Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talks ed B getting use it for your
sporting weekend. It's the Wellington Mornings Friday Sport Kickoff on
News Talks B.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Joining us for Friday Sports Kickoff are two of the
legends of Wellington sports commentating. Sky Sports commentator Grant Liersbit
Morning this boat. Nice to have you on the show.
I appreciate you taking time out and News Talk set
B Weekend sports host Jason pine Piney.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Morning boys.
Speaker 4 (00:51):
How you doing up on your boat?
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Are you an Auckland yet?
Speaker 4 (00:53):
Piney?
Speaker 3 (00:54):
I am in Auckland, Yes, I'm Yes, I'm proudly wearing
my yellow and black around Auckland ahead of tomorrow's derby.
So you're flying the flying the Wellington colors. Don't you
worry about that?
Speaker 2 (01:04):
I reckon you've got one of those half half ones.
I reckoned you got half the Phoenix and half the Auckland.
But I don't reckon you're brave enough to walk around
Auckland being the personality that you are, A with a
with a phoenix top on.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Well, you clearly don't know me very well.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
Right, Let's start with the Druer versus the Canes. I
was a little tiny bit disappointed with the Canes last week.
I enjoyed the game, fabulous game of football, Lisbo. What
is your take on it?
Speaker 4 (01:30):
Yeah, look, I was a wee, but two, I was
probably more disappointed with a result, to be honest, with
Nick fourteen nil ahead. I'm philly buoyant at that point,
and I guess most Cane supporters were. But I think
we have to acknowledge the Crusaders were pretty damn good,
certainly better than last year. We know that I wasn't
overly disappointed with the performance, given the fact that we
(01:54):
didn't have Love or Proctor or om or Lomax. We
heard all about who wasn't there for the Crusaders, but
was kind of overlooked that really key players were missing
for the Hurricanes and they will be again this week.
But I think the blokes who filled and did really
well and I think it showed that they've got some depth.
(02:15):
And the other thing to remember is the game was
played in christ It's had that game being played at Wellington,
I've got a feeling it might have been a different result.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
Yes, Piney your thoughts.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Yeah, I've been nodding along with this Bo's thoughts. Really,
I think, yeah, the Hurricanes were good for the first
part of that, and then the Crusaders, who have improved
and it was a low bar, but I have certainly improved.
Ran over the top of them. And having you know,
the likes of Will Jordan back in the team obviously
a massive boost for them. I enjoyed seeing a bit
of a glimpse into the future with the likes of
(02:45):
Harry Godfrey at first five. I think you'll grow into
that position clearly. You know, there are a lot of
players to come back. But yeah, look, I fully expect
them to beat the Drawer tomorrow. You know, the Fiji
and Drawer are a good team, but they are better
team at home than they are away. So yeah, look,
I get the feeling that the Hurricane will square the
(03:07):
leader of tomorrow and they'll be one and one after
two weeks.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
Okay, And are you okay with that? Is that where
we thought they think we should be?
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Well, I mean, I guess when you look, I would
have liked us to have been last week, obviously, but
look that one's done, done, all done. All they can
do is move forward. I think they'll bounce back and
win tomorrow in app.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Do you think they won, Lisboe, Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 4 (03:31):
I think the Feed and Drew will be a really disappointed
losing at home last week to the Brumbies. It's expected
that they'll win in Fiji, and if they don't then
in fact Glenn Jackson, who's their coach, their new coach,
has made fifteen changes out of the twenty three match squad,
so a lot of these guys obviously weren't involved last
week and some of them a little bit of an unknown,
(03:54):
it's got to be said. And also the fact that
the game is napier where they've got a couple of
heroes from up there, the likes of Harry Godfrey and
Jacob Devery, and I just think that the Hurricanes will
show too much class. If they played the standard and
above that they played last week, then they should win
this one fairly easily.
Speaker 2 (04:14):
I think we've really got it quickly, just really quickly
mention how good the standard was for the first week.
Now we know, whatever sport it is, the first week
of a league is normally lots of mistakes, pretty ugly,
missing shots, missing penalties, missing tackles. I thought that the
standard of football, the standard of entertainment was fabulous, Piney.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Look, I agree, and I think also you have to
applaud and pay tribute to the officiating in the games.
And certainly the plea before the season started was to
speed the game up, and that certainly happened. There were
very little stoppages for no particular reason, and the game
was pleasing to watch. Really, and let's say the continues
(04:58):
and all of the games will place. I think the
biggest margin was the win by the Chiefs over the
Blue which was eleven. The rest of the margins three
four and the rest of it. So it was fantastic.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
Piney, I want to rush onto the Phoenix game. But
did you think the standard was as good as I did?
Speaker 4 (05:14):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (05:14):
I did. I loved it.
Speaker 4 (05:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
And close margins but high scoring. It's a pretty powerful
combination to attract eyeballs.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
For unbelievable great football. Phoenix versus the Knights, I mean, Piney,
you're up in Auckland for it. They've got us both times.
I'm starting to get a little bit concerned that Phoenix
season is not looking at a good shape and we
might miss the playoffs. I'm sorry, but I've got to
say that.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
Well, I mean you wouldn't be alone in that view,
because they haven't been good this season, particularly compared to
last season. They've just sort of started along really without
finding any sort of momentum and confidence from stringing results together.
So look, you'd be right to have that view. And
I think any you know, anyone without any skin in
the game would look at this game and say, well,
(05:56):
it's aalk from the f ceas to lose. Having said that, Dar,
these are funny things, you know, I think form and
momentum are pretty much irrelevant tomorrow because these two teams
will come into this game as any close neighbors do,
without any sort of baggage or or form. As far
as something that's going to decide the match, it really is.
(06:17):
You have to look at it as a one off game.
And for the Phoenix, I think if they can get
a result tomorrow, and that means a win, If they
can get a win tomorrow, it may well launch them
towards what could be a run at the top six.
Still plenty of games to go. They've got eleven games
to go. That's that thirty three points. There are only
six points outside the top six. So yeah, put a
bit of a run together starting tomorrow, and who knows
(06:37):
what might happen.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
What are you thinking? Granted this, but are you thinking
that we've got a chance or do you think that,
like me, that we're in a little bit of trouble
and I lost tomorrow could really put us out of it.
Speaker 4 (06:47):
I always glass half full, actually, Nick, I'm an optimist.
I'm no great official anado of the round ball game.
I sit there and watch it. I get very annoyted
with the phoenix at the time, with the fiddling the
round with the ball and so their own a box.
I just want it down the other end, out of trouble. Nevertheless,
that's that's a playing style that they have. I just
(07:10):
like to ask Piney, whether the influencer or the return
of Alex Ruth, how much how much that will change things?
Speaker 3 (07:17):
Yeah, massiveness by in fact, I think that may well
be the key to Wellington tomorrow. That missed him so much.
He's had glendula fever, missed the last six games. It's
one of those where you don't realize how much you
missed someone until they're not there. He was so good
last season, so integral to them. So yeah, from what
I understand he reckons he can play sixty minutes tomorrow,
so clearly that'll be from the start. I just wonder
(07:39):
whether after an hour of an a derby adrenaline we'll
kick in and he'll want to stay out there. But yeah,
massive to have Alex Ruther back in the picture for sure.
Speaker 2 (07:47):
I think he's lost a lot of weight Piney. I
mean I saw him last night on TV. I thought
he'd lost a lot of weight. I mean, you know
that that particular illness does that? Is he going to
be okay to play sixty Well?
Speaker 3 (07:58):
I presume so. And he said the same thing to
me when I spoke to him during the week in
an interview, I'll play tomorrow. Yeah, he's lost three kilos,
And I said, from where it's one of the leanest
guys you'll see. I mean I could lose through kilos
and nobody would even notice.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
Me.
Speaker 2 (08:15):
Too quickly, just really really quickly, because I've got to
go Black Caps looking good at the Champions Trophy. I mean,
you know they just keep producing the Black Camps, don't they.
Speaker 4 (08:25):
Yeah, look they've got to do Lema. Now what do
they do? As the opening batsman of Frash and ravend
Or it comes back. What do they do there? You
can hardly drop will Yang out of it. But we
got a clue to it, didn't we. And they're build
up matches. They beat Pakistan once, they beat South Africa
and so it shouldn't be unexpected for them to go
through and beat Pakistan. I got rather disgusted. I was
watching the other night. You've got to go to bed
(08:47):
at some point, and when Mitchell got out and I
was seventy for three, I turned the TV off and
I wasn't all happy. But then I wake up in
the morning and Abrica at Abrica, it's all done well.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
How often does that happen? How often does that happen?
Jason Pine, have a great call tomorrow on that game.
It's going to be magnificent. Granted this, but I suppose
you'd be doing the Durer Hurricanes game, so good. Have
a good call with that. Lovely to have you both
on the show. Have a great weekend.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, listen live
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