March 24, 2025 • 22 mins
On Sports Fix with D'Arcy Waldegrave for Tuesday 25 March 2025, Jason Pine catches up with All Whites head coach Darren Bazeley.
Job done at Eden Park, beating New Caledonia to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, but now the real mahi starts. What must be rolled out between now and the big dance in the Americas?
The Black Caps take on Pakistan in an ODI series, and the squad is out for the last flex of the New Zealand summer. The international home summer has been challenging for the fan, but is there a silver lining? D’Arcy climbs in.
And NZ Herald scribe Alex Powell bursts into the chamber to discuss the most pressing sport issues of the day.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks ed B
follow this and our wide range of podcast now on iHeartRadio.
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks It be by.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Hello there, welcome on into the Sports Figs podcast. My
name is Darcy Walter Grave. This is all you need
to know about today in sport in a dainy bite
sized package. So chow on down. What have you got
for you to synk your teeth into well? Darren Baisley
is on the podcast. He was joined by our mister
Football that is Jason Pineal and so co host this
(00:43):
podcast from time to time. He caught up with him
this morning to talk about what now for the All Whites.
Darren and Piney up next. I've got some opinion, plainly
on what happens in the Indian summer, which is actually
Pakistan for the black Cats team has been announced as
the odd international summer winds down. What are they doing?
(01:06):
What are they attempting to do? What's up for the
black Caps? And joining us in the chamber is Alex Powell,
New Zealand Herald sports journalists like me Ida loves his
Formula one. We'll talk about the ruckus around Liam Lawson
and we'll drive at a super rugby in years down.
So that's our master plan. Head down, the US up,
(01:28):
crouch bind seat in other news and from the mouths
of men all the summer around anyway in sports football,
it's all about football. The gorilla on the back of
the All Whites has been sent panking. Now the World
Cup bound team are focused on the international windows to
(01:48):
further their advancing fortunes. Coach Darren Baisley has the dates locked.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
June, September, October, November and then following March will be
the windows. So we'll fill those windows with good games
and get together you know at those times. Apart from that,
you're right, we stay pretty connected group.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
The international summer of cricket draws to a close with
a one day series against you guess that Pakistan. Two
newcomers have been selected as coach Gary Stead strives to
create depth ahead of next year's ODEI World Cup. Mo
Abbas is one of the new pair.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
Is a younger player, exciting, I think, a real real talent,
especially in playing spin bowling. I guess his ability to
bowl a little bit of left arm seam as well
is really helpful in trying to build out depth of
all round us.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
And really driver Hagen Padden has had some issues with
the locals. At the Rally of Canberra, he hit a
giant agro rabbit who kicked his ass, crunching his car,
ending Hayden's chances of winning. The aforementioned kangaroo wasn't available
for comment. Trying to read what the animal was doing
and to try and avoid it.
Speaker 5 (02:58):
At the point when we.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
First saw it, there was probably about a second to
reactual watch streets we went and.
Speaker 6 (03:02):
It looked like it was going to keep crossing the road,
but unfortunately it stopped and fast. You've then come in
the middle of the.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
Car rodent and that's Sports Today to the mounds of
the men that created it.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
News It's Sportsfix with Dancy Valdegreve.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
It's been a surreal summer when it comes to the
summer game here in New Zealand. Well I'm saying it anyway,
the game of course of cricket, it's been very splintered, unstructured.
There's been plenty going on and plenty of players are
being used throughout One day Internationals, throughout t twenties and
from time to time when we play a Test it
(03:42):
seems like it's gone out with a we end it
all with the One Day series against Pakistan. It's after
the T twenty series against Pakistan, after going over and
playing against Pakistan, not complaining. It is all about cricket
and it's all about getting the runs under your belt,
getting the balls bold for this team who next year
(04:05):
will be facing the might of the rest of the
world One Day International World Cup. What's being done right here,
right now, and what has been done since the end
of the Champions Trophy is an attempt to build depth.
From a fan perspective, it's awful that some of the
superstars of our game are not involved. We don't get
(04:26):
to see them on the park. The youth of today
don't get to go along and watch these superstars because
of course you can't beat them if you can't see them.
But it's very pragmatic from New Zealand Cricket. As you
well know, these guys have reached the top of their tree.
These guys are worth a lot of money. It simply
can't be made up for with the large jess if
(04:48):
you can call it that of New Zealand Cricket. So
off they scoot, they flee to make the money. Now
you could see this as being a particularly bad thing.
You can see this as being a blow to the
international profile of the game here in New Zealand. Or
if your glass is half full, you could see this
as a prime opportunity to put players in positions of
(05:11):
pressure case they are needed come the World Cup next year.
They should be able to seamlessly wander into the roles
that are vacated through injury or sacking or whatever else.
Half empty, it's been a bit of a disaster. Half full,
it is fantastic preparation. But what I love to say
is I don't see the glass it's being half full
(05:33):
or half empty. I just look at the beauty of
the glass. And that's what I think about cricket.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Dissecting the sporting agenda, it's Sportsfix with Darcy Waldgrave.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
After a successful night at Eden Parker, Darren Bezy sat
down with mister football here at News Talk ZB Jason
Pine to have a yarn about the future.
Speaker 6 (05:57):
All right, Darren, we've given up the overnight test. You've
woken up with qualification secured. How do you reflect on
the events of last night out on Eden park Yeah, it.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
Probably hasn't really sunk in the enormity of everything, you know,
woken up and probably feel good that we've got job done.
Speaker 7 (06:15):
That's the most important thing.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
You know.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
We needed to win games for football. We won those,
you know, and we've qualified. So now we get to
look ahead and you know, really think about, you know,
what that means and what it's going to be, and
how that experience is going to look like.
Speaker 6 (06:28):
You know, I guess that is it now, isn't it.
Speaker 7 (06:30):
This is just the start of.
Speaker 6 (06:31):
The journey, isn't it. Now you start planning for the
World Cup, I know, heating into ocean, you're qualifying, you
probably at times let yourself think, okay, if we make it, what.
Speaker 5 (06:39):
Do we do?
Speaker 6 (06:40):
But now you are there, so the planning starts in
earnest What will that planning consist of?
Speaker 7 (06:44):
From your point of view?
Speaker 3 (06:46):
Yeah, I mean, going back to that, I never really
let myself look ahead, you know, and of what it
would feel like, you know, qualifying for World Cup. But
I always felt the responsibility of ensuring that we did qualify.
Mostly you know, you know, we needed to qualify. We
were the favorites, you know, playing Oceana teams. It was
(07:06):
obvious to everybody that you should qualify, So that was
a different challenge and one that you know, we've achieved now,
which is great. And yeah, now we do. We get
to look ahead at the World Cup. You know, we'll
have some great windows building up. We're going to have
some really good games and against top fifty teams in
the world, which will prepare us really well. And yeah,
it's exciting. We can't wait for the drawer.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Yea.
Speaker 6 (07:28):
How important is it that you are together regularly as
a playing group as a coaching staff. I know you
stay connected and you know with the marvels of WhatsApp
and zoom, et cetera. But how important is physical time
together in games over the next twelve months or so.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
I mean, it's always important, you know, but with the
sort of limitations of FIFA and the windows, you know,
we can only do that in the international windows. So
there's five I think we've got five of them before
we get together for the World Cup. So it'll be June, September, October, November,
and then the following March will be the windows. So
we'll fill those windows with good games and get together
(08:02):
you know at those times. So apart from that, you're right,
we stay pretty connected as a group. The boys are
always you know, in conversations and you know, in communications
with myself and each other, so it's important. And yeah,
everybody's really really excited looking forward.
Speaker 6 (08:20):
Do you have any clarity get on squad size as
a twenty three twenty six?
Speaker 7 (08:23):
Have you got any clarity? No real clarity.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
We're hearing it might be pushed to twenty six, but
that was like the last time, but that was a
sort of around COVID, so we're not sure if it
were twenty three or twenty six, or maybe they'll pick
a different number.
Speaker 7 (08:35):
But yeah, whatever it is, it means now.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
That it gets competitive for players and selections. And I'm
sure there's a lot of players around the world. You know,
we're watching last night, you know, and when boxes squad,
I'm sure they were.
Speaker 7 (08:49):
Like, oh, here we go.
Speaker 3 (08:50):
Now they've got a chance to go to a World Cup.
So yeah, it does open up. Obviously, the players've been
working with are in sort of that position at the moment.
But yeah, for sure, you know, when we finally pick
a World Cup squad, you know, there's always going to
be changes and that does give opportunity to.
Speaker 6 (09:06):
People You've seen often that it's important that your players
are playing. It sounds obvious, but it's true, isn't it.
You need to be playing at club level in order
to keep your fitness up, catch your ay, all that
sort of thing. So how important is it for you know,
not just as twenty three but another potentially twenty thirty
guys that they're getting consistent club minutes over the next
(09:27):
year or so.
Speaker 3 (09:27):
Yeah, I mean it's really important. Everybody in the team
plays a sort of different role. So whilst we want
everybody playing ninety minutes every game for their clubs and
being really consistent and performing well that, you know, we
do also need players that you are ready to come
off the bench, you know, and we're going to have
eleven starters, and those guys that come off the bench
(09:48):
are really important, and you know, for some of them, unfortunately,
that's a good role that fits for some of them,
you know, coming off and affecting the game, and some
people do it for their clubs, you know, so if
they're performing at a high level, you know, then that's
probably the most important thing. Your minutes is great, consistency
is great. What they do with us is important when
we get together. But yeah, it's going to get super competitive.
(10:10):
It was for this tour picking a squad, and I
can imagine it's going to get even harder.
Speaker 6 (10:15):
And harder for you because I think the two previous
coaches to take teams to the World Cup probably could
pretty much write down there twenty three or certainly twenty
of them. I feel like, I don't know, and you
might be able to correct me here that you could
probably write down fifteen or sixteen. But there are a
lot of There's a lot of names on your whiteboard, right,
So how will you negotiate that as a man manager
(10:36):
of these players?
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Yeah, I mean I stay in touch with the wider
group pretty regularly. You know, we watch a lot of
their games. We sort of know what they're doing and
the way I work, I try to you know, if
it's bad news, I'll talk to them and be honest
and upfront with them. I think they appreciate that. So yeah,
we'll just stay in touch contact. I think, you know,
we'll make sure that everybody understands that it's open at
(10:59):
the moment, and it will be open until quite close
to the World come, until we actually select that squad,
because you don't know what's going to happen. If we
lose a player, we need, you know, through an injury
or something. We need to have players available to step in.
You know, we played a game last night and you know,
we didn't expect woods each to come off, you know,
with what happened, and and then Costa comes on and
scores a great goal. So we've got players, We've got depth,
(11:22):
and there's always going to be opportunities for players, so
we need to be ready.
Speaker 6 (11:26):
And just to you, finally, this must feel really nice.
Remember it's a different scenario. I mean, member Sir Graham
Henry said after winning the World Cup he felt a
sense of immense calm. I mean, you've qualified for a
World Cup, you've got a road ahead of you. But
how were your emotions last night when you got back
to your room and you and Dawn on you. We've
(11:46):
done it, We've done this.
Speaker 7 (11:47):
But yeah, yeah, it was nice.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
You know, there's there's obviously a little bit of pressure,
but a different type of pressure this time around because
it's we're playing Oceana teams and that's not to be disrespectful,
but these are games we should win, and these are
games you know, we should win comfortably. And last night
became a little bit uncomfortable at times. You know, I
think everybody coming off of the Fiji game that was
(12:12):
comfortable was expecting to go into another one of those games.
And we'd warn the players and we'd prep them no complacency,
and you know, you don't expect a game like that,
and yeah, it was a different game, but they found
a way and adapted, you know, in the second half,
and yeah, finally got that job done. So I think
it's a bit of probably satisfaction and like you're right
(12:34):
calmness to know that, Okay, that was a job done.
You know, we say the way I sort of described
it is we've sort of safely navigated the journey through
the qualifiers.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
The Chamber is now incision on Sports Fix.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
We're doing now in the Chamber by Alex Powell as
we talk the biggest sports stories of the day, and
this Liam Lawson story won't go away. It's gaining huge traction.
We know you're a Formula one deek like myself. Every
appears a couple of hours there's a new story coming
in about the future of Liam Lawson. We got no idea, right.
Speaker 5 (13:09):
No, I mean, and that's this is just the nature
of the sport and of the industry. Red Bull have
said they're having a meeting once they get back to
Milton Keynes, like they do after every race weekend and
in this case couple of race weekends, and that's when
they'll discuss it all. I don't see a world where
they make a change yet. I don't think it's fair
to Liam if they just swap him out after.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
So based on what though, what don't you think's fair
that he's had to encounter so far that would suggest
it's cruel to get rid of him.
Speaker 5 (13:36):
The fact it's been two races in a car he's
not up to speed with yet having its practice time limited,
having had his testing time limited on tracks he's never
driven on in conditions where he was robbed of a
practice session in Melbourne, He's two practice sessions in China
because it was a sprint weekend. So I think if
they were to make the switch now, it would be
cruel and it would effectively be no way back for
(13:57):
Liam after that.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
With Red Bull, they're not given him enough rope to
hang himself with. Yet some people would say you are
average qualifying at nineteen point three, which basically right at
the back it's not a great way to start. But
everything you read about this currency Alex Elbot, who used
to run with Max fst Stappen, says that this is
a bucking Bronco, This is a swine of a car
to drive.
Speaker 5 (14:18):
And Verstappins basically said that as well. He said, there's
no way the junior team should be close to us
and to have a bit of understanding for what's happening
to Liam Lawson. So look, I think it is it
is just a mess at the moment with what redbel
have done. They've gone so far in verstapins favor that
even he can't drive it now because they're just what
he can't canny. That's the thing. It's difficult. Well, that's
(14:39):
the thing is that he can drive it because he's
that good. But it doesn't matter who they put in
that second seat at the moment, they're not going to
get a grip on it.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
What do we say about the racing balls and what
they've done so far because they've looked good. Is it
too much to suggest if Liam was in that car
he'd looked just as good.
Speaker 5 (14:55):
Yeah, absolutely think that. You Look at Isaac Hadja, who
in his first race Oh, I like that guy.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
He's something else is and you know how long you'll last.
Speaker 5 (15:01):
Bit of a hot here, but a well he beend
it on the formation lap in Melbourne and then had
a great Chinese Grand Prix and a car that you
know as built to bring out some of his better qualities.
And if Liam was in that seat, I imagine it
would be similar like the way Yuki Sonoda is. Remember
that Liam Lawson was put into this red Bull seat
because they felt he was a better option than Yuki Sonoda.
Nuki Sonoda has qualified in the top ten twice and
(15:23):
has finished at the back of the grid. Were sorry
finished twelfth, twelve or eleventh in Melbourne and last on
track it's a sho well.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
So going back to Liam, though, he's an easy target
at the moment because Formula one is like this, they
need someone to look at and this is the guy
that's making the He's not making any ground and everyone
had great expectations on the sky, so he definitely get target.
Speaker 5 (15:42):
Lightning doesn't strike four times, all right. You can't look
at Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson and
say the drivers of the problem. It is clearly the car,
you know, and this has been an issue since twenty nineteen,
when now it's twenty twenty five, and what's really masked
the whole thing is that Maxistappan is just so brilliant.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
What of the stories around why didn't they pick up
Carlos Saints he was available? And that's obviously been thrown up.
Then it's like a A, he's got a great record,
he's a proven driver.
Speaker 5 (16:11):
Why not Carla since has been at Red Bull before.
All right, let's not forget that. I know it was
before Drive to Survive, so no one really knows about it,
but Carla Science has been there before. And the talk
is that the two fathers, Carlos Seins senior and Yos
for stap and maxis dad, they don't like each other.
There's no way you would get those two in the
same team.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
And with the uk Sonoda situation, crawl again in a
week and a half because of any track he's got
knowledge of as far as Liam's concerned, it's racing at Suzuka.
He knows the place, so it's a much better opportunity.
After his third attempt to actually get a deck, I'm
not drawing straws and I'm not clutching at the moment.
Speaker 5 (16:48):
No, Like I mean, I think we'll take all we
can at this point, won't because we want to see
our guy doing well, and that's fear.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
Although there was some uplifting things over the weekend, it
wasn't all disappointment for Liam Wilson. He didn't stick it
in the fence. He managed to get elevated up to twelfth.
There was a couple of really slick passing manovers. He
had to start from pitt Lane because they were tweaking
with the car, so you had a lot to learn.
But it wasn't an out and out disaster.
Speaker 6 (17:12):
No.
Speaker 5 (17:12):
But in saying that you can't be you cannot be
starting back of the grid and that car for that
team and expect to just have it all go your
way and not be any scrutiny on you forever. That's
just not how the sport works. It's not how Red
Bull work.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
I say, less time wearing sponsors product and maybe you
stop with the GQ shoots. That's just me though. Hey,
no Anzac test the ins that I have come out
and said day.
Speaker 5 (17:37):
Are we surprised?
Speaker 7 (17:39):
No?
Speaker 5 (17:39):
No, they weren't going to take a two week break
from Super Rugby to Sorry, it wasn't even gonna be
a break. It was just go a two week window
where the All Blacks didn't play Super Rugby. They were
getting ready for a test.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Now what happens when the All Blacks don't play Super Rugby?
He said, knowing, damn, Well, what your answer is going
to be?
Speaker 5 (17:55):
Well, it's for me. It's a less entertating product.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
And what is Super Rugby? It's just the shop window
just before you get to international rape. We've seen what's
happened this year. Right, I'm going to pull you off
on that because I don't think it.
Speaker 5 (18:07):
I think it should be the shot winner of Super
but I don't think it is anymore because you look
at Super Rugby and we're getting guys play five games
and have arrest. So we've basically we've picked the All
Blacks and then try and manage them in Super Rugby.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
Okay, So it's a shot window like Michael Hill, and
it's been punched in with a lump hammer. Yeah, round rated,
it's got the potential and we've seen it. Now. There's
nothing written in stone around all Black rotation, rest all
that policy, which has been an absolute disaster and the
result of that, we're seeing a much better competition unless
you watch the Blues stumble against the Crusaders on Saturday night.
(18:39):
But again, what was the issue there? They've lost half
their team.
Speaker 5 (18:43):
What do they do with the Blues? Eh pray?
Speaker 2 (18:47):
I thought some pres It never worked for anybody.
Speaker 5 (18:49):
Is there any way back for them by the bye
I don't think so. I think they've now just like
losing Patrick Tupelotto is huge. You remember that final that
we were in here before the final last year when
he declared himself fit having been ruled out. You know
that sort of character in your team, lifting everyone else
around you. If you don't have that, they've not really
been able to settle along a first choice first five,
which has been huge we saw with the Crusaders last year.
(19:11):
If you don't have that, then your team's not really
going to get far quickly. So I think there's so
many issues with the Blues at the moment and it
just shows a how quickly things can turn, but b
how close the competition is that the defending champions can
go to being the strugglers so quickly.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
And on the Crusaders who were the strugglers last year,
brought a lot of joy to people who can't stand
the one eyed can tabs. But they've turned it this
time around. They're looking likely what you see is this
because they have consistency in that section. James O'Connor off
the bench.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
I mean, I think you look at James Otton. Genuinely,
James O'Connor has added a lot to that team in
terms of just being a mentor for not only Tower Comana,
but the younger players. You know, here's a guy who's
made his mistakes at the highest level and they know
what they're going to get out of them. But I mean,
you look at the Crusader season last year. They didn't
have Cody Taylor half, but they didn't have Will Jordan
for any of it. Who else did they not have?
They were so hit by injuries. They play David Eveli
(20:01):
at ten one point because they just didn't have anyone else.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
They lost some very close games, which didn't help. So
it went off the rail was very very fast. But right,
do you think that Rob Penny that was learned a
whole bunch from last year we seen.
Speaker 5 (20:12):
Well, I mean, of course he would have any I mean, ultimately,
this professional sport you're always going to learn more from
your failures than you do from your successes. But I
mean credit does need to go to the Crusader's management
and to have Colin Mansbridge's the CEO for actually looking
at the problem and seeing it for what it was,
not for what they were being told it was, which
is the coach isn't right.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
It's so easy to blame the coach and kick them out,
but they didn't do that. It must have been tempting,
but no, and that's I suppose why it's a franchise
of so much success.
Speaker 5 (20:36):
Yeah, it's a very lazy trope in sport and sports
journalism to look at a problem and just say, well,
the thing to do is sack the coach. And Colin
Mansbridge came out and said that. He said that if
there was something seriously wrong then we would sack the coach.
And we don't think it is.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Out of the other New Zealand franchises, the Chiefs are
still hidding shoulders, an't they.
Speaker 5 (20:51):
They've been the most consistent team for about four years
now and I certainly they've not gone over the line
in a final, But you look at the job Clayt
mcwillan's done and turning that team around from where they
were when he took over after the Warren Gatland years,
which I mean, I think we're talking about coaches getting
a hard time, but I think Warren Gatland also falls
into that category. But yeah, I mean, yeah, that's the
Chiefs for me are the competition favorites.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
And on that note, that uplifting note for Chiefs fans,
we bid you fare well. Alex Powell. He's a sports
reporter for the New Zealand Heral. Thanks for your time.
Speaker 7 (21:19):
Thanks BNK.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
This is Sports Fix, your daily does of sports news
how and by News Talks EBB.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
And that's it for the Sports Fix. Thanks very much
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(21:49):
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(22:11):
Catch it tomorrow for.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
More from News Talks at b Listen live on air
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follow this and our wide range of podcast now on iHeartRadio.
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Speaker 2 (00:21):
Hello there, welcome on into the Sports Figs podcast. My
name is Darcy Walter Grave. This is all you need
to know about today in sport in a dainy bite
sized package. So chow on down. What have you got
for you to synk your teeth into well? Darren Baisley
is on the podcast. He was joined by our mister
Football that is Jason Pineal and so co host this
(00:43):
podcast from time to time. He caught up with him
this morning to talk about what now for the All Whites.
Darren and Piney up next. I've got some opinion, plainly
on what happens in the Indian summer, which is actually
Pakistan for the black Cats team has been announced as
the odd international summer winds down. What are they doing?
(01:06):
What are they attempting to do? What's up for the
black Caps? And joining us in the chamber is Alex Powell,
New Zealand Herald sports journalists like me Ida loves his
Formula one. We'll talk about the ruckus around Liam Lawson
and we'll drive at a super rugby in years down.
So that's our master plan. Head down, the US up,
(01:28):
crouch bind seat in other news and from the mouths
of men all the summer around anyway in sports football,
it's all about football. The gorilla on the back of
the All Whites has been sent panking. Now the World
Cup bound team are focused on the international windows to
(01:48):
further their advancing fortunes. Coach Darren Baisley has the dates locked.
Speaker 3 (01:54):
June, September, October, November and then following March will be
the windows. So we'll fill those windows with good games
and get together you know at those times. Apart from that,
you're right, we stay pretty connected group.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
The international summer of cricket draws to a close with
a one day series against you guess that Pakistan. Two
newcomers have been selected as coach Gary Stead strives to
create depth ahead of next year's ODEI World Cup. Mo
Abbas is one of the new pair.
Speaker 4 (02:25):
Is a younger player, exciting, I think, a real real talent,
especially in playing spin bowling. I guess his ability to
bowl a little bit of left arm seam as well
is really helpful in trying to build out depth of
all round us.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
And really driver Hagen Padden has had some issues with
the locals. At the Rally of Canberra, he hit a
giant agro rabbit who kicked his ass, crunching his car,
ending Hayden's chances of winning. The aforementioned kangaroo wasn't available
for comment. Trying to read what the animal was doing
and to try and avoid it.
Speaker 5 (02:58):
At the point when we.
Speaker 4 (02:58):
First saw it, there was probably about a second to
reactual watch streets we went and.
Speaker 6 (03:02):
It looked like it was going to keep crossing the road,
but unfortunately it stopped and fast. You've then come in
the middle of the.
Speaker 2 (03:07):
Car rodent and that's Sports Today to the mounds of
the men that created it.
Speaker 1 (03:13):
News It's Sportsfix with Dancy Valdegreve.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
It's been a surreal summer when it comes to the
summer game here in New Zealand. Well I'm saying it anyway,
the game of course of cricket, it's been very splintered, unstructured.
There's been plenty going on and plenty of players are
being used throughout One day Internationals, throughout t twenties and
from time to time when we play a Test it
(03:42):
seems like it's gone out with a we end it
all with the One Day series against Pakistan. It's after
the T twenty series against Pakistan, after going over and
playing against Pakistan, not complaining. It is all about cricket
and it's all about getting the runs under your belt,
getting the balls bold for this team who next year
(04:05):
will be facing the might of the rest of the
world One Day International World Cup. What's being done right here,
right now, and what has been done since the end
of the Champions Trophy is an attempt to build depth.
From a fan perspective, it's awful that some of the
superstars of our game are not involved. We don't get
(04:26):
to see them on the park. The youth of today
don't get to go along and watch these superstars because
of course you can't beat them if you can't see them.
But it's very pragmatic from New Zealand Cricket. As you
well know, these guys have reached the top of their tree.
These guys are worth a lot of money. It simply
can't be made up for with the large jess if
(04:48):
you can call it that of New Zealand Cricket. So
off they scoot, they flee to make the money. Now
you could see this as being a particularly bad thing.
You can see this as being a blow to the
international profile of the game here in New Zealand. Or
if your glass is half full, you could see this
as a prime opportunity to put players in positions of
(05:11):
pressure case they are needed come the World Cup next year.
They should be able to seamlessly wander into the roles
that are vacated through injury or sacking or whatever else.
Half empty, it's been a bit of a disaster. Half full,
it is fantastic preparation. But what I love to say
is I don't see the glass it's being half full
(05:33):
or half empty. I just look at the beauty of
the glass. And that's what I think about cricket.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Dissecting the sporting agenda, it's Sportsfix with Darcy Waldgrave.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
After a successful night at Eden Parker, Darren Bezy sat
down with mister football here at News Talk ZB Jason
Pine to have a yarn about the future.
Speaker 6 (05:57):
All right, Darren, we've given up the overnight test. You've
woken up with qualification secured. How do you reflect on
the events of last night out on Eden park Yeah, it.
Speaker 3 (06:07):
Probably hasn't really sunk in the enormity of everything, you know,
woken up and probably feel good that we've got job done.
Speaker 7 (06:15):
That's the most important thing.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
You know.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
We needed to win games for football. We won those,
you know, and we've qualified. So now we get to
look ahead and you know, really think about, you know,
what that means and what it's going to be, and
how that experience is going to look like.
Speaker 6 (06:28):
You know, I guess that is it now, isn't it.
Speaker 7 (06:30):
This is just the start of.
Speaker 6 (06:31):
The journey, isn't it. Now you start planning for the
World Cup, I know, heating into ocean, you're qualifying, you
probably at times let yourself think, okay, if we make it, what.
Speaker 5 (06:39):
Do we do?
Speaker 6 (06:40):
But now you are there, so the planning starts in
earnest What will that planning consist of?
Speaker 7 (06:44):
From your point of view?
Speaker 3 (06:46):
Yeah, I mean, going back to that, I never really
let myself look ahead, you know, and of what it
would feel like, you know, qualifying for World Cup. But
I always felt the responsibility of ensuring that we did qualify.
Mostly you know, you know, we needed to qualify. We
were the favorites, you know, playing Oceana teams. It was
(07:06):
obvious to everybody that you should qualify, So that was
a different challenge and one that you know, we've achieved now,
which is great. And yeah, now we do. We get
to look ahead at the World Cup. You know, we'll
have some great windows building up. We're going to have
some really good games and against top fifty teams in
the world, which will prepare us really well. And yeah,
it's exciting. We can't wait for the drawer.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
Yea.
Speaker 6 (07:28):
How important is it that you are together regularly as
a playing group as a coaching staff. I know you
stay connected and you know with the marvels of WhatsApp
and zoom, et cetera. But how important is physical time
together in games over the next twelve months or so.
Speaker 3 (07:41):
I mean, it's always important, you know, but with the
sort of limitations of FIFA and the windows, you know,
we can only do that in the international windows. So
there's five I think we've got five of them before
we get together for the World Cup. So it'll be June, September, October, November,
and then the following March will be the windows. So
we'll fill those windows with good games and get together
(08:02):
you know at those times. So apart from that, you're right,
we stay pretty connected as a group. The boys are
always you know, in conversations and you know, in communications
with myself and each other, so it's important. And yeah,
everybody's really really excited looking forward.
Speaker 6 (08:20):
Do you have any clarity get on squad size as
a twenty three twenty six?
Speaker 7 (08:23):
Have you got any clarity? No real clarity.
Speaker 3 (08:25):
We're hearing it might be pushed to twenty six, but
that was like the last time, but that was a
sort of around COVID, so we're not sure if it
were twenty three or twenty six, or maybe they'll pick
a different number.
Speaker 7 (08:35):
But yeah, whatever it is, it means now.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
That it gets competitive for players and selections. And I'm
sure there's a lot of players around the world. You know,
we're watching last night, you know, and when boxes squad,
I'm sure they were.
Speaker 7 (08:49):
Like, oh, here we go.
Speaker 3 (08:50):
Now they've got a chance to go to a World Cup.
So yeah, it does open up. Obviously, the players've been
working with are in sort of that position at the moment.
But yeah, for sure, you know, when we finally pick
a World Cup squad, you know, there's always going to
be changes and that does give opportunity to.
Speaker 6 (09:06):
People You've seen often that it's important that your players
are playing. It sounds obvious, but it's true, isn't it.
You need to be playing at club level in order
to keep your fitness up, catch your ay, all that
sort of thing. So how important is it for you know,
not just as twenty three but another potentially twenty thirty
guys that they're getting consistent club minutes over the next
(09:27):
year or so.
Speaker 3 (09:27):
Yeah, I mean it's really important. Everybody in the team
plays a sort of different role. So whilst we want
everybody playing ninety minutes every game for their clubs and
being really consistent and performing well that, you know, we
do also need players that you are ready to come
off the bench, you know, and we're going to have
eleven starters, and those guys that come off the bench
(09:48):
are really important, and you know, for some of them, unfortunately,
that's a good role that fits for some of them,
you know, coming off and affecting the game, and some
people do it for their clubs, you know, so if
they're performing at a high level, you know, then that's
probably the most important thing. Your minutes is great, consistency
is great. What they do with us is important when
we get together. But yeah, it's going to get super competitive.
(10:10):
It was for this tour picking a squad, and I
can imagine it's going to get even harder.
Speaker 6 (10:15):
And harder for you because I think the two previous
coaches to take teams to the World Cup probably could
pretty much write down there twenty three or certainly twenty
of them. I feel like, I don't know, and you
might be able to correct me here that you could
probably write down fifteen or sixteen. But there are a
lot of There's a lot of names on your whiteboard, right,
So how will you negotiate that as a man manager
(10:36):
of these players?
Speaker 3 (10:37):
Yeah, I mean I stay in touch with the wider
group pretty regularly. You know, we watch a lot of
their games. We sort of know what they're doing and
the way I work, I try to you know, if
it's bad news, I'll talk to them and be honest
and upfront with them. I think they appreciate that. So yeah,
we'll just stay in touch contact. I think, you know,
we'll make sure that everybody understands that it's open at
(10:59):
the moment, and it will be open until quite close
to the World come, until we actually select that squad,
because you don't know what's going to happen. If we
lose a player, we need, you know, through an injury
or something. We need to have players available to step in.
You know, we played a game last night and you know,
we didn't expect woods each to come off, you know,
with what happened, and and then Costa comes on and
scores a great goal. So we've got players, We've got depth,
(11:22):
and there's always going to be opportunities for players, so
we need to be ready.
Speaker 6 (11:26):
And just to you, finally, this must feel really nice.
Remember it's a different scenario. I mean, member Sir Graham
Henry said after winning the World Cup he felt a
sense of immense calm. I mean, you've qualified for a
World Cup, you've got a road ahead of you. But
how were your emotions last night when you got back
to your room and you and Dawn on you. We've
(11:46):
done it, We've done this.
Speaker 7 (11:47):
But yeah, yeah, it was nice.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
You know, there's there's obviously a little bit of pressure,
but a different type of pressure this time around because
it's we're playing Oceana teams and that's not to be disrespectful,
but these are games we should win, and these are
games you know, we should win comfortably. And last night
became a little bit uncomfortable at times. You know, I
think everybody coming off of the Fiji game that was
(12:12):
comfortable was expecting to go into another one of those games.
And we'd warn the players and we'd prep them no complacency,
and you know, you don't expect a game like that,
and yeah, it was a different game, but they found
a way and adapted, you know, in the second half,
and yeah, finally got that job done. So I think
it's a bit of probably satisfaction and like you're right
(12:34):
calmness to know that, Okay, that was a job done.
You know, we say the way I sort of described
it is we've sort of safely navigated the journey through
the qualifiers.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
The Chamber is now incision on Sports Fix.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
We're doing now in the Chamber by Alex Powell as
we talk the biggest sports stories of the day, and
this Liam Lawson story won't go away. It's gaining huge traction.
We know you're a Formula one deek like myself. Every
appears a couple of hours there's a new story coming
in about the future of Liam Lawson. We got no idea, right.
Speaker 5 (13:09):
No, I mean, and that's this is just the nature
of the sport and of the industry. Red Bull have
said they're having a meeting once they get back to
Milton Keynes, like they do after every race weekend and
in this case couple of race weekends, and that's when
they'll discuss it all. I don't see a world where
they make a change yet. I don't think it's fair
to Liam if they just swap him out after.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
So based on what though, what don't you think's fair
that he's had to encounter so far that would suggest
it's cruel to get rid of him.
Speaker 5 (13:36):
The fact it's been two races in a car he's
not up to speed with yet having its practice time limited,
having had his testing time limited on tracks he's never
driven on in conditions where he was robbed of a
practice session in Melbourne, He's two practice sessions in China
because it was a sprint weekend. So I think if
they were to make the switch now, it would be
cruel and it would effectively be no way back for
(13:57):
Liam after that.
Speaker 2 (13:58):
With Red Bull, they're not given him enough rope to
hang himself with. Yet some people would say you are
average qualifying at nineteen point three, which basically right at
the back it's not a great way to start. But
everything you read about this currency Alex Elbot, who used
to run with Max fst Stappen, says that this is
a bucking Bronco, This is a swine of a car
to drive.
Speaker 5 (14:18):
And Verstappins basically said that as well. He said, there's
no way the junior team should be close to us
and to have a bit of understanding for what's happening
to Liam Lawson. So look, I think it is it
is just a mess at the moment with what redbel
have done. They've gone so far in verstapins favor that
even he can't drive it now because they're just what
he can't canny. That's the thing. It's difficult. Well, that's
(14:39):
the thing is that he can drive it because he's
that good. But it doesn't matter who they put in
that second seat at the moment, they're not going to
get a grip on it.
Speaker 2 (14:46):
What do we say about the racing balls and what
they've done so far because they've looked good. Is it
too much to suggest if Liam was in that car
he'd looked just as good.
Speaker 5 (14:55):
Yeah, absolutely think that. You Look at Isaac Hadja, who
in his first race Oh, I like that guy.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
He's something else is and you know how long you'll last.
Speaker 5 (15:01):
Bit of a hot here, but a well he beend
it on the formation lap in Melbourne and then had
a great Chinese Grand Prix and a car that you
know as built to bring out some of his better qualities.
And if Liam was in that seat, I imagine it
would be similar like the way Yuki Sonoda is. Remember
that Liam Lawson was put into this red Bull seat
because they felt he was a better option than Yuki Sonoda.
Nuki Sonoda has qualified in the top ten twice and
(15:23):
has finished at the back of the grid. Were sorry
finished twelfth, twelve or eleventh in Melbourne and last on
track it's a sho well.
Speaker 2 (15:30):
So going back to Liam, though, he's an easy target
at the moment because Formula one is like this, they
need someone to look at and this is the guy
that's making the He's not making any ground and everyone
had great expectations on the sky, so he definitely get target.
Speaker 5 (15:42):
Lightning doesn't strike four times, all right. You can't look
at Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson and
say the drivers of the problem. It is clearly the car,
you know, and this has been an issue since twenty nineteen,
when now it's twenty twenty five, and what's really masked
the whole thing is that Maxistappan is just so brilliant.
Speaker 2 (16:00):
What of the stories around why didn't they pick up
Carlos Saints he was available? And that's obviously been thrown up.
Then it's like a A, he's got a great record,
he's a proven driver.
Speaker 5 (16:11):
Why not Carla since has been at Red Bull before.
All right, let's not forget that. I know it was
before Drive to Survive, so no one really knows about it,
but Carla Science has been there before. And the talk
is that the two fathers, Carlos Seins senior and Yos
for stap and maxis dad, they don't like each other.
There's no way you would get those two in the
same team.
Speaker 2 (16:28):
And with the uk Sonoda situation, crawl again in a
week and a half because of any track he's got
knowledge of as far as Liam's concerned, it's racing at Suzuka.
He knows the place, so it's a much better opportunity.
After his third attempt to actually get a deck, I'm
not drawing straws and I'm not clutching at the moment.
Speaker 5 (16:48):
No, Like I mean, I think we'll take all we
can at this point, won't because we want to see
our guy doing well, and that's fear.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
Although there was some uplifting things over the weekend, it
wasn't all disappointment for Liam Wilson. He didn't stick it
in the fence. He managed to get elevated up to twelfth.
There was a couple of really slick passing manovers. He
had to start from pitt Lane because they were tweaking
with the car, so you had a lot to learn.
But it wasn't an out and out disaster.
Speaker 6 (17:12):
No.
Speaker 5 (17:12):
But in saying that you can't be you cannot be
starting back of the grid and that car for that
team and expect to just have it all go your
way and not be any scrutiny on you forever. That's
just not how the sport works. It's not how Red
Bull work.
Speaker 2 (17:24):
I say, less time wearing sponsors product and maybe you
stop with the GQ shoots. That's just me though. Hey,
no Anzac test the ins that I have come out
and said day.
Speaker 5 (17:37):
Are we surprised?
Speaker 7 (17:39):
No?
Speaker 5 (17:39):
No, they weren't going to take a two week break
from Super Rugby to Sorry, it wasn't even gonna be
a break. It was just go a two week window
where the All Blacks didn't play Super Rugby. They were
getting ready for a test.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Now what happens when the All Blacks don't play Super Rugby?
He said, knowing, damn, Well, what your answer is going
to be?
Speaker 5 (17:55):
Well, it's for me. It's a less entertating product.
Speaker 2 (17:58):
And what is Super Rugby? It's just the shop window
just before you get to international rape. We've seen what's
happened this year. Right, I'm going to pull you off
on that because I don't think it.
Speaker 5 (18:07):
I think it should be the shot winner of Super
but I don't think it is anymore because you look
at Super Rugby and we're getting guys play five games
and have arrest. So we've basically we've picked the All
Blacks and then try and manage them in Super Rugby.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
Okay, So it's a shot window like Michael Hill, and
it's been punched in with a lump hammer. Yeah, round rated,
it's got the potential and we've seen it. Now. There's
nothing written in stone around all Black rotation, rest all
that policy, which has been an absolute disaster and the
result of that, we're seeing a much better competition unless
you watch the Blues stumble against the Crusaders on Saturday night.
(18:39):
But again, what was the issue there? They've lost half
their team.
Speaker 5 (18:43):
What do they do with the Blues? Eh pray?
Speaker 2 (18:47):
I thought some pres It never worked for anybody.
Speaker 5 (18:49):
Is there any way back for them by the bye
I don't think so. I think they've now just like
losing Patrick Tupelotto is huge. You remember that final that
we were in here before the final last year when
he declared himself fit having been ruled out. You know
that sort of character in your team, lifting everyone else
around you. If you don't have that, they've not really
been able to settle along a first choice first five,
which has been huge we saw with the Crusaders last year.
(19:11):
If you don't have that, then your team's not really
going to get far quickly. So I think there's so
many issues with the Blues at the moment and it
just shows a how quickly things can turn, but b
how close the competition is that the defending champions can
go to being the strugglers so quickly.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
And on the Crusaders who were the strugglers last year,
brought a lot of joy to people who can't stand
the one eyed can tabs. But they've turned it this
time around. They're looking likely what you see is this
because they have consistency in that section. James O'Connor off
the bench.
Speaker 5 (19:40):
I mean, I think you look at James Otton. Genuinely,
James O'Connor has added a lot to that team in
terms of just being a mentor for not only Tower Comana,
but the younger players. You know, here's a guy who's
made his mistakes at the highest level and they know
what they're going to get out of them. But I mean,
you look at the Crusader season last year. They didn't
have Cody Taylor half, but they didn't have Will Jordan
for any of it. Who else did they not have?
They were so hit by injuries. They play David Eveli
(20:01):
at ten one point because they just didn't have anyone else.
Speaker 2 (20:03):
They lost some very close games, which didn't help. So
it went off the rail was very very fast. But right,
do you think that Rob Penny that was learned a
whole bunch from last year we seen.
Speaker 5 (20:12):
Well, I mean, of course he would have any I mean, ultimately,
this professional sport you're always going to learn more from
your failures than you do from your successes. But I
mean credit does need to go to the Crusader's management
and to have Colin Mansbridge's the CEO for actually looking
at the problem and seeing it for what it was,
not for what they were being told it was, which
is the coach isn't right.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
It's so easy to blame the coach and kick them out,
but they didn't do that. It must have been tempting,
but no, and that's I suppose why it's a franchise
of so much success.
Speaker 5 (20:36):
Yeah, it's a very lazy trope in sport and sports
journalism to look at a problem and just say, well,
the thing to do is sack the coach. And Colin
Mansbridge came out and said that. He said that if
there was something seriously wrong then we would sack the coach.
And we don't think it is.
Speaker 2 (20:47):
Out of the other New Zealand franchises, the Chiefs are
still hidding shoulders, an't they.
Speaker 5 (20:51):
They've been the most consistent team for about four years
now and I certainly they've not gone over the line
in a final, But you look at the job Clayt
mcwillan's done and turning that team around from where they
were when he took over after the Warren Gatland years,
which I mean, I think we're talking about coaches getting
a hard time, but I think Warren Gatland also falls
into that category. But yeah, I mean, yeah, that's the
Chiefs for me are the competition favorites.
Speaker 2 (21:11):
And on that note, that uplifting note for Chiefs fans,
we bid you fare well. Alex Powell. He's a sports
reporter for the New Zealand Heral. Thanks for your time.
Speaker 7 (21:19):
Thanks BNK.
Speaker 1 (21:20):
This is Sports Fix, your daily does of sports news
how and by News Talks EBB.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
And that's it for the Sports Fix. Thanks very much
for listening, thanks for joining us, and oh thank you
in advance for subscribing to the podcast. If you do this,
little bitty will turn up in your inbox. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.
Tell your friends, tell your family, get them all involved
and if you want to be involved directly, that's what
(21:49):
sports Talk is for. That is also Monday to Friday's
seven till eight pm at night with myself or Jason
pine taking your thoughts and your calls, and of course
Piney's got a whole shooting match over the weekend Weekend
Sport twelve mid day through till three o'clock. I hope
you can join both of us on all of our
program and a specie here on the Fix. Look after yourself.
(22:11):
Catch it tomorrow for.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
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