On Sports Fix with D'Arcy Waldegrave for 5th November 2025, despite the lack of an Australian side in the Pacific Championships, the grand final of the tournament, which is being played between New Zealand and Samoa is being hosted in Sydney this Sunday. Why is that? D'Arcy spoke with NZ Rugby League CEO Greg Peters to find out.
D'Arcy shares his thoughts on LIV Golf attempting to legitimise the tournament by expanding to 72 holes.
And D'Arcy and host of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod Ross Karl discuss the All Blacks' injury concerns and if Razor is starting to find his key All Blacks 23, as well as the West Indies tour of New Zealand which gets underway tonight.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
This is Sportsfix Howard By News Talks EDB and it's
a Walnut.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Welcome to all of yold to the Sports Fixed podcast.
My name is Darcy walder Grave. It is the fifth
of November twenty twenty five, courtesy of the GJ Gardner Homes,
New Zealand's most trusted home builder. This is it? What
have they got lined up for you? Well? I know,
have a chat shortly with the chief executive Officer of
(00:43):
the New Zealand Rugby League. His name is Gregor. Peter's
little simple question right, We've got the Pacific Championship as
being played in the final between Samoa and New Zealand.
The Australians aren't involved in the competition? Why is it
being played in Sydney? More on that later in the piece.
(01:03):
I'll share my opinion around the lack of traction or
lack of complaints around how IV Gulf Oh, how things
have changed, and will be joined in the chamber by
Ross Carl's, the host of the Rugby Pod. If you
look at the makeup of the all Black team. The
(01:23):
head of the test against the Scottish over the weekend
made it touch on a bit of cricket as well.
Who knows that's all coming out, that's our plan, so
let's head go in other news and making an audio
waves today. A Hurricanes coach Tyke laidlaw he's harnessed the
good in a bad situation. His midfield my stroke. Jordan
(01:45):
Barrett is coming home from the Northern Tour to sustaining
a pair of injuries against the Irish Clark Thoughses has
been playing non stop rugby so a break would be welcome.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
He's been gone since pre season twenty twenty four with
his lands. That's the bakall and plan out of Marshall
Rugby's You never want a season shot to injury obviously,
Yeah he'll get bark and sure and as I looking
forward to someone in New Zealand after a few buck
to Barker.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Winnows Knew Wellington Phoenix footballer Carlo Amiento has revealed how
mean spirited the A League's Brisbane War can be. Whilst
dealing with a cancer diagnosis. The club chose not through
the newest contract, but he rose above that. The stress
of being off contract at the time was I shouldn't
(02:31):
probably say this. It was more stressful than actually going
through the treatment because I knew there was light at
the end of the tunnel.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
I knew the treatment was going to go well.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
It was that I was off contract and didn't have
a club next year.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Carlo has been in remission from Hodgkins lamboma for eighteen months.
Nice and the future of black Caps a wicked keeping
that Mitchey has found himself back in the side after
the Tim Sipert was ruled out with a bustard digits
that found out that he was back again during a
domestic one day fixture. Got the cool but we'll got
(03:03):
through a port Trophy game a couple of days ago.
Speaker 6 (03:06):
A shame for firm and he never want to see
someone injured, but you know, I'm excited for the opportunity.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
And those are audio excerpts around Sport Today News.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
It's Sportsfix with Darcy Valdegrave.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
We're joined now on Sports Fix podcast by Greg Peters.
He's the CEO of New Zealand Rugby League. Get a Greg.
Speaker 6 (03:29):
Trust you well, Hey, Darcy, thanks for having me on mate, Yeah,
very well.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
I hope you are too.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Yeah, I am, thanks very much for joining us. That's
coming up to the end of what's been a pretty
fascinating Pacific Championship. The Kiwi are taking on some more
after that crazy game against tong Are over the weekend.
Crazy not because of the scoreline, but because of the crowd.
They're the best fans in the world. But here's the problem, Greg,
and I know you know what I'm going to say.
(03:55):
Why are the Kiwi taking on somewhere in Sydney in
a competition that the Australians aren't even playing it?
Speaker 5 (04:05):
And this is just weird, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (04:07):
Yeah, would have been happy to host the whole thing
in New Zealand and it would have gone off even
you know some on are Eden Park. You can imagine
that would have been special as well, like it was
last weekend. At the end of the day, what the
Ossies wanted was content and this market well in their
own market in Australia prior to World Cup twenty twenty six,
so they didn't want to lose momentum. And of course,
(04:31):
you know, although we run and are on risk for
the games in New Zealand and that's all our marketing and.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
All our effort.
Speaker 6 (04:40):
The overall Pacific Championships are the NROL brand, So that's
why we get these decisions.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Mate, did you just acquiesced to that? Did you fight?
Did you go home? And we've got a massive league
community over here, massive amounts of PACIFICA residents over here
and KIMI fans. This was made surely for a sold
out Eden Park. How much fight grig did you put
up for this?
Speaker 4 (05:08):
One hundred percent?
Speaker 6 (05:09):
We went hard on it, you know, as I said
to you, we wanted to host a whole thing and
all of the games in New Zealand this year, and
it would have been amazing for the game. But what
we did have were two really cool events Want against
some more obviously Mount Smart and last weekend that you indicated.
It's probably the most unusual and amazing event that I've
(05:31):
ever been part of because crowd was cheering for both sides.
In fact, our girls were in the shed after their
game and they heard the cheering and they thought, Tom
I must be up and they came out.
Speaker 4 (05:42):
We were winning twenty points. So it's.
Speaker 6 (05:46):
Unrivaled and unheard of kind of scenes in sport in
this part of the world anyway.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
So to Aussie offer you those two games as a
way of saying that, really sorry, we're having the final
here even though we're not competing. Was that part of
the negotiation. How did that come about?
Speaker 6 (06:00):
Greeg Well, NZRL and the Kiwi and Kiwi ferns. I
only agreed to plan in the Pacific Championships if we
could host games in our own territory because obviously we
have commercial program and deal with Sky and stuff like
that that are built around these, so we couldn't you know,
we wouldn't have been part of it unless we'd had
(06:21):
at least some part of the part of the cake
in New Zealand. And it's been two fixtures every year
since the start of the Pacific Championships in twenty twenty three.
And you might recall that we actually started this whole
thing back with the Oceania Cup in twenty nineteen, so
and then it got interrupted by COVID.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
So that's the kind of rational behind it.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
The NRL are looking after this tournament and they're the
national rugby league. Do they care about it at an
international level? They only interested in looking after themselves in Ossie.
I can't work out why ahead of a World Cup
they wouldn't want to have the best of the best
and an Australian team involved as well, because they're not there.
It doesn't make sense Greek.
Speaker 6 (07:03):
Yeah, that's so there is obviously sort of a conflict
there with the NRL.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
People call the n r L.
Speaker 6 (07:10):
It's the NRL plus the ar l C, the Australianrugy
League Commission which runs which runs what owns the Pacific
Championships brand. As I said before, we run in market
and host, but the games in New Zealand's that's part
of our deal with them. And you know, as I say,
we are really happy with both games that we've had.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
We would have liked the whole tournament in New Zealand,
but it's not to be.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Is it up for grabs again? Is a possibility that
it could actually occur as a whole over here? Do
you think, greg Or? Is it because the ARL slash
NRL Alondon? That's that's just not going to happen.
Speaker 6 (07:46):
Look, I think this is the last year before the
World Cup, and then this is the last year of
current arrangements around the Pacific Championships, so well, I think
all countries actually quite interested in having a conversation about
what that looks going forward, looks like going forward and
having more more international content because of the strength of it.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
If you look at it.
Speaker 6 (08:07):
Now, it's rivaling State of Origin in terms of crab
participation and support and also you know.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
Like England and the Ashes as well.
Speaker 6 (08:17):
If the international game is really on fire at the
moment and we want more of it, not less of it.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Dissecting the sporting agenda, it's sportsfex.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
With Dancy Waldegrave, time heals all wounds, and this is
apparent with Live or LIV Golf, the Saudi Arabian backed
sport washing exercise that has made a whole lot of
golfers instant billionaires. It's revolting. It's sports washing, but now
(08:49):
it's an established part of the sporting globe. Gross It's
now been announced though that LIV Golf desperate to get
some form of legitimacy within the golfing world, even though
they have long forgotten about the blood money they provide.
They've decided to extend their competition, which was a fifty
(09:12):
four whole adventure around a course, to a proper seventy
two whole tournament every time they play. This, of course,
is for the international players that sold their soul to
gain relevant ranking points in global golf, therefore being admitted
to the majors, which really, aside the money, is the
(09:33):
most important thing in their golfing careers. But it's insane
how much cash waived in front of you can make
you forget the reason you play. So I'd say I
welcome this change in attitude from LIV. Now they want
to ingratiate themselves to the world of golf. Now they
want their billionaire players to better rank highly have a
(09:55):
decent chance at the majors. But honestly, this move to
seventy two whole Golf doesn't change anything for me. These
players are still pawns in a greater Arabian game. You
should be ashamed of yourself fifty four seventy two. It
(10:16):
doesn't matter you're all morally corrupt. Time does heal all wounds.
Time provides space for people to forget. But I won't,
and neither should you. The Chamber is now in session
on Sportsfax, so one welcome Matt to the Chamber to Ross.
Carl hosts the Italio Rugby Pod, along with a couple
(10:40):
of reprobates the like of Britain Tickets all and Jip
of the skipper, James Passinger by yourself, now, Ros, can
you handle this?
Speaker 5 (10:47):
Jandle It's difficult, It's difficult. But you know, I think
I've just taken enough information out of their heads that
I can prepare to pretend that I'm smart, brilliant.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
That's it. Conduit or a thief. That's what I do
as well. In the chamber, it's taught rugby. It's all
about rugby. At the moment where one leg aga in
to the four leg Grand Slam Tour and hit already
with injury concerns, Jordy Barrett is on his way back
Scott's okay with his gas leg losing Jordi Barrett, first up,
(11:17):
how big a blow is this? Or is there actually
a silver lining to the sushi ross?
Speaker 5 (11:23):
Look, there's almost certainly a silver lining, and that we'll
get a chance to see too. Payre and Feng Nuku
have another crack after they did pretty well on the weekend.
It's a different pretty well understanding come on, bro, Yeah yeah, well,
I mean it's a different approach, isn't it. Two power midfielders,
two guys who will just charge it up, smack it
over the advantage line and fighting on muku. He got
(11:46):
you know, lots of post contact meters, eighteen of them.
His forty nine meters of ball and hand overall was
only beaten by those flash harriers at the back could
get to carry it back, you know, with nobody in
their site way, So he was outstanding and then you
know the off loads the line breaks as the seat.
It was also over the advantage line. Like he always says,
(12:06):
I suppose great to see in there and may be
great to see different options for the way the All
Blacks attack. To me about losing Jordie Barrett, because you
do have you know, Billy Brocter and Tolman at Brown Regouana.
You do have a lot of depth there to cover
and quality players. So it's a position where they can
afford to have a few issues here and there with injuries.
(12:26):
But it's what happens at the back. Because Jordi has
been slipping back into what they call the pendulum at
the back of the field where you have a couple
of players who move back and forth as the ball
gets kicked back there. They've started using him in that
role because he's so strong under the high ball or
real horses for courses. You might be number twelve when
they're going to kick it. You're back at full back, mate,
because you're the best under the high ball here. Now
(12:49):
they're not going to have that same option and the
problems that we saw through the Rugby Championship where those
fifty to fifty balls that are coming up without the
escorts to protect them anymore. Under the new rules, we're
going to have to rely more on some of these
other guys. So Clark, you know, he's gonna have to
step up. Carter is gonna have to step up, Jordan's
gonna have to step up, and they're going to have
to make sure that they get execute as beautifully as
(13:11):
Jordi Barrett has been in the last couple of games
while they've been using him in that role.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Caleb can do this. What strikes me maybe cart is
a little on the little side, but he's got a
bit of a spring to him. Jordan should be able
to do it. These guys should be able to handle
that that custodian roll, shouldn't they That's part of what they.
Speaker 5 (13:28):
Do, absolutely, and Caleb Clark is brilliant in the air,
probably better in the air chasing kicks than accepting them.
I think it'll probably be fair to say and that's
the real problem now, isn't it. Because the team that
puts up the kick gets to chase, gets to get
up in the air with that momentum, and rarely put
pressure on the guy who's going up. And if the
guy's going up, you know, does catch the ball, he's
(13:49):
then going to get absolutely slammed because there are no
eskirts in the way to help him out. So they're
going to have to be really careful about that. They
did all right again. Stiland Island put up twelve box
kicks and it wasn't really a massive issue for them
in that game, whereas New Zealand shut it away from
box kicking completely and we're kicking along all the time
or short attacking kicks. So it's pretty clear from that
(14:10):
All Black performance on the weekend that they're they're looking to,
you define some width and they found plenty of it
against Islands who were maybe probably under cooks. But I
think that's the best we've seen from the All Blacks
attack as far as getting the ball wide without dable pressure.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
Wait, they wake up. They weren't asleep in the last
twenty which is refreshing.
Speaker 5 (14:31):
Exactly hard exactly and what is the tee with a
big part of that. He's got a lot of grief,
but he came on and got a huge amount of
yards late in that game, So maybe he's found his
role in the time being.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Did you think that raz is finally starting to settle
on arguably what is a number one twenty three or
close with slight tweaks through injury, maybe the horses for
courses as you mentioned before, is he starting to find
after two years a settled all black lineup, well the
best he can do anyway.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
Yeah, he's go because of all those injuries, you know,
with the locking injuries that they've had, and you know
there's been a to turnover in the loose forwards. But yeah,
I think so they seem to like Lucky at eight,
he does a lot of work. He seems to be
free with Parker and like are doing work to pick
and choose his moments and get around the field and
get turnovers when he wants to. So that seems to
be working or you wouldn't say yet that that's a
(15:25):
locked in three, but there seems to be some potential
there and we know who the nine and ten are
until Richie returns. So you think we know the fullbackers
and they certainly haven't settled on a midfield, but we
know the number one midfield is Jordi Barrett plus some
jupire and you know, fying On Nuku can come off
(15:47):
the bench, or he can play at center if they
need him to, you know, or come onto the wings.
He's a superb plus he's definitely locked himself into the
twenty three. I think, whether that's starting or in that
twenty three Jersey.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
As far as this weekend, they've got some mandary again
to deal with, They've got some week areas, they've got
some players returning to good form will probably start. But
if you look at the twenty three, the lock is
plainly the area of concern. So I think that we
saw great work from Josh Lord who came on and
(16:23):
was sensational. But is this the biggest heel the Achilles
that this New Zealand team has got that Locke situation
or does it expand to to other areas ross Well.
Speaker 5 (16:35):
Yeah, I mean the locking situation is definitely a place
that they're building on right now, and they I think
they lack a little bit of impact in their locks
at the moment. You know, Holland is that he's a
good eighty minute player, does a lot of work, but
does he really get you over the game line? Does
he really dominate his tackles. So he's going to really
have to I think lift physically. Josh Lord, he's been
a bit of a passenger of recent year, saysn't he.
Josh Lord comes into the squad, Everyone's like, who's this guy?
(16:59):
You know, he's injured all the time. He barely plays
for the Chiefs kind of thing, you know, but he's
been on that potential because he's a great athlete. So
we're seeing a bit of him. But they lost four
lineouts on the weekend Darcy and and they lost them all.
Was that was that?
Speaker 2 (17:12):
The locks problem though? Was that were the throwings because
they were a bit dodgy off the number off the hooker.
Speaker 5 (17:18):
They were, But it's obvious that there's not confidence necessarily
in the throws and the calls without the usual as
there to call it all the time. So they're going
to have to do some work there. And the Scottish
lineout is one of the best line outs in Europe,
so they've they've won forty of their forty three lineouts
this year and the only ones they've lost and when
they've overthrown or not straight, so it's not going to
(17:38):
be as easy to pick off the line out the
way that they did against Ireland. The Scottish team is
one of the best line out in the world right now,
so that's going to be a real challenge for them
and they're going to have to overcome that this weekend.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Ross Carle it's just quickly sidestep and the chamber. Not
for long though. We've actually got a touring cricket team.
They're playing five T twenty eyes, three One Day Internationals
and three Tests and it's not early spring. This is sensationalism.
It Are they worth going to watch this week? Cindy side?
(18:09):
I think maybe, but we'll focus on what we've got
New Zealand side. He's building, Rob Walter, a wonderful team
that has got so many different additions. It's like a
lego team. Something breaks, they get another piece like clipping
in as well. It's looking pretty formidable.
Speaker 5 (18:25):
Yeah, it's building its formidability. I'd say, you know, like
on paper, if you look at the team from five
or six years ago and you look at this it's
a completely different world, isn't it. On paper, the credibility
of this team isn't where it used to be. But
week by week, match by match, and I think I
saw on the broadcast the other day the home record
current New Zealand team and limited is over is really
(18:48):
really strong.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
And the team consecutive series, that's how strong it is.
Speaker 5 (18:52):
And yeah, and so these guys, like, you know, the
Mark Chapmans of this world, they're starting to create a
decent record under their belt, you know, whether it's Jacob
Duffy or Smith or you know, these guys are starting
to make their way and become decent ticknity. You know,
an excellent series against England, there's selves and while there
(19:16):
are lots of injuries, you know that you've got those
anchor players there. You know that you're going to get
good overs out of Satna for not much. You know
you're going to get a couple of decent things out
of Revenger and Daryl Mitchell. You know, like there's a
few people there that you can really rely on. And
you kind of feel while on paper it's not this
team in the world, it's gone back to that old
(19:37):
New Zealand some of its parts philosophy that we used
to talk about in the late nineties, early two thousands,
you know, where it was like they didn't barely have
the world class players in the same way, but they
together they made it work. And then we went through
a patch with actually we were just jammed backed with
world class players and we're making finals left, drive and center.
And now we're back into that old school thing as
(19:58):
they try to build a new era.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Well it's building very well and I for one am
excited and on that rass Carl, host of the Rugby Pod,
we think very much for your time and expertise. You
look after yourself, you too, man.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
Beating of X.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
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Speaker 2 (20:17):
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(20:38):
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Speaker 1 (21:21):
More from News Talks B listen live on air or online,
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You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
This is Sportsfix Howard By News Talks EDB and it's
a Walnut.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Welcome to all of yold to the Sports Fixed podcast.
My name is Darcy walder Grave. It is the fifth
of November twenty twenty five, courtesy of the GJ Gardner Homes,
New Zealand's most trusted home builder. This is it? What
have they got lined up for you? Well? I know,
have a chat shortly with the chief executive Officer of
(00:43):
the New Zealand Rugby League. His name is Gregor. Peter's
little simple question right, We've got the Pacific Championship as
being played in the final between Samoa and New Zealand.
The Australians aren't involved in the competition? Why is it
being played in Sydney? More on that later in the piece.
(01:03):
I'll share my opinion around the lack of traction or
lack of complaints around how IV Gulf Oh, how things
have changed, and will be joined in the chamber by
Ross Carl's, the host of the Rugby Pod. If you
look at the makeup of the all Black team. The
(01:23):
head of the test against the Scottish over the weekend
made it touch on a bit of cricket as well.
Who knows that's all coming out, that's our plan, so
let's head go in other news and making an audio
waves today. A Hurricanes coach Tyke laidlaw he's harnessed the
good in a bad situation. His midfield my stroke. Jordan
(01:45):
Barrett is coming home from the Northern Tour to sustaining
a pair of injuries against the Irish Clark Thoughses has
been playing non stop rugby so a break would be welcome.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
He's been gone since pre season twenty twenty four with
his lands. That's the bakall and plan out of Marshall
Rugby's You never want a season shot to injury obviously,
Yeah he'll get bark and sure and as I looking
forward to someone in New Zealand after a few buck
to Barker.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
Winnows Knew Wellington Phoenix footballer Carlo Amiento has revealed how
mean spirited the A League's Brisbane War can be. Whilst
dealing with a cancer diagnosis. The club chose not through
the newest contract, but he rose above that. The stress
of being off contract at the time was I shouldn't
(02:31):
probably say this. It was more stressful than actually going
through the treatment because I knew there was light at
the end of the tunnel.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
I knew the treatment was going to go well.
Speaker 5 (02:38):
It was that I was off contract and didn't have
a club next year.
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Carlo has been in remission from Hodgkins lamboma for eighteen months.
Nice and the future of black Caps a wicked keeping
that Mitchey has found himself back in the side after
the Tim Sipert was ruled out with a bustard digits
that found out that he was back again during a
domestic one day fixture. Got the cool but we'll got
(03:03):
through a port Trophy game a couple of days ago.
Speaker 6 (03:06):
A shame for firm and he never want to see
someone injured, but you know, I'm excited for the opportunity.
Speaker 2 (03:10):
And those are audio excerpts around Sport Today News.
Speaker 1 (03:17):
It's Sportsfix with Darcy Valdegrave.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
We're joined now on Sports Fix podcast by Greg Peters.
He's the CEO of New Zealand Rugby League. Get a Greg.
Speaker 6 (03:29):
Trust you well, Hey, Darcy, thanks for having me on mate, Yeah,
very well.
Speaker 4 (03:33):
I hope you are too.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
Yeah, I am, thanks very much for joining us. That's
coming up to the end of what's been a pretty
fascinating Pacific Championship. The Kiwi are taking on some more
after that crazy game against tong Are over the weekend.
Crazy not because of the scoreline, but because of the crowd.
They're the best fans in the world. But here's the problem, Greg,
and I know you know what I'm going to say.
(03:55):
Why are the Kiwi taking on somewhere in Sydney in
a competition that the Australians aren't even playing it?
Speaker 5 (04:05):
And this is just weird, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (04:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (04:07):
Yeah, would have been happy to host the whole thing
in New Zealand and it would have gone off even
you know some on are Eden Park. You can imagine
that would have been special as well, like it was
last weekend. At the end of the day, what the
Ossies wanted was content and this market well in their
own market in Australia prior to World Cup twenty twenty six,
so they didn't want to lose momentum. And of course,
(04:31):
you know, although we run and are on risk for
the games in New Zealand and that's all our marketing and.
Speaker 4 (04:38):
All our effort.
Speaker 6 (04:40):
The overall Pacific Championships are the NROL brand, So that's
why we get these decisions.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
Mate, did you just acquiesced to that? Did you fight?
Did you go home? And we've got a massive league
community over here, massive amounts of PACIFICA residents over here
and KIMI fans. This was made surely for a sold
out Eden Park. How much fight grig did you put
up for this?
Speaker 4 (05:08):
One hundred percent?
Speaker 6 (05:09):
We went hard on it, you know, as I said
to you, we wanted to host a whole thing and
all of the games in New Zealand this year, and
it would have been amazing for the game. But what
we did have were two really cool events Want against
some more obviously Mount Smart and last weekend that you indicated.
It's probably the most unusual and amazing event that I've
(05:31):
ever been part of because crowd was cheering for both sides.
In fact, our girls were in the shed after their
game and they heard the cheering and they thought, Tom
I must be up and they came out.
Speaker 4 (05:42):
We were winning twenty points. So it's.
Speaker 6 (05:46):
Unrivaled and unheard of kind of scenes in sport in
this part of the world anyway.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
So to Aussie offer you those two games as a
way of saying that, really sorry, we're having the final
here even though we're not competing. Was that part of
the negotiation. How did that come about?
Speaker 6 (06:00):
Greeg Well, NZRL and the Kiwi and Kiwi ferns. I
only agreed to plan in the Pacific Championships if we
could host games in our own territory because obviously we
have commercial program and deal with Sky and stuff like
that that are built around these, so we couldn't you know,
we wouldn't have been part of it unless we'd had
(06:21):
at least some part of the part of the cake
in New Zealand. And it's been two fixtures every year
since the start of the Pacific Championships in twenty twenty three.
And you might recall that we actually started this whole
thing back with the Oceania Cup in twenty nineteen, so
and then it got interrupted by COVID.
Speaker 4 (06:40):
So that's the kind of rational behind it.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
The NRL are looking after this tournament and they're the
national rugby league. Do they care about it at an
international level? They only interested in looking after themselves in Ossie.
I can't work out why ahead of a World Cup
they wouldn't want to have the best of the best
and an Australian team involved as well, because they're not there.
It doesn't make sense Greek.
Speaker 6 (07:03):
Yeah, that's so there is obviously sort of a conflict
there with the NRL.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
People call the n r L.
Speaker 6 (07:10):
It's the NRL plus the ar l C, the Australianrugy
League Commission which runs which runs what owns the Pacific
Championships brand. As I said before, we run in market
and host, but the games in New Zealand's that's part
of our deal with them. And you know, as I say,
we are really happy with both games that we've had.
Speaker 4 (07:31):
We would have liked the whole tournament in New Zealand,
but it's not to be.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Is it up for grabs again? Is a possibility that
it could actually occur as a whole over here? Do
you think, greg Or? Is it because the ARL slash
NRL Alondon? That's that's just not going to happen.
Speaker 6 (07:46):
Look, I think this is the last year before the
World Cup, and then this is the last year of
current arrangements around the Pacific Championships, so well, I think
all countries actually quite interested in having a conversation about
what that looks going forward, looks like going forward and
having more more international content because of the strength of it.
Speaker 4 (08:07):
If you look at it.
Speaker 6 (08:07):
Now, it's rivaling State of Origin in terms of crab
participation and support and also you know.
Speaker 4 (08:15):
Like England and the Ashes as well.
Speaker 6 (08:17):
If the international game is really on fire at the
moment and we want more of it, not less of it.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Dissecting the sporting agenda, it's sportsfex.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
With Dancy Waldegrave, time heals all wounds, and this is
apparent with Live or LIV Golf, the Saudi Arabian backed
sport washing exercise that has made a whole lot of
golfers instant billionaires. It's revolting. It's sports washing, but now
(08:49):
it's an established part of the sporting globe. Gross It's
now been announced though that LIV Golf desperate to get
some form of legitimacy within the golfing world, even though
they have long forgotten about the blood money they provide.
They've decided to extend their competition, which was a fifty
(09:12):
four whole adventure around a course, to a proper seventy
two whole tournament every time they play. This, of course,
is for the international players that sold their soul to
gain relevant ranking points in global golf, therefore being admitted
to the majors, which really, aside the money, is the
(09:33):
most important thing in their golfing careers. But it's insane
how much cash waived in front of you can make
you forget the reason you play. So I'd say I
welcome this change in attitude from LIV. Now they want
to ingratiate themselves to the world of golf. Now they
want their billionaire players to better rank highly have a
(09:55):
decent chance at the majors. But honestly, this move to
seventy two whole Golf doesn't change anything for me. These
players are still pawns in a greater Arabian game. You
should be ashamed of yourself fifty four seventy two. It
(10:16):
doesn't matter you're all morally corrupt. Time does heal all wounds.
Time provides space for people to forget. But I won't,
and neither should you. The Chamber is now in session
on Sportsfax, so one welcome Matt to the Chamber to Ross.
Carl hosts the Italio Rugby Pod, along with a couple
(10:40):
of reprobates the like of Britain Tickets all and Jip
of the skipper, James Passinger by yourself, now, Ros, can
you handle this?
Speaker 5 (10:47):
Jandle It's difficult, It's difficult. But you know, I think
I've just taken enough information out of their heads that
I can prepare to pretend that I'm smart, brilliant.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
That's it. Conduit or a thief. That's what I do
as well. In the chamber, it's taught rugby. It's all
about rugby. At the moment where one leg aga in
to the four leg Grand Slam Tour and hit already
with injury concerns, Jordy Barrett is on his way back
Scott's okay with his gas leg losing Jordi Barrett, first up,
(11:17):
how big a blow is this? Or is there actually
a silver lining to the sushi ross?
Speaker 5 (11:23):
Look, there's almost certainly a silver lining, and that we'll
get a chance to see too. Payre and Feng Nuku
have another crack after they did pretty well on the weekend.
It's a different pretty well understanding come on, bro, Yeah yeah, well,
I mean it's a different approach, isn't it. Two power midfielders,
two guys who will just charge it up, smack it
over the advantage line and fighting on muku. He got
(11:46):
you know, lots of post contact meters, eighteen of them.
His forty nine meters of ball and hand overall was
only beaten by those flash harriers at the back could
get to carry it back, you know, with nobody in
their site way, So he was outstanding and then you
know the off loads the line breaks as the seat.
It was also over the advantage line. Like he always says,
(12:06):
I suppose great to see in there and may be
great to see different options for the way the All
Blacks attack. To me about losing Jordie Barrett, because you
do have you know, Billy Brocter and Tolman at Brown Regouana.
You do have a lot of depth there to cover
and quality players. So it's a position where they can
afford to have a few issues here and there with injuries.
(12:26):
But it's what happens at the back. Because Jordi has
been slipping back into what they call the pendulum at
the back of the field where you have a couple
of players who move back and forth as the ball
gets kicked back there. They've started using him in that
role because he's so strong under the high ball or
real horses for courses. You might be number twelve when
they're going to kick it. You're back at full back, mate,
because you're the best under the high ball here. Now
(12:49):
they're not going to have that same option and the
problems that we saw through the Rugby Championship where those
fifty to fifty balls that are coming up without the
escorts to protect them anymore. Under the new rules, we're
going to have to rely more on some of these
other guys. So Clark, you know, he's gonna have to
step up. Carter is gonna have to step up, Jordan's
gonna have to step up, and they're going to have
to make sure that they get execute as beautifully as
(13:11):
Jordi Barrett has been in the last couple of games
while they've been using him in that role.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
Caleb can do this. What strikes me maybe cart is
a little on the little side, but he's got a
bit of a spring to him. Jordan should be able
to do it. These guys should be able to handle
that that custodian roll, shouldn't they That's part of what they.
Speaker 5 (13:28):
Do, absolutely, and Caleb Clark is brilliant in the air,
probably better in the air chasing kicks than accepting them.
I think it'll probably be fair to say and that's
the real problem now, isn't it. Because the team that
puts up the kick gets to chase, gets to get
up in the air with that momentum, and rarely put
pressure on the guy who's going up. And if the
guy's going up, you know, does catch the ball, he's
(13:49):
then going to get absolutely slammed because there are no
eskirts in the way to help him out. So they're
going to have to be really careful about that. They
did all right again. Stiland Island put up twelve box
kicks and it wasn't really a massive issue for them
in that game, whereas New Zealand shut it away from
box kicking completely and we're kicking along all the time
or short attacking kicks. So it's pretty clear from that
(14:10):
All Black performance on the weekend that they're they're looking to,
you define some width and they found plenty of it
against Islands who were maybe probably under cooks. But I
think that's the best we've seen from the All Blacks
attack as far as getting the ball wide without dable pressure.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
Wait, they wake up. They weren't asleep in the last
twenty which is refreshing.
Speaker 5 (14:31):
Exactly hard exactly and what is the tee with a
big part of that. He's got a lot of grief,
but he came on and got a huge amount of
yards late in that game, So maybe he's found his
role in the time being.
Speaker 2 (14:42):
Did you think that raz is finally starting to settle
on arguably what is a number one twenty three or
close with slight tweaks through injury, maybe the horses for
courses as you mentioned before, is he starting to find
after two years a settled all black lineup, well the
best he can do anyway.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
Yeah, he's go because of all those injuries, you know,
with the locking injuries that they've had, and you know
there's been a to turnover in the loose forwards. But yeah,
I think so they seem to like Lucky at eight,
he does a lot of work. He seems to be
free with Parker and like are doing work to pick
and choose his moments and get around the field and
get turnovers when he wants to. So that seems to
be working or you wouldn't say yet that that's a
(15:25):
locked in three, but there seems to be some potential
there and we know who the nine and ten are
until Richie returns. So you think we know the fullbackers
and they certainly haven't settled on a midfield, but we
know the number one midfield is Jordi Barrett plus some
jupire and you know, fying On Nuku can come off
(15:47):
the bench, or he can play at center if they
need him to, you know, or come onto the wings.
He's a superb plus he's definitely locked himself into the
twenty three. I think, whether that's starting or in that
twenty three Jersey.
Speaker 2 (15:59):
As far as this weekend, they've got some mandary again
to deal with, They've got some week areas, they've got
some players returning to good form will probably start. But
if you look at the twenty three, the lock is
plainly the area of concern. So I think that we
saw great work from Josh Lord who came on and
(16:23):
was sensational. But is this the biggest heel the Achilles
that this New Zealand team has got that Locke situation
or does it expand to to other areas ross Well.
Speaker 5 (16:35):
Yeah, I mean the locking situation is definitely a place
that they're building on right now, and they I think
they lack a little bit of impact in their locks
at the moment. You know, Holland is that he's a
good eighty minute player, does a lot of work, but
does he really get you over the game line? Does
he really dominate his tackles. So he's going to really
have to I think lift physically. Josh Lord, he's been
a bit of a passenger of recent year, saysn't he.
Josh Lord comes into the squad, Everyone's like, who's this guy?
(16:59):
You know, he's injured all the time. He barely plays
for the Chiefs kind of thing, you know, but he's
been on that potential because he's a great athlete. So
we're seeing a bit of him. But they lost four
lineouts on the weekend Darcy and and they lost them all.
Was that was that?
Speaker 2 (17:12):
The locks problem though? Was that were the throwings because
they were a bit dodgy off the number off the hooker.
Speaker 5 (17:18):
They were, But it's obvious that there's not confidence necessarily
in the throws and the calls without the usual as
there to call it all the time. So they're going
to have to do some work there. And the Scottish
lineout is one of the best line outs in Europe,
so they've they've won forty of their forty three lineouts
this year and the only ones they've lost and when
they've overthrown or not straight, so it's not going to
(17:38):
be as easy to pick off the line out the
way that they did against Ireland. The Scottish team is
one of the best line out in the world right now,
so that's going to be a real challenge for them
and they're going to have to overcome that this weekend.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
Ross Carle it's just quickly sidestep and the chamber. Not
for long though. We've actually got a touring cricket team.
They're playing five T twenty eyes, three One Day Internationals
and three Tests and it's not early spring. This is sensationalism.
It Are they worth going to watch this week? Cindy side?
(18:09):
I think maybe, but we'll focus on what we've got
New Zealand side. He's building, Rob Walter, a wonderful team
that has got so many different additions. It's like a
lego team. Something breaks, they get another piece like clipping
in as well. It's looking pretty formidable.
Speaker 5 (18:25):
Yeah, it's building its formidability. I'd say, you know, like
on paper, if you look at the team from five
or six years ago and you look at this it's
a completely different world, isn't it. On paper, the credibility
of this team isn't where it used to be. But
week by week, match by match, and I think I
saw on the broadcast the other day the home record
current New Zealand team and limited is over is really
(18:48):
really strong.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
And the team consecutive series, that's how strong it is.
Speaker 5 (18:52):
And yeah, and so these guys, like, you know, the
Mark Chapmans of this world, they're starting to create a
decent record under their belt, you know, whether it's Jacob
Duffy or Smith or you know, these guys are starting
to make their way and become decent ticknity. You know,
an excellent series against England, there's selves and while there
(19:16):
are lots of injuries, you know that you've got those
anchor players there. You know that you're going to get
good overs out of Satna for not much. You know
you're going to get a couple of decent things out
of Revenger and Daryl Mitchell. You know, like there's a
few people there that you can really rely on. And
you kind of feel while on paper it's not this
team in the world, it's gone back to that old
(19:37):
New Zealand some of its parts philosophy that we used
to talk about in the late nineties, early two thousands,
you know, where it was like they didn't barely have
the world class players in the same way, but they
together they made it work. And then we went through
a patch with actually we were just jammed backed with
world class players and we're making finals left, drive and center.
And now we're back into that old school thing as
(19:58):
they try to build a new era.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
Well it's building very well and I for one am
excited and on that rass Carl, host of the Rugby Pod,
we think very much for your time and expertise. You
look after yourself, you too, man.
Speaker 4 (20:12):
Beating of X.
Speaker 1 (20:13):
We've got just the ticket. It's SPORTSFX powered by News Talks.
Speaker 2 (20:17):
IVY and that's it for today's edition of the Sports
Fix podcast on Darcy Water to go. Thanks for your ear.
Is your mind's your engagement and if you'd like to
engage more with it myself or Jason Bying Ghosts. On Monday,
you can on sports Talk on news Talk ZB free
phone number nation wide one hundred and eighty ten eighty.
We bring you all the sport you need to talk
(20:38):
about on a week daily basis on zb from seven
to eight pm. If you've enjoyed what you've heard, well,
it's our pleasure. If you haven't, we're working on it.
Send this information to all of you mates, your friends,
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so this appears in your inbox on a regular basis
Monday through to Friday. And if you'd like to talk
(21:01):
with Jason Byn where you do that on weekend Sport
that's between twelve midday and three Saturday and Sunday. Plenty
of guests and plenty of time to talk as well
with Piney. Thanks very much, JJ Gardner Holmes for your
continued support. You are New Zealand's most trusted home builder
and we trust you to support the Fix. Catch us
soon for.
Speaker 1 (21:21):
More from News Talks B listen live on air or online,
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