Jason Pine: Sportstalk host on what the All Blacks need to work on ahead of the Rugby Championship

Finishing chances remains a focus for the All Blacks as they pivot towards the Rugby Championship next month.

The 3-nil win over the French keeps the All Blacks second in the world behind the Springboks.

Sportstalk host Jason Pine explains further.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now Jason Pine Sports Talk hoosters of us that pony, Hello, Heather,
how should we rate that three zip win over France?

Speaker 2 (00:06):
Oh, building block? I think building block towards the tougher
test matches ahead. I think France probably punched above their weight.
I think they were probably better than a lot of
us expected. The All Blacks were at times good, at
times not so good. A bit to work on that
sort of thing, but three Nils three nil, that was
always the entree. I think to the Rugby Championship. Rais
has probably found out a bit about who was best

(00:28):
fifteen and best twenty three. R He's given a few
players daboos. I think you tick a box certainly won't
be a three match series that goes down as one
of the greats. I'm not sure we're watching it back
in its entirety, but I think it probably served a purpose.

Speaker 1 (00:42):
Do you think that it is? It definitely got better
as it went on, right, And do you think that
was because we needed to let them settle into the season.

Speaker 2 (00:50):
Well, actually they were best in Wellington. On Saturday night
in Hamilton, I think they took another step back, particularly
in the first half. They came home strong, so.

Speaker 1 (00:59):
That was but Piney that was our B team that
we were playing, right, So it's almost like you can't
really compare.

Speaker 2 (01:05):
The two well ten changes. Yeah, I guess you could
say that there were a lot of regulars in the
so called top team who weren't there. Yes, good point.
So yeah, I mean when you give thirty three guys
games across three matches, you are going to strike problems
with cohesion and connection. So yeah, pretty good point. I
think there'll be a lot more cohesive because the team
will be a lot more stable selection wise during the

(01:28):
Rugby Championship, particularly head of those big games against South Africa.

Speaker 1 (01:31):
Okay, now, what is going on with Netball New Zealand
and the eligibility rules.

Speaker 2 (01:35):
Just in the last fifteen minutes they've issued a release
to say that they have reviewed the Silver Ferns selection
policy and now those who are playing overseas can be
considered for the Silver Ferns through a formal exemption process.
So case in point, Grace wiki playing off short she
didn't play in the AMSZ Premiership playing over in Australia,
she can now apply for an exemption and can play

(01:59):
for the Silver Ferns even though she is not playing
in our AMZ Premiership. This is up till now not
been possible. Grace Wiki has forced the hand of Netball
New Zealand's board here and good on her for doing that.
She's basically said, look, I'm going over to Wazzi. Yes
I'm getting paid, but I'm there to improve my netball
against some of the best players in the world. Can
I please play for New Zealand? The board have buckled,

(02:20):
and well, you have to give them credit. It did
take them a while to beyond.

Speaker 1 (02:23):
They So have they said yes to her or have
they said she should apply?

Speaker 2 (02:26):
They've said she should apply. But she is the case
study herether. Yes, this is the reason for the rule,
and years to come we will call this the Wiki rule.

Speaker 1 (02:35):
But hold on now, poney. Wasn't there some sort of
like understanding beforehand that when you had reached one hundred
caps for the Silver Ferns, you were then eligible to
go play overseas and you could still play for the
Silver Ferns.

Speaker 2 (02:45):
Wasn't there that never been a rule, never been a
written down rule. There was an understanding that that might
be the case. But as it turned out, the players themselves,
some of them thought that I think it was seventy five,
and then they found out, actually, no, there's no such rule.
That's all. It was like an urban myth.

Speaker 1 (03:01):
But what are the chances that they say, okay, Grace,
you can apply, and then they have some random and
arbitrary thing that they measure her against and find that she.

Speaker 2 (03:09):
Can't, then sack the board. Heather sack the board.

Speaker 1 (03:12):
So the chances of that happening is zero a zero zero.

Speaker 2 (03:15):
This is a rule will allow Grace wiki and others,
not everybody, but others who are extremely valuable to the
Ferns to do both.

Speaker 1 (03:23):
Yep, excellent, Piney, thank you for running us through it.
To appreciate it. That's Jason Pine sports talk host.

Speaker 2 (03:28):
For more from Heather Duplessy, Allen Drive, listen live to
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