October 4, 2025 • 11 mins
The All Blacks are celebrating another weekend victory, but some believe the team will carry some scars after a tumultuous Rugby Championship campaign.
The Kiwi side took down Australia 28-14in Perth to wrap up the tournament, but ultimately finished second behind the Springboks on points differential.
Former NZ rugby union player Wyatt Crockett joined Piney to discuss.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk zb.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
But let's bring in seventy one test All Blacks front
Roll White Crockett for his analysis. Why thanks for joining
us this afternoon. You'll have enjoyed the last act of
the game, a big front rower crashing over to score
the bonus point try.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Absolutely, yeah, that was good. And I thought Lerakada did
a good week front row try in the first tart
to Deny, so he's taking some of the glory off
the lower numbers unfortunately.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Indeed, well, yeah, indeed. How happy do you think the
All Blacks coaching staff the players will be with their
performance last night?
Speaker 3 (00:44):
I don't think yeah, I think they'll be really happy
to finish on a good note. You know, there's certainly
semestericks that didn't go to plan, I think, but all
in all, I think it was pretty good performance. Definitely
good to see Less to get back out there, and
I thought he played really well and some of the
other young guys that have had a crack Quinty Poyor again,
(01:04):
I thought he played outstanding, really good off the beach
last week and really took his chances tonight.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Yeah, he was a standout, wasn't he at center? He
hasn't played there a lot. Do you think he might
be a long term option now? In that thirteen jumper.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Well, he was outstanding, it wasn't he. I think he
came on there last week as well, but definitely I
think he's certainly put his hand up. And I thought
the other guy, obviously, I thought they might have given
Lesser a bit of a bit of time at center
as well, but maybe that's something to come in the
end of your tour.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Yeah, first thirty minutes of the game, but MESSI the
connections were hard to find, just twenty four percent position
for the All Blacks in the first twenty Why do
you think it took them a little while to get
into the game?
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Yeah, I think Australia started pretty well actually, and I
was probably a little bit unfortunate with that the crocodile
rock to mess out and get on that try to
Ellen tower. But you know, they sort of brought it
in that first tast didn't they, And it was I
think that the big turning set was actually a couple
of good scrum penalties in that first half sort of
(02:09):
got us out of trouble a couple of times and
got us down the other end of the park. And
then yeah, just in that last teen minutes, we sort
of took a couple of opportunities, didn't we And and
and that was, you know, in the end, probably the
winning of the game.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
What are you seeing from the All Blacks at set
pace time this year, in particular in the last couple
of games.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Yeah, I think I think we have no doubt. We
had our struggles with Safga and even at times against Argentina,
I thought, but they've they seem to have settled and
you know, we had a couple of guys coming back
from injury with to Mighty and and Tyrrel and but yeah,
this last couple of weeks, I think they've really stepped
(02:48):
stepped up again. And you know, particularly tonight, the scrum
was was really good and as I say, got us
out of trouble a couple of times. And I think
we've probably got the better of the Aussies again in
the lineouts, which again such a critical part of the
game is winning good quality ball. So now I think
I've definitely taken a couple of strikes forward after maybe
(03:09):
just a couple of we must help earlier on in
the season. I think, yeah, yeah, Jason run, We're a
lot happier after these two games.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Do you think to Mighty Williams and Fletcher and Newell
are putting genuine pressure on Ethan de Groot and Tyrell Lomax?
So I guess I've been the generally accepted starting front
rowers for the last little while. Do you think Tomighty
and Fletcher are putting genuine pressure on in those positions?
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Well, I'm not. Yeah, I think they're certainly playing very
very well. And I think you know whether or not
they're putting pressure on the start, but I think that
you know, they've Jason will be really thinking about it,
as you know, they've got four quality props and whoever
starts or finishes the game probably at this stage doesn't
really matter too much. Which is an awesome position to outstanding,
(03:53):
this position to be and you know, and that's and
that's I think where they're getting to that position where
like who are we better to finish the test match with?
And who are we better to start the test match with?
And you yeah, so I don't know even know if
there's too much separation between all four of them at
the moment, it's pretty I think they're all pretty close
and playing well.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Yeah, and add a couple more and with bustle or
TOSSI George Bower last night of course as well. Why
are there certain front row forwards? Are there certain prop
forwards who are better suited to a bench roll than
a starting role?
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Yeah, yeah, I think so. Yeah, I definitely believe that
there are there some that are just a little bit
potentially a bit more mobile and you know suit that
sort of last twenty thirty minutes when the game can
break open a wee bit and there's certainly you know,
front rowers are probably more suited that first twenty where
(04:44):
first twenty thirty minutes of the game where you know,
it's probably a little bit but tighter teams are a
little bit more probably reserved in their attack. So yeah,
I definitely do think there's you know, you probably have
your strongest scrummager on at the start of the game,
I would say, and then you probably have your probably
(05:06):
more athletic ball players on them. The second half would
probably the general rule of time.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
You often see you know, front rows come on and
you know, off the bench and straight away they've got
to go into a scrum happens quite a lot. How
challenging is that to come on and then just pack
down straight away?
Speaker 3 (05:23):
Yeah, it can be like I think we you know,
you work really hard at that sort of stuff. And
no doubt the guys on the on the sidelin are
you know, doing some potentially some two on twos or
three on threes and what not to to get ready
and you know mentally the you know, front Road coach
will be talking to them. I know that's certainly back
in the case case when I was playing, but yeah,
(05:45):
it's it's definitely a mindset thing, and you know you're
going and you know, a couple of two on twos,
this is actually going into a live eight or eight
test match scrammer. There's definitely a big step up. So
you do have to, you know, work really hard on
that and get used to that as a bench player,
making sure that when you do hit that first gram,
(06:07):
you're ready to go and you mentally switched on.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
It's certainly a twenty three man game, now, wasn't it
the impact from the All Blacks bench? I know you
were quite impressed with it last week, did you did
you see the same impact off the bench last night.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
It was it was a different game, wasn't it last night?
You know, the rain came down and I felt like
the game sort of deteriorated a wee bit in that
second half. Obviously Australia we're playing catch up footy and
and it was a little bit, yeah, just sort of
lost its structure a wee bit. So hard to say really,
but you know last week I thought they were absolutely
(06:42):
outstanding and really, you know, probably one I set test match.
So some good signs obviously, you know, probably over the
last couple of years you'd have to say that, you know,
we haven't potentially finished the games as well as we
would have liked a lot. I know that's something that
the coaches have talked about a bit. So some pleasing
signs at the bench have been coming on and doing
(07:03):
good job.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
So as the coach is now sort of reflect on
the Rugby Championship, they've got a bit of time off
and then they look ahead to the final Test of
the year Island Scotland England Wales November Test matches. What
do you think they'll be looking at in terms of
further growth areas. You know, obviously they've they've won seven
out of nine, so that looks good on paper. Where
do you think that the growth area is, if you
(07:26):
want to call them that for the All.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Blacks, Well, I think that right across the board really,
but I think, you know, they'll be really pleased with
the growth of some of the guys that have stepped
into their first Test match season and also to see
the lights of Quincy Pie coming off after some pretty
horrific injuries and coming back and really nailing his opportunity.
Looking forward to seeing you know, Lester have a bit
(07:49):
more of a crack and a bit more time, you know,
seeing what position they look to put her out. I
notice I've been playing him in the midfield and Tasman.
I wonder whether that's a bit of a sign of
something that they're trying to think about. But yeah, I'm
looking forward to seeing you again that sort of further
develop one of those you know, that front row and
(08:10):
no bit locking combination, which is which has changed around
that through injury over the last few weeks. But we've
got some quality of the year now, which is which
is good to see. And yeah, so just just I
suppose to the development of what they've been doing and
and looking to yet to improve them where they've been.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
Do you think they were a better side than they
were at the start of the year.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
I think that they've definitely uncovered some some huge talent
and that's exciting and I think that, yeah, I do
think that they've they've they're further along in there. I
suppose the growth towards being able to have, you know,
a squad of a really strong squad of thirty to
thirty five players too to go into a World Cup
(08:50):
where you know, this is an injury or two or three,
been that comfortable, whereas you know, I think maybe going
a bit last year they used very much. It was
the same twenty three weekend week out, and you know,
I know that's been a real focus of the current group.
Has to grow that, grow that squad to a confident
(09:11):
dirty that can week in week out, you know, says
changes that I suppose the team doesn't change too much
with my decepted so much. So I think that's been
been a real growth this year.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
You never lost the Bletter Slow Cup during your time
in the team. Was it always a focus that trans Tasman.
I know rugby World Cups are there in Rugby Championships.
But was the Bledderslow Cup always something that God specifically
talked about as a piece of silver all where you
didn't want to let go of.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Absolutely, yeah it did you know, we're fortunate, Well, I
think I think in some ways we're fortunate. There's some
guys in the group that had really it had been
a battle to win it back. And you know, also
having grown up in that era where Australia we're quite
dominant and and we lost quite a few closing Bleader
Zone counters. It was always spoken about the week of
(10:02):
a Bledersow Cup how important that trophy is to New
Zealanders and right up there is the number one trophy
behind the World Cup. So we we used to love
it and you know, to retain it as a you know, yeah,
it's a real privilege and yeah, it was always a
big moment of the season to retain that cup, fill
(10:23):
it up and have a wely drinking out of it.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Bet I bet. And just a word on James Slipper,
you would have had a few battles with him. One
hundred and fifty one Test matches all done. Now, did
you did you relish packing down against a guy like that.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Yeah, well we obviously played we both played Lucid so
often didn't come up against each other on a one
on one position. But yeah, just James one hundred and
firsty test matches. It's a lot of scrum machines, it's
a lot of a lot of mauls and a lot
of sow saw body. So just at an incredible effort
to get through that amount of work and I think
(10:56):
he's he's closing in on two hundred two for rugby
games on top of that, and to still be starting
and playing the way he hears that, it's pretty incredible.
Well very yeah, not only three people have done everyone
and he's the first front rower. So congratulations to James.
A wonderful career and yes, always the pleasure to play
(11:18):
against men like Hammie was always always good for a
beer and a chad after the game as well, which
was which was nice and it seems like a good fellow.
So congratulations, good stuff.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
Really appreciate your an elysis this afternoon. Mate, Thanks for joining.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
Us nowhere is it all Ponty please?
Speaker 1 (11:33):
No?
Speaker 3 (11:33):
Thanks? Think no?
Speaker 2 (11:34):
Thanks White White Crockett. There seventy one test all blacks front.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
Row with for more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine.
Listen live to news talks b weekends from midday, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk zb.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
But let's bring in seventy one test All Blacks front
Roll White Crockett for his analysis. Why thanks for joining
us this afternoon. You'll have enjoyed the last act of
the game, a big front rower crashing over to score
the bonus point try.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
Absolutely, yeah, that was good. And I thought Lerakada did
a good week front row try in the first tart
to Deny, so he's taking some of the glory off
the lower numbers unfortunately.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Indeed, well, yeah, indeed. How happy do you think the
All Blacks coaching staff the players will be with their
performance last night?
Speaker 3 (00:44):
I don't think yeah, I think they'll be really happy
to finish on a good note. You know, there's certainly
semestericks that didn't go to plan, I think, but all
in all, I think it was pretty good performance. Definitely
good to see Less to get back out there, and
I thought he played really well and some of the
other young guys that have had a crack Quinty Poyor again,
(01:04):
I thought he played outstanding, really good off the beach
last week and really took his chances tonight.
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Yeah, he was a standout, wasn't he at center? He
hasn't played there a lot. Do you think he might
be a long term option now? In that thirteen jumper.
Speaker 3 (01:20):
Well, he was outstanding, it wasn't he. I think he
came on there last week as well, but definitely I
think he's certainly put his hand up. And I thought
the other guy, obviously, I thought they might have given
Lesser a bit of a bit of time at center
as well, but maybe that's something to come in the
end of your tour.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Yeah, first thirty minutes of the game, but MESSI the
connections were hard to find, just twenty four percent position
for the All Blacks in the first twenty Why do
you think it took them a little while to get
into the game?
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Yeah, I think Australia started pretty well actually, and I
was probably a little bit unfortunate with that the crocodile
rock to mess out and get on that try to
Ellen tower. But you know, they sort of brought it
in that first tast didn't they, And it was I
think that the big turning set was actually a couple
of good scrum penalties in that first half sort of
(02:09):
got us out of trouble a couple of times and
got us down the other end of the park. And
then yeah, just in that last teen minutes, we sort
of took a couple of opportunities, didn't we And and
and that was, you know, in the end, probably the
winning of the game.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
What are you seeing from the All Blacks at set
pace time this year, in particular in the last couple
of games.
Speaker 3 (02:28):
Yeah, I think I think we have no doubt. We
had our struggles with Safga and even at times against Argentina,
I thought, but they've they seem to have settled and
you know, we had a couple of guys coming back
from injury with to Mighty and and Tyrrel and but yeah,
this last couple of weeks, I think they've really stepped
(02:48):
stepped up again. And you know, particularly tonight, the scrum
was was really good and as I say, got us
out of trouble a couple of times. And I think
we've probably got the better of the Aussies again in
the lineouts, which again such a critical part of the
game is winning good quality ball. So now I think
I've definitely taken a couple of strikes forward after maybe
(03:09):
just a couple of we must help earlier on in
the season. I think, yeah, yeah, Jason run, We're a
lot happier after these two games.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Do you think to Mighty Williams and Fletcher and Newell
are putting genuine pressure on Ethan de Groot and Tyrell Lomax?
So I guess I've been the generally accepted starting front
rowers for the last little while. Do you think Tomighty
and Fletcher are putting genuine pressure on in those positions?
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Well, I'm not. Yeah, I think they're certainly playing very
very well. And I think you know whether or not
they're putting pressure on the start, but I think that
you know, they've Jason will be really thinking about it,
as you know, they've got four quality props and whoever
starts or finishes the game probably at this stage doesn't
really matter too much. Which is an awesome position to outstanding,
(03:53):
this position to be and you know, and that's and
that's I think where they're getting to that position where
like who are we better to finish the test match with?
And who are we better to start the test match with?
And you yeah, so I don't know even know if
there's too much separation between all four of them at
the moment, it's pretty I think they're all pretty close
and playing well.
Speaker 2 (04:13):
Yeah, and add a couple more and with bustle or
TOSSI George Bower last night of course as well. Why
are there certain front row forwards? Are there certain prop
forwards who are better suited to a bench roll than
a starting role?
Speaker 3 (04:24):
Yeah, yeah, I think so. Yeah, I definitely believe that
there are there some that are just a little bit
potentially a bit more mobile and you know suit that
sort of last twenty thirty minutes when the game can
break open a wee bit and there's certainly you know,
front rowers are probably more suited that first twenty where
(04:44):
first twenty thirty minutes of the game where you know,
it's probably a little bit but tighter teams are a
little bit more probably reserved in their attack. So yeah,
I definitely do think there's you know, you probably have
your strongest scrummager on at the start of the game,
I would say, and then you probably have your probably
(05:06):
more athletic ball players on them. The second half would
probably the general rule of time.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
You often see you know, front rows come on and
you know, off the bench and straight away they've got
to go into a scrum happens quite a lot. How
challenging is that to come on and then just pack
down straight away?
Speaker 3 (05:23):
Yeah, it can be like I think we you know,
you work really hard at that sort of stuff. And
no doubt the guys on the on the sidelin are
you know, doing some potentially some two on twos or
three on threes and what not to to get ready
and you know mentally the you know, front Road coach
will be talking to them. I know that's certainly back
in the case case when I was playing, but yeah,
(05:45):
it's it's definitely a mindset thing, and you know you're
going and you know, a couple of two on twos,
this is actually going into a live eight or eight
test match scrammer. There's definitely a big step up. So
you do have to, you know, work really hard on
that and get used to that as a bench player,
making sure that when you do hit that first gram,
(06:07):
you're ready to go and you mentally switched on.
Speaker 2 (06:10):
It's certainly a twenty three man game, now, wasn't it
the impact from the All Blacks bench? I know you
were quite impressed with it last week, did you did
you see the same impact off the bench last night.
Speaker 3 (06:20):
It was it was a different game, wasn't it last night?
You know, the rain came down and I felt like
the game sort of deteriorated a wee bit in that
second half. Obviously Australia we're playing catch up footy and
and it was a little bit, yeah, just sort of
lost its structure a wee bit. So hard to say really,
but you know last week I thought they were absolutely
(06:42):
outstanding and really, you know, probably one I set test match.
So some good signs obviously, you know, probably over the
last couple of years you'd have to say that, you know,
we haven't potentially finished the games as well as we
would have liked a lot. I know that's something that
the coaches have talked about a bit. So some pleasing
signs at the bench have been coming on and doing
(07:03):
good job.
Speaker 2 (07:05):
So as the coach is now sort of reflect on
the Rugby Championship, they've got a bit of time off
and then they look ahead to the final Test of
the year Island Scotland England Wales November Test matches. What
do you think they'll be looking at in terms of
further growth areas. You know, obviously they've they've won seven
out of nine, so that looks good on paper. Where
do you think that the growth area is, if you
(07:26):
want to call them that for the All.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Blacks, Well, I think that right across the board really,
but I think, you know, they'll be really pleased with
the growth of some of the guys that have stepped
into their first Test match season and also to see
the lights of Quincy Pie coming off after some pretty
horrific injuries and coming back and really nailing his opportunity.
Looking forward to seeing you know, Lester have a bit
(07:49):
more of a crack and a bit more time, you know,
seeing what position they look to put her out. I
notice I've been playing him in the midfield and Tasman.
I wonder whether that's a bit of a sign of
something that they're trying to think about. But yeah, I'm
looking forward to seeing you again that sort of further
develop one of those you know, that front row and
(08:10):
no bit locking combination, which is which has changed around
that through injury over the last few weeks. But we've
got some quality of the year now, which is which
is good to see. And yeah, so just just I
suppose to the development of what they've been doing and
and looking to yet to improve them where they've been.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
Do you think they were a better side than they
were at the start of the year.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
I think that they've definitely uncovered some some huge talent
and that's exciting and I think that, yeah, I do
think that they've they've they're further along in there. I
suppose the growth towards being able to have, you know,
a squad of a really strong squad of thirty to
thirty five players too to go into a World Cup
(08:50):
where you know, this is an injury or two or three,
been that comfortable, whereas you know, I think maybe going
a bit last year they used very much. It was
the same twenty three weekend week out, and you know,
I know that's been a real focus of the current group.
Has to grow that, grow that squad to a confident
(09:11):
dirty that can week in week out, you know, says
changes that I suppose the team doesn't change too much
with my decepted so much. So I think that's been
been a real growth this year.
Speaker 2 (09:23):
You never lost the Bletter Slow Cup during your time
in the team. Was it always a focus that trans Tasman.
I know rugby World Cups are there in Rugby Championships.
But was the Bledderslow Cup always something that God specifically
talked about as a piece of silver all where you
didn't want to let go of.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Absolutely, yeah it did you know, we're fortunate, Well, I
think I think in some ways we're fortunate. There's some
guys in the group that had really it had been
a battle to win it back. And you know, also
having grown up in that era where Australia we're quite
dominant and and we lost quite a few closing Bleader
Zone counters. It was always spoken about the week of
(10:02):
a Bledersow Cup how important that trophy is to New
Zealanders and right up there is the number one trophy
behind the World Cup. So we we used to love
it and you know, to retain it as a you know, yeah,
it's a real privilege and yeah, it was always a
big moment of the season to retain that cup, fill
(10:23):
it up and have a wely drinking out of it.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Bet I bet. And just a word on James Slipper,
you would have had a few battles with him. One
hundred and fifty one Test matches all done. Now, did
you did you relish packing down against a guy like that.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Yeah, well we obviously played we both played Lucid so
often didn't come up against each other on a one
on one position. But yeah, just James one hundred and
firsty test matches. It's a lot of scrum machines, it's
a lot of a lot of mauls and a lot
of sow saw body. So just at an incredible effort
to get through that amount of work and I think
(10:56):
he's he's closing in on two hundred two for rugby
games on top of that, and to still be starting
and playing the way he hears that, it's pretty incredible.
Well very yeah, not only three people have done everyone
and he's the first front rower. So congratulations to James.
A wonderful career and yes, always the pleasure to play
(11:18):
against men like Hammie was always always good for a
beer and a chad after the game as well, which
was which was nice and it seems like a good fellow.
So congratulations, good stuff.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
Really appreciate your an elysis this afternoon. Mate, Thanks for joining.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
Us nowhere is it all Ponty please?
Speaker 1 (11:33):
No?
Speaker 3 (11:33):
Thanks? Think no?
Speaker 2 (11:34):
Thanks White White Crockett. There seventy one test all blacks front.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
Row with for more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine.
Listen live to news talks b weekends from midday, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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