Andrew Saville: Can Auckland FC keep up the momentum?

Auckland FC's made a record-breaking start to their debut season and fans are hopeful the team can go all the way to the top.

Saturday is the biggest chapter yet, with 29,000 people set to pack an expanded Go Media Stadium for the second leg of the semifinal with Melbourne Victory. 

Andrew Saville joined Jack Tame to discuss further.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Saturday Morning with Jack Teams podcast
from News Talks at.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Be Andrew Savila Sporto is with us this morning, and Sam,
I say, this is a keen Crusaders fan. The Highlanders
deserved it last night.

Speaker 3 (00:21):
Yes, Morning Jack. Yeah, patches of that game both teams
had air ridden.

Speaker 2 (00:28):
Moment my god, some of the defense. The Crusader's defense
has been ridiculous in the last few weeks. But I just, yeah,
I thought there was a solid half of that game,
probably twenty minutes before halftime, twenty minutes afterwards, where the
Highlanders were just were just dominant and could not get
points on the board.

Speaker 3 (00:46):
And that sort of season really. You know, they pushed
the Hurricanes week or two ago, and Wellington they've had
some really close games. Yeah, they've had the odd couple
of blowouts, but it's a frustrating season for them. They
had some key injuries early on, and one thing with
the Heighthland that is clearly under Jamie Joseph they never

(01:07):
give up, Jack, and we saw that again last night,
and frustrating for them. A real heartbreaker that they missed
a penalty after the full time hooter which would have
drawn them level at fifteen or and it would have
gone to extra time. But the Crusaders for the time
being move up back to the top of Super Rugby.
The Chiefs can overtake them and go back top themselves

(01:28):
if they beat Mowana Pacific at tonight, and not often
you'd say if they beat Mowana, but the way Mowana's
playing under Adisavia, you wouldn't bet against them.

Speaker 1 (01:41):
Do you know what?

Speaker 2 (01:41):
I still feel like we haven't given enough attention to
what that team has done this year. And this honestly,
what Ardie has done by being in that team, I
cannot you know, except for maybe the helcyon days of
Carter and McCaw, I don't think I can think of
a period in which in a single New Zealand rugby
player was having such an influence on a whole team's performance. Yeah,

(02:06):
I think like I think Artie Savia has entered like
another stratosphere in terms of the kind of legendary status
at the moment.

Speaker 3 (02:13):
Yeah, I think he's played when he won his name.
I think it was named will Player of the Year
in twenty twenty twenty three World Cup year. I think
he's playing even better now and Let's not forget. He's
in his early thirties. His body has been through the
absolute ringer. I saw him during the week. It would
have been two or three days after that Blues game,

(02:35):
and he still looked achy and sore, but he was
still flying into everything at training and that sums him up.
Ardie Savi. Look, you've got to know, Jack, that Mowana
is in this competition and playing well, but having to
do so often with one arm tied behind their back,
whether it's money, whether it's resource, whether it's being allowed

(02:59):
to play games here, there and everywhere. Ardie Savia, let's
not forget, was pretty much told don't go to Mowana.
When he's started making requests to leave the Hurricanes or
move on from the Hurricanes, there were question marks from
on high about the facilities they had or didn't have,
the what would happen to his play, and all of

(03:19):
that has gone totally down. The old Duney isn't because
he is playing some superb football and what he's done
and what that team has done for this competition, it's
given it some life, mate.

Speaker 2 (03:31):
It really has, it really has. I mean it's because
they're always it always sort of felt like you know,
results were kind of a done thing right before before
you had games, and sometimes it was with the drawer
and it was often within ONEA PACIFICA. But I just
I think, I think they've been absolutely superb.

Speaker 3 (03:47):
So Awk, we had another we had an sorry just
before we leave Rugby, we had another tight game. It's
such a high percentage of games besided by say five
or fewer points this season. That's made the competition interesting
as well. But the Canes just beating the Queensland Reds. Yeah,
and up to four so they are now in the playoffs.

(04:08):
Billy Procter I thought was outstanding again. He has to
be the All Black center. Surely he's had a terrible
run with injuries the last couple of years. Let's hope
he stays fit to make that first All Black squad.
And Black Fern's this afternoon and it's a stunning day
and alten, isn't it, Jack it is. I'm assuming you're
here and I'm here Black After the Black Ferns game

(04:30):
is of course Auckland versus Melbourne victory.

Speaker 2 (04:33):
Yeah, that's going to be massive this afternoon. He later
kickoff at go Media Stadium, but a full house to
say the least I think they've got. They've brought in
the extra seats and everything, haven't they for that second lead.

Speaker 3 (04:46):
Just under twenty nine thousand, so the atmosphere will be
out of this world, as with the players yesterday out
of the stadium, very relaxed, trying to win this game
rather than defending that one. They'll lead for the first leg,
which which which is which is obviously Aukland FC's way
of doing things. They are an attacking football team and

(05:08):
just a great just a great feeling around this team
and a very good feeling around the city. A lot
of Awka lifc signage around the city, a lot of
people going to the game, a lot of people talking
about the team. They've they've done wonders for football this year.

Speaker 1 (05:20):
They really have.

Speaker 2 (05:20):
And I mean I don't want to get to a
hit of myself, but were firmly touching would I mean
this time next week we could be counting down to
kick off in the May League Final, which would just be ridiculous. Anyway,
Let's just focus on the on the listen one game
at a time, Let's get let's focus on those cliches
for the time beings so that we get through this afternoon.
Thank you, sir, Andrews are all our sport Over there

Speaker 1 (05:44):
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