Full Show Podcast: 30 August 2025

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks EDB.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
The only place for the big names, the big issues,
the big controversies and the big conversations. It's all on
Weekend Sport with Jason Vine on your home of Sport
News Talks EDB.

Speaker 3 (00:30):
Hello, you got to good afternoon. Welcome into the Saturday
edition of Weekend Sport on News Talks edby. August thirty,
Happy birthday to one of our best ever board sailors,
three time Olympic medalist Barbara Kendall. Happy birthday, Barbara Grows
Wiley would have been eighty one today. We lost the
great man earlier this year and KeyWe Motorsport pineyer Bruce
McLaren also born on this day, nineteen thirty seven. I'm

(00:52):
Jason Pine Show producer Andy McDonald. We're talking sport until
three never ever ever a knock on and that Warriors
game last night. I don't usually like to use officiating
as an excuse for the way games turn out, but
that bunker call bemused me and still does. Warriors twenty

(01:17):
two Eels twenty six. The Warriors stay fourth for now,
but one or both of the Broncos and Sharks could
go past them. The Broncos play the Cowboys tonight, the
Sharks play the Knights tomorrow. A win for either would
take them level on points with the Warriors and above
them on points differential with just one game to go.

(01:38):
Warriors CEO Cam George is along shortly. Your thoughts too,
Warriors fans about that decision? Maybe you can shed some
light on it for me? What am I missing? And
the Warriors can now finish fourth, fifth or sixth? What's
your prediction? Plenty to chat about this hour NRL wise,

(01:59):
and we're a week away from the biggest rugby test
of the year, All Black Spring Boks Eden Park a
week tonight. No South African rugby legend Breton paulser with
us after one o'clock with a South African viewpoint and
after two Caleb Clark's on the show making his return
to rugby from an ankle injury for Auckland tomorrow. Might
he be back in Black next weekend? Other matters around today,

(02:21):
the preferred eight football clubs or the inaugural ofc Professional League,
which is underway in January, have been confirmed by Oceannia Football.
Among them christ Uch United opening a professional football pathway
in the South Island for the very first time. Club
general manager and first team head coach Ryan Edwards is
with us on how significant this is. The other major

(02:44):
talking point yesterday was the O mission of Wellington Phoenix
from the League or the OFC Professional League and their
response to that OW mission. We can talk about that
after one. The incredible story to today of Kiwe power
climber Rachel Meyer. She is heading off shortly to the
World Champs. Her backstory is utterly remarkable. You don't want

(03:07):
to miss this one. Chatting to Rachel Mayer around two
twenty this afternoon. Adam Peacock out of Australia as usual
on Saturday, and we play a sporting chance, your chance
to punt with a one hundred and fifty dollars bonus
bet from the tab and collect the winnings if you
pick wisely Live sport. While we're on the Today, Round
five of the Bunnings NPC continues. Leaders Canterbury welcome eighth

(03:30):
placed Munawatu to Orangiora five past two kickoff on that one.
We'll get you a preview with match commentator Nick Buley.
Next hour. Second bottom Counties Manico hosting second top Taranaki
at Pocacoa. Also five past two. Round four of the
Pharaoh Palmercapp is underway. Counties Maniico against Hawks Bay twenty
two five and that one approaching halftime to the home side.

(03:53):
Counties Manaw two take on Auckland this afternoon five past two,
and there are Heartland Championship Round three games in Torria, Masterton, Westport,
Levin to Adolha and fong Nui. US Tennis Open action
as well. As you heard in the news from Waino.
Novak Djokovic has beaten Cam Norri sixty four well and
the first set anyway. Didn't mean to get too far

(04:14):
ahead of myself. There he's one set to love up
ovk Chokovic over Cam Nori in their men's singles round
three match on Santa Cord at Flashing Meadows, six to
four to Djokovic in the first set one love. Nori
leads in games in the second. This show is your
show as always to part take in oh eight hundred

(04:36):
and eighty ten eighty will get you throw on the
phones nine two nine two for your text messages and
you can send your emails to Jason at NEWSTALKSB dot
co dot MZ. Just gone eleven past midday when it's.

Speaker 4 (04:48):
Down to the line, you made a call on Wait
hundred eighty ten eighty Weekend Sports with Jason Pine, News TALKSB.

Speaker 3 (04:57):
A moment of major controversy late in the Warriors Eels
match at go Media last night, Aristavita goes highest time.
I can't tasting that. Just a hoss to Waters on

(05:19):
their feet here, everybody was on their feet. Adam Pompey
going over supposedly for a try which would have leveled
the scores with a kick right in front to give
the Warriors a two point lead with just five minutes
to play. Instead, this a bunker of you looking for
a knock on in the contest.

Speaker 4 (05:38):
I don't know.

Speaker 3 (05:38):
It's touch off to Metrick in the contest. It's a
knock on Warrior's hand over here, play the ball. I'll
talk about that one. Yeah, we'll talk about that one. Indeed,
Glenn Lama or a bunker calling or caller overruling the
on field decision of try try chalked off. After the game,
Dimitric Aimonga said he did get a touch on the ball.

Speaker 5 (05:56):
Yeah, I did, such a I thought I was facing
my own ball line and thought it was knock back.

Speaker 3 (06:00):
Yeah, I've watched this twenty times and you can't tell
me unequivocally that that ball had gone forward off demetric
via amonger's hand. No doubt you'll have a view. We'll
open the lines shortly. Worry your CEO, Cam George, as
with us. Did you think that was I can't get
Cameron on the air for some reason, Andy, you might

(06:20):
have to do that for me. I can't quite flick
the CEO of the Warriors across to on air. Let
me say if I can try it now. I think
I've got you there, Cam. Did you think it was
a knock on? I don't think we've got Cam George
there for some reason. Andy, all right, we're going to

(06:41):
try and get him back. This is quite an important
conversation to have, actually, so let's see if we can
get Cam George back on the line. We are going
to open the lines, and already the text are flowing
in on eight hundred and eighty, ten eighty the phone calls,
and nine to nine to two the text messages. People
already trying to get through to us. All right, let's

(07:03):
see if we can get Cam George on the air
this time. How are we looking, Andy? Have you got
us there? Cam? All right, let's take a break, come
back and we'll bring you the Warrior's CEO.

Speaker 1 (07:18):
The Voice of Sport on your home of Sport Weekend
Sport with Jason Vain and GJ. Gunner Homes New Zealand's
most trusted home builder News Talks.

Speaker 3 (07:28):
All right twelve to seventeen, but of a whole star
at Camp. George is with us now. Thanks for your patients, Cameron.
Did you think it was a knock on? Look?

Speaker 6 (07:37):
I just can't see whether it is or whether it isn't. Look,
I only got to see it on the big screen,
which is in the greatest of vision. But look, at
the end of the day, the decision has been made.

Speaker 7 (07:51):
My job is to make.

Speaker 6 (07:52):
Sure that our club's ready to go for next week,
and I just I feel like with that particular decision
was disappointing because I conclusively couldn't see which after being
set up as a try is what you know is
required from the bunker. But I'll lead out to the
powers to be to try and explain themselves.

Speaker 3 (08:12):
Is there anything you can do?

Speaker 7 (08:15):
Not really, Mate, at the end of the day. We
can jump up and down.

Speaker 6 (08:18):
I can reach out at the NRL, but it's not
going to bring back you know that time. Look, I'll
go through it in the dust settles on Monday, and
you know, I might have a discussion with the NRL
just around their view of it. You know, I've heard

(08:38):
all different things since then about you know, they've got
this and they've seen that and all that. Well, that's
all great, but the end of the day, if they
could explain that to us, that'll be fantastic. But we've
got to move on. It's just too important time of
the year not to move on. So I'll handle that
on Monday.

Speaker 7 (08:55):
All right.

Speaker 3 (08:56):
How do you assess where the team is at with
one regular season game to go and the top four
still a possibility for you?

Speaker 6 (09:05):
Yeah, Look, I'm really proud of out boys. You know,
we're in the finals. What a great thing that is
for our fans to start with. The expectation is we
want to be in the top four when we're fighting
for that, but look, you know that's footy at the moment.
It's such a tight competition. But so proud of the
guys like you have a little bit our middle Last
night when you.

Speaker 7 (09:26):
Know, James Fisher Harris came off.

Speaker 6 (09:28):
We had you know, Eddie and Tanner and Dimitric and
Lekker out there like isn't that a great thing for
our future, for our game, for our footy club And
that's what it's all about. And the amount of kids
we had out there in the park last night at
one time, just you know, it's a great sign and
it's great things for our footy club.

Speaker 7 (09:46):
Hidden into the.

Speaker 3 (09:47):
Finals absolutely and hitting into the future as well, I
think cam because we all know what happened in twenty
twenty three, terrific season last year not quite so good.
This year we're back up there and challenging for a
top four spot, but as the wider strategy about also
backing up in twenty twenty six, in twenty twenty seven
and beyond correct.

Speaker 6 (10:07):
And that's why we've got all of our pathway systems
in place locked in. You know, we won the minor
Premiership four games out from the conclusion of the new
South Wales Cup competition. I think the average age and
that team's around twenty one twenty two. You know, I
watched the last ten minutes last night with you know,
Jacob Laban and a couple of the other young kids
that were there that are injured on the sidelines, Like

(10:29):
there are so many kids in our club that this
experience will be absolutely fantastic for the future of our
club and our team and for our fans. And we're
building that and you've got to balance the build out
and the build up with all of that experience as
well as trying to win now. And that's why you
know there's a transition period.

Speaker 7 (10:49):
But I tell you what, it's very exciting.

Speaker 6 (10:51):
When you look at our junior teams and their success
and where the NRL's at.

Speaker 8 (10:54):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (10:55):
I do want to get back to the prems in
a minute, but you're right. New Southwest Cup side played
twenty three one twenty, lost a couple and drawn one.
You're nine points clear at the top. Can you tell
us the journey that players go on to get to
the New South Wales Cup side one down from the
from the premiership site.

Speaker 6 (11:12):
Yeah, well, you know, I think David tang Katara, the coach,
deserves a lot of credit. It's the hardest job in
the club because you effectively don't know what team you've
got until kickoff, because you know Wheby has an overriding
call about you know, pulling players up for injuries and
dropping players back for form, and so poor old David's

(11:34):
got the every week got players there have been dropped
drop back. He's got to get their head up, get
their their confidence back up as quick as he can.
And at the same time he loses players at the
last minute for injuries in the NRL. So it's a
really challenging sort of level because of those reasons, and
to win twenty out of twenty three is an absolute
credit to all those guys that have played there, particularly

(11:55):
the young kids that have been pushed up there. I
know Andrew McFadden's philosophy is if you know these young
kids are their showing signs, were playing him in the
New South Wales Cup to put them up against Man
in open age, so they're getting that experience and ready
to step into the NRL at some stage where previously
we leave him in there you know their own age
bracket and it was too big of elape. But you

(12:17):
look at some of the kids that are sitting in
there getting unbelievable experience and it's you know, it's really exciting.
From your jet Cleary's and Luke Hansen's and young Kalis
and those kids. Eddie was only there not long ago,
so it's a it's a difficult level, but it's a

(12:38):
very important stepping stone to our NRL team and results.

Speaker 3 (12:44):
Let's go back to the premiership side. You now can't
finish any lower than sixth. That guarantees you at least
one home playoff game because fifth and sixth host those
elimination finals in week one. Does the club benefit financially
from home playoff games?

Speaker 8 (12:57):
Is that?

Speaker 3 (12:58):
Do you get that gate?

Speaker 6 (12:59):
No, they're NRL games, so they own the final series,
so they will they receive that financial benefit which id
only you know the game receives at the end of
the day.

Speaker 7 (13:10):
So that's okay.

Speaker 6 (13:12):
We just know you work hard to get a home
final and that's something we'll be very proud of and
I no doubt our fans will. We'll snap up the
tickets very quickly and whoever we play, we want to
make it the harder stay for him of the season
and we want to move on to the next stage.

Speaker 3 (13:28):
After finishing thirteenth last year, as I say, you'll finish
no lower than sixth. Would you have taken that if
it was often to you at the start of March.

Speaker 7 (13:38):
Mate, after listening to all you blokes after Vegas.

Speaker 6 (13:40):
I we would have taken tense spot because you had
as even there's even people questioning whether we're suitable for
the competition if you listen to some of the people
on the David Moffett and the likes. But look, mate,
if you go back to last year, we lost I
reckon about seven or eight games by four points or less.

(14:02):
And if you have a look at this year, there's
plenty of teams in similar situations what we were last year.
We're just executed it better this year and got those wins,
and that's the that's the difference in this competition. You know,
we want to win the competition absolutely, so we're always
this year, always learning to be better from last year.

(14:25):
And you know, winning those tight games just makes it
so much difference. And it's all about luck with injuries
and the likes. And look at the teams at the top,
they've got all their star players on the field, so
if you can get there to the finals with all
your best team, it makes a.

Speaker 7 (14:42):
Hell of a difference.

Speaker 6 (14:42):
So I know we're a better club from when we
come back from COVID and where we started coaching is
in twenty twenty three, we are light years ahead of
where we were then, and that's that's the important part
to me. We're getting better as a whole club every year,
and yeah, and the and the NRLW will add another
dimension to that.

Speaker 7 (15:03):
So really proud of everyone.

Speaker 3 (15:05):
How different or not as Andrew Webster from the Andrew
Webster who walked in the door at the start of
twenty three, Yeah.

Speaker 7 (15:13):
Very different.

Speaker 6 (15:13):
You know, experience is just the greatest educator and he's
experienced a lot in those three years. He touched on
twenty twenty three, we probably jumped out of the gates,
you know, so far above expectations. We went too well
for twenty four. You know, everyone was expecting us to
be in the premiership contenders, but as I said, a

(15:37):
lot of luck and a lot of close games you
didn't get us there. But twenty five, you know, he's
bounced us back and he's desire to win, his desire
to make this club the best it possibly can. He's
unquestionable and I thoroughly enjoy working with him. He's a
smart operator, and he's learning a lot himself, and he's
a first admit that. But He's very very smart, very

(15:57):
very good, and I couldn't wish to have a better
person in the trenches with us leading our footy club
as a head coach.

Speaker 3 (16:04):
The what's the substance of the conversations you have with him?
Do you offer rugby league advice to Andrew Wibster?

Speaker 6 (16:11):
He doesn't listen to me, mate. Look, I I'm an
absolute rugby league tragic. I love talking rugby league with him,
but I also appreciate the fact that he's an expert
and they know stuff that you know you and I
just don't get like that. They see football through a

(16:34):
completely different lens. So you know, I learned a lot
of a lot of Webby and Andrew McFadden and Stacy
and the Gers. I ask him a lot of questions
to get a better understanding of certain things. I'll never
sort of question him. I always want to support him.
And you know, the thing is, he's here to do

(16:54):
a job, and my job is to give him the
best environment of succeeding, and I stay in that lane.
But of course, if I want to ask a question,
I certainly asked, and it's probably more around clarification and understanding.
So if I'm doing an interview with you, I can
actually provide some insight into that. And we work extremely
well together. It's because we're always talking, we're always sitting

(17:15):
down and we're always bouncing stuff off each other.

Speaker 3 (17:18):
It's great, just on the women's side. Too great to
have them back there, one point outside the top six.
Dragons today, Broncos next Sunday, then the Tiger's to finish
the regular season. How hopefully are you they'll be in
the playoffs in their first season back.

Speaker 6 (17:32):
Yeah, very hopeful. Wonderfully coached by Ronnie Griffiths. Got a
good team, good young team and again these girls are
learning their way too in their first full season and
there's a bit of an NRL experience in there, but
there's a lot of kids in there that have just
come through the local system and look, there's such there's

(17:52):
such a great crew, and they're inspiring so many young
ladies in this country to play the sport and playing
down and Hamilton's really generated their own fan base in
community and they've been averaging about six six and our
thousand people to a game. And we've got a big
game there next week against some broadcas and we want
everyone to come out and support them and that'll be

(18:13):
their last game there. But you know, they get in
the finals, I tell you what, they can certainly rattle
the cage of that and who knows. And we've got
a good coach that's been there and done it all before,
so he's really happy with them.

Speaker 3 (18:25):
Have they managed to change your mind about applying for
the New Zealand rugby job? No, not at all, not
for you.

Speaker 6 (18:34):
Not for you, no, mate. My passion, my whole goal
is to know Beetha Warriors win that competition and make
everyone in New Zealand proud. And the connection we've got
with the communities throughout New Zealand's a real honor and
a real privilege for our footall club and I love
being a part of that. And I see guy can
do a lot more in rugby league here than anywhere else.

Speaker 3 (18:56):
All right, yeah, and you might have be able to
answer this, but I mean it will depend on next
weekend obviously in other games once the regular season's done
and we know whether you know, the Warriors a fourth
which means they'll be a way and week one of
the finals or fifth or sixth that means they'll be home.
So what on the Monday information around tickets, et cetera.
If it is a home game, we'll go to members
that sort of thing.

Speaker 6 (19:16):
Yeah, yeah, look, i'd say I just can't remember the
draw next week. You know, the NRL might have a
lot of clarity by Saturday night on what that looks like.
I just don't know who's playing on the Sunday or what.
But yeah, look, they'll get to market very quickly through
the clubs on the Monday, and then we'll have we
should have, you know, good clarity by Sunday afternoon.

Speaker 7 (19:38):
What it looks like for us.

Speaker 6 (19:40):
You know, this stage, I'm hoping we're off to camera
finishing fourth and playing camera and camera the following weekend.

Speaker 7 (19:49):
But if we're not, we're home.

Speaker 6 (19:51):
You know, let's just fill the house and and have
a really good day out and get to the next
stage of the finals.

Speaker 3 (19:58):
Really appreciate your time, Cameron, Thanks for joining us, mate,
Joy the rest of your weekend. Thanks, Jase, see you mate,
Cheers mate. So yeah, that's Cameron George, Chief executive the Warriors.
Of course, always love chatting to Cameron Georgie. Just yeah,
just very open, very honest, very authentic conceee. You know,
they say it comes from the top. You can see
why the Warriors are the way they are in so
many ways. All Right, Warriors fans, let's go I eight

(20:21):
hundred eighty ten eighty lines are open. Texts are already
mounting up. Got lots to get through here, but on
the phone is the best way to get your point across.
And I do want to talk a few things through
with you. I eight hundred eighty ten eighty. Let's be
clear for a start, and they all were afterwards. Coach
Andrew Webster the players the knock on call wasn't the

(20:44):
reason they lost the game last night, but if it
had been cleared the factors, the Warriors would have been
ahead with five minutes left and may well have gone
on to win the game. Instead, they lost, and the
top four destiny is again removed from their hands. So
I want to just can somebody tell me or explain

(21:04):
to me how that is unequivocally a knock on when
the on field decision is try what are they seeing? Look,
there's no question that demetric Veaymolna touched the ball. He
admitted as much afterwards. But I've had a look at
that footage I don't know how many times today and

(21:25):
I cannot see how that ball has unequivocally gone forward.
It's dropped down from his hands, he's facing backwards. I
know that is not necessarily the key factor here, but
how is that a knock on? We all know the
team the Warriors can be. We've seen it many times
this season. You don't keep yourself in top four contention

(21:46):
into the final round of the regular season without being
a very good rugby league side. It is the search
for consistency which is clearly frustrating Andrew Webster and will
no doubt be frustrating fans as well. But the upside
of this is imagine what the Warriors could do when
they do click. They will be unstoppable, untouchable. In periods

(22:07):
of games where they do find their mojo, you can't
touch them, and once the finals roll around, every game
is basically a one off. Let's go to the lines
while hi mate.

Speaker 9 (22:21):
Yeah look, first of all, Webster's comment after the game,
hit the nail right on the head. Yeah, look, they
probably got budded with that call. He definitely touched it,
but I tend to think it went backwards. But he said, well,
we should never have come down to be relying on
that fact, and in a number of the games this
year they fallen well behind and then almost they're being

(22:44):
jump started. They've woken up and gone well. I mean,
the last thirty minutes was very impressive, but where was
that for the first fifty Having said all that, I
don't know if you heard Cooper Kronks or if you
guys get their telecast when it went back to the
Fox studios, he said, well, you've got to realize that

(23:05):
the bunker has far more angles to look at and
to adjudicate on. And now, if you're a cynic, you think, well,
only the bunker sees what the bunkers said. I won't
prescribe to as an organized campaign by the powers that
be to rob the warriors, but they don't certainly get

(23:26):
their share of the fifty to fifty bulls, and basically
I think that they get scrutinized far more. I mean,
it went upstairs as a try. My understanding is that
unless it's impelling evidence, you can't turn it Dawn going
to the out reminds me. It reminds me of the

(23:49):
case of last year's World Cup. It was definitely a
knock on when they all back scored a Troy, but
they went back something like seven phases of play, and
the rules are you can only go back four or five.
What I'm trying to say is you have a rule.
You are bid across the board. You don't be selective
with the Bunker's got a lot to ask for. The
last thing I'll say is I wish some of New

(24:11):
Zealand fans would stop bagging the hell out of last
night's referee. They didn't get robbed by the referee. They
got robbed by the bunker. Stuff on Facebook? Did him
in the car park and bash and and ship like that?
Sorry word?

Speaker 10 (24:25):
Really?

Speaker 9 (24:26):
Yeah, you've got a point you're going to ax to grind.
It's with the bunker, not with the referee. I thought
he did a reasonable job.

Speaker 3 (24:32):
I thought he did too long. I thought he was
on the whole good and he gave the try on
the field. What the point you make about the bunker
and that they see angles that the rest of us
don't see. My question is why do they or to
flip it? Why don't we see the angles that they see.
We are the fans of the game. We deserve to

(24:55):
see the angles that lead the bunker to the decision
that they make don't we it's all very well, I
say no, no, you know, we see a lot more angles.
We see stuff you don't see. That's not good enough.
We are the fans of the game. Put the fan
in the middle of the conversation. Here's the camera angle

(25:16):
the bunker sees. Here is why we're making this ruling.
Thanks for your call. I appreciate it very much, mate.
Go well, hello, Greg, Hey.

Speaker 11 (25:25):
You doing bunny very good. I'm going to answer your
question what you just asked with the word time. They
don't have time to show us every single angle. Rugby
Union has gone through this whole thing of trying to
speed their game up. We're doing the same. So that's
why we don't get to see everything.

Speaker 3 (25:45):
But what we see. But we see But Greg, we
see angles. We see angles we see on the big screen,
on our television screens. You know an angle. Why don't
they show us the most important angle, the one that
the bunker is rolling on.

Speaker 11 (26:00):
I don't know, but that's that's us. You can go
through every single game and look at a knock on
and in your mind it wasn't knocked on. How can
they call that a knock on? So I think there
is some consistency in what they're doing, because we're not
the only team that you know, I think they've had

(26:20):
a bum call from the bunker.

Speaker 3 (26:24):
Yeah, good point, good point.

Speaker 11 (26:25):
We shouldn't let the last play basically of the game
be the defining factor of why we lost. The reason
why we lost is what Lyle just said. For the
first for a few minutes, we weren't even in the competition,
and then all of a sudden, it looks like they've
had a jumpstart and everybody's fired up. Well, that doesn't

(26:51):
win finals.

Speaker 3 (26:54):
No, it's a good point, Greg, And you're right, they
never led the whole game. The Warriors did not have
the lead in the entire game. I thought they had
it right near the end. But yeah, so you're right,
they were coming from behind. And when they do play
and Rogers try and lea Ahla Semas two tries, particularly
that one when he climbs like an AFL player and

(27:14):
pulls it down in scores. You know, you're right, where
was that minute fourteen?

Speaker 11 (27:20):
You know that we've we've been in this situation so
many times this year where we have to try and
play eighty minutes of football in twenty minutes. That's left.
They need to you know you said before, be consistent.
They need to. They need to play for eighty minutes,
not play for twenty. The other teams are playing like

(27:44):
you play the first forty minutes and you're going at
one hundred miles an hour. You build up this impressive lead,
then you defend for the second forty. Basically, the Warriors
don't do any of that. They get behind, they think,
holy hell, we're going to start playing football. And I

(28:06):
I take umbrage at what Cameron George said. Also, you
know he's concentrating on talking about the juniors blah blah blah.
But what us fans recognize is the first team. We
know that they all have to be there and coming through.
But what puts bums on seat? What's money in their pockets?
Us watching the first team? We want the first team

(28:29):
to win.

Speaker 3 (28:31):
Greg, you make some great points, as always, mate, don't
lose the passion. Please call back over the next month
or so, look forward to jenningson more rugby league with you.
To be fair to Cameron George, I let him down
that path. I asked him about the new South Wales
Cup team. So yep, no, but your point is valid
you're right. I mean, we judge our sports teams on
the first team, don't we. Someone once said to me

(28:52):
it actually doesn't matter inside a sporting organization whether any
of your other teams win, as long as the first
team does. I don't know that's entirely one hundred percent accurate,
but I understand the philosophy behind it.

Speaker 8 (29:02):
Hello, John, Hey there, then your listeners. I'm a league
for that fan, and by god, the Worriers did very proud.
I've really enjoyed the game. Unfortunately, what is is and
I've just seen a few things that makes my heart
jump up and down. As you've got to reach for

(29:25):
the ball. I've seen a lot of the guys passing
the ball and they are on the running. There's something
worse than jumping high and trying to run at the
same time. And yeah, a lot of it's from a
half like the half backs. I think to throw it
high in the year, Well, you get a guy running
hard and you've got to stretch up and catch that,

(29:46):
and yeah, it makes things a.

Speaker 9 (29:48):
Wee bit harder.

Speaker 8 (29:49):
I was always talked to get it into the chest
that stays, and that's where hopefully ends up. And but
for the Worriers. Well done for them? Well done. Yeah,
that's the only thing I'd like to say.

Speaker 3 (30:04):
Well, it's a very good point, John, Thank you for
calling and having the positive side of it. Look, when
they play well, You're so right. When they play well,
they just look a million dollars, don't they. And that's it,
isn't it. It's like anything, you get a glimpse of
what is possible from your team, and often more than
a glimpse. When the Warriors play well, my goodness, they

(30:24):
are untouchable. They are so exciting to watch. You can
see why there are a lot of people's favorite other team.
And so that's the huge conundrum for Andrew Webster. And
I've heard him say this after many many matches, wins
and losses, we are still searching for that perfect performance.
We know, he said last night. We know the team

(30:45):
we can be. We all know that too as fans.
We know the team they can be. John, Thanks for
your call. We're going to take a break. But before
I do, I just got one text through here, which
I was expecting, because this is the kind of comment
that appears on mainly on Facebook actually, where it's a
bit like the Wild West. After rugby league games and
sports games. And it is this, and I'm sure you've

(31:07):
heard this, The NRL don't want the Warriors to win
their game. Whenever it gets close to the finals, it's
a no go. Now. The implication there is that the
NRL as an organization, somehow have this hidden agenda that
the Warriors are not to win the NRL and that
flows down through their officiating. I think that is that

(31:29):
is the most ridiculous assertion that somehow in the ivory
towers of NRL HQ, they are devising methods under which
the Warriors cannot win the NRL or not win NRL games,
and putting pressure on referees or bunkers. It's a it's

(31:52):
a handy and perhaps you know, comforting conspiracy theory, but
it ain't the case. Nineteen to one Back in a mote.

Speaker 1 (32:04):
The big issues on and off the fields Call eighty
ten eighty Weekends Forward with Jason.

Speaker 4 (32:10):
Paine and GJ.

Speaker 1 (32:11):
Gunnerholmes, New Zealand's most trusted home bilder news Talk Baby.

Speaker 3 (32:16):
According to one Robbie says as a long suffering ill
support and no way that went forward. The Warriors were robbed.
Yet somehow that made the wind sweeter got on your Robbie.
Glad you enjoyed it, can I Mark?

Speaker 12 (32:27):
Hey Piney. Yeah, just to go conspiracy theory on the
NRL organization, I think they're really missing a trick not
having a team in christ Churts, considering the seats of
the Warriors and the organization then you know, wanting to
grow the sport here. I think if they had a
team playing in that new stadium down there, it would
absolutely got game busters down there and be a real
financial winner for the NRL. And I don't really understand

(32:50):
why they haven't done that, to be honest.

Speaker 3 (32:52):
Yeah, it's a great point and I think you have
if the orp FC example of showing us anything, it's
the rivalries within New Zealand work well in Australian competitions.
You're right, great venue and the Warriors have been, you know,
really impressive on the why they've conducted themselves in many
different facets. Well what it one day, Mark, I'm sure,

(33:13):
I'm sure of it.

Speaker 12 (33:15):
Yeah, I mean, I think they're unlucky last night, but
to me, as a team at the moment, the team
they're putting on the field is really good. I think
they've got the best full pack in the competition that's
left considering you know, you've got Placena. One of the
biggest sort of new stars that have come into the
NRL this year is on the bench coming in scoring
two tries. I think Martin when he came on and

(33:38):
sort of almost took up that number seven role, I
thought town of Boyd looks better, almost like playing in
number six. He starts to run the ball a bit
more and it really does seem to open up the attack.
I don't know whether it's the pressure of having that
number seven on his back. I mean, yeah, to me, yeah,
I believe that, Yeah, Martin, that was someone else taking

(34:01):
that number seven type role on the field is quite
crucial to their attack. But I think I think they
can be any team in this competition still. I mean,
to me, this year has really shown the resolve. And
I know that resilience has used a lot in sport
and life these days. But you know the fact that
their points differential is just about zero or you know,

(34:25):
not very high, shows that they really do stick in
games and win games. I mean, in decades gone by,
there hasn't been a season that's gone by where there's
been a few games where they get completely blown out,
but this team doesn't do that. They stay in the game,
and we saw last night they stayed right in the
game up up until the end of it. And I mean,

(34:45):
they're probably unlucky to get a couple of long range
tries to start the game which put them behind the April,
but they never give up. And that paramedicide was a
pretty good side with Mitchell made.

Speaker 3 (34:56):
Yeah, oh no, they're not the worst team, and they'll
they'll probably look back at this season and wonder why
they're not, you know, doing better than they are. And again, Marke,
it's a demonstration, right, it's not just the Warriors, but
a lot of teams on their day can beat a
lot of teams. And I guess that also gives you
a hope for the Warriors in a roundabout way. And
that look, I'm not saying that the Broncos and the

(35:16):
Sharks are going to lose their remaining two games, but
nothing is really certain and there's still a bit of
water to flow under the bridge before the top four
are actually decided. And I agree on to Marte Martin.
I thought he was excellent when he came on, and
who knows he may be a candidate for that for
that number seven. Jersey moving forward, good to chat you may.

(35:37):
I got to get to a couple more calls before
I do. Piney Ossie unconscious bias. Absolutely when it comes
to the Warriors and Finals. We've seen it ear after year.
Come on, Pidy, get your head out of the sand,
says this unnamed text. Appreciate it, Zaana mate.

Speaker 10 (35:54):
Yeah, Gray Uh.

Speaker 13 (35:57):
While I have some sympathy for what Lyle said, I
just think that's a too simplistic outlook on.

Speaker 9 (36:03):
Top level sport internisia, the top level club sport.

Speaker 13 (36:08):
Because yeah, I think, as coach speak, you don't want
your players to think that's the only reason they lost.
You want them to be able to look and dig
in deeper to how the game went so that they
can try and rectify those things, you know, for the
next game. But let's also be real, we all know
that incorrect refereeing or in this case, bunked decisions do

(36:34):
cost teams games.

Speaker 14 (36:37):
It's true.

Speaker 13 (36:37):
I mean, I was thinking of an analogy and the
first one that always comes to mind is nineteen eighty
seven in Melbourne, Denny Morrison, plum lbw or Craig McDermott.
If that decision is given, which only an idiot, cheating
scumbag Australian umpire wouldn't give, that would have been a
drawn series and we retain the Transpaisman Trophy. And I'll

(37:01):
never ever, ever in my life to give the cheating
of the scumbag umpire that that didn't give.

Speaker 15 (37:08):
They didn't give.

Speaker 14 (37:09):
Mccerm it out, so I know, I know, So it's
not it's you know, it is coach speak to say, oh,
you know, we should never have been in that position,
because I get it, you know what you're seeing, to just.

Speaker 13 (37:21):
Be blaming the referee and not have a looking at
their whole eighty minute performance. But look, it's going to
happen one day where a bunker call is going to
cost a Grand Final and all hell will break loose.
And I take your point why that you're on the
money mate. You know, if they've they've obviously got the
cameras at the game that's able to have these super

(37:43):
secret angles that for some bloody reason, only the bunkers
are allowed to see and not us fans that are
paying the wages of the media company and the players
through our you know, through our TV channel subscriptions and
all the merchandise we buy and all that we deserve
to see these super secret angles. Yeah, and that's what

(38:07):
the NRL have to you know, That's what the NRL
have to answer for. That's the answer I want to
hear early next week. But apparently now they don't explain
referring decisions anymore. I think they've knocked out on the head,
which I think is a shame.

Speaker 14 (38:23):
Look, mate, And while I'm.

Speaker 13 (38:25):
Peede off the bat last night because to me, that's
a try and we win the game and we're in
the top four, I still don't think. I still think
the Warriors have a little bit to offer. I do
think Timari Martin has to be in there and looks
maybe a bit controversial, but I think he's in better
form than Chanel Harris Devita. I really think he is.
I think him with a combination of Tinn of Boyd.

(38:48):
I mean, I don't think. I don't think Tonn of
Boyd is that creative, but he does well enough, and
he's got a great boot and a long kicking game
is going to be vital in the finals.

Speaker 11 (38:59):
So you know, I would just.

Speaker 13 (39:01):
Simply replace Chanohanna's Tavita with Tamary Martin. Tom Martin would
be starting in the game for me. For me, that's
a no brainer.

Speaker 9 (39:08):
But we'll see what happens.

Speaker 3 (39:10):
You will great to chat, saying, yeah, just on that
LBW Dick French it was And just as you've been talking,
I just brought up an article that I remember, and
he stands by his decision. He stands by it, and
he says, I'm going to read this to you. I
thought the ball jagged just a bit to the leg's side.
I thought, gosh, almighty, this is close. I've got no
option here but to give him not out. Oh my goodness.

(39:31):
Danny Morrison said, look, it's missing leg, it's missing off,
it's hitting middle half way up. Dr Res would have
given that out in the heartbeat, but Dick French is
standing by his call. Good to chat, Dane, Thanks zaying,
thanks mate. Point of regarding the Warriors game last night,
is the TMO actually at the ground or is he
she the bunker tucked away in a studio somewhere in

(39:52):
Sidney or Melbourne? Asks Renton, Yeah, they're not at the ground.
The bunker is, as it suggests, a bunker with a
whole bunch of cameras based in Australia somewhere presumably New
South Wales, and I don't think that matters. You'll have
to be at the ground to look at the screens.
But the point was made earlier, and I've heard it
made that the Bunker and was at Cooper Kronk. Someone

(40:14):
said Cooper Kronk made the point last night and it's
been made many times. The Bunker Sea angles we don't.
My question is why do they? Why do they? If
we saw the if we saw an angle which unequivocally
showed by among knocking that ball on last night, then
I would have had to come up with some different
conversation topics today. Why wouldn't they show us If there's

(40:36):
an unequivocal angle showing a knock on, why shouldn't we
the fans see it? If the Bunker can see it,
why can't we. Seven to one US talks.

Speaker 4 (40:44):
eNB analyzing every view from every angle in the sporting
world weekends for it with Jason Pine Call eight News
talks eNB.

Speaker 3 (40:55):
Four to one. Tony says, the Warrior's player said he
touched the ball. It was a knock on, No, Tony.

Speaker 5 (40:58):
What he said was this, Yeah, I did such a
I thought I was facing my own ballline and thought
it was knock back.

Speaker 3 (41:04):
So I'm touching it isn't in question, it's whether it
went ford or not. Fraud out and out fraud says
this text. I can't call I'm too angry. Oh the Warriors,
they take us on a roller coaster, don't they? They do.
They take us on an absolute roller coaster. They play
mainly on Friday night in their final regular season game
till next Sunday to find out whether they're fourth, fifth

(41:25):
or sixth. After one across the rugby springbox legend Brighton
Pulser After the News.

Speaker 1 (41:32):
It's the only place to discuss the biggest sports issues
on and after fields.

Speaker 7 (41:37):
It's all on.

Speaker 4 (41:38):
Weekends Forward with Jason Vane on your home of sports,
New York.

Speaker 3 (41:45):
News Talks. He been weekeed Sport. Welcome back into It,
Welcome to It, one o seven. I'm Jason Pine. Andy
McDonald's producing the show. We are here with you until
three o'clock. Just a bit of a residual mop up
from the chat last Arab But the Warriors in terms
of the games of interest still to come this weekend.
The two chasers are the Broncos and the Sharks. The

(42:06):
Broncos play the Cowboys tonight in Townsville, should win that.
The Sharks host the Knights Andy McDonald's Hapless Nights tomorrow
at Shark Park. Are your team any chance? I mean,
are they any chance of winning a game? Even entertaining
that notion? Jason Wowee. Oh, the Warriors might still finish top.

(42:30):
They will not. The Knights are playing the Sharks. What's
happened to the Knights? Man? They could still finish bottom, mate,
Yeah they could. It's hard to know, you know.

Speaker 16 (42:42):
The Knights, I believe, had the going into the season,
had the the fourth longest NRL finals streak of making
years making the finals in the NRL.

Speaker 3 (42:53):
It was only two years in a row. But that's
how that shows the how level the.

Speaker 16 (42:57):
Competition is that Okay, I don't know, I'd say injuries that,
I could say anything, but everyone has those, so.

Speaker 3 (43:05):
They're not real good ey, No, not good. So we
can't really rely on the Knights to beat the Sharks tomorrow.
It would be a huge surprise if they did that.
So let's just say for argument's sake, that the Broncos
beat the Cowboys tonight and the Sharks beat the Knights tomorrow.
That would mean that the Warriors, the Sharks and the
Broncos would all go into the final round on the
same number of points and would make up spots four,

(43:28):
five and six in some order. Now, the Warriors played
Friday night against the Sea Eagles, that's away before that
Thursday night. The Broncos welcome the Storm. Now that on
the face of it is a very difficult assignment. But
then you look back at last night and the Storm
were beaten forty points to ten at home by the Roosters.

(43:49):
I've seen Craig Bellamy's post match He's just about exploded
with rage. Craig Bellamy, the Storm coach, I wouldn't imagine
they'd play that badly two weeks in a row. So
let's you know, let's say that the Storm could beat
the Broncos. The Sharks have to go to a wall
stadium in Sydney to take on the Bulldogs, currently third,

(44:10):
so they could feasibly lose that. So there is still
a path for the Warriors to fourth spot. They need
to beat the Sea Eagles, that is not negotiable. They
need to go to Manly and win, but if the
Storm would to beat the Broncos and the Bulldogs would
have beat the Sharks, then fourth place it is in
a trip to Canberra, who incidentally can sell up the

(44:30):
minor premiership. Now this afternoon when they take on the
Tigers in Canberra, that'll be a celebration. They can win
the minor premiership with a game to spare it, George says,
all in caps. Interestingly, does this mean the Bunker is
seeing different video than is being shown on TV and
to the ref on the big screen at the stadium?
Is the video we see at home made by the

(44:51):
TV studio to keep using the fans at the game happy,
while the Bunkers see something totally different chosen by themselves.
It seems even the ref doesn't see what the Bunker watches. Yeah,
that is as was discussed earlier on in the show.
That is the understanding that I've always had and they've
has always been spoken about, is that the Bunker sees

(45:12):
angles we don't see, and immediately and at the risk
of laboring the point my opinion on that is, why
do they if they really wanted to remove doubt around
their decision making, why wouldn't they show us the angles
that they're using to determine the decision. It just seemed

(45:33):
very odd to me anyway. Maybe that's a discussion for
another day. It's eleven past one. Want to flick across
to rugby because a week from today the biggest Test
match of this year and of many years will take place.
All Blacks spring Boks Eden Park next Saturday night, five
past seven. The undefeated record which stretches back thirty one

(45:56):
years at that ground as well, and truly on the
line of the All Blacks far from convincing in their
first five tests of the year, the latest of which
saw them lose an Argentina for the very first time.
It's a pleasure to welcome into the show outstanding former
spring Box outside back Brighton Paulsa to two merchants.

Speaker 17 (46:17):
Midias well tackled, they're well read, they're bark great.

Speaker 3 (46:20):
Parsa kladi and Monty's got it came Monty Betalaiti Pita
Brighton Paulsa what a player now a highly respected rugby
commentator and analyst. Brighton, welcome into Weekend Sport here on
News Talk shd BE New Zealand, South Africa. Arrive here
in New Zealand, they're already here off the back of

(46:41):
a split series with the Bollabies in South Africa. Did
they do enough in that second Test for you in
Cape Town to convince you they'll be to come over
here and win one or both of these Test matches
against the All Blacks.

Speaker 15 (46:54):
Yeah, Jason, I tell you what, thanks for having me.
First of all, I think it's wide open, mate.

Speaker 17 (46:58):
I think the Springboks also are not at the best
place at the moment, considering you know, a couple of
months ago when obviously the world champions came into the
international season with a lot of confidence. But unfortunately, unfortunately
the Wallaby's got it right to put a little bit
of doubt into our mantra. And unfortunately, you know, some

(47:21):
of the stall warts who has been doing it for
Russy Erasmus haven't really come to the party.

Speaker 15 (47:26):
A few injuries also instid of helping the course.

Speaker 17 (47:29):
But I can tell you one thing, you know, when
the Springboks played the All Blecks and in my opinions,
the biggest rowery in modern day rugby and still is,
I think the Springboks will loft their game another one
hundred percent.

Speaker 15 (47:43):
And I do, I do believe the mighty Olblecks will
certainly do it as well.

Speaker 3 (47:47):
Before we move on to the series, What on earth
happened at Ellis Park?

Speaker 15 (47:53):
Oh, jer let me tell you. After the game it
was like somebody is somebody has just died in the family.

Speaker 17 (48:02):
It was or horrible, horrific, horrible and absolutely it was
like a scary movie that it played off. But you've
gotta give credited to the Wallabies and the way they
came out in the second half, because after eighteen minutes
the spring Boks were up and running and it was
like just another day offers for them, twenty two to
five and everybody thought that, wow, you know, another five

(48:23):
points and thank you very much.

Speaker 15 (48:25):
But let me tell you, the Wallabies came back in
the second half.

Speaker 17 (48:27):
They started to get Believe, one interesting state that I
found after that game was the box obviously tried to
play the hand of Tony Brown. They tried to, you know,
sort of get a more checking style of rugby and
try and play the Wallabies off the park. They made
something like two hundred and thirty five passes, which they
haven't done in the last ten years.

Speaker 15 (48:46):
And unfortunately, the Wallabies got their second.

Speaker 17 (48:50):
Win, so to speak, and they came out in the
second half and capitalize on one or two mistakes. And
let make me tell you, it was an absolute disastrous
display from the spring Box in the second half. And
thank goodness, you know, we got the win against the
Wallabies a week later, and that will certainly give the
spring Walks a little bit of confidence when they faced

(49:10):
the All Bicks next week.

Speaker 3 (49:11):
Well, let's talk about game plan then. If that wasn't
successful at Alice Park, that the Tony Brown method, do
you expect them to be more conservative and go back
to that, you know that that that forward dominated game
plan that we've come to know so well from them.

Speaker 17 (49:26):
Oh yes, oh yes, because because of the Tony Brown effect,
I think, you know, lessons learned and I think Russia
will park that maybe for another couple of months before
it really goes back to that. I think we will
go back to the old traditional way, you know, the
suffocate and strangle, the bullying of the forwards in your
faces kind of play and really play a kicking game.

(49:48):
You know, that's been really good for us. Obviously, you've
got guys like Jess and Colby, who's good in the air.
Damien Williams such a fine and Gomozulu is doing well,
but I think for me hundred Polat again. Every time
whin there's a bit of a crisis, Russia Asthmas will
always bring back a hundred polar who gives a bit
of calmness, you know, the most fascious guy. He gives
you the three points, he gives you control of a game.

(50:11):
And obviously with our forwards in terms of getting physical
and and getting dominant upfront in the scrums, and and
and and and and uh, you know, the set pieces.
I think that will be the box uh going into
New Zealand. We we can't play the or Blacks any
other way then, you know, make it slow, make it messy,
and try and get under the skin.

Speaker 3 (50:30):
The All Blacks. Of course it's been a big talking
point over here. Brighton lost the aerial battle and the
test matches against Argentina. Is that an area you expect
South Africa to target?

Speaker 15 (50:42):
Yes, they certainly will. They certainly will. But let me
tell you you know, I'm I'm a big fan of
Will Jordan.

Speaker 17 (50:47):
I just feel he reminds me of a blow called
Christian Cullen because we used to play against Christian Cullen.

Speaker 15 (50:54):
Yeah, he was he was always the guy we were.
We weren't scared of the late great John A.

Speaker 7 (50:57):
Lomo.

Speaker 15 (50:58):
We were most scared of Christian Cullen. And I tell
you we will Jordan's got that will.

Speaker 17 (51:02):
Jordan's got that same sort of attitude in same feel
for the game. For me, he's such a special player.
But do expect aerial battle. We will kick a lot
from Grant Williams number nine.

Speaker 18 (51:13):
Obviously, the teams told need to be selected, but Grant
Williams has been really good with his kicking, as well
as Cobas Righter on the bench, and then the likes
of hundred Paul Art and obviously you know Damien the
Lender and Jessic Kill.

Speaker 15 (51:25):
They certainly are good combo in midfield. But you know
what this one is for the taking from any kind
of team.

Speaker 17 (51:31):
I mean, if I had to put my house, you know,
as a bet teammate on this game, It's hard to
tell because I just feel where both teams are. New
Zealand got the history of the Eden Park. You know
they haven't lost there for how many years? They haven't
lost in so many games, So for me, it's a
really difficult one to call. I mean, you guys are
begs against the wall. We're not faring an all cylinders.

(51:53):
So I would say at the moment, you know it's
weighing up to be a classical game come next week Saturday.

Speaker 3 (52:00):
Absolutely, Look you've summarized it perfectly. It's a coin flip
as far as I'm concerned, as well Bright and us
see COLLISEI has been cleared to travel to New Zealand.
How big a boost is that.

Speaker 17 (52:11):
It's a big boss for the morale of the team.
I mean, you know, see ours presence alone. You know,
he's the kind of guy that he again, he brings
calmness to the team. He's inspiring. You know, you always
create a vibe when when when those pressure moments arise,
and he's absolutely absolutely massive. Whether he will play next
week remains to be seen because initial you know, medical

(52:33):
results shown that he was going to be out for
four weeks. But massively important for the team, massively inspirational
for the team, and and and certainly just his presence
although he could not he probably would not play next week,
but he's his training and just his presence around the
team certainly looks the team about another twenty percent.

Speaker 3 (52:55):
You were on the winning side against the All Blacks
five times, I think ninety nine, two, four, five six
among Were they among some of your fondest victories in
a Spring Jersey Baiting the old Flecks?

Speaker 17 (53:09):
Absolutely absolutely, Jays, I can tell you one thing, you know,
And it's still the same today. Once a Spring Book
player gets the not to play his first game, you
quickly look at the calendar to see where when are
we gonna play the omes, you.

Speaker 15 (53:22):
Know, And it's still like that. I think the respect
is so mutual and and it's it is in off
the field. I think it's a wonderful.

Speaker 17 (53:30):
Rivalry has been coming on for years and it made
that long, long continual Yeares. Teams will go through dips
and they will go through phases with new personnel, new coaches.
But I'm so happy that Rossie and Rasmas certainly brought
back that rivalry, you know, and and Razer as well.
You can see that he's really trying hard from an
Orbits perspective to get them back on track in where

(53:50):
you guys belong as is obviously number.

Speaker 15 (53:52):
One or two, you know, for for the most part.

Speaker 17 (53:55):
So for me, it's absolutely messive and always it has
been a privilege and and those are fond memories that
you just mentioned for me as a Springbok player, those
are the ones that I remember.

Speaker 3 (54:04):
And you're probably against Journal Lormuse even times, and he
never scored a He never scored a try.

Speaker 19 (54:09):
What's the secret?

Speaker 3 (54:10):
What was the secret?

Speaker 20 (54:11):
Just hang on, oh, Jason, I just normally, you know,
most of the times you went over me, but sometimes
when they had the opportunity to him, I just grabbed
a leg, you know, and waited for.

Speaker 15 (54:24):
He was such a great guy. Hope the field as well. Jayson.
I certainly have some fond memories, you know, but it's
a wonderful step for us. But you know, he's one
of the greatest ever to play the game, and I'm
so happy he never put the scord again those against us.

Speaker 3 (54:38):
Brighton, we can't wait for these. We can't wait for
these test matches in the next couple of weeks. Thank
you so much for joining us across New Zealand to
give us your insight.

Speaker 15 (54:46):
Thank you for having me Jason, were the best in win.

Speaker 3 (54:50):
Indeed, we just don't know who that's gonna be. Brighton,
Thanks mate, really appreciate your time. Brighton. Paul sat out
of South Africa. What a champion of a bloke. What
a player he was too man so quick, but yeah,
a great defender. That's one of the all time great
misty A mysterious mystical stats, isn't it Joon Olong who
never scored a try against the Springboks. Crazy. The tab

(55:13):
have framed up odds for this game a week tonight
already New Zealander dollar fifty five, South Africa two forty.
I thought it'd be closer than that. Those odds will change,
of course over the next seven days as teams are
named and the weight of money comes in one while
or the other. But if you want to get South
Africa at two forty you can at the moment. Look,

(55:34):
I'm not saying they won the game. I think the
All Blacks will win the game, but I think the
All Black's going to win every game they play. But
that's the odds at the moment. Incidentally, Australia one forty
five Argentina two seventy for the first of their two
test matches, which is actually before the All Black South
Africa game next Saturday. It's four thirty in the afternoon
that game, so two thirty local time over in Australia

(55:56):
I'm not quite sure why they've done that, but the
Australia Argentina game is first it's being played in Townsville,
and then all black South Africa. Just to let you know,
we'll be broadcasting the show from the Kingslander Fine Establishment
not far from Eden Park next Saturday afternoon between midday

(56:17):
and three. If you're in the area, we'd love you
to pop down and say today we'll have a star
started lineup of guests from both sides of the divide,
South Africa and New Zealand. Going to already read the
vibe of the rugby public ahead of what is a massive,
massive test match next Saturday night at Eden Park, and
of course live commentary here on News Talks, ed Beat

(56:38):
and the postgame show straight away afterwards, and then of
course next Sunday. So look, I don't want to get
too far ahead of ourselves. Still a week out, you're
looking forward to next weekend, spending time in and around
Eden Park, updating you once a live sport before we
move on Farah Palmer carpets all over in Poka Koe.
By the looks of things, Counties Manco too good for

(57:00):
Hawks Bay sixty five fourteen. They have won that one.
In PC matches afternoon. The two o'clock kickoffs Canterbury Monaw
two and a Lungey Order Counties Manico, Tartanaki and Pokacoe.
Going to get you to a ungy order in the
next fifteen minutes or so. Nick Biuli is calling the
game for us. He's going to set the scene when
we come back though. Speaking of christ Church, christ Church

(57:20):
United yesterday was selected as one of the eight teams
to participate in the inaugural running of Football's OFC Professional League.
This is a professional football league in the Oceania region
starting in January of next year. Two New Zealand teams
taking part Auckland FC, the A League team and christ

(57:41):
Church United, who currently play in the Southern League. So
what does this mean for them? How significant is it
and what are their plans for christ Church United and
for professional football in the South Island. General manager of
the club is Ryan Edwards. He's with us right after
this on Weekend Sport.

Speaker 1 (57:59):
One Crunch hold Engaged Weekend Sports with Jason Pain and GJ.

Speaker 4 (58:05):
Gunnerhomes Zealand's ice.

Speaker 3 (58:07):
Trustedoemilder News talk to Bilei one twenty six. The preferred
eight football clubs for the inaugural OFC Professional League have
been confirmed by Oceania Football. The first ever professional football
league in the Oceania region will kick off on the
tenth of January next year. It will also serve as
Oceannyer's qualifier for the twenty twenty nine Fee for Club

(58:28):
World Cup, providing a direct pathway for the region's clubs
onto the global stage. The clubs were chosen based on
the recommendations of an independent club licensing committee. The recommendations
have been approved by the OFC Executive Committee, they're still
subject to the final stages of the licensing and compliance

(58:48):
process before full confirmation. The eight sides are the Buller
Boys FC from Fiji, Hekkarta United FC from Papa, New Guinea,
the Solomon Kings from the Solomon Islands, Tahiti United Vandawatu FC.
South Melbourne FC representing Australia, and to New Zealand sides
A League club Auckland FC and Southern League club christ

(59:11):
Church United. Ryan Edwards is christ Church United general manager
and coach of the first team. He joins us now,
congratulations on this Ryan, how big a day is this
for your club.

Speaker 21 (59:22):
Oh, this is massive for us. This is excuse me me,
thanks having me on the show. But yeah, this is
eleven years in the making. Slaver started the academy here
in twenty fourteen and here we are even years later
with pro Football.

Speaker 3 (59:40):
What were the main features of your pitch to be
involved in this new competition.

Speaker 21 (59:46):
Our main pitch was collaborating with the South Island and
creating a South Island team that unites the whole of
the region together and a team that collaborates with the
whole Oceania region as well. And hence our partnership with
Van Noua to sc is to pathway to the Oceania region.

Speaker 3 (01:00:09):
How will you ensure the collaboration in South Island terms?

Speaker 21 (01:00:16):
Yeah, so a big thing for us is working with
them to get with all the clubs in the South
Island to get their ideas around what collaboration looks like
from their perspective, as opposed to us dictating what collaboration
looks like. So we had a zoom call with every
club in the South Island yesterday before the announcement was
made around what this opportunity might look like for the

(01:00:40):
South Island. Then got their thoughts around what they would
like to see, and we're going to continue a dialogue
over the next next six months and then into the
future around what this league means, what this opportunity means
to the South Island.

Speaker 3 (01:00:53):
What do you think it could mean for the South Island.
Are we talking about, you know, players from all of
those clubs coming to trial to play in this new league.
Are there wider collaboration areas possible here?

Speaker 21 (01:01:07):
Yeah, there's so many different things that we can do
in the space to really ignoite the football in this region.
So from player opportunities, working with clubs to build a
South Island team where homegrown talent in South Island can
all come to one place and play football at the
professional level, but also coach development opportunities, club development opportunities.

(01:01:29):
We want to do a road show and take the
team and the players and the club around the South Island. Yeah,
there's so many different things that we can do in
the space that I think is quite exciting for the region.

Speaker 3 (01:01:41):
Is this a step towards potential future inclusion in the
A League.

Speaker 21 (01:01:47):
I assume we wouldn't rule that off the tables. It's
something that we've I guess not Headden for many years
that we do want a pathway to the A League
in the future, and now that we have the IFC
Pro League, that's our focus. And where the A League
is saying that there's an opportunity for us or someone
else in the South on their future, I think that's

(01:02:09):
an clearly exciting opportunity.

Speaker 19 (01:02:11):
Can you just.

Speaker 3 (01:02:11):
Clarify Ryan around the timing of this So it starts
in January early January next year, therefore will no doubt
run across the front of your winter pre season and
maybe into the Winter league as well. So what are
we talking about him? Is it two separate sides playing
for christ Juts United, one in the OFC Professional League
in one domestically.

Speaker 21 (01:02:32):
Yes, that's our intention. We have to work through with
New Zealand Football exactly how they see things working as well.
But from our perspective as the league for the Pro
legal start in early January and then go through to
the end of May and then we will have another
team playing in the National League at the same time.

Speaker 3 (01:02:52):
How deep is the appetite for professional football on the
South Island in your view?

Speaker 21 (01:02:58):
That's massive. I think clubs are increasingly understanding of what
professional football can bring to the country. I think you've
seen with the Auckland See and how they explode on
the scene, all the great things they are doing for
the Auckland in northern region. The same with the Phoenix
that it really does propel and excite players as well

(01:03:19):
as supporters and just grows the game. So for the
South ISLDS it is just an incredible opportunity. I think
also something that I'm passionate about myself is just this
idea of igniting our young players to see a halfway
close to home where they don't have to leave the
island have a shot at professional football. I think it's
just an amazing powerful vehicle for growth in our young players.

Speaker 3 (01:03:43):
Yeah, you've landed on such a good point because yeah,
up till now to play professional football or to get
into academy and academy at a professional club, yet to
leave the island right yet had to leave the three.
The fact that now players won't have to do that,
I mean that's a huge part of this, isn't it.

Speaker 21 (01:04:00):
It's a massive part of it, and I think it
was a big part of our bit as well as
that the whole purpose of this league is to grow
professional football in areas of Oceania that don't have it.
And you know, as we said that this is an
island of one point two million people and there's not
professional football here, and there's a lot of research being
done that the closer the pathway is to the young

(01:04:24):
player growing and loving the game is the more day
belief in the opportunity. And so if we have a
professional team here in the South Island, with kids from
around the South Island seeing the players play and being
exposed to that, than their belief grows because it's attainable
for them.

Speaker 3 (01:04:44):
I'm sure you've seen the comments of the Wellington Phoenix
reacting to their own mission. They've called it nonsensical. What
do you make of those comments?

Speaker 21 (01:04:55):
Yeah, well, I think their release kind of speaks for itself.
But I think the main thing for me is congratulating
all the teams that have made it. And I think
also that for me, from what I saw of the process,
it was I was incredily impressed by the process that
ofc ran and Stuart Larmon and his team put together.

(01:05:16):
I think they've got a lot of experience putting these
betting processes together for leagues from Asia and Europe and
it was a very objective, well won process with the
criteria being very comprehensive and having an independent panel with
the experts from around the globe that have no knowledge
of the New Zealand specific context and just judging it

(01:05:39):
on the objectivity in the facts in front of them.
I think the process was a good one, and you know,
we were very confident going to this set. We had
a very good but that we could put together.

Speaker 3 (01:05:51):
Well justified confidence and ded So it's September next week, mate,
that the clock sticking. What are the next four months
is gonna look like for you?

Speaker 21 (01:06:00):
A lot of working, yeah, a lot to get done.
It's gonna be crazy. It's such a short time frame
to get everything together, and I think obviously ever now
have acknowledged that from the get go that this is
a very tight time frame. One year to get everything
up and running, six months to get your submissions to
get in, then four months to launch into pro football

(01:06:23):
is incredibly short time frame. So it's gonna be a
fun journey indeed.

Speaker 3 (01:06:27):
Well, congratulations on this milestone, very special day for christ
Chich United and for football in the South Island. Ryan,
all the best for the next four months, mate. I
can't wait to see how it plays out when you
get underway in early January.

Speaker 21 (01:06:39):
Appreciate it, puney cheers mate, No, thank you, mate.

Speaker 3 (01:06:41):
Ryan Edwards, Christchich United general manager and first team head coach.
So Christchich United and Auckland FC, two of the eighth
clubs that will take part. I alluded there to a
reaction from Wellington Phoenix at their own mission. I just
want to read from the statement that they put out
shortly after the eight sides were announced yesterday, statement on

(01:07:07):
OFC Pro League licensing decision. It says the Wellington Phoenix
are immensely disappointed to have not been selected for participation
in the OFC Professional League in twenty twenty six. The
Phoenix were informed this afternoon that while their submission met
the minimum licensing requirements, it received a lower score than
Auckland FC and christ Church United. The statement goes on

(01:07:30):
to say, given that the Phoenix is the largest professional
football club in Oceania, the club is digesting OFC's decision
and is seeking further information as to how both Auckland
and christ Church received higher scores. Then it quotes Phoenix
general manager David Dome as saying how the Phoenix, as
the only professional club in Oceanny for over fifteen years,

(01:07:51):
could not be included in the first OFC Pro League
is nonsensical, says the quote, we are considering a judicial
review of the process and how the licensing decision has
been made, and then it says the club won't be
making any further comment this time, which is why we
can't get comment from them on this issue. Since that

(01:08:12):
statement was released, I can tell you that the reaction
to it has been less than favorable. I think in
the view of many people in the football community, the
Phoenix's reaction to their own mission has been considered a
little bit petulant and comes across as being rather entitled.

(01:08:36):
That's the kind of the vibe that I'm getting from
people who have seen this. As Ryan mentioned, they applied
for inclusion in this league and all applications were considered
by an independent club licensing committee. All of the bids

(01:08:58):
were scored on a range of criteria and at the
end of that Auckland FC and christ Church United had
higher scores than Wellington. Now that's just the broad empirical
data level of this. There's clearly other things a play here,
and the Phoenix are right I think to question their exclusion,

(01:09:21):
but I think what it has done is diluted what
is a very special day for christ Church United and
a very special day for a professional footballing pathway in
the South Island which up till now has not been there.
Anyone who had professional aspirations and lived in the South
Island had to move if they were to continue down

(01:09:43):
that path. Now they won't have to, certainly not out
of the South Island. Anyway. There's more to come on this,
and we don't have time to get into it today,
but suffice to say that I'm not sure Wellington Phoenix
have covered themselves in glory with their reaction to this.
I think it would have been a lot more noble

(01:10:05):
and showed humility if they had at least congratulated the
two successful applicants. Anyway, there'll be more to come on
this twenty two away from two weekends for it weekend
Sport on News Talk ZB we're speaking of christ Church
Round five of the Bunnings MPC under Way Bay of
plenty moving to the top four again last night nineteen

(01:10:25):
seven winners over North Harbor leaders Canterbury welcome eighth place
one of work two to Rangy Order five past two.
Full commentary on Goldsport and iHeartRadio match commentator Nick Beuley
is whether you can near the ambiance at the rung
Eura showground over? What's the venue like? Mate? How's your weather?
Good afternoon, Good afternoon to you, pidy.

Speaker 19 (01:10:44):
It is a glorious day out here in Orangiura.

Speaker 22 (01:10:47):
Just the light breeze coming through from the northern end
of the Ashley End, but it is all in readiness.
The ground is in fantastic shape. We've just had the
curtain rays of the south Bridge Shield which is contested
between North Canterbury and al Smere, and North Canterbury have
taken that out. It is really one of the great
days on the preval calendar, certainly in this part of

(01:11:08):
the country. Canterbury have been coming here now. This is
their third consecutive year. They were tipped up by Wellington
last year. They had went over Totannaku back in twenty
twenty three. But they get the best part of five
or six thousand people in attendance Spiney, which really is
quite a big number considering that the crowds they do
get in town so these days. But looks it should
be a fantastic occasion and a couple of teams that

(01:11:30):
are in a little bit of form. Canterbury of course,
the only unbeaten team left and the Buddings NBC entering
round five and one or two tipping up your Wellington Lions.

Speaker 3 (01:11:39):
They did, indeed, So given that backdrop, are Canterbury any chance? Today?

Speaker 19 (01:11:45):
Here we go again?

Speaker 23 (01:11:47):
No?

Speaker 22 (01:11:47):
Look, I think it's going to be really entertaining contest
and I don't think Canterbury would be taking one or
two lightly and all we have just heard news in
the last ten or fifteen minutes. Unfortunately for the Turbo's
faithful Nanni Lol, Marpe is a late withdrawal. I thought
he was fantastic last week against Wellington. And no Bret
Cameron either, who really stared the ship nicely for man

(01:12:08):
or two from the first five eighth position. So a
little bit under strength in the back line, but when
they've got players like TK Howden and Branden, you'reso there
in the loosword trio Jordie vollioin at halfback. There's a
lot of excitement in this month or two team. But
stylistically it'll be quite interesting to see Canterbury, who have
really just knuckled down defensively so far in this first

(01:12:31):
four rounds of the NPC. They've only conceded forty four
points across the four games, seven against Hawks Bay, seven
against Bay of Plenty most recently. So look, it could
be two different ways of playing the game this afternoon,
but as I say, it's in terms of conditions and
the occasion, it's all set up really nicely.

Speaker 3 (01:12:53):
Indeed, and look I'm being facetious obviously, because three of
those four wins for Cannabury as well have been away
from home. They went to Pottydoa and beat Wellington, They
went up to Todonga and beat Bay of Plenty, they
went away to Napier and beat Hawk's Bay and then
had that one of course, and amongst all of that
at home against and admittedly out of sorts Auckland side.

(01:13:14):
I look at the lineups and look, anytime that a
team can port out a midfield that contains Dallas McLoud
and Brandon in Or You're fairly handy, aren't you.

Speaker 22 (01:13:24):
Yeah, there's a lot of experience both provincial Super rugby
and even as you alluded to there with McLoud and
Enaw they've gone all the way in terms of All
Blacks pedigree. Then you've got Johnny McNichol himself a former
Welsh international, he's really winding back the clock this season
playing at fullback. And Sam Dowry, who's as of last

(01:13:44):
year burst onto the scene in the All Blacks environment
and who knows could very well be in Scott Robinson's
plans going forward with Patrick Tweypolotu suffering that facial injury
in Argentina, so can I We do have the luxury
of experience and then lits it in with a little
bit of spark and youthful enthusiasm as well. Just a

(01:14:05):
note speaking of experience today. Party doesn't happen very often
in the MPC these days. But Ben Finell will bring
up his one hundredth game for Canterbury this afternoon, real
testament to his durability debut back in twenty eleven at
an ACL injury in fact last year and has come
back in time for this one, which will be extra

(01:14:28):
special for Ben being from the North Canterbury area, so
plenty of experience on show. And then conversely you look
over to that Munch or two team, so many different
sort of either current or ex New Zealand under twenty
representatives are really a new era coming through under first
year head coach.

Speaker 19 (01:14:46):
Where's Clark?

Speaker 3 (01:14:47):
Yeah it's great and i'd love provincial right, but even
hearing as I say, the onbiance in the background there
and imagining the fine day that you've painted the picture
of so nicely for us. Yeah, it's said to be
a cool afternoon. Do you have anybody assisting you in
terms of expert comments this afternoon?

Speaker 8 (01:15:03):
Yeah?

Speaker 19 (01:15:03):
As always, We've got John Haggart back in the seat,
am I right?

Speaker 22 (01:15:06):
He's just our having a listening listen in as we
converse Piney and Craig Kerr as our sideline. I technical
expertise as always from the great Bill Tomy.

Speaker 19 (01:15:15):
So now we love it.

Speaker 22 (01:15:17):
We love coming out to this annual fixture. We're in
this I'm trying to set the scene into our little
commentary booths. Poor old John Haggett was wiping away all
the dust from this time last year, so we can
actually see out the booth.

Speaker 19 (01:15:31):
We've got our sky our sky team in front of us.
We're a little bit they're slightly in our way that
the camera operators, but look we will make do.

Speaker 22 (01:15:40):
It's just great to be out here, great to be
part of this sort of festival country vibe feel and
to me anyway, that's what the Bunnings NBC is all about.

Speaker 3 (01:15:49):
Absolutely the best team on the field and the a
team off the field. Regards to missus Kerr and Haggart
and to me into yourself Nick, have a great call mate,
Thanks bidy, Nick Billy, lead commentator of our Christy Rugby
commentaries with a terrific team along side. If you're commentary
of that game, canabry against mine or two five past
two catch it on Gold Sport and iHeartRadio sixteen to

(01:16:11):
two news talks there being Weekend Sports thirteen to two
across the Tasman AUSI correspondent Adam Peacock with us, has
your week been mate?

Speaker 15 (01:16:19):
Good?

Speaker 24 (01:16:19):
Thanks Piney. It's finally tried out over here so we
can actually get outside again.

Speaker 3 (01:16:23):
Good to hear, good to hear. Well, before you get
the chance to do that, let's talk some Australian sport.
A League football club Western United placed into liquidation. Their
A League license was stripped last month. That seemed to
spell the end, but last night they announced that there's
an application to stay the court's order. So where are
we with Western United? Is there still life in this

(01:16:46):
football club?

Speaker 24 (01:16:47):
There's a pulse, but it's very very faint. So there's
two things happening at once. There's the court order, which
from my understanding detains to the actual business operation being
going concern and they've been ordered with all their debts
to wind up, but they've got to stay on that.
So that's one thing to one side. The other thing

(01:17:08):
is the football matters, which Football Australia oversee whether or
not they have the ability to have a license in
any competition in Australia, and this one being the A
leagues that they operate in, and that appeals being heard
and I think that judgment comes down on September two.
So it's all a bit of a mess in every

(01:17:28):
way you look at it. But at the moment they're
not dead, but the assumption is that the life support
is about to be turned off, if you know what,
I mean to get totally brutal about it. So yeah,
it's not a positive sign. It's a stay. It's a okay, yeah,
if you want to look at it as the alternative,
it's positive. But overall, when you look at it with

(01:17:50):
a wide lens. It just makes you shake your head.

Speaker 3 (01:17:53):
I think we all want, you know, the team to survive,
the club to survive if that is possible, if that
is viable. But the clock's ticking a little bit, doesn't it.
It's September soon, the A League season starts in October,
and we still don't have a drawer because we don't
know whether there'll be twelve or thirteen teams.

Speaker 24 (01:18:08):
Yeah, yeah, there's two draws and they're ready to hit.
Send the A Leagues on both of them. And I
dare say that the teams would know as well. But
for us fans it's not ideal. We kind of want
to look at it and go, oh yeah, I'll go
to that one. I won't book in that social occasion,
I want to go to that one.

Speaker 7 (01:18:29):
Yeah important.

Speaker 24 (01:18:29):
It's pretty hard, I reckon if you're a commercial side
of any A League clubs to start telling selling a
corporate boxer, season tickets, all those things. So yeah, it's
the way not to do it. They would like an
answer this week. Absolutely, at the very latest, because it's
getting a bit late in the data to start having
to organize things to make sure you can maximize having

(01:18:51):
those home games some.

Speaker 3 (01:18:52):
More positive football matters. We are very much looking forward
to the home and away internationals between our All Whites
and your soccer roose Tony Popovich, the soccer Who's coach,
named his squad yesterday. What were the main features for
you through.

Speaker 24 (01:19:06):
Is the average age. It's young, It's surprisingly young, and
we're not Popvich has done this to have a look
at these players, knowing that he'll take a bunch of
more experienced guys to the World Cup and this is
about building a bit of depth is one thing, but
I'm excited by the prospect. The majority of these players
behind he would have called in the A League and

(01:19:28):
now they're playing overseas and we've got a stack of
Australians in the Championship. We don't quite have that breakout
player that's into the Premier League yet We've got garn
Kuole who's not in the squad. He's just moved clubs overnight.
So these guys are trying to organize themselves. Mark Atillier's
move clubs recently to get game time. I think that's
dripped into their brains that the most important thing for

(01:19:51):
their career. Between the ages of twenty and twenty four
is to make sure that they keep playing senior football.
So yeah, it's exciting and it'll be be a good
hit out. I haven't seen the all white squad. Has
that been announced?

Speaker 3 (01:20:01):
Yeah, it has been, and it's really strong. It is
basically a shadow World Cup squad. Really, there are a
couple of names missing, but Darren Baslely, our head coach,
has basically named the strongest possible squad he could. So look,
I'm just so looking forward to these games. Canberra less

(01:20:22):
than a week away now and then over here in
Auckland the following Tuesday. Look, I think Australia a favorite,
and you look at the squad and I've got the
two squads up in front of me, and yes, there's
high quality in the Australian squad, but I think you'll
be I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at the fight
that New Zealand put up.

Speaker 7 (01:20:37):
Mate.

Speaker 24 (01:20:38):
No, I reckon like the caliber player that you've got,
Like you've got a sprinkling a very very good players.
I reckon your first eleven on paid almost would looks
as strong, if not stronger, than whatever Popper comes up
with in these matches. So yeah, there'll be good matches
and hopefully the people of Canberra who don't have a
league men's football to support, can get behind it. And

(01:21:00):
I dare say that Audland, I'll get a good crew
there because football and author's gone okay in the last time.

Speaker 3 (01:21:06):
Indeed, it does look forward to these two matches. Finally,
the US Tennis Open. Are your man? Alex Dumano eight seed,
He's been relatively untroubled moving into the third round. He's
going to face unseated German Daniel Eltmeer tomorrow. He's twice
made the quarters at Flushing Meadows. Could he go further
this year?

Speaker 24 (01:21:24):
Yeah, yeah he can. I didn't look at his next
few rounds and he doesn't bump into either Ciner or Olcaraze,
which at the moment is it's the key. You have
a look at the men's rankings and they are miles
in front of the third best. It's those two. Just
you know, now you were at the stage we're rocking
up to tournaments. He can okay, they're going to play
in the final. Who's going to make the semi? Yeah,

(01:21:46):
it's incredible and hopefully Damon can fill one of those spots,
and you never know. What can happen. He's it's good
by tournament and the lead up, and he's got that
good drawer in the first week, which you need a
huge roadbox. And he's taken care of business so far
and he's got on paper an opponent he should take
care of in the next round. So yeah, he's our

(01:22:07):
guy at the US Open and hopefully he can have
a deep run.

Speaker 3 (01:22:11):
Always appreciate your update on Australian sporting matters, Adam. Thanks
for your time. Have great weekend. We'll check again next Saturday.

Speaker 24 (01:22:17):
You too, Finny, have one.

Speaker 3 (01:22:18):
You have a good one too, Adam Peacock Out of
Australia seven to two News TALKSB four to two News
at two of course, and then Caleb Clark's on the show.
He's going to play for Wellington. No, he's not going
to play for Auckland against Wellington tomorrow. That would have
been a turn up. I would quite like him here actually,
Caleb Clark after two o'clock. If he gets through tomorrow, okay,
what chance he runs out on Eden Park for the
All Blacks against South Africa next Saturday night. They could

(01:22:40):
certainly use his aerial ability, couldn't they. Caleb Clark after
two and an inspirational power athlete as well.

Speaker 1 (01:22:49):
It's the only place to discuss the biggest sports issues
on and after field.

Speaker 19 (01:22:54):
It's all on Weekend Sport.

Speaker 4 (01:22:56):
With Jason Pade on your home of Sports.

Speaker 19 (01:23:00):
New York.

Speaker 3 (01:23:02):
News TALKSB and Weekend Sport. Welcome to the show. Welcome
back to the show if you've been with us for
some or all of Weekends Sport Today two o seven.
I'm Jason Pine Andy McDonald producing the show. This hour,
we give you the chance to win a bonus bet
from the tab and then we give you three choices

(01:23:23):
and you choose one to place that bet on. If
it wins, you get the winnings. Pretty simple concept really,
and he's come up with three excellent options for you
to select from, a short and even and a long.
So we'll take calls for a sporting chance with the
tab before three o'clock. Also, I get the chance to

(01:23:45):
hear the post practice thoughts of Liam Lawson, as you
have been hearing in our sports news across the day.
He said, a pretty good day actually, Liam Lawson in
practice for the Dutch Grand Prix, better times than Isaac
Hadger in both practice sessions. So inter qualifying overnight tonight

(01:24:06):
and then the race itself Monday morning. It's so hope
that Liam Lawson can pick up where he left off
before the mid season break. Also this hour, well Caleb
Clark shortly he's going to play tomorrow in the Bunnings
MPC when Auckland faced Wellington and Potty Doer. Provided he
gets through that okay, and you'd have to think he's
probably on managementutes coming back from that ankle injury. He'll

(01:24:28):
rejoin the All Blacks in the build up to next
weekend's Test against South Africa. And given the trials and
tribulations of our wingers against Argentina a week ago, who
knows Caleb Clark might be back in not only the
All Blacks environment, but perhaps even in the starting side.
How's he feeling about that? Caleb Clark? Shortly? Also this

(01:24:51):
our key we Rachel Meyer is going to compete in
the Power Climbing World Champs in Korea late next month.
Hers is an incredible story. She's going to join us
this Our two lines of communication open as always, Oh
eight hundred and eight nine two ninety two if you
would prefer to send a text, and of course we'll
keep you updated on Live Sport two with bunning ZMPC

(01:25:13):
action underway and along the order Cannibry have already scored
a converted try. They lead seven nil against Manover two
after just two and a half minutes. Scolers between Counties
Manico and Tlanaki in Pokakoe after about the same length
of time. But as we always do it around about
this time on weekend Sport, as we tick past nine
past two, time to get you up to date with

(01:25:36):
a couple of things that might have escaped your attention
over the last twenty four hours. In case you missed it,
we begin in Spain and one are You Soap has
responded to a disappointing stage yesterday to come back and
win seventh the seventh stage on love Wilter Spanya.

Speaker 25 (01:25:55):
Pro victory number fifteen of his career. He won the
ten time trial with his squad You eight team member
at saxg.

Speaker 19 (01:26:04):
Geve and his teammate Whin yesterday.

Speaker 25 (01:26:06):
And he's just made it three victories in a row,
his first individual victory and he's home gramsre here at the.

Speaker 3 (01:26:12):
Feltzer Norwegian torsed and tray and still holds the red
Jersey ahead of Ray's favorite go nas Bingergar. In the
NRL last night, the Roosters ran all over the top
of the Melbourne Storm on the way to a forty
points to ten win.

Speaker 26 (01:26:29):
Radley leaks up, Savalas away.

Speaker 19 (01:26:31):
It's on again to Disco. Seaer Tames to Disco.

Speaker 3 (01:26:37):
They're gonna put forty on Melbourne in one hal incredible.
If you want some entertainments, search up Melbourne Storm boss
Craig Bellamy's postmatch press conference. He can barely contain himself
to the parr parmer cup. Northland playing some great rugby
to meet North Harbor.

Speaker 19 (01:27:00):
They're fluid tea in the passing from the cody. They
go from one coast to the other stones.

Speaker 3 (01:27:05):
Finally it's around the corner. She's been spurn up the
fence and even better on attack and she itches her
name boards to the score sheet and in the NPC
Bay of plenty made it an O and two night
for North Harbor.

Speaker 26 (01:27:20):
Ship the board of the Riders center field out to cashboard,
out to Armstrong. Little Batspace now on the right edge,
grubb her through from Armstrong.

Speaker 3 (01:27:26):
He's got well. I sung her on his outside.

Speaker 26 (01:27:28):
La Suger picks up the crab and scores the try
and buy. Plenty are going to go nineteen seven try
and the right hand sign.

Speaker 3 (01:27:36):
There's a been a push and shove.

Speaker 19 (01:27:38):
Referee says settled.

Speaker 3 (01:27:39):
Out nineteen seven. The final score there in favor of
the Steamers, and back to Europe. Formula one is back.
A chaotic first day of practice for the Dutch Grand Prix,
which even saw Max the step and come off the track.
What earth has happened to Max? The stap it there's
the lockout, you could see it.

Speaker 15 (01:27:58):
I'm stuck.

Speaker 7 (01:27:59):
Yeah, you can switch off.

Speaker 3 (01:28:01):
Let's see what he is? Taking some serious speed in there.

Speaker 21 (01:28:04):
Jusphinariums were best up in is the w in tow one?

Speaker 24 (01:28:07):
The stall of that did?

Speaker 3 (01:28:08):
How did pick at the gravel? I think you would
up to us?

Speaker 4 (01:28:12):
I don't know. Analyzing every view from every angle in
the sporting world weekends for it with Jason Pye, they
call eight hundred and eighty eight News Talks n B.

Speaker 3 (01:28:23):
Twelve minutes past two. A welcome return to the rugby
field tomorrow for Caleb Clark when Auckland play Wellington at
Bodydoor Park. He has recovered from his ankle injury now
bans On.

Speaker 26 (01:28:35):
Le a proud through the Old Blacks Canda Park. On halftime,
McKenzie runs a nice fine makes up Cada Park, Clark
swerving his way through I would a many short and
Becky wasn't he managed to get over momentum power pay
the the park to try this time.

Speaker 3 (01:28:51):
Yeah, I'm sure the All Blacks would love to have
that sort of try scoring ability back at their disposal
next weekend. That's all to come. Caleb Clarke is with
us on Weekend Sport. Can you just remind us, Caleb,
how and when the ankle injury occurred?

Speaker 15 (01:29:06):
Okod good to be on the show.

Speaker 5 (01:29:10):
Yeah, it just happened sort of that week we were
preparing to play France in Wellington sort of that last
big session to do. And yeah, just a little accident
on the training field. Just one of the players just
made a tack when he swung around and collected me
on the other side. So for a couple of ligaments
in the ankle. But now we're now we're back and

(01:29:31):
ready to go.

Speaker 3 (01:29:32):
Good to hear. So what is the recovery mainly consistent
of Caleb? Have you been able to do any any
Cardigo for example, get on the bike. Have you been
able to do anything of that sort, Yeah.

Speaker 5 (01:29:43):
A little bit like that. The first two weeks. Was
pretty much staying offered and lived in a moon boot
for yeah, the first two weeks, but found other ways
to stay fit.

Speaker 27 (01:29:54):
So the skiter, the salt bike and the grinder became
my three best friends over those weeks.

Speaker 5 (01:30:01):
But as soon as I could get on a w
bike and start that, then yeah, that's what I did.

Speaker 27 (01:30:06):
But I think in the place good old running and
good old rugby.

Speaker 5 (01:30:09):
So once I got back on that training field around
week four, then yeah, that really got to put the
work in.

Speaker 3 (01:30:16):
So was your last game of rugby then at the
end of Super Rugby?

Speaker 5 (01:30:20):
Yeah, yeah, it would have been Yeah, christ shirts but
a little well, but yeah, excited and.

Speaker 9 (01:30:28):
Ready to go.

Speaker 3 (01:30:29):
It seems like a long time ago. Well, great to
have your back. How challenging though, has it been watching
both Auckland and also the All Blacks in the time
that you've been on the sidelines and not being able
to help them out.

Speaker 5 (01:30:40):
Yeah, like any rugby player would be just just inching
to get out there.

Speaker 28 (01:30:44):
So did hurt a little bit, but you know, added
a bit more fuel to the fire. And being with
a talkland side if it's really exciting. We've got some
young players that are are super talented but just haven't gone.

Speaker 9 (01:30:56):
The right results.

Speaker 11 (01:30:56):
So I'll find a I've kind.

Speaker 6 (01:30:59):
Of learned a little bit more myself and growing myself
into the leader space.

Speaker 9 (01:31:04):
And trying to just build the confidence in.

Speaker 7 (01:31:07):
Yeah, just just have some fun and get that Internet
back in.

Speaker 3 (01:31:10):
That is the silver lining I think. Isn't it that
you get the chance to go back to your province
and be influential there is that the role that returning
All Blacks are asked to play within their MPC sides
off and here the All Blacks coaches say that you
know you meant to go back into your provinces and
and and lead to be the all Black in that team.
Is that is that the message you've given.

Speaker 5 (01:31:31):
Yeah, yeah, definitely and comes with ras has just.

Speaker 3 (01:31:34):
Been around you know, only my feet and where I am.

Speaker 5 (01:31:37):
So it's the Hawkland side and just building confidence and
having fun with the boys and yeah, just just bring
that leadership bro.

Speaker 28 (01:31:46):
Obviously in this team, I look around, there's probably fourth
fund and I said over the age of twenty four.

Speaker 15 (01:31:50):
There it's a it's a young side and it's.

Speaker 23 (01:31:53):
A new new sort of way to lead.

Speaker 28 (01:31:56):
But I'm really excited and yeah, just happy to be
back there on Sunday.

Speaker 15 (01:31:59):
Be back up on Sunday.

Speaker 3 (01:32:00):
During your time on the sidelines, have you had much
contact with Scott robertson the other All Blacks coaches to
manage and team, maybe the medical staff as well.

Speaker 24 (01:32:08):
Yeah, we're probably had more contact with medical and the SENC.

Speaker 28 (01:32:13):
So I had a lot of convos with Macha who's
the physio.

Speaker 27 (01:32:18):
Gilly our senc and Cape cat Cat our musicianist, and
then had conversations with to my Buttamdy and Jason and Healthy.

Speaker 11 (01:32:29):
So yeah, they've been good.

Speaker 15 (01:32:32):
Keep in contact. It's actually been on my end playing
because I kept felling.

Speaker 21 (01:32:37):
I said the same thing they've never got that's that's
my pot I need to be.

Speaker 7 (01:32:40):
Better at that.

Speaker 15 (01:32:41):
But they've been really good.

Speaker 3 (01:32:43):
Provided you get through tomorrow, okay, then would you theoretically
be ready to play against the spring Box a week
from now?

Speaker 19 (01:32:51):
Oh?

Speaker 7 (01:32:53):
Oh my my hand is up.

Speaker 28 (01:32:55):
So now that I'm back with Awkland, I'm ready to
go and just putting my hand up as best I can.

Speaker 5 (01:33:01):
So pretty much that's down to down to the coaches
and how they want to go. But me personally, my
hand is always up and I'm just ready to go.

Speaker 9 (01:33:09):
Now.

Speaker 3 (01:33:09):
I'm sure you've had a close eye on the All
Blacks test matches and there's been a lot of chat
about the aerial battle, winning the aerial battle. How important
that's become in top level rugby, not just in test
matches but in all rugby. Really, how much do you
pride yourself personally, Caleb on that part of your game.

Speaker 5 (01:33:26):
Oh, it's just there's something that I've developed over the years,
especially you know, it started in the sevens a few
years ago. Leam Barry was the one that Jordanan's myself
in will Warbrick and that's sort of where the love
for the aerial game started. But over the years, I've
got to work alongside some special people and you know,
with the league and a lot of the revenues, boys

(01:33:47):
just helped define sort of that skill. So yeah, I
really enjoyed and it's one of the parts of the
game that I feel like I.

Speaker 7 (01:33:54):
Can sort of take lead. And so yeah, it's now
with that rule.

Speaker 28 (01:33:58):
Teamge last year, It's just it's become such a key
part of the game and that's sort of excite to me.

Speaker 3 (01:34:03):
Yeah, tell me more about that. How much has that
ruled change change things in the aerial battle.

Speaker 5 (01:34:10):
It's just the fact that.

Speaker 28 (01:34:12):
You protected anymore and it's become just a one on
one battle.

Speaker 5 (01:34:15):
And in the air I think the team that sort
of kicks that has more of a chance of getting
the ball back.

Speaker 15 (01:34:22):
Favors that team.

Speaker 5 (01:34:23):
And yeah, again it's just a massive momentum shift.

Speaker 28 (01:34:26):
If you get it wrong, you know, it's a scrum
back to the other team or penalty at work. So
I think, yeah, that real change has made it quite interesting.

Speaker 5 (01:34:35):
I couldn't remember back to France was probably the first
time when we played the French and we started getting
penalized for it, it started to really show. So yeah,
so it's an interesting one.

Speaker 15 (01:34:46):
It helps me when I'm chasing the ball then and
off the field.

Speaker 3 (01:34:49):
Caleb, it's been a challenging time for you. In June,
you pled guilty to dangerous driving and failing to stop
for police. Back in December. How do you reflect on
that incident in the last few months now.

Speaker 5 (01:35:04):
Yeah, it's one of those things that happened life for
me that I've grown a lot from throughout that time,
especial sort to hear what was going to say, with
probably some of the hardest stags that I've hadd and
to be feared that was happening all throughout super so
just sitting it through the unknown probably a big learning

(01:35:24):
curve for me and a victim to not only myself
but my my family and all my loved ones. So yeah,
so that's the part that's that's grown me a lot,
And now that it's all past, I'm definitely learned my
lesson and just ready to keep being sort of that positive,
positive parentson in the community, but also just getting back
into rugby and ready to rip.

Speaker 3 (01:35:45):
Well said, Well said, We're all looking forward to seeing
you back out on the field for Auckland tomorrow in
the first instance, Caleb, and who knows a week from now,
maybe in a black jersey as well. All the best
against the Wellington lines and Potador. Thanks for your time today, mate,
Thanks thanks Caleb. Calub Clark there joining us, So yeah,
back on the field. Hasn't played since the final game
of Super Rugby, but ankle injuries. I guess you can

(01:36:09):
keep up with your cardio. As Caleb said there, you
just hope that he hasn't lost anything in terms of
his ability to jump, because I get the feeling listening
to Break and pauls an hour ago that that's what
South Africa will bring to the Garden of Eden next
Saturday night. An aerial game, a kicking game. Look, I
think there's a huge temptation to bring Caleb Clark back

(01:36:30):
into the twenty three at the very least, and maybe
even straight back in, depending how he goes tomorrow. If
he gets through tomorrow, Okay, I think you're back Caleb
Clark in to that eleven jumper next weekend. What you're
doing and around that, I'm not sure, but yeah, I
just think you you know, they know what's coming. The

(01:36:51):
aerial battle was a huge part of that second Test
in particular against Argentina and the first one as well. Actually,
and the All Blacks have said all year it's a
real work on for them, something that that they really
have to address. And Caleb Clark is long been regarded
as one of the best when it comes to diffusing
high kicks, So I think the temptation would have to

(01:37:13):
be there, wouldn't it to bring him straight back in.
We will wait and see. The team is named on
Thursday to twenty one. Updating Live Sport from a sun
soaked Rangiora Showgrounds, Canterbury twelve nil ahead of munawar Tu.
Seems to be a brief stoppage at the moment, maybe
a player being attended to. Eleven minute's gone there, time

(01:37:35):
is off twelve nil Canterbury over Muna war Tu and
Tadanauky seven to five ahead of Counties Manico. This game
in Poka Koe quarter of an hour gone there, seven
five Tallanauky over Counties. This is Weekend Sport on News
Talks hereb take a break, come back and speak to
one of our inspirational power athletes by the name of
Rachel Mayer, off to the Power Climbing World champs in

(01:37:58):
soul Carea next month. We'll find out a bit about
her story when we come back on Weekend Sport.

Speaker 8 (01:38:04):
It's more than just a game.

Speaker 1 (01:38:06):
Weekend Sport with Jason Pine and TJ Garnomes, New Zealand's
most trusted home builder, News Talks in B.

Speaker 3 (01:38:14):
News Talk CB and Weekend Sport Coming up to twenty
five keep we Rachel Meyer will compete in the Power
Climbing World championshipston Seoul Career in late September. Hers is
quite the story, which we're about to get some insight
into Rachel Myer's with us. Rachel, can we take it back?
Tell us about the injury you sustained when you were

(01:38:37):
sixteen years of age.

Speaker 29 (01:38:40):
Well, I tell the children, imagine make my vegetables in
my left sell Off love it, which I'm pretty sure
he's still off. Another adaptive athlete. Yes, actually the parents
love it. I had a climbing excellent when I was sixteen.
It was actually a very controlled, technically safe drop and
a bouldering facility. I had a spotter. I felt like

(01:39:02):
the last move that I could have done to get
to the walk off would have been a bit unhim,
which was pretty tired, so I did a very controlled full. Unfortunately,
my feet went through a little margin where the facility
A Dutch takes Chris back together, so it didn't really
work out too well for me. I had bone grafts
from my hip into one ankle, along with a lot

(01:39:23):
of metal wear, and it also broke the other one,
and then went on to have eighteen well more now
years of disability and mobility challenges and pain.

Speaker 3 (01:39:34):
So you didn't have you amputation came later, didn't it?
You went through multiple attempts to repair it. Is that right?

Speaker 21 (01:39:42):
Yeah?

Speaker 29 (01:39:42):
I had ten surgeries before the amputation, which was actually elective,
and the last surgery before the amputation was an experimental
one where the surgeon looked at me anysic. Look, I've
got to be honest. I've only done this once before
and it didn't work, and you're gonna need to be
pretty resilient. And they showed me a picture of what
they were going to do, and it was this massive
metal expit frame where they drilled into the shin and

(01:40:05):
the foot and wires and rods hanging out of the
leg in the foot, and then they give you a
pair of spanners and you have to slowly wind your
ankle apart yourself over a period of time. And that
frame stayed on for four months, during which time I
was parenting, you know, three kids, one of them with
a disability herself, very high needs, and one of them
is still preschool age.

Speaker 23 (01:40:26):
And I would crutch into.

Speaker 29 (01:40:27):
Kindy with this big exit frame on my leg, and
all these three four year olds will be tugging on
their mum's sleeves saying, look, look that lady's a transformer.
So it was pretty hectic and that was like the
last attempt to save this leg that had just given
me a lifetime, you know, my entire adult life of pain,

(01:40:47):
and I wasn't going anywhere with it, so I just
decided to fight for change.

Speaker 3 (01:40:52):
So you opted for below the knee amputation on that stage.
Was it a relatively straightforward decision or did you still
think yourself, hang on, I'm going to take half my
leg off here, I'm making a decision to get rid
of half of my leg here.

Speaker 8 (01:41:06):
No.

Speaker 23 (01:41:06):
I was all in by that point.

Speaker 29 (01:41:10):
I was competing as a para athlete unable to use
the leg, and I'd created this life for myself where
I knew worst case scenario if I had issues with
the amputation or I didn't get mobile on a prosthetic.
I had this thing that gave me joy and gave
me purpose in my climbing, and I had community and
connections who.

Speaker 23 (01:41:28):
Was able to help me through it.

Speaker 29 (01:41:29):
And it really is just such a testament to you know,
the words Fano and the wider sense of family and
the people around me that had carried me. And it's
for sure I've put some gritin, resilience in and thought
to recreate my own life but I've also been carried
thereby for many people, and yeah, I.

Speaker 3 (01:41:46):
Was all in, can you just clarify, So do you
climb with a prosthetic leg or not?

Speaker 23 (01:41:53):
That is an excellent question.

Speaker 29 (01:41:56):
I have competed more often without a prosthetic than with,
but that's been due to ongoing challenges with my stump.
I did end up with some really difficult challenges with
my residulum that involved another amputation in twenty twenty two
on the same leg, I lost more of it, and
so as it's worked out, most of my comps have

(01:42:17):
been without a prosthetic. But this year I'm back on
a climbing leg and I'm really enjoying that.

Speaker 23 (01:42:23):
It's a different style.

Speaker 29 (01:42:24):
Our category of Wahini who compete in the lower limb field,
we all have varying degrees of limb loss, so we're
all missing one leg, but it could be left or right,
it could be above or below the knee, and we
may or may not use a prosthetic, and it's really against.

Speaker 23 (01:42:40):
Us in the wall.

Speaker 29 (01:42:41):
You know, how we adapt to our difference and what
creative solutions we come up with in the moment to
like problem solve the route that I've given us that
we've never seen this forum, I've never climbed, and we've
got this one chance to shine. So yeah, it's a
bit of both. And I'm really looking forward to this
year to being back out there with the prosthetic. And
in May twenty twenty five or first World Cup this year,

(01:43:04):
I was on a prosthetic, came away with the bronze,
which was very exciting.

Speaker 3 (01:43:08):
Indeed, I saw that, so obviously it's that that bodes
well for career. So I'm just trying to get my
head round there. So before you had the amputation, you
were still power climbing, but in a different class, is
that right?

Speaker 23 (01:43:22):
That's crazy.

Speaker 29 (01:43:23):
I compared for one season and just one competition actually
and the reduced power for impaired range of power category,
And yeah, that was my introduction to climbing on the international.

Speaker 23 (01:43:38):
Stage as a parent athlete.

Speaker 29 (01:43:40):
And it was actually the event where I was able
to meet a lot of amputees and talk to them
and get to know their story and the potential potential
and possibilities if I chose amputation of a pathway. And
I went home from that computer competition and after the
elective surgery, did.

Speaker 3 (01:43:58):
The amputation stop the pain.

Speaker 29 (01:44:02):
Ah, it stopped the pain from the damage I was
living with. But unfortunately, because they'd had ten surgeries previously,
I was high risk of neurological pain from seven in
those nerves, and I now live with chronic chronic nerve pain.
So at the moment as we're speaking, I'm probably sitting
on like a seven out of ten paint. So it

(01:44:23):
feels like I don't know if you've vapped yourself with
an electric sense, but well, it feels like an electric sense,
but instead of being like just a zap, it's non stop.
It just it never stopped.

Speaker 3 (01:44:35):
Well, I touched an electric fence once, but it was
for about half a second. So I can in a
seven out of is that where you where you live
day to day? At a seven out of ten.

Speaker 29 (01:44:47):
Day to day seven, but like throughout the day that
will escalate to a ten. And you know, evenings in
particular in that time, I won't sleep unless I've had
a sedative.

Speaker 23 (01:44:57):
That it just doesn't stop. It's just always there.

Speaker 29 (01:44:59):
It's it's part of my journey now and I've just learned.
So like trying to turn the volume up on Joy
is like I guess medicine to the soul body, and
that for climbing comes in. When I'm climbing, the pain's
still there, but it's quieter, and I've like I've found
a way to move and to feel free and to
feel live. And I guess like I'm also pretty scared
of heights. So lots of adrenaline and that helps manage pain,

(01:45:21):
and I feel like I have perfect in it and
maybe get to live a life with impact for others.

Speaker 20 (01:45:27):
So, yeah, did you.

Speaker 3 (01:45:30):
Say you were scared of Did you say you were
scared of heights?

Speaker 23 (01:45:33):
Scared of heights? Of public speaking?

Speaker 24 (01:45:35):
Wow?

Speaker 3 (01:45:35):
Here we are, I know exactly amazing. You want brawnze
at the twenty twenty three World Champs.

Speaker 29 (01:45:40):
Tell us about that, I say, Will Chance was really
challenging to me. I actually had a very difficult situation
with my daughter who's hei needs a month or two
before the event, and I ended up with a concussion
and injury. Parenting a special needs teenager on your hands
and knees or encrutches.

Speaker 23 (01:46:00):
Or wheelchairs, just it's hard.

Speaker 29 (01:46:03):
And so I actually took a big rest before that event,
and in the morning I was meant to fly out,
I was lying on the couch going yet not going
to go lack my heart's I'm going to fail, it's
not worth it. And a friend came over and she
literally packed my bag and picked me out and cut
me on the plane. And when I got there, I realized,
you know, I just it really sent on to me
again how important it is to do something for ourselves

(01:46:26):
in a month's the hard things.

Speaker 23 (01:46:28):
And family is important, but our own identity is important too.
So I just decided to go out there and give
it how and be in the moment.

Speaker 29 (01:46:35):
I wasn't wearing a prosthetic, I couldn't walk, and I
came away with a bronze And yeah, I wear a
lot of emotion and my heart's on my sleeve all
the time. And I think that just shows how important
it is to me to be able to honor and
reflect and be grounded and like the power we have
in ourselves to recreate our lives and to find our

(01:46:56):
identity and amongst all those other labels that we carry,
some of them good like mother, sister, friend, all of
those things, but also other labels that perhaps we put
our ourselves or other people give to us then are
more negative. And yeah, it was just it was a
really great moment for me.

Speaker 3 (01:47:13):
Your sport's been accepted onto the program for the first
time at the LA Paralympic Games in twenty twenty eight.
Is that a big, big carrot for you, a big motivator.

Speaker 23 (01:47:22):
Yes, for sure.

Speaker 29 (01:47:24):
You know it's hard that are sweet because it is
the first time that we're in the Paralympics and as
such it will be a smaller event. So this means
that not all of our categories that currently compete on
the international stage are going to be seen at the
LA twenty twenty Paralympics. Fortunately, my caategory is one, so
I do have the opportunity, but I'm very mindful that

(01:47:45):
as much of it as an opportunity for me, it's
also an opportunity to showcase our sport and to do
such a good job of that that all of our
categories are you know, introduced for the following paralym Pics
in twenty thirty two, and then we get our whole
way that adaptive family there. So we're all very happy

(01:48:06):
to be I guess there's a lot of joy in it,
but a lot of responsibility as well.

Speaker 3 (01:48:11):
How much of climbing is about problem solving.

Speaker 23 (01:48:15):
All of it?

Speaker 29 (01:48:17):
Yeah, we so it's an interesting sport. You know, when
you're swimming, you're running, you're swimming the same pool. When
you're rowing, you're rowing the same lengths, and the conditions
might be different. Again, like there's many sports where with
the route or the thing that you're doing is repetitive
and it's the same, But in climbing, it's completely different.

(01:48:37):
Every time we actually, if we're in finals, we're actually
locked in a stadium room out the back. We're locked
there for up to it could be six hours, no bluetooth,
no cell phone, no devices that could connect us to
the outside world. And during that time, the problem that
we'll climb has put up on the wall, so we've
never seen it. The fole, we've never touched it. They'll
give us a six minute viewing period where we can

(01:48:58):
go and look at it, and then you look locked
back in your room out the back where you're trying
to time your warm up for this imaginary stat point
that sort of shifts.

Speaker 23 (01:49:06):
People move quickly or slowly through the route.

Speaker 29 (01:49:09):
And then you're brought out and you're given this one
chance with six minutes to climb this road.

Speaker 23 (01:49:13):
As soon as you fall off, it's all over.

Speaker 29 (01:49:15):
So you're going to the highest point you can reach,
and each hold is one point and then positive direction
towards the next holes that half a point and it
can come down to.

Speaker 8 (01:49:24):
Half a point.

Speaker 3 (01:49:26):
Incredible. And so is there a top, like, can you
do you typically reach the top?

Speaker 23 (01:49:31):
There is a top?

Speaker 29 (01:49:32):
Yes, I think the route is a you know, there
a lot of responsibility to make these dynamic and exciting
and fun challenging, and then also to see some tops,
but not too many tops. Want the whole field topping
or you're kind of.

Speaker 3 (01:49:48):
It must be too easy, Yeah, far too easy. Everyone's
reach to the top. It must be too easy.

Speaker 29 (01:49:53):
Yeah, I've had I've definitely had some tops. Actually, my
very first World Championship, very first international competition, I topped
my first climb and I got to the top of
it and was like, oh, I'm.

Speaker 23 (01:50:03):
Actually okay at this. I did not expect that.

Speaker 29 (01:50:06):
And then I ended up qualifying for finals, which was
the first for New Zealand athletes and able disabled climbing
and male or female.

Speaker 23 (01:50:13):
That's like a little piece of history I get to
keep for our country forever.

Speaker 29 (01:50:17):
And I remember just sitting there looking at the list
of four athletes through the finals and my name was
on it. I was like, is there, Like, well an official,
come and tell me. How do I know I'm allowed
in the final war month zone?

Speaker 23 (01:50:28):
What do I do now?

Speaker 7 (01:50:28):
Like?

Speaker 23 (01:50:29):
I just haven't planned for it at all. So, yeah,
the top are pretty epic. That's what we're all going for.
There's a lot of joy in that.

Speaker 29 (01:50:38):
But there's also just a lot of joy in being
in the moment and you know, trying to really, I guess,
like take advantage of that clim that's been put out
there for us, because as adapted to climbers, we're not
getting that in gyms. Often you go into a gym
and roots of sets for people with two leaves or
two or a fully functioning body, and so you can
come up against blockermovsy Right, Yeah, well I want I'm

(01:50:59):
going to work.

Speaker 23 (01:51:00):
So when we're competing, these.

Speaker 29 (01:51:02):
Routes are set specifically for women with that legs or
specifically men who aren't able to see, or you know,
all the different categories they set specifically for us, and
it is such a joy to crime.

Speaker 23 (01:51:14):
On those problems.

Speaker 3 (01:51:15):
Do you ever think back and wonder what might what
your life might be like if they hadn't taped up
that that thing back in when you were sixteen.

Speaker 21 (01:51:25):
I do.

Speaker 29 (01:51:26):
I don't allow myself to certain it too often and
maybe I'll get emotional. And it's actually, ironically not for
the reason you might think. I am so grateful for
somebody else's mistake, because the person that I've become and
the pathways it's created for me, and the resilience that

(01:51:48):
it's developed in me that I now get to like.
I mean, I educate in this. This is something that
I do like part time on the side is public
speaking and resilience, and I make these connections for people
who will come up to me later and say, look,
you've like you've altered the path.

Speaker 8 (01:52:03):
Of my life.

Speaker 29 (01:52:04):
And that's the expected to be able to have that
much impact in the world. But it gives me so
much light to be able to do that. And yes,
I love in an extreme amount of pain, but I
also get to love a life of impact, and I
just wouldn't have that any other way. And I've definitely
looked back and thought, you know, what would it be
like if that hadn't happened, And I can't imagine it.

(01:52:26):
I can't there's nothing like if I ask myself that question,
there's just this blank, empty void in front of me,
and it's not full of light and sunshine. And yes,
what I do have in front of me is difficult,
but it is full of so much light and sunshine.
I think I feel that brightness so much more because
of all the doubt stuff as well.

Speaker 3 (01:52:48):
Impacting others is an absolute superpower, it really is, and
obviously you are doing it regularly along with your supreme
climbing ability. Rachel has been such a delight to chat
to you. I can't wait to see how you go
in Soul. Thank you for being so open and so
generous with your time this afternoon.

Speaker 23 (01:53:06):
Thanks so much, Say good.

Speaker 3 (01:53:08):
No, thank you. Rachel Meyer there off to compete in
the Power Climbing World Championships in Soul Career late next month.
What a story. Now she get completely unfunded. There's no
funding available to her to compete in this competition or
any competition as such. She is running a give a

(01:53:29):
Little page to help raise some money to fund her
trip to the World champs So give a little dot
co dot MZ just search for Rachel Meyer. The surname
is m Aia and you'll find the details there of
climbing with Purpose. So yeah, if you are in the
position to help out in any way, that would be

(01:53:51):
much appreciated. One of the more inspirational guests we've had
on the show for quite some time. Twenty to three
updating you want some live sport and Bunning's NPC action
from both Raungi Order and also pook A Coe. Just
waiting for my screen to refresh, I can tell you
Canterbury lead Mona with two twelve nil after twenty nine

(01:54:11):
minutes of their clash, and Taradaki are fourteen to twelve
ahead of Counties Monico approaching halftime in their clash as well.
Time now though, to play our favorite game, a sporting chance.
Well it's the only game we get to play with
you on a Saturday afternoon. I'm going to offer you

(01:54:33):
the chance of three bets short, evens or long. You
decide which one you want, and we will place a
one hundred and fifty dollars bonus bet on your behalf
if it comes home. The winnings minus the initial one
to fifty, of course, are yours. You must be over
eighteen if you would like to take part in a

(01:54:53):
sporting chance, call now, oh eight hundred and eighty ten
eighty the.

Speaker 1 (01:54:59):
Tough questions off the turf Weekend Sport with Jason Paine
and GJ. Gunnerholmes, New Zealand's most trusted home. It's time
for a sporting chance thanks to tab.

Speaker 3 (01:55:14):
Yes it is two forty five. A sporting chance with
a tab. Pretty easy concept, really, three options to choose
from short even in long. You choose the one that
you want, will place the bonus bet. If it comes home,
you take the winnings. Pretty easy to understand, Robert, Is it?

Speaker 9 (01:55:37):
I think so?

Speaker 14 (01:55:38):
Even from me?

Speaker 3 (01:55:39):
Yep, well I understood it, so I think it's a
pretty low bar. Well, okay, Robert, here are the three
options that we have for you so short even in long,
so effectively, one which is I guess quite likely, one
which is sort of a coin flip, and one which
is more more unlikely anyway, the short option. And he

(01:56:01):
is called this the do us a Favor special. It's
for the North Queensland Cowboys to beat the Brisbane Broncos tonight.
The Cowboys are paying two dollars forty five and if
that happens, you would win two hundred and seventeen dollars fifty.
That's the short option. Okay, yep, Evans, the sir, do

(01:56:22):
you know how fast you were going? Special? This is
around the Dutch Formula one Grand Prix and qualifying. So
we're looking for Liam Lawson to qualify for the Q
three shootout, which effectively, Robert means Liam Lawson qualifying inside
the top ten. That's it, You've got it. You're across that.
That's the even one that's paying three dollars fifty. You
would win three hundred and seventy five dollars if you

(01:56:45):
choose that one and it happens, and the long option
the pitchforks for sale, get your pitchforks here special it's
Manchester United against Burnley two o'clock tomorrow morning our time.
Burnley to win, paying eight dollars and almost certainly spelling
the inn for United Boss Rubin Amram, you would win
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(01:57:09):
So to recap Cowboys to beat the Broncos that pays
you two hundred and seventeen fifty. Liam Lawson to qualify
in the top ten, that pays you three hundred and
seventy five. Burnley to beat Manchester United, that pays you
one thousand and fifty. Which one would you like?

Speaker 9 (01:57:26):
I think I would like the Liam Lawson one.

Speaker 3 (01:57:29):
Liam Lawson to qualify in the top ten. That's great. Well,
it's it's a patriotic one as well. And the way
he's going, the way's going, I.

Speaker 13 (01:57:37):
Think, well a month ago he's doing very well, got
the top top eight places in the or top eight.

Speaker 3 (01:57:44):
That's right. No, look, I think he's heading in the
right direction, all right. So we'll lock that in the
the even option, Liam Lawson to qualify for the Q
three shootouts three point fifty take away the initial bonus bet.
Your winnings would be three hundred and seventy five dollars. Robert,
that would be lovely, it would I'm going to put
your back on hold mate, have another chat to Andy

(01:58:04):
just to make sure he's got all details. We'll place
the bet and keep our fingers crossed for you that
Liam Lawson qualifies for Q three Q three, qualifying basically
in the top ten. He'll be happy with that, and
so will you. With winnings of three hundred and seventy
five dollars. We'll get those winnings to you next week
and we'll do it all again next week. Thanks. To

(01:58:25):
our mates at the tab as always, please bet responsibly
On the subject of Liam Lawson. He's clocked the eleventh
and fourteenth fastest times in the opening two practice sessions
at the Dutch Grand Prix. He had better times than
Racing Balls teammatee Isaac Hadger, who completed the twelfth fastest
time in practice one before being forced to retire in

(01:58:46):
the second practice without setting a timed lap because of
a power unit issue. McLaren's Lando Norris set the fastest
times across both practice sessions. So Liam Lawson well and
truly in the mix.

Speaker 29 (01:58:59):
Here is his.

Speaker 3 (01:59:00):
Assessment of his opening day of practice at the Dutch
Grand Prix.

Speaker 10 (01:59:05):
First day, buck in the back to where it all started,
of course, how was it for you out there?

Speaker 30 (01:59:10):
It was good, honestly, it's it's been a tricky day.
It's a hard track I think, and that probably showed today.
But yeah, feeling feeling comfortable. Cars in a in a
good place. I think, struggle a little bit at the
end with the soft we didn't really do a proper
lap in the ends, but I think in general the

(01:59:31):
car is good, but we'll find out tomorrow.

Speaker 10 (01:59:34):
Yeah, it's a good starting point. So you feel like
you've got decent direction to work in overnight. Of course
there is the potential for some more rain as well tomorrow.
So what's your you're thinking about all of that.

Speaker 30 (01:59:45):
Yeah, I mean it's we we just tried to make
the most of track time today and then obviously we yeah,
we'll see what the weather does. But in this place,
that's always up in the air. I think everybody was
trying to play it by here today in in P
two and then tomorrow obviously it's it's gonna be.

Speaker 8 (01:59:59):
The same thing.

Speaker 30 (02:00:00):
So trying to maximize track time it's going to be
important of qualifyings like this. Then it's uh, makes it
really tricky. You're trying to be on track at the
right time, trying to avoid yellow flags, red flags, and
that can be the hardest part, to be honest, more
than just having a quick car. So we'll keep tripping
away at the car over night and then try and

(02:00:20):
make the most of tomorrow. And so who will end
up in.

Speaker 10 (02:00:22):
Any case, we've talked about it before. It looks like
another super tight midfield butlal theres it's going to keep
you on your isn't.

Speaker 19 (02:00:27):
It always always the way? At the moment.

Speaker 30 (02:00:30):
It's great for the for the championship, for the sport,
makes it really tough for us. But yeah, it's going
to be important tomorrow to try and put everything together
and let's let's see if we can do that.

Speaker 3 (02:00:42):
Those are the post practice thoughts of Liam Lawson looking
looking good. Eleventh and fourteenth fastest in the opening two
practice sessions. I think one more practice session then they
go into qualifying, don't they. The race itself is on
Monday morning. Let's hope that Liam Lawson can continue the
form that he's been showing in the in the last
few Grand Prix. Who knows, maybe even getting up to

(02:01:06):
war it's the pointy end. We'll wait and see. We
will wait and see. Nine and a half away from three,
News Talks HEB the biggest.

Speaker 4 (02:01:13):
Things in sports are on the weekend Sports.

Speaker 3 (02:01:16):
With Jason Pain and GJ.

Speaker 4 (02:01:18):
Gubnodes, New Zealand's most trusted home builder, News.

Speaker 3 (02:01:21):
Talks NB coming up. Six away from three. That's pretty
much us on weekend Sport for Today, quickly looking ahead
to tomorrow's show. Dreadful news this week the passing of
Shane Christi, former Tasman muck or captain New Zealand Moldy
representative Highlander as well and Super Rugby winner in twenty fifteen.
He died this week and it's once again brought into

(02:01:42):
sharp focus the impact of head injuries on rugby player's
post their playing days. Alex Popham has led the charge
from a Welsh point of view on this particular issue.
He's going to join us after midday tomorrow. I want
to get some thoughts from Alex Popham on what we
can do, whether those who matter are listening and can

(02:02:03):
to get your thoughts as well, and also tomorrow after
two and extended chat with one of the motorsport greats
of supercars, Mark Winterbottom, Bathurst Champion, Supercars champion and champion
of a bloke as well. He's got a book out.
Going to chat to Mark winter Bottom tomorrow on the
show too. After three, Tim Beverage huge thanks to Anny
McDonald's producing the show as always, what are we going

(02:02:25):
out with today?

Speaker 16 (02:02:25):
Well, Poney, we've done very well to get through three
hours without addressing the shovers sports, massive story, massive crossover
that happened this week, so I'm going to ruin that
now obviously. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelcey are announcing their
engagement this week, So I have to go out with
some Taylor Swift, don't I. When the world of shovers
and sports crossover, you sort of can't can't ignore it,

(02:02:47):
can we? We very nearly got there. I'm not very
we very nearly did all right?

Speaker 3 (02:02:55):
Enjoy you afternoon, See you guys tomorrow midday.

Speaker 26 (02:03:11):
I got.

Speaker 8 (02:03:16):
A friend.

Speaker 31 (02:03:16):
If you ever come in around a faith in yours.
When I met you, Annie asked her to tell.

Speaker 5 (02:03:28):
I said, who you say?

Speaker 4 (02:03:31):
I haven't feeling so lone.

Speaker 31 (02:03:33):
A keep waiting for you, but you never comesed.

Speaker 5 (02:03:37):
This in my head.

Speaker 13 (02:03:38):
I know what to think.

Speaker 19 (02:03:40):
Came now to the Crown.

Speaker 31 (02:03:44):
Ring and said, Mary me Gulie never.

Speaker 19 (02:03:47):
Had to be lone.

Speaker 3 (02:03:49):
I love you and that's all though.

Speaker 19 (02:03:53):
I'm talking to your dad.

Speaker 8 (02:03:54):
Go pick out a.

Speaker 10 (02:03:56):
Watcher A love.

Speaker 19 (02:03:58):
Story, baby, just say first.

Speaker 1 (02:04:22):
For more from Weekends Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talks it B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio

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