The Country 13/02/25: Paul Allison talks to Jamie Mackay

We’re joined in the studio by the convenor of the judging panel for the NZ Rural Sports Awards.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Good a news Ellen. Good afternoon, Welcome to the country,
brought to you by Brandt. I'm Jamie McKay. I got
a special guest in the studio today Paul Allison, formerly
the voice of Carasbrook, these days the voice of Forsyth Bar,
well known of course to news talk ZEDV listeners because
of its extensive sporting knowledge and history, and he's in

(00:21):
the studio today in his capacity as the convener of
the judging panel for the Rural Sports Awards which are
coming up in Palmi North in early March. Of course,
we've also got the Rural Games. We're going to announce
the finalists for the Rural Sports Awards, some big names
there as well. Paul, good afternoon. Great to have you
in the studio. I know you spend a lot of

(00:43):
time on the end of a microphone at Forsyth Bar Stadium.
Before we talk about the rural games. Super Rugby starts
this weekend, in fact tomorrow night. The Highlanders have got
a home game next weekend, so you'll be keeping your
vocal cords well oiled for that one. Going to put
straight on you who's your winning team? Because I think

(01:03):
you and I might agree on this one.

Speaker 2 (01:05):
Yeah, well, it's whoever's left standing at the end of
the competition. Really. You look at the teams now and
so many of them have actually got key injuries already.
You look at the poor old Crusaders Cody Taylor and
George Bell, Braden then or Quenton Strange, you know, the long,
long list for those guys already. The Hardeners have been
like that in the past, and it's the depth of squad.
I just look at that Chief side though, that they're

(01:26):
going to put out this weekend and they've got six
all blacks on their bench, which just shows some degree
of depth of squad, but also the fact that maybe
they're just easing some of these international players back in
to the competition. The Blues will start his favorites started
defending champions, and they've got the rock Stars and that
pivotal position of number ten and Perafetta and Plumber and Barrett.

(01:48):
They've got options there. But I just like the Chiefs
for some reason against the Crusaders possibly, and the Blues
will be third. We shouldn't forget about the Australian teams, Jamie,
I know you wanted a one who would answer it
for me. Don't normally get one four Australian teams, not five,
so they've concentrated their talent across just four teams. They're
going to be more competitive. Put my neck on the line. Yeah,

(02:09):
I'm going to go the Chiefs, but they're gonna need
a lot of luck. I think once you get into
that top six it's to change.

Speaker 1 (02:14):
This year.

Speaker 2 (02:14):
It's not the top eight, top six, anything can happen.

Speaker 1 (02:17):
Yeah, well, I think I'm going to go at this
early stage with the Chiefs. I'd love to say the Highlanders,
but I don't think they've got the depth and their squad.
You mentioned the key position and it is on all
rugby teams, it's the number ten. So I see it
as kind of Damien Mackenzie v. Boden bear right, Yeah,

(02:37):
Blues versus Chiefs. Because you mentioned Harry Plumber, I thought
he's gone.

Speaker 2 (02:42):
He's playing in this competition, I think before he heads off?

Speaker 1 (02:45):
Oh is he? Okay?

Speaker 2 (02:46):
Yeah, it's my understanding. And so Boden Barrett is a
fullback in this weekends games.

Speaker 1 (02:51):
Yeah, I don't know. I'd like to see him back
in ten. But anyhow, Okay, Paul, So what we've got
because they're going to go to Damien. I' kind of sure.
We've got the Rural Sports Awards. Will announce the finalists
a wee bit later. But gee old, I shouldn't say
old Steve Hollander. He'll kill me for that. Steve Holland
and the founder and trustee does a great job. They

(03:12):
have it at the Awa Perni Function Center. It's magnificent.
I keep forgetting the name of the catering company, but
the best food. Seriously, and already, how about this for
a speaking lineup? I think it's all sold out bar
two tables.

Speaker 2 (03:27):
Yeah, yeah, there's two tables still left.

Speaker 1 (03:28):
I think Erica Dawson, Tim Salvey, the dairy farmer who's
played a wee bit of cricket, and Wayne Smith. How
good's that?

Speaker 2 (03:37):
Steve tends to keep on leaning on people, making sure.
I don't know whether you wears them down.

Speaker 1 (03:44):
With Steve Hollander, it's just easier to say yes, I
found yeah.

Speaker 2 (03:48):
No, it's not a word in his vocabulary. But it's
a fantastic of it. I was there last year and
it is a great show. Not only it showcases the
sporting talent around the rural areas, but it's a great
way to set the games off on that Friday evening.

Speaker 1 (04:00):
Okay you stay, can you hang in for the hour? Yeah?
Good on you, Good on you. I might even shout
your lunch after that. I want to talk to you
also about your first Jamie Well, I want to talk.
I didn't I give you a box of mc calle
as I've made on you. I want to talk because
you're a former New Zealand marathon champion as well about
this young guy, Sam Ruth and I know you've done

(04:21):
a lot of homework on this pedigree, but this is
so exciting. We've got a fifteen year old kid. I
know this is a rural program, but he's sort of
from rural New Yeah, a great breeding. There's there's a
farming comparison. But you know, this guy could be the
next John Walker, the next Peter Snow.

Speaker 2 (04:40):
He's got talent that we haven't seen in a fifteen
year old in New Zealand across any code or any
particular discipline. I mean fifteen years of age. Just think
about this, Jamie. He went out and he ran seven
minutes fifty five or fifty six for a three thousand meters.
He won the New Zealand Championships. This is against the seniors.
He beat the best in the country at fifteen y
years of age, youngest person ever won a New Zealand

(05:02):
total across any disciplines. He ran the equivalent of a
sub formulate mile last week. Remember it's a long time
ago when New Zealand had their first sub Formanut Miler
and Murray Helbu. But by g it's still a really
difficult task to do.

Speaker 1 (05:14):
He's done it at fifteen Music Today courtesy of Paul Allison,
as well The Traveling Whirlberries