April 22, 2026 • 22 mins
On Sports Fix with D'Arcy Waldegrave for 22 April 2026, yesterday, it was announced that Raelene Castle had been re-appointed as the CEO of Sport NZ through to 2030. Mark Mitchell is the Minister of Sport and he joined D'Arcy to discuss what he hopes to see from the organisation going forward
D'Arcy shares his thoughts on the tweaks to the F1 regulations heading into the Miami Grand Prix next weekend.
And D'Arcy and Newstalk ZB Head of Sport Clay Wilson discuss Leicester Fainga'anuku being named at 7 for the Crusaders Super Round fixture and the Warriors game in Wellington this weekend against the Dolphins.
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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 ed B.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Hi.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
There Rob Winter, the Sports X podcast. Great to have
you on board. My name's Darcy Walder Graven coming up
with a fifteen odd minutes everything you need to know
about the day in sport, that day being a Wednesday,
the twenty second of April twenty twenty six. First up,
I'll be having a yarn with Mark Mitchell. Mitchell is
the Minister of Sport here in New Zealand. Raylan Castle
(00:44):
has got a job back again after reapplying its CEO
of Sport n Z. Will talk to Mark about that.
After that I'll complain about Formula one I can because
I'm a fan right and then we'll be joined in
the chamber by the Director of Sport for News Talk ZB,
mister Clay Wilson. We check around a couple of sporting ideas.
(01:05):
That's the plan hit go in from the mouths of
the newsmakers in Sport today, the Black Ferns Sevens are
putting the whole seven's world to the sword playing an
irrepressible brand of code that has seen them when their
last five events DJ Forbes are colossals of the game,
(01:25):
and a proud Wistia might add reckon for while Hena
have got it dialed in by standing on the shoulders
of the giants of New Zealand seven's greats.
Speaker 4 (01:34):
In the past, because always been fed on culture and
kind of falling off on what some of the pioneers.
They also to see Ruby and Tyler and Porscha and
the crowd on the other side, and seeing these I
guess the next generation of kills coming through and nickering
on their legacy as well.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Any of us. Say Nikisia, the key we sprint talent
who ran away to Australia after being treated poorly by
the sprinting pals that be over here. Well he kept running.
He ended up in the USA at the University of
Southern California to be precise, which has accelerated his talent
to another level. According to sprint coach Gary Henley Smith.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
USC has been really good. For earlier this year he
ran a six point five four or sixty meters which
he could have gone too the World Indoor Chance, but
he didn't go because he was really just sort of
focusing on school land run for the university.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
And former All Black halfback now commentator and all around
a good human and Storm is hoping that the rest
of the twenty twenty six Super Rugby Pacific season produces
more fixtures and came to the crash hot New Zealand
Derby's the camp has been throwing up of recent times.
I think Siverer Rugby has been under the microscope for
(02:45):
two or three years now in terms of the viability
the product itself.
Speaker 5 (02:50):
When there's Australia New Zealand playing against each other, he
started to lose a bit of its spice.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Three voices, three issues, three shots in Sport Today News and.
Speaker 6 (03:01):
A Bedian It's Sportsfix with Dancy Valdergrave.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
And it's welcome out to the Sports Fixed podcast to
the Minister of Sport here in New Zealand. His name
is Mark Mitchell.
Speaker 7 (03:13):
Mark, how are you mate?
Speaker 3 (03:14):
I'm very good and I expect you'd be quite happy
because now Sporting Zed has retained the CEO Running Castle
is in place for a long long time. Now is
this Do you greet this with a huge smile as
it's a positive for you in sport in New Zealand.
Speaker 7 (03:29):
Yeah, it is.
Speaker 8 (03:30):
I mean, you know, like Rayling had to reapply for
a job and go through that process, and I thought
that was actually healthy because, like you say, it's good
to test these things. And she's come through and she's
been reappointed, So I've congratulated her.
Speaker 7 (03:43):
I enjoy working with her.
Speaker 8 (03:45):
I think she's obviously done a good job and she's
and she came through as the strongest candidate, so gives
her a new fresh mandate.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
What kind of input do you have into that that role?
Do you have any sway here, Mark.
Speaker 8 (03:58):
No, No, that's that is a process that is run
by the board and the board makes the appointment.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
As far as what you would like Rayleing be doing
in this role over the time that you're the minister,
what do you primarily look at? What are your targets
here for sport and ends?
Speaker 8 (04:17):
Well, she's really good at sort of building the relationships
through all of the codes without a doubt, and she's
been involved in sport for a long time, so she
understands sport administration. She understands what my priorities were and really,
you know, my major priority has been reaching more kids,
especially those that have got barriers in their way. I've
been able to participate in sport and they're actually doing
(04:38):
a great job with that. They're working alongside lots of
government partners and NGOs and community groups to make sure
that we reach a lot more kids and get them
active and get them involved in sport.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Evidence of that. Do you know this is actually working?
Speaker 7 (04:52):
Mark, Yeah, it's absolutely it's working.
Speaker 8 (04:54):
So I get regular updates and briefs on it, and
I've been out on the ground and to see what
they're doing, and they're doing a very good job.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
You measure these outcomes, I'll use a word that your
leader likes quite a lot, these outcomes. How do you
go about.
Speaker 7 (05:10):
Yes, I do want to measured.
Speaker 8 (05:11):
I do want to make sure we'll be very clear
as a government that we want to know that we're
not just funneling money into something that's not actually providing
some real tangible outcomes and results and sporting zet are
very aware of that.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
As far as the money that you do funnel in,
as you put it, and the limits on that, what
do you look at budget? Why do you constantly trying
to increase this even though we are in a bit
of strife fiscally.
Speaker 8 (05:36):
I think across all government departments, and I know certainly
with mine, is that you are constantly you know, because
I've got sport and rek, I've got Corrections, Police, Emergency
Management and Recovery, the Serious Fraud Office, and Ethnic Communities
and so across all of those agencies, I work very
closely with the chief executives and the teams in my
(05:56):
team year to identify what works, what doesn't, where we
want to make more investment, where we make where we
might take some investment out, because we want to maximize
the results that we can deliver for every taxpayer dollar.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
You're playing very passionate about this portfolio. Market's something you
want to see succeed. Besides the children being engaged. What
else is important to you that reflects on New Zealand
in sport? What do you see as being the stand
up with sport in New Zealand that you can have
some control over with.
Speaker 8 (06:27):
Ray Lean, Well, you know that as Keiwis, we love
sport and I just feel that sport and recreation has
got such an important to play and everyone's both physical
health and also mental health as well, social cohesion, you know, everything.
So I don't single out one specific area has been
more important than the other. But obviously we've got our
(06:48):
high performance sport, we've got our Olympics and international Worlds.
You know that the games that we want to always
perform well at and we do, so there's always investment
goes into that right through to like I say, just
the grassroots and our kids. And there's a lot of
kids Keywi kids now that do have barriers to getting
into sport, and so we just want to keep identifying
(07:08):
I knows and making the changes we can.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
What is the best way to do do you think, Mark?
Is it purely investing? Is there other ways you can
do that and encourage that sex and society that don't
engage to actually get involved.
Speaker 8 (07:21):
Well, there's always investment in you know, the actual equipment,
but really the investments and people. It's all about people,
you know, and wanting to get involved, wanting to be mentors,
wanting to actually get kids involved in sport and recreation.
Speaker 7 (07:37):
We're very lucky that Sporting Z.
Speaker 8 (07:39):
Is very good at identifying good partners out in communities
to be able to do that.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Mark Mitchell joins us he as the Minister of Sport.
Looking at Railian Castle, who has been given the job,
the carrying on job of the CEO of Sport New
Zealand a wider picture around our favorite games as opposed
to just getting involved in the health of it as well.
Can you contribute to enlarging or expanding some of the
sports that are great for us Rugby is and our
(08:07):
crecketitive of any involving in that because their CEO loss at.
Speaker 7 (08:10):
The moment, I don't have direct involvement with that.
Speaker 8 (08:15):
I did get involved a little bit in terms of
when the situation was unfolding with Netball New Zealand and
Dame Noling and that was going on, and I sort
of said, you guys have got to get this sorted
because you're sort of damaging the sport. And you saw
that there was genuine engagement, without a doubt, on both
(08:35):
sides to get that resolved.
Speaker 7 (08:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (08:38):
So, without a doubt, there's been a it's been a
bit unsettled with with rugby, with cricket. But I don't
get directly involved in that. They are independent codes. They
have their own boards of directors, their own chief executives
and executive teams, and they are responsible for how they
manage and run their own.
Speaker 6 (08:55):
Code dissecting the sporting agenda. It's Sportsfix with Darcy Waldgrave
and there.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Was a mike called Nero. He was a Roman emperor
way back in the day. He was famous for fiddling
whilst Rome burnt to the ground. This is the FIA
and Formula One. Formula one is burning to the ground
and the FIA are messing around altering and adjusting battery laws.
(09:24):
This new concept that they spent so long developing that
finally burst onto the scene this year. Fifty percent petrol
fifty percent electric. I don't think it's worked at all.
I think it is alienating the drivers, it is alienating
their fans, and we're not getting decent racing out of it.
(09:45):
It is artificial, it's insane. So they can spend all
the time they want twiddling with how much power that
the drivers have access to, when they can utilize that power,
and so on and so forth, which is what all
these new rulings are all about, if they can encapsulate
in one brief sentence. The problem here, though, is this,
(10:07):
the drive to use electric power, to use power that
they have reclaimed from the car during the race, is
all well and good in a green world. Formula one
can't be green washed. Formula one is not ecologically appropriate.
It's just not the flights all around the world for
(10:27):
the teams, for the gear, for the journalists and the fans.
You stop doing that for a start, you're really going
to contribute to the saving of the planet long term.
You think of the rubber that they go through with
the tires, the phenomenal waste that really isn't very green
at all. And then of course you've got the drivers themselves.
(10:48):
They don't travel zoo class there and they're private jets
flying all over the world to these various events. That
is not green. It doesn't matter what you say about
Formula one, it doesn't matter how you shape it or
how you present it. It is a wasteful sport and
they should stop trying to pretend it's anything different. Don't
(11:10):
pee on my head and tell me it's rain because
it smells funny and it's a bit warm. You know
what they need to do in Formula one, They need
to go back to the good old days, to the
bad old days. They need to go to a place
where the fastest drivers with the biggest, scariest cars powered
by an internal combustion engine challenge each other for the
(11:34):
title of the best driver on the planet. Formula one
is not green. It never has been and it should
never be. M g uk and I see E fifty
to fifty combo engines can get in the sea.
Speaker 6 (11:50):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfax.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
There's Chamber time now at the sports Vex podcast. We're
joined by a director of sports News talk z B.
Clay Wilson, Refreshed after taking a week off. How dare you, Clay?
Speaker 5 (12:06):
We do we do get holiday, although sometimes the job
feels like a holiday, doesn't it. You know, as sport lovers
watching sports, sitting around talking about sport, arguing about sport.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
It's not a job.
Speaker 5 (12:14):
Yeah, let's face a lot of the time it doesn't
feel like it's just.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Try and tell the other half or anyone you know
that it actually is a job and you take it
through so well a victor you interesting Crusaders team come
out today and that is the focus at the start
of this. Obviously Souper Rounds coming up for the weekend.
It's a big song and dance being made about that. Well,
a biggest song and dance being made about the fact
that Lester fart and Nuku center slash winger has been
(12:39):
named at seven.
Speaker 5 (12:40):
Yeah wow. Now, this obviously isn't something new in terms
of his ability to play this position. He came back
from his time in France having played a fair bit
there for the French club side he'd been and played for,
and they spoke about it pre season and we have
seen him there a couple of times, haven't we during
the course of the season, during the game. But to
(13:02):
come into the start of a game as a flanker
is you know, a first and you know, maybe I
don't know what the chances of it happening at the
start of the season were in terms of him actually
being a viable option. Obviously they've had a few injuries
in that kind of position. But it does, you know,
I guess it puts up a couple of questions, how
(13:23):
do we think you'll go there? And for I think
about as long term options or as long term future
in terms of the All Blacks, what does it mean
for that? Obviously it boosts utility value? Is that a
good thing or a bad thing for him? I guess
time will tell and people will have their opinions on that.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
I think personally, I really love him it's centered. Of course,
I love him on the wing too, and I'm sure
he's more than proficient in the seven jersey, But if
you look at from an all black point of view,
if you're the jack of will trades, the master of none,
becomes difficult to establish a place. I believe in that side.
Maybe on the bench he might be more of a
(14:01):
go too, but that stretches talent too far.
Speaker 5 (14:05):
Well, I think the way rugby has played, and how
big and fast and you know, the players are, and
how much how important the bench has become an elite
level rugby, I kind of lean towards it's a good
thing for him, and that perhaps that makes him more selectable.
Not that you know, his form has improved as the
(14:26):
season's gone on. He didn't start the season terribly well,
but I mean he may have got in regardless of
this if he never played at flanker and you know,
for his entire career.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
But I think he becomes more selectable. But his talent
and his skill base, It's what I said about stretching it.
If he's trying to work out the vagaries of seven
of center of wing, are't you actually ever going about
to give it? You fall on one because look, it's
a game of running, passing, kicking, tackling. It's a pretty
(14:58):
simple game. But those three different positions right across the park.
Do worry about specializing or if he has the ability
to actually do the best if he's spreading so thin.
Speaker 5 (15:07):
Yeah, and you know we have I've seen this before
that people have been like bench specialists. You know, you
have to look at Damien McKenzie, Boden Barrett and the
early part of their All Black careers, but both playing
in kind of similar positions first five fallback wing, those
kind of spots. To see someone go from the backs,
the outside backs into the forward pack is you know,
(15:28):
as unique in the New New Zealand sense. Anyway, in
an All Black sense, we are seeing it with some
other international teams. There's a couple of other players floating
around in Europe that do this kind of thing. Yeah,
I guess only time will tell in terms of how
well he goes there and what Dave Rennie and his
selection cohort think about this and where he fits in
(15:54):
then their potential max. Is he someone who's just so
valuable on the bench that you have to have him
in your team, or does he not quite impress enough.
He's not getting enough time, like you say, specializing in
one or two positions, that he kind of loses some
of his sting in those spots and you know, misses
(16:15):
out altogether.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
Be interesting on the weekend because the Crusaders are under
all sorts of pressure and he'll has to perform in
front of a packed, brand new stadium. See what he's
made of when when that happens, aren't.
Speaker 5 (16:28):
Yeah, yeah, totally certainly a big stage to to kind
of have this first for him, isn't it? But hugely intriguing.
I'm fascinated to see how he performs. I mean, you
watch him play and he even on the on the
wing or in the midfield. He has a lot of
attributes about him, obviously, that's why they put him there
(16:48):
of a loose forward, doesn't he you know, like his
ability to come and pick up the ball great in
defense over the ball, you know, is that jack or
they what they call, you know, pinching the ball. So
but of course it's a it's a it's it's not
as simple as that. Like I'm sure any flanker will
tell you that. You know, that position has a lot
of technicalities that require many years to master, so.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
More nuanced I think they say than anything else. But
look if he did it in France against those monsters
in the pack again do it anyway? Like I said,
a sold out stadium and that's something that's happened in
Wellington this weekend for the Warriors. He I think it's
the same in christ Now. My first reaction to that
is their second on the table. They play a good brand,
(17:36):
they don't play in Wellington much, so that's what'll be
out there, right.
Speaker 5 (17:40):
Yeah, maybe I wonder if it would even matter, such
as the following that the Warriors have had for a
long time, but particularly you know since the twenty twenty
three season where they went so well and got the
sort of the Updawis movement began. It's a team that's
so well supported across the country and I think I
could be corrected, but I'm pretty sure this will be
(18:01):
the most attended sports event in Wellington this year because
the All Blacks Test match year is against Italy, which
I will.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
Don't turn up to All Black Test matches regard they
can't fill that place up and that's only once a yep,
normally only once a year, so that's pretty sparse.
Speaker 5 (18:19):
Yeah, I think all those things planned it. You spoke
about how well the Warriors are going. I mean that
always helps having a winning team. I guess the other
question here is like, you know, there's so much talk
about a second New Zealand NRAL team, it goes to show, well,
you know, maybe would that team get support given everyone
supports the Warriors. But I think we've seen with Auckland FC.
You know a lot of people that support all clin
(18:40):
FC now probably followed and supported the Phoenix beforehand, right they.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
Followed the game, didn't they? And that team Phoenix, well
there in an Australian competition, it's a game. We love
the New Zealanders I'm in, so it's pretty easy for
them to swap.
Speaker 5 (18:54):
When so, the viability of a second New Zealand team
in terms of the interest in the NRAL of rugby
league is seem seems to be there for sure. And
the wave of kind of momentum that the Warriors have
developed has flown has sort of you know, drifted all
certainly all the way down to Wellington and I mean
(19:14):
the new stadium and Christich does have something to do
with this, I'm sure, but the Warriors game in christ
Church later this year sold out, I think in about
three days. So the Warriors will travel in New Zealand
and will sell out stadiums outside of Mount Smart. So man,
for you, the Warriors, you're just sort of rubbing your
hands together and look at your chops, aren't you? And yeah,
(19:39):
let's see what it means ultimately for a second RAL
team in New Zealand and whether that is even a
viability from an NRAL perspective. But awesome, amazing to see
and just to see the stadium.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
But it's not going to happen because the NRL want
too much money and no one's going to fork out
that cash to do it. And on the Warriors are
playing team as well. The team was named yesterday, playing
as it normally does on teamless Tuesday, and I think
you look to.
Speaker 5 (20:04):
That well, I mean, there was obviously, you know, a
pretty settled team name. But what I did notice is
that they also, you know, they released their weekly injury update.
And next week is going to be an intriguing week
because Luke Metcalf of course, came back for a couple
of games injured his hamstring. He is due, they say
back next week, also throwing it into the mix of
(20:25):
this kind of conundrum Andrew Webster has around his playmakers.
Is that Tomighty Martin who broke his leg of course
some pre season playing in the All Stars Game. He
is back earlier than expected, due back next week as well. Now,
of course he hasn't been playing, he doesn't quite come
into it yet. But if he plays news so spells
Cup gets into a bit of form, then you have
this this kind of situation where you have these four
(20:48):
playmakers and what's the best mix. You know, you're trying
to keep Luke Metcalf was such a starless last season
and now you know we've seen him come back. They
lost both those games he played in Chanelle. Harris Davida
has just been just a rock in that number six
jersey when he's played there. So really interesting to see
how that combination would he goes again this weekend. But
(21:09):
also then we met halfback comes back next week. Who
do they pack? Who the what's their best combination?
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Who?
Speaker 5 (21:16):
How should they approach it in terms of which to
two of those three and then maybe four players get
those juerseys.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
Will contemplate this as you leave the chamber. Clay Wilson.
Always a pleasure to have you in there. Who has
got the highest kicking percentage as far as points being scored,
because you know what you do, you take them regardless,
and thanks for your time, beautiful, Thanks.
Speaker 6 (21:39):
Though leading a X. We've got just the ticket. It's
Sports Fix powered by News Talks IVY.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
And that's it the Sports Fixed podcast another day now
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(22:06):
got the Monday shift. I do Tuesday through fro and
then on the weekend it's Weekend Sport twelve at midday
through the three o'clock Saturday and at Sunday. That is
Jason Pine's responsibility. And it's going to be at Big
one this weekend with a super Round down at the
brand fancy pants new Stadium, the one New Zealand Stadium
(22:26):
at Takaha. She'll be a biggin Hey. Thanks for your time,
catch you tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
For more from News Talks at b Listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks ed B.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Hi.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
There Rob Winter, the Sports X podcast. Great to have
you on board. My name's Darcy Walder Graven coming up
with a fifteen odd minutes everything you need to know
about the day in sport, that day being a Wednesday,
the twenty second of April twenty twenty six. First up,
I'll be having a yarn with Mark Mitchell. Mitchell is
the Minister of Sport here in New Zealand. Raylan Castle
(00:44):
has got a job back again after reapplying its CEO
of Sport n Z. Will talk to Mark about that.
After that I'll complain about Formula one I can because
I'm a fan right and then we'll be joined in
the chamber by the Director of Sport for News Talk ZB,
mister Clay Wilson. We check around a couple of sporting ideas.
(01:05):
That's the plan hit go in from the mouths of
the newsmakers in Sport today, the Black Ferns Sevens are
putting the whole seven's world to the sword playing an
irrepressible brand of code that has seen them when their
last five events DJ Forbes are colossals of the game,
(01:25):
and a proud Wistia might add reckon for while Hena
have got it dialed in by standing on the shoulders
of the giants of New Zealand seven's greats.
Speaker 4 (01:34):
In the past, because always been fed on culture and
kind of falling off on what some of the pioneers.
They also to see Ruby and Tyler and Porscha and
the crowd on the other side, and seeing these I
guess the next generation of kills coming through and nickering
on their legacy as well.
Speaker 3 (01:49):
Any of us. Say Nikisia, the key we sprint talent
who ran away to Australia after being treated poorly by
the sprinting pals that be over here. Well he kept running.
He ended up in the USA at the University of
Southern California to be precise, which has accelerated his talent
to another level. According to sprint coach Gary Henley Smith.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
USC has been really good. For earlier this year he
ran a six point five four or sixty meters which
he could have gone too the World Indoor Chance, but
he didn't go because he was really just sort of
focusing on school land run for the university.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
And former All Black halfback now commentator and all around
a good human and Storm is hoping that the rest
of the twenty twenty six Super Rugby Pacific season produces
more fixtures and came to the crash hot New Zealand
Derby's the camp has been throwing up of recent times.
I think Siverer Rugby has been under the microscope for
(02:45):
two or three years now in terms of the viability
the product itself.
Speaker 5 (02:50):
When there's Australia New Zealand playing against each other, he
started to lose a bit of its spice.
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Three voices, three issues, three shots in Sport Today News and.
Speaker 6 (03:01):
A Bedian It's Sportsfix with Dancy Valdergrave.
Speaker 3 (03:05):
And it's welcome out to the Sports Fixed podcast to
the Minister of Sport here in New Zealand. His name
is Mark Mitchell.
Speaker 7 (03:13):
Mark, how are you mate?
Speaker 3 (03:14):
I'm very good and I expect you'd be quite happy
because now Sporting Zed has retained the CEO Running Castle
is in place for a long long time. Now is
this Do you greet this with a huge smile as
it's a positive for you in sport in New Zealand.
Speaker 7 (03:29):
Yeah, it is.
Speaker 8 (03:30):
I mean, you know, like Rayling had to reapply for
a job and go through that process, and I thought
that was actually healthy because, like you say, it's good
to test these things. And she's come through and she's
been reappointed, So I've congratulated her.
Speaker 7 (03:43):
I enjoy working with her.
Speaker 8 (03:45):
I think she's obviously done a good job and she's
and she came through as the strongest candidate, so gives
her a new fresh mandate.
Speaker 3 (03:51):
What kind of input do you have into that that role?
Do you have any sway here, Mark.
Speaker 8 (03:58):
No, No, that's that is a process that is run
by the board and the board makes the appointment.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
As far as what you would like Rayleing be doing
in this role over the time that you're the minister,
what do you primarily look at? What are your targets
here for sport and ends?
Speaker 8 (04:17):
Well, she's really good at sort of building the relationships
through all of the codes without a doubt, and she's
been involved in sport for a long time, so she
understands sport administration. She understands what my priorities were and really,
you know, my major priority has been reaching more kids,
especially those that have got barriers in their way. I've
been able to participate in sport and they're actually doing
(04:38):
a great job with that. They're working alongside lots of
government partners and NGOs and community groups to make sure
that we reach a lot more kids and get them
active and get them involved in sport.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Evidence of that. Do you know this is actually working?
Speaker 7 (04:52):
Mark, Yeah, it's absolutely it's working.
Speaker 8 (04:54):
So I get regular updates and briefs on it, and
I've been out on the ground and to see what
they're doing, and they're doing a very good job.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
You measure these outcomes, I'll use a word that your
leader likes quite a lot, these outcomes. How do you
go about.
Speaker 7 (05:10):
Yes, I do want to measured.
Speaker 8 (05:11):
I do want to make sure we'll be very clear
as a government that we want to know that we're
not just funneling money into something that's not actually providing
some real tangible outcomes and results and sporting zet are
very aware of that.
Speaker 3 (05:24):
As far as the money that you do funnel in,
as you put it, and the limits on that, what
do you look at budget? Why do you constantly trying
to increase this even though we are in a bit
of strife fiscally.
Speaker 8 (05:36):
I think across all government departments, and I know certainly
with mine, is that you are constantly you know, because
I've got sport and rek, I've got Corrections, Police, Emergency
Management and Recovery, the Serious Fraud Office, and Ethnic Communities
and so across all of those agencies, I work very
closely with the chief executives and the teams in my
(05:56):
team year to identify what works, what doesn't, where we
want to make more investment, where we make where we
might take some investment out, because we want to maximize
the results that we can deliver for every taxpayer dollar.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
You're playing very passionate about this portfolio. Market's something you
want to see succeed. Besides the children being engaged. What
else is important to you that reflects on New Zealand
in sport? What do you see as being the stand
up with sport in New Zealand that you can have
some control over with.
Speaker 8 (06:27):
Ray Lean, Well, you know that as Keiwis, we love
sport and I just feel that sport and recreation has
got such an important to play and everyone's both physical
health and also mental health as well, social cohesion, you know, everything.
So I don't single out one specific area has been
more important than the other. But obviously we've got our
(06:48):
high performance sport, we've got our Olympics and international Worlds.
You know that the games that we want to always
perform well at and we do, so there's always investment
goes into that right through to like I say, just
the grassroots and our kids. And there's a lot of
kids Keywi kids now that do have barriers to getting
into sport, and so we just want to keep identifying
(07:08):
I knows and making the changes we can.
Speaker 3 (07:10):
What is the best way to do do you think, Mark?
Is it purely investing? Is there other ways you can
do that and encourage that sex and society that don't
engage to actually get involved.
Speaker 8 (07:21):
Well, there's always investment in you know, the actual equipment,
but really the investments and people. It's all about people,
you know, and wanting to get involved, wanting to be mentors,
wanting to actually get kids involved in sport and recreation.
Speaker 7 (07:37):
We're very lucky that Sporting Z.
Speaker 8 (07:39):
Is very good at identifying good partners out in communities
to be able to do that.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Mark Mitchell joins us he as the Minister of Sport.
Looking at Railian Castle, who has been given the job,
the carrying on job of the CEO of Sport New
Zealand a wider picture around our favorite games as opposed
to just getting involved in the health of it as well.
Can you contribute to enlarging or expanding some of the
sports that are great for us Rugby is and our
(08:07):
crecketitive of any involving in that because their CEO loss at.
Speaker 7 (08:10):
The moment, I don't have direct involvement with that.
Speaker 8 (08:15):
I did get involved a little bit in terms of
when the situation was unfolding with Netball New Zealand and
Dame Noling and that was going on, and I sort
of said, you guys have got to get this sorted
because you're sort of damaging the sport. And you saw
that there was genuine engagement, without a doubt, on both
(08:35):
sides to get that resolved.
Speaker 7 (08:38):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (08:38):
So, without a doubt, there's been a it's been a
bit unsettled with with rugby, with cricket. But I don't
get directly involved in that. They are independent codes. They
have their own boards of directors, their own chief executives
and executive teams, and they are responsible for how they
manage and run their own.
Speaker 6 (08:55):
Code dissecting the sporting agenda. It's Sportsfix with Darcy Waldgrave
and there.
Speaker 3 (09:03):
Was a mike called Nero. He was a Roman emperor
way back in the day. He was famous for fiddling
whilst Rome burnt to the ground. This is the FIA
and Formula One. Formula one is burning to the ground
and the FIA are messing around altering and adjusting battery laws.
(09:24):
This new concept that they spent so long developing that
finally burst onto the scene this year. Fifty percent petrol
fifty percent electric. I don't think it's worked at all.
I think it is alienating the drivers, it is alienating
their fans, and we're not getting decent racing out of it.
(09:45):
It is artificial, it's insane. So they can spend all
the time they want twiddling with how much power that
the drivers have access to, when they can utilize that power,
and so on and so forth, which is what all
these new rulings are all about, if they can encapsulate
in one brief sentence. The problem here, though, is this,
(10:07):
the drive to use electric power, to use power that
they have reclaimed from the car during the race, is
all well and good in a green world. Formula one
can't be green washed. Formula one is not ecologically appropriate.
It's just not the flights all around the world for
(10:27):
the teams, for the gear, for the journalists and the fans.
You stop doing that for a start, you're really going
to contribute to the saving of the planet long term.
You think of the rubber that they go through with
the tires, the phenomenal waste that really isn't very green
at all. And then of course you've got the drivers themselves.
(10:48):
They don't travel zoo class there and they're private jets
flying all over the world to these various events. That
is not green. It doesn't matter what you say about
Formula one, it doesn't matter how you shape it or
how you present it. It is a wasteful sport and
they should stop trying to pretend it's anything different. Don't
(11:10):
pee on my head and tell me it's rain because
it smells funny and it's a bit warm. You know
what they need to do in Formula one, They need
to go back to the good old days, to the
bad old days. They need to go to a place
where the fastest drivers with the biggest, scariest cars powered
by an internal combustion engine challenge each other for the
(11:34):
title of the best driver on the planet. Formula one
is not green. It never has been and it should
never be. M g uk and I see E fifty
to fifty combo engines can get in the sea.
Speaker 6 (11:50):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfax.
Speaker 3 (11:53):
There's Chamber time now at the sports Vex podcast. We're
joined by a director of sports News talk z B.
Clay Wilson, Refreshed after taking a week off. How dare you, Clay?
Speaker 5 (12:06):
We do we do get holiday, although sometimes the job
feels like a holiday, doesn't it. You know, as sport lovers
watching sports, sitting around talking about sport, arguing about sport.
Speaker 3 (12:14):
It's not a job.
Speaker 5 (12:14):
Yeah, let's face a lot of the time it doesn't
feel like it's just.
Speaker 3 (12:17):
Try and tell the other half or anyone you know
that it actually is a job and you take it
through so well a victor you interesting Crusaders team come
out today and that is the focus at the start
of this. Obviously Souper Rounds coming up for the weekend.
It's a big song and dance being made about that. Well,
a biggest song and dance being made about the fact
that Lester fart and Nuku center slash winger has been
(12:39):
named at seven.
Speaker 5 (12:40):
Yeah wow. Now, this obviously isn't something new in terms
of his ability to play this position. He came back
from his time in France having played a fair bit
there for the French club side he'd been and played for,
and they spoke about it pre season and we have
seen him there a couple of times, haven't we during
the course of the season, during the game. But to
(13:02):
come into the start of a game as a flanker
is you know, a first and you know, maybe I
don't know what the chances of it happening at the
start of the season were in terms of him actually
being a viable option. Obviously they've had a few injuries
in that kind of position. But it does, you know,
I guess it puts up a couple of questions, how
(13:23):
do we think you'll go there? And for I think
about as long term options or as long term future
in terms of the All Blacks, what does it mean
for that? Obviously it boosts utility value? Is that a
good thing or a bad thing for him? I guess
time will tell and people will have their opinions on that.
Speaker 3 (13:40):
I think personally, I really love him it's centered. Of course,
I love him on the wing too, and I'm sure
he's more than proficient in the seven jersey, But if
you look at from an all black point of view,
if you're the jack of will trades, the master of none,
becomes difficult to establish a place. I believe in that side.
Maybe on the bench he might be more of a
(14:01):
go too, but that stretches talent too far.
Speaker 5 (14:05):
Well, I think the way rugby has played, and how
big and fast and you know, the players are, and
how much how important the bench has become an elite
level rugby, I kind of lean towards it's a good
thing for him, and that perhaps that makes him more selectable.
Not that you know, his form has improved as the
(14:26):
season's gone on. He didn't start the season terribly well,
but I mean he may have got in regardless of
this if he never played at flanker and you know,
for his entire career.
Speaker 3 (14:37):
But I think he becomes more selectable. But his talent
and his skill base, It's what I said about stretching it.
If he's trying to work out the vagaries of seven
of center of wing, are't you actually ever going about
to give it? You fall on one because look, it's
a game of running, passing, kicking, tackling. It's a pretty
(14:58):
simple game. But those three different positions right across the park.
Do worry about specializing or if he has the ability
to actually do the best if he's spreading so thin.
Speaker 5 (15:07):
Yeah, and you know we have I've seen this before
that people have been like bench specialists. You know, you
have to look at Damien McKenzie, Boden Barrett and the
early part of their All Black careers, but both playing
in kind of similar positions first five fallback wing, those
kind of spots. To see someone go from the backs,
the outside backs into the forward pack is you know,
(15:28):
as unique in the New New Zealand sense. Anyway, in
an All Black sense, we are seeing it with some
other international teams. There's a couple of other players floating
around in Europe that do this kind of thing. Yeah,
I guess only time will tell in terms of how
well he goes there and what Dave Rennie and his
selection cohort think about this and where he fits in
(15:54):
then their potential max. Is he someone who's just so
valuable on the bench that you have to have him
in your team, or does he not quite impress enough.
He's not getting enough time, like you say, specializing in
one or two positions, that he kind of loses some
of his sting in those spots and you know, misses
(16:15):
out altogether.
Speaker 3 (16:16):
Be interesting on the weekend because the Crusaders are under
all sorts of pressure and he'll has to perform in
front of a packed, brand new stadium. See what he's
made of when when that happens, aren't.
Speaker 5 (16:28):
Yeah, yeah, totally certainly a big stage to to kind
of have this first for him, isn't it? But hugely intriguing.
I'm fascinated to see how he performs. I mean, you
watch him play and he even on the on the
wing or in the midfield. He has a lot of
attributes about him, obviously, that's why they put him there
(16:48):
of a loose forward, doesn't he you know, like his
ability to come and pick up the ball great in
defense over the ball, you know, is that jack or
they what they call, you know, pinching the ball. So
but of course it's a it's a it's it's not
as simple as that. Like I'm sure any flanker will
tell you that. You know, that position has a lot
of technicalities that require many years to master, so.
Speaker 3 (17:14):
More nuanced I think they say than anything else. But
look if he did it in France against those monsters
in the pack again do it anyway? Like I said,
a sold out stadium and that's something that's happened in
Wellington this weekend for the Warriors. He I think it's
the same in christ Now. My first reaction to that
is their second on the table. They play a good brand,
(17:36):
they don't play in Wellington much, so that's what'll be
out there, right.
Speaker 5 (17:40):
Yeah, maybe I wonder if it would even matter, such
as the following that the Warriors have had for a
long time, but particularly you know since the twenty twenty
three season where they went so well and got the
sort of the Updawis movement began. It's a team that's
so well supported across the country and I think I
could be corrected, but I'm pretty sure this will be
(18:01):
the most attended sports event in Wellington this year because
the All Blacks Test match year is against Italy, which
I will.
Speaker 3 (18:08):
Don't turn up to All Black Test matches regard they
can't fill that place up and that's only once a yep,
normally only once a year, so that's pretty sparse.
Speaker 5 (18:19):
Yeah, I think all those things planned it. You spoke
about how well the Warriors are going. I mean that
always helps having a winning team. I guess the other
question here is like, you know, there's so much talk
about a second New Zealand NRAL team, it goes to show, well,
you know, maybe would that team get support given everyone
supports the Warriors. But I think we've seen with Auckland FC.
You know a lot of people that support all clin
(18:40):
FC now probably followed and supported the Phoenix beforehand, right they.
Speaker 3 (18:44):
Followed the game, didn't they? And that team Phoenix, well
there in an Australian competition, it's a game. We love
the New Zealanders I'm in, so it's pretty easy for
them to swap.
Speaker 5 (18:54):
When so, the viability of a second New Zealand team
in terms of the interest in the NRAL of rugby
league is seem seems to be there for sure. And
the wave of kind of momentum that the Warriors have
developed has flown has sort of you know, drifted all
certainly all the way down to Wellington and I mean
(19:14):
the new stadium and Christich does have something to do
with this, I'm sure, but the Warriors game in christ
Church later this year sold out, I think in about
three days. So the Warriors will travel in New Zealand
and will sell out stadiums outside of Mount Smart. So man,
for you, the Warriors, you're just sort of rubbing your
hands together and look at your chops, aren't you? And yeah,
(19:39):
let's see what it means ultimately for a second RAL
team in New Zealand and whether that is even a
viability from an NRAL perspective. But awesome, amazing to see
and just to see the stadium.
Speaker 3 (19:50):
But it's not going to happen because the NRL want
too much money and no one's going to fork out
that cash to do it. And on the Warriors are
playing team as well. The team was named yesterday, playing
as it normally does on teamless Tuesday, and I think
you look to.
Speaker 5 (20:04):
That well, I mean, there was obviously, you know, a
pretty settled team name. But what I did notice is
that they also, you know, they released their weekly injury update.
And next week is going to be an intriguing week
because Luke Metcalf of course, came back for a couple
of games injured his hamstring. He is due, they say
back next week, also throwing it into the mix of
(20:25):
this kind of conundrum Andrew Webster has around his playmakers.
Is that Tomighty Martin who broke his leg of course
some pre season playing in the All Stars Game. He
is back earlier than expected, due back next week as well. Now,
of course he hasn't been playing, he doesn't quite come
into it yet. But if he plays news so spells
Cup gets into a bit of form, then you have
this this kind of situation where you have these four
(20:48):
playmakers and what's the best mix. You know, you're trying
to keep Luke Metcalf was such a starless last season
and now you know we've seen him come back. They
lost both those games he played in Chanelle. Harris Davida
has just been just a rock in that number six
jersey when he's played there. So really interesting to see
how that combination would he goes again this weekend. But
(21:09):
also then we met halfback comes back next week. Who
do they pack? Who the what's their best combination?
Speaker 3 (21:15):
Who?
Speaker 5 (21:16):
How should they approach it in terms of which to
two of those three and then maybe four players get
those juerseys.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
Will contemplate this as you leave the chamber. Clay Wilson.
Always a pleasure to have you in there. Who has
got the highest kicking percentage as far as points being scored,
because you know what you do, you take them regardless,
and thanks for your time, beautiful, Thanks.
Speaker 6 (21:39):
Though leading a X. We've got just the ticket. It's
Sports Fix powered by News Talks IVY.
Speaker 3 (21:45):
And that's it the Sports Fixed podcast another day now
the dollar. Thanks for listening, Thanks for subscribing if you have,
if you haven't subscribed, tell your friends, tell your family,
get them all involved in the Sports Fix. And if
it's radio you're after, we do that as well. Plenty
News Talk z B. That is Monday and Friday between
seven and eight pm. It's called Sports Talk. Jason Pine's
(22:06):
got the Monday shift. I do Tuesday through fro and
then on the weekend it's Weekend Sport twelve at midday
through the three o'clock Saturday and at Sunday. That is
Jason Pine's responsibility. And it's going to be at Big
one this weekend with a super Round down at the
brand fancy pants new Stadium, the one New Zealand Stadium
(22:26):
at Takaha. She'll be a biggin Hey. Thanks for your time,
catch you tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (22:31):
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