the game. That's scary.

Speaker 8 (25:11):
Yeah, but we're on our knees Darcy. Anyway, actually, and
we're at the wim, We're at.

Speaker 10 (25:16):
The womb of it.

Speaker 8 (25:17):
So I'm like, get the men, get the commercials tight.
So I want indeed, see, I want the five.

Speaker 3 (25:28):
Unions, you know what I mean, major associations, there's six
of them.

Speaker 8 (25:31):
Yeah, to get their cat right, get their cat. Our
players got to be involved. Because he looked at that,
you know, I was like, I don't know what I
was thinking.

Speaker 11 (25:41):
I was thinking, oh, I'm going to go watch this
our twenty team. It's not as other two twenty team
that's playing against South Africa against their other other team.
And so it's been broken for ten years.

Speaker 8 (25:53):
Dar So I think let's I think New Zealand Cricket's
has got to trup make the commercial stack up and
let's let's just get it done and just yeah, international
cricket outside of India, England and Pozzy is battling, right,
and we're part of that crew is battling. So where

(26:14):
we can try and make money. It's got to do
your due diligence. Make sure you get a commercials tight,
but get a monks trying to try and get some money.

Speaker 3 (26:21):
Jes ye, thank you very much. And that's what the
former city of zy cricket wants to New scott winning.
But that essentially shoved them to one side. I'll go
back to that saying before. Don't be like mice is
when you look at the financial potential for this, there's
a lot of free cheese in a mouse trap. Just

(26:42):
be careful. More vehal calls coming up next O eight
one hundred and eighty ten eighty. You can flick your
thoughts through to nineteen nine two ZBZB. A standard text
charge does apply, but give us a ring because it's free,
which doesn't happen that much in this day and age.
It is twelve thirty three summer, right, wouldn't be the

(27:03):
same without cricket, and that's what we're discussing. So it
might be stumps for holiday beach cricket. Granted it's over,
but South Africa is in the country and they're taking
on our white ferns and our black caps in a
series of double heads so we all know how it works.
You check the forecast, I know, six seven times the
day before. But here's something really cool for you if

(27:23):
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(27:46):
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Speaker 1 (28:01):
Where the weekend's biggest calls are made, we can sport
with Dancy and GJ. Gardnomes New Zealand's most trusted home
builder news talks.

Speaker 3 (28:11):
That'd be twelve thirty seven. This is weekend Sport on
Darcy Watergrave In for Jason Pine taking your calls on
our eight hundred and eighty ten eighty around the future
of franchise cricket of New Zealand cricket. That decision is
in the offing. We believe that's going to be released
next week to the best of my knowledge. So m

(28:33):
Z twenty looks like it's the favorite. It looks like
it's going to get the nod. It's franchise cricket, it's big.
It's up against three other major franchise cricket competitions, the
IL twenty, the Big Bash and the SA twenty. So
in cohoots with that. Basically, it's going to kill off
international cricket in January, if it's not dead already, and

(28:56):
it probably is. Is that acceptable to you? The only
consonant is change. Are you willing to take on board
that change and run with those hounds?

Speaker 12 (29:06):
Oh?

Speaker 3 (29:07):
Eight hundred and eighty ten eighties of news Talk ZMB
lines are open. We go now to Rich. Good afternoon
to you.

Speaker 6 (29:16):
Yeah afternoon, Darcy. How I make you good? Yeah?

Speaker 3 (29:18):
Very well? Yourself?

Speaker 13 (29:20):
Yeah?

Speaker 8 (29:20):
Not too bad?

Speaker 6 (29:21):
Hey, this whole is this whole New Zealand T twenty.
I mean, I'm all for that being in January, but
my only concern is that you are. I'm on the
lines of what you're saying, it just feels does feel
like it's being rushed a bit.

Speaker 11 (29:35):
I mean we all see that.

Speaker 6 (29:37):
Have domestic competition needs work, and you know when you
go look at other leagues, like we're the only ones.

Speaker 12 (29:42):
That don't have a front, you.

Speaker 6 (29:44):
Know, a league that's like ones like Australia and one
hundred and stuff like that. But when you go look
at next summer, Darcy, we've got a forty series in
Australia that's going to creep into January and then we
come back and we've got Sri Lankas. So how many
of our top new zeald players are going to be
playing in that when they're going to be unavailable. I
mean we've got a fourties series in Australia. It's going

(30:05):
to go probably into the second week of January anyway.

Speaker 14 (30:08):
So I don't know.

Speaker 6 (30:10):
I just I'm all for it, But starting next summer,
I don't think it works.

Speaker 3 (30:15):
Hog tie it. There's not a lot you can do
about it because the players are going to go, oh,
I love test cricket all it's very important. All would say,
are going to take the money and you understand that,
you absolutely do. So that's why I go backward to
this concept. Whoever's running international cricket, they've got to stand
up and actually make a decision. These are when the

(30:36):
franchise cricket competition's run. These are our international windows, just
like what happens in global football. Now you start operating.
We haven't got that decision yet. Will that come and
how soon it will take? That's the big thing.

Speaker 6 (30:52):
Yeah, yeah, And I think when you go look at it, Darcy,
I mean I think you probably have a Test tour,
you know, in that.

Speaker 15 (30:58):
November of time.

Speaker 9 (31:00):
I mean, whether it can be a bit shaky.

Speaker 6 (31:02):
Before Christmas, and then you've got one in February March,
and it makes sense to have a league in that
Genuary window. But I just don't see how you're going
to get those two players. I mean, as you said before,
it's about it's about the money. But our top player
is going to miss out going to Australia. I mean
that's the pinnacle. I don't think you're going to I

(31:22):
don't think our players are going to say no, we
don't want to be a part of this. We want
to be part of the T twenty coup. I mean,
how often do we play Australia and how often have
we played for testings in their own country?

Speaker 3 (31:33):
And what do you remember the results of the Caribbean
Premier League or test matches?

Speaker 6 (31:39):
I think you know, well, we all remember how last
time we saw it Australia's see, that's on my mind.
But when it comes to T twenty, sorry mate, I
I don't remember, but.

Speaker 3 (31:51):
Yeah, precisely, Rich, thanks very much for your inport one
hundred and eighty ten eighty. If you'd like to contribute
to the talk around T twenty. Here's the other side
of it too. We don't know enough. It's not officially anyway,
You've got a rough idea about the financials behind an
n Z twenty. Where does the money come from? Is

(32:13):
there shadowy overlord that's providing a great deal of the
income that maybe it's got its hooks into South Africa,
into the IPL, into English cricket too, that will end
up running the whole show. And that's sort of talk
about when it comes to losing control of the game.
That's one aspect. Where does the money, what structures does

(32:35):
it take? Who runs the show? Where's the power? These
things are unanswered to us anyway. Maybe the board knows
and when we get to in Z twenty, which I
believe is likely. How many players internationally going to come
over for that? Is it going to encourage more people
to go along and watch these we know super smashes?

(32:57):
Undersubscribe because it hasn't got the rock stars. Are New
Zealand rock stars enough to fill four to six franchises
wherever they come out of. When there's the chance for
international players to maybe play in the Big Bash, to
maybe play SA twenty, to maybe play L twenty, she's
a fairly thread bear talent pool. To be fair. It

(33:19):
is eighteen that minutes to one. If you'd like to
discuss this further, by all means, I'd love to hear
from you a eight hundred eighty ten eighty three pone
number nationwide you we can text nineteen nine two ZBZB.
A standard text charge does apply. More from you coming
up shortly. A couple of texts for you as well.
This is news Talk is ZB It is twelve forty three.

Speaker 2 (33:46):
LO TMO LO DRS.

Speaker 1 (33:48):
Just your call on eight hundred eighty ten eighty Weekend
Sport with Dancy Watergrave and GJ. Gud No Homes, New
Zealand's first trusted home builder News talk ZB.

Speaker 3 (33:59):
Twelve forty six on weekend a sport couple of texts
asking about the Warriors. Don't worry, will be talking about
them in the next hour. Assistant coach and what are
the goats of rugby league in New Zealand? Stacy Jones
will join us up after one o'clock and we'll take
your calls after that. We've got a call coming up.
Just I'll give you a couple of texts. Someone's really
liked my cheese references today. I didn't pack them all

(34:21):
up deliberately, but Legron fromage is one of my favorites.
Talking about the big cheese of any competition. Someone said, look,
I just gave away my tickets to the Wellington black
Caps match after learning some players are being rested ahead
of the IPL. I want to watch top level cricket.
I want to see our stars in action here at home,

(34:44):
and they're not. And that is a relevant, relevant comment.
If they've got proper international windows, maybe we don't have
that drama. A couple of nice complimentary texts as well.
I very much appreciate that positivity. Nineteen ninety ZBZB snaty
text charge does apply, Jim, you've got the floor. What's up.

Speaker 7 (35:08):
Look, I think you're dead right. We've got an incredible
opportunity here right now, probably an unprecedented opportunity for New
Zealand cricket in terms of the money that is broadly
floating around and up for grabs for the game here.
I just think it's incredibly difficult for the leaders of

(35:29):
our sport to work out how best to approach that.
You know, on one hand, you've got all the traditional ways,
the traditional formats that we've got with our domestic game
and our international game that we've been talking about and
you heard from Justin Vaughan on But on the other hand,
we've got this sort of exciting opportunity to have international investment.
And you know, the money that ultimately supports the game

(35:52):
is only only it's only finite, and you know it,
and traditionally it comes from television rights, it comes from
sponsorship and the old ticket sale. But here we've got
an opportunity to get in international money from offshore to
really see our game up for the future. So it's
it's a difficult one and I wouldn't want to be

(36:13):
in the seed of the board members, but somehow they've
got to work out how do we how do we
make the most of this opportunity and maximize the opportunity
to preserve the game for the future generations here in
New Zealand.

Speaker 3 (36:24):
I suggest patients plainly and look forward and understand what
outcomes may present. But also if you sit around on
your hands and do nothing, that's it's almost worse than
that situation, and that worries me. Another ointment fly if
you will around This is the engagement from the major

(36:44):
sponsors and broadcasters. If suddenly you start diminishing the import
of international cricket, what happens to Sky, what happens to
these companies that pay big money to be involved in
New Zealand cricket? Do they just simply go, Okay, fine,
I'm walking away. That's a problem.

Speaker 7 (36:58):
They did, Yeah, you did right down. Because if you
take out January of that one day and you've got
all those other key twenty leagues that you talked about,
plus this in Z twenty, you take out the January window,
which is our sort of our premiere months for cricket
in this country, and and then you're right, those revenue
streams dry up. So and at the moment, my understanding

(37:20):
is every dollar that goes into the sport in the country,
comes in through New Zealand Crickets, So it comes in
that door and then goes out to the major associations
and ultimately the players and grassroots game. And you know,
if that money dries up and it's not coming into
z see but it's going in through private enterprise, you know,

(37:42):
how does that work? How does the trickle down effect work?
How does how do we preserve the quality of And
we've got some real talent in this country right now,
and you know, there's a it's on a little bit
of an up up surge and we've you know, we've
got some great young players coming through. How do we
ensure that we look after our four day formats format
and the other formats?

Speaker 3 (38:03):
Yeah, and trickle down as a fallacy on who coined
that phrase originally, But it doesn't work. Everyone knows it's
a lie, so we can't run with that. Well, look, Jim,
what gets me on this too is that your primary
funding is coming from overseas investors, be it BCCI or
one of those major franchises involved with IPL Cricket. Then

(38:28):
you start giving them the control because they've got the money,
and we go back to a previous caller talking about
the golden rule, and you've got to be very careful
in that space and the haste and the speed. Sure,
don't sit on your hands. But how many scams have
you seen Jim coming through your inbox or on your

(38:48):
phone saying act now, you'll get twenty percent off if
you don't do it in twenty four hours, This won't
exist in it now. Now, now, how does that end up?

Speaker 7 (38:58):
Yeah, I totally agree. It's I think the devil will
be in the detail. It'd be interesting to see when
when we get to know what that detail is, because
I just don't think the average punter is aware of it.
And I think that's what Scott when it was trying
to do. I think he was trying to get all
the options with detail on the table and his cat
shortens endeavors there.

Speaker 3 (39:16):
Yeah, he was because it's not not popular on the board.
Look from what I know, from what I believe there is,
it's going to go ahead with n Z twenty. I
don't bet on that. This is just my knowledge here
and it's not all one way traffic from the board,
but it is favored by the majority of the board,

(39:37):
and I just presume and hope they've done the due diligence.
This is News Talk z B. My name's Darcy water Go,
filling in for Jason Pine here on Weekend Sport.

Speaker 4 (39:47):
Up.

Speaker 3 (39:47):
Shortly up after the latest news, sport and weather, Stacy
Jones joins the show as we celebrate the Warriors. Oh my,
oh my water performance that was. It's eight minutes to one.

Speaker 1 (40:02):
The big names and the big calls on your home
of Weekend Sport with Darcy Waldegrave News Talk Civvy.

Speaker 3 (40:10):
It's five to one Sport news and whether on the horizon.
I put sport first because it's very important. Up after that,
Stacy Jones joins us we can celebrate the Warriors and
that absolute pantsing of the Raiders last night. There to
be fund Just a couple of quick texts for you
before we wander off to that news package. We need
better touring teams coming here for a start. There's only

(40:33):
so much of Sri Lanka in the West Indies I
can handle. Darcy, I just picked up on the conversation
read T twenty a quick observation. A few short years ago.
I recall going to a packed up were a park
of summer to watch the Central Stags play Domestic T twenty.
I don't get why they drop off in crowd attendance,
but I reckon it's got something to do with the
lack of promotion, marketing and advertising by in z C

(40:57):
and to boot, the results don't even get reported on
TV news.

Speaker 12 (41:02):
Wow.

Speaker 3 (41:03):
Would the well paid players be so well pay without
New Zealand Crickets input and training them. Perhaps they need
to donate some of what they earn now, thank you
very much for that, Bob. Thanks very much for your text.
More coming up shortly. Let's head now into the latest
and news sport and we're here at News Talks EB.

Speaker 1 (41:25):
The only place to discuss the biggest sports issues on
the head off the field.

Speaker 2 (41:32):
You got a story.

Speaker 1 (41:33):
It's all on Weekend Sport with Darcy Waltergrave on your
home of sport News.

Speaker 2 (41:38):
Talks MB.

Speaker 3 (41:42):
Seven after one Saturday afternoon Fourting to Mark twenty twenty six,
I'm Darcy Walter Grave filling in for Jason Pinea's Weekend Sport.
Thanks so much for your attention, plenty of your interactions
still to come. Nine two nine two is the text
line standard text charge does apply. We'll give us a ring.
Oh eight one hundred and eighty ten eighty and I'm

(42:04):
sure you want to ring our first guest of this hour.
Later on the piece, Adam Peacock had joins the program
here as our Australian correspondent And up after two o'clock
we go to the BBC's Chris Jones as we look
at the frankly bonkers six Nations and how that is unfolded.
But first up, first and first serve, we have mister

(42:27):
Stacey Jones here on Newstalk zb It's eight minutes after one.
How good are the Warriors? How good? Absolutely on fire.
They've won their first two games of the season for
the first time since twenty eighteen. They demolished the Canberra

(42:47):
Raiders in a well a sudden affair and a dominant
second half at Mount Smart last night.

Speaker 13 (42:54):
That's Warriors Heavens. Warri's Cameron George can time.

Speaker 12 (43:09):
Full time.

Speaker 13 (43:11):
Here are do media about Smart Stadium in Auckland.

Speaker 4 (43:14):
The Warriors don't.

Speaker 13 (43:15):
Tell it no, they had camera forty.

Speaker 2 (43:19):
Points to six.

Speaker 3 (43:20):
The excitement from sky TV. One of our very own
Ben Dua with that that commentary in joining us now
assistant coach Stacey Jones. Stacy Stacey, have you stopped smiling
that second?

Speaker 2 (43:34):
Wow?

Speaker 16 (43:35):
Yeah, looked USI was was real pleasing. You know, we
focused a lot on the little things and we wanted
to bring a physical focus to the game, and the
boys certainly did that right across the field. You know,
there wasn't a bad performance at also a real good

(43:56):
team performance from from the group.

Speaker 12 (43:58):
And yeah, I look very very happy with how they played.

Speaker 3 (44:02):
Talk about pleasing, I think the weather wasn't but the
way that the team managed to handle those conditions, to
handle the ball as opposed to camera and you'd expect
Camber also playing rubbish rubbish weather over in the act.
They just couldn't deal with those conditions. So what do
you put down that the hand to the Warriors? Why

(44:24):
did that work so? Well?

Speaker 4 (44:26):
Oh?

Speaker 12 (44:26):
Look, you know we played a simple, simple game, Darcy.

Speaker 16 (44:29):
We just you know the old cliche, get to the
end of the sets and put a kick in and
put some pressure back on them. I thought our Tanner
boys kicking game was was spot on. You know, we
lost and now early and the piece and you know
he really took the reins on that and I just
felt our backfield really competed when they needed to and

(44:49):
forced eras you know on on Canbra's backfield, and you
know we got some joy out of that. Really we
you know, we made our own luck by working hard,
you know round our kick chase part of the game
and you know put it back on Canberra and especially
in that second half the first half are real resilient
with our with our game six all at half time
and you know we were.

Speaker 12 (45:11):
Just getting in a grind with them.

Speaker 16 (45:13):
And you know the second half, you know, the wind
was in our favor and you know we turned turn
the screws on them.

Speaker 3 (45:20):
Defense is one thing, attacks the other thing. But you'd suggest, yes,
the attacking form was amazing, but the way you managed
to stop them pretty much getting over there whitewash, that's
got to be huge part of this team success.

Speaker 4 (45:35):
Yeah.

Speaker 16 (45:35):
Look they're really scrambling really well, that's what they did
last night, and you know we attacked with our defense
of that. I thought, you know, our contact and Slade Griffin,
our defensive coach, was was really happy after the game
with how the how the boys chased the contact part
of it and.

Speaker 12 (45:52):
Enforced the eras on you.

Speaker 16 (45:54):
Because they play an expensive game camera they like to
offload the ball, especially with Joey Tappeny and Corey Hausberg
and Hudson Young, those type of players that that do
like to promote the footing, and then they got us
last year with the way they played, and I just
thought that, you know, we we contact contacted them really
well together as a group, you know, which stopped them

(46:15):
from from offloading the footy.

Speaker 3 (46:17):
Cleaned up some holes as well in the mid that
first game there. It was a fantastic performance there, but
there were some glaring holes up the middle. That's been
see what off You've obviously worked on that.

Speaker 16 (46:29):
Too, you know, we have, like I just again, you know,
controlling the early part of the of a set, you know,
certainly makes things a lot easier the back end, you know,
and you control that part of the game, and you know,
just a process you sort of we call it complementary footy.
You know, we're one part of our game looks looks
after the other part. So and we put it all together.

Speaker 3 (46:53):
When you look at the way the game started, and
you touched on that already. So I need some injury updates.
But the fact that you lost in now so early
I had to change the harvest combination. That says a
lot about the reality of players to adjust on the fly.
He had a problem with the skipper as well, but
he came back. So tell us where now is it

(47:14):
the moment? What about Charms? Where's he at? And of
course to start the game, you lost Capewell and I
believe that's the most pressing injury concern stas.

Speaker 12 (47:24):
Yeah. Look, KP Porter's calf in the warm up, so.

Speaker 16 (47:32):
We had to start a player who was pretty good
in lacquer Elise Man. He really stepped up to the plate,
So obviously disappointing when you lose KP like that.

Speaker 12 (47:42):
And then we lost Chanel and you know, then we
were able.

Speaker 16 (47:48):
To bring on tange Torpick you I thought was outstanding
his performance and moving chants to the halves, so you know,
we were able to just put players in position and
they did a did a wonderful job for us.

Speaker 3 (48:02):
So it's early doors, But what's the initial assessment on
what the future is for for Chance, for Channel and
for Kurt.

Speaker 16 (48:10):
Yeah, sorry, your Kurt. Kurt's probably going to be unavailable
for a couple of weeks. You'll get scans over the weekend.
Chanel won't be available, you know, with the way he
has hia happened, and we're just waiting on things with

(48:30):
Chance to see where he's at. So I'm not too
sure where Chance is at, but definitely KP and Chanel
will be will be unavailable.

Speaker 3 (48:39):
Stacy Jones. He's twenty years old. He's already created a
huge explosion in the game over the time he's played
Licqua of the wrecka Halla Seema. What's going to stop
this bloke? He's he's Can you call him a freak?
Is that okay?

Speaker 12 (48:54):
Yeah?

Speaker 16 (48:54):
Yeah, Look I thought that was his best performance and
it wasn't what he did with the ball, it's what
he did, you know. Defensively he was everywhere he was,
you know, like they got an accept and he chased
down Samisasangi and he made a real try saying cover tackle.

Speaker 12 (49:14):
The second half.

Speaker 16 (49:15):
So look, his defense was was something that we're really
happy with. And you know, again when he when he
touches the footy, anything's possible.

Speaker 12 (49:25):
So yeah, look he was.

Speaker 3 (49:26):
He was outstanding to a peaky he little fellas doing well.
Let him make you smile, wouldn't it.

Speaker 16 (49:33):
Look he came on and was able to get some
momentum for us, you know, so he's a different player
to chants, but I thought the camera forwards didn't handle
tain that well. Where he poked his nose and got
some real good ruck speed for us, and and he
tidied up some some you know, scrambling kicks that that
he got his body in front of.

Speaker 12 (49:54):
So he came up some big plays for us.

Speaker 3 (49:56):
Tak when you look, and I mentioned the amount of
changes that happened on the fly during the game, that
says a lot for the culture of the and what
you've been doing in practice that you can almost seamlessly
put players where you want and they're all still playing
to the beat of the same drum.

Speaker 16 (50:16):
Yeah, we're very lucky we got you know, we've got
some good depth in the squad, and you know last
year we used them in tality the next man up.

Speaker 12 (50:25):
We're going to need that again this week and when
we traveled to Newcastle.

Speaker 16 (50:28):
So there's a bit of experience in this team now,
guys that are sort of playing up to sort of
that fifty sixty seventy game mark now. And I've got
a lot of those those guys, so they certainly become
very very beneficial to your overall squad.

Speaker 3 (50:45):
Spoke with Aaron Clark earlier in the week and Aaron
was talking about the fitness of the team and how
good it is. He was also talking about the requirement
to celebrate the win and then just stick it in
the past and focus fully forward. Is that the energy
you're looking at, Stacy.

Speaker 16 (51:05):
Yeah, we done a really good job around you know,
the culture and the leadership within the group and not
getting too carried away with anything and it's you know,
focus on what the next job is, you know.

Speaker 12 (51:16):
So the boys are fit, bailing couples.

Speaker 16 (51:20):
Our head of performance has done done a wonderful job
with getting the boys in shape and what's been a
fairly disruptive preseason with players coming back late into the
piece and then we had the.

Speaker 12 (51:29):
All Stars game.

Speaker 16 (51:30):
So over all the squads and really good shape fitness wise,
you know, and it's showing on the footy field.

Speaker 3 (51:38):
Not running with heavy legs. It's what we discussed as well.
Who would have thought at the start of the season
was too and no broncos Ozero and two that's another story.
What about Roger What a celebration for RT. It's a
shame he couldn't dot down, but he pretty much said
everything else. There's a lot of joy in the crowd
for what RTS has provided one hundred and fifty games
of the club.

Speaker 16 (51:58):
Yeah, what a player, What a person to have for
our squad. And he showed he can kick goals too.
So now look, we saw a highlights package of them
when our captains run before we went out, and I
just went, well, I don't think there's another player in
our in our game that could you know, put together
a package reel of highlights that you need to show.

(52:22):
And wow, what a player, what a player he he is,
And know as younger days what he could do. And
you know, we're very lucky to have have someone like Roger.

Speaker 12 (52:33):
And this in this team.

Speaker 3 (52:35):
Anything else that you take out of that game that
might be worth isolating.

Speaker 12 (52:38):
Ah yeah, look, I just not really. I think we've
covered it. You know, we're just doing the little things
really well. And the competition is so you just don't know.

Speaker 16 (52:46):
You know, you've got to turn up with the right mindset,
you've got to turn up with the right attitude, and
you know we've we've done that the last couple of
weeks and we've got to You've got to keep doing
it otherwise, you know, if you don't, then then you
get kicked in the backside, and you know you only
got to be.

Speaker 12 (53:01):
Off your game a little bit for that to happen.

Speaker 3 (53:03):
And finally, Stacy Jones always thanks very much for your time.
You got Metcalfe and Barnett sitting there going how are
we going to get back into this team?

Speaker 4 (53:13):
Yeah?

Speaker 12 (53:14):
I want to ury luxury for us to have. So
I appreciate appreciate the check, Darcy.

Speaker 3 (53:19):
And I appreciate the fact you answer the phone. Stacy Jones,
a legend of the game, assistant coach of the Warriors,
we coach of the Keywiks too, is a very busy
man looking back at what was a phenomenal win, part
of an outrageously good start for the Warriors. They beat
up on and they did. They beat up on the

(53:41):
Raiders last night. It was tired as they come second half.
Excuse the pump, but the floodgates opened and the Warriors
simply ran away with it. A lot of pressure on
what looked like a tired Raiders team that they accelerated through.
Wasn't it a lovely term back from Stacy Jones. They

(54:02):
attack with their defense.

Speaker 17 (54:04):
That was good.

Speaker 3 (54:06):
Tea nine two ZBZ beach sound text charge does apply,
but give us a call. Oh eight one hundred and
eighty ten eighty spoke there in Clark at the end
of this week. Talk to him about the ability to
package that success up that they had in the first game,
put it to one side and focus forward. Too much

(54:27):
celebration going on the team is not a good thing
from a fan base.

Speaker 12 (54:31):
Here.

Speaker 3 (54:31):
We can celebrate because it has been a wild old start,
but can you be calm move into next week's game
and start again from scratch. Do you have faith in
this side that they can regear and not get carried
away from their success? Rarely? What did you see in

(54:54):
that game that made you shout and smile? What was
the exception of the score, because that was huge and
I'm looking forward to your calls coming up next on
OH eight one hundred and eighty ten eight. You can text.
Remember that phone call was a free phone number. If
you want to text, it's going to cost your standard
text charge nine two ninety two z B z B.

(55:14):
Get them coming through first.

Speaker 12 (55:16):
Up.

Speaker 3 (55:16):
We've got Lyle joining us live. You're still running bro.

Speaker 18 (55:20):
Actually myself Sydney's support rarely, but there's plenty of my relatives. Yeah,
It was a great try moment with Johnson. But most
of my relatives are Warriors supporters, so I keep an
eye on them. And you're only as good as your
last game were their last. You have been very impressive.
But the thing that impressed me most last night it

(55:43):
guys touched on when you're talking the state he is
the reserves. All the guys come off the bench, and
they managed to mold them seamlessly. Now, if you're ever
going to win this competition, you have to have great
depth in your squad. They are proving to have that,
and I think a few of the guys that have
reached sixty or seventy games have become mentally a lot

(56:05):
tougher as well, and well looking from the outside and Darcy,
I think there are a side that a flame for
each other and b have self believed. You know, you
can say, yeah, yeah, we can do it, we can
do it. Unless the individual's doing it to really believe
they can, they ain't going to happen. And it appears

(56:27):
to say is that's the case. When Barnett and Metcalf
are right, I'd be bringing them off the bench and
to getting them right up the scratch. Look I've always
said I think Channel Boyd's a better option, but that's
only my opinion.

Speaker 3 (56:40):
Well, I'm a fan of I mean too, I'm a
fan of him, but like he stays at seven, and
of course we just slide Metcalf straight into six s in.

Speaker 18 (56:48):
Me a problem, Yeah, I think so. Unfortunately, Taveta Harrison
will probably miss out, but they still needs Yeah.

Speaker 3 (56:57):
Great utility Planet can always slide enough necessary. What we
saw last night, we had injuries. Suddenly we had a
whole on New Blakes on the field and it looked
like they trained there.

Speaker 18 (57:09):
I actually thought that a leck of the wrecker who's
saying he was starting. It'll be interesting to see what
sort of impact he has. You know, coming off the
bench is one thing, but he certainly he surprised me.
I'm going to be very hard to keep him out
of the starting thirteen when everyone is.

Speaker 3 (57:27):
Well. Thanks very much for your opinions on that one, Lyle,
Thanks very much for calling us. If you'd liked to
be involved, you can one hundred eighty ten eighty three
for number nationwide.

Speaker 2 (57:37):
Roll on.

Speaker 3 (57:38):
Can you just suppress your joy? It's only and I
keep saying it, and I won't stop not how you start,
how you finished? Just ask the Broncos, right, well you
maintain that excitement? Are you bouncing off the walls because
you're allowed to? The players can't grieve that you can, right.

Speaker 14 (58:00):
We can. I disagree with the last guy on the
last comment. Don't bring Lequa bottom stack Adam. Bring him
up the bench. You know, he's such a great impact player.
I think that the Warriors, now, as the previous caller said,
have a certain amount of depth. They could have a
little bit more. But Sam Sam Healy came off the

(58:25):
bench and it looked like it was Wade Egan playing
very similar players. He slipped straight in there like he
had been playing there for some time. I thought that
Canra had the advantage, probably in the first twenty minutes

(58:45):
when both Waulsborough and Joe Tartani were on, But as
soon as they split that combination up, things started to
go a little bit wrong for them and we started
to get on top towards the second end of the
first half. When we came back on the field in

(59:08):
the second half, it was a little bit like the
Force and the Hurricanes game. It was like two different
games that happened, and like the Warriors seemed to dominate
just about everywhere on the field. I thought that at
the end of the second half, about six minutes out

(59:29):
when I think it was Tanner Boyd or was it
anyway the mister call where I thought it should have
been either a penalty penalty try where a player was
taken out and one was tackled without the ball.

Speaker 7 (59:50):
I don't know whether you remember that.

Speaker 3 (59:51):
That's refereeing in the NRL, but you've got to get one, two,
three of those decisions and you just can't rest on
those because.

Speaker 14 (01:00:00):
Happened, right, Yeah, But I mean in the in the
second half, it's like we like we did last week
or not web and Andrew Webster did. He seemed to
be able to use as an interchange vents to the
best where I didn't think Cambri used their interchangevents to
the best of the ability that he had.

Speaker 12 (01:00:21):
Well.

Speaker 3 (01:00:22):
The thing with the interchange bench is it actually worked
as an interchange I'd like to use the term lego men.
You can separate them and build another lega man out
of the pieces you've gotten. It's the same lego man,
and everyone can just fall into the position they've trained
into or another position and it's seamless, like that's three
players out, I mean one of the tour being granted.

(01:00:43):
But there was no hick up, there was no pause,
there was nothing to stop. They just carried on.

Speaker 14 (01:00:48):
Yeah, No, I think we don't want to get too
excited just just now, because a spring a swallow doesn't
make a spring, and I just think we need to
keep a lid on it, and the players especially need
to keep a lid on it and just continue to do.

Speaker 3 (01:01:06):
What are you doing, brilliant, Greg? Thanks very much. Yes,
there's certainly not one. Swallow does not maketh the summer,
and it hasn't. But it's still two and oh in
a good start. Remember Warriors of well, not so long ago,
they're behind the eight ball from third, fourth round. Not
the case this time. Not getting too excited and carried away.

(01:01:31):
But I'm the plus so I can. And yeah, I'm
sorry to my neighbors last night all the noise coming
out of my living room. Twenty seven minutes after one
more of your thoughts on the Warriors are still to come.
A one hundred and eighty ten eight free phone number
nation wide, or we can text nine to nine two.
Do we need to calm the farm or should we

(01:01:52):
just carry on hooton and hollering and saying it's I won't.
This is news talks EB Start your journey today with
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Homes huge supporters of sport, grassroots right the way through
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(01:02:12):
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(01:02:36):
twenty thousand homes in New Zealand. So if you're looking
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of our experienced team on eight hundred and four to

(01:02:56):
two four five for six. That website again, Dub Dub
dub dot, Gjgardner dot co dot NZ.

Speaker 1 (01:03:06):
Harder Opinions, Weekend Sports with Darcy Wandergrave and GJ. Gardner
Homes New Zealand's most trusted home builder news talks.

Speaker 3 (01:03:14):
There'd be one one on Weekend Sport. Taking your calls around.
The Warriors are eight hundred and eighty ten eighty Your
text as well, Allen says, I'm smiling so much my
jaw hurts. I might need surgery. Awesome, lucky you. I'm
getting it soon too, but on my knee, not my jaw. Phil, Hi,
how are you? What have you got for us?

Speaker 4 (01:03:35):
Oh?

Speaker 19 (01:03:35):
Okay, Darcy, not bad? How are you?

Speaker 3 (01:03:38):
I'm smiling, mate, so much to be happy about so much?

Speaker 19 (01:03:42):
Oh excellent. I wouldn't worry too much about the neighbors, mate, Well.

Speaker 3 (01:03:47):
Plainly I don't. But I don't think they mind me either,
because I never see them moving there.

Speaker 19 (01:03:52):
Enough far enough. I can always get sound proof me.

Speaker 12 (01:03:56):
Mate.

Speaker 3 (01:03:57):
Wanted to make of that game, Phil, what's going on?

Speaker 8 (01:04:00):
Well?

Speaker 19 (01:04:00):
I was just saying to ay, I was really impressed.
The thing that impressed me the most was the intensity
of the defense. They really went at it last night
with you know that defense where they drove them back
a number of times in the tackles, and I thought,
this is this is really good. Not not only the attack,
but I really noticed that defense and the intensity on that,
and there were so many everyone played well, you know that,

(01:04:25):
Like Boyd was great with his kicking game, Jackson Ford
was fantastic. He doesn't often have a bad game and
just hitting it up hard. And the forwards, the captain,
the fellow I forget his name. I can't forget his name,
but he's just burst on the scene.

Speaker 3 (01:04:44):
Yeah, hello, scene's name Phil.

Speaker 19 (01:04:49):
I think I'll just have to remember that Leaku of
the recon and then I'll remember it. But was Naki
as well, you know when he jumped up got that
ball and came.

Speaker 3 (01:04:57):
Down and a tennis player and a woman.

Speaker 19 (01:05:04):
I'm not too I'm not too good with the names.
But he does a lot of good work too. Like
I know, he's been criticized and I've been a one
as well about coming off as wings sometimes. But I
was talking to Piney the other week and I was
thinking that maybe it's not so much as fault, because
it's more maybe the inside man not covering him and
he has to come off. But he does a lot

(01:05:26):
of good hitting up yards as well, you know, and
tackling as well. That don't I think has sort of underrated.

Speaker 3 (01:05:32):
Well, they all are out there, they've got to rely
on each other in and out and whatever else, and
sometimes you make a bad call. So yeah, but I
was really pleased for him to come back and have
a good game. I'm with you on that, and Bill
on your comment around the defense. Really like what Stacy
Jones c before, I probably won't let this one go

(01:05:53):
for a while. They turned their defense into attack, that's
what they do. And the fact that they've shot up
some holes that were up the middle that we saw
last week fills me with joy that they've gone through that.
And then another thing around this And like your calls
eight hundred and eighty ten eighty, if you're on to

(01:06:14):
reflect in general on that game, I've got some text
coming for you soon. It was touched on before. I
think a lot of these younger players, and this was
mentioned by I know it's a different sport, but Ryan
Fox and Golf, we talked to him a few weeks
ago and he said, look to ask you. The things
that have changed now is I know that my best

(01:06:34):
is good enough to compete at that high level. He
knows that now some of these younger players and some
of the guys are now coming up thirty sixty seventy games,
and that that key area area of their existence as
a professional player, they know that their best is good
enough to compete and win and dominate, and that in
any walk of life, that internal faith and trust in

(01:06:58):
yourself that you know at your best you're good enough.
In fact, you're more than good enough. You can dominate,
you can win, you can have success. You can't train
that internal voice, but once you've got it in control
and in hand, it's an enormously powerful voice and you
need to run with that. Twenty five away from two,

(01:07:20):
this is week in Sport on you talk to THEREBM
Darcy Water gave hello, poor how are you?

Speaker 15 (01:07:25):
Yeah, I'm like you, Darcy. I'm very very happy after
demolishing of the Roaders. Yeah, but let's put things, let's
come down to earth.

Speaker 17 (01:07:36):
Now.

Speaker 15 (01:07:37):
We've got Newcastle at home next week. But they've got
a new Spineddylan Brown, Fletcher Sharp. He's an amazing player,
so it's going to be a tough game, mate.

Speaker 3 (01:07:45):
And away from home too, away.

Speaker 15 (01:07:48):
From home, yep. Yeah, But what's really pleasing to us is,
you know, the Raiders and the Russes. People were predicting
them its top four teams and we put forty points
on them and restricted them to not many. So that
shows how defense endyo attach is is on point at
the moment, mate, And besides all balanced and everyone's they
see this scene fit us so very pleasing.

Speaker 13 (01:08:10):
Well it's the point.

Speaker 3 (01:08:11):
What did you make of the Raiders in that second half?
Do they look like maybe they lost a bit of
energy that ran out of steam. Do they look a
little tired or I'm just building this narrative myself.

Speaker 15 (01:08:22):
Yeah, I think, like you said, once the flood gats opened,
the probably did their head dropped, you know, And it
was it was quite funny out if you saw the
vision of Cameron George during the crying eyes, you know,
that's that's our CEO of our club. You know, what
what a what a what a character. But yeah, I
think the heads went down and you know, plus you

(01:08:44):
know at home, like you know, like you said before,
but it's it's you know, they call it a roller
coaster for a reason. And and the true test will
be next week in Newcastle. Billan Brown's playing well and
the nights. So if we if we play well and
when fantastic. If we play well and lose, you know,
that's not too bad but very pleasing at the moment.

(01:09:05):
Made and just quickly on Alex Johnson, the scenes of
the people coming onto the field last night was unbelievable.
It just it just I felt like I was back
in back in the forties and fifties watching it sort
of footage, you know, it was it was. It was
actually quite emotional when I seen him lifted up on
everyone's shoulders and it was this unreal mate.

Speaker 3 (01:09:25):
People I don't know, became the top tri scorer in
NRL's hair history. And I think the fans need to
be engaged in that because it is about us and
we need to celebrate and be seen and heard and enjoy. Look,
if he had a been crushed in the hordes, it
might have been a different story.

Speaker 15 (01:09:42):
But yeah, what's funny, Darcy is the first person on
the scene to congratulate him was a Roosters fan and
a Rooster's jusey. That just goes to show our great
game mate, you know, I.

Speaker 3 (01:09:53):
Is a fantastic game and last night filled us all
with joy. I'm sure Mark joins the program. Now, what
can you bring mate?

Speaker 7 (01:10:01):
Good afternoon, Boddy, how are you very well?

Speaker 12 (01:10:04):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (01:10:04):
What's your story? What's your angle?

Speaker 20 (01:10:06):
I'm just talking to your man on the off scene.

Speaker 18 (01:10:09):
I didn't realize that.

Speaker 20 (01:10:12):
Drivaca actually played for the Oda Who Leopards, and then
I've just found out he went to my old high
school as well, which is Oda Who College.

Speaker 3 (01:10:21):
Like two of us are sick, Roger, yes, yeah, yeah.

Speaker 20 (01:10:26):
So because I started playing rugby league when I first
came into high school, and back in those days we
had also for the Piner and Stan Smith Wow, but
both at both at Oda Who College.

Speaker 3 (01:10:39):
And I've been and watched them play a few times
back in the day too, was their home ground. I
couldn't find agent.

Speaker 20 (01:10:47):
Make sure what club they played for.

Speaker 3 (01:10:49):
Dark No, I'm talking about Oda Who. They are Leopards
because I'm out in west Auckland, so anywhere that's not
West talking, I get confused. So well, I'm glad you
got a lovely history of that. Mark. Thanks very much
for your call. It's twenty one minutes to two coming
up shortly on the program. Are we going to talk
with Ossie correspondent man with the name of Adam Peacock,

(01:11:10):
cover off what he's been indulging in and what he
has seen in Australian sport and will be joined up
after two o'clock by Chris Jones from the BBC. He's
a Rugby correspondent, writer and journalist. As we look to
the end of what's been a stunning, unpredictable and absolutely

(01:11:32):
mad six nations so far, this says New Salt fir B.
It is twenty minutes to two.

Speaker 2 (01:11:41):
Call it how you see it?

Speaker 1 (01:11:43):
Hollow eight hundred eighty eighty Weekend Sport with Dancy Wandergrave
and GJ. Gardner Holmes, New Zealand's most trusted home builder
News talks that'd b.

Speaker 3 (01:11:52):
Seventeen to two that time of the week. Again across
the ditch we go toward the West Island. Our ossie
correspondent is a familiar voice here on this Program's name
is Adam Peacock. Adam, as always, thanks very much for
joining us. We'll start with the NRL from last night,
of course, the Warriors on fire, Alex Johnson's climbed a mountain.

Speaker 9 (01:12:14):
Yeah, yeah, I was out and about last night for
Warriors camera. So I'm not totally across that, but I
heard it was. Yeah, I wonder kind of look at
and go well, but yeah, later that night or later
last night over here Alex Johnston. Yeah, it was a
weird situation actually because the Roosters won a high intensity,

(01:12:36):
high pressure game. But Alex Johnson is still the story
because he breaks an all time record most tries in
regular league history, breaking the great Ken Irvine. And there
was a lot of talk this week over whether people
jumped the fence and invade the field. That's exactly what happened.

Speaker 17 (01:12:52):
Oddly enough, it was.

Speaker 9 (01:12:54):
A bloke in a retro Roosters jersey that first got to.

Speaker 21 (01:12:57):
Him and celebrated with him.

Speaker 19 (01:12:59):
It was a weird look.

Speaker 9 (01:13:00):
Probably doesn't happen in other parts of the world in
other sports, but yeah, it was fantastic and everyone celebrated
in kind and everyone happy for a really good guy
in rugby league and Alex Johnston.

Speaker 3 (01:13:12):
I watched in URL three sexy as I habitually do,
and there was the discussion there about is it right
that they do that. I think it is. This doesn't
happen much, and it may not happen again, right.

Speaker 9 (01:13:25):
Yeah, well when they look I've got a bit hairy
there when everyone did the crush on him, but then
they eventually got him up on their shoulders. And that
image of him by pointing in the air and on
his femart's shoulders with thousands of people around him, He's
just such a great image and one that you can
use for a lot of good for the sport. So yeah,

(01:13:46):
like I understood those who said it really should be
the player's domain, but you know, it was just people
celebrating and there was nothing bad that happened really, I mean,
the Prime Minister, for goodness sake to the souse fan
was on the pitch as well.

Speaker 11 (01:14:00):
El, So it was a weird old night.

Speaker 9 (01:14:02):
And where else, I like, your country could probably happen
in a few other around the world, But given what's
happening politically around the world, where else can the leader
of the country just stroll onto a park with you know,
thousands of other people and celebrate a sporting occasions. It's
pretty cool and it speaks about him for what we
are as a country. So really enjoyable night there.

Speaker 3 (01:14:24):
Yeah, And I think that the game is for the fans,
not the players. They need to be engaged and involved,
otherwise they will drift away. Let's carry on with the
NRL Broncos. What a horrible start oh and two. But
as they say, it's not how you start, it's how
you finish.

Speaker 9 (01:14:40):
Well, that's how they finished last year. Well, everyone remembers
how they finished last year. I should say they weren't
quite with it in the first half of last season.

Speaker 12 (01:14:49):
And it looks a bit the same everyone now.

Speaker 9 (01:14:52):
Like I would have thought that Michael maguire and the
players have bought a bit of credit by doing what
they did, especially in the final series last year. But yeah,
your memory gets wiped pretty quickly in sport. And now
people are going to nitpick it.

Speaker 21 (01:15:09):
Is it?

Speaker 1 (01:15:09):
This?

Speaker 21 (01:15:09):
Is it?

Speaker 10 (01:15:09):
That?

Speaker 9 (01:15:10):
Is he training them too hard again? Is it the
paininghas walking away situation? Are the players distracted by other things?
That they got big heads because they won the comp
last year? All those little things start to add up
the problem for the Storm, problem for the Broncos is
they've got to go to Melbourne Storm next week, where
you don't get anything for nothing down there, so you've

(01:15:30):
got to be at your best or near to it
to walk away with something so difficult to start, but
they are good enough to flick a switch at the
moment though, they've got a couple of questions brewing.

Speaker 3 (01:15:40):
Yeah, and a big league story which is basically a
union story. Zach Lomax has gone way out west to
play but a super rugping hopefully become a wallerby what's
that been sitting like over in Australia.

Speaker 9 (01:15:56):
Yeah, massive story because he couldn't find a way through
leaving Paramatta to stay in rugby league legally because PARAMOUNTA
released him to playing that R three sixty competition, but
then that fell over, and then his ambitions of playing
somewhere fell over. He was speaking of Rugby Australia late
last year, but they couldn't come to the party of
a financial package that suited him, so he decided to

(01:16:18):
pursue another rugby league option that was blocked by court,
so then he had to go back to Rugby Australian's
actually what.

Speaker 10 (01:16:25):
We're talking about late last year.

Speaker 21 (01:16:26):
Can we revisit that?

Speaker 9 (01:16:27):
And they were happy enough to accommodate him on their
terms and it's probably good for him. He's going to
be way out of the spotlight in Perth playing for
the Western Force.

Speaker 12 (01:16:37):
His first game.

Speaker 9 (01:16:38):
Force that got to buy next week, so his first
game won't be until the twenty eighth against the Chiefs.
Whether or not he starts the game or comes off
the bench of the Force remains to be seen. But yeah,
I think everyone can move on now and it will
be interesting to see if he can kind of cross over.

Speaker 21 (01:16:56):
Athletically.

Speaker 9 (01:16:57):
He's absolutely good enough. But you guys know over there
that rugby league and rugby union it's two totally different sports.
They don't quite get it over here as such. They
just thinking of rugby league player and playrug the union.
It's not the case so technical that like how you
position your body in contact and all of that's it's
a big, big learning thing that he's about to go through.
But yeah, it's it's resolved, thankfully, because it was draft

(01:17:21):
on a bit through the court.

Speaker 3 (01:17:22):
No people would point to sunny Bill Williams and go yes,
it's possible, then point to Benji Marshall and say no
it is. And that's a long, long story. Let's finish
things off. Sorry, Animi's finished things off. Matilda's through the
Asian Cup semi finals. They beat the North Koreans two
one predictably. Sam Ker scores my question though, and North

(01:17:44):
Korea still there or have they gone to hiding with
the Iran cars.

Speaker 9 (01:17:50):
No, No, North Korea are actually still there because last
night was huge because it was actually acted as a
World Cup qualifier, So the top four in the Asian
Cup qualify for the World Cup next year as well,
and then there's two other spots of available, so now
North Korea have to get on a plane and go
to the old coaster player a one off playoff to get.

Speaker 21 (01:18:09):
Into the World Cup.

Speaker 9 (01:18:10):
So yeah, I'm sure it'll be received back in cheong
Yang as a glorious victory. But they're still in Australia
and they dominated well, funnily enough, if they reported it
like they dominated the Matilda's, it's not far wrong because
they were actually the better team.

Speaker 21 (01:18:24):
They just weren't clinical. We were clinical.

Speaker 9 (01:18:26):
I think the shot count was something like twenty to
four four or something. They batted us in the second half,
so I won't say we were lucky to get away
with it because football's about scoring. But my goodness, it
was an almighty scare in North Korea, or actually very
very good value for what they served done.

Speaker 12 (01:18:45):
But Matilda's through.

Speaker 9 (01:18:48):
Our nation kind of breathes a sigh of the left
because they're one of our most popular sporting teams. But man,
it was a bit closer than and it needed to
be wonderful stuff.

Speaker 3 (01:18:56):
Adam Peacark is Australian sport correspondent. We thank you very
much for your time, as is every week in and
thanks for putting up with me. Pineys back next week.
Heam mate. You can relax all good mate, you keep
going the way you are.

Speaker 9 (01:19:09):
Plony won't need to come back. Have a good one
does Wow.

Speaker 3 (01:19:12):
I didn't pay him to say that. Eva, ad and Peacock,
thanks very much for your time. It is ten minutes
to two. Don't forget up. After the new Sport and
Weather package that sits at two o'clock, we bring to
you six Nations action out of the BBC. Chris Jones
joins the program to preview what is going to be

(01:19:32):
a stunning last three games. This is News Talk ZB.
It's nine minutes to two.

Speaker 2 (01:19:39):
When there's a line call, it's your call.

Speaker 1 (01:19:42):
Weekend Sport with Dancy Waldegrave News Talk ZB.

Speaker 3 (01:19:47):
It's six minutes to the latest in the new Sport
and Weather up at the top of the hour up.
After that, we're going to be talking Six Nations rugby
with Chris Jones. I'm going to indulge in some texts Now,
and thank you so much for texting through to the studio.
Nine two nine two zbzb that is the number, and
a standard tech charge will be applied to your bill.

(01:20:10):
I've got a text saying Darcy's sport is for those
playing and if not, what is the point. I'm not
sure where you're going with that. I think at the
higher level, when you're looking at the professional or the
high level, it is all about the fans, because without
the fans, without the eyeballs, without engagement, without their money,

(01:20:31):
the game dies. At a lower level, yes, it's all
about the players playing the game, but at a higher
level it's got to be about the fans. What do
they say? It's got to be fan centric otherwise it collapses.
But thanks very much for that text. I'm not on
the wires train until we see them smash Australian teams
in Australia. We've been here before. Very pleasing to someone

(01:20:54):
see some professional defense leader. Barnett will what do you
mean be missed? He's coming back. It's not like he's
gone or anything. Thanks very much for that text. Though
someone else is complaining it's Rachel about the pale, stale
boomers calling in and butchering people's names. It's okay, it

(01:21:15):
all happens. I knew what he was talking about, or
both of them. Were all three of them we're talking
about Eventually rugby league great star sy are the ones
who produced year after year after year. It'll be interesting
to see if today's worry is the young ones last
the distance or burnout. Yeah, thanks, Rah, I think you're
right about that. One is how good was the crowd

(01:21:38):
r It's another giving him the chante at the end.
They were basing extracting the Michael out of the Raiders fan,
weren't they? And the CEO Cam George pining on it
and anything a lot of fun as well. Paul makes
this point, eighty points in two games against predicted top
four teams is fantastic. It shows hour attack and defense

(01:22:00):
is working well. Metcalf has to come and that's six
when he's available and leave it a boid at seven.
I don't think you'll have too many arguments with anyone
in that space. Thanks very much for your text. It's
been great having you for the last couple of hours.
Are we going to climb in for more? Coming up

(01:22:22):
after the latest and new sport and weather, which is
coming up next Here at News Talk z B, we're
talking Six Nations rugby. Shortly, Chris Jones joins the program
from the BBC.

Speaker 1 (01:22:37):
The only place to discuss the biggest sports issues on
a head off the field, You've got a story. It's
all on Weekend Sport with Darcy Watergrave on your home
of Sports News Talks.

Speaker 10 (01:22:50):
A me.

Speaker 3 (01:22:54):
Good afternoon. Here's our three of Weekend a Sport. Please,
it's punch to be bringing it to you on Darcy
Watergrave sitting in for Jason Pine for the weekend seven
after two o'clock. It is the fourteenth of March twenty
twenty six. Coming up in this hour on the program,
we're going to talk Clay Target World Chance. No, I

(01:23:15):
didn't know either, but I know what it is, but
we're going to find out more about that later in
the piece. Nick Becker, the chief executive of the Auckland
FC side take on Newcastle to the top of the
table class or we'll get amongst that with Nick and
we're going to kick the show off with Chris Jones

(01:23:35):
BBC Rugby corresponding, as we look at the final round
of the Six Nations, which has been berserk so far.
If you've been lucky enough to catch any of that
three games Island Scotland, Myles, Italy, France, England, we will
look toward all of those, but for the here and now,
as we do every Saturday and Sunday, we'll get you

(01:23:57):
across things that you may have missed in sport, and
we call it predictably in case you missed it. And
we'll start with the AA film where Hawthorne have bounced
back from their opening loss to get a big one.

Speaker 17 (01:24:12):
Other is Tim up for the last.

Speaker 3 (01:24:15):
One here for the Hawks.

Speaker 9 (01:24:18):
Brd Watson's out, then it hits him Colors Lord last
week to make it for.

Speaker 21 (01:24:26):
And a ten goal margin.

Speaker 3 (01:24:29):
On and enmed up flogging them. The final score one
hundred and forty five plays eighty three. Well done Hawthorne, Shanghai.
Another great day for the Formula one peddler, mister George Russell.

Speaker 22 (01:24:47):
It's a Mercedes front row here and McLaren laid down
the charge.

Speaker 17 (01:24:53):
Ferrari laid down the.

Speaker 22 (01:24:55):
Charge, but he led every single session to this matter
for the first time in his Formula One career, takes
a sprint pole.

Speaker 3 (01:25:03):
He gets away at four o'clock the sprint race, looking
fo to it be and laws and qualified down the park.
It's a dangerous place to be in sprint races. Hurricanes
eight in a row in Napier, of all places.

Speaker 4 (01:25:18):
They beat the.

Speaker 3 (01:25:19):
Western Force last night, so I forget that if they
were to score anot of try was charged down by Warner.

Speaker 2 (01:25:24):
Turns he's charging through.

Speaker 3 (01:25:26):
He's picked it up water.

Speaker 2 (01:25:27):
Don's want to try? What a big fella knocked it on?

Speaker 3 (01:25:31):
Not there long ago? Yeah, and eight in a row
in Napier, Not eight in a row in Napier. The
pause was terrible. For that's ak I've explained it to you.
Thirty one at twenty three puts the Hurricanes right up
the top number one on the Super Rugby Pacific table,
and despite losing, nothing could take away from Rabado's winger

(01:25:53):
Alex Johnson as he made history last night.

Speaker 21 (01:25:59):
Comes could it be down? Mitchell down the side?

Speaker 22 (01:26:02):
Charles's dead chudged for the chuckst history two thirteen. Alex
Johnston has done it.

Speaker 13 (01:26:12):
Two hundred and thirteen tries.

Speaker 5 (01:26:15):
Alex Johnston step to lard as Australian Rugby links greatest
try score and the fans can't be checked off the field.

Speaker 1 (01:26:26):
The big names and the big calls on your home
of Sport Weekend Sport with Darcy Waldgrave, News Talk zimb
It's the.

Speaker 3 (01:26:34):
Final week of the sixth Nations. Ireland take on Scotland
at ten past three tomorrow morning, Wales play Italy that's
at twenty to six twenty to six tomorrow morning, and
France the England at ten past nine tomorrow morning. Ireland Scotland, France.
They can all still win it. Italy is safe from
the wooden spoon. You wouldn't read about it. And surprisingly

(01:26:56):
England come into the final week with only one win
to their name. Chris Jones is on the program now
is out of the b b C. How are you
getting made?

Speaker 7 (01:27:07):
Yeah?

Speaker 17 (01:27:07):
Very good? How you getting on? Good to be here again?

Speaker 13 (01:27:09):
Yeah?

Speaker 3 (01:27:10):
And now I'm getting on very well. I don't know
if it's a fierce statement to say this is possibly
the best six Nations in living memory. What a tournament's
been so far?

Speaker 12 (01:27:20):
Yeah?

Speaker 23 (01:27:20):
So I was thinking about this because we've all been
gripped by it up here and of the twelve games
that have taken place so far, I think maybe four
of them have been kind of easy to call France
when they played Italy at home, Wales against France, France
against Ireland, maybe England Wales. Those four the only four

(01:27:42):
that have kind of gone to the form book. The
other eight have either been upsets, or they've been upsets
that have not been far away from happening. You know,
times when Ireland have you know, almost lost home to Wales,
or Whales have almost been in Scotland, or Scotland have
been in England, or Scotland have been in France, or
Ireland have been in England, Italy have been in England.

(01:28:02):
There's been so much going on. It's been a brilliant tournament.
Italy being a properly competitive side helped with that. And
I know Wales are not where they want to be,
but the fact that everyone could beat everyone at the
moment just has has lent itself to it being a
magic tournament. And hopefully, as I speak to you on
the streets of Paris twenty four hours before the France

(01:28:23):
England game, but with so many great games tomorrow, it's
going to be a special data to cap off a
special tournament.

Speaker 3 (01:28:28):
BIG's a question, Chris, why has it tuned into this
crazy bunfight? What what's changed? What's happened?

Speaker 4 (01:28:36):
Well, I think Italy adding.

Speaker 23 (01:28:41):
For a large period of time, Italy weren't at the
races in this tournament. So them being in the situation
where they've won two and might win three, I think
then helps every weekend having all three games meaning a lot. Now,
there was definitely a period because remember Italy went through
a barren run between twenty fifteen and twenty twenty two
where they didn't win a single game in seven years, literally.

Speaker 3 (01:29:02):
Ara Baron Raun, let's be honest about it. I still
don't why they're actually in the sixth nation. Does Biza
carry on?

Speaker 17 (01:29:10):
But they had this.

Speaker 23 (01:29:11):
Period where they were they were not winning any games,
and now they've won for the last three four championships,
they've won a game every year, sometimes two, and this
year they might win three. And if they win three
games out of five, they're a proper team, a proper
competitive team. They've always been a team that can compete,
but can they a team that can actually go and
back up results week on week and week and for

(01:29:34):
a long period of time, they weren't able to do that.

Speaker 17 (01:29:36):
So Italy getting better and better has helped.

Speaker 23 (01:29:39):
I think England we expected more from them, France we
maybe expected them to be in the hunt for a
Grand Slam. But I think you've got a situation now
where say ten to fifteen years ago, where Scotland weren't great,
Italy weren't great, and one or two other teams were indifferent.

Speaker 17 (01:29:55):
Now you've got a situation where Italy.

Speaker 23 (01:29:57):
Are strong, Scotland are strong, Ireland are strong, England and
France or England and France, and yes, Wales are not
where they want to be, but there are. It's a
very competitive landscape at the moment, which I think has
contributed to it being a very, very very a tournament
that's made that's been so difficult to call when you
look at every game in isolation.

Speaker 3 (01:30:18):
When you describe the tournament full stop, how would you
describe the way things have happened, The style of player are,
the attitude around players, what we've experienced. How much has
that different from from previous editions of the Six Nations.

Speaker 23 (01:30:33):
Yeah, I think there's a there's been a few common themes,
but also you've seen teams playing in different styles. You've
seen games like It's Lee England, which was a bit
more of a slug first, a bit more of an
arm wrestle, and games like Scotland France, which was fifty
points to forty a proper old school super rugby kind
of gave you know, that was the game that you
don't get to offer in six Nations, but it was

(01:30:54):
two teams playing a load of rugby. I think the
theme which has been great is that teams that have
been brave have prevailed. And we've seen England, for example,
probably play within themselves a bit. Ireland when they've played
in Paris on the opening night, they've played within themselves.
They wait to kind of hang in there rather than
really going to win the game, and they lost and

(01:31:15):
lost badly. Saying with England a couple of times this
tournament they've gone to hang in without actually going to
try and win the game. And so we've seen teams
like Scotland, seen teams like Ireland at Twickenham seems like
France against Ireland seems like Italy at the latter stage
of the England game, where the ones that have slightly
rolled the dice, that have just pushed the boundaries and

(01:31:36):
taken things on see what's in front of them.

Speaker 17 (01:31:38):
Fortunes favored the brave.

Speaker 23 (01:31:40):
Yeah, fortune has favored the teams that have taken that
little bit of risk, which has been great to see.

Speaker 3 (01:31:45):
And this is joyous to us in the Southern hemisphere
as opposed to the traditional doa type of rugby. Well
that's how we perceive it. Anyway, they're actually playing exciting,
eyeball rugby. People want to watch this and this this
bodes well for the upcoming Nations Championship.

Speaker 23 (01:32:03):
For sure, and like I'm for me, fifty points to
forty game is not necessarily better than a twenty five
twenty game. All I think fans want to see is good,
accurate at rugby, which when you're where teams play with
real intention.

Speaker 17 (01:32:19):
Now it might be that your intention is to kick goal,
which is.

Speaker 23 (01:32:22):
Fine, but what you don't want to see is scenes
that are kind of between styles aren't able to execute
what they're trying to do. And I think what's been
good about this tournament is that we've seen running rugby,
but we've also seen the importance of the set piece,
in the importance of defense. I think it's been a
good all round exhibition of what you want from the sport.

(01:32:42):
There are different ways to play it. No one way
is necessarily better than the other. But also when you
see Scotland play seven try rugby fifty points against France,
it's hard not to get swept up in that. And
I think when teams have come to just compete and
hang in there, they're the ones that have often have
not come out the right side of the results. So yeah,

(01:33:03):
like the game has definitely transformed in the Norton hemisphere
over the decades. It's you get a real mixed bad
from seems to want to play pressure rugby and territory
rugby and kick to compete rugby and those that play
with a little bit more freedom. And I think the
best teams and the team that wins the championship, whether
it's going to be Arland, Scotland or France, I think
will have shown a real blend of styles over the

(01:33:24):
course of the last six weeks.

Speaker 3 (01:33:25):
Rugby Rhino from the BBC Rugby Broadcast and the BBC
Chris Jones had joins us. Now, when you look at
the competition as a whole, outstanding players as anybody stood
above or a number of players stood above the rest.
Who have you loved watching play?

Speaker 23 (01:33:41):
Oh so there's a fair few to talk about. There's
a guy who plays number twelve for Italy at the moment,
who won the actual tournament Player of the Year two
years ago. Tomaso Meninicello scored an individual try against England,
set up the game winning try against England two. He's
been classed Louis bil Bierre and I'm standing here on

(01:34:01):
the streets of Paris and he's the darling in these parts.

Speaker 17 (01:34:05):
He is looking to go tomorrow.

Speaker 23 (01:34:07):
If he does that, he will have scored in every
Six Nations game for the last two championships.

Speaker 17 (01:34:13):
That is bonkers. That is completely unprecedented. It's like scoring.

Speaker 23 (01:34:17):
Imagine playing rugby championship and you score every game for
two years in a row. I can't get my head
around it. But that's what he's trying to do tomorrow.
Say he's someone that I think has been has been brilliant.
There's plenty of guys across the piece. I know he's
been in a losing team, but I think Benel for
England has been a force of nature. Robert Balacoun for
Ireland has shown that little bit of pace that Ireland

(01:34:40):
have perhaps been lacking and you know, for Wales, someone
like Alex Mann has put his body on the line.
Dowry laked hooker because the Welsh have stood up physically.
Yes they've been losing games, but they kind of turned
a corner in terms of their competitiveness. So there's just
been so much to talk about. So glad to be
talking about it with you guys on air tonight. But
it's been one of those tournaments where you could, yeah,

(01:35:01):
we're in a French beestro now, but you could be
talking long into the evening in this French Beestro about
all the things about this tournament.

Speaker 3 (01:35:07):
Let's take a look at the fixtures coming up, Ireland,
the Scotland, Wells, the Italy, France, the England. First up,
how many personnel changes have they been normally to war
of attrition these six nations and how many key players
and not around.

Speaker 23 (01:35:23):
That's a good point because the if we look at
the Island Scotland game, Scotland are without their first choice
second rows Scott Comins and Gregor Brown, so they got
Max Williamson and Grant Gilchristan, who are really really good players,
but both Brown and come Into have been excellent for Scotland,
so they're perhaps the squad that's just feeling the impact
of this being a compressed tournament. There's one less rest week.

(01:35:46):
Normally there would be a rest week either side of
Round three. This year it's been three weeks back to
back and then a rest week then the final two.
France have had to make a few changes with Anthony
jo Launch injured and Deputaire injured in the midfield. They've
also had a band to Oscar Jegu in the back row.
England have lost Tom Curry, so it's at this stage
of the tournament that they do start to feel that pressure.

(01:36:09):
The teams and you always think that the ones with
the deeper squads, the ones with the bigger player pools,
whether it's France or England, would prevail, but that might
not be the case. And if Scotland were to win
against Ireland and win the Triple Crown and put pressure
on France for the title, then it'd be an amazing
achievement for Gregor Towns inside because Scotland are not blessed
with the biggest player pool and for them to go

(01:36:29):
and win a triple Crown and potentially a six Nations
in a compressed format I think would be a huge
testament to what they've been doing this tournament.

Speaker 3 (01:36:38):
Most important game, you'd suggest it as Ireland Scotland because
these triple grounds on both sides are up for gregs
and obviously you get there done, there's a good chance
you pick up the whole box of chocolates.

Speaker 23 (01:36:50):
Absolutely, So Ireland to fourteen match points Scotland of sixteen
match points France are the same. If France win with
a try bonus then they're the champions because the points
difference is too good. But wow, how much to play
for Ireland Scotland's been a real competitive fixture of the
last few years, but it's always been one by Ireland.
Scotland haven't won in Dublin in sixteen years. They've not

(01:37:14):
beaten Ireland in the last eleven games. It's eleven in
a row for the Irish. So Scotland have beaten France,
They've had England's number, They're all over some of the
top teams in the world. They've beaten Australia plenty. They can't.
They just cannot get the right side of Ireland. And
if they can do it away from home in Dublin
and pick up a triple crown. It would be one
of the biggest days in Scottish rugby history. I know

(01:37:36):
it might not be a title. I know it might
not be a Grand Slam, but given they've been so
starved of success over the decades, it would be a
huge effort if Scotland were to win in Dublin tomorrow.

Speaker 3 (01:37:45):
Can England do we run a favoring guy with a
bang in actually roll?

Speaker 17 (01:37:50):
What a question? Yeah, that's the big Oh God, that's
the big question.

Speaker 23 (01:37:54):
Made I think that for England there are three eventualities.
There's one eventuality where they get blown away and then
all bets are off. All bets are off when it
comes to the future of the coaching staff, when it
comes to the future of this team, if they were
to have a four successive defeat, particularly a damaging one.

(01:38:16):
There's the scenario where England compete and play a really
good game but still lose in France with the title.
And then there's the scenario where England beat France, which
is very hard to see off the evidence of the
last few weekends. But this England team often do pitch
up in adversity. The fact that in adversity a lot
is an issue, but they often do manage to react

(01:38:37):
when their backs are firmly against the wall.

Speaker 17 (01:38:39):
That's where they are now.

Speaker 23 (01:38:40):
I've spent the last week in count with England in
Rome and then Verona and now here in Paris. They're
talking like a team that still believes, but there's been
a lot of talk can they put it into action?
And that's what the England fans who have flocked across
the channel want to see tomorrow.

Speaker 3 (01:38:55):
Wild certainly in maybe not too much on them, but
as you mentioned before, they're telling's looking to have a
fantastic all round result, but Wyal's trying to put themselves
not off the bottom of the table, but trying to
put a decent showing. What do you like in that one?

Speaker 23 (01:39:10):
It's a great game and you're right, the bigger games
of the day are Ireland, Scotland, France England. But this
is massive because if Italy were to win, it would
be their best six Nations ever in twenty six years.
For them to win three out of five, to have
a winning six Nations would be huge and they won't
get a better chance than beating than trying to achieve

(01:39:31):
that against the Welsh team that haven't won a game
in three years in the Six Nations, so that's what's
on the line for Italy, but for Wales they're in
the dol drums. Welsh rugby is on its knees. But
they showed signs against Scotland at home, showed signs against
Ireland away. They're back at home. I wouldn't say that
Welsh rugby believes the game, but there's just a ripple

(01:39:51):
of belief and sometimes for those players wearing red, they
just need a ripple and once they start to believe,
they grow six inches in their shirt. They are men
possessed when they're on a roll of the Welsh and
can they get to that point against Italy. So yes,
it's not the biggest game of the day, but there
is still so much on it because if Wales win,
it's a much needed boost of a whole rugby landscape

(01:40:15):
in the country. And if Italy win then they've made history.
So what a great game.

Speaker 17 (01:40:19):
And there should be three three three crackers tomorrow they a.

Speaker 3 (01:40:22):
Quick fire and I know it's some possible predicts because
that's been the sixth Nations so far. Who do you like, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Italy, France, England.

Speaker 23 (01:40:30):
Okay, so I think the first game of the day
Ireland Scotland. I'm going Ireland, second game Wales, Italy, I'm
going Italy, third game France England. Do you know what,
I am putting myself out here to get shot at,
But I'm going to go England on the final final game.
With that, that's that's not much evidence. I just wonder
if there is a finally bit of life left in
his England team so.

Speaker 3 (01:40:50):
And the wrap up who wins the whole competition?

Speaker 23 (01:40:52):
Then if those were there so on that, if I
if my predictions come through, then it's Ireland, would you believe?

Speaker 17 (01:40:59):
Out of nowhere?

Speaker 23 (01:41:00):
And I was here on the opening night where they
got smashed by France, and of France, which could be
Ireland to fed but I think the smart money is France.
But there could be a few twists and the tail
and keeping with the way the tournament's gone.

Speaker 3 (01:41:12):
And last, but certainly not last. Chris Jones maybe see
Rugby Correspondent. Thanks very much for your time expertise. As always,
who's going to be the next England coach? Anyways's got
going to last? Apparently John Mitchell's being lined up for it. Oh,
I have no idea what's happening on that front. I
mean I think look the the r and the of
it is. I don't think anyone wants to make a
change for an rfew point of view. They want to

(01:41:32):
get both with a bit of time.

Speaker 23 (01:41:34):
They do have to think of what happens if things
turn really sour. Part of me feels that England will
do enough tomorrow night just to park the conversation for
a little bit. But whether Borthwick lasts the next few months,
a few years, whatever, they do need to be think
about about down the track. I do have a guy,
as you say, John Mitchley's got great coaching experience under
the roof and he's got a new deal with the

(01:41:56):
women's side, the Red Roses. But for now I think
the mood of the R A few is to try
and keep faith with Steve Borthwick.

Speaker 17 (01:42:03):
What they do need is performances to back up that face.

Speaker 3 (01:42:06):
They do a New Zealand and they kept faith in
Graham Henry and it worked out quite well. Hey Chris,
always a please with my friend. Thanks so much for
your time. Do grab yourself a cross sighn't and a
delicious coffee for us and we'll catch up Soony.

Speaker 17 (01:42:19):
Great to shout, good speak Jess.

Speaker 3 (01:42:21):
Always good to catch up with you as well. Off
to the BBC and how many times did he tell
us he was in Paris? Yeah, I know you're in
Paris behind You've got me with that one, Chris Jones
out of the BBC. Three games to wind up the
Six Nations over nineteen past three. Ireland hosts Scotland at
twenty to six, Wales host Italy and at ten past

(01:42:44):
nine on Sunday morning, France host England. That's the master plan.
Coming up next on News Talk ZBB on Weekend Sport,
we got to talk a wee bitter football. We're going
to be joined by Auckland FC CEO Nick Becker. It's
a pretty big game for the kids. At seven o'clock tonight.

(01:43:05):
This is News to c B. It is two twenty seven.

Speaker 1 (01:43:08):
If it metters in sports, it metters here Weekend Sport
with Dancy Wandergrave and GJ. Gudnomes, New Zealand's most trusted
home builder, News Talks at b It's.

Speaker 3 (01:43:19):
Half past two. Time now talk about a football on
the big top of the table Clash tonight in Newcastle Auckland.
If C face the Jets seven o'clock to night it
kicks off. The Jets are four points clear Auckland. If
se though can close the gap with the wind. Last
time they played it was a big win for Newcastle.

Speaker 17 (01:43:40):
Lock and Rose at the near.

Speaker 13 (01:43:41):
Post and now Roses and bout out of this area.
Mark now if you can play lucky, Rosan can roast
get there?

Speaker 21 (01:43:49):
Lock on Rose and the Newcastle.

Speaker 9 (01:43:52):
Jets us fast and grab.

Speaker 2 (01:43:55):
On New Year's Days.

Speaker 3 (01:43:57):
The box Office Jets take.

Speaker 17 (01:44:00):
All three points.

Speaker 3 (01:44:02):
Thanks very much as Sky TV and of course Jason Pine.
I've bound them up and wire and shove them under
the desk. Maybe we'll let him go next weekend. Anyway,
joining us now Auckland FC CEO mister Nick Becker, and
as I mentioned Nick, normally it's Jason Pine talking football,
but today it is me.

Speaker 4 (01:44:22):
Thanks for joining us, Darcy Poinne.

Speaker 21 (01:44:24):
Great to be on your show.

Speaker 3 (01:44:26):
Thank you very much for mistaking me. I love that work. Hey,
massive night for your team tonight. Top of the table class.
This is besides the Derby's. It's matches like this you.

Speaker 24 (01:44:36):
Live for absolutely and look Newcastle have been fantastic this season.
They've got a young squad and they've been they found
ways to win even when you know the it's been
stacked up against them.

Speaker 21 (01:44:48):
So we're gonna.

Speaker 24 (01:44:49):
Go over there tonight, We're gonna we're gonna try and
take the full three points and then we'll only be
one point off them running into the point the end
of the season. You know, I think if we can,
if we can win this evening, we're in a good
position to go all the way. I think, you know,
like kind of the boys know how important this game
is going to be.

Speaker 3 (01:45:10):
You don't put the cart before the horse, though, Nick.
That happened to us fans last year when didn't quite
get the job done. You've got to be very careful.
I'm sure Steve Carker wouldn't like you talking like this.

Speaker 4 (01:45:21):
Right.

Speaker 21 (01:45:22):
Well, I'm talking about the plate. Right.

Speaker 24 (01:45:23):
So you've got the Premiership, which we've got six games left,
like we'd love to if we'd run against Perth, we'd
be going over there hunting out the wind, hunting out
the winter tonight and looking to kind of secure the
top spot. We were draw last weekend against against Perth
means tonight we have to take all three I'm a

(01:45:47):
forever optimist, so so you know, sort of Steve probably
wouldn't appreciate me saying this, but I think we can
do it tonight, and then we're only one point off.
And given that they're a young team, they've been fantastic
in the up until now, I think that they might
start feeling the pressure and I might start looking over
their shoulder and hopefully we'll be right there here to

(01:46:07):
pounce when it's the right time.

Speaker 3 (01:46:09):
What have you made if you guys this season, we
love that word mercurial up and down all over the shop,
and that's been the nature of the team. You're seeing
signs that's going to start settling.

Speaker 21 (01:46:20):
I hear you, and I know what you're saying. And
you're only as good as you as your last game.

Speaker 24 (01:46:25):
But I think we definitely had a tricky January, no
doubt about that. We dropped points where we really didn't
think we would and we really didn't want to. We
came good in February and we've played some pretty good football,
Like let's not forget we went down to one on
one to five mil not so long ago. We've been
sitting at home and then went away and drew with
him over and Sidney, which is always.

Speaker 21 (01:46:45):
A pretty hard task.

Speaker 24 (01:46:47):
And it was only it was only really last weekend
where I was a little bit frustrated. I felt a
little bit of complatency. Complacency had snuck in. Overall, we're
pretty happy with where we are. Remember where we're second
on the ladder. We win tonight, we go one point
off the top. It's not bad for a team that's
only been around for what's come out to towards the
end of its second season. But yeah, I hear you,

(01:47:11):
like there has been like last season was an absolute dream.
It went so well during the regular season, and then
we got to that finals bit, and you know it'd
be it'll be interesting this this finals.

Speaker 21 (01:47:22):
I hope to see us there.

Speaker 24 (01:47:23):
I think from the position that we're in there, we're
in quite right now. We should be there, and I
would like to think that we can, now that we've
had that experience of finals football and know what it
takes to go a bit further.

Speaker 21 (01:47:35):
I'm hoping we'll get into our first ground final.

Speaker 6 (01:47:37):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (01:47:37):
Maybe I'm being a little cruel because you're right, your
last handful of games and I'm pretty good. I don't
think you've actually lost in probably five or six games.
Have you Newcastle?

Speaker 2 (01:47:48):
You said they're.

Speaker 3 (01:47:49):
Young and they've got that energy and it might dissipate,
but the run there on at the moment from a
from a chief executives point of view, pretend you're the coach.
How do you actually slow these guys down? What do
you actually have to do? How do you stick a
stick in their spokes?

Speaker 24 (01:48:03):
Well, I mean pretending I'm their coach. He's done a
fantastic job. Again he was, he was pretty new to it.
And then he's got a bunch of young players and
there's got some good season.

Speaker 21 (01:48:15):
Players in.

Speaker 24 (01:48:15):
They're like rows to that bird has been around for
a couple of seasons. They're good players. But he's got
them that He's got them playing on a on a
on a piece of stream. It is really impressive to
see everyone's been kind of trying to second guess when
they're going to trip up, and they haven't so far.
So that's that's really impressive for Steve. I think it's
a it's a case of us us doing what we

(01:48:35):
do well, you know, the high press we've got. I
think Gashirma has come back into some really good form
him so he's seen. Cozy has been been pretty ruthless
in the last couple of games as well. He's been
exceptional since he actually he had five yellows missed that
derby match, was benched for a game and and the
suit he was quite lucky he got to come on

(01:48:57):
quite early in that game, has benched on and he's
just been really hungry since. So I think we've got
the firepower up top to do it. And then I
think if we if we stay focused and and kind
of you know, sort of really ties at the back,
you know, as I said before, the optimist and I'm
hoping for the full three points.

Speaker 3 (01:49:15):
CEO of Auckland FC, Nicka Becka, joins us and it
really interesting concept last week where an UMBD CEO is
all climbed together and said, look, let's make this a
group effort over the weekend. Let's train at Auckland fans
up and moving and looking at all the games. When
you look back on that promotion, did it work well?

(01:49:36):
That it hit its marks?

Speaker 21 (01:49:38):
I think it was a massive success.

Speaker 24 (01:49:40):
It's we met with the council yesterday and asked them
about what the wider economic impact was and so they're
going to pull together those numbers for us as well.
But if you look at how when you know, Warrior's
first home match sold out at Mount Smart on the
Friday night, we had an amazing racing day On the Saturday,
the Blues got a great win against Crusaders. On Sunday

(01:50:03):
night we managed to draw, wanted to win, but got
to draw against Perth. There was also let's not forget
Round the Bays took place Sunday morning. So it was
a huge weekend of kind of sport and major events
in Auckland. I think it showed it was a real success.
Everybody there's a real interest in it. I heard all
sorts of stories about, you know, groups of mates who

(01:50:28):
went to all four events and kind of when they
started getting let's just say involved on it on the
Saturday through to how they were definitely wearing sort of
sunglasses and studying in this is of you know, like
kind of recovery mode for our match. But I think
people loved it and so we've already started talking to
the league about doing the same again next year. Likewise,

(01:50:51):
I was with Cam at the Warriors, you say he's
going to reach out to n r L and do
it again. And I'm sure Carl will be doing exactly
the same thing with Super Rugby. So the thing about
weekends like this is you need to make them a tradition.
You need to have consistency on them, and we want
to do it every year.

Speaker 3 (01:51:07):
When the city railling starts going, it might work even better.
We'll see public transport. That is another story. Let's not
do it as far as is sold out in full houses.
You guys had a crazy year. You're definitely the new
kids on the block are very popularly winning. Everybody want
to be engaged. Is that starting to flatten out to
level out now? And what are you doing to pick

(01:51:27):
that back up again? To become one of it must
go to fixtures.

Speaker 24 (01:51:32):
Yeah, I think it's there's always going to be a
natural pullback in the year two after year we have
that sort of high level of interest we had I
think it was about five or six full full houses
last season. I think still think we'll finish really strong
and have and have really good crowds. We've had good
crowds this season, they've been slightly down on last. I

(01:51:54):
think that the consistency is key. I think we've had
a bit of a funny one with our draw. The
season's been blocks of games, a bit of a gap
played on public holiday weekends. But you know, we can
only control what's it and our sort of you know,
we're going to control the controllables, right, So we work
very closely with everything that we do in the community.
So it's getting scroups is from schools, getting groups from

(01:52:16):
local football clubs, getting them to come along and get
them engaged in our mactually experience and kind of meeting
the players after the game and coming along and experiencing
our unique kind of environment.

Speaker 21 (01:52:27):
So you know, you look at what the port.

Speaker 24 (01:52:29):
Brings as a fan experience and it's phenomenal. It's a
level of energy that you don't see in New Zealand sports.
So I'm comfortable with where we are. I'd always like
to be slightly more and a slow further ahead, and
we will continue to push the big triggers though, Darcy.

Speaker 21 (01:52:45):
It's not to sit.

Speaker 24 (01:52:46):
Around on your hands and go, well, I've done everything
I can do. Is actually think about how you can
go further and what are the new initiatives and new
ideas that you can put in place to engage with
fans and engage with families to get them to the games.

Speaker 3 (01:52:57):
Well, that leads me perfectly the next question and the
last question. You spend a lot of time with the
various CEOs and organizing their particular kular promotion, a lot
of ip amongst all four of you men. How helpful
was that for you in that space as far as
packing the minds in the brains of those other CEO

(01:53:17):
to try and make your product even better? Was that
a free share of information? Do you think that was worthwhile?

Speaker 16 (01:53:24):
Yeah?

Speaker 21 (01:53:25):
Yeah, yeah yeah. And I've said this before. I think
I think the.

Speaker 24 (01:53:27):
Superpower for New Zealand is a nation, but definitely like
kind of us and working and the supporting world.

Speaker 21 (01:53:34):
Is that we do know each other really well.

Speaker 24 (01:53:36):
We do actually get on and we're open enough to
sit down in a room and share ideas. I mean,
it's it's you know, like Cam and I work really
close together. Bos we play in the same stadium and
we want to have the same thing.

Speaker 21 (01:53:47):
We want to.

Speaker 24 (01:53:48):
Create an amazing fan experience and do something which is
kind of pretty special in New Zealand sport.

Speaker 21 (01:53:55):
And I went to the Warriors for this game last Friday.

Speaker 24 (01:53:59):
They know their audience so well and they do such
a fantastic job, and I like to think that we
can you know, get up to their level over the
next coming years as well, Like you know sort of,
I think together with with Cam we can we can
make go Media a really fantastic stadium for the fans. Carl, likewise,
he's got a great pedigree in what he's did, what
he did at tennis. I'm sure he's going to bring

(01:54:19):
analyst to sal GP. He's going to bring a lot
that energy and those ideas into the Blues, and I
think it's a perfect.

Speaker 21 (01:54:25):
Time for him in that role.

Speaker 24 (01:54:27):
You know that Eden parks a different beast to surmount smart,
so you play with it a little bit differently.

Speaker 21 (01:54:33):
But I think Carl will come in with some great ideas.

Speaker 24 (01:54:35):
And I'm always there if he calls me up and
answer a question. I always trying him the best answer
I can, because.

Speaker 21 (01:54:41):
I think he's a top bloke and I'm sure it's
going to do a fantastic job.

Speaker 12 (01:54:44):
Now.

Speaker 3 (01:54:44):
I remember we used to stink up the joint back
and radio sport in the old days. Young fellowes to
come in and cause all sorts of a ruckus. My my,
he's moved on and that, And I tell you what
all four of you blakes are so approachable and it's
really good to see you coming together for the benefit
of the fans in Auckland City. God knows we needed.
Nick Becker, thanks very much for your time, mate. How

(01:55:04):
are you the best of luck or skill talent iplication?
Tonight we'll catch up again seen, I'm sure. Thanks thank
you Nick Becker. He's the CEO of Auckland FC. They
faced the Jets at seven o'clock tonight to get a
monks and Auckland FC also take on MacArthur FC next Saturday.
It's the twenty first of March, is of course at

(01:55:25):
go Media Stadium. If you're going to be in Auckland
and you'd like to be there, I've got a six
ticket family pass up for grabs. Just text AFC and
your name to nine to nine to two and you're
in the draw. Up next on Weekend Sport, we're doing
something a wee bit different the Clay Target Shooting Championships

(01:55:48):
in the Canterbury Clay Target Grounds. Coming up over the weekend.
We're going to talk to the youngest ever, the longest,
the youngest ever world champion James Sullivan. Up next here
on news Dog ZB at s eighteen minutes to three.

Speaker 1 (01:56:03):
From Grassroots to the grand Stand Weekend Sports with Dancy
Wadergrave and GJ.

Speaker 2 (01:56:09):
Gardner Holmes, New.

Speaker 1 (01:56:10):
Zealand's most trusted home builder News Talks.

Speaker 3 (01:56:12):
That'd be Weekend Sport. It's fourteen minutes to three, right,
let's talk something very different. We're talking clay target shooting.
Joined now by James Sullivan, who's up to his neck
in the competition. It is the ict SF twenty twenty
six Down the Line World Championships. James Sullivan, I'm told

(01:56:36):
you the youngest World champion ever. How young's young? And welcome?

Speaker 10 (01:56:41):
Well, I was seventeen when I picked up the title
in England in twenty twenty four, which yeah it was.
It was very young. Usually it's won by forty plus
year olds, so that was amazing. Then I'm nineteen now
and I've just completed the New Zealand down Line Nationals

(01:57:03):
and starting the World Championships tomorrow hopefully hopefully defending the
title again.

Speaker 3 (01:57:09):
How big is this as far as participants?

Speaker 10 (01:57:13):
So the Nationals yesterday there was about four hundred and
seventy participants and expecting tomorrow be about the same for
the Worlds.

Speaker 3 (01:57:23):
As far as getting into this, I remember once years
ago I went out into a deserted wharf in a
place called Laverick's Bay out of the Bank's Peninsula, armed
to the teeth with a whole of the claybirds, and
shot all afternoon. It was great fun until I raised
my shoulder was destroyed. It's as far as I went,
how did you get into this and what actually drove

(01:57:44):
you to become a shooter?

Speaker 10 (01:57:46):
Well, we knew someone who was a clay target shooter
and they invited us to their property where they had
their own down the line set up. So I thought, yea,
I have a gal. I was about ten at the time,
just about to turn eleven. I had it go and
I thought, wow, that was really fad. I'd been trying

(01:58:07):
to find a sport for myself for a long time
and it finally clicked into clay target shooting. Went out,
did all the right steps, joined the local club, found
the right people, found coach, found gun, and just carried
on from there.

Speaker 3 (01:58:25):
Don't say found a gun. It sounds like you were
just digging around the neighborhood and you picked onne up.
Are you Are you from west Auckland.

Speaker 10 (01:58:31):
No, No, from tipooky.

Speaker 17 (01:58:34):
What is your.

Speaker 3 (01:58:35):
Weapon of choice? Is it a standard gun that you
have to operate? Can you choose whatever you want?

Speaker 10 (01:58:41):
Yes, you can. It has to be a twelve gage shotgun,
either an under and over or semi automatic. If it
is a simil automatic, it has to be pinned down
to only two shots allowed in it. The common guns
here are the under and over because you're only allowed
two shots, and they are the most accurate and easy

(01:59:04):
to use and just the best all around done for
clay target shooting.

Speaker 3 (01:59:07):
So what's the trick? If you could summarize it in
a couple of sentences, how do you become a world champion?
Don't just say hit the target?

Speaker 10 (01:59:16):
Oh, I guess having a strong mindset and the want
to win, and the ability to focus your mind as
hard as you can on one goal. And yeah, just
having the right the right backing, the right mindset and

(01:59:37):
I want to win.

Speaker 3 (01:59:38):
This is something that is I don't say it's simple,
but easy enough to pick up. It's not complex, isn't it.
It's see target, shoot target exactly.

Speaker 10 (01:59:48):
That's how I like to perceive it. If you're over
complicating it, you gotta ruin it for yourself.

Speaker 3 (01:59:54):
You tell us about the format and how it actually
operates up in the air, does it bounce along on
the ground, And there's all sorts of different styles, all techniques. Right.

Speaker 10 (02:00:03):
So down the line track you stand fifteen meters away
from the box of where it's thrown. The target comes
out at around sixty k is an hour at the
height of probably five meters from the ground.

Speaker 3 (02:00:20):
How many and what do you have to do so
that you cut out just then? So when it comes
to the competition itself, you get x amount of shots
at X amount of targets and you've got the best
of Just simplify it for us, will you, James.

Speaker 10 (02:00:35):
So there's three hundred targets that will be thrown through
the worlds. You have two shots at the target. Your
first shot counts for three points, your second shot counts
as two points, and if you miss it, it's a zero.
So the overall goal is to get nine hundred points,
which is shooting every target with one shot.

Speaker 3 (02:00:57):
Have you ever hit nine hundred?

Speaker 16 (02:01:00):
No?

Speaker 6 (02:01:00):
I have not.

Speaker 10 (02:01:01):
It's actually quite the task.

Speaker 3 (02:01:03):
What's the closest you've got?

Speaker 10 (02:01:07):
I did it actually in New Zealand in twenty twenty
three at my local club. I shot five second barrels,
which means I shot an eight hundred and ninety five
out of the nine hundred.

Speaker 3 (02:01:21):
That is impressive. I'm thinking nine hundred like a nine
dart finish and darts. I'm loving all of this. I
wishing you're the best of that you can still be
a teenage world champion. James at Sullivan, you get a Markston.
Thanks very much for your time. Thank you, and it
is I didn't know it's nine minutes away from three.
It's the magic of doing this program that things you'll

(02:01:41):
find out every day. Thanks very much for joining us.
We'll be back to wrap next here on news Talk
z B.

Speaker 1 (02:01:51):
The biggest names in sport are here. Weekend Sport with
Dancy Waldegrave Youth Talk zed B.

Speaker 3 (02:01:58):
Back again tomorrow. I shall be Jason and Pine is.
I don't know what he's going to do, but I'm
sitting in There's a see from twelve midday through to
three o'clock plenty to look at. In the program, plain me.
I'm a big fan of Formula one, so we have
a bit of focus on the Chinese Grand Prix and
that sprint race gets underway in about an hour. So

(02:02:21):
Aye McDonald our producer extraordinary and thanks very much for
all of your assistants. More point, patients today, I've got
to get out of here really fast because I've got
to get back to race cars.

Speaker 25 (02:02:31):
Well, fair enough, Darcy, fair enough, So I'll let you.
I'll let you get out of here. Obviously, we were
talking guns just before, so we have to finish the
show with some guns n' roses. We've got to sweet
on line to wrap it up for you, dars, Can
I sing along with it? Turn your mic off and
I'll allow it.

Speaker 3 (02:02:48):
Thanks. Thanks for your help, hey, thanks to everybody out
there for listening, Thanks for your phone calls, thanks for
your text thanks to all of our guests. Most importantly,
it is thanks to you listening without your ears. There's
no point in us doing this. To be fair, I

(02:03:09):
would sit in a dark room with no one listening
for owls on end talking about sport. Can't help myself.
You have a great afternoon, Tim Beverage up next the weekend.

Speaker 1 (02:03:20):
Collect for more from Weekends Sport with Jason Fine, Listen

(02:04:13):
live to news Talks at b Weekends from midday, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.

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