August 6, 2025 • 20 mins
On Sports Fix with D'Arcy Waldegrave for Wednesday August 6 2025, the wonder wide world of triathlon is coming to Tauranga. Not 1, not 2, but 3 events over 3 years - culminating with the World Triathlon Championship. CEO of Tri NZ Pete de Wet joins the Fix to talk us through the significance of today’s announcement. It was here in Queenstown in 2003, returned to Auckland 2012, now Tauranga gets a crack.
International rugby league is still as disjointed and sloppy as it has always been. The latest example of head-smacking idiocy has grabbed D’Arcy’s attention, and the miserable bugger isn’t happy. He’ll explain...
In the Chamber, D’Arcy and NZ Herald sports writer Ben Francis chew fat over the eligibility laws that have been tweaked in Aussie rugby. And can the Warriors bounce back against the Bulldogs after last weekend's mess?
A big thanks to GJ Gardner Homes - New Zealand's most trusted home builder.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks at b
Follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sports Fix Howard by News.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Talks it be Greetings, greetings, Welcome on into the Sports
Fixed podcast. My name is Darcy Walter Grave and I'm
it As we wander through the wonderment of the world
of sport. What have we got lined up for you? Will?
Pete the Wet joins the program. He's the chief executive
of Try in zeb massive announcement today, not one, not two,
but three peat the Wet will run through the excitement
(00:42):
of World Triathlon. I've got some opinions based around the
lunarcy of International Rugby league. Talk about dumb do they
not share phone numbers or diaries?
Speaker 4 (00:54):
Are? I?
Speaker 3 (00:55):
I don't understand? More on that later and then joining
us in the chamber for the very first time sports
writer for the New Zealand Herald mister Ben Francis. He
has a bit of a bench when it comes to
the wonderful wide world of the Worries. We'll talk to
him about that and the fact that the Wallabies have
ditched their eligibility law. How exciting. Thanks very much, for
(01:17):
joining us, Thanks for your ears and a huge thanks
to GJ. Gardner Holmes, New Zealand's most trusted home builders.
What about you, guys. We couldn't do this right. Where's
geld In other news, various sports side swipes. Today, Dame
Nolan Coodour is on the hunt for what they call
(01:38):
the basketball A swingman, an athlete who can switch between
positions with ease, Gold shoot and gold defense is what
the Dane is.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
After we talk Shavior and Martina, weo Amelia and in
our last constellation cup I put her in goldcheck as well.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
So behind the scenes, we've been working with people and
it's not quite human trafficking, but Try and Z chief
exec Piet de Wet says there's heaps of action and
podunger over the next few years and people moving will
be a high priority.
Speaker 5 (02:13):
It's getting bites from Auckland into tight On. Our small
planes weren't cutted, so there'll be a road freight required.
So it's really just the movement of people.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
But we've proven we can do it before.
Speaker 5 (02:23):
We hosted the seventy point three Iron Manual Chance in
Topo in December.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
And the second test between the Black Caps and Zimbabwe
is likely to feature new blood, says bowling coach Jake Boram.
A couple of nasty fasties have broken down, leaving room
for a fisher or a Duffy, or a lister or
a folks.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
I think it's a very good chance as a debut
on playing in the second Test, and that's exciting. It's
nice to roll out of the same team, especially a
successful team, a team that's just want to test.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
But I think it's also nice to see the fresh faces. Depth, depth, depth,
and that's some sports spoken on the Fix news.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
It's Sportsfix with.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
International rugby league. Wonders why it is in such a
horrible state, but they keep insisting on shooting themselves in
the foot. I'm surprise they haven't blown their shins and
calf off the way things operate. There is a Pacific
Championship coming up. It is a fantastic event. It's a
great tournament. It's got the best of New Zealand and
(03:28):
Donga and Somemore and US not Australia. Australia are the
defending champs, but due to the strange timetable of international
rugby league, the Kangaroos won't be defending their title. Why
is that they've got a three Test series against the
Poms at the same time. You need joy heads, red
(03:51):
International league, Australian league, whoever league. This is a premi
yere tournament, the Pacific Championship here in the Pacific. It's
supposed to showcase the best league players this part of
the world has to offer. But due to a desire
to go and play over in England, the best players
won't be there. The Australians won't be there. And what
(04:13):
makes it even more galling, the final is to be
held in Australia. I don't know what goes on up
at a higher level of rugby league internationally, well I
do actually nothing. Sort it out, get it done, exchange calendars,
get a phone number, climb on WhatsApp, work it out
(04:34):
please for the good of international rugby league, this is
in your court. Try not to hit straight into the
net again.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Dissecting the sporting agenda, it's sportsfex with Darcy Waltergrave.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
And as well welcome to Pete de Wet. Here is
the Try New Zealand Chief Executive also sits on the
board of World to Try. You'd be beaming from air
to air right now, Pete, what an announcement today around
the Tote Hunger and the future of triathlon here and
R It's been huge.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
Yeah, it is a Mater announcement and something we've been
really kind of really keen to get out there. We've
had to keep it under apps for a fairly long time,
but yeah, we finally got to the day where we
could tell everyone about it, and yeah, completely fizzing at
the at the response we've had, and yeah, it just
really pleased that we've got there in the end.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Look, it's a triple threat, isn't it. It's not just
about one. You're looking at three big events over the
three years. So can you just take us through each
of the years twenty six, seven and eight.
Speaker 5 (05:38):
Yeah, sure. So twenty six will be a World Trithlon Cup,
So that's a tear below the World Trithlon Series and
we've hosted that quite often in New Zealand. We had
one in Napier earlier this year. And yeah, so that's
a that's an entry level one for us to starte
to build capacity as we built towards twenty seven and
(05:59):
twenty eight, twenty eighty seven.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Sorry, so it's like a dry run. It's basically you
had to see everything Olf and Todung and that's pretty
much how it's going to run for the Big.
Speaker 5 (06:07):
Dance correctly correct, And then twenty seven is a fairly
significant step up from twenty six. A Series event is
quite different from a World triathlon event, so that'll start
to look and feel quite different, but again it's on
a lesser scale to the Grand Final. The Grand Final
in twenty eighties is the Big Dance, and that's when
(06:27):
the whole world will descend onto Tronto to come and
participate in the Grand Final. So that's across the lead athletes,
paratriathle on under twenty threes, juniors and then a massive
big age group contingents, probably four to four and a
half thousand age groupers from around the world coming to
race in the age group World Champs.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
Where does it normally get held? Not normally, I mean
it's not on a regular basis. But what are some
of the cities that have actually held this huge dance,
as you said.
Speaker 5 (06:55):
London, Paris, La Shanghai, Tokyo, Sydney, Auckland, Queens Sound, some
big cities.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
I was actually there in Queenstown all those years ago.
What do you learn from an event like that. I'm
presuming you've looked back at that and tried to gather
more intel around what the best way is forward for Polin. Yeah,
you do.
Speaker 5 (07:26):
I think the sports is quite different from what it
was back then, even twenty twelve when we held it
last in Auckland. You know, the sports moved on a
fair bit and you know it's far more professional. The
commercial aspects around it are far greater. Television and broadcaster
is obviously on the next level. So you know, we
(07:47):
certainly would take lessons from twenty twelve and a number
of team that will be working on the delivery of
the twenty twenty eight event. We're involved in some way
in the twenty twelve events, so really good to have
those people on the team who've kind of done this
before and have a base level of experience. But it
has moved on a fair bit and be quite different.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
When it comes to planning this. What are the I
won't say roadblocks, they'll say hurdles between now and the
first event, second and the third event over that three years,
What rises in front of you? What do you have
to address peak?
Speaker 5 (08:25):
I think the key thing is obviously telling people from
outside New Zealand that they should get done here, So
less important for twenty six the World Cup, but certainly
becomes more important than twenty seven and twenty eight. So
ensuring that we put a robust plan in place to
engage with national federations from around the world and sell
(08:46):
the story as to why they should come down and
participate in New Zealand. Because a large component of the
event budget is covered through age group is coming to race,
so we want to ensure that we get as many
people into the country to race. But from an economic
economic benefit point of view, we also want people to
come in and spend more time in New Zealand. So
come and spend a week racing in total, but then
(09:08):
stick around for a week or two and have your
December holidays too. So yeah, I think it's the biggest
hurdle is going to be ensuring that we've engaged sufficiently
with our national federations from around the world and got
them excited about heading to Arturo.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Pig The wek joins us is the head to try
in z government have come to the party what two
point six five million dollars, so they want to climb
on the back of this and ride it as well.
Important for the whole nation. As you just touched on there,
it's not just about code on it. Two point sixty
five millions a decent wedge of money. But how much
(09:45):
does that help with you setting this up? What's an
event like this going to cost you? Guys?
Speaker 5 (09:51):
It's a big number, and like I say, it'll build
year on year, so I'd say we're probably in the
region of about seven million for all three events, but
the bulk of that will be towards the back end
for twenty eight.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
The Chamber is now in session on sports Vex Underdoor
swings open and look who's here?
Speaker 3 (10:11):
Been Francis which the New Zealand Herald. He is a
sports writer with a bit of a poonch on for
rugby league Ben how are you?
Speaker 4 (10:18):
Dar?
Speaker 6 (10:19):
Said, it's a privilege and a pleasure to be here.
I've always wonder where the Chamber is and it's great
to be finally invited in.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
Here, isn't It stinks a bit?
Speaker 4 (10:26):
Smells not my strong suits?
Speaker 3 (10:28):
So right, it's good. It's a test oster zone. It's
a terrible place to be. Hey, thanks very much for
joining us. How good's the retraction of the ghetto law
or ghetto depending on where you come from. They've said, look,
we don't use it, it's just drop kick it into touch.
Speaker 6 (10:42):
Well I think for somewhere like Australia, they probably need
every advantage they can get to probably feel that the
best team to be honest, But I think I'm from
a New Zealand perspective. I quite like the fact they
are only select local bass players, so.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
When they've got to move, they want to still select
the locals, which makes perfect sense. Want them to stay there.
That's good strengthen the Aussie team. But it could be
an absolute disaster as well, could it not?
Speaker 6 (11:05):
Or yeah, I guess I have lots of the players
then say hey, if they're getting rid of it, we
can go overseas, make our money elsewhere, play maybe some
less competitive rugby, or some might go to France for example,
while they might go to Japan. So it's a It
is quite an interesting one to see. But I forgets
guys like Will Scalton in there, who's been highly spoken
about and especially during the recent line series, then all
(11:26):
for it. If it makes the Aussies better, it makes
the Letters Cup tests a lot more competitive.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
This you will say that until we lose.
Speaker 6 (11:32):
Hey, Darcy, you know me, I'm I'm I'm not a
big Allvas fan myself.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
I'm a proud supporter of Scotland.
Speaker 6 (11:38):
So if if any chance your back's loose, sometimes I
wake up with a bit of a smile on my face.
Speaker 4 (11:43):
But that's the cynic in me, I.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
Tell you right now, he's got a massive red beard,
so definitely Scott's What alarms me about this though, is
the next step down? What does this do to super
rugby in Australia. They just finally stood up. Look, it
took the gasing of a team who let's face it,
they killed themselves. But they're strong now. But will this
start ripping the heart at of Aussie super rugby again?
(12:07):
Is it gonna be anyone left?
Speaker 6 (12:08):
I mean, it's all the wait and see, right because
I think there's places like France, for example, which to
sort of cap the amount of overseas players that can
actually go, so lots of it will depend on how
many players actually do depart. But I think for Australian rugby,
and that's something that you know the likes of Phil
war has spoken about before.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
It's about developing those pathways.
Speaker 6 (12:25):
That's the real key for Australian rugby and as soon
that they can get onto that, get those systems back
in place where people actually say, hey, I want to
play rugby. I want to be like George greg and
Stephen Larkham and all those things when Australian rugby was great.
You know, that's going to be the real key for it.
So that's probably the one thing that I'd be really
excited for. But it might take a while for those
players to really leave the Australian teams because I don't
(12:48):
we don't know all their contract situations as well, so
it's a bit of a wait and see.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
I reckon it's a I won't say it's the first
domino because the South African's already doing it. Do New
Zealand Rugby turn around and go our hands being forced?
I think no. I think they will remain solid in
what they believe in. They will not bow to this
because the really not sabbatical and everything else that I
need to. But they'll be looking over their shoulder, just
(13:13):
going right, what's the what's the effect of this? Right?
Speaker 6 (13:15):
Well, I personally, I said to you before, I personally
like it. The fact that you have to be playing
in New Zealand to be eligible to play for the
All Boats. I quite like that. I think it's part
of like this whole whole incentive thing. Right, Hey, you
for staying oil, staying here, this is what you could
be rewarded with the potential of playing for the All
Blacks and things like that.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
So I'm quite a big fan of that.
Speaker 6 (13:34):
I hope that they don't introduce the law, but as
you say, they might have have to have their arm
twisted eventually.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
I love the way New Zealand cricket have dealt with
this over the years, with the pirate leagues, the guerrilla leagues,
if you will. In T twenty cricket, they have been
so flexible, movable, feast and they change and they move
with whatever was going on. I wonder if New Zealand
and Rugby get to that point where they suddenly go, look,
we have to do something.
Speaker 6 (14:00):
They probably will, and especially if we are going to
you know, we hear about Richie mu Wanga for example,
and how for example the depth at first five is
in that strong then we need a guy like Mulwanga,
which is a bit crazy considering he's in his thirties
and we're going to be relying on him to be
the just swine.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
How good you? How old are you?
Speaker 4 (14:18):
I'm twenty nine?
Speaker 3 (14:19):
Ah right, I see, fair enough.
Speaker 6 (14:22):
I still got a few years before I hit the peak,
or I might be at the peak now.
Speaker 4 (14:25):
You never know, Darcy.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
No, but it's an interesting tail around rugby. And I
suppose also you look at those other pirate rugby leagues
that are being talked about as well, and that's another
opportunity for players to disappear. I'll give one thing about
the sporting world. It's never boring, is it now.
Speaker 6 (14:44):
There's always plenty going on, especially in the world of
you know, things like rugby for example, and lots of
other sports. There's always things going on which has great
talking points, and this is certainly another one of them.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
You were at the rugby league over the weekend when
they fell apart in the last two minutes and I
won't say handed the Dolphins victory because no one would
do that, but that was an out of sorts team
aims to weeb it. Some reserves have come in, reservists
that their cavalry have arrived. Is that going to make
(15:15):
much of a difference up against the Bulldogs, who will
be fealthy after they got tipped up last weekend as well.
Speaker 6 (15:21):
Yeah, look, some big inns for the Warriors, especially with
a guy like James Fisher Harris and probably doesn't have
the same stats as we can see compared to Anaphon
or Blake, but his leadership in that mana that he commands.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
It's all right, Field, isn't it. To talk to anyone
about what he brings off the pike, they all say, wow,
it's just something else. So I want to see something
on the part, but we see enough, but not the
fancy pants stuff.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
Yeah, and I think the dimetric back on the bench
as well.
Speaker 6 (15:46):
I think that's probably a big one because he's one
of those players that has really come of age this
year in terms of having that increased role and playing.
Speaker 4 (15:53):
A few more minutes.
Speaker 6 (15:53):
And I think and along that and Chanelle back and
back in the team, I think is good. But he's
a very good defense of five eighths, so it's really
good to see him back. But Andrew Webson did say
yesterday there is a possibility that they're still they still
need to pass a few hurd ors before it been included,
so this is a bit of a weight and see.
But if the Warriors do want to compete with the Bulldogs, who,
as you say, will be angry after the Tigers game,
(16:15):
they do need these guys back.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
Yeah, in rage though, that's not a bad place to
take on a team because they're may be too excited,
overstimulated going into a match. They're looking at the Wars
and go, well, you guys are in a trough right now.
It's a rude thing to say, but two victories on
last six matches with a couple of bides thrown in,
this is not a happy place. So they'll be thinking
we got these guys that might be enough to derail them.
(16:39):
Think the Warriors against the Titans.
Speaker 4 (16:42):
Yeah, well, I mean it's good.
Speaker 6 (16:43):
The whole interesting thing is, even though the Warriors have
had all these injuries, their discipline and defense is still
being very solid, even with all these young guys coming in.
Those stats are still holding up really well. It's just
that attack that's lacking. So if the Warriors can keep
that defense strong and hopefully get a couple of like
those little fifty to fifty cars that go away, get
those points, and who knows what's going to happen. Last
(17:05):
time in Sydney it was a feisty clash that we
to Golden Point the Bulldogs one thirteen twelve when the
Warriors lost all their outside backs. So I think a
lot of people will remember that game and it should
be another phizzit.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
Is there any chance we can clone Roger tui vasas check?
I don't know what that guy's been doing of recent times.
He's a bit of fallback. No, he's a rugby center.
Know he's okay, give him one role and see what
he can do on the wing. He's got something else.
It's a resurgence. It's a renaissance, isn't.
Speaker 6 (17:33):
It, especially considering last year he played pretty much in
the centers. The whole year was definitely not himself, didn't
look like his position, and he's gone back to a
position that he is a bit familiar with. He's had
a couple of injuries himself, but he's really just suited
back in and it was incredible.
Speaker 4 (17:46):
I think maybe part of.
Speaker 6 (17:47):
It was, you know, chance, there's a lot of work
out the back in terms of meters and the fact
he was in the centers maybe where he said to him, look,
we might have to pick up a bit of a
load here and that's what he did. It was absolutely incredible,
the amount of work he got through, the amount of
times he was asking for the ball. He was just
involved in everything, and he's going to be a contender
for the daim Winger of the Year.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
You'd have to say you read more about rugby league,
read it inzidhell dot co dot MZ. Ben francis always
contributing in that space. And one last thing for you,
So we're gonna hit the eight right? Can we can
we stay in them? Four? What do you think? Five
games to go?
Speaker 6 (18:23):
The only thing which I think is in their favorite
is they've got a relatively decent schedule. I know they've
got the Titans, who have got a bit of being
quite good over the Warriors are elate, but everyone's talking
about the Panther's been that main team. But after this
week they've got the Knights. They've got the Knights this week,
then after that, I don't know in the exact order,
they've got the Bulldogs, Raiders, Storm. Even for the Panthers,
they're going to find that hard. I think the team
(18:45):
that Warriors need to watch out for is a cronell
of Sharks who've only got four games left. A bye
as well, so guaranteed two points. So that's where I'm
looking at the team that could get in the four.
But the Warriors, look, if they want to stay in
the four, they have to win this week.
Speaker 4 (18:57):
It's as simple as that.
Speaker 6 (18:58):
If they do lose, they'll drop out for the first
time since Round six and it'll be a lot harder
to get back in.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
And on that, we'll remove you now from said chamber.
Ben Francis. Thanks for your time and expertise.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
See this is Sports Fix, your daily dose of sports
news cowered by News Talk ZEVB.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
That's all the Sports Fix today. It's been Wednesday, the
sixth of August twenty twenty five. I'm Darcy Watergrave. Thanks
for your time and attention, and thanks in advance for
telling your friends and family, your workmates, whoever about the
Sports Fix podcast. Get them to subscribe as well. Straight
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(19:38):
Box on a week daily basis. Also for live sport
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(20:00):
three pm on News Talk ZB. Thanks again to the
fine folk ast GJ. Gardner homes hesild's most trusted home builder.
Thanks for being involved, and thanks for you and your ears.
Catch you again surely.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
For more from News Talks at b Listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
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You're listening to a podcast from News Talks at b
Follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sports Fix Howard by News.
Speaker 3 (00:19):
Talks it be Greetings, greetings, Welcome on into the Sports
Fixed podcast. My name is Darcy Walter Grave and I'm
it As we wander through the wonderment of the world
of sport. What have we got lined up for you? Will?
Pete the Wet joins the program. He's the chief executive
of Try in zeb massive announcement today, not one, not two,
but three peat the Wet will run through the excitement
(00:42):
of World Triathlon. I've got some opinions based around the
lunarcy of International Rugby league. Talk about dumb do they
not share phone numbers or diaries?
Speaker 4 (00:54):
Are? I?
Speaker 3 (00:55):
I don't understand? More on that later and then joining
us in the chamber for the very first time sports
writer for the New Zealand Herald mister Ben Francis. He
has a bit of a bench when it comes to
the wonderful wide world of the Worries. We'll talk to
him about that and the fact that the Wallabies have
ditched their eligibility law. How exciting. Thanks very much, for
(01:17):
joining us, Thanks for your ears and a huge thanks
to GJ. Gardner Holmes, New Zealand's most trusted home builders.
What about you, guys. We couldn't do this right. Where's
geld In other news, various sports side swipes. Today, Dame
Nolan Coodour is on the hunt for what they call
(01:38):
the basketball A swingman, an athlete who can switch between
positions with ease, Gold shoot and gold defense is what
the Dane is.
Speaker 4 (01:48):
After we talk Shavior and Martina, weo Amelia and in
our last constellation cup I put her in goldcheck as well.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
So behind the scenes, we've been working with people and
it's not quite human trafficking, but Try and Z chief
exec Piet de Wet says there's heaps of action and
podunger over the next few years and people moving will
be a high priority.
Speaker 5 (02:13):
It's getting bites from Auckland into tight On. Our small
planes weren't cutted, so there'll be a road freight required.
So it's really just the movement of people.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
But we've proven we can do it before.
Speaker 5 (02:23):
We hosted the seventy point three Iron Manual Chance in
Topo in December.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
And the second test between the Black Caps and Zimbabwe
is likely to feature new blood, says bowling coach Jake Boram.
A couple of nasty fasties have broken down, leaving room
for a fisher or a Duffy, or a lister or
a folks.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
I think it's a very good chance as a debut
on playing in the second Test, and that's exciting. It's
nice to roll out of the same team, especially a
successful team, a team that's just want to test.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
But I think it's also nice to see the fresh faces. Depth, depth, depth,
and that's some sports spoken on the Fix news.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
It's Sportsfix with.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
International rugby league. Wonders why it is in such a
horrible state, but they keep insisting on shooting themselves in
the foot. I'm surprise they haven't blown their shins and
calf off the way things operate. There is a Pacific
Championship coming up. It is a fantastic event. It's a
great tournament. It's got the best of New Zealand and
(03:28):
Donga and Somemore and US not Australia. Australia are the
defending champs, but due to the strange timetable of international
rugby league, the Kangaroos won't be defending their title. Why
is that they've got a three Test series against the
Poms at the same time. You need joy heads, red
(03:51):
International league, Australian league, whoever league. This is a premi
yere tournament, the Pacific Championship here in the Pacific. It's
supposed to showcase the best league players this part of
the world has to offer. But due to a desire
to go and play over in England, the best players
won't be there. The Australians won't be there. And what
(04:13):
makes it even more galling, the final is to be
held in Australia. I don't know what goes on up
at a higher level of rugby league internationally, well I
do actually nothing. Sort it out, get it done, exchange calendars,
get a phone number, climb on WhatsApp, work it out
(04:34):
please for the good of international rugby league, this is
in your court. Try not to hit straight into the
net again.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
Dissecting the sporting agenda, it's sportsfex with Darcy Waltergrave.
Speaker 3 (04:48):
And as well welcome to Pete de Wet. Here is
the Try New Zealand Chief Executive also sits on the
board of World to Try. You'd be beaming from air
to air right now, Pete, what an announcement today around
the Tote Hunger and the future of triathlon here and
R It's been huge.
Speaker 5 (05:07):
Yeah, it is a Mater announcement and something we've been
really kind of really keen to get out there. We've
had to keep it under apps for a fairly long time,
but yeah, we finally got to the day where we
could tell everyone about it, and yeah, completely fizzing at
the at the response we've had, and yeah, it just
really pleased that we've got there in the end.
Speaker 3 (05:25):
Look, it's a triple threat, isn't it. It's not just
about one. You're looking at three big events over the
three years. So can you just take us through each
of the years twenty six, seven and eight.
Speaker 5 (05:38):
Yeah, sure. So twenty six will be a World Trithlon Cup,
So that's a tear below the World Trithlon Series and
we've hosted that quite often in New Zealand. We had
one in Napier earlier this year. And yeah, so that's
a that's an entry level one for us to starte
to build capacity as we built towards twenty seven and
(05:59):
twenty eight, twenty eighty seven.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Sorry, so it's like a dry run. It's basically you
had to see everything Olf and Todung and that's pretty
much how it's going to run for the Big.
Speaker 5 (06:07):
Dance correctly correct, And then twenty seven is a fairly
significant step up from twenty six. A Series event is
quite different from a World triathlon event, so that'll start
to look and feel quite different, but again it's on
a lesser scale to the Grand Final. The Grand Final
in twenty eighties is the Big Dance, and that's when
(06:27):
the whole world will descend onto Tronto to come and
participate in the Grand Final. So that's across the lead athletes,
paratriathle on under twenty threes, juniors and then a massive
big age group contingents, probably four to four and a
half thousand age groupers from around the world coming to
race in the age group World Champs.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
Where does it normally get held? Not normally, I mean
it's not on a regular basis. But what are some
of the cities that have actually held this huge dance,
as you said.
Speaker 5 (06:55):
London, Paris, La Shanghai, Tokyo, Sydney, Auckland, Queens Sound, some
big cities.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
I was actually there in Queenstown all those years ago.
What do you learn from an event like that. I'm
presuming you've looked back at that and tried to gather
more intel around what the best way is forward for Polin. Yeah,
you do.
Speaker 5 (07:26):
I think the sports is quite different from what it
was back then, even twenty twelve when we held it
last in Auckland. You know, the sports moved on a
fair bit and you know it's far more professional. The
commercial aspects around it are far greater. Television and broadcaster
is obviously on the next level. So you know, we
(07:47):
certainly would take lessons from twenty twelve and a number
of team that will be working on the delivery of
the twenty twenty eight event. We're involved in some way
in the twenty twelve events, so really good to have
those people on the team who've kind of done this
before and have a base level of experience. But it
has moved on a fair bit and be quite different.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
When it comes to planning this. What are the I
won't say roadblocks, they'll say hurdles between now and the
first event, second and the third event over that three years,
What rises in front of you? What do you have
to address peak?
Speaker 5 (08:25):
I think the key thing is obviously telling people from
outside New Zealand that they should get done here, So
less important for twenty six the World Cup, but certainly
becomes more important than twenty seven and twenty eight. So
ensuring that we put a robust plan in place to
engage with national federations from around the world and sell
(08:46):
the story as to why they should come down and
participate in New Zealand. Because a large component of the
event budget is covered through age group is coming to race,
so we want to ensure that we get as many
people into the country to race. But from an economic
economic benefit point of view, we also want people to
come in and spend more time in New Zealand. So
come and spend a week racing in total, but then
(09:08):
stick around for a week or two and have your
December holidays too. So yeah, I think it's the biggest
hurdle is going to be ensuring that we've engaged sufficiently
with our national federations from around the world and got
them excited about heading to Arturo.
Speaker 3 (09:23):
Pig The wek joins us is the head to try
in z government have come to the party what two
point six five million dollars, so they want to climb
on the back of this and ride it as well.
Important for the whole nation. As you just touched on there,
it's not just about code on it. Two point sixty
five millions a decent wedge of money. But how much
(09:45):
does that help with you setting this up? What's an
event like this going to cost you? Guys?
Speaker 5 (09:51):
It's a big number, and like I say, it'll build
year on year, so I'd say we're probably in the
region of about seven million for all three events, but
the bulk of that will be towards the back end
for twenty eight.
Speaker 2 (10:04):
The Chamber is now in session on sports Vex Underdoor
swings open and look who's here?
Speaker 3 (10:11):
Been Francis which the New Zealand Herald. He is a
sports writer with a bit of a poonch on for
rugby league Ben how are you?
Speaker 4 (10:18):
Dar?
Speaker 6 (10:19):
Said, it's a privilege and a pleasure to be here.
I've always wonder where the Chamber is and it's great
to be finally invited in.
Speaker 3 (10:24):
Here, isn't It stinks a bit?
Speaker 4 (10:26):
Smells not my strong suits?
Speaker 3 (10:28):
So right, it's good. It's a test oster zone. It's
a terrible place to be. Hey, thanks very much for
joining us. How good's the retraction of the ghetto law
or ghetto depending on where you come from. They've said, look,
we don't use it, it's just drop kick it into touch.
Speaker 6 (10:42):
Well I think for somewhere like Australia, they probably need
every advantage they can get to probably feel that the
best team to be honest, But I think I'm from
a New Zealand perspective. I quite like the fact they
are only select local bass players, so.
Speaker 3 (10:54):
When they've got to move, they want to still select
the locals, which makes perfect sense. Want them to stay there.
That's good strengthen the Aussie team. But it could be
an absolute disaster as well, could it not?
Speaker 6 (11:05):
Or yeah, I guess I have lots of the players
then say hey, if they're getting rid of it, we
can go overseas, make our money elsewhere, play maybe some
less competitive rugby, or some might go to France for example,
while they might go to Japan. So it's a It
is quite an interesting one to see. But I forgets
guys like Will Scalton in there, who's been highly spoken
about and especially during the recent line series, then all
(11:26):
for it. If it makes the Aussies better, it makes
the Letters Cup tests a lot more competitive.
Speaker 3 (11:29):
This you will say that until we lose.
Speaker 6 (11:32):
Hey, Darcy, you know me, I'm I'm I'm not a
big Allvas fan myself.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
I'm a proud supporter of Scotland.
Speaker 6 (11:38):
So if if any chance your back's loose, sometimes I
wake up with a bit of a smile on my face.
Speaker 4 (11:43):
But that's the cynic in me, I.
Speaker 3 (11:45):
Tell you right now, he's got a massive red beard,
so definitely Scott's What alarms me about this though, is
the next step down? What does this do to super
rugby in Australia. They just finally stood up. Look, it
took the gasing of a team who let's face it,
they killed themselves. But they're strong now. But will this
start ripping the heart at of Aussie super rugby again?
(12:07):
Is it gonna be anyone left?
Speaker 6 (12:08):
I mean, it's all the wait and see, right because
I think there's places like France, for example, which to
sort of cap the amount of overseas players that can
actually go, so lots of it will depend on how
many players actually do depart. But I think for Australian rugby,
and that's something that you know the likes of Phil
war has spoken about before.
Speaker 4 (12:24):
It's about developing those pathways.
Speaker 6 (12:25):
That's the real key for Australian rugby and as soon
that they can get onto that, get those systems back
in place where people actually say, hey, I want to
play rugby. I want to be like George greg and
Stephen Larkham and all those things when Australian rugby was great.
You know, that's going to be the real key for it.
So that's probably the one thing that I'd be really
excited for. But it might take a while for those
players to really leave the Australian teams because I don't
(12:48):
we don't know all their contract situations as well, so
it's a bit of a wait and see.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
I reckon it's a I won't say it's the first
domino because the South African's already doing it. Do New
Zealand Rugby turn around and go our hands being forced?
I think no. I think they will remain solid in
what they believe in. They will not bow to this
because the really not sabbatical and everything else that I
need to. But they'll be looking over their shoulder, just
(13:13):
going right, what's the what's the effect of this? Right?
Speaker 6 (13:15):
Well, I personally, I said to you before, I personally
like it. The fact that you have to be playing
in New Zealand to be eligible to play for the
All Boats. I quite like that. I think it's part
of like this whole whole incentive thing. Right, Hey, you
for staying oil, staying here, this is what you could
be rewarded with the potential of playing for the All
Blacks and things like that.
Speaker 4 (13:32):
So I'm quite a big fan of that.
Speaker 6 (13:34):
I hope that they don't introduce the law, but as
you say, they might have have to have their arm
twisted eventually.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
I love the way New Zealand cricket have dealt with
this over the years, with the pirate leagues, the guerrilla leagues,
if you will. In T twenty cricket, they have been
so flexible, movable, feast and they change and they move
with whatever was going on. I wonder if New Zealand
and Rugby get to that point where they suddenly go, look,
we have to do something.
Speaker 6 (14:00):
They probably will, and especially if we are going to
you know, we hear about Richie mu Wanga for example,
and how for example the depth at first five is
in that strong then we need a guy like Mulwanga,
which is a bit crazy considering he's in his thirties
and we're going to be relying on him to be
the just swine.
Speaker 3 (14:16):
How good you? How old are you?
Speaker 4 (14:18):
I'm twenty nine?
Speaker 3 (14:19):
Ah right, I see, fair enough.
Speaker 6 (14:22):
I still got a few years before I hit the peak,
or I might be at the peak now.
Speaker 4 (14:25):
You never know, Darcy.
Speaker 3 (14:26):
No, but it's an interesting tail around rugby. And I
suppose also you look at those other pirate rugby leagues
that are being talked about as well, and that's another
opportunity for players to disappear. I'll give one thing about
the sporting world. It's never boring, is it now.
Speaker 6 (14:44):
There's always plenty going on, especially in the world of
you know, things like rugby for example, and lots of
other sports. There's always things going on which has great
talking points, and this is certainly another one of them.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
You were at the rugby league over the weekend when
they fell apart in the last two minutes and I
won't say handed the Dolphins victory because no one would
do that, but that was an out of sorts team
aims to weeb it. Some reserves have come in, reservists
that their cavalry have arrived. Is that going to make
(15:15):
much of a difference up against the Bulldogs, who will
be fealthy after they got tipped up last weekend as well.
Speaker 6 (15:21):
Yeah, look, some big inns for the Warriors, especially with
a guy like James Fisher Harris and probably doesn't have
the same stats as we can see compared to Anaphon
or Blake, but his leadership in that mana that he commands.
Speaker 3 (15:32):
It's all right, Field, isn't it. To talk to anyone
about what he brings off the pike, they all say, wow,
it's just something else. So I want to see something
on the part, but we see enough, but not the
fancy pants stuff.
Speaker 4 (15:44):
Yeah, and I think the dimetric back on the bench
as well.
Speaker 6 (15:46):
I think that's probably a big one because he's one
of those players that has really come of age this
year in terms of having that increased role and playing.
Speaker 4 (15:53):
A few more minutes.
Speaker 6 (15:53):
And I think and along that and Chanelle back and
back in the team, I think is good. But he's
a very good defense of five eighths, so it's really
good to see him back. But Andrew Webson did say
yesterday there is a possibility that they're still they still
need to pass a few hurd ors before it been included,
so this is a bit of a weight and see.
But if the Warriors do want to compete with the Bulldogs, who,
as you say, will be angry after the Tigers game,
(16:15):
they do need these guys back.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
Yeah, in rage though, that's not a bad place to
take on a team because they're may be too excited,
overstimulated going into a match. They're looking at the Wars
and go, well, you guys are in a trough right now.
It's a rude thing to say, but two victories on
last six matches with a couple of bides thrown in,
this is not a happy place. So they'll be thinking
we got these guys that might be enough to derail them.
(16:39):
Think the Warriors against the Titans.
Speaker 4 (16:42):
Yeah, well, I mean it's good.
Speaker 6 (16:43):
The whole interesting thing is, even though the Warriors have
had all these injuries, their discipline and defense is still
being very solid, even with all these young guys coming in.
Those stats are still holding up really well. It's just
that attack that's lacking. So if the Warriors can keep
that defense strong and hopefully get a couple of like
those little fifty to fifty cars that go away, get
those points, and who knows what's going to happen. Last
(17:05):
time in Sydney it was a feisty clash that we
to Golden Point the Bulldogs one thirteen twelve when the
Warriors lost all their outside backs. So I think a
lot of people will remember that game and it should
be another phizzit.
Speaker 3 (17:16):
Is there any chance we can clone Roger tui vasas check?
I don't know what that guy's been doing of recent times.
He's a bit of fallback. No, he's a rugby center.
Know he's okay, give him one role and see what
he can do on the wing. He's got something else.
It's a resurgence. It's a renaissance, isn't.
Speaker 6 (17:33):
It, especially considering last year he played pretty much in
the centers. The whole year was definitely not himself, didn't
look like his position, and he's gone back to a
position that he is a bit familiar with. He's had
a couple of injuries himself, but he's really just suited
back in and it was incredible.
Speaker 4 (17:46):
I think maybe part of.
Speaker 6 (17:47):
It was, you know, chance, there's a lot of work
out the back in terms of meters and the fact
he was in the centers maybe where he said to him, look,
we might have to pick up a bit of a
load here and that's what he did. It was absolutely incredible,
the amount of work he got through, the amount of
times he was asking for the ball. He was just
involved in everything, and he's going to be a contender
for the daim Winger of the Year.
Speaker 3 (18:06):
You'd have to say you read more about rugby league,
read it inzidhell dot co dot MZ. Ben francis always
contributing in that space. And one last thing for you,
So we're gonna hit the eight right? Can we can
we stay in them? Four? What do you think? Five
games to go?
Speaker 6 (18:23):
The only thing which I think is in their favorite
is they've got a relatively decent schedule. I know they've
got the Titans, who have got a bit of being
quite good over the Warriors are elate, but everyone's talking
about the Panther's been that main team. But after this
week they've got the Knights. They've got the Knights this week,
then after that, I don't know in the exact order,
they've got the Bulldogs, Raiders, Storm. Even for the Panthers,
they're going to find that hard. I think the team
(18:45):
that Warriors need to watch out for is a cronell
of Sharks who've only got four games left. A bye
as well, so guaranteed two points. So that's where I'm
looking at the team that could get in the four.
But the Warriors, look, if they want to stay in
the four, they have to win this week.
Speaker 4 (18:57):
It's as simple as that.
Speaker 6 (18:58):
If they do lose, they'll drop out for the first
time since Round six and it'll be a lot harder
to get back in.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
And on that, we'll remove you now from said chamber.
Ben Francis. Thanks for your time and expertise.
Speaker 2 (19:08):
See this is Sports Fix, your daily dose of sports
news cowered by News Talk ZEVB.
Speaker 3 (19:16):
That's all the Sports Fix today. It's been Wednesday, the
sixth of August twenty twenty five. I'm Darcy Watergrave. Thanks
for your time and attention, and thanks in advance for
telling your friends and family, your workmates, whoever about the
Sports Fix podcast. Get them to subscribe as well. Straight
Intier Inbox on a week daily basis, Straight Intier in
(19:38):
Box on a week daily basis. Also for live sport
that you can actually join in on. We've got Sports
Talk between seven and eight pm Monday through Friday. Piney's
got Monday, I've got the rest, and then Pioneer has
got Saturday and Sunday afternoon on weekend Sport, taking your
calls and thoughts and in viewing some of the key
athletes in world sport. That's from twelve midday sort of
(20:00):
three pm on News Talk ZB. Thanks again to the
fine folk ast GJ. Gardner homes hesild's most trusted home builder.
Thanks for being involved, and thanks for you and your ears.
Catch you again surely.
Speaker 1 (20:14):
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