Tony Johnson: Sports Commentator ahead of the Super Rugby Pacific quarterfinals

The Super Rugby Pacific quarterfinals are kicking off this weekend. 

The Hurricanes are still sitting at the top of the table, just ahead of the Blues on a points differential. 

The Chiefs are starting the action, facing off against the Reds tonight at 7pm. 

Sports Commentator Tony Johnson told Mike Hosking that the season is heading towards a pretty good climax. 

He said that they’ve seen some good footie, and the game has grown as its gone on as well as the crowds getting better. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Big Super ri weekend playoff time Chiefs kick us off tonight.
We've got the Reds, Hurricanes, Rebels, Blues, Drooer, Hilander's brumby,
Sky TV's Tony Johnson's whether there's Tony morning boy Miking.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Congratulations to you and all your teams. Are your awards
last night?

Speaker 1 (00:16):
Very kind of you to say I haven't talked to
you for ages. Are you aging?

Speaker 2 (00:18):
Well? Oh I'm not doing too bad mate.

Speaker 1 (00:21):
Good you're doing another season. You've enjoyed it or not?

Speaker 2 (00:26):
Yeah, I have. I know there was a bit of
negativity about it when it all started, but it just
it's grown. I think the rugby has been really good
and I think they've got to give a bit of
credit to the rest for that because after all the
shenanigans that we saw at the World Cup with the
rest seemed to think some of them seem to think
they were seen to stage. They've taken it back with
step of the players decide the games and you know

(00:47):
we haven't had the TMO coming in every thirty seconds,
and you know we've seen some good footing. I think
it's grown as it's come on. The crowds have gotten
better and you know it's heading towards a pretty good climax.

Speaker 1 (00:57):
I think, good well the Rebels, I mean, what's that
done for the Super Rugby in general? Their problems? I mean,
does that affect anything going forward? Apart from the obvious.

Speaker 2 (01:07):
I think you've got to give them credit for the
way they're boxed on despite all this turmoil it's been
going on. What it'll mean next year we won't have
this situation where we have eight teams out of twelve
qualifying for the playoffs, so I think they'll have to
cut it back to six where they'll probably the top
two will take a week off and then they'll have
a minor semi final and I think that'll probably be good.

(01:28):
And it also it's probably going to help the Australian
challenge in a way because they won't be trying to
spread their butter over so many pieces of toast and
they'll have stronger teams as a consequence. So that's probably
the silver lining of it. But it's been messy, and
you've had all the mess going on here when his
Yen and trying to sort out its own constitutional problem.
So yeah, the backdrop hasn't been great, but I don't

(01:51):
think it's really affected the players too much. And as
I say, I think what we've seen in terms of
the quality and that the entertainment value of the rugby
has been really good.

Speaker 1 (02:00):
Yeah call it Chiefs, Reds? Is it Chiefs, Hurricanes, Blues?
What do you say? Highland is Brombie's Which way does
that go?

Speaker 2 (02:08):
Gosh? This is that there's one big name missing out
all that, isn't there?

Speaker 1 (02:11):
Mike, Yes, you're yes, there is, Tony act. I was
going to ask you, did we spend too much time
talking about the demise of that and not celebrating the
ones who actually did well?

Speaker 2 (02:21):
Oh? No, it's a big story when the team's dominated
the landscape to the extent that they have. No. I
think it's fair enough that you know it was such
a big talking point. But I think the game that is,
the one that could go either way is the one
we've got tonight in Hamilton Chiefs against the Reds. Reds
won that game earlier on in the year. I think
they are a better team than their fifth on the

(02:42):
table indicates. They just had a bit of a slump
in the middle of the season where their discipline went
to pieces. They lost a couple of games that they
shouldn't have. I think that the Chiefs will remind themselves
they got beaten up up front when they played them
at sun corpor and round three, and they'll have to
be a lot better than that because, as I say,
I think that's the game that probably could go either way,

(03:02):
and I think this game was the most interest in
it this weekend.

Speaker 1 (03:05):
Okay, can we say ultimately it'll be Hurricanes Blues or not.

Speaker 2 (03:08):
Well, that's got to be that. The forum's got to
indicate that. I do love the way the Hurricanes have
played this year. Mike have played a fearless brand of rugby.
I think Clark laid Law coming from his sevens background,
and he's done a terrific job and galvanizing the team,
allowing them to play the sort of rugby that they
like to play, but with perhaps just a little bit
more structure to it. And you know, they've been terrific.

(03:33):
I don't think the Rebels will go out inspire because
this will be their last game they don't win it,
so you know that could make the contest. But the Blues, yeah,
they'll be still. I think they'll be disappointed with the
way they let a bonus points slip on top of
the table last week that the Drew have been two teams.
They've been the team that played love talking, very difficult

(03:55):
to beat, and the team that play away. And if
the team that has been playing away turns up, then
I'll get a bit of a hiding.

Speaker 1 (04:02):
You go well this weekend, make nice to catch up.
Appreciate it very much, turning you. Johnson Sky Rugby commentated.

Speaker 2 (04:07):
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