July 1, 2025 • 16 mins
On Sports Fix with Elliott Smith for 1 July 2025, former All Blacks coach Laurie Mains joins the podcast to discuss the balance of fielding the best Super Rugby teams possible, while protecting key players for the All Blacks. And should players be allowed to take the field when carrying injuries?
Newstalk ZB sport journalist Nathan Limm is in The Chamber to discuss Luke Metcalf's season ending injury, and who are favourites heading in to the finals rounds of the ANZ Premiership?
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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.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sportsfix Howard By News.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Talks EDB propn to Sports Fix with you to the
first of July. I'm Elligott Smith. Coming up on today's
episode with GJ. Gardener Holmes, New Zealand's most trusted home builder.
We talk the All Blacks days out from the first
Test against France in Dunedin and o to Mighty Williams
for the All Blacks in the next four six to
eight weeks after he aggravated a knee injury he already
(00:40):
had during the Super Ranking Final and now needs.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
To go under the night.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
We talk the pros and the cons of players pushing
through the injury limits with former All Blacks coach Lourie
Mains on today's Sports Fix. Also, Nathan Lim joins us
in the chamber as well to discuss everything sporting ways
over the last twenty four hours, including Luke Metcalf being
ruled out for the rest of the Warriors season.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
That's and more today on Sports Fix.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
In other news, checking in on sport over the last
twenty four hours with Sport Today away to the Super
Rugby campaign for Mulwana Pacific has been put in the
review very by Ardie Samviemp as he begins his tenth
season of international rugby or Blacks Vice Campadin easily claimed
Super Rugby's first official MVP title in his first campaign
with Mowana, taking.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Them to within a win of the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Is the fatigue kicked in once more on the season
was done, but insists of break has him rearing and
ready for the French series.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Feeling good, feeling good in some time with the fermanly
So yeah, Christie, just it's been good to come in
and get stuck.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Into and the All Black Softs to Dunedin tonight. So one,
but then we're underway. Two time defending champion Carlos Olcarath
has won his first round tennis match in five seats
against thirty eight year old Fabio Fogninioparez, really having to
knuckle down across four and a half hours.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
I'm just really proud that I always find a way.
Speaker 5 (01:59):
Today I did it.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
You know, Fabio was playing a great tennis. Just really
proud to overcome the problem.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Luson's chance as are over shoes lost to Marie Boss Kova,
who now meets at Suberlenca. Bad news for the Warriors,
with Luke Metcalf's NRL season over in Charles and nickel
brooksta out for the next three to four weeks with
their injuries suffered against the Broncos and a change to
the Australian cricket team. Nathan Lyon has designed he's over
(02:27):
after sixty seven renditions of the team song under the
Southern Cross. He's not retiring, but he's passed the man
to Lonzo Wikiku of batsman Alex Carey to keep singing
the team song.
Speaker 6 (02:37):
Came into my room, had an envelope and I wasn't
I had no idea what he was delivering, but then
eventually I spoke about it and the history of it.
It's not lost on me.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
That is sport today.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
This is Sportsfix, your daily dose of sports news powered
by News talksb.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
You can't have it both ways.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Super Rugby has been so good this year because the
former enforced all Blacks rice was effectively banished and replaced
by a case by case approach and all black sitting
at the big fixtures for the Super Rugby season. There
had been in previous years when you didn't know which
stars were going to turn up for which games, So
to ask whether to Mighty Williams should have played the
final at all seems counterintuitive, even if he is now
(03:19):
out for weeks on end. Samuel Whitelock played through an Achilles'
injury in twenty twenty three in the final and there
was sideline from All Blacks action after that. Patrick thy
Plot who came back remarkably early last year, and then
sa off at a carf injury after that weather that
was connected who knows, but he missed a couple of months.
So Tomighty joins that trio. For Scott Robinson, he benefited
(03:39):
from white Lock playing when he was Crusaders coach. Now
he has another hat on. It's understandable he's frustrated, but
whatever competition is being played needs to be front of mind,
not keeping players in cotton will because he's a greater
good or an All Blacks test in a few weeks time.
That's the only way Super rugby gets back to where
it needs to be.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Needing a VEX, We've got just the ticket.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
It's sports X. How it by news.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Talks ivy all right, great pleasure to chat rugby with
former All coach Laurie mains with us now. Laurie, thanks
so much for your time. Not a problem, Well, nothing
quite like the first test week of the year to
get the issues bubbling away. And one that's cropped up
is to Maty Williams, the All Blacks prop out for
(04:25):
six to eight weeks after he suffered a recurrence of
a knee injury that he had a week prior to
the Super Rugby. Finally did it in the final again
and now he's out for a few weeks. Laurie, Look,
is there anyone to blame here or is this just
part and parcel of being a rugby coach.
Speaker 5 (04:42):
Well, it's a bit of both. It is part and
partial of being a rugby coach. But depending on the
medical analysis he had of his injury would decide whether
or not he should have played in that Super Final.
I think if I'd been to Mighty Williams and it
wasn't one hundred percent, I think I'd have said my
(05:04):
first responsibility is to the All Blacks. These players do
come under a lot of pressure and a final of
Super Rugby is a big deal.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
That's right, isn't it. If it had been a round
thirteen game. I suspect he wouldn't have played. But because
it's a final, there's a championship on the line, your
natural inclination as a player surely is to get out
there and help your team win win a championship.
Speaker 5 (05:28):
Absolutely, and that would have been a huge thrill for
him to do that. It's a big achievement, particularly after
the Crusaders form last year, for them to come back
and win it thought, I thought was outstanding.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
If during your day as a coach that the player
had said, oh, look, I'm I can probably get through
the game, but I'm not one hundred percent. I'm sure
you went through these scenarios. What would your response have been.
Speaker 5 (05:56):
I would have put it purely in the hands of
the medical people. You know, you know in your own mind,
you know what you want. Yes, you'd love the player
to sit out the game and be ready for the
test that's upcoming, But you've got to be fair to everybody,
and and so it rests on the advice from the
medical people, really, and.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
That ultimately probably should be where it begins and ends,
isn't it. If he's been clear by medical stuff. You know,
their reputations and jobs are on the line for their teams,
and you know that their doctors, they've got the hippocratic oath.
If they've said he's a right to go play a
game of rugby, been sure we should take them at
their word.
Speaker 5 (06:36):
I agree entirely. Now, I've got no idea what the
medical advice was. It may well have been you'd be
better not to play. Who knows, So I'm not I'm
not blaming anybody because I just don't know who would
have been majorly responsible.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
No, that's right, and you look at but let me.
Speaker 5 (06:56):
Say this, he's a fantastic player to Mighty Williams and
that All Black front row needs him in there. So
this is a fair bit of a setback for the
All Blacks.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Well how did they approach that now, Laurie, With to
Mighty being out for six to eight weeks. Ethan Degrute,
who had become the number two choice by the end
of last year, does he go straight back up to
being number one for this first Test against France and
Dneedin this weekend.
Speaker 5 (07:27):
I think he probably does. Ethan's one of those players.
He's got tremendous ability and he looked fairly strong to
me at scrum time. But I feel he could lift
his game another ten percent, get a little bit more
aggressive and a little bit hungrier, and he could also
(07:48):
become a very very good All Black.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Do you mend that in terms of his ball in
hand or his defense or both.
Speaker 5 (07:57):
Everything his whole game, hitting rucks, you know, the whole
part of his game. I think he could lift his
intensity a little bit.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
As we approach this international season, I guess we didn't
have a Super Rugby punctured by rest in rotation. You know,
in previous years there've been players missing for key weeks
and we didn't see a lot of the best players
play the best. Super Rugby was enhanced by that. But
there's also I guess with the All Blacks now, players
have played perhaps a few more minutes than maybe they
having previous years. So for Scott Robertson, there's going to
(08:28):
be a bit of balance over the course of the season.
Speaker 5 (08:31):
Well they could well be, but those players, you know,
would benefit from that. I'm a little bit skeptical about
All Black coaches holding players back out of Super Rugby
World Cup years different different and then the All Black
coach should have say over his whole squad when and
(08:52):
how much they play in Super Rugby. But you know
we're three years out, so I think Scott Robertson has
done the right thing and he's let the super teams
and the super coaches get on with doing their job
to the best of their ability and unfortuate. Actually, because
of that, you are going to lose the odd player.
Particularly today's rugby is incredibly physical and it's a it's
(09:18):
just a fact of life that you need bigger squads
and they do have much bigger squads now than in
my day, and you need to be prepared and covered
for injuries because they are going to happen.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
As you said, that's the nature of rugby. The collisions
have become heavier, you know, to Mighty Williams, who we
touched on at the start of the interview as one
hundred and forty kgs, you know, but he's also a
very fit one hundred and forty kg's he's a physical specimen.
When those bodies come into contact, injuries can happen.
Speaker 5 (09:51):
Oh absolutely. I mean the player receiving the knocks is
bigger and stronger than they were twenty years ago. But
still you know they are they are going to get injured.
The game This is a big This is a big
story up. The game has become more physical around the
(10:11):
rucks and tackle areas, and a lot of that is
caused by the I believe the interpretation of what players
are allowed to do and not allowed to do. But
ultimately you are going to get some injuries.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
The Chamber is now in session on SPORTSFX.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Let's jump inside the Chamber now on Sports Fix and
another busy day of sports news. Joining us is a
news talk Hebbie sports journalist Nathan lemb into the Chamber.
Welcome once again, Nathan, Thanks for stopping by today, Smithy,
pleasure to be on with you. Well, big news today
and in fact probably news that we knew. But Luke
Metcalf out for the rest of the Warriors season with
(10:55):
that injury he suffered against the Broncos. We've got Charns
Nicol Klok start out for three to four weeks as well.
If we put them together, they're just how big are
these blows for the Warriors in the context of their season.
Speaker 6 (11:07):
It's massive, Smith, You can't understate how big of a
blow this is, especially off the news of Mitch Barnett
co captain being ruled out for the season.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
As well.
Speaker 6 (11:17):
Luke Metcalf has the most X factor out of anyone
in the Warriors and you look at that spine. When
you lose two players in your spine in one go,
it is a massive blow. Luke Metcalf's played out of
his skin this year. People forget that this is the
first year he's played number seven, he's played half back,
and he's come in and just taken the mantle and
he's done it by storm leading the dally En points
(11:39):
as well when it went behind closed doors a few
weeks ago.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
So it is huge.
Speaker 6 (11:44):
The Warriors are fortunate in the fact that they are
one of the have probably the most depth out of
anyone in the NRROL in terms of half back because
Tmighty Martin and Tanner Boyd are both waiting in the wings.
Luke Metcalff spent a lot of last year injured. He
did in his acl back in twenty nineteen as well,
so for him this is just devastating. It is good
(12:06):
to hear that chance will be back on July twenty
six against the Titans, but yeah, it is massive and
the big question is do you go with to Mardy
Martin or Tanner Boyd when the Warriors restart against the Tigers.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
Well, I'm gonna put that on you. Who do you
put in that number seven jersey? I'm picking to Mardy Martin.
To Marty Martin is the man I want at number seven,
And I'll tell you why. Last year, Seawn Johnson went down,
never on wet themselves and to Marty Martin came in
and he pulled on a few absolutely masterful performances in
that number seven jumper and no one was really expecting it.
And he did it alongside Chanelle Harris Tavita, which is
(12:40):
exactly the same scenario that we're presented with this year.
He's got a cool head, he's been there before, he's
so experienced. He's the one I want leading the side. However,
Tanner Boyd is a really really good option as well.
He's obviously come from the Titans. He's probably got the
best kicking game at the club, and given the Warriors
struggles with yardage over the last couple of weeks, I
(13:02):
wouldn't be surprised if coach Andrew Webster looks at Tanner
and goes well, given our struggles getting up the field,
his kicking game could be very, very helpful in that regard.
He's a specialist half back and he's been a staple
of the new South Wales Cup side that's recorded eleven
straight wins. He's got a bit of time to mull
over it ahead of next week's game against the Tigers.
(13:23):
With the buyer this week, maybe are you happy with
all Blacks playing through pain barriers and then being ruled
out with injury? Ie to Mighty Williams playing and winning
the Super Rugby Final and then being ruled out for
four to eight weeks afterwards because he's done the injury
again in the final? Are you happy with that? Should
the All Blacks be protected from doing that? If they're
(13:46):
going out and playing injured, should they be stopped?
Speaker 2 (13:49):
It's so difficult, isn't it. It's so difficult because.
Speaker 6 (13:52):
You want to put yourself in the player's shoes, and
I really think in this sort of scenario it is
a case by case basis and the players should be
the one making the decisions. It's a Super Rugby Final,
it could be the highlight of their careers. And you know,
as an observed as an outside spectator, if it was
my team and I wanted my team to win the
(14:13):
Super Rugby Final, I'd want them to play. If it's
another person's team, then I don't really care and I'd
rather they were there for the All Blacks.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
But that's just me.
Speaker 6 (14:20):
I think in this scenario it is down to the player,
and the player will factor in input from the coaches
and potentially the All Blacks coaches as well. So maybe
the All Blacks coaches should have more of a role
in close with the Super Rugby franchises in terms of
monitoring these players and making their feelings known to the
players before they make this decision about whether or not
they want to play. But I think ultimately it should
(14:42):
be left down to the player and what they want
to prioritize.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
And Nate, you're a go to netball guy. Two rounds
left and the agen Z Premiership. The Mystics have gone
back to the top of the ladder. Who wins it
from here? The Mystics. The Mystics are in it from here? Yeah,
I'm calling plain. Why why do they beat my hometown Tactics.
Speaker 5 (15:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (15:01):
I thought you might raise the Smithy and the Tactics.
Speaker 6 (15:03):
They could still be top of the ladder, but they
went down to the Pulse.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
The Pulse is still there. Are there about.
Speaker 6 (15:08):
And third, realistically, you've got four teams in it now, right,
Mystics Tactics top, and then the Pulse and the Steel
and the Magic a little further back fighting for that
final elimination spot. And the reason I'll go with the
Mystics is because the only game that they have lost
this season, it was to the Tactics, but they did
not have Denell Wallam. Denell Wallam there sort of one
hundred and ninety three centimeter Australian diamond shoot her. When
(15:30):
she wasn't there, the Mystics struggled and since she has
come back they have not lost a game. I think
she is the difference. She is the grace weaker of
their side this season, and the Tactics showed that they
were vulnerable and they were rattled by the Pulse defense
in the game just gone. I think the final round
fixture between the Tactics and the Mystics will effectively be
(15:52):
a precursor to the final and we're going to see
which team really is the dominant force in the A
and Z Premiership this year. The Mystics, provided she doesn't
get injured this week, will have Denel Wallam for that fixture.
Against the tactics to end it. But that is how
I see it playing out.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Smit. Why your tactics aren't going to win.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
That hurts me to say, but Nate, thank you for
your explanation on that. I'm still back in the tactics
so to get the jobs done. Nathan, thank you very
much for your time in the chamber this afternoon, We'll
let you go. Thank you, thanks many.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Leading a VIX, we've gone just the ticket. It's Sports
Fix powered by News.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
Talks v Thanks for listening. We'll be back tomorrow with
another episode of Sports Fix.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
For more from News Talks EDB listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sportsfix Howard By News.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Talks EDB propn to Sports Fix with you to the
first of July. I'm Elligott Smith. Coming up on today's
episode with GJ. Gardener Holmes, New Zealand's most trusted home builder.
We talk the All Blacks days out from the first
Test against France in Dunedin and o to Mighty Williams
for the All Blacks in the next four six to
eight weeks after he aggravated a knee injury he already
(00:40):
had during the Super Ranking Final and now needs.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
To go under the night.
Speaker 3 (00:44):
We talk the pros and the cons of players pushing
through the injury limits with former All Blacks coach Lourie
Mains on today's Sports Fix. Also, Nathan Lim joins us
in the chamber as well to discuss everything sporting ways
over the last twenty four hours, including Luke Metcalf being
ruled out for the rest of the Warriors season.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
That's and more today on Sports Fix.
Speaker 4 (01:06):
In other news, checking in on sport over the last
twenty four hours with Sport Today away to the Super
Rugby campaign for Mulwana Pacific has been put in the
review very by Ardie Samviemp as he begins his tenth
season of international rugby or Blacks Vice Campadin easily claimed
Super Rugby's first official MVP title in his first campaign
with Mowana, taking.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Them to within a win of the playoffs.
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Is the fatigue kicked in once more on the season
was done, but insists of break has him rearing and
ready for the French series.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
Feeling good, feeling good in some time with the fermanly
So yeah, Christie, just it's been good to come in
and get stuck.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Into and the All Black Softs to Dunedin tonight. So one,
but then we're underway. Two time defending champion Carlos Olcarath
has won his first round tennis match in five seats
against thirty eight year old Fabio Fogninioparez, really having to
knuckle down across four and a half hours.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
I'm just really proud that I always find a way.
Speaker 5 (01:59):
Today I did it.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
You know, Fabio was playing a great tennis. Just really
proud to overcome the problem.
Speaker 3 (02:06):
Luson's chance as are over shoes lost to Marie Boss Kova,
who now meets at Suberlenca. Bad news for the Warriors,
with Luke Metcalf's NRL season over in Charles and nickel
brooksta out for the next three to four weeks with
their injuries suffered against the Broncos and a change to
the Australian cricket team. Nathan Lyon has designed he's over
(02:27):
after sixty seven renditions of the team song under the
Southern Cross. He's not retiring, but he's passed the man
to Lonzo Wikiku of batsman Alex Carey to keep singing
the team song.
Speaker 6 (02:37):
Came into my room, had an envelope and I wasn't
I had no idea what he was delivering, but then
eventually I spoke about it and the history of it.
It's not lost on me.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
That is sport today.
Speaker 1 (02:49):
This is Sportsfix, your daily dose of sports news powered
by News talksb.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
You can't have it both ways.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Super Rugby has been so good this year because the
former enforced all Blacks rice was effectively banished and replaced
by a case by case approach and all black sitting
at the big fixtures for the Super Rugby season. There
had been in previous years when you didn't know which
stars were going to turn up for which games, So
to ask whether to Mighty Williams should have played the
final at all seems counterintuitive, even if he is now
(03:19):
out for weeks on end. Samuel Whitelock played through an Achilles'
injury in twenty twenty three in the final and there
was sideline from All Blacks action after that. Patrick thy
Plot who came back remarkably early last year, and then
sa off at a carf injury after that weather that
was connected who knows, but he missed a couple of months.
So Tomighty joins that trio. For Scott Robinson, he benefited
(03:39):
from white Lock playing when he was Crusaders coach. Now
he has another hat on. It's understandable he's frustrated, but
whatever competition is being played needs to be front of mind,
not keeping players in cotton will because he's a greater
good or an All Blacks test in a few weeks time.
That's the only way Super rugby gets back to where
it needs to be.
Speaker 2 (03:58):
Needing a VEX, We've got just the ticket.
Speaker 5 (04:00):
It's sports X. How it by news.
Speaker 3 (04:02):
Talks ivy all right, great pleasure to chat rugby with
former All coach Laurie mains with us now. Laurie, thanks
so much for your time. Not a problem, Well, nothing
quite like the first test week of the year to
get the issues bubbling away. And one that's cropped up
is to Maty Williams, the All Blacks prop out for
(04:25):
six to eight weeks after he suffered a recurrence of
a knee injury that he had a week prior to
the Super Rugby. Finally did it in the final again
and now he's out for a few weeks. Laurie, Look,
is there anyone to blame here or is this just
part and parcel of being a rugby coach.
Speaker 5 (04:42):
Well, it's a bit of both. It is part and
partial of being a rugby coach. But depending on the
medical analysis he had of his injury would decide whether
or not he should have played in that Super Final.
I think if I'd been to Mighty Williams and it
wasn't one hundred percent, I think I'd have said my
(05:04):
first responsibility is to the All Blacks. These players do
come under a lot of pressure and a final of
Super Rugby is a big deal.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
That's right, isn't it. If it had been a round
thirteen game. I suspect he wouldn't have played. But because
it's a final, there's a championship on the line, your
natural inclination as a player surely is to get out
there and help your team win win a championship.
Speaker 5 (05:28):
Absolutely, and that would have been a huge thrill for
him to do that. It's a big achievement, particularly after
the Crusaders form last year, for them to come back
and win it thought, I thought was outstanding.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
If during your day as a coach that the player
had said, oh, look, I'm I can probably get through
the game, but I'm not one hundred percent. I'm sure
you went through these scenarios. What would your response have been.
Speaker 5 (05:56):
I would have put it purely in the hands of
the medical people. You know, you know in your own mind,
you know what you want. Yes, you'd love the player
to sit out the game and be ready for the
test that's upcoming, But you've got to be fair to everybody,
and and so it rests on the advice from the
medical people, really, and.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
That ultimately probably should be where it begins and ends,
isn't it. If he's been clear by medical stuff. You know,
their reputations and jobs are on the line for their teams,
and you know that their doctors, they've got the hippocratic oath.
If they've said he's a right to go play a
game of rugby, been sure we should take them at
their word.
Speaker 5 (06:36):
I agree entirely. Now, I've got no idea what the
medical advice was. It may well have been you'd be
better not to play. Who knows, So I'm not I'm
not blaming anybody because I just don't know who would
have been majorly responsible.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
No, that's right, and you look at but let me.
Speaker 5 (06:56):
Say this, he's a fantastic player to Mighty Williams and
that All Black front row needs him in there. So
this is a fair bit of a setback for the
All Blacks.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Well how did they approach that now, Laurie, With to
Mighty being out for six to eight weeks. Ethan Degrute,
who had become the number two choice by the end
of last year, does he go straight back up to
being number one for this first Test against France and
Dneedin this weekend.
Speaker 5 (07:27):
I think he probably does. Ethan's one of those players.
He's got tremendous ability and he looked fairly strong to
me at scrum time. But I feel he could lift
his game another ten percent, get a little bit more
aggressive and a little bit hungrier, and he could also
(07:48):
become a very very good All Black.
Speaker 2 (07:52):
Do you mend that in terms of his ball in
hand or his defense or both.
Speaker 5 (07:57):
Everything his whole game, hitting rucks, you know, the whole
part of his game. I think he could lift his
intensity a little bit.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
As we approach this international season, I guess we didn't
have a Super Rugby punctured by rest in rotation. You know,
in previous years there've been players missing for key weeks
and we didn't see a lot of the best players
play the best. Super Rugby was enhanced by that. But
there's also I guess with the All Blacks now, players
have played perhaps a few more minutes than maybe they
having previous years. So for Scott Robertson, there's going to
(08:28):
be a bit of balance over the course of the season.
Speaker 5 (08:31):
Well they could well be, but those players, you know,
would benefit from that. I'm a little bit skeptical about
All Black coaches holding players back out of Super Rugby
World Cup years different different and then the All Black
coach should have say over his whole squad when and
(08:52):
how much they play in Super Rugby. But you know
we're three years out, so I think Scott Robertson has
done the right thing and he's let the super teams
and the super coaches get on with doing their job
to the best of their ability and unfortuate. Actually, because
of that, you are going to lose the odd player.
Particularly today's rugby is incredibly physical and it's a it's
(09:18):
just a fact of life that you need bigger squads
and they do have much bigger squads now than in
my day, and you need to be prepared and covered
for injuries because they are going to happen.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
As you said, that's the nature of rugby. The collisions
have become heavier, you know, to Mighty Williams, who we
touched on at the start of the interview as one
hundred and forty kgs, you know, but he's also a
very fit one hundred and forty kg's he's a physical specimen.
When those bodies come into contact, injuries can happen.
Speaker 5 (09:51):
Oh absolutely. I mean the player receiving the knocks is
bigger and stronger than they were twenty years ago. But
still you know they are they are going to get injured.
The game This is a big This is a big
story up. The game has become more physical around the
(10:11):
rucks and tackle areas, and a lot of that is
caused by the I believe the interpretation of what players
are allowed to do and not allowed to do. But
ultimately you are going to get some injuries.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
The Chamber is now in session on SPORTSFX.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Let's jump inside the Chamber now on Sports Fix and
another busy day of sports news. Joining us is a
news talk Hebbie sports journalist Nathan lemb into the Chamber.
Welcome once again, Nathan, Thanks for stopping by today, Smithy,
pleasure to be on with you. Well, big news today
and in fact probably news that we knew. But Luke
Metcalf out for the rest of the Warriors season with
(10:55):
that injury he suffered against the Broncos. We've got Charns
Nicol Klok start out for three to four weeks as well.
If we put them together, they're just how big are
these blows for the Warriors in the context of their season.
Speaker 6 (11:07):
It's massive, Smith, You can't understate how big of a
blow this is, especially off the news of Mitch Barnett
co captain being ruled out for the season.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
As well.
Speaker 6 (11:17):
Luke Metcalf has the most X factor out of anyone
in the Warriors and you look at that spine. When
you lose two players in your spine in one go,
it is a massive blow. Luke Metcalf's played out of
his skin this year. People forget that this is the
first year he's played number seven, he's played half back,
and he's come in and just taken the mantle and
he's done it by storm leading the dally En points
(11:39):
as well when it went behind closed doors a few
weeks ago.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
So it is huge.
Speaker 6 (11:44):
The Warriors are fortunate in the fact that they are
one of the have probably the most depth out of
anyone in the NRROL in terms of half back because
Tmighty Martin and Tanner Boyd are both waiting in the wings.
Luke Metcalff spent a lot of last year injured. He
did in his acl back in twenty nineteen as well,
so for him this is just devastating. It is good
(12:06):
to hear that chance will be back on July twenty
six against the Titans, but yeah, it is massive and
the big question is do you go with to Mardy
Martin or Tanner Boyd when the Warriors restart against the Tigers.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
Well, I'm gonna put that on you. Who do you
put in that number seven jersey? I'm picking to Mardy Martin.
To Marty Martin is the man I want at number seven,
And I'll tell you why. Last year, Seawn Johnson went down,
never on wet themselves and to Marty Martin came in
and he pulled on a few absolutely masterful performances in
that number seven jumper and no one was really expecting it.
And he did it alongside Chanelle Harris Tavita, which is
(12:40):
exactly the same scenario that we're presented with this year.
He's got a cool head, he's been there before, he's
so experienced. He's the one I want leading the side. However,
Tanner Boyd is a really really good option as well.
He's obviously come from the Titans. He's probably got the
best kicking game at the club, and given the Warriors
struggles with yardage over the last couple of weeks, I
(13:02):
wouldn't be surprised if coach Andrew Webster looks at Tanner
and goes well, given our struggles getting up the field,
his kicking game could be very, very helpful in that regard.
He's a specialist half back and he's been a staple
of the new South Wales Cup side that's recorded eleven
straight wins. He's got a bit of time to mull
over it ahead of next week's game against the Tigers.
(13:23):
With the buyer this week, maybe are you happy with
all Blacks playing through pain barriers and then being ruled
out with injury? Ie to Mighty Williams playing and winning
the Super Rugby Final and then being ruled out for
four to eight weeks afterwards because he's done the injury
again in the final? Are you happy with that? Should
the All Blacks be protected from doing that? If they're
(13:46):
going out and playing injured, should they be stopped?
Speaker 2 (13:49):
It's so difficult, isn't it. It's so difficult because.
Speaker 6 (13:52):
You want to put yourself in the player's shoes, and
I really think in this sort of scenario it is
a case by case basis and the players should be
the one making the decisions. It's a Super Rugby Final,
it could be the highlight of their careers. And you know,
as an observed as an outside spectator, if it was
my team and I wanted my team to win the
(14:13):
Super Rugby Final, I'd want them to play. If it's
another person's team, then I don't really care and I'd
rather they were there for the All Blacks.
Speaker 2 (14:19):
But that's just me.
Speaker 6 (14:20):
I think in this scenario it is down to the player,
and the player will factor in input from the coaches
and potentially the All Blacks coaches as well. So maybe
the All Blacks coaches should have more of a role
in close with the Super Rugby franchises in terms of
monitoring these players and making their feelings known to the
players before they make this decision about whether or not
they want to play. But I think ultimately it should
(14:42):
be left down to the player and what they want
to prioritize.
Speaker 3 (14:46):
And Nate, you're a go to netball guy. Two rounds
left and the agen Z Premiership. The Mystics have gone
back to the top of the ladder. Who wins it
from here? The Mystics. The Mystics are in it from here? Yeah,
I'm calling plain. Why why do they beat my hometown Tactics.
Speaker 5 (15:01):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (15:01):
I thought you might raise the Smithy and the Tactics.
Speaker 6 (15:03):
They could still be top of the ladder, but they
went down to the Pulse.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
The Pulse is still there. Are there about.
Speaker 6 (15:08):
And third, realistically, you've got four teams in it now, right,
Mystics Tactics top, and then the Pulse and the Steel
and the Magic a little further back fighting for that
final elimination spot. And the reason I'll go with the
Mystics is because the only game that they have lost
this season, it was to the Tactics, but they did
not have Denell Wallam. Denell Wallam there sort of one
hundred and ninety three centimeter Australian diamond shoot her. When
(15:30):
she wasn't there, the Mystics struggled and since she has
come back they have not lost a game. I think
she is the difference. She is the grace weaker of
their side this season, and the Tactics showed that they
were vulnerable and they were rattled by the Pulse defense
in the game just gone. I think the final round
fixture between the Tactics and the Mystics will effectively be
(15:52):
a precursor to the final and we're going to see
which team really is the dominant force in the A
and Z Premiership this year. The Mystics, provided she doesn't
get injured this week, will have Denel Wallam for that fixture.
Against the tactics to end it. But that is how
I see it playing out.
Speaker 2 (16:07):
Smit. Why your tactics aren't going to win.
Speaker 3 (16:10):
That hurts me to say, but Nate, thank you for
your explanation on that. I'm still back in the tactics
so to get the jobs done. Nathan, thank you very
much for your time in the chamber this afternoon, We'll
let you go. Thank you, thanks many.
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Leading a VIX, we've gone just the ticket. It's Sports
Fix powered by News.
Speaker 3 (16:25):
Talks v Thanks for listening. We'll be back tomorrow with
another episode of Sports Fix.
Speaker 1 (16:31):
For more from News Talks EDB listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcast on iHeartRadio.
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