September 26, 2025 • 6 mins
After a two month knockout tournament, the stage is set for the 2025 national club Under 85 final at Auckland's Eden Park.
Wellington's Pōneke will look to clinch the title for the first time, when meeting 2023 champions and 2024 runner's up High School Old Boys, of Christchurch.
Adam Cooper caught up with Poneke captain Nathan Marsh.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The weekends. Finally here let's kick it off the All
Sport Breakfast with Ruthervid and Bond Toyota and King Toyota News.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Talk zby Team to eight.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Since it was created a few years back, interest has
skyrocketed and rugby's national under eighty five competition teams around
the country clubs that have been squaring off over the
past couple of months. And today at two fifteen at
Eden Park it's the curtain raiser of the Bledisloe Cup Test.
It's the twenty twenty five final and Wellington is represented
by Pornickey who were in the final for the first time,
(00:30):
taking on High School All Boys from christ Church. They
were champions two years ago, runners up last year. Well
it's said to the poronickey cap now for this one,
the captain has loosed forward Nathan Marsh. Morning to you
and Nathan. You all set on the back of putting
fifty on on the Auckland Uni club last week.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
I love Yes, everyone's a pretty exciting opportunity for the club.
Like we've only ever made it to the quarterfinals, so
yeah furthest we've ever gone and yeah you can definitely
feel the excitement.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
What has got you to this point so far.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Do you think what's what if you managed to tick
off that's that's got you those important wins, especially I
guess advancing from the Semis last weekend.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
Well, tough question that one. I think. Look, we're just
really job really well as a team. I'm going forward,
so you know, start together. A lot of us haven't
played together, but you know, to share as the season's
going on, roll there, we've started to click really well
as a team. And yeah, we got a ton of
good coaches and management around us that, yeah, played a
(01:26):
big part.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Tell us how it's all been brought together, because I
know Ponicky would have an under eighty five team anyway,
and I see just looking at your lineup, it's it's
a real mix of players across different teams that have
sort of been part of this competition.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
Oh you'd have to talk to been Huntley on that
one there, but yeah we are. I mean there's a
lot of Pornicky players from all across the grade. So
there's some prems, pre reserves, cults under eighty five and
then yeah a few others here and there as.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Well as captain.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
What do you say to the team during a big
week like this one, getting set up for a huge
game at a stadium. I guess you're all excited about
playing it too.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
Yeah, No, everyone's fizzing in. They're right to be excited
for it. Just trying not to do We're just trying
not to focus too much on the fact that it's
a big Eden Park stadium, Like just another rugby ground
at the end of the day, so we've got to
go out there and do a job.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
I like that answer. Just another rugby ground though pretty
big though.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
Yeah, no, without a doubt, definitely playing on the mind.
But that should be good fun.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
And it's been a lot of traveling because I mean
this part part of this competition, it's it's a national competition.
You guys would have clocked up, clocked up a fear
bit of travel.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
Yeah. I think most Stata days we've been traveled. I
think we've only had one home game. So yeah, three
games in Auckland now a couple in Central Hawk's Bay.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
And so your twenty three has been named for this
big one, yet you're traveling up very shortly, flying up
to Auckland for this one. When you look at your
team on paper, Nathan, what is the strength of the
team do you think as you line up against high
school or boys?
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Oh, look, I think we've got good, good players all
across the park, fit like know what they're doing, know
their role and they just do that really well. Yeah.
I think just playing together it well as the team
is going to get us across the line and.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Taking on high school old boys from christ Church? Am
I led to believe you are from Canterbury originally?
Speaker 4 (03:11):
Yeah, that's the one so.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Representing the Wellington team in a Wellington Canterbury battle. How
do you feel about that one?
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Ah?
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Well, yeah, high school old boys obviously from christ which
as well. They've made the final three years in a row,
so without a doubt they're going to be a strong side.
I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be a
lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
How much work do you actually put into looking at
what they've done this this campaign, looking at what they
did did last year, focusing on on how they play.
Do you put much effort into that or do you
sort of focus on your own systems, your own structures
at training during this week?
Speaker 4 (03:42):
I think we're more focus on our own systems. Like
we've we've seen the way they play. We've got the
videos and stuff like that, but more just focus on us.
At the end of the day, it's going to all
the take footage in the world isn't going to get
us to win.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
How enjoyable is it having this under eighty five comp
given some some good prompt and it's you know, the
resources putting into making it happen, but also being able
to play the final and Eden Park ahead of a
massive Test match.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
I look, yeah, that's incredible. There's there's a lot of
people that are sort of you know, messaging ground like
they're quite excited to watch it, and you know, that's
such a good grade of rugby, Like having this under
eighty fives gives us smaller guys a bit of an
opportunity that we wouldn't normally get.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
So yeah, do you think a bit of extra focus
like that has been given on the under eighty five
game in the form of this national compound and a
big sort of you know, high profile final before a
test matches?
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Is it going to keep more people playing rugby?
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Do you think knowing that they have the chance to
be in the under eighty five compound and go quite
far at a national level if things work out.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
Yeah, I definitely would like to think so. I can't
say because I played most of my rugby and sort
of senior grades, but yeah, that definitely is the case
for some people.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
Now, your coach, Ross Burns has asked me to ask
you why your nickname is Spanner.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
I don't know. There's a fellow at our club called
Tooey and he coined it when I first joined a
few years ago. Now I couldn't tell you why.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
No idea, no idea?
Speaker 3 (05:16):
All right, safe answered, well, we'll leave the verdict out
on that one, Nathan. Yeah, skippering aside from number seven today?
Is open side? Your your preferred possession in the loose forwards?
And what kind of seven do you try and be
out on the park, especially at this under eighty five level.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
Well, no, definitely a preferred position. I I suppose you're
just like like defense, like to tackle, like to just
bear pest at the rup time. So hopefully I can
bring a bit of that for the team in the weekend.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
And do you get to stay and watch the Test match?
Speaker 4 (05:46):
Yes, yep, I think they do. We do. We're getting
some nice corporate box tickets and he's doing rugby's kind
of done off.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
A solid beath Ah, good stuff you enjoyed, Nathan, Thanks
for chatting, make great to chat all the very best.
Two fifteen kickoff ponic He under eighty fives against high
school old boys for the national under eighty five final.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
For more from News Talks B listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
The weekends. Finally here let's kick it off the All
Sport Breakfast with Ruthervid and Bond Toyota and King Toyota News.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Talk zby Team to eight.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
Since it was created a few years back, interest has
skyrocketed and rugby's national under eighty five competition teams around
the country clubs that have been squaring off over the
past couple of months. And today at two fifteen at
Eden Park it's the curtain raiser of the Bledisloe Cup Test.
It's the twenty twenty five final and Wellington is represented
by Pornickey who were in the final for the first time,
(00:30):
taking on High School All Boys from christ Church. They
were champions two years ago, runners up last year. Well
it's said to the poronickey cap now for this one,
the captain has loosed forward Nathan Marsh. Morning to you
and Nathan. You all set on the back of putting
fifty on on the Auckland Uni club last week.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
I love Yes, everyone's a pretty exciting opportunity for the club.
Like we've only ever made it to the quarterfinals, so
yeah furthest we've ever gone and yeah you can definitely
feel the excitement.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
What has got you to this point so far.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
Do you think what's what if you managed to tick
off that's that's got you those important wins, especially I
guess advancing from the Semis last weekend.
Speaker 4 (01:05):
Well, tough question that one. I think. Look, we're just
really job really well as a team. I'm going forward,
so you know, start together. A lot of us haven't
played together, but you know, to share as the season's
going on, roll there, we've started to click really well
as a team. And yeah, we got a ton of
good coaches and management around us that, yeah, played a
(01:26):
big part.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Tell us how it's all been brought together, because I
know Ponicky would have an under eighty five team anyway,
and I see just looking at your lineup, it's it's
a real mix of players across different teams that have
sort of been part of this competition.
Speaker 4 (01:38):
Oh you'd have to talk to been Huntley on that
one there, but yeah we are. I mean there's a
lot of Pornicky players from all across the grade. So
there's some prems, pre reserves, cults under eighty five and
then yeah a few others here and there as.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Well as captain.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
What do you say to the team during a big
week like this one, getting set up for a huge
game at a stadium. I guess you're all excited about
playing it too.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
Yeah, No, everyone's fizzing in. They're right to be excited
for it. Just trying not to do We're just trying
not to focus too much on the fact that it's
a big Eden Park stadium, Like just another rugby ground
at the end of the day, so we've got to
go out there and do a job.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
I like that answer. Just another rugby ground though pretty
big though.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
Yeah, no, without a doubt, definitely playing on the mind.
But that should be good fun.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
And it's been a lot of traveling because I mean
this part part of this competition, it's it's a national competition.
You guys would have clocked up, clocked up a fear
bit of travel.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
Yeah. I think most Stata days we've been traveled. I
think we've only had one home game. So yeah, three
games in Auckland now a couple in Central Hawk's Bay.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
And so your twenty three has been named for this
big one, yet you're traveling up very shortly, flying up
to Auckland for this one. When you look at your
team on paper, Nathan, what is the strength of the
team do you think as you line up against high
school or boys?
Speaker 4 (02:53):
Oh, look, I think we've got good, good players all
across the park, fit like know what they're doing, know
their role and they just do that really well. Yeah.
I think just playing together it well as the team
is going to get us across the line and.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
Taking on high school old boys from christ Church? Am
I led to believe you are from Canterbury originally?
Speaker 4 (03:11):
Yeah, that's the one so.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
Representing the Wellington team in a Wellington Canterbury battle. How
do you feel about that one?
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Ah?
Speaker 4 (03:20):
Well, yeah, high school old boys obviously from christ which
as well. They've made the final three years in a row,
so without a doubt they're going to be a strong side.
I'm looking forward to it. It's going to be a
lot of fun.
Speaker 3 (03:30):
How much work do you actually put into looking at
what they've done this this campaign, looking at what they
did did last year, focusing on on how they play.
Do you put much effort into that or do you
sort of focus on your own systems, your own structures
at training during this week?
Speaker 4 (03:42):
I think we're more focus on our own systems. Like
we've we've seen the way they play. We've got the
videos and stuff like that, but more just focus on us.
At the end of the day, it's going to all
the take footage in the world isn't going to get
us to win.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
How enjoyable is it having this under eighty five comp
given some some good prompt and it's you know, the
resources putting into making it happen, but also being able
to play the final and Eden Park ahead of a
massive Test match.
Speaker 4 (04:09):
I look, yeah, that's incredible. There's there's a lot of
people that are sort of you know, messaging ground like
they're quite excited to watch it, and you know, that's
such a good grade of rugby, Like having this under
eighty fives gives us smaller guys a bit of an
opportunity that we wouldn't normally get.
Speaker 3 (04:24):
So yeah, do you think a bit of extra focus
like that has been given on the under eighty five
game in the form of this national compound and a
big sort of you know, high profile final before a
test matches?
Speaker 2 (04:36):
Is it going to keep more people playing rugby?
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Do you think knowing that they have the chance to
be in the under eighty five compound and go quite
far at a national level if things work out.
Speaker 4 (04:44):
Yeah, I definitely would like to think so. I can't
say because I played most of my rugby and sort
of senior grades, but yeah, that definitely is the case
for some people.
Speaker 3 (04:53):
Now, your coach, Ross Burns has asked me to ask
you why your nickname is Spanner.
Speaker 4 (05:03):
I don't know. There's a fellow at our club called
Tooey and he coined it when I first joined a
few years ago. Now I couldn't tell you why.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
No idea, no idea?
Speaker 3 (05:16):
All right, safe answered, well, we'll leave the verdict out
on that one, Nathan. Yeah, skippering aside from number seven today?
Is open side? Your your preferred possession in the loose forwards?
And what kind of seven do you try and be
out on the park, especially at this under eighty five level.
Speaker 4 (05:30):
Well, no, definitely a preferred position. I I suppose you're
just like like defense, like to tackle, like to just
bear pest at the rup time. So hopefully I can
bring a bit of that for the team in the weekend.
Speaker 2 (05:43):
And do you get to stay and watch the Test match?
Speaker 4 (05:46):
Yes, yep, I think they do. We do. We're getting
some nice corporate box tickets and he's doing rugby's kind
of done off.
Speaker 3 (05:53):
A solid beath Ah, good stuff you enjoyed, Nathan, Thanks
for chatting, make great to chat all the very best.
Two fifteen kickoff ponic He under eighty fives against high
school old boys for the national under eighty five final.
Speaker 1 (06:04):
For more from News Talks B listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
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