July 10, 2025 • 6 mins
We catch up with a former All Black to get his thoughts on this weekend’s second test against France in Wellington.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Why is the all black French second Test coming up tomorrow?
A few changes in that all black side just a handful,
quite a conservative selection based on continuity from the first Test.
And who better to look at this than a man himself,
a Rugby World Cup winner from twenty eleven and I
always referred to you know, even they won a couple
(00:21):
of titles with the Chiefs Matter or Two's finest Ore
and crudent of course Parmerston North Boys.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
High as well as how are you mate? Welcome to
the show.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Yeah, thanks for having me on hemos Yer. I'm great,
thank you you obviously just enjoyed the Test match last
weekend and looking forward to another one this weekend in Wellington.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Yeah, I think interesting to see.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
I mean, one thing I think we can say out
of this is that the French top fourteen is not
a bad competition and there's a fair old swag of
depth in their players.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Oh it's huge, even for me personally. I went over
and played three seasons over there, and yeah, it is
the depth and I guess the continuity they are building
over there, and especially under Fabian Goaltier, like he's coming
and he's not afraid to make some what most people
might consider to be big, big calls and really blood
(01:12):
a lot of youth and sort of giving younger guys
an opportunity. But yeah, obviously a bit was made before
the series of the so called caliber of team they
were bringing over, but I think they showed him that
that game and the need and last weekend that they're
here to play regardless of who's on the field, They're
just going to get out there, play the French way
and give it a good crack.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Yeah, And the French way these days is it is.
It's still an entertaining brand of footy, but it's also
a pretty well structured one at times as well. Look
just looking at the selections, I see soa white is
on the bench there for Quintupai, who did nothing wrong.
But you know, I think this is just a good
one in terms of giving a guy a taste, a
(01:54):
potential taste of international footy, for the for the Highland
as skipper who's been who was a real standout super rugby.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Oh he was. He was a standout and he's very
deserved of his selection. And as you said, Quinn got
another taste. I think Quinn had an outstanding super rugby season,
and he got a taste off the bench last weekend.
But I suppose when you listen to Razor and the
All Blacks speak, they are wanting a little bit of continuity.
But they also do have to balance out the fact
that it's a three test series, so they do want
(02:22):
to give some of these debutantes or or these younger
guys or not younger necessarily but just new squads to
the member new members to the squad, sorry, an opportunity
to play. And I think this is a great opportunity
for Timothy to come in there and obviously hopefully who
knows what the conditions are going to be like and
what I guess the game status is going to be
(02:43):
like when he gets in there, But we know that
he's just electric, like he often so much in and
around the ball. He's a tough ball carrier. I think
the transition he made from the wing to the midfield
this year and Super rugby was outstanding, and that probably
goes a little bit unnoticed to the naked eye. It's
not an easy transition and he did it seamlessly, So
I'm excited to see how he goes.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Yeah, now young Caleb Clark has he's had the media
blow torch on him and you know some of that
was self invited, but he gets an opportunity to get
out there and leave all that behind because one solid
performance in a Test match and a lot is forgotten
and forgiven as it should be for a young guy.
And I'm really looking forward to him having a standout performance.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, and so am I. I think Caleb,
you know, he offers so much as well, like he's
just such a physical specimen and you want him in
and around the ball. You want to get him as
many touches in you as you can. And I do
understand the conditions in the need and are going to
be different to Wellington. But what I really liked in
regards to what the All Blacks were doing last weekend
(03:43):
is they were getting the ball to the wits, weren't they.
They were prepared to give the ball a little bit
of give it to some of the athletes out wide
and see what they can do and if they're able
to do that again this weekend in Wellington to give
the likes of Caleb a little bit of one on
one ball and even Rico Joanna who shifted to the
right way this weekend. I think it's just going to
allow the All Blacks to play with a little bit
(04:05):
of a different dimension to probably what the French possibly
might be expecting.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Yeah, and you know you mentioned Rico Yoannie, and I
think you know and you know how tight that midfield
congestion is at international level. I think he gets a
little bit of the short end of the straw occasion
in terms of analysis of his performance in the midfield.
And that's why I'm looking forward to him having a
real chance again out on the wing to carve up
(04:30):
a bit and go back to that Rico we remember
from those twenty seven to twenty eighteen when he was
just on fire.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
So a bit more room for him hopefully.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Absolutely, And look I played with Rico and he is
he's just world class. And yes, he also looked early
on he played on the wing and then transitioned into
the midfield, which again, as I've already said it, it's
not an easy task. But for him to be able
to have that sort of balance and that flexibility, I
suppose is for me in a squad, it's it's second
(05:02):
to none, just having the ability to start on the wing,
but then maybe as the game goes on, who knows
due to injuries or however the game might be flowing.
If you can sort of transition someone into the midfield,
it's great. And as you say, I think he does
get a little bit of unnecessary criticism at times, and
especially considering we don't all from the outside looking and
(05:23):
we don't know what the messages are internally all the time,
so it's easy to judge on face value. But I
think you know the ins and outs and being an
ex player myself, like you know what's spoken about in
the in the sink drum and in as long as
you're doing your bit as well as you can to
execute the game plan and contribute, then then that's all
(05:44):
you can ask for as a player and as a coach.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Yeah, I explain a commentary role in commentary and comments
person that.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
You have now you enjoy that stuff you do. You're
like a ductor water mate. You love it.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Oh, it's been fun. Yeah, obviously I help soon you're
talking about something you feel like you relatively well. So yeah,
for me, it wasn't something that I ever thought post
Rugby would become something, but yeah, an opportunity came up,
like like they do at times, and sometimes you just
got to be brave enough to walk through the open door.
And yeah, I've really been enjoying it. And obviously I
(06:17):
am really conscious and aware that I am an next player,
so I always do have my players hat on to
a certain extent and just want to be really player
centric because I know what it's like too, you know,
like ultimately, as players, you know, if you have a
poor game, you don't need to hear about it or
read about it or this, and that is just about
going out there and doing your best, but also making
(06:37):
those adjustments when you know you need to.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Yeah, fantastic.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Hey, great to chat as always, Aaron Crudin, and we'll
do it again.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
You enjoyed the chess match
Speaker 3 (06:46):
Yeah, we'll do Thanks for having me on mate, Cheers
Why is the all black French second Test coming up tomorrow?
A few changes in that all black side just a handful,
quite a conservative selection based on continuity from the first Test.
And who better to look at this than a man himself,
a Rugby World Cup winner from twenty eleven and I
always referred to you know, even they won a couple
(00:21):
of titles with the Chiefs Matter or Two's finest Ore
and crudent of course Parmerston North Boys.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
High as well as how are you mate? Welcome to
the show.
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Yeah, thanks for having me on hemos Yer. I'm great,
thank you you obviously just enjoyed the Test match last
weekend and looking forward to another one this weekend in Wellington.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Yeah, I think interesting to see.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
I mean, one thing I think we can say out
of this is that the French top fourteen is not
a bad competition and there's a fair old swag of
depth in their players.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
Oh it's huge, even for me personally. I went over
and played three seasons over there, and yeah, it is
the depth and I guess the continuity they are building
over there, and especially under Fabian Goaltier, like he's coming
and he's not afraid to make some what most people
might consider to be big, big calls and really blood
(01:12):
a lot of youth and sort of giving younger guys
an opportunity. But yeah, obviously a bit was made before
the series of the so called caliber of team they
were bringing over, but I think they showed him that
that game and the need and last weekend that they're
here to play regardless of who's on the field, They're
just going to get out there, play the French way
and give it a good crack.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
Yeah, And the French way these days is it is.
It's still an entertaining brand of footy, but it's also
a pretty well structured one at times as well. Look
just looking at the selections, I see soa white is
on the bench there for Quintupai, who did nothing wrong.
But you know, I think this is just a good
one in terms of giving a guy a taste, a
(01:54):
potential taste of international footy, for the for the Highland
as skipper who's been who was a real standout super rugby.
Speaker 3 (02:01):
Oh he was. He was a standout and he's very
deserved of his selection. And as you said, Quinn got
another taste. I think Quinn had an outstanding super rugby season,
and he got a taste off the bench last weekend.
But I suppose when you listen to Razor and the
All Blacks speak, they are wanting a little bit of continuity.
But they also do have to balance out the fact
that it's a three test series, so they do want
(02:22):
to give some of these debutantes or or these younger
guys or not younger necessarily but just new squads to
the member new members to the squad, sorry, an opportunity
to play. And I think this is a great opportunity
for Timothy to come in there and obviously hopefully who
knows what the conditions are going to be like and
what I guess the game status is going to be
(02:43):
like when he gets in there, But we know that
he's just electric, like he often so much in and
around the ball. He's a tough ball carrier. I think
the transition he made from the wing to the midfield
this year and Super rugby was outstanding, and that probably
goes a little bit unnoticed to the naked eye. It's
not an easy transition and he did it seamlessly, So
I'm excited to see how he goes.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Yeah, now young Caleb Clark has he's had the media
blow torch on him and you know some of that
was self invited, but he gets an opportunity to get
out there and leave all that behind because one solid
performance in a Test match and a lot is forgotten
and forgiven as it should be for a young guy.
And I'm really looking forward to him having a standout performance.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely, and so am I. I think Caleb,
you know, he offers so much as well, like he's
just such a physical specimen and you want him in
and around the ball. You want to get him as
many touches in you as you can. And I do
understand the conditions in the need and are going to
be different to Wellington. But what I really liked in
regards to what the All Blacks were doing last weekend
(03:43):
is they were getting the ball to the wits, weren't they.
They were prepared to give the ball a little bit
of give it to some of the athletes out wide
and see what they can do and if they're able
to do that again this weekend in Wellington to give
the likes of Caleb a little bit of one on
one ball and even Rico Joanna who shifted to the
right way this weekend. I think it's just going to
allow the All Blacks to play with a little bit
(04:05):
of a different dimension to probably what the French possibly
might be expecting.
Speaker 1 (04:09):
Yeah, and you know you mentioned Rico Yoannie, and I
think you know and you know how tight that midfield
congestion is at international level. I think he gets a
little bit of the short end of the straw occasion
in terms of analysis of his performance in the midfield.
And that's why I'm looking forward to him having a
real chance again out on the wing to carve up
(04:30):
a bit and go back to that Rico we remember
from those twenty seven to twenty eighteen when he was
just on fire.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
So a bit more room for him hopefully.
Speaker 1 (04:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Absolutely, And look I played with Rico and he is
he's just world class. And yes, he also looked early
on he played on the wing and then transitioned into
the midfield, which again, as I've already said it, it's
not an easy task. But for him to be able
to have that sort of balance and that flexibility, I
suppose is for me in a squad, it's it's second
(05:02):
to none, just having the ability to start on the wing,
but then maybe as the game goes on, who knows
due to injuries or however the game might be flowing.
If you can sort of transition someone into the midfield,
it's great. And as you say, I think he does
get a little bit of unnecessary criticism at times, and
especially considering we don't all from the outside looking and
(05:23):
we don't know what the messages are internally all the time,
so it's easy to judge on face value. But I
think you know the ins and outs and being an
ex player myself, like you know what's spoken about in
the in the sink drum and in as long as
you're doing your bit as well as you can to
execute the game plan and contribute, then then that's all
(05:44):
you can ask for as a player and as a coach.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:46):
Yeah, I explain a commentary role in commentary and comments
person that.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
You have now you enjoy that stuff you do. You're
like a ductor water mate. You love it.
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Oh, it's been fun. Yeah, obviously I help soon you're
talking about something you feel like you relatively well. So yeah,
for me, it wasn't something that I ever thought post
Rugby would become something, but yeah, an opportunity came up,
like like they do at times, and sometimes you just
got to be brave enough to walk through the open door.
And yeah, I've really been enjoying it. And obviously I
(06:17):
am really conscious and aware that I am an next player,
so I always do have my players hat on to
a certain extent and just want to be really player
centric because I know what it's like too, you know,
like ultimately, as players, you know, if you have a
poor game, you don't need to hear about it or
read about it or this, and that is just about
going out there and doing your best, but also making
(06:37):
those adjustments when you know you need to.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Yeah, fantastic.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
Hey, great to chat as always, Aaron Crudin, and we'll
do it again.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
You enjoyed the chess match
Speaker 3 (06:46):
Yeah, we'll do Thanks for having me on mate, Cheers
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