March 14, 2026 • 11 mins
One of the most heroic innings in New Zealand cricket has spawned a business for Black Caps great Kane Williamson.
On March 27, 2012 at Wellington’s Basin Reserve, the hosts faced a formidable task on the final day of the third test chasing 389 for victory against South Africa, where Williamson sustained some injuries.
This incident inspired Cover, a new sports protection brand with science-backed design to modernise and improve gear.
Kane Williamson joined D'Arcy to discuss further.
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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 (00:12):
We're going to talk with the goat of New Zealand
cricket and I can say that because I believe it
is true and he's involved now in a new business venture.
Kane Williamson's decided to release a new piece of protective
cricket equipment. You know exactly what I'm talking about. It's
a box. Kane Williamson joins the program at now afternoon.
(00:36):
How are you Kane?
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Some good? Thanks? Good to chat.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
How are you? Yeah good, It's great to have you
on board as well. Look, we're going to be talking
now about this new box that you have helped design
and create. I'd best not tell people about it because
I don't know. Lay it on the line, Cain. What
have you been doing? What is this?
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Yeah? Well that's that's basically we've been designing developing a
groin guard harness system. It's been five years in the making.
And I mean the origin stories probably you might remember,
I certainly do, which was getting hit in that region
by Dale Stain about fourteen years ago and sort of
(01:22):
splitting my box in half and then sort of going
on the journey of getting hit a few more times
and other people that I know in cricket getting hit
and getting sort of quite severely injured, and kind of
thinking there's got to be something out there that can
meet the demands and the standards.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Of the highest level.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
And so that's kind of how it started, and then
went from an idea to then meeting with a developer
and really sort of trying to come up with something
that would work. And that's been our journey and we're
now here today ready to launch the product, which is
a really exciting moment for us as a business. The
(02:06):
business is called Cover and so yeah, it's quite a
big moment for us.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Have you seen one to Dale Stayed because he was
the guy who split your box in half in the
first place.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
Yeah, he's actually sent.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
A video through. He remembers it as well.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
He not only split it in half, but he made
sure he let me know as well that he was
going to try and hurt me out. So hopefully this
will help in the future if he comes at me again.
But no, it's been a really exciting journey in a
new space for me personally, which is the business area.
(02:44):
You know, a small startup, but with a big vision
and an ambition to kind of modernize sporting equipment and
really try and take it to another level.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
And so this is the start of that.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Have you put it on and had someone fire a
ball at you out of a cannon to make sure
it works?
Speaker 3 (03:03):
We're looking for people to test it.
Speaker 4 (03:05):
If you put your hand up, no, Look, we've done
a whole lot of testing.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
We had to build different testing rigs because it was.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
Quite hard to do it accurately with equipment that was
out there. So it's really quite specific, different angles trying
to work out all the different failure modes and obviously
the quality of the box taking the impact is one
of those. But making sure that it's held in place
by a really supportive and comfortable harness system it is also.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Key to that.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
And so there's been a few of us wearing it
in the international game for the last kind of six
months or so. So yeah, we've really gone through quite
a rigorous process to make sure that it's ready.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Well, it makes me laugh that boxes have been in
vogue for over one hundred years but we only just
worked out we needed a helmet. Shows what men find important.
It's the Johnson or their brains, and plainly it's their Johnson's. Yeah, anyway, don't.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Move on there. But I think I can work out
what you just said. Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
I mean we're quick to really try and develop the helmet.
And you mentioned that there's some humor involved when other
people get hit in this region, but certainly when it's
you that's not the case. And in fact, doing a
lot of research about it, you ask anybody in terms
of what they value protecting, and the helmet is right
(04:27):
up there, and closely in second place is the growing region.
So you know, it's sort of made a lot of
sense in a big gap in the market with the
existing standard. It's being about fifty something kilometers an hour
with a drop test, which clearly for the elite level,
but not only that, which implies getting hit at high speeds,
(04:48):
but also spinners can cause injury as well.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
When we saw that with a couple of mic.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
You know, a real injury that needed surgery and other
things to come back from.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
So yeah, it's been a real journey.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Outside of protecting mister Happy, you've been wearing your box,
you've been playing as well. What's your future looking like
at the moment, Kane, where are you heading? What have
you got locked in over the next like six months
to a year?
Speaker 4 (05:16):
Yeah, I mean I have been playing a lot, obviously
about the home summer here where we finished with a
Test series, and then I went straight over to South
Africa and played in that tournament over there, the SA twenty,
and from there for a.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Quick trip to Bangladesh and I come home and.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
Having a little bit of a break before IPL and
then on the horizon of the England Test series over
there in June. So a bit going on, but nice
to have a little little bit of a quiet period
and focus on a few other bits and pieces, and
cover being one of those things.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
I know the lot of the fans and I include
myself as one of those. Caine we've missed, We've missed
home games, haven't really played since what December? What do
you think the future is looking like as far as
playing at home? There's all sorts of discussion going on
around where the future lies with New Zealand. Okay, plain
you're going to play a part of that whatevery aspect
it is, But how do you think it's tracking at
(06:11):
the moment? Do you think it's working and going in
the right direction with people involved at a higher level.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Look, I think it has to be the focus.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
There are obvious challenges at the moment, and I think
when you finish a world event there's always a few
things that can be a bit frustrating. We've got it,
you know, a bilateral series coming up which against South Africa,
so there's a bit of content there.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
But I know that there's a big focus to try.
Speaker 4 (06:38):
And keep the international bilateral cricket relevant and play some
context on it. So that's a yeah, there's no shortage
of cricket, but it's that constant sort of grapple with
how everything fits with franchise space, international space and amongst
world events. So look, I know that is the conversations
(07:01):
that are ongoing and they're trying to come up.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
But it's the challenge if.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
You got any involvement of these conversations, they're go cane,
you're quite handy. What do you reckon.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
Informally the odd conversation and you know a little bit
through perhaps that the players association, but there's a lot
of moving parts at the moment, which I'm sure you're
aware of, and.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
So they're looking to sort that out.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
I suppose and then get onto some of these pressing topics.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Yeah, in essence, I think there has to be an
international program put in place with possibly windows so we
know when we're playing and then the guys can go
off and play franchise cricket. Does that seem like the
correct shape if it can get organized in your opinion.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Yeah, I think it needs space.
Speaker 4 (07:50):
So then whatever cricket is on, it's prioritized at the moment.
There's just so many clashes, you know, of cricket, and
it makes I think fans and people wanted to watch
it makes it a bit complex, So I know that's the focus.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
It's tough.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
There's a lot of challenges, you know, amongst different nations
and some wanting to play others more, et cetera. And yeah,
so I think you're right in some respects. It's trying
to find windows where you know the priorities are where
you are, which is you know, the international game and
(08:26):
not having to kind of have this this situation where
you know you don't have your players available, and I
know that's been probably a little bit frustrating in recent times,
but something that we hope to sort. But you know
that there's a lot of other people that have a
lot of power in shaping that picture.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Question. Sorry to no dramas. So do you do you
have a preference around what format the franchise cricket takes
in New Zealand Because there's big discussions around four different formats,
no one knows where it stands. Do you lean in
a particular.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
Direction around this in which format?
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Yeah, I are either the n z tweent Ty or
the super Smash or carry on with big bash.
Speaker 4 (09:08):
I think the twenties are super exciting prospect and I
think it would be fantastic for the game and our country.
And you know, we're probably the last I think we
are the last international country to international playing nation really
to have our own franchised competition, which kind of gives it,
(09:30):
you know, its own energy.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
And I think it'd be.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
Fantastic to have a domestic competition in our own country
that could get some great support, and I think it'd
be great for the fans as well. So let's see,
there's a bit going on.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Can I cook these squeats? In the last one? What
have you made of the black Caps fighting again at
the final hurdle? G It's frustrating isn't it, Kane.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
Yeah, Look, they I thought they were. They were outstanding
throughout that competition.
Speaker 4 (09:57):
I really thought, you know, they played in all the
all the different conditions that you might expect in two
different countries, in India and then in Silang Care and
they had a clear pattern with how they wanted to
do it, and that was to go with the strongest
sort of depth in their batting. And I really think
it paid off and they sort of elevated. I thought
(10:20):
that their performance are out and then to go into
a semi.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
And and achieve.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
What they did there, it was magnificent. To meet the
juggernaut of India on a on a good day for
India is an incredibly tough assignment for anyone, and frustrating
that I guess that happened to be the case. I mean,
they did go into the tournament as favorites and when
they played their full pretension, that's.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
That is the case.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
And they'd managed to do that in the semi final
and the final, you know, scoring two point fifty plus
and both of those games. It's from their perspective, they
couldn't have done it any more perfectly, so from our perspective,
very frustrating, but look, we continue to put ourselves in
the right parts of com petitions and I've got no
doubt that there's a great pathway there that the team
(11:12):
keeps improving, it keeps slightly adjusting their style of cricket
to take on the world.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
And that's what we saw. Yeah, I know.
Speaker 4 (11:20):
It's not ideal, but our time will come and it's
great to see where we're hitting.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
I believe it as well. I'll tell you what. Thanks
so much for your time, came Williamson for that. You
can strap a box on me and fire a cannon
at man. I'll take the hit for you, bro. Thank you,
and I'm just wait.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
Darcy signed up for testing as well. Thanks mate.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
I may live to regret that we will see. It
is twenty minutes after one Sunday afternoon, Caine Williamson.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. Listen live
to News Talk ZB weekends from midday, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
We're going to talk with the goat of New Zealand
cricket and I can say that because I believe it
is true and he's involved now in a new business venture.
Kane Williamson's decided to release a new piece of protective
cricket equipment. You know exactly what I'm talking about. It's
a box. Kane Williamson joins the program at now afternoon.
(00:36):
How are you Kane?
Speaker 3 (00:38):
Some good? Thanks? Good to chat.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
How are you? Yeah good, It's great to have you
on board as well. Look, we're going to be talking
now about this new box that you have helped design
and create. I'd best not tell people about it because
I don't know. Lay it on the line, Cain. What
have you been doing? What is this?
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Yeah? Well that's that's basically we've been designing developing a
groin guard harness system. It's been five years in the making.
And I mean the origin stories probably you might remember,
I certainly do, which was getting hit in that region
by Dale Stain about fourteen years ago and sort of
(01:22):
splitting my box in half and then sort of going
on the journey of getting hit a few more times
and other people that I know in cricket getting hit
and getting sort of quite severely injured, and kind of
thinking there's got to be something out there that can
meet the demands and the standards.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Of the highest level.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
And so that's kind of how it started, and then
went from an idea to then meeting with a developer
and really sort of trying to come up with something
that would work. And that's been our journey and we're
now here today ready to launch the product, which is
a really exciting moment for us as a business. The
(02:06):
business is called Cover and so yeah, it's quite a
big moment for us.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Have you seen one to Dale Stayed because he was
the guy who split your box in half in the
first place.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
Yeah, he's actually sent.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
A video through. He remembers it as well.
Speaker 4 (02:22):
He not only split it in half, but he made
sure he let me know as well that he was
going to try and hurt me out. So hopefully this
will help in the future if he comes at me again.
But no, it's been a really exciting journey in a
new space for me personally, which is the business area.
(02:44):
You know, a small startup, but with a big vision
and an ambition to kind of modernize sporting equipment and
really try and take it to another level.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
And so this is the start of that.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Have you put it on and had someone fire a
ball at you out of a cannon to make sure
it works?
Speaker 3 (03:03):
We're looking for people to test it.
Speaker 4 (03:05):
If you put your hand up, no, Look, we've done
a whole lot of testing.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
We had to build different testing rigs because it was.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
Quite hard to do it accurately with equipment that was
out there. So it's really quite specific, different angles trying
to work out all the different failure modes and obviously
the quality of the box taking the impact is one
of those. But making sure that it's held in place
by a really supportive and comfortable harness system it is also.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Key to that.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
And so there's been a few of us wearing it
in the international game for the last kind of six
months or so. So yeah, we've really gone through quite
a rigorous process to make sure that it's ready.
Speaker 2 (03:47):
Well, it makes me laugh that boxes have been in
vogue for over one hundred years but we only just
worked out we needed a helmet. Shows what men find important.
It's the Johnson or their brains, and plainly it's their Johnson's. Yeah, anyway, don't.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Move on there. But I think I can work out
what you just said. Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 4 (04:06):
I mean we're quick to really try and develop the helmet.
And you mentioned that there's some humor involved when other
people get hit in this region, but certainly when it's
you that's not the case. And in fact, doing a
lot of research about it, you ask anybody in terms
of what they value protecting, and the helmet is right
(04:27):
up there, and closely in second place is the growing region.
So you know, it's sort of made a lot of
sense in a big gap in the market with the
existing standard. It's being about fifty something kilometers an hour
with a drop test, which clearly for the elite level,
but not only that, which implies getting hit at high speeds,
(04:48):
but also spinners can cause injury as well.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
When we saw that with a couple of mic.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
You know, a real injury that needed surgery and other
things to come back from.
Speaker 3 (05:01):
So yeah, it's been a real journey.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
Outside of protecting mister Happy, you've been wearing your box,
you've been playing as well. What's your future looking like
at the moment, Kane, where are you heading? What have
you got locked in over the next like six months
to a year?
Speaker 4 (05:16):
Yeah, I mean I have been playing a lot, obviously
about the home summer here where we finished with a
Test series, and then I went straight over to South
Africa and played in that tournament over there, the SA twenty,
and from there for a.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Quick trip to Bangladesh and I come home and.
Speaker 4 (05:32):
Having a little bit of a break before IPL and
then on the horizon of the England Test series over
there in June. So a bit going on, but nice
to have a little little bit of a quiet period
and focus on a few other bits and pieces, and
cover being one of those things.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
I know the lot of the fans and I include
myself as one of those. Caine we've missed, We've missed
home games, haven't really played since what December? What do
you think the future is looking like as far as
playing at home? There's all sorts of discussion going on
around where the future lies with New Zealand. Okay, plain
you're going to play a part of that whatevery aspect
it is, But how do you think it's tracking at
(06:11):
the moment? Do you think it's working and going in
the right direction with people involved at a higher level.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
Look, I think it has to be the focus.
Speaker 4 (06:21):
There are obvious challenges at the moment, and I think
when you finish a world event there's always a few
things that can be a bit frustrating. We've got it,
you know, a bilateral series coming up which against South Africa,
so there's a bit of content there.
Speaker 3 (06:35):
But I know that there's a big focus to try.
Speaker 4 (06:38):
And keep the international bilateral cricket relevant and play some
context on it. So that's a yeah, there's no shortage
of cricket, but it's that constant sort of grapple with
how everything fits with franchise space, international space and amongst
world events. So look, I know that is the conversations
(07:01):
that are ongoing and they're trying to come up.
Speaker 3 (07:05):
But it's the challenge if.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
You got any involvement of these conversations, they're go cane,
you're quite handy. What do you reckon.
Speaker 4 (07:14):
Informally the odd conversation and you know a little bit
through perhaps that the players association, but there's a lot
of moving parts at the moment, which I'm sure you're
aware of, and.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
So they're looking to sort that out.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
I suppose and then get onto some of these pressing topics.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
Yeah, in essence, I think there has to be an
international program put in place with possibly windows so we
know when we're playing and then the guys can go
off and play franchise cricket. Does that seem like the
correct shape if it can get organized in your opinion.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
Yeah, I think it needs space.
Speaker 4 (07:50):
So then whatever cricket is on, it's prioritized at the moment.
There's just so many clashes, you know, of cricket, and
it makes I think fans and people wanted to watch
it makes it a bit complex, So I know that's the focus.
Speaker 3 (08:05):
It's tough.
Speaker 4 (08:05):
There's a lot of challenges, you know, amongst different nations
and some wanting to play others more, et cetera. And yeah,
so I think you're right in some respects. It's trying
to find windows where you know the priorities are where
you are, which is you know, the international game and
(08:26):
not having to kind of have this this situation where
you know you don't have your players available, and I
know that's been probably a little bit frustrating in recent times,
but something that we hope to sort. But you know
that there's a lot of other people that have a
lot of power in shaping that picture.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Question. Sorry to no dramas. So do you do you
have a preference around what format the franchise cricket takes
in New Zealand Because there's big discussions around four different formats,
no one knows where it stands. Do you lean in
a particular.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
Direction around this in which format?
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Yeah, I are either the n z tweent Ty or
the super Smash or carry on with big bash.
Speaker 4 (09:08):
I think the twenties are super exciting prospect and I
think it would be fantastic for the game and our country.
And you know, we're probably the last I think we
are the last international country to international playing nation really
to have our own franchised competition, which kind of gives it,
(09:30):
you know, its own energy.
Speaker 3 (09:31):
And I think it'd be.
Speaker 4 (09:33):
Fantastic to have a domestic competition in our own country
that could get some great support, and I think it'd
be great for the fans as well. So let's see,
there's a bit going on.
Speaker 2 (09:44):
Can I cook these squeats? In the last one? What
have you made of the black Caps fighting again at
the final hurdle? G It's frustrating isn't it, Kane.
Speaker 3 (09:52):
Yeah, Look, they I thought they were. They were outstanding
throughout that competition.
Speaker 4 (09:57):
I really thought, you know, they played in all the
all the different conditions that you might expect in two
different countries, in India and then in Silang Care and
they had a clear pattern with how they wanted to
do it, and that was to go with the strongest
sort of depth in their batting. And I really think
it paid off and they sort of elevated. I thought
(10:20):
that their performance are out and then to go into
a semi.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
And and achieve.
Speaker 4 (10:27):
What they did there, it was magnificent. To meet the
juggernaut of India on a on a good day for
India is an incredibly tough assignment for anyone, and frustrating
that I guess that happened to be the case. I mean,
they did go into the tournament as favorites and when
they played their full pretension, that's.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
That is the case.
Speaker 4 (10:49):
And they'd managed to do that in the semi final
and the final, you know, scoring two point fifty plus
and both of those games. It's from their perspective, they
couldn't have done it any more perfectly, so from our perspective,
very frustrating, but look, we continue to put ourselves in
the right parts of com petitions and I've got no
doubt that there's a great pathway there that the team
(11:12):
keeps improving, it keeps slightly adjusting their style of cricket
to take on the world.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
And that's what we saw. Yeah, I know.
Speaker 4 (11:20):
It's not ideal, but our time will come and it's
great to see where we're hitting.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
I believe it as well. I'll tell you what. Thanks
so much for your time, came Williamson for that. You
can strap a box on me and fire a cannon
at man. I'll take the hit for you, bro. Thank you,
and I'm just wait.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
Darcy signed up for testing as well. Thanks mate.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
I may live to regret that we will see. It
is twenty minutes after one Sunday afternoon, Caine Williamson.
Speaker 1 (11:49):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. Listen live
to News Talk ZB weekends from midday, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
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