On Sports Fix with Elliot Smith for 15th October 2025, the New Zealand secondary schools rugby pathway has come under criticism following two large defeats to the Australian under-18's. Former All Black and current rugby player agent Craig Innes spoke to the Herald suggesting the current pathways need revamping. Elliot spoke with Craig to hear his thoughts.
Elliot shares his thoughts on the on the secondary school's rugby pathways in New Zealand.
And Elliot and NZ Herald sports journalist Ben Francis discuss Dylan Pledger's omission from the All Blacks XV squad and conservative squad selections, interest levels in the international rugby league that kicks off this weekend and the continuing netball saga.
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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 podcast now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks EDB.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Welcome to Sports Fix for Wednesday, the fifteenth of October.
I'm Elligance Smith. Coming up on today's episode with GJ.
Gardner Holmes, New Zealand's most trusted home buildup, we talk
pathways for the young Ruggy players coming through New Zealand.
Craig in Us, former All Black, former rugby league player,
now rugby player agent, joins us to assess whether we've
got the right pathways in place in the wake of
(00:41):
those heavy losses for the New Zealand secondary school sides
against Australian under eighteen's in the last couple of weeks.
Ben Francis, out of the Chamber, joins us to look
at all the big sporting issues as well, and we
get stuck into what happened to over the last twenty
four hours as well or coming up on today's episode.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Of sports Fix.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
In other news, let's wrap up the last twenty four
hours in the world of sport and a point taken
for the White Ferns in the game against Sri Lanka
at the Women's Cricket World Cup. After a washout in Colombo,
the host post of two fifty eight for six before
the Heavens opened, the White Ferns stayed fifth on the
table with three points, so outside the top four. Looking
in captain Sophie Devine, we.
Speaker 5 (01:21):
Managed to sort of pick them back a little bit
after the power play. But then yeah, I guess when
you've got wickets in hand, you can be a bit more.
I guess aggressive, and they probably got a few more
runs and we would have liked. But in saying that
I thought it was a good cricket wicker, we were
probably saying two forty two to fifty. It was probably par.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
On that it was a one all drawer for the
All Whites. In Norway, the All Whites European Tour comes
to an end here where they draw against Norway, Finn
Sermon scoring the All Whites goal no Earling Harland for
the Norwegians. Former Silver Ferns leader Gal Parazza has rebuked
to lack of due process by Netball New Zealand as
(01:56):
they stood down Dame Noling Coldor and to assistant Debbie
Fuller for to resigned as selector last month in a
show of support for tad Or, and she says no
formal complaint has been lodged against told there's.
Speaker 6 (02:06):
About thirty one people in the film environment, that's including
management and other athletes. And they spoke to five silvers
plus two juniors silver fence. You know, why did they
not speak to everyone?
Speaker 4 (02:18):
That was Sport Today leading of Vex.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
We've got just the ticket. It's Sports Vex powered by News.
Speaker 4 (02:24):
Talksvy massive issues.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
That's how Craig in his former All Black, former rugby
league player in the Aarl and now a rugby player
agent with Wasserman Sports, has described the New Zealand rugby
pathway system on the back of the two big losses
for the New Zealand Secondary School's side one hundred and
thirty six points they considered in two games against Australia
in the last couple of weeks. He was among those
(02:49):
who went to Canberra and watched the game against Australia
the second game when they got belted and as he
said in the interview with the New Zealand Herald today,
massive issues in the game. He joins us to elaborate
on what those issues are Craig. Thanks so much for
your time, Thanks mus being Yeah, what was your reaction
watching those defeats unfolded over the last couple of weeks,
(03:11):
pretty heavy defeats for the New Zealand schoolboys.
Speaker 7 (03:15):
Yeah, yeah, I guess, like everyone you know, surprised that that,
you know, any any New Zealand team rugby team would
have would have those types of results, and and and
and and certainly you know that New Zealand Schools team
is a prestigious team. You know, it's made up of
(03:38):
of of all of this talent. You know that we
we feel here in New Zealand should be able to
mix it with anyone in the world. And so yeah,
so it was.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
It was.
Speaker 7 (03:48):
It was pretty tough watching, to be honest, especially knowing
that you know a lot of these these kids are
a bloody good footballers, There's no doubt about that. But
I guess my concern is the bigger picture and and
and actually you know where the gamers at the moment
and why you know we've seen results on this.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Do you think a lot of it or all of
it is down to the pathways that are in place
at the moment.
Speaker 7 (04:10):
Well, I think we need to have a really good
look at it, you know, because it's not you know,
that's we haven't seen results like this ever. But in
saying that, you know, the last few years haven't been great,
and that's at school will ever. But also you know,
if you look at our in the twenties, you know,
it's been a long time between drinks, you know, with
us winning anything in in that age group as well.
(04:34):
So you know, I think we need to be looking
at their pathways. We need to be looking at the
high performance and and you know, it's very easy to
talk about going back to the to the past, but
I think, you know, we need to be looking at
at how we can improve these results. And I think
it's a much bigger picture, you know. I think it's
(04:55):
at grass roots that's where it starts, you know, and
we just seem to have lost cohesion amongst you know,
between the grassroots, the NPC Super rgby in the national game.
It's like, you know, there's all these agendas, people of
pulling in different directions and then you know, I think
the game has been hurt by that you.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Played fifth in the New Zealand schools. Was it a
simpler pathway then or at least a more cohesive pathway
for players playing together more often.
Speaker 7 (05:25):
Then well, what I do remember, you know, and look,
you know, I'm certainly not about back in my day,
but what I do know is, you know, from from
around that under sixteen kind of age group, there was
a high performance program where you know, they would scour
the country, they'd bring in the best kids. You know, it
would spend time from under sixteen's right through to schools
(05:47):
under twenty ones with a big group, but the same
group of guys who got to play a lot of
rugby together, you know, whether it was New Zealand schools
using under nineteens, under seventeens and then through under twenty
ones and then you know guys going into MPC back
in those days international rugby. So so you know, from
(06:08):
an early age, I guess you know, you were you
were getting used to that, those kind of those situations
and getting combinations going that that actually saw us through
you know, play a lot of rugby together. You know,
we we've gone away from that, and even at that
grassroots level, you know, like I kind of half on
(06:28):
a little bit about tournaments like rolling mills, which was
so important back in the day. I mean, I didn't
you know, my primary school days. You know, it wasn't
really about being an all back. All I even wanted
to be was a waking a ranger, playing playing rolling mills.
You know, My heroes were the guys that were playing
(06:49):
rolling mills. That's all gone. And you know, apart from
you know, tournaments like the Rash Shield down the down
in the Hawk's Bay, you know, the rep centerive stuff
for for kids, you know, for you know, look, I
know there's there's all sorts of reasons why. You know,
people think it's a good idea to take represented for
rankby away at age group level. But I just don't agree.
(07:13):
I think it's really important. And I think since you know,
we've been going down that track, you know, we haven't
been seeing great results.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
This is Sportsfects, you're daily dose of sports news, hower
by news talks.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
There be I've been in two minds about whether to
ring the panic alarm on the back of those two
defeats or not. The headlines one hundred and thirty six
points conceded obviously not good for New Zealand rugby. I
do think sometimes though we read a little bit too
much into the under eighteen program and the Under twenty
World Cup. Having said that those two headline losses don't
make for good reading and there should be people put
(07:48):
on alert by the defeats, Craig innis, as you'll hear
in the podcast, obviously with some fine thoughts around how
things could be improved. Perhaps New Zealand's strength is actually
its weakness Australia. There we're able to largely select from
New South Wales and Queensland for their under eighteen side.
These are players that have seen each other a lot.
New Zealand strength that we play a rugby at a
(08:09):
lot of secondary schools right around the country. And yeah,
there's some schools that do have their strengths and stand
out as quote unquote rugby schools, but they're also smaller
school seventeen schools contributed to that New Zealand secondary schools
program and away, our strength is also our weakness. When
you can concentrate that pool into two groups essentially and
then form a larger Australian side out of it, of
(08:29):
course they're going to be more cohesive. The provincial unions
are the first to get their hands on these players
a lot of the time. Then they go into the
secondary schools, then they come back out and by that
point they're at the super rugby level. There doesn't seem
to be a cohesive pathway. I think we've still got
the talent. It's the pathways that need fixing, and maybe
the answer is actually concentrating it like Australiga a bit more.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
The chamber is now in session on Sportsfax.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
We jump into the chamber now Ben Francis joins us
out of the New Zealand here all Ben, thanks for
your time. Are plenty going on in the sporting world.
Dylan Pledger are you familiar with the name and were
you surprised not to see him in the All Blacks
fifteen squad?
Speaker 4 (09:07):
Should he have gone on tour to the UK?
Speaker 8 (09:09):
Firstly, Alliott, thanks for asking me on here, and yes
I have seen Dylan Dylan Pledger. He has been a fantastic,
you know, nippy little half back for a Tigo there.
It seems like every time Otiger was on the TV,
he's coming up with some piece of magic. But I
actually am quite surprised he wasn't picked. Firstly, I go
to the halfbacks that were selected and if I look
(09:30):
at the All Blacks team, I look at Finlay Christie.
He hasn't been signed for next year far as we're aware.
He's been linked with he was linked with Newcastle and
I think most recently too long as well, and I'm
kind of wondering, well, why has Finlay been picked?
Speaker 4 (09:41):
And even if you think.
Speaker 8 (09:43):
About Kyle Preston, who was in the All Blacks fifteen
and he could have possibly been in the All backs
team and that could have opened up the space for
Dylan Pledger. But Dylan Pledger looks literally looks like, you know,
the next halfback, and you think about the punch of
when we had Smith and TJ Perrinara and you think
it could be Roy Garden Pledger.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
That's what it looks like.
Speaker 8 (10:01):
And you know, I feel like he should be in
that environment. They've used that tour in the past to
just give guys that apprenticeship, Hey experience all that's camp,
you're won for the future. A big surprise of not
doing that.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Here for me, it feels like they've gone too conservative now.
I think back to Richie mccaor in two thousand and
one pick straight out of the NPC, and your rugby
has moved on a little bit since the NBU picked
straight out of the NPC debuts against Ireland and Dublin
player of the match on debut. Then he goes on
becomes probably the greatest All Black ever. It feels like
we're maybe just becoming a little bit too conservative around
(10:34):
not giving players opportunities when they're clearly putting their hands up.
Speaker 8 (10:37):
I feel like that that was the All Black squad
two and a tea right there. I really did expect
a couple of changes in there, or a couple of
these young guys given an opportunity just to experience it,
but the fact there were none, and especially with how
some of the guys have been You look at a
guy like Severy Reese, who's you know, he's out in
the wilderness now, and even guys to a lesser extent
like Anton Lennart Brown who have not played a lot recently,
(11:00):
you do think, you know, you kind of get it.
The experience here is there is going to be three
tough tests plus Wales, sorry Wales on that Northern tour.
But so I guess you do kind of see that.
But with such a big year coming up next year
with this Spring Bok you know, trip to South Africa,
and I think Razer said they're going to look probably
(11:20):
sleeping about forty.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
Guys for that.
Speaker 8 (11:22):
You would have thought this would have been a good
time to do it. As opposed to that tour in
South Africa.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Rugby league returns. International rugby league returns this week in
the Kiwis playing to us are more at first and
foremost this week? And what's your interest level in international
rugby league? We've had the NRL season finishing a high
with a great final in the NRL. Do you still
does the fire still burn for international rugby league?
Speaker 4 (11:44):
For you been?
Speaker 8 (11:45):
It definitely does, and it's all I mean, I love
my league, so I will watch it all of course.
But I think the fact that we are seeing these teams,
like these specific nations just get stronger and stronger, I
think is definitely a bit more of an appeal. You know,
the Kiwi's absolutely trounced Salamoa last time that they played.
I think the Keis put about fifty on them. But
you look at that salam Ol team and you probably think, yeah,
(12:07):
you can probably why they had a couple of decent
players in there. But you look at the team now
and you think there's no way the Kiwis are putting
on them, you think it could possibly it won't go
the other way, but I really like the forward pack.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
The Kiwis have the main concern I.
Speaker 8 (12:22):
Do have though, And I was chatting with a couple
of people, you know, really deep in the league scene about.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
This earlier today was just with regards to the halves.
Speaker 8 (12:30):
And it's no disrespect to Dylan Brown or Karen Foran,
but you look at Dylan Brown, who's been in and
out of ENNERL this year, played a bit of center,
and you've got foreign who is retiring. But if one
of them goes down, who do you call upon? I mean,
you can move charms into six if needed. They've got
Phoenix Crosland who's capable of being in the halves. He's
pretty much like a lot cooker now. So I guess
(12:51):
that is the one concern. But I guess that's what
happens when you've got so many guys injured or unavailable.
You know, Jerome Hughes is obviously the big one missing.
But in terms of averatite for International league, I think
it's going to be really exciting having to experienced some
of the stadiums, like when Tongo played Australia for example,
you know, that was credible and the key We's have
got tong Ort Eden Park in a couple of weeks too,
(13:11):
so that's just going to I'm so looking.
Speaker 4 (13:12):
Forward to that. It's really cool.
Speaker 8 (13:14):
But then at the same time we're still very limited
in terms of how many competitive actions there are, so
you know, it is what it is. But I think
Stacey needs a really big campaign as coach, especially with
the World Cup next year.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Maybe Sean Johnson to keep his phone on. He might
be the next cab off the rank even though he
hasn't played for more than a year. And finally, the
netball scenario keeps playing out. Gale Parata standing down his
silver feron selector what are you making of all this?
It's just it seems like every day the hole gets
deeper for netball in New Zealand.
Speaker 8 (13:44):
It's unbelievable, isn't it. I'm just speechless for the whole thing.
You know, I'm probably based on what I know and
some of the environment of being in netball in New
Zealand and hearing people say within terms of former staffers
and talk about how, you know, how bad the kind
of culture is, I definitely probably would be on Dame
Noling Toto was sit It is really sad to see,
(14:07):
I guess from my pspective and how I look at business.
To me, it does start at the top, and so
I think you have to kind of look at that
and I don't. I think Noel Lean's been incredibly unfairly treated.
Of course the coaching staff and now you do you
feel sorry for them as well because they've kind of
just been thrown of all.
Speaker 4 (14:24):
This, been asked to do a job and they're doing it.
Speaker 8 (14:26):
Yeah, exactly, And and it's incredible as well because the
Consellation Cup coming up that defense, it's it's massive, you know,
the Silver Ferns hold it and you wouldn't even know
with everything that's gone on, would you. It's just been insane.
So I'm you do hope that the Ferns do well.
But you want to see Dave Noling back because what
she has done for netball New Zealand since returning has
(14:47):
just been incredible and she's definitely a pioneer and icon
of Nebourn New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
Certainly has been thanking very much of your time in
the chamber has always privilege and a pleasure.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Leading a vix We've got just the ticket. It's sports
X News Talks IVY.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
Thanks for listening to Sports VEX. We'll be back tomorrow
with another edition. We'll see you then.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
For more from Used 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 podcast now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks EDB.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Welcome to Sports Fix for Wednesday, the fifteenth of October.
I'm Elligance Smith. Coming up on today's episode with GJ.
Gardner Holmes, New Zealand's most trusted home buildup, we talk
pathways for the young Ruggy players coming through New Zealand.
Craig in Us, former All Black, former rugby league player,
now rugby player agent, joins us to assess whether we've
got the right pathways in place in the wake of
(00:41):
those heavy losses for the New Zealand secondary school sides
against Australian under eighteen's in the last couple of weeks.
Ben Francis, out of the Chamber, joins us to look
at all the big sporting issues as well, and we
get stuck into what happened to over the last twenty
four hours as well or coming up on today's episode.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
Of sports Fix.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
In other news, let's wrap up the last twenty four
hours in the world of sport and a point taken
for the White Ferns in the game against Sri Lanka
at the Women's Cricket World Cup. After a washout in Colombo,
the host post of two fifty eight for six before
the Heavens opened, the White Ferns stayed fifth on the
table with three points, so outside the top four. Looking
in captain Sophie Devine, we.
Speaker 5 (01:21):
Managed to sort of pick them back a little bit
after the power play. But then yeah, I guess when
you've got wickets in hand, you can be a bit more.
I guess aggressive, and they probably got a few more
runs and we would have liked. But in saying that
I thought it was a good cricket wicker, we were
probably saying two forty two to fifty. It was probably par.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
On that it was a one all drawer for the
All Whites. In Norway, the All Whites European Tour comes
to an end here where they draw against Norway, Finn
Sermon scoring the All Whites goal no Earling Harland for
the Norwegians. Former Silver Ferns leader Gal Parazza has rebuked
to lack of due process by Netball New Zealand as
(01:56):
they stood down Dame Noling Coldor and to assistant Debbie
Fuller for to resigned as selector last month in a
show of support for tad Or, and she says no
formal complaint has been lodged against told there's.
Speaker 6 (02:06):
About thirty one people in the film environment, that's including
management and other athletes. And they spoke to five silvers
plus two juniors silver fence. You know, why did they
not speak to everyone?
Speaker 4 (02:18):
That was Sport Today leading of Vex.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
We've got just the ticket. It's Sports Vex powered by News.
Speaker 4 (02:24):
Talksvy massive issues.
Speaker 3 (02:26):
That's how Craig in his former All Black, former rugby
league player in the Aarl and now a rugby player
agent with Wasserman Sports, has described the New Zealand rugby
pathway system on the back of the two big losses
for the New Zealand Secondary School's side one hundred and
thirty six points they considered in two games against Australia
in the last couple of weeks. He was among those
(02:49):
who went to Canberra and watched the game against Australia
the second game when they got belted and as he
said in the interview with the New Zealand Herald today,
massive issues in the game. He joins us to elaborate
on what those issues are Craig. Thanks so much for
your time, Thanks mus being Yeah, what was your reaction
watching those defeats unfolded over the last couple of weeks,
(03:11):
pretty heavy defeats for the New Zealand schoolboys.
Speaker 7 (03:15):
Yeah, yeah, I guess, like everyone you know, surprised that that,
you know, any any New Zealand team rugby team would
have would have those types of results, and and and
and and certainly you know that New Zealand Schools team
is a prestigious team. You know, it's made up of
(03:38):
of of all of this talent. You know that we
we feel here in New Zealand should be able to
mix it with anyone in the world. And so yeah,
so it was.
Speaker 4 (03:47):
It was.
Speaker 7 (03:48):
It was pretty tough watching, to be honest, especially knowing
that you know a lot of these these kids are
a bloody good footballers, There's no doubt about that. But
I guess my concern is the bigger picture and and
and actually you know where the gamers at the moment
and why you know we've seen results on this.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Do you think a lot of it or all of
it is down to the pathways that are in place
at the moment.
Speaker 7 (04:10):
Well, I think we need to have a really good
look at it, you know, because it's not you know,
that's we haven't seen results like this ever. But in
saying that, you know, the last few years haven't been great,
and that's at school will ever. But also you know,
if you look at our in the twenties, you know,
it's been a long time between drinks, you know, with
us winning anything in in that age group as well.
(04:34):
So you know, I think we need to be looking
at their pathways. We need to be looking at the
high performance and and you know, it's very easy to
talk about going back to the to the past, but
I think, you know, we need to be looking at
at how we can improve these results. And I think
it's a much bigger picture, you know. I think it's
(04:55):
at grass roots that's where it starts, you know, and
we just seem to have lost cohesion amongst you know,
between the grassroots, the NPC Super rgby in the national game.
It's like, you know, there's all these agendas, people of
pulling in different directions and then you know, I think
the game has been hurt by that you.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Played fifth in the New Zealand schools. Was it a
simpler pathway then or at least a more cohesive pathway
for players playing together more often.
Speaker 7 (05:25):
Then well, what I do remember, you know, and look,
you know, I'm certainly not about back in my day,
but what I do know is, you know, from from
around that under sixteen kind of age group, there was
a high performance program where you know, they would scour
the country, they'd bring in the best kids. You know, it
would spend time from under sixteen's right through to schools
(05:47):
under twenty ones with a big group, but the same
group of guys who got to play a lot of
rugby together, you know, whether it was New Zealand schools
using under nineteens, under seventeens and then through under twenty
ones and then you know guys going into MPC back
in those days international rugby. So so you know, from
(06:08):
an early age, I guess you know, you were you
were getting used to that, those kind of those situations
and getting combinations going that that actually saw us through
you know, play a lot of rugby together. You know,
we we've gone away from that, and even at that
grassroots level, you know, like I kind of half on
(06:28):
a little bit about tournaments like rolling mills, which was
so important back in the day. I mean, I didn't
you know, my primary school days. You know, it wasn't
really about being an all back. All I even wanted
to be was a waking a ranger, playing playing rolling mills.
You know, My heroes were the guys that were playing
(06:49):
rolling mills. That's all gone. And you know, apart from
you know, tournaments like the Rash Shield down the down
in the Hawk's Bay, you know, the rep centerive stuff
for for kids, you know, for you know, look, I
know there's there's all sorts of reasons why. You know,
people think it's a good idea to take represented for
rankby away at age group level. But I just don't agree.
(07:13):
I think it's really important. And I think since you know,
we've been going down that track, you know, we haven't
been seeing great results.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
This is Sportsfects, you're daily dose of sports news, hower
by news talks.
Speaker 3 (07:26):
There be I've been in two minds about whether to
ring the panic alarm on the back of those two
defeats or not. The headlines one hundred and thirty six
points conceded obviously not good for New Zealand rugby. I
do think sometimes though we read a little bit too
much into the under eighteen program and the Under twenty
World Cup. Having said that those two headline losses don't
make for good reading and there should be people put
(07:48):
on alert by the defeats, Craig innis, as you'll hear
in the podcast, obviously with some fine thoughts around how
things could be improved. Perhaps New Zealand's strength is actually
its weakness Australia. There we're able to largely select from
New South Wales and Queensland for their under eighteen side.
These are players that have seen each other a lot.
New Zealand strength that we play a rugby at a
(08:09):
lot of secondary schools right around the country. And yeah,
there's some schools that do have their strengths and stand
out as quote unquote rugby schools, but they're also smaller
school seventeen schools contributed to that New Zealand secondary schools
program and away, our strength is also our weakness. When
you can concentrate that pool into two groups essentially and
then form a larger Australian side out of it, of
(08:29):
course they're going to be more cohesive. The provincial unions
are the first to get their hands on these players
a lot of the time. Then they go into the
secondary schools, then they come back out and by that
point they're at the super rugby level. There doesn't seem
to be a cohesive pathway. I think we've still got
the talent. It's the pathways that need fixing, and maybe
the answer is actually concentrating it like Australiga a bit more.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
The chamber is now in session on Sportsfax.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
We jump into the chamber now Ben Francis joins us
out of the New Zealand here all Ben, thanks for
your time. Are plenty going on in the sporting world.
Dylan Pledger are you familiar with the name and were
you surprised not to see him in the All Blacks
fifteen squad?
Speaker 4 (09:07):
Should he have gone on tour to the UK?
Speaker 8 (09:09):
Firstly, Alliott, thanks for asking me on here, and yes
I have seen Dylan Dylan Pledger. He has been a fantastic,
you know, nippy little half back for a Tigo there.
It seems like every time Otiger was on the TV,
he's coming up with some piece of magic. But I
actually am quite surprised he wasn't picked. Firstly, I go
to the halfbacks that were selected and if I look
(09:30):
at the All Blacks team, I look at Finlay Christie.
He hasn't been signed for next year far as we're aware.
He's been linked with he was linked with Newcastle and
I think most recently too long as well, and I'm
kind of wondering, well, why has Finlay been picked?
Speaker 4 (09:41):
And even if you think.
Speaker 8 (09:43):
About Kyle Preston, who was in the All Blacks fifteen
and he could have possibly been in the All backs
team and that could have opened up the space for
Dylan Pledger. But Dylan Pledger looks literally looks like, you know,
the next halfback, and you think about the punch of
when we had Smith and TJ Perrinara and you think
it could be Roy Garden Pledger.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
That's what it looks like.
Speaker 8 (10:01):
And you know, I feel like he should be in
that environment. They've used that tour in the past to
just give guys that apprenticeship, Hey experience all that's camp,
you're won for the future. A big surprise of not
doing that.
Speaker 3 (10:13):
Here for me, it feels like they've gone too conservative now.
I think back to Richie mccaor in two thousand and
one pick straight out of the NPC, and your rugby
has moved on a little bit since the NBU picked
straight out of the NPC debuts against Ireland and Dublin
player of the match on debut. Then he goes on
becomes probably the greatest All Black ever. It feels like
we're maybe just becoming a little bit too conservative around
(10:34):
not giving players opportunities when they're clearly putting their hands up.
Speaker 8 (10:37):
I feel like that that was the All Black squad
two and a tea right there. I really did expect
a couple of changes in there, or a couple of
these young guys given an opportunity just to experience it,
but the fact there were none, and especially with how
some of the guys have been You look at a
guy like Severy Reese, who's you know, he's out in
the wilderness now, and even guys to a lesser extent
like Anton Lennart Brown who have not played a lot recently,
(11:00):
you do think, you know, you kind of get it.
The experience here is there is going to be three
tough tests plus Wales, sorry Wales on that Northern tour.
But so I guess you do kind of see that.
But with such a big year coming up next year
with this Spring Bok you know, trip to South Africa,
and I think Razer said they're going to look probably
(11:20):
sleeping about forty.
Speaker 4 (11:21):
Guys for that.
Speaker 8 (11:22):
You would have thought this would have been a good
time to do it. As opposed to that tour in
South Africa.
Speaker 3 (11:28):
Rugby league returns. International rugby league returns this week in
the Kiwis playing to us are more at first and
foremost this week? And what's your interest level in international
rugby league? We've had the NRL season finishing a high
with a great final in the NRL. Do you still
does the fire still burn for international rugby league?
Speaker 4 (11:44):
For you been?
Speaker 8 (11:45):
It definitely does, and it's all I mean, I love
my league, so I will watch it all of course.
But I think the fact that we are seeing these teams,
like these specific nations just get stronger and stronger, I
think is definitely a bit more of an appeal. You know,
the Kiwi's absolutely trounced Salamoa last time that they played.
I think the Keis put about fifty on them. But
you look at that salam Ol team and you probably think, yeah,
(12:07):
you can probably why they had a couple of decent
players in there. But you look at the team now
and you think there's no way the Kiwis are putting
on them, you think it could possibly it won't go
the other way, but I really like the forward pack.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
The Kiwis have the main concern I.
Speaker 8 (12:22):
Do have though, And I was chatting with a couple
of people, you know, really deep in the league scene about.
Speaker 4 (12:27):
This earlier today was just with regards to the halves.
Speaker 8 (12:30):
And it's no disrespect to Dylan Brown or Karen Foran,
but you look at Dylan Brown, who's been in and
out of ENNERL this year, played a bit of center,
and you've got foreign who is retiring. But if one
of them goes down, who do you call upon? I mean,
you can move charms into six if needed. They've got
Phoenix Crosland who's capable of being in the halves. He's
pretty much like a lot cooker now. So I guess
(12:51):
that is the one concern. But I guess that's what
happens when you've got so many guys injured or unavailable.
You know, Jerome Hughes is obviously the big one missing.
But in terms of averatite for International league, I think
it's going to be really exciting having to experienced some
of the stadiums, like when Tongo played Australia for example,
you know, that was credible and the key We's have
got tong Ort Eden Park in a couple of weeks too,
(13:11):
so that's just going to I'm so looking.
Speaker 4 (13:12):
Forward to that. It's really cool.
Speaker 8 (13:14):
But then at the same time we're still very limited
in terms of how many competitive actions there are, so
you know, it is what it is. But I think
Stacey needs a really big campaign as coach, especially with
the World Cup next year.
Speaker 3 (13:27):
Maybe Sean Johnson to keep his phone on. He might
be the next cab off the rank even though he
hasn't played for more than a year. And finally, the
netball scenario keeps playing out. Gale Parata standing down his
silver feron selector what are you making of all this?
It's just it seems like every day the hole gets
deeper for netball in New Zealand.
Speaker 8 (13:44):
It's unbelievable, isn't it. I'm just speechless for the whole thing.
You know, I'm probably based on what I know and
some of the environment of being in netball in New
Zealand and hearing people say within terms of former staffers
and talk about how, you know, how bad the kind
of culture is, I definitely probably would be on Dame
Noling Toto was sit It is really sad to see,
(14:07):
I guess from my pspective and how I look at business.
To me, it does start at the top, and so
I think you have to kind of look at that
and I don't. I think Noel Lean's been incredibly unfairly treated.
Of course the coaching staff and now you do you
feel sorry for them as well because they've kind of
just been thrown of all.
Speaker 4 (14:24):
This, been asked to do a job and they're doing it.
Speaker 8 (14:26):
Yeah, exactly, And and it's incredible as well because the
Consellation Cup coming up that defense, it's it's massive, you know,
the Silver Ferns hold it and you wouldn't even know
with everything that's gone on, would you. It's just been insane.
So I'm you do hope that the Ferns do well.
But you want to see Dave Noling back because what
she has done for netball New Zealand since returning has
(14:47):
just been incredible and she's definitely a pioneer and icon
of Nebourn New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
Certainly has been thanking very much of your time in
the chamber has always privilege and a pleasure.
Speaker 2 (14:57):
Leading a vix We've got just the ticket. It's sports
X News Talks IVY.
Speaker 3 (15:02):
Thanks for listening to Sports VEX. We'll be back tomorrow
with another edition. We'll see you then.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
For more from Used 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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