Tuesday 11 November 2025: Former Kiwis lock Tawera Nikau on the success of the Pacific Championships
November 10, 2025 • 21 mins
On Sports Fix with D'Arcy Waldegrave for 11th November 2025, the Pacific Championship has ended, with the Kiwis taking out the competition in front of another bumper crowd on Sunday evening. It was a fantastic tournament, with the pride in the Pacific nations being shown in full force across the fixtures. D'Arcy caught up with former Kiwis lock Tawera Nikau to reflect on the tournament and discuss what's next for international rugby league.
D'Arcy shares his thoughts on the All Blacks' discipline letting them down against Scotland.
And D'Arcy and NZ Herald journalist Alex Powell discuss the rebel T20 league being talked about in New Zealand and Liam Lawson's performance at the Brazilian Grand Prix over the weekend.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks EDB.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Welcome on in to another edition of the Sports Fixed podcast.
One of is Darcy Waterdrove.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
That is a.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Chiesday, the eleventh of November twenty twenty five and thanks
so much as always to GJ. Gardner Holmes, New Zione's
most trusted home builder, for showing their continued support. Coming
up in this edition of the ICT, we're talking rugby league.
What a fantastic Pacific Championship. It was wonderful win for
(00:49):
Kiwi and to talk about that and the expansion of
international rugby league, one of the most frightening men were
going to put on boots for the Kiwis Tower. Nico
joins the program. I've got some thoughts around the chaos
of the rugby on Sunday morning in Scotland this sipline
Discipline Phone and will be joined in the chamber by
(01:12):
New Zealander Herald sports journalist mister Alex Powells. We toss
around some of the big sports stories of the day.
That's our master plan and as Perth. Let's just climb
right into it. In other news, come down, spit out
some sport. Hayden Padden, he's sailing rally kill of the skid,
says name checked another Keyweed mud maestro poss and Born
(01:36):
for his involvement in getting Hayden into rally, specifically around
his victory and the Australian Rally champs are tidally snare over.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
The weekend possom of inspiration of why we come over
here in the first place, and was obviously a childhood hero,
so to come over here and put our name on
the same trophy on a chap that he dominated for
so many years as pretty special.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
All Black task Master Scott Robinson has described the week's
process ahead of the English clash the next step in
the AB's quick for the holy grail that is the
Northern Grand Slam.
Speaker 5 (02:10):
You an imagement from training and Mintilodian for school oade
and your union meetings and I've got here. You then
just walking off for Bactec here in your training so
it's good you know, no bust time.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
And Youanick Sinner has started his title defense at Tennis's
at P Finals on the straight sets victory against Felix
Alga aliasami in Churin. He was a Canadian at seventy
five six one after a Cartis who tormented the maple
leafe man.
Speaker 6 (02:40):
When Felix's playing one hundred percent, here's one of the
toughest blairs to beds. You know you don't want to
win in this way, but it's not a way of decades.
Hopefully it gets back a hundred percent. We need him
in this competition and I is one of the top
ed blairs.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
From the mountains of the memes. That's sport today.
Speaker 7 (02:57):
You Scandian. It's Sportsfix with Dancie Waldergrave and it's a warm.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Welcome to the Sports Fix podcast to the one and
only Tawara Niko, one of the scariest men. Do we
ever pull on the black jersey with the white v
Mister Lee get at How are you?
Speaker 8 (03:17):
Oh good? Darcy? Yourself made always great?
Speaker 3 (03:19):
The chat to you make great to have you on
and thanks for answering the phone. How good was the
Pacific Championship of the last few weeks? This is International League.
It's a very best and I think it's all heading
that weight or is it tea well?
Speaker 8 (03:33):
I think they just off to the back of the NRL,
you know, the finals, the Grand Final and then we
roll into the pack Champs this year Samoa Tonga in
New Zealand and what a fantastic series. So pitty we
can't have more of these games throughout the year, Darcy
in that mid window for state of origin. But man,
what a fantastic support from the salm warns the Tongans.
(03:55):
And how do we get the Kiwi supporters to be
like Tonga and some Moore Darcy, that's what I need.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
I don't know, mate, We're a bit kind of down
in the mouth of that when it's too much English
and you know what the English are like they I
don't want to celebrate. So why the fire is this
purity of the fact that suddenly we've got the best
players in the world. Who go, you know what, I
want to play for my homeland. I don't want to
play in Australia. I don't want to play I want
to represent the time in summer. How instrumental is that, bean?
(04:21):
Do you think?
Speaker 8 (04:22):
Well, as you go back to twenty and seventeen, I
think when Jason Tomololo started the migration, you know, from
New Zealand to Tonga. Ever since then you've had a
We've got some of the best players in the world now,
the best players in our game, the likes of Payne HEAs,
you know, Ali Katoa. There's a whole lot of them
(04:43):
now then I there's a whole lot of them now
wanting to represent their families, to represent you know, their
pearance and represent their country. So man at all Augus
well and support that you get from Samoa and Tongan's
you know mangader Oda who you know when you're those
games on there, they're all at Eden Park, they're all
(05:03):
at you know, Mount Smart and it's just an awesome
feeling and you know those guys are done a fantastic job.
But it's just growing now over the last three four years.
Pacific Championships is our state of origin, ducie, So.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
What has to happen to nail this in place? Where
does it have to be played? How's this going to operate?
Because this is a growth region. We know, as you'd
know that international rugby league has been sporadic stop start,
It's never been really given the respect it deserves. But
now the time is nice, surely what is to happen?
Speaker 8 (05:38):
Well, I think, you know, with the International Rugby League Federation,
and we saw the Kangaroos going to England and you
know the English that went that much. So it'll be
interesting to see what the international calendar. We have the
World Cup next year, there's got to be some dates
set in stone around what happens, like the Pacific Championships.
Now we've also got the World Cup, so you know
(06:00):
this competitions. I know they're trying to grow the game
and Villani's and Abdo have done a great job in
terms of promoting the NRL, but International Rugby League has
to be the pinnacle. We need to set that at
the top of our game to actually grow the game.
And the biggest growth in the game is coming from
the Pacific and here in New Zealand and you know,
potentially another team at Canterbury, your hometown Darcy down there.
(06:23):
You know, we could have another NROL team because you know,
one of the great things is that we have more
people in Auckland than Samoa, more people in Auckland than
than in Tonga, and just you know, the support of
the Pacific. You know, Auckland is the capital of the
Pacific and we've got so many people so the growth
(06:44):
of the game really depends on how we promote these
games in Tonga, Sarmour and in New Zealand. Because you
CommBank thirty thousand, we would have had another forty thousand
people at Eden Park had we been able to play
that game against Sarmoa at Eden Park as previously thirty
eight thousand at And were you at the game, Darcy,
(07:04):
the Tonguan game?
Speaker 6 (07:05):
Did you go?
Speaker 3 (07:06):
No, I's looking after Mackid.
Speaker 8 (07:07):
But I've been to a lot of stadiums, I've played
a lot of football. But the atmosphere at Eden Park
in that match against Tomnel was absolutely sensational. The singing
the hymns, but also just the atmosphere and the way
that the Tongans actually support of their players was absolutely fantastic.
So you know that the pinnacle of the game has
to be the international game, and I know that we
(07:30):
have our place. The NRL has done a great job,
but yeah, something needs to be changed. And yeah there's
quite challenging when you have the NRL which potentially runs
the game you know through the world.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Well they do, and they make the calls and they
own the competition, so it makes it difficult. But to
get traction internationally that this has to occur. Now, the
idea is that there is a mid season break, you
guys can have Origin will have our internationals. How likely
is something like that? I know it'd be wanted, but
how likely?
Speaker 8 (08:02):
Yeah, it's going to be a challenge USCI because those
guys make the rules. Have you got all the cash?
Whoever has the gold the rules? And that's probably the
big thing about it because for us in New Zealand,
you know, potentially we don't have the amount of money
that you know, the NRL is just a behemoth now
in terms of but the game's growing and it's not
just the men's game. You look at the women's game
(08:24):
and the potential for that to grow. You know, we've
got so many young pathways now for young players, young
female players into the game and yeah, that something needs
to change. But how we do that that's a whole
nother discussion around rugby league and then International Rugby League.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Federation dissecting the sporting agenda.
Speaker 7 (08:46):
It's SPORTSFACX with Darcy Waldgrave discipline.
Speaker 3 (08:50):
Discipline, discipline, That's all I took out of the Scottish
game over the weekend for the All Blacks got away
with it, got the win, held Scotland down yet again.
So at least this cycle we haven't had another firm
losing to a team that's never beaten us before. Ay,
(09:12):
it was on the cards, it was in the air,
could have happened, didn't happen. Discipline, discipline, discipline, Ardie Savia, Leroy, Carter, Wallace, Satiti.
Sit down in the corner of the room and think
about what you've done. I find it so difficult when
(09:33):
players show ill discipline at an international level in a
game of such great import. You don't foot trip people
and think you can get away with it. Since when
was that irrelevant tactic to use in rugby? Since never
will a satti? What are you doing reaching for the
ball like that? I know not that I played international rugby,
(09:57):
but I know that when the ball's out there like that,
there must be huge temptation to just have a go
and have a see. But is it worth it? Is
this a new rule? This just turned up in the
last half an hour. No, it isn't. This needs to
be trained out of your system. I don't know what
excuse Carter's got so tis a bit keen, but still
(10:19):
phenomenally stupid. You can't play for thirty minutes in a
game of international rugby with fourteen players on the field.
You don't normally taste success if you do that. And
they try that on this weekend against the English, we
are poked straight down the plug hole. I know they
(10:39):
don't do it deliberately, but it needs to be addressed.
I care about the high ball, but I care about
the mountdown of the last twenty minutes. I care about controllables,
and discipline is a controllable discipline? Discipline, discipline.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfax.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
So join now by a irregular visitor and a most
welcome visitor to the Chambers. Name is Alex Powell, fresh
back from some fun and games and watching Oasis. I'm jealous, mate, welcome, I.
Speaker 9 (11:12):
May thanks for having me. I was sitting there in Sydney thinking, no,
I have to get back, I have to get into
the chamber.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
So here I am.
Speaker 7 (11:16):
No.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
You weren't, No, you I wasn't. How was it? Oasis?
Speaker 9 (11:19):
It was unreal?
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Wow?
Speaker 3 (11:21):
Would have been great, would have been, would have could have.
But I got tool coming up in a couple of weeks,
so I'm quite happy. A couple of stories floating around
the last week or so, and one of them is
of great interest because of course the Kiwis are the Kiwis.
The black Caps are now playing in an actual series
against the West Indies and it only rain once so far.
(11:41):
Considering it as kind of late spring, you kind of
understand that going pretty well against the West Indies and
the T twenties, but that looks toward the possibility of
T twenty going through a mad, mad change. According to Stuff,
it's really going the next few weeks possibly could be instrumental,
huge for the game of the country.
Speaker 9 (12:03):
So, I mean, it's classic as a journalist you have
this where you're chasing a story and you go on
hold and someone else breaks it, you know, so full
credit to Steve Cookgallant Stuff getting it. But it's from
what is understood, moves are underway to see a privately
backed franchise twenty twenty League in New Zealand. Of course,
the Super Smash leaves New Zealand as the only country
(12:23):
without a franchise model. You think all over the world,
now that is the way it's gone. You get privately
backed money and you get the best players. You turn
your summer into A T twenty competition and that's how
you make money and survivors of sport. New Zealand doesn't
do that. We use the Super Smash as a way
to grow players to play for the Black Caps.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
And the White fans, which weren's okay because of the
depth we've got. Let's face it, some of these guys
turn up and you know, the hell is that why
he's got game?
Speaker 9 (12:47):
So absolutely, but we saw against Australia and we saw
against England is that is very quickly becoming outdated.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
You know.
Speaker 9 (12:54):
The black Caps were so outgunned against that England batting lineup.
Who are all teach I think England had two all
format players in that TEA twenty side that smash New
Zealand and christ Church carry Brook the captain and Briden Carsbot.
The rest of them are only white ball players. You know,
New Zealand because of where I don't want to say
we because of where New Zealander is and credit standings,
(13:15):
players have to play all formats because that's how they
can make a decent living, you know, but it means
you can't specialize. You know, Russian Vendra is more than
talientent enough to go out and be a T twenty slogger,
but he wants to play test cricket as well, and
that tug of war is really going to cost the
black Caps and potentially the White fans at the highest level.
So seeing a T twenty franchise league, I think is
the first part of that. But the warrior is what
(13:35):
does it actually do to the rest of your cricketing summer.
We've seen in the Western leagues with the Caribbean Premier League,
you have that as the main draw card for players,
the other forms of game will suffer. We're going to
see some Western end test cricketers here who are not
very good, and you feel horrible saying that, but that
is just them playing the hand that they've been dealt.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
So what's up for grabs? Though it's like one, two, three,
four different concepts around this.
Speaker 9 (13:58):
It sounds like it. So it sounds like option one
is to just leave things as are, which I mean
it could happen using the credit could argue that their
plan is working, but it compare to leave if not financially.
Option two would be a New Zealand Cricket fund or
backed or owned league which is privately funded. Option three
would be.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
The old I'm just go back. So option two, how
is that different from Super Smash?
Speaker 9 (14:22):
It's well you because you would be getting private money
in right, you know. So New Zealand Cricket owned the league,
but they don't.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Pay for it.
Speaker 9 (14:30):
Someone else would. Option three is the one we just
talked about, which is the privately backed independent league. Option four,
which I think is the one that might have a
bit of momentum behind it as far as New Zealand
Cricket want. It would be getting teams or a team
or two teams into the Big Bash.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Okay, so what works best from a spectator point of view?
Let's be selfish. Let's think us what is going to
work for our eyeballs? Do you think, Alex?
Speaker 9 (14:56):
I think the Big Bash? You know, you look at
when it's played. It's played during the summer nights, sitting
at home on the couch. How good is it to
flicker on the Melbourne Stars versus the Brisbane Heat. I
know a lot more people that do that than watch
Cannabry versus Oti. I go on the Soup Smash, you know,
having a New Zealand team and that you think of
what the Warriors have done in the NRL and the
Breakers in the NBL and the Phoenix and Auckland FC.
(15:17):
There is a definitely proven model where Kiwi teams in
Australian competition works. But now the issue is New Zealand
creckt would have to convince the major associations so Auckland,
Northern District, Central Districts, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago that this is
what they should do, and it sounds like there is
a very real disconnect between New Zealand Cricket and the
major associations.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
They have to trim them, they won't They they have
to have a couple of teams going over to the
big batch. If that's the case, they couldn't have six
franchises and so that's difficult.
Speaker 9 (15:43):
Ideally you'd have two, wouldn't You'd have a North Island
team and a South Island team. North Island you play
games in Auckland and Wellington and Hamilton, South Island you
play them in Nelson and christ Church in Dunedin. So
I think that's what ideally it would look like. But
then you've also got the fact that New Zealand Cricket
would only really be license holders. They wouldn't own a
stake in the competition the way that Australia does and
how would that actually affect the way it's run. Would
(16:05):
decisions be made on behalf of New Zealand Cricket Would
they be involved in them?
Speaker 3 (16:08):
I don't think so. The other option, though, backed by
the likes of the Tory and Fleming, that's got a
wee bit of traction too, and that is completely private funding. Yeah,
losing control New Zealand cricket massively.
Speaker 9 (16:22):
Or absolutely it would be Yeah. So it sounds like
New Zealand Cricket is just not involved. But the Players
Association and the major associations are the players ultimately decide
what happens here, won't they Well, they're the.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
Ones that get paid now, it's their sweat writing on
their shoulders.
Speaker 9 (16:38):
I think the issue with the steep smash is that,
as bad as it sounds, no one really watches it.
No one goes, no one watches on TV BECAU. It's
played the middle of the day, high of the summer.
You'd rather be on the beach than at home watching
the aces of the fibers.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
Is there any lean in any direction as far as
in cricket, as far as players franchise. Is there a
favorite you've talked about yours? But where do you think
this goes?
Speaker 9 (17:01):
It sounds like it's being independently assessed, so there is
a review, Like so New Zealand Cricket is in own
consultation with a review as to the viability of joining
the big bang.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
It makes sense, right, if you've got all these options,
why not take a decent look. When when is this slated?
Is this looking like the twenty six to twenty seven seats? No?
Speaker 9 (17:19):
No, much later, So the big das should be twenty
twenty eight when that Black Castle ends and the new
one will begin and you'd have more games, potentially expansion.
But no, there's no set timeline. I think it is
just now a sort of a fact finding mission from
all parties.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
Well I'll give that to New Zealand Cricket. They listen
and they have a look. Whether they make the right
decisions or not, again we don't know, but at least
they're having a look. It's moving to another area which
is very special to the both of us Formula one
over the weekend. It's a stunning racetrack Intellugo. So it
really is quite the place and besides Maxwistaff and having
an absolute field day from pitt Lane and a puncture
(17:54):
finish from the podium scary. You got to wonder where
that castpy was earlier in the air because it's pretty tight.
I don't think it's going to get the championship, but
you never know. But the big one for us, of course,
is what awesome Lawson and is to get up to.
Speaker 9 (18:08):
Was astonishing, brilliant qualifying qualifying seventh, holding it as team
mate Isaac had qualified first, but only can finish eighth.
That has to be his future secured now, surely. I
mean we've spoken so many times this year about securing
his future. But a drive like that when your main
competition's at the back, you know, and what's supposed to
be a faster car. We're biased because.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
We are key.
Speaker 9 (18:29):
We we'll want to see Liam Lawson do well, but
there is no competition now. That has to be his
job next year.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
What he did, for those who don't know, is he
partner's car. He made it extraordinarily wide and he's done
that before. I think it was Buck wu Well lasted
there and he was impossible to pass, which has passed
Formula one and a slower car, get him the right way,
right your own. I don't drive into people.
Speaker 9 (18:51):
That's the thing. It wasn't just Bucku when he had
Yuki Snoda in his mirrors. He had what Fernando Alonso
in Austria and Max for stapping and.
Speaker 3 (18:58):
Hungary hated him for that. Where's the respect?
Speaker 9 (19:00):
He just keeps doing it, you know, first time, the fluke,
second times, consistency. Yeah, we we know how good Lamb
Lawson is if everything goes his way, if he's given
a proper car and actual time to get used to it,
and he's just not had that. He's this is third
year racing and from me one now and every year
something's just not gone his way. If he gets that
(19:21):
next year, it's scary to think how good he could be.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
So still waiting and will wait and wait and wait
and wait and see after this and after that, but
no one really knows right well, end of the season.
It's got to come at the end of the season.
Speaker 9 (19:32):
Does it sounds like it's going to be the week
after katar so before the end of the season, so
that Abu Dabi then becomes a big farewell for whichever
driver is losing his job.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
And aside all of that about awesome laws and what
a great race it was, how entertaining. Formula one definitely
not dead. There were so many great little battles right
the way through that race.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
It was.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
It was well worth watching.
Speaker 9 (19:52):
I think you look at where the sport's going next
year with the new era and new regulations for closer racing.
I think we've had a pretty good taste of it
this year with sort of four teams fighting for those
spots at the top. And if it continues next year
anywhere near the housing, we're in for a good one.
Speaker 3 (20:06):
And on that, Alex off you go, carry on reveling
in your time with the biggest eyebrows and rock and roll,
and we'll catch you again next time out eyebrow.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
Isn't it news Avillion? It's Sportsfix with Darcy Valdegreve a.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
Mere It is another edition of the Sports Fixed podcast.
This for Tuesday, the eleventh of November twenty twenty five.
I'm Darcy Watergrove. Thanks for your time, thanks for your ears,
Thanks for subscribing if you have, if you haven't, get
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(20:41):
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(21:03):
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Speaker 1 (21:24):
For more from News Talk SEDB, listen live on air
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You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
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Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks EDB.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Welcome on in to another edition of the Sports Fixed podcast.
One of is Darcy Waterdrove.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
That is a.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
Chiesday, the eleventh of November twenty twenty five and thanks
so much as always to GJ. Gardner Holmes, New Zione's
most trusted home builder, for showing their continued support. Coming
up in this edition of the ICT, we're talking rugby league.
What a fantastic Pacific Championship. It was wonderful win for
(00:49):
Kiwi and to talk about that and the expansion of
international rugby league, one of the most frightening men were
going to put on boots for the Kiwis Tower. Nico
joins the program. I've got some thoughts around the chaos
of the rugby on Sunday morning in Scotland this sipline
Discipline Phone and will be joined in the chamber by
(01:12):
New Zealander Herald sports journalist mister Alex Powells. We toss
around some of the big sports stories of the day.
That's our master plan and as Perth. Let's just climb
right into it. In other news, come down, spit out
some sport. Hayden Padden, he's sailing rally kill of the skid,
says name checked another Keyweed mud maestro poss and Born
(01:36):
for his involvement in getting Hayden into rally, specifically around
his victory and the Australian Rally champs are tidally snare over.
Speaker 4 (01:44):
The weekend possom of inspiration of why we come over
here in the first place, and was obviously a childhood hero,
so to come over here and put our name on
the same trophy on a chap that he dominated for
so many years as pretty special.
Speaker 3 (01:57):
All Black task Master Scott Robinson has described the week's
process ahead of the English clash the next step in
the AB's quick for the holy grail that is the
Northern Grand Slam.
Speaker 5 (02:10):
You an imagement from training and Mintilodian for school oade
and your union meetings and I've got here. You then
just walking off for Bactec here in your training so
it's good you know, no bust time.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
And Youanick Sinner has started his title defense at Tennis's
at P Finals on the straight sets victory against Felix
Alga aliasami in Churin. He was a Canadian at seventy
five six one after a Cartis who tormented the maple
leafe man.
Speaker 6 (02:40):
When Felix's playing one hundred percent, here's one of the
toughest blairs to beds. You know you don't want to
win in this way, but it's not a way of decades.
Hopefully it gets back a hundred percent. We need him
in this competition and I is one of the top
ed blairs.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
From the mountains of the memes. That's sport today.
Speaker 7 (02:57):
You Scandian. It's Sportsfix with Dancie Waldergrave and it's a warm.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Welcome to the Sports Fix podcast to the one and
only Tawara Niko, one of the scariest men. Do we
ever pull on the black jersey with the white v
Mister Lee get at How are you?
Speaker 8 (03:17):
Oh good? Darcy? Yourself made always great?
Speaker 3 (03:19):
The chat to you make great to have you on
and thanks for answering the phone. How good was the
Pacific Championship of the last few weeks? This is International League.
It's a very best and I think it's all heading
that weight or is it tea well?
Speaker 8 (03:33):
I think they just off to the back of the NRL,
you know, the finals, the Grand Final and then we
roll into the pack Champs this year Samoa Tonga in
New Zealand and what a fantastic series. So pitty we
can't have more of these games throughout the year, Darcy
in that mid window for state of origin. But man,
what a fantastic support from the salm warns the Tongans.
(03:55):
And how do we get the Kiwi supporters to be
like Tonga and some Moore Darcy, that's what I need.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
I don't know, mate, We're a bit kind of down
in the mouth of that when it's too much English
and you know what the English are like they I
don't want to celebrate. So why the fire is this
purity of the fact that suddenly we've got the best
players in the world. Who go, you know what, I
want to play for my homeland. I don't want to
play in Australia. I don't want to play I want
to represent the time in summer. How instrumental is that, bean?
(04:21):
Do you think?
Speaker 8 (04:22):
Well, as you go back to twenty and seventeen, I
think when Jason Tomololo started the migration, you know, from
New Zealand to Tonga. Ever since then you've had a
We've got some of the best players in the world now,
the best players in our game, the likes of Payne HEAs,
you know, Ali Katoa. There's a whole lot of them
(04:43):
now then I there's a whole lot of them now
wanting to represent their families, to represent you know, their
pearance and represent their country. So man at all Augus
well and support that you get from Samoa and Tongan's
you know mangader Oda who you know when you're those
games on there, they're all at Eden Park, they're all
(05:03):
at you know, Mount Smart and it's just an awesome
feeling and you know those guys are done a fantastic job.
But it's just growing now over the last three four years.
Pacific Championships is our state of origin, ducie, So.
Speaker 3 (05:18):
What has to happen to nail this in place? Where
does it have to be played? How's this going to operate?
Because this is a growth region. We know, as you'd
know that international rugby league has been sporadic stop start,
It's never been really given the respect it deserves. But
now the time is nice, surely what is to happen?
Speaker 8 (05:38):
Well, I think, you know, with the International Rugby League Federation,
and we saw the Kangaroos going to England and you
know the English that went that much. So it'll be
interesting to see what the international calendar. We have the
World Cup next year, there's got to be some dates
set in stone around what happens, like the Pacific Championships.
Now we've also got the World Cup, so you know
(06:00):
this competitions. I know they're trying to grow the game
and Villani's and Abdo have done a great job in
terms of promoting the NRL, but International Rugby League has
to be the pinnacle. We need to set that at
the top of our game to actually grow the game.
And the biggest growth in the game is coming from
the Pacific and here in New Zealand and you know,
potentially another team at Canterbury, your hometown Darcy down there.
(06:23):
You know, we could have another NROL team because you know,
one of the great things is that we have more
people in Auckland than Samoa, more people in Auckland than
than in Tonga, and just you know, the support of
the Pacific. You know, Auckland is the capital of the
Pacific and we've got so many people so the growth
(06:44):
of the game really depends on how we promote these
games in Tonga, Sarmour and in New Zealand. Because you
CommBank thirty thousand, we would have had another forty thousand
people at Eden Park had we been able to play
that game against Sarmoa at Eden Park as previously thirty
eight thousand at And were you at the game, Darcy,
(07:04):
the Tonguan game?
Speaker 6 (07:05):
Did you go?
Speaker 3 (07:06):
No, I's looking after Mackid.
Speaker 8 (07:07):
But I've been to a lot of stadiums, I've played
a lot of football. But the atmosphere at Eden Park
in that match against Tomnel was absolutely sensational. The singing
the hymns, but also just the atmosphere and the way
that the Tongans actually support of their players was absolutely fantastic.
So you know that the pinnacle of the game has
to be the international game, and I know that we
(07:30):
have our place. The NRL has done a great job,
but yeah, something needs to be changed. And yeah there's
quite challenging when you have the NRL which potentially runs
the game you know through the world.
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Well they do, and they make the calls and they
own the competition, so it makes it difficult. But to
get traction internationally that this has to occur. Now, the
idea is that there is a mid season break, you
guys can have Origin will have our internationals. How likely
is something like that? I know it'd be wanted, but
how likely?
Speaker 8 (08:02):
Yeah, it's going to be a challenge USCI because those
guys make the rules. Have you got all the cash?
Whoever has the gold the rules? And that's probably the
big thing about it because for us in New Zealand,
you know, potentially we don't have the amount of money
that you know, the NRL is just a behemoth now
in terms of but the game's growing and it's not
just the men's game. You look at the women's game
(08:24):
and the potential for that to grow. You know, we've
got so many young pathways now for young players, young
female players into the game and yeah, that something needs
to change. But how we do that that's a whole
nother discussion around rugby league and then International Rugby League.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Federation dissecting the sporting agenda.
Speaker 7 (08:46):
It's SPORTSFACX with Darcy Waldgrave discipline.
Speaker 3 (08:50):
Discipline, discipline, That's all I took out of the Scottish
game over the weekend for the All Blacks got away
with it, got the win, held Scotland down yet again.
So at least this cycle we haven't had another firm
losing to a team that's never beaten us before. Ay,
(09:12):
it was on the cards, it was in the air,
could have happened, didn't happen. Discipline, discipline, discipline, Ardie Savia, Leroy, Carter, Wallace, Satiti.
Sit down in the corner of the room and think
about what you've done. I find it so difficult when
(09:33):
players show ill discipline at an international level in a
game of such great import. You don't foot trip people
and think you can get away with it. Since when
was that irrelevant tactic to use in rugby? Since never
will a satti? What are you doing reaching for the
ball like that? I know not that I played international rugby,
(09:57):
but I know that when the ball's out there like that,
there must be huge temptation to just have a go
and have a see. But is it worth it? Is
this a new rule? This just turned up in the
last half an hour. No, it isn't. This needs to
be trained out of your system. I don't know what
excuse Carter's got so tis a bit keen, but still
(10:19):
phenomenally stupid. You can't play for thirty minutes in a
game of international rugby with fourteen players on the field.
You don't normally taste success if you do that. And
they try that on this weekend against the English, we
are poked straight down the plug hole. I know they
(10:39):
don't do it deliberately, but it needs to be addressed.
I care about the high ball, but I care about
the mountdown of the last twenty minutes. I care about controllables,
and discipline is a controllable discipline? Discipline, discipline.
Speaker 2 (10:56):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfax.
Speaker 3 (11:00):
So join now by a irregular visitor and a most
welcome visitor to the Chambers. Name is Alex Powell, fresh
back from some fun and games and watching Oasis. I'm jealous, mate, welcome, I.
Speaker 9 (11:12):
May thanks for having me. I was sitting there in Sydney thinking, no,
I have to get back, I have to get into
the chamber.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
So here I am.
Speaker 7 (11:16):
No.
Speaker 3 (11:17):
You weren't, No, you I wasn't. How was it? Oasis?
Speaker 9 (11:19):
It was unreal?
Speaker 3 (11:20):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (11:20):
Wow?
Speaker 3 (11:21):
Would have been great, would have been, would have could have.
But I got tool coming up in a couple of weeks,
so I'm quite happy. A couple of stories floating around
the last week or so, and one of them is
of great interest because of course the Kiwis are the Kiwis.
The black Caps are now playing in an actual series
against the West Indies and it only rain once so far.
(11:41):
Considering it as kind of late spring, you kind of
understand that going pretty well against the West Indies and
the T twenties, but that looks toward the possibility of
T twenty going through a mad, mad change. According to Stuff,
it's really going the next few weeks possibly could be instrumental,
huge for the game of the country.
Speaker 9 (12:03):
So, I mean, it's classic as a journalist you have
this where you're chasing a story and you go on
hold and someone else breaks it, you know, so full
credit to Steve Cookgallant Stuff getting it. But it's from
what is understood, moves are underway to see a privately
backed franchise twenty twenty League in New Zealand. Of course,
the Super Smash leaves New Zealand as the only country
(12:23):
without a franchise model. You think all over the world,
now that is the way it's gone. You get privately
backed money and you get the best players. You turn
your summer into A T twenty competition and that's how
you make money and survivors of sport. New Zealand doesn't
do that. We use the Super Smash as a way
to grow players to play for the Black Caps.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
And the White fans, which weren's okay because of the
depth we've got. Let's face it, some of these guys
turn up and you know, the hell is that why
he's got game?
Speaker 9 (12:47):
So absolutely, but we saw against Australia and we saw
against England is that is very quickly becoming outdated.
Speaker 3 (12:54):
You know.
Speaker 9 (12:54):
The black Caps were so outgunned against that England batting lineup.
Who are all teach I think England had two all
format players in that TEA twenty side that smash New
Zealand and christ Church carry Brook the captain and Briden Carsbot.
The rest of them are only white ball players. You know,
New Zealand because of where I don't want to say
we because of where New Zealander is and credit standings,
(13:15):
players have to play all formats because that's how they
can make a decent living, you know, but it means
you can't specialize. You know, Russian Vendra is more than
talientent enough to go out and be a T twenty slogger,
but he wants to play test cricket as well, and
that tug of war is really going to cost the
black Caps and potentially the White fans at the highest level.
So seeing a T twenty franchise league, I think is
the first part of that. But the warrior is what
(13:35):
does it actually do to the rest of your cricketing summer.
We've seen in the Western leagues with the Caribbean Premier League,
you have that as the main draw card for players,
the other forms of game will suffer. We're going to
see some Western end test cricketers here who are not
very good, and you feel horrible saying that, but that
is just them playing the hand that they've been dealt.
Speaker 3 (13:52):
So what's up for grabs? Though it's like one, two, three,
four different concepts around this.
Speaker 9 (13:58):
It sounds like it. So it sounds like option one
is to just leave things as are, which I mean
it could happen using the credit could argue that their
plan is working, but it compare to leave if not financially.
Option two would be a New Zealand Cricket fund or
backed or owned league which is privately funded. Option three
would be.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
The old I'm just go back. So option two, how
is that different from Super Smash?
Speaker 9 (14:22):
It's well you because you would be getting private money
in right, you know. So New Zealand Cricket owned the league,
but they don't.
Speaker 3 (14:29):
Pay for it.
Speaker 9 (14:30):
Someone else would. Option three is the one we just
talked about, which is the privately backed independent league. Option four,
which I think is the one that might have a
bit of momentum behind it as far as New Zealand
Cricket want. It would be getting teams or a team
or two teams into the Big Bash.
Speaker 3 (14:48):
Okay, so what works best from a spectator point of view?
Let's be selfish. Let's think us what is going to
work for our eyeballs? Do you think, Alex?
Speaker 9 (14:56):
I think the Big Bash? You know, you look at
when it's played. It's played during the summer nights, sitting
at home on the couch. How good is it to
flicker on the Melbourne Stars versus the Brisbane Heat. I
know a lot more people that do that than watch
Cannabry versus Oti. I go on the Soup Smash, you know,
having a New Zealand team and that you think of
what the Warriors have done in the NRL and the
Breakers in the NBL and the Phoenix and Auckland FC.
(15:17):
There is a definitely proven model where Kiwi teams in
Australian competition works. But now the issue is New Zealand
creckt would have to convince the major associations so Auckland,
Northern District, Central Districts, Wellington, Canterbury, Otago that this is
what they should do, and it sounds like there is
a very real disconnect between New Zealand Cricket and the
major associations.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
They have to trim them, they won't They they have
to have a couple of teams going over to the
big batch. If that's the case, they couldn't have six
franchises and so that's difficult.
Speaker 9 (15:43):
Ideally you'd have two, wouldn't You'd have a North Island
team and a South Island team. North Island you play
games in Auckland and Wellington and Hamilton, South Island you
play them in Nelson and christ Church in Dunedin. So
I think that's what ideally it would look like. But
then you've also got the fact that New Zealand Cricket
would only really be license holders. They wouldn't own a
stake in the competition the way that Australia does and
how would that actually affect the way it's run. Would
(16:05):
decisions be made on behalf of New Zealand Cricket Would
they be involved in them?
Speaker 3 (16:08):
I don't think so. The other option, though, backed by
the likes of the Tory and Fleming, that's got a
wee bit of traction too, and that is completely private funding. Yeah,
losing control New Zealand cricket massively.
Speaker 9 (16:22):
Or absolutely it would be Yeah. So it sounds like
New Zealand Cricket is just not involved. But the Players
Association and the major associations are the players ultimately decide
what happens here, won't they Well, they're the.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
Ones that get paid now, it's their sweat writing on
their shoulders.
Speaker 9 (16:38):
I think the issue with the steep smash is that,
as bad as it sounds, no one really watches it.
No one goes, no one watches on TV BECAU. It's
played the middle of the day, high of the summer.
You'd rather be on the beach than at home watching
the aces of the fibers.
Speaker 3 (16:50):
Is there any lean in any direction as far as
in cricket, as far as players franchise. Is there a
favorite you've talked about yours? But where do you think
this goes?
Speaker 9 (17:01):
It sounds like it's being independently assessed, so there is
a review, Like so New Zealand Cricket is in own
consultation with a review as to the viability of joining
the big bang.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
It makes sense, right, if you've got all these options,
why not take a decent look. When when is this slated?
Is this looking like the twenty six to twenty seven seats? No?
Speaker 9 (17:19):
No, much later, So the big das should be twenty
twenty eight when that Black Castle ends and the new
one will begin and you'd have more games, potentially expansion.
But no, there's no set timeline. I think it is
just now a sort of a fact finding mission from
all parties.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
Well I'll give that to New Zealand Cricket. They listen
and they have a look. Whether they make the right
decisions or not, again we don't know, but at least
they're having a look. It's moving to another area which
is very special to the both of us Formula one
over the weekend. It's a stunning racetrack Intellugo. So it
really is quite the place and besides Maxwistaff and having
an absolute field day from pitt Lane and a puncture
(17:54):
finish from the podium scary. You got to wonder where
that castpy was earlier in the air because it's pretty tight.
I don't think it's going to get the championship, but
you never know. But the big one for us, of course,
is what awesome Lawson and is to get up to.
Speaker 9 (18:08):
Was astonishing, brilliant qualifying qualifying seventh, holding it as team
mate Isaac had qualified first, but only can finish eighth.
That has to be his future secured now, surely. I
mean we've spoken so many times this year about securing
his future. But a drive like that when your main
competition's at the back, you know, and what's supposed to
be a faster car. We're biased because.
Speaker 3 (18:28):
We are key.
Speaker 9 (18:29):
We we'll want to see Liam Lawson do well, but
there is no competition now. That has to be his
job next year.
Speaker 3 (18:34):
What he did, for those who don't know, is he
partner's car. He made it extraordinarily wide and he's done
that before. I think it was Buck wu Well lasted
there and he was impossible to pass, which has passed
Formula one and a slower car, get him the right way,
right your own. I don't drive into people.
Speaker 9 (18:51):
That's the thing. It wasn't just Bucku when he had
Yuki Snoda in his mirrors. He had what Fernando Alonso
in Austria and Max for stapping and.
Speaker 3 (18:58):
Hungary hated him for that. Where's the respect?
Speaker 9 (19:00):
He just keeps doing it, you know, first time, the fluke,
second times, consistency. Yeah, we we know how good Lamb
Lawson is if everything goes his way, if he's given
a proper car and actual time to get used to it,
and he's just not had that. He's this is third
year racing and from me one now and every year
something's just not gone his way. If he gets that
(19:21):
next year, it's scary to think how good he could be.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
So still waiting and will wait and wait and wait
and wait and see after this and after that, but
no one really knows right well, end of the season.
It's got to come at the end of the season.
Speaker 9 (19:32):
Does it sounds like it's going to be the week
after katar so before the end of the season, so
that Abu Dabi then becomes a big farewell for whichever
driver is losing his job.
Speaker 3 (19:40):
And aside all of that about awesome laws and what
a great race it was, how entertaining. Formula one definitely
not dead. There were so many great little battles right
the way through that race.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
It was.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
It was well worth watching.
Speaker 9 (19:52):
I think you look at where the sport's going next
year with the new era and new regulations for closer racing.
I think we've had a pretty good taste of it
this year with sort of four teams fighting for those
spots at the top. And if it continues next year
anywhere near the housing, we're in for a good one.
Speaker 3 (20:06):
And on that, Alex off you go, carry on reveling
in your time with the biggest eyebrows and rock and roll,
and we'll catch you again next time out eyebrow.
Speaker 2 (20:14):
Isn't it news Avillion? It's Sportsfix with Darcy Valdegreve a.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
Mere It is another edition of the Sports Fixed podcast.
This for Tuesday, the eleventh of November twenty twenty five.
I'm Darcy Watergrove. Thanks for your time, thanks for your ears,
Thanks for subscribing if you have, if you haven't, get
a monkst that way, this will automatically turn up in
your inbox on a weekday afternoon, Tell your friends, tell
(20:41):
your family, tell the neighbor, tell the uber driver, tell everybody.
We need to hit as many ears as we can,
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you can engage in yourself well. Sports Talks Your show Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday,
(21:03):
Friday seven to eight pm on News Talk ZB Piney's
got the Monday show. I'm Tuesday through Friday, not over
the weekend. Jason pine Has got Weekend Sport twelve and
day to three pm Saturday and Sunday, and we'll both
love for you to join us on all of those
shows on News Talks EDB look After Yourself, Get You Tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (21:24):
For more from News Talk SEDB, listen live on air
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