April 7, 2025 • 19 mins
On Sports Fix with Jason Pine for 7th of April 2025, Moana Pasifika have won back-to-back games for the first time in their history. Rugby commentator Ken Laban joins the podcast to discuss their rise, and whether they could make a run at the Super Rugby title.
Piney offers his thoughts on crowds, and the disparities between a few different sport games in Auckland over the weekend.
Plus, the Elijah Fa'afiu is back in the peoples' chamber to recap another tough weekend for Liam Lawson.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
This is Sportsfix howard By News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Hello there, and welcome into the Sports Flex podcast. At
the start of a brand new week. It is Monday,
the seventh of April. I'm Jason Pine. Thanks for tuning in,
Thanks for downloading on the Sportsbox podcast Today, Mowana Pacifica.
Are they becoming a Super Rugby threat? Back to back
wins now for the first time in franchise history, They're
(00:41):
the highest point scorers in the competition, So what might
their ceiling be? Are we looking at a team that
could genuinely challenge for the Super Rugby title? If not
this year, then in the years ahead. Ken laban respected
rugby commentator and longtime observer of Pacifica Rugby, is with
us on that. Elijah Fitton pops into the chamber as
(01:03):
we discuss Liam Lawson at the Japanese Grand Prix and
the weekend's sport action and all of today's sports stories
as well. So let's get into it.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
In other news, let's get underway with a look at
the big sports stories floating around today and historic and
emotional win for Kiwei mountain biker Sammy Maxwell.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
She's become the first New Zealand woman to win a
World Cup cross country race, claiming honors at the latest
event in Brazil.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
I've had a bit of hard time in the last
two years and the team stood by me and seek
no matter what you do, as long as you're putting
your health in your yourself as a person first, we
will support you.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Former New Zealand seven's player Moses Lao has made his
NURL debut for Melbourne and their forty eight twenty four
win over Manly. Here's the assessment of coach Craig Vllamy.
Speaker 5 (01:54):
We've done a great job, especially in the first One
of his greatest attributes is his spood. He's quick at
so overall there he's done a good job considering his
lack of experience playing rugby lead but also in.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
That position and why. Shrington Capital's captain Alex Ovechkin has
broken the NHL ice hockey goal scoring record, scoring the
eight hundred and ninety fifth goal of his career, eclipsing
Wayne Gretzky's mark which has stood for thirty one years.
Right say so, let's get fired the tatic days It's done.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
How Alex so much?
Speaker 2 (02:32):
It is the greatest gold scorer in the history.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Of the NHL, leading of Vix.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
We've got just the ticket.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
It's Sportsfix powered by News Talks IVY.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
You're listening to the Sports Fix podcast. Mowana. Pacifica have
won consecutive games for the first time in their history
and now sit on the cusp of Super Rugby's top
six after their historic win over the Crusaders and christ
Church last weekend. They came back from twenty one to
seven down at halftime on the weekend to beat the
Waratars forty five twenty eight. Let's bring a long time commentator,
(03:05):
Ken Laban, who has a particular expertise when it comes
to pacific A rugby. Ken, what have you seen from
ONEA Pacificate in general terms this season that has seen
them pick out back to back wins and in fact
three in the last four.
Speaker 6 (03:18):
Well, they were the biggest story in the off season
Windy Jason when they signed Ardie Savia, arguably the top
loose forward in the world and also spent some time
with captain Emie all Blacks as well. When Scott Barrow
was unavailable, so you know his influence on the field
and particularly Monday to Friday, bring around some of those
(03:41):
players and giving them that necessary belief alongside as has
very very experienced for the IQ. You put that together
with a with a very good first five eight that
tanu Umanga has has recruited as well, and they're getting
good decisions made at the contact zone with they're being
dominant man, very good, very good decisions on the edge.
(04:04):
With that with the five eight Peroline, who's been tribulous.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
About the way that they're applying in terms of meshing
the typical and traditional sorry Polynesian flare with ball in hand,
with the structure needed to consistently compete with the best
sides in super rugby.
Speaker 6 (04:22):
Well, they've beaten three teams that are ahead of them
on a table and that doesn't happen unless you can
dominate the middle, dominate the line or whatever you want
to call it, or dominate the contact area. So that's
the first thing is that they need to take care
of business around there, whether they take the ball into
contact and where the opposition take the ball into contact.
And they have been very aggressive and very physical instact
(04:44):
almost a carbon copy of what the Blues were last
year and it's working from one plusificod and on the
back end of that, they're having some very very smart
decisions made about when they're kicking when they run in
their pass election as well. And as you know, coming
down coming from twenty one to seven down against the
team with the experience of the Warrior tis what have
(05:05):
they got fourteen internationals YEP team as a as a
fabulous performance and they are probably you know, they're not
they're not their by a long shot, but they're definitely
building for the future.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
What have you made of kind of Uman's development as
a rugby coach?
Speaker 6 (05:25):
Well, you know, the brutal world of assessment of professional
sport pony as you know, Well, it's all about the numbers.
Then as you say they sit you know, so they're
three wins, am I reckoning six wins? Six wins will
get you inside the six seven, eight wins potentially will
we'll get you We'll get you into the top four.
(05:48):
So based on based on how they're tracking, on how
they're tracking now he's doing he's doing a terrific job.
And you've got to understand as well. People forget pretty
quickly that they were in they you know, they weren't
always able to get ECO access to every player in
the market when they came into the competition, so it
wasn't like the Phoenix or plan or the Melbourne Storm
(06:10):
or the Dolphins, who essentially, if they had the money
they could buy whoever they want, they would denied the
players that were already contracted to Super Rugby, so they
had to start a long way back behind the April.
Speaker 5 (06:24):
Obviously.
Speaker 6 (06:24):
The exception to that has been the recruitment of of
Ardie Savia and and if the rumors that we hear
are true about what Richie Moong is going to do
when he's done in Japan, you know they had they
could potentially be at the beginning of something very very special.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Are you hearing Richie Mwonga to Mowana PACIFICA yeah, we
did that, mate, Well I have, but I just wondered
how much credence there was to it. But if you're
saying it, then it adds a lot more weight to it.
Speaker 6 (06:49):
Well, if you'd ask me, if you ask, if you
would ask anybody minu plus figure, if you had to
recruit a player, who would you go for? Will it
beat him?
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Wouldn't it that what absolutely, I just I didn't know
whether the whether everything would match up to make it happen.
I guess I just assumed the Crusaders would be the
team that he would go back to. But goodness, make
can you imagine Rochie Moore, Hugger and the more around
the pacifica ship And what about Yeah? What about others? Ken,
I mean there must be others who see what's happening
there and think, Wow, maybe I want a piece of that.
Speaker 6 (07:19):
Yeah, exactly. Well, you know, you look at the likes
of Sean Stevenson, Mark Taltava Tava, Nahai Peter and Thomas
U Munger, Jensen, Richie, you know Titi, you know Dalton, Dalton,
Papali Topolotu, Isaac Walker, Leo Wedde who's part fig and
(07:42):
Parmori from Marti Purou. You know, you're limited by you
may suffer more. You're limited by imagination potentially on on
what they could have if they're able to secure the
resources and the necessary money to make it attractive. And
obviously we're tan of being the conduit near His knowledge
of the game, his knowledge of the Moldi Empa speaker communities,
(08:05):
as well as the access to the players and the
status in the games, all of those things in this faith.
And of course Adie Savia wouldn't find a minor bus
speaker if it wasn't for Panna. So if there's anybody
in there's anybody in world rugby that can secure an
opportunity for Richie Munger when he's done in Japan, Tana
Umanga will be in that.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Conversation absolutely, man. Fascinating times ahead. Thanks so much for
lending us for expertise. Ken really appreciated. Ken Laban there
on the rise and rise and who knows the future
rise of more Wana Pacific a rugby sports Crowds crowds, crowds, crowds,
crowds the holy grail of sports administrators' lives. How do
(08:49):
you get them, how do you engage them, how do
you keep them? How do you grow them? And again
in our biggest city over the weekend there were some
stark contrasts when it came to crowds turning up for
elite sporting fixtures. Hurricanes against the Blues Eden Park on
Saturday night, one of the marquee fixtures of any Super
(09:10):
Rugby season. A couple of rivals from Way Way Way
back even to the Auckland Wellington days. If you're going
to turn up to watch a game of Super Rugby
in Auckland, you'd come along to a game between the
Blues and the Hurricanes. And yet only eight or nine
thousand made the trip to Eden Park to watch that game.
On Saturday night, meantime, across town at go Media Stadium,
(09:31):
the New Boys on the Block, Auckland FC, with no
history at all to speak of, attracted eighteen and a
half thousand long for their game against the Western Sydney Wanderers. Yes,
there are other things that play here. One the kickoff
time five o'clock for the football, seven o'clock for the
rugby five o'clock clearly a lot more palatable for families.
(09:54):
The ground Eden Park is still not the greatest place
to watch a game of rugby. Its shape is wrong.
You're thirty forty to fifty meters back from the action.
At go Media Stadium Rectangular, you are right there on
top of the players. Look, I don't think it's anything
to do with the rugby product. Super rugby is as
good as it has ever been in terms of the
(10:17):
product on the pitch, the rugby that is being played
and the broadcast of the games is world class. What
Skysport do is the equal of any television coverage of
any sport anywhere in the world. And maybe that's a
part of it. But what I think the Blues have
just been unable to do, which Auckland FC and the
(10:37):
Warriors have been able to, is engage their fan base
and make being there everything. Too many people are deciding,
you know what, I'll watch it from home on the
couch because there is not enough reason for them to
go along. Compare that to, as I say, Auckland FC
and the Warriors. When you go to a game, or
rather when you don't, you have fomo, that fear of
(11:01):
missing out. That's what the Blues have to create among
their fan base, a sense that unless they are actually there,
they are not getting the full Blues experience. It's a
tough one, but it's one that they have to face
head on. It's a crowded sporting market and only so
much discretionary income to go around.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
The Chamber is now in session on SPORTSFX.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
You're listening to the sports Fix podcast with Heaps to
discuss Let's pop inside the People's Chamber. On Monday, Elijah
feways with us, Elijah, it seems like all we've been
talking about the last month or so is Liam Lawson.
Can we start with him today? Japanese Grand Prix seventeenth
After starting thirteenth on the grid, Yuki Sonoda made up
a couple of places for Red Bull to finish twelfth.
(11:48):
Did Liam lawson stocks go up or go down? Or
stay the same in Japan? Do you think?
Speaker 4 (11:54):
It's hard to tell? I would say it stayed the
same only because you know, Racing Bulls tried to roll
the dice a little bit with their pit stop strategy.
Unfortunately it didn't work out. They had They left Liam
Lawson out there maybe a bit longer than they should
have brought him in for the one stop and ultimately
it didn't pay off. If it did pay off, then yeah,
definitely his stocks would have gone up, but it's still
(12:18):
hard to tell. I'm sure Lean would have been disappointed
given it it is a track that he's familiar with,
but yeah, given it his first weekend with Racing Bulls
and getting back to you, adjusting to the Racing bulls
environments again, I'm sure he'll be ready to move forward
heading into the next round In Bahrain.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Funny or Grand Prix. This one isn't it? You know,
compare it to Melbourne, And I know it was wet
in Melbourne, but there seemed like there was a lot
more happening during the race in this one. In Japan.
The way they started on the grid, apart from you know,
a couple of guys moving up and down like Lawson
and Sonoda, it was pretty much the same, wasn't it
as how they started.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
Yeah, it's a difficult track to overtake over in Suzuka,
and I'm not really sure what racing balls were thinking
in regards to the pit stop strategy. I think they
were anticipating it to rain a little bit, which is
which would have you know, would have meant an ideal
change with the tires, but ultimately the rain didn't actually
show up, so it was difficult. And once they made
(13:18):
the move with Lawson bringing him for that pit stop,
it was always going to be difficult for Liam to
overtake some of his rivals.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
And no further points for Red Bully that obviously Max
for step and won the race, so he got the points.
But they've talked in the first couple of weeks and
or first couple of Grand Prix about the need to
pick up points for the Constructors Championship. That was one
of the regions Liham Lawson was to motor out of
the team Sonoda twelfth, no points for him either, So
I mean, can anybody drive this car?
Speaker 4 (13:48):
I'm not too sure of Yeah, I'm not sure sure.
It might have to be a one man team. Let
Max for step and get all the points as much
as possible. I not try and let him fight off
McLaren on his own. But yeah, again, I guess for
Yuki's Sacred is his first race with Red Bull, so
we'll see what happens moving forward. But I'm sure Yuki
may or may not sin find out that that second
(14:08):
Red Bull car is quite difficult, as Liam experienced in
his first two races.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
He's got some other sporting action over the weekend. Super
Rugby just heard from Ken Laban on the podcast about
Mowana Pacifica and how impressive they have been. You would
have been happy about your Blues pipping my Hurricanes Shaturday
night of eating park made Oh.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
I am soaked off that victory, piney I mean, at
this rate, I think the Blues should just play the
Hurricanes every week if they're going to have a chance
to make the top six. But it was an amazing game.
Was closely contested, which is what you want at Eden Park.
I think the class of Boden Barrett in particular showed
in that contest, especially with his kicking off the tea
and yeah, now they're going to be looking to build
(14:49):
some momentum when they come up against a team like
Majana who have discovered that they can build momentum and
can went back to back in Super Rugby. That was
a great second half performance against the Waratas, So I'm
definitely looking forward to that match up this Saturday.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Oh it's going to be an absolute cracker in the late
afternoon sunshine as well. I know daylight saving has now
ended so it won't be quite as quite as light,
but four thirty in the afternoon, I don't mind it.
With the Super Rugby opicky final to follow, I feel
look at the Super Rugby table and I think it
tells the tale of teams like the Blues, like the Crusaders,
like the Hurricanes, like a number of teams who are
(15:23):
kind of you know, from week to week you're not
really sure what you're going to get apart from the Chiefs, who,
apart from their loss to the Drwer, have been utterly
consistent and in the rain in Hamilton on Friday night,
I think did a bloody good job against a Red
side who were top of the table alongside.
Speaker 4 (15:42):
Them for sure, and I think part of that is
what they're doing with the bench. They're bringing on some
allbacks off the bench, just that this past game against
the Reds they had Somersonia to Kyahu and tupu Ai
and some openny female, which that is some punch to
bring off the bench, and it's sort of like a
mini bomb squad that you're bringing on with the Chiefs.
(16:03):
And I think Kats mcmillon's done a really good job
at balancing his starters with he brings off the bench,
and that's that really showed in the in there against
the Reds and what helped them pull away. And yeah,
it's gonna be tough to stop them for the rest
of the season, but we'll see how the rest of
the squads measure up to them.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
Tough scene to be a Highlanders fan again, isn't it.
I thought they were going well at the start, you know,
they had that went over the Blues in the second
round and everyone thought, hey, hang on, the Islanders might
be something. They beat me one to PACIFICA. But from
there it's been what four straight losses. What's happening?
Speaker 4 (16:36):
Yeah, unfortunate for the Highlanders. I think part of it
is there's still a young squad, so you're you're always
going to see these I guess growing pains with such
a young squad. There's a lot of talent in the
squad in this team, with you know Nihwai and Caleb
Toneytawel and among others. But yeah, those losses across the
ditch in Australia to the Brumbies and the Force, that's
(16:59):
not ideal for your season. But we'll see if they
can bounce back for the second half of the season.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Yeah, I hope they can. I hope they can. I
want the Highlander to be good and I think Jamie
Joseph has got a bit about him, but at the
moment trying trying hard to get a tune out of
his team and not really being able to. Let's just
finish with Auckland FC. What's that another drawer at home?
That's four draws in the last five. I know they're
eleven unbeaten, Elijah, But are they stumbling a little bit
towards the finish line of the A League regular season?
Speaker 5 (17:28):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (17:28):
I know that. Last week I said I pitched the
ten outside Mount Smart I might have to pick it
up without anyone looking that they have. Look it definitely
looks like they're going to stumble or crawl at least
towards the Premier's Plate rather than run away with it,
especially given that three of their last four games of
the season are away. So that's gonna be a tough
(17:49):
ask for them if they're going to come away with
that Premier's plate. I'm not sure if they've sort of
lost an edge a little bit. I'm not sure if
teams have I guess figured them out now that the
Black Knights are no longer an unknown quantity. But I
guess you'd hope that this week against Sidney FC, especially
you know Steve Cork going up against his former side,
(18:10):
that Orkning FC can sort of start the peak. I
guess at this point of the season, heading into the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
Yeah, I think accommodation of everything you mentioned there is
at play here, I still think they'll win the Premier's Plate.
But as you say, the victory parade will have to
wait for a couple of weeks at least. But yeah,
I still think they've got what it takes. And you know,
let's not get too down on eleven games unbeaten, even
if they haven't all been wins. Elijah, always a pleasure
to spend time in the People's Chamber with you. Hopefully
(18:36):
I can convince you to join us again next Monday
for sure.
Speaker 4 (18:40):
Thank you, Pony.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
Dissecting the sporting agenda. It's Sportsfix with Jason Vine.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
And that is all we have for you on the
Sports Fix podcast for today. A fresh episode will drop
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And for more from news talks, there be Sport, check
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Speaker 1 (19:08):
For more from news Talk set 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 EDB. Follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
This is Sportsfix howard By News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Hello there, and welcome into the Sports Flex podcast. At
the start of a brand new week. It is Monday,
the seventh of April. I'm Jason Pine. Thanks for tuning in,
Thanks for downloading on the Sportsbox podcast Today, Mowana Pacifica.
Are they becoming a Super Rugby threat? Back to back
wins now for the first time in franchise history, They're
(00:41):
the highest point scorers in the competition, So what might
their ceiling be? Are we looking at a team that
could genuinely challenge for the Super Rugby title? If not
this year, then in the years ahead. Ken laban respected
rugby commentator and longtime observer of Pacifica Rugby, is with
us on that. Elijah Fitton pops into the chamber as
(01:03):
we discuss Liam Lawson at the Japanese Grand Prix and
the weekend's sport action and all of today's sports stories
as well. So let's get into it.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
In other news, let's get underway with a look at
the big sports stories floating around today and historic and
emotional win for Kiwei mountain biker Sammy Maxwell.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
She's become the first New Zealand woman to win a
World Cup cross country race, claiming honors at the latest
event in Brazil.
Speaker 4 (01:32):
I've had a bit of hard time in the last
two years and the team stood by me and seek
no matter what you do, as long as you're putting
your health in your yourself as a person first, we
will support you.
Speaker 2 (01:45):
Former New Zealand seven's player Moses Lao has made his
NURL debut for Melbourne and their forty eight twenty four
win over Manly. Here's the assessment of coach Craig Vllamy.
Speaker 5 (01:54):
We've done a great job, especially in the first One
of his greatest attributes is his spood. He's quick at
so overall there he's done a good job considering his
lack of experience playing rugby lead but also in.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
That position and why. Shrington Capital's captain Alex Ovechkin has
broken the NHL ice hockey goal scoring record, scoring the
eight hundred and ninety fifth goal of his career, eclipsing
Wayne Gretzky's mark which has stood for thirty one years.
Right say so, let's get fired the tatic days It's done.
Speaker 4 (02:31):
How Alex so much?
Speaker 2 (02:32):
It is the greatest gold scorer in the history.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Of the NHL, leading of Vix.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
We've got just the ticket.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
It's Sportsfix powered by News Talks IVY.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
You're listening to the Sports Fix podcast. Mowana. Pacifica have
won consecutive games for the first time in their history
and now sit on the cusp of Super Rugby's top
six after their historic win over the Crusaders and christ
Church last weekend. They came back from twenty one to
seven down at halftime on the weekend to beat the
Waratars forty five twenty eight. Let's bring a long time commentator,
(03:05):
Ken Laban, who has a particular expertise when it comes
to pacific A rugby. Ken, what have you seen from
ONEA Pacificate in general terms this season that has seen
them pick out back to back wins and in fact
three in the last four.
Speaker 6 (03:18):
Well, they were the biggest story in the off season
Windy Jason when they signed Ardie Savia, arguably the top
loose forward in the world and also spent some time
with captain Emie all Blacks as well. When Scott Barrow
was unavailable, so you know his influence on the field
and particularly Monday to Friday, bring around some of those
(03:41):
players and giving them that necessary belief alongside as has
very very experienced for the IQ. You put that together
with a with a very good first five eight that
tanu Umanga has has recruited as well, and they're getting
good decisions made at the contact zone with they're being
dominant man, very good, very good decisions on the edge.
(04:04):
With that with the five eight Peroline, who's been tribulous.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
About the way that they're applying in terms of meshing
the typical and traditional sorry Polynesian flare with ball in hand,
with the structure needed to consistently compete with the best
sides in super rugby.
Speaker 6 (04:22):
Well, they've beaten three teams that are ahead of them
on a table and that doesn't happen unless you can
dominate the middle, dominate the line or whatever you want
to call it, or dominate the contact area. So that's
the first thing is that they need to take care
of business around there, whether they take the ball into
contact and where the opposition take the ball into contact.
And they have been very aggressive and very physical instact
(04:44):
almost a carbon copy of what the Blues were last
year and it's working from one plusificod and on the
back end of that, they're having some very very smart
decisions made about when they're kicking when they run in
their pass election as well. And as you know, coming
down coming from twenty one to seven down against the
team with the experience of the Warrior tis what have
(05:05):
they got fourteen internationals YEP team as a as a
fabulous performance and they are probably you know, they're not
they're not their by a long shot, but they're definitely
building for the future.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
What have you made of kind of Uman's development as
a rugby coach?
Speaker 6 (05:25):
Well, you know, the brutal world of assessment of professional
sport pony as you know, Well, it's all about the numbers.
Then as you say they sit you know, so they're
three wins, am I reckoning six wins? Six wins will
get you inside the six seven, eight wins potentially will
we'll get you We'll get you into the top four.
(05:48):
So based on based on how they're tracking, on how
they're tracking now he's doing he's doing a terrific job.
And you've got to understand as well. People forget pretty
quickly that they were in they you know, they weren't
always able to get ECO access to every player in
the market when they came into the competition, so it
wasn't like the Phoenix or plan or the Melbourne Storm
(06:10):
or the Dolphins, who essentially, if they had the money
they could buy whoever they want, they would denied the
players that were already contracted to Super Rugby, so they
had to start a long way back behind the April.
Speaker 5 (06:24):
Obviously.
Speaker 6 (06:24):
The exception to that has been the recruitment of of
Ardie Savia and and if the rumors that we hear
are true about what Richie Moong is going to do
when he's done in Japan, you know they had they
could potentially be at the beginning of something very very special.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Are you hearing Richie Mwonga to Mowana PACIFICA yeah, we
did that, mate, Well I have, but I just wondered
how much credence there was to it. But if you're
saying it, then it adds a lot more weight to it.
Speaker 6 (06:49):
Well, if you'd ask me, if you ask, if you
would ask anybody minu plus figure, if you had to
recruit a player, who would you go for? Will it
beat him?
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Wouldn't it that what absolutely, I just I didn't know
whether the whether everything would match up to make it happen.
I guess I just assumed the Crusaders would be the
team that he would go back to. But goodness, make
can you imagine Rochie Moore, Hugger and the more around
the pacifica ship And what about Yeah? What about others? Ken,
I mean there must be others who see what's happening
there and think, Wow, maybe I want a piece of that.
Speaker 6 (07:19):
Yeah, exactly. Well, you know, you look at the likes
of Sean Stevenson, Mark Taltava Tava, Nahai Peter and Thomas
U Munger, Jensen, Richie, you know Titi, you know Dalton, Dalton,
Papali Topolotu, Isaac Walker, Leo Wedde who's part fig and
(07:42):
Parmori from Marti Purou. You know, you're limited by you
may suffer more. You're limited by imagination potentially on on
what they could have if they're able to secure the
resources and the necessary money to make it attractive. And
obviously we're tan of being the conduit near His knowledge
of the game, his knowledge of the Moldi Empa speaker communities,
(08:05):
as well as the access to the players and the
status in the games, all of those things in this faith.
And of course Adie Savia wouldn't find a minor bus
speaker if it wasn't for Panna. So if there's anybody
in there's anybody in world rugby that can secure an
opportunity for Richie Munger when he's done in Japan, Tana
Umanga will be in that.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
Conversation absolutely, man. Fascinating times ahead. Thanks so much for
lending us for expertise. Ken really appreciated. Ken Laban there
on the rise and rise and who knows the future
rise of more Wana Pacific a rugby sports Crowds crowds, crowds, crowds,
crowds the holy grail of sports administrators' lives. How do
(08:49):
you get them, how do you engage them, how do
you keep them? How do you grow them? And again
in our biggest city over the weekend there were some
stark contrasts when it came to crowds turning up for
elite sporting fixtures. Hurricanes against the Blues Eden Park on
Saturday night, one of the marquee fixtures of any Super
(09:10):
Rugby season. A couple of rivals from Way Way Way
back even to the Auckland Wellington days. If you're going
to turn up to watch a game of Super Rugby
in Auckland, you'd come along to a game between the
Blues and the Hurricanes. And yet only eight or nine
thousand made the trip to Eden Park to watch that game.
On Saturday night, meantime, across town at go Media Stadium,
(09:31):
the New Boys on the Block, Auckland FC, with no
history at all to speak of, attracted eighteen and a
half thousand long for their game against the Western Sydney Wanderers. Yes,
there are other things that play here. One the kickoff
time five o'clock for the football, seven o'clock for the
rugby five o'clock clearly a lot more palatable for families.
(09:54):
The ground Eden Park is still not the greatest place
to watch a game of rugby. Its shape is wrong.
You're thirty forty to fifty meters back from the action.
At go Media Stadium Rectangular, you are right there on
top of the players. Look, I don't think it's anything
to do with the rugby product. Super rugby is as
good as it has ever been in terms of the
(10:17):
product on the pitch, the rugby that is being played
and the broadcast of the games is world class. What
Skysport do is the equal of any television coverage of
any sport anywhere in the world. And maybe that's a
part of it. But what I think the Blues have
just been unable to do, which Auckland FC and the
(10:37):
Warriors have been able to, is engage their fan base
and make being there everything. Too many people are deciding,
you know what, I'll watch it from home on the
couch because there is not enough reason for them to
go along. Compare that to, as I say, Auckland FC
and the Warriors. When you go to a game, or
rather when you don't, you have fomo, that fear of
(11:01):
missing out. That's what the Blues have to create among
their fan base, a sense that unless they are actually there,
they are not getting the full Blues experience. It's a
tough one, but it's one that they have to face
head on. It's a crowded sporting market and only so
much discretionary income to go around.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
The Chamber is now in session on SPORTSFX.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
You're listening to the sports Fix podcast with Heaps to
discuss Let's pop inside the People's Chamber. On Monday, Elijah
feways with us, Elijah, it seems like all we've been
talking about the last month or so is Liam Lawson.
Can we start with him today? Japanese Grand Prix seventeenth
After starting thirteenth on the grid, Yuki Sonoda made up
a couple of places for Red Bull to finish twelfth.
(11:48):
Did Liam lawson stocks go up or go down? Or
stay the same in Japan? Do you think?
Speaker 4 (11:54):
It's hard to tell? I would say it stayed the
same only because you know, Racing Bulls tried to roll
the dice a little bit with their pit stop strategy.
Unfortunately it didn't work out. They had They left Liam
Lawson out there maybe a bit longer than they should
have brought him in for the one stop and ultimately
it didn't pay off. If it did pay off, then yeah,
definitely his stocks would have gone up, but it's still
(12:18):
hard to tell. I'm sure Lean would have been disappointed
given it it is a track that he's familiar with,
but yeah, given it his first weekend with Racing Bulls
and getting back to you, adjusting to the Racing bulls
environments again, I'm sure he'll be ready to move forward
heading into the next round In Bahrain.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
Funny or Grand Prix. This one isn't it? You know,
compare it to Melbourne, And I know it was wet
in Melbourne, but there seemed like there was a lot
more happening during the race in this one. In Japan.
The way they started on the grid, apart from you know,
a couple of guys moving up and down like Lawson
and Sonoda, it was pretty much the same, wasn't it
as how they started.
Speaker 4 (12:55):
Yeah, it's a difficult track to overtake over in Suzuka,
and I'm not really sure what racing balls were thinking
in regards to the pit stop strategy. I think they
were anticipating it to rain a little bit, which is
which would have you know, would have meant an ideal
change with the tires, but ultimately the rain didn't actually
show up, so it was difficult. And once they made
(13:18):
the move with Lawson bringing him for that pit stop,
it was always going to be difficult for Liam to
overtake some of his rivals.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
And no further points for Red Bully that obviously Max
for step and won the race, so he got the points.
But they've talked in the first couple of weeks and
or first couple of Grand Prix about the need to
pick up points for the Constructors Championship. That was one
of the regions Liham Lawson was to motor out of
the team Sonoda twelfth, no points for him either, So
I mean, can anybody drive this car?
Speaker 4 (13:48):
I'm not too sure of Yeah, I'm not sure sure.
It might have to be a one man team. Let
Max for step and get all the points as much
as possible. I not try and let him fight off
McLaren on his own. But yeah, again, I guess for
Yuki's Sacred is his first race with Red Bull, so
we'll see what happens moving forward. But I'm sure Yuki
may or may not sin find out that that second
(14:08):
Red Bull car is quite difficult, as Liam experienced in
his first two races.
Speaker 2 (14:13):
He's got some other sporting action over the weekend. Super
Rugby just heard from Ken Laban on the podcast about
Mowana Pacifica and how impressive they have been. You would
have been happy about your Blues pipping my Hurricanes Shaturday
night of eating park made Oh.
Speaker 4 (14:28):
I am soaked off that victory, piney I mean, at
this rate, I think the Blues should just play the
Hurricanes every week if they're going to have a chance
to make the top six. But it was an amazing game.
Was closely contested, which is what you want at Eden Park.
I think the class of Boden Barrett in particular showed
in that contest, especially with his kicking off the tea
and yeah, now they're going to be looking to build
(14:49):
some momentum when they come up against a team like
Majana who have discovered that they can build momentum and
can went back to back in Super Rugby. That was
a great second half performance against the Waratas, So I'm
definitely looking forward to that match up this Saturday.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Oh it's going to be an absolute cracker in the late
afternoon sunshine as well. I know daylight saving has now
ended so it won't be quite as quite as light,
but four thirty in the afternoon, I don't mind it.
With the Super Rugby opicky final to follow, I feel
look at the Super Rugby table and I think it
tells the tale of teams like the Blues, like the Crusaders,
like the Hurricanes, like a number of teams who are
(15:23):
kind of you know, from week to week you're not
really sure what you're going to get apart from the Chiefs, who,
apart from their loss to the Drwer, have been utterly
consistent and in the rain in Hamilton on Friday night,
I think did a bloody good job against a Red
side who were top of the table alongside.
Speaker 4 (15:42):
Them for sure, and I think part of that is
what they're doing with the bench. They're bringing on some
allbacks off the bench, just that this past game against
the Reds they had Somersonia to Kyahu and tupu Ai
and some openny female, which that is some punch to
bring off the bench, and it's sort of like a
mini bomb squad that you're bringing on with the Chiefs.
(16:03):
And I think Kats mcmillon's done a really good job
at balancing his starters with he brings off the bench,
and that's that really showed in the in there against
the Reds and what helped them pull away. And yeah,
it's gonna be tough to stop them for the rest
of the season, but we'll see how the rest of
the squads measure up to them.
Speaker 2 (16:20):
Tough scene to be a Highlanders fan again, isn't it.
I thought they were going well at the start, you know,
they had that went over the Blues in the second
round and everyone thought, hey, hang on, the Islanders might
be something. They beat me one to PACIFICA. But from
there it's been what four straight losses. What's happening?
Speaker 4 (16:36):
Yeah, unfortunate for the Highlanders. I think part of it
is there's still a young squad, so you're you're always
going to see these I guess growing pains with such
a young squad. There's a lot of talent in the
squad in this team, with you know Nihwai and Caleb
Toneytawel and among others. But yeah, those losses across the
ditch in Australia to the Brumbies and the Force, that's
(16:59):
not ideal for your season. But we'll see if they
can bounce back for the second half of the season.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
Yeah, I hope they can. I hope they can. I
want the Highlander to be good and I think Jamie
Joseph has got a bit about him, but at the
moment trying trying hard to get a tune out of
his team and not really being able to. Let's just
finish with Auckland FC. What's that another drawer at home?
That's four draws in the last five. I know they're
eleven unbeaten, Elijah, But are they stumbling a little bit
towards the finish line of the A League regular season?
Speaker 5 (17:28):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (17:28):
I know that. Last week I said I pitched the
ten outside Mount Smart I might have to pick it
up without anyone looking that they have. Look it definitely
looks like they're going to stumble or crawl at least
towards the Premier's Plate rather than run away with it,
especially given that three of their last four games of
the season are away. So that's gonna be a tough
(17:49):
ask for them if they're going to come away with
that Premier's plate. I'm not sure if they've sort of
lost an edge a little bit. I'm not sure if
teams have I guess figured them out now that the
Black Knights are no longer an unknown quantity. But I
guess you'd hope that this week against Sidney FC, especially
you know Steve Cork going up against his former side,
(18:10):
that Orkning FC can sort of start the peak. I
guess at this point of the season, heading into the playoffs.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
Yeah, I think accommodation of everything you mentioned there is
at play here, I still think they'll win the Premier's Plate.
But as you say, the victory parade will have to
wait for a couple of weeks at least. But yeah,
I still think they've got what it takes. And you know,
let's not get too down on eleven games unbeaten, even
if they haven't all been wins. Elijah, always a pleasure
to spend time in the People's Chamber with you. Hopefully
(18:36):
I can convince you to join us again next Monday
for sure.
Speaker 4 (18:40):
Thank you, Pony.
Speaker 1 (18:43):
Dissecting the sporting agenda. It's Sportsfix with Jason Vine.
Speaker 2 (18:48):
And that is all we have for you on the
Sports Fix podcast for today. A fresh episode will drop
into your podcast feed and around about the same time
tomorrow and every weekday, provided you subscribe to Sports Fix.
And for more from news talks, there be Sport, check
out Sports Talk weeknights between seven and eight and weekend
Sport midday to three Saturday and Sunday.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
For more from news Talk set 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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