June 19, 2024 • 15 mins
On Sports Fix with D'Arcy Waldegrave for Wednesday 19 June 2024, New Zealand Cricket Player's Association boss Heath Mills talks about the Kane Williamson contract decision and the structure of global cricket events in the future.
D'Arcy comments on the joy of a full house at Eden Park for Saturday's Super Rugby Pacific final.
Plus, one NZ Herald Digital Sports Editor joins the chamber to discuss, among other things, the loss of SailGP for Christchurch.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from news talks It be
follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sportsfix Howard By.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
News talks it B Here we go again, Welcome into
the Sports Fix. It is the nineteenth of June twenty
twenty four on Darcy Watergrove. This is your home for
the latest of the greatest in sport nationally and Internatalie.
What a dose we're going to dip yours well. Starting
things off with the boss of the New Zealand Cricket
Plays Association, Heath Mills, as we discuss the issue around
(00:40):
Kin Williamson. He will no longer be a nationally contracted player.
He's going to become a T twenty pirate. We'll talk
more about that with Heath later. And the piece I
got some thoughts for you around Eden Park and the
fact that the Grand Old Lady, the National Stadium as
they call it, has actually sold out and sold out
for a game of super rugby, not for an all
(01:02):
black fixture. This is fantastic news. And then in the
chamber old Trap Alex Power, New Zealand Herald Digital editor
in there with me to discuss some of the big
sports stories of the day. All right, here we go again.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
In other news, DOUN deduct base for the sporting newsmakers
Today go New Zellan Cricket Chief Executive Scott Weennick has
outlined former skipper Kay Williamson's national availability now that he's
turned down a central contract.
Speaker 5 (01:32):
Most of not all, of the test patches over the
remainder of this year, and then the bulk of the
white ball matches that we have in Gebury March, which
includes the champions trophy in Pakistan.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Cruise away Hugilist that David Nieker has climbed on board
the Duco Express, the nine to zero fighter has armed
himself with proven performers. Duco promoted Joe Park on his
way toward w BO Heavyweight crown.
Speaker 6 (01:58):
Knowing that Duco has been working on these relationships for
the last eighteen months and you know, we've.
Speaker 7 (02:03):
Got really really solid support.
Speaker 6 (02:05):
Now we can take this all the way and they
bring these these bulf back to New Zealand and fight
in front of home crowd.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Super Rugbies it's super round, not so super. It's still standing,
but it's carrying some kryptonite. The rebels are toast the
Victorian state government are no longer funding the event, so
Super Rugby Pacific is looking elsewhere to hold the weekend
celebration of Super Rugby Check. Kevin Molloy outlined to move
to the Rugby Direct podcast.
Speaker 6 (02:31):
The reason we had it in Melbourne was a Victorian
state government wrote a nice big check for all the
teams that missed out on home advantages. So you know
we are reliant on that financial backing for it and
that does take a lot of the news.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
What does take New Zealand out of it? Completely?
Speaker 3 (02:46):
News newsmakers done, news and opinion.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
It's Force Fix with Darcy Valdegreve.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
We now welcome to the podcast ahead of the New
Zealand Cricket Players Association Heath mills Ay, Heath, So, been
a pretty big day for you guys.
Speaker 7 (03:03):
Yeah, I guess there's always always a bit of interest.
Win player like came makes a move like he's done today,
I guess, yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
So it's a big move. He's decided not to pick
up a central contract anymore. He still will be available.
The Captaincy is no longer his and he's going to
carry on his career basically cruising around the world playing
T twenty make himself a bit of coin. It makes
sense for a person like him. How long has this
been in the pipeline for he?
Speaker 7 (03:30):
Look, I think we've seen this for a few years now,
the growth of the T twenty franchise leagues around the world,
commercial partners, broadcast as fans. They are really engaging those
leagues and they're becoming more and more attractive to our players,
and our players.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Are in demand.
Speaker 7 (03:45):
So now, obviously last year we had Trent and Jimmy
Nisham who opted to take casual playing agreements with New
Zealand Crickets so they could be away in January February,
essentially the height of our summer playing and T twenty
franchise competitions, and Kine has made the call to do
that this year. So it's not shouldn't be surprised to anyone,
and I think we're going to see a few more,
(04:06):
maybe not this year, made one or two more this year,
but certainly in the years ahead, where where our guys
are just so attractive to these competitions and they're growing
in value the competition. So unfortunately they're often played at
the height of our summer, so they're going to make
the choice to go and.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Participate in these leagues.
Speaker 7 (04:22):
And I guess Darcy, from my point of view, I
think we've got a really good contract system here in
New Zealand, in a good partnership with New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Cricket, and we have flexibility in our system.
Speaker 7 (04:33):
So although Kane is not going to be on an
international plane agreement, he essentially is still going to be
playing for New Zealand for most of the year. It's
just that he won't be here in January. In February
he'll be off playing for someone else. But I know
talking to Kane he's very very committed to his Test
career and wants to keep playing Test cricket for the
next two or three years in major ic events, et cetera.
(04:57):
So I don't think it's the end of the world.
It's actually probably quite a good outcome for him and
New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Credit Basically, New Zealand Cricket have to aquierce to the
wants of these leagues because they's just simply so so
much money and there's no point in fighting against it.
They've got to work with it. And I suppose that's
a broader picture around windows for these major competitions and
the relationship between standard bilateral series and Test one day
(05:23):
Internationals and the T twenty leagues. This is still a
very fine balance. How far down the track are we
to determining something slightly more concrete.
Speaker 7 (05:31):
Heath Well, I think you're heading on what the actual
problem is here, players like Trenton Cain and whoever else
to type deciding not to take international national contracts, or
this situation we had last year where the South African
sent out their effective BC Test side to play because
(05:51):
their best side was staying and the best players were
staying in South Africa playing in their T twenty competition.
They are all symptoms of the bigger problem we have,
which is a schedule that is not centrally driven and
makes no sense. So you know, as long as.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
We've got each of the national boards.
Speaker 7 (06:12):
Effectively designing their own schedule and when their own competition
T twenty competitions will be played, and no one working
together to create an annual program that works, we're going
to have these sorts of decisions being made by both
national boards to send effective B teams to play international
cricket or players opting out of full time international cricket contracts.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
And I think That's sad because it could could easily
be solved if they.
Speaker 7 (06:37):
Were to come together and to have an annual program
that prioritized international cricket for periods during the year, but
also created windows for T twenty franchise competitions. And that
could be done if they all were to compromise a
bit and perhaps not get you the T twenty complained
at the perfect time for them, or International Ashes.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Series or whatever it might be played at the perfect time.
Speaker 7 (07:00):
If they all compromised, we could have a schedule where
we got the best of both worlds, where players could
participate in franchise competitions but they are restricted to certain
times during the year, and they then ensured that for
the rest of the year the best players were playing
international cricket. Sadly, I've seen no evidence in twenty plus
years of the boards coming together to agree a program
(07:21):
like that, so I have no confidence they will in
the short to medium too. So I think what we're
going to see is more of this where where over
time cricket moves to more of a franchise level sport
with the best players coming together at peak times, whether
for ICC events or hopefully Test cricket. Maybe other important
(07:42):
series to play international cricket. Is that the perfect outcome?
I don't think so, but I.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Suspect that's where we're heit dissecting the sporting agenda.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
It's Sportsfax with Dancy Walter Grave.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
And the sold outsign has been put up. Here we
go Eton Park, the grand old Lady of Stadia, here
in our try, New Zealand has packed itself to the
gunnels for the Super Rugby Final Chiefs the Who's coming
up on Saturday evening. It promises so much this fixture.
But the best thing by a country mile for those
(08:15):
who have not aligned to either the Blues or the Chiefs,
is that Eden Park is going to be stuffed with punters.
For those of you who have never been to Eden
Park when it is a full house, I'll tell you
right now from experience, there's nothing quite like at forty
four thousand people screaming and yelling and barracking and having
the time of their lives. The energy there is palpable,
(08:38):
be at cricket, be at rugby. Dare I say it?
Even football? It really turns on something quite extraordinary. And
I know it's not the most popular place in the world,
and I know everybody wants a downtown stadium, and I
know they're still discussing the relevance of Eden Park versus
a key park. But when push comes to shove, Eden
Park is here, Eden Park is now. Eden Park is
(09:01):
filling itself with people, and through Nick Sawner and an
incredible team, that stadium is constantly progressing. It's constantly trying
to lift its game and move forward with the stadium experience. Yeah,
it's not the b or Endle. Yeah it has problems,
but it is ours. It is here and coming up
on Saturday night, we're going to see Eden Park the
(09:22):
grand old lady, fully roused up, dressed up to the nines,
the twin set and pearls and ready to go and
show us an extraordinary crowd experience. It's like the trains work.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
The chamber is now in session on Sportsfix.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Joining me in the chamber for the Sports Fixed today
is Alex Powell. He's the digital editor of Sport and
he's ill in Herald. Alex, Welcome to the mess. I
trust you well, I'm good mate. Thank you for having me.
Good to hear it right? What are we looking at today?
Three major stories of those First up, Caine Williamson. He's saying,
you know what, I don't want to send your contract anymore.
I'm just going to go and be a pirate. Is
(09:59):
that a fair thing to say? A T twenty barbarian.
Speaker 8 (10:02):
A look on behalf of the Sports Flex podcast and
the Chamber. Let's say Caane Limson's record of piracy as exemplary,
I wouldn't say he's gonna be par at all. But no,
you're right, he has chosen to basically pick and choose
when he wants to play for New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
It's fair, unfair or it's just the sign of the times,
I suppose, isn't it, Alex.
Speaker 8 (10:19):
I mean, i'd say you're right, it's the sign of
the times. I think the stuff about doing it over
the home summer is telling, especially given that our Super
Smash and our international season clashes with A The Big
Bash and B the Ees I l T twenties, So
he could get contracts in either of those and we
just we might have seen Kamilliamson on home soil for
the last time.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
So if he does play any form of long form cricket,
it'll be tours to England, tours to India.
Speaker 8 (10:43):
Well, I mean who knows from her because honestly, if
you're not playing long form cricket, can you be picked
for long form credit. Jimmy Neisham has been open about
how he wants to keep playing Test cricket, but when
was the last time he played a first class game.
If you're not getting red Bull practicing, you're not going
to get picked for red Bull cricket.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
Well we'll see what happened without practice ahead of the
T twenty one exactly didn't. It didn't work well at all.
This is a sign of the times. As I said,
Trent boltz done it. How long es Central contracts last?
That's got to be the big question, doesn't it?
Speaker 8 (11:08):
Well it's a year, you know, they do it year
to year. They're very open during that contract and window
of who wants to play for New Zealand. Now, because
we've seen Trent Bolt said no, Martin Gupdel said no,
Gond Gronholm retired al together, Jimmy Neisham said no, and
now Kane has said no. And it looks like Luckie
Ferguson will as well.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
So you're happy with this?
Speaker 2 (11:26):
So this works for you.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
You've been around the sporting industry for a long time
you shrug your shoulders and go, oh why not.
Speaker 8 (11:31):
I'm really upset by it, but I don't know what
else to do. You can't begrudge these guys the opportunity
to go out and end for their families. If you
say to Kan Williamson, you can pick between playing for
your country or setting your family up.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
We know where he's going to go, which is fairly simple,
and we love our country, but we love our kids
even more. Let's move on to our next subject. Patrick
to a lot that will Paddy two ups as he's known.
It's a miracle he's got the way sucky Naholo leaves
around his knee. I thought it was a medial ligament damage.
Suddenly a couple of weeks down the track, he's been select.
Speaker 8 (12:01):
What six to seven weeks they were told, and here
we are, what two weeks later and he's got no
I'm all right, boys, No, Look, you've got to command
Patrick Tupelo for this putting his body on the lot.
Like I know, we say, putting your body on the line.
But you know there's a chance this goes wrong and
he does himself real damage. But he is not missing
this final for his team. He wants to be the
one lifting that trophy. If the Blues guy another twenty
(12:22):
years without winning a trophy after this, if they win it,
and that photo of Patrick Tupelo too holding the trophy
as all they.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Have, he wants that he'll do a Sam White loot one.
He'll play eighty minutes if you can. Yeah, oh, he
do ninety. What I really keen to know, in your
opinion is Raiser Robertson, who's now the All Black coach.
He picked Sam Whitelock in the face of the dean
all Black coach, Ian Foster. So I'm presuming he can't
(12:48):
really say a great deal to Feron cot around now
about Hey I need this bloke, could you not?
Speaker 2 (12:53):
No?
Speaker 8 (12:54):
Exactly? Raises pretty upfront with this stuff. He'll know, like
they have doctors making these calls. You know, if the
Blues doctor has come out and said absolutely not, they
wouldn't pick him, but they have, so there must be
something he's done to prove he's gonna play.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
Does that give the Blues a distinct edge or does it?
Do you have the fear regardless of what the doctor's
say two weeks Really it's supposed to be seven.
Speaker 8 (13:17):
I think if you're in the Blues and you look
at Patrick Tupelo too. You're going to run through a
brick wall. If your captain is doing that, what you
have no right but to do the exact same.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Full house, forty four thousand people. Patty two ups is
back the Chiefs for the Battle of the bomb Bays.
Which way does this go?
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Oh?
Speaker 8 (13:35):
Look, I mean I'm a Hurricanes fan, so I'm still
getting over last weekend.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
So I'm a Crusaders fan. I'm still getting over the
whole season.
Speaker 8 (13:41):
Yeah, but you've had seven of them in a row, mate,
you can deal with it. Look, I don't know you'd
like to think give them what we saw a couple
of weeks ago. The Blues will just be too strong
at home. But how much will it like?
Speaker 3 (13:51):
What's the same.
Speaker 8 (13:52):
You've got to lose one to win one.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
The Chiefs have.
Speaker 8 (13:53):
Lost a couple in the last few years, so they'll know.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Watch lost the Crusaders last year. The Blues lost to
the Crusaders a year before that, so and the Chiefs
was the year before that. There you go, it's got
to turn up. It's going to be great. In front
of forty four thousand people. It's finished things off the sale.
G we all saw this coming. Russell Coots or Sir
Russell Coots that particularly like the fact we'd like to
protect some flora and fauna the endangered. They are Russell
(14:18):
the engagent, Hector Dolphins. So out of christ Alan Fatah, back.
Speaker 8 (14:23):
Up to organ Well. I mean that's what's expected. It's
yet to of course be signed off. But you're right
that stoush earlier this year between Russell Coots and christ
Church was only going to have one winner when you've
got one of them making all the decisions. So it's
sad to see, but you hope that Auckland or New
Zealand and some capacity will get something on a doomsday merchant?
Speaker 3 (14:43):
Do I look at this and go oh, another major
sailing event going the way of the America's Cup and
we started it all off and we'll never see it again.
Is that catastrophizing slightly?
Speaker 8 (14:53):
At least Coldplay aren't involved this time.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
I'll stop it. Okay, that's it. I've had enough. Out
of the chamber. Alex Powell, New Zealand Herald Digital Editor,
I thank you for your time, thanks having me mate.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
This is Sportsfix, your daily dose of sports news power
by News Talks AB.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
And that's it for sportsbooks from the nineteenth of June
twenty twenty four. I'm still Darcy Walter Grave. You want
to catch up with more of the latest and greatest
you can, We drop this podcast Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday,
Friday myself or Jason Pine and of course for Auday
you need and talk back to sports Talk Monday to
Friday between at seven and eight on z B and
Jason Pine. The pine Man takes over the reins of
(15:32):
the station between twelve and three Saturday and Sunday for
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Speaker 1 (15:39):
For more from News Talks ed B, listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to a podcast from news talks It be
follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sportsfix Howard By.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
News talks it B Here we go again, Welcome into
the Sports Fix. It is the nineteenth of June twenty
twenty four on Darcy Watergrove. This is your home for
the latest of the greatest in sport nationally and Internatalie.
What a dose we're going to dip yours well. Starting
things off with the boss of the New Zealand Cricket
Plays Association, Heath Mills, as we discuss the issue around
(00:40):
Kin Williamson. He will no longer be a nationally contracted player.
He's going to become a T twenty pirate. We'll talk
more about that with Heath later. And the piece I
got some thoughts for you around Eden Park and the
fact that the Grand Old Lady, the National Stadium as
they call it, has actually sold out and sold out
for a game of super rugby, not for an all
(01:02):
black fixture. This is fantastic news. And then in the
chamber old Trap Alex Power, New Zealand Herald Digital editor
in there with me to discuss some of the big
sports stories of the day. All right, here we go again.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
In other news, DOUN deduct base for the sporting newsmakers
Today go New Zellan Cricket Chief Executive Scott Weennick has
outlined former skipper Kay Williamson's national availability now that he's
turned down a central contract.
Speaker 5 (01:32):
Most of not all, of the test patches over the
remainder of this year, and then the bulk of the
white ball matches that we have in Gebury March, which
includes the champions trophy in Pakistan.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Cruise away Hugilist that David Nieker has climbed on board
the Duco Express, the nine to zero fighter has armed
himself with proven performers. Duco promoted Joe Park on his
way toward w BO Heavyweight crown.
Speaker 6 (01:58):
Knowing that Duco has been working on these relationships for
the last eighteen months and you know, we've.
Speaker 7 (02:03):
Got really really solid support.
Speaker 6 (02:05):
Now we can take this all the way and they
bring these these bulf back to New Zealand and fight
in front of home crowd.
Speaker 3 (02:10):
Super Rugbies it's super round, not so super. It's still standing,
but it's carrying some kryptonite. The rebels are toast the
Victorian state government are no longer funding the event, so
Super Rugby Pacific is looking elsewhere to hold the weekend
celebration of Super Rugby Check. Kevin Molloy outlined to move
to the Rugby Direct podcast.
Speaker 6 (02:31):
The reason we had it in Melbourne was a Victorian
state government wrote a nice big check for all the
teams that missed out on home advantages. So you know
we are reliant on that financial backing for it and
that does take a lot of the news.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
What does take New Zealand out of it? Completely?
Speaker 3 (02:46):
News newsmakers done, news and opinion.
Speaker 1 (02:50):
It's Force Fix with Darcy Valdegreve.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
We now welcome to the podcast ahead of the New
Zealand Cricket Players Association Heath mills Ay, Heath, So, been
a pretty big day for you guys.
Speaker 7 (03:03):
Yeah, I guess there's always always a bit of interest.
Win player like came makes a move like he's done today,
I guess, yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
So it's a big move. He's decided not to pick
up a central contract anymore. He still will be available.
The Captaincy is no longer his and he's going to
carry on his career basically cruising around the world playing
T twenty make himself a bit of coin. It makes
sense for a person like him. How long has this
been in the pipeline for he?
Speaker 7 (03:30):
Look, I think we've seen this for a few years now,
the growth of the T twenty franchise leagues around the world,
commercial partners, broadcast as fans. They are really engaging those
leagues and they're becoming more and more attractive to our players,
and our players.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
Are in demand.
Speaker 7 (03:45):
So now, obviously last year we had Trent and Jimmy
Nisham who opted to take casual playing agreements with New
Zealand Crickets so they could be away in January February,
essentially the height of our summer playing and T twenty
franchise competitions, and Kine has made the call to do
that this year. So it's not shouldn't be surprised to anyone,
and I think we're going to see a few more,
(04:06):
maybe not this year, made one or two more this year,
but certainly in the years ahead, where where our guys
are just so attractive to these competitions and they're growing
in value the competition. So unfortunately they're often played at
the height of our summer, so they're going to make
the choice to go and.
Speaker 2 (04:21):
Participate in these leagues.
Speaker 7 (04:22):
And I guess Darcy, from my point of view, I
think we've got a really good contract system here in
New Zealand, in a good partnership with New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (04:31):
Cricket, and we have flexibility in our system.
Speaker 7 (04:33):
So although Kane is not going to be on an
international plane agreement, he essentially is still going to be
playing for New Zealand for most of the year. It's
just that he won't be here in January. In February
he'll be off playing for someone else. But I know
talking to Kane he's very very committed to his Test
career and wants to keep playing Test cricket for the
next two or three years in major ic events, et cetera.
(04:57):
So I don't think it's the end of the world.
It's actually probably quite a good outcome for him and
New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
Credit Basically, New Zealand Cricket have to aquierce to the
wants of these leagues because they's just simply so so
much money and there's no point in fighting against it.
They've got to work with it. And I suppose that's
a broader picture around windows for these major competitions and
the relationship between standard bilateral series and Test one day
(05:23):
Internationals and the T twenty leagues. This is still a
very fine balance. How far down the track are we
to determining something slightly more concrete.
Speaker 7 (05:31):
Heath Well, I think you're heading on what the actual
problem is here, players like Trenton Cain and whoever else
to type deciding not to take international national contracts, or
this situation we had last year where the South African
sent out their effective BC Test side to play because
(05:51):
their best side was staying and the best players were
staying in South Africa playing in their T twenty competition.
They are all symptoms of the bigger problem we have,
which is a schedule that is not centrally driven and
makes no sense. So you know, as long as.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
We've got each of the national boards.
Speaker 7 (06:12):
Effectively designing their own schedule and when their own competition
T twenty competitions will be played, and no one working
together to create an annual program that works, we're going
to have these sorts of decisions being made by both
national boards to send effective B teams to play international
cricket or players opting out of full time international cricket contracts.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
And I think That's sad because it could could easily
be solved if they.
Speaker 7 (06:37):
Were to come together and to have an annual program
that prioritized international cricket for periods during the year, but
also created windows for T twenty franchise competitions. And that
could be done if they all were to compromise a
bit and perhaps not get you the T twenty complained
at the perfect time for them, or International Ashes.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Series or whatever it might be played at the perfect time.
Speaker 7 (07:00):
If they all compromised, we could have a schedule where
we got the best of both worlds, where players could
participate in franchise competitions but they are restricted to certain
times during the year, and they then ensured that for
the rest of the year the best players were playing
international cricket. Sadly, I've seen no evidence in twenty plus
years of the boards coming together to agree a program
(07:21):
like that, so I have no confidence they will in
the short to medium too. So I think what we're
going to see is more of this where where over
time cricket moves to more of a franchise level sport
with the best players coming together at peak times, whether
for ICC events or hopefully Test cricket. Maybe other important
(07:42):
series to play international cricket. Is that the perfect outcome?
I don't think so, but I.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Suspect that's where we're heit dissecting the sporting agenda.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
It's Sportsfax with Dancy Walter Grave.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
And the sold outsign has been put up. Here we
go Eton Park, the grand old Lady of Stadia, here
in our try, New Zealand has packed itself to the
gunnels for the Super Rugby Final Chiefs the Who's coming
up on Saturday evening. It promises so much this fixture.
But the best thing by a country mile for those
(08:15):
who have not aligned to either the Blues or the Chiefs,
is that Eden Park is going to be stuffed with punters.
For those of you who have never been to Eden
Park when it is a full house, I'll tell you
right now from experience, there's nothing quite like at forty
four thousand people screaming and yelling and barracking and having
the time of their lives. The energy there is palpable,
(08:38):
be at cricket, be at rugby. Dare I say it?
Even football? It really turns on something quite extraordinary. And
I know it's not the most popular place in the world,
and I know everybody wants a downtown stadium, and I
know they're still discussing the relevance of Eden Park versus
a key park. But when push comes to shove, Eden
Park is here, Eden Park is now. Eden Park is
(09:01):
filling itself with people, and through Nick Sawner and an
incredible team, that stadium is constantly progressing. It's constantly trying
to lift its game and move forward with the stadium experience. Yeah,
it's not the b or Endle. Yeah it has problems,
but it is ours. It is here and coming up
on Saturday night, we're going to see Eden Park the
(09:22):
grand old lady, fully roused up, dressed up to the nines,
the twin set and pearls and ready to go and
show us an extraordinary crowd experience. It's like the trains work.
Speaker 1 (09:33):
The chamber is now in session on Sportsfix.
Speaker 3 (09:39):
Joining me in the chamber for the Sports Fixed today
is Alex Powell. He's the digital editor of Sport and
he's ill in Herald. Alex, Welcome to the mess. I
trust you well, I'm good mate. Thank you for having me.
Good to hear it right? What are we looking at today?
Three major stories of those First up, Caine Williamson. He's saying,
you know what, I don't want to send your contract anymore.
I'm just going to go and be a pirate. Is
(09:59):
that a fair thing to say? A T twenty barbarian.
Speaker 8 (10:02):
A look on behalf of the Sports Flex podcast and
the Chamber. Let's say Caane Limson's record of piracy as exemplary,
I wouldn't say he's gonna be par at all. But no,
you're right, he has chosen to basically pick and choose
when he wants to play for New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (10:15):
It's fair, unfair or it's just the sign of the times,
I suppose, isn't it, Alex.
Speaker 8 (10:19):
I mean, i'd say you're right, it's the sign of
the times. I think the stuff about doing it over
the home summer is telling, especially given that our Super
Smash and our international season clashes with A The Big
Bash and B the Ees I l T twenties, So
he could get contracts in either of those and we
just we might have seen Kamilliamson on home soil for
the last time.
Speaker 3 (10:38):
So if he does play any form of long form cricket,
it'll be tours to England, tours to India.
Speaker 8 (10:43):
Well, I mean who knows from her because honestly, if
you're not playing long form cricket, can you be picked
for long form credit. Jimmy Neisham has been open about
how he wants to keep playing Test cricket, but when
was the last time he played a first class game.
If you're not getting red Bull practicing, you're not going
to get picked for red Bull cricket.
Speaker 3 (10:57):
Well we'll see what happened without practice ahead of the
T twenty one exactly didn't. It didn't work well at all.
This is a sign of the times. As I said,
Trent boltz done it. How long es Central contracts last?
That's got to be the big question, doesn't it?
Speaker 8 (11:08):
Well it's a year, you know, they do it year
to year. They're very open during that contract and window
of who wants to play for New Zealand. Now, because
we've seen Trent Bolt said no, Martin Gupdel said no,
Gond Gronholm retired al together, Jimmy Neisham said no, and
now Kane has said no. And it looks like Luckie
Ferguson will as well.
Speaker 3 (11:25):
So you're happy with this?
Speaker 2 (11:26):
So this works for you.
Speaker 3 (11:27):
You've been around the sporting industry for a long time
you shrug your shoulders and go, oh why not.
Speaker 8 (11:31):
I'm really upset by it, but I don't know what
else to do. You can't begrudge these guys the opportunity
to go out and end for their families. If you
say to Kan Williamson, you can pick between playing for
your country or setting your family up.
Speaker 3 (11:42):
We know where he's going to go, which is fairly simple,
and we love our country, but we love our kids
even more. Let's move on to our next subject. Patrick
to a lot that will Paddy two ups as he's known.
It's a miracle he's got the way sucky Naholo leaves
around his knee. I thought it was a medial ligament damage.
Suddenly a couple of weeks down the track, he's been select.
Speaker 8 (12:01):
What six to seven weeks they were told, and here
we are, what two weeks later and he's got no
I'm all right, boys, No, Look, you've got to command
Patrick Tupelo for this putting his body on the lot.
Like I know, we say, putting your body on the line.
But you know there's a chance this goes wrong and
he does himself real damage. But he is not missing
this final for his team. He wants to be the
one lifting that trophy. If the Blues guy another twenty
(12:22):
years without winning a trophy after this, if they win it,
and that photo of Patrick Tupelo too holding the trophy
as all they.
Speaker 3 (12:28):
Have, he wants that he'll do a Sam White loot one.
He'll play eighty minutes if you can. Yeah, oh, he
do ninety. What I really keen to know, in your
opinion is Raiser Robertson, who's now the All Black coach.
He picked Sam Whitelock in the face of the dean
all Black coach, Ian Foster. So I'm presuming he can't
(12:48):
really say a great deal to Feron cot around now
about Hey I need this bloke, could you not?
Speaker 2 (12:53):
No?
Speaker 8 (12:54):
Exactly? Raises pretty upfront with this stuff. He'll know, like
they have doctors making these calls. You know, if the
Blues doctor has come out and said absolutely not, they
wouldn't pick him, but they have, so there must be
something he's done to prove he's gonna play.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
Does that give the Blues a distinct edge or does it?
Do you have the fear regardless of what the doctor's
say two weeks Really it's supposed to be seven.
Speaker 8 (13:17):
I think if you're in the Blues and you look
at Patrick Tupelo too. You're going to run through a
brick wall. If your captain is doing that, what you
have no right but to do the exact same.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Full house, forty four thousand people. Patty two ups is
back the Chiefs for the Battle of the bomb Bays.
Which way does this go?
Speaker 2 (13:34):
Oh?
Speaker 8 (13:35):
Look, I mean I'm a Hurricanes fan, so I'm still
getting over last weekend.
Speaker 3 (13:38):
So I'm a Crusaders fan. I'm still getting over the
whole season.
Speaker 8 (13:41):
Yeah, but you've had seven of them in a row, mate,
you can deal with it. Look, I don't know you'd
like to think give them what we saw a couple
of weeks ago. The Blues will just be too strong
at home. But how much will it like?
Speaker 3 (13:51):
What's the same.
Speaker 8 (13:52):
You've got to lose one to win one.
Speaker 2 (13:53):
The Chiefs have.
Speaker 8 (13:53):
Lost a couple in the last few years, so they'll know.
Speaker 3 (13:56):
Watch lost the Crusaders last year. The Blues lost to
the Crusaders a year before that, so and the Chiefs
was the year before that. There you go, it's got
to turn up. It's going to be great. In front
of forty four thousand people. It's finished things off the sale.
G we all saw this coming. Russell Coots or Sir
Russell Coots that particularly like the fact we'd like to
protect some flora and fauna the endangered. They are Russell
(14:18):
the engagent, Hector Dolphins. So out of christ Alan Fatah, back.
Speaker 8 (14:23):
Up to organ Well. I mean that's what's expected. It's
yet to of course be signed off. But you're right
that stoush earlier this year between Russell Coots and christ
Church was only going to have one winner when you've
got one of them making all the decisions. So it's
sad to see, but you hope that Auckland or New
Zealand and some capacity will get something on a doomsday merchant?
Speaker 3 (14:43):
Do I look at this and go oh, another major
sailing event going the way of the America's Cup and
we started it all off and we'll never see it again.
Is that catastrophizing slightly?
Speaker 8 (14:53):
At least Coldplay aren't involved this time.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
I'll stop it. Okay, that's it. I've had enough. Out
of the chamber. Alex Powell, New Zealand Herald Digital Editor,
I thank you for your time, thanks having me mate.
Speaker 1 (15:03):
This is Sportsfix, your daily dose of sports news power
by News Talks AB.
Speaker 3 (15:10):
And that's it for sportsbooks from the nineteenth of June
twenty twenty four. I'm still Darcy Walter Grave. You want
to catch up with more of the latest and greatest
you can, We drop this podcast Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday,
Friday myself or Jason Pine and of course for Auday
you need and talk back to sports Talk Monday to
Friday between at seven and eight on z B and
Jason Pine. The pine Man takes over the reins of
(15:32):
the station between twelve and three Saturday and Sunday for
weekend sport like after yourself, y'all.
Speaker 1 (15:39):
For more from News Talks ed 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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