Full Show Podcast: 21 July 2024

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalks EDB. The only place for the big names,
the big issues, the big controversies, and the big conversations.
It's all on Weekend Sport with Jason Vine on your
home of Sport News Talks EDB.

Speaker 2 (00:30):
Hello, good afternoon, cured that Welcome into the Sunday edition
of Weekend Sport on News Talks. AB July twenty one,
Happy Birthday twenty three Test fifty five match Iconic All
Blacks winger Bernie Fraser.

Speaker 3 (00:42):
St Wilson coming in for the right wingers, broken out
of one tackle.

Speaker 4 (00:45):
A reporter for Bernie Fraser. Fraser first tire the matches
born Ela Wellington, the lethal duo of the.

Speaker 2 (00:51):
All Blacks wingers, Stu Wilson and Bernie Fraser. Happy birthday, Bernie.
I'm Jason Pine, Show producer Andy McDonald. We're here till
three three up, three down for the All Blacks.

Speaker 3 (01:00):
And vets will be Vets in San Diego. It as
a party in the USA for the All Blacks. Forty
seven five A comfortable victory for the men in Black
who blood's six new faces and score seven tries can a.

Speaker 2 (01:15):
Chat short there with former All Blacks coach Laurie Mains
to get his feeling on how happy Scott Robertson will
be after his first three Test matches in charge. We'll
hear from Razer as well. I want your summation rarely
though of the first three Test matches of the year
and which players yesterday pushed their case for elevation into
the starting side or into the twenty three for the

(01:37):
upcoming Rugby Championship. Can open the lines immediately on that.
After one, I want to focus in on the White Ferns.
Their unhappy tour of England ended on Thursday with an
eighth straight defeat. They lost all eight matches on that tour.
General Manager of High Performance for New Zealand Cricketers Brian Stronik,

(01:58):
he's with us after one o'clock to try and explain
the way forward for the White Ferns. Again, your feedback
is welcome. The final Stallman's in our Row to Paris
feature joined by Sarah Walker, New Zealand's first and still
only Olympic BMX medalist. She won silver in London and
twenty twelve. She is with us after two and I
would wager no one has more knowledge and experience of

(02:21):
the Olympic Games than New Zealand journalist, author and broadcaster
Joseph Romanos, who's off to Paris his tenth success of
Olympic Games. He's going to pop in for a chat
just before he jets out. Just wanted to make mention
of a couple of key we who have been wrapping
us brilliantly overnight. Golfer Daniel Hillier. We'll head him to
the final round of the Open Championship at Royal Troon

(02:42):
in a tie for fifteenth. He fired four berdies and
a bogie, shooting a three undred sixty eight on moving
day to sit two over overalls's a lot nicer when
that's not blowing forty out there as well.

Speaker 5 (02:53):
It was made those first well nine holes a lot
easier to be fair as to play them pretty sladly.

Speaker 6 (02:58):
Get a couple good berties early on and he just
keep it on from there.

Speaker 2 (03:02):
So just six shots back from leader Billy Horseshal and
back to Diamond League gold medals for high jumper Hamish Kerr.

Speaker 7 (03:09):
Talking of time, Lexis Man looks very crushing These Headish
kur go from stretch to stretch he really is in
one of those purple patches at the moment to thirty
three I mentioned in Monaco eight days ago, two thirty
here looking provide nice sat Hamish kurt wins again as
he did it in Monaco.

Speaker 2 (03:27):
Yeah, Hamish Kurr looking great ahead of the Olympic Games.
Please join the show if you're fool, he'd like to
Oh eight hundred and eighty ten eighty gets you throw
on the phone nine two nine two if you'd like
to send a text or emails to me Jason at
Newstalk zb dot co dot enz it coming up ten
and a half past midday.

Speaker 1 (03:45):
The schools from the track fields and the court on
your home of Sport Weekend Sport with Jason vine Us
talks in b.

Speaker 3 (03:53):
Now the melo, the pipe, pasilo posse Toossi, looking a
link up. I want of ser Tati to Taiti taking
a meter short of the line. All black Swarman peck
and go eighth and the Groat's over.

Speaker 2 (04:05):
Yeah. Probably the best of the All Black seven tries yesterday,
with debutants passili Or Tossi and Wallace Stiti combining to
set up Ethan de Grout. Three wins in three Test
matches for Scott Robertson to start his tenure as All
Blacks coach. Laurie Mains, of course, had that job from
nineteen ninety two until nineteen ninety five, including the nineteen

(04:26):
ninety five Rugby World Cup, overseeing fifty wins in his
sixty two games in charge. He's with us now, Laurie.
How happy do you think Scott Robertson will be after
his first three Test matches in charge?

Speaker 8 (04:42):
I think whom I'd be pretty happy, and the reason
being that the All Blacks lost a solid corps of
really experienced and talents talented players and he's really had
to start fresh, very much as I did when I started.
And and then describe England, who were really on form

(05:04):
and I thought, very very competitive in the two test
matches and come away with wins was really encouraging for him.
I could see a very clear game plan they were
wanting to play and I could see total commitment from
all of the players, and that team I think can

(05:25):
only improve from here.

Speaker 2 (05:27):
Tell us a bit more about the game plan that
you saw. You can see from watching these matches the
way Scott Robertson wants the All Blacks to play well.

Speaker 8 (05:36):
What I can see is certain phases and endeavors that
the teams, the team is trying to accomplish, and that
each player appears to know his role in that. I
don't want to talk too much about what I think
is a game planning is in case I'm right, but

(05:57):
I'm sure he wouldn't want that broadcast around the world,
but it's very much some of the crusader tactics are involved.
And what you also have to remember, its very early days.
He probably only had control of that team, you know,

(06:18):
for a week or two before the first Test, and
its early days. And I think against Fiji over the
weekend we saw an enhancement of that program. If you
bear in mind that Fiji have been a pretty competitive
international team in the last two or three years, and

(06:40):
they perform well at the World Cup. Well, the All
Black shut them down basically and then scored forty plus
points of their own and I thought that, you know,
it was a sterling effort and there was very good
build ups to a number of those tries.

Speaker 2 (06:57):
He talked about the way that the team wants to
play and apart from winning all three Test matches, which
I'm sure as a metric that they talk about or
don't talk about. What other measures Laurie would would Scott
Robertson and his coaching starft be using to gauge success
or progress or both across these three matches.

Speaker 8 (07:18):
Well, in particular, I think against England he would be
looking at all of the new players that he brought
into the squad to see how they measured up in
his game plan, the instructions that he had given them
to play, because England were very competitive, they were strong
defensively and they were it was it was music, you know,

(07:41):
for me to watch that and see two real test matches,
which we don't often see these days. We do when
we play South Africa and so on, but they were
two real test matches and I think Scott Robertson would
have got an awful lot of learning out of that
about his combinations for example, front rows, locks, you know,

(08:05):
inside backs, upside backs. He would have got very good
measures from that and individual players who were right up
against it, and if they were, if they fronted in
those two test matches, they can only get very much
better as time goes on.

Speaker 2 (08:23):
I want to talk about being a new All Blacks
coach and back to nineteen ninety two. In your first
first test against the World fifteen, you gave daboos to
Jamie Joseph and Adam Pennay. You also picked Paul Henderson,
John Timu, Greg Cooper, all of who you'd coached at Otago.
How tempting was it early in your All Black tenure
to select players you'd worked with as Otago coach.

Speaker 8 (08:46):
Well, Earl Kurtin and I spent a lot of time
talking about where we should start with the team, and
we both agreed that nineteen ninety two had to be
a watershed year. We had to replace, you know, so
the All Blacks that have been stars and superstars but

(09:07):
weren't going to still be there at the next World Cup.
We felt the sooner we started bringing some of these
players in, the better they're going to be, you know,
by nineteen ninety five. And I guess it was tempting
to bring players in that I had coached previously and

(09:27):
knew what they could achieve. I think most coaches do that,
and then you can gradually change them or develop them further.
If they're a success, you can develop them further or
replace them with other players as is necessary. But those

(09:49):
the first two years. I think of a World Cup
cycle is where a coach and selectors need to really
get the foundation and the basis of their team established.
They know, based on maybe your ten best players who
are automatic choices. Based on them, you know what style

(10:10):
of rugby you can best play, and then you have
to bring in players to complement the strength of those tens,
those ten based players.

Speaker 2 (10:21):
So you were thinking about the nineteen ninety five Rugby
World Cup pretty much as soon as you took over
in nineteen ninety two.

Speaker 8 (10:29):
Yes, yeah, definitely. And look, I can remember in my
interviews with New Zealand Rugby that I had said to them,
you know, there was a number of pretty aged players
in the all black side and I would be bringing
in quite a few new players in my first year

(10:49):
to use it as part of the platform building, and
they were supportive of that.

Speaker 2 (10:56):
How soon after you bring someone into the all blacks environments,
are you able to predict or tell if they'll make
it as an all black.

Speaker 8 (11:06):
Well, when players come in like Will Jordan, for example,
you know straight away that he's going to go on
and be a great player. Other players are a little
bit more TENTEDI of starting I'll use an example Jamie Joseph.
He was a tough, hard player and he was one

(11:28):
that just needed to learn what tess rugby was about.
And he did and he went on, you know, to
become a great player.

Speaker 2 (11:38):
I guess I'm asking the question because I mean, three
years seems like a long time, doesn't it. But if
you're planning right from the start, I just wonder how
how you know when somebody isn't going to be up
to it? How you how you you know? You try
someone out, you think to yourself, you know what, this
guy probably isn't going to be there at the World Cup?

Speaker 9 (11:54):
Is it?

Speaker 10 (11:55):
Just?

Speaker 2 (11:55):
Is it kind to be cruel if you know what
I mean and say, sorry, mate, this isn't this isn't
what we're after, Well it is.

Speaker 8 (12:04):
And the last thing I'm going to do is embarrassed
players or anything like that. But we discarded two or
three after the first year and after the second year
the same. We tried players out and just to see
how they would measure against the top players. If you remember,

(12:24):
in nineteen ninety two we went over and played the
World champions Australia and we only won one test out
of three, but we were done out of the second Test.
We should have had it as well, and they were
all very very close encounters, so you can look, you know,

(12:45):
you can see straight away when a player stands up.
And if we just go back a little bit, the
borer Roy Guard from Wellington from the Hurricanes, he's injured
at the moment. First two or three games I saw
him play, I said, right, he's going to replace Aaron Smith.

(13:06):
That boy, he is an outstanding player and some players
stand out like that. And of course the other great
delight I got out of the Second Test against England
and again last night was to see Boden Barrett back
at his best, I mean his mercial, brilliant best, and

(13:28):
that's the best he's played for quite some time. And
so clearly Scott Robinson or his fellow coaches have let
him do what he does does naturally, and that is
play spontaneous rugby. And I guess at fullback he's also

(13:48):
a great first five eight, like he was World Player
of the Year for two years in a row as
a first five eight and then he was taken out
of that position. But he is also a mercurial fullback
and I don't care where he plays first five eight fullback.
He just has to be in the team.

Speaker 2 (14:11):
How long did it take you to feel at home
as All Blacks coach?

Speaker 8 (14:17):
I don't know, you know, I think ninety five was
the first year we It was interesting. We tried to
develop tactics that were new in international rugby, and I
think I think that that is well known by the
rugby historians, that we introduced a new style of test

(14:39):
rugby and then we had to select players to achieve that.
I'll just use one example. I think it was ninety three.
We played Australia after having like running into a brick
wall with their defense around ruts and malls, you know,

(15:00):
one off runners and this sort of thing, which were
flavor of the day at that time early and I said, well,
we've got to break that up. Why don't we try
if pick and go right through the middle. And we
ended up that day scoring two of our tries started
with us getting behind their defense line, getting them gone

(15:21):
backwards because we opened up rucks and malls, picked and
went straight through the middle, and then that became you know,
but then we put that away. We said, right, that
has worked better than we expected it to. After such
short introduction to the team, So let's put that aside

(15:42):
until worked up Yere. Otherwise everybody would be doing it
by the time we get there, and we actually sheltered
it for two years.

Speaker 2 (15:51):
Fascinating chatting Ruguy with you, Laurie. So just to finish,
you feel optimistic about the start of Razor's rain as
All Blacks coach?

Speaker 8 (16:00):
Well, yes I do. And there's two reasons. What he
achieved with the Crusaders. I don't care how the players
they are, you know where they got their players from
doesn't matter. To win that championship seven times in a
row is simply sensational. That makes me know that he's
going to get this All Black team performing to its best.

(16:22):
And what I saw, they had to fight like hell
to win both of the tests against England, and that
just showed me that those players were totally committed to
the team. And that's a first achievement for a coach
is to get his players totally committed to the team
and to the game plan. And each time they've played,

(16:47):
but you know, you can see more about what they're
trying to achieve. That first test against England would have
been one of the hardest matches to play. I think
many of those All Blacks will have faced England were
good and you know they defensively, they were very aggressive

(17:07):
and very strong. And then second Test once especially when
Boden came on, it started to open up and he
created opportunities and then we saw more of that sort
of play against Fiji. There were some beautifully constructed ties
in the match against fig So I'm incredibly optimistic about

(17:28):
where this team is going to go the best I
felt for a long time.

Speaker 2 (17:33):
Good man, Lay, Yeah, great to chat as always, mate,
Thanks for taking the time this afternoon.

Speaker 8 (17:38):
Okay, by now.

Speaker 2 (17:39):
All the best. Laurie Mains, former All Blacks coach with
some really interesting thoughts. You'll have some as well. I'm
keen for your views. Now rate for me the first
three tests of Razor's rain. I eight hundred eighty ten
eighty is the number. You can give it a grade
if you like, or a mark out of ten, or
simply make a comment or an observation about what you've
seen from the All Blacks so far in twenty twenty

(18:00):
four that has impressed you, that has interested you, or
maybe concerned you. I eight hundred eighty ten eighty. The
second question, which players yesterday put the most pressure on
for places in the Rugby Championship. If we assume that
the side that played against England was the first choice
twenty three who put their hand up highest yesterday for

(18:23):
a place in the twenty three for the next Test
against Argentina in three weeks, I think anyone would say
that Billy Proct did a really really good debut at center.
Good running lines, nice hands under pressure or be it
against a Fiji inside that didn't get up in his
face like England did to Jordi Barrett and Ricae Juwani
when they were here. But one of the great qualities

(18:44):
of great centers is the ability to set up there
outsides the way Joe Stanley used to Frank Buntz Conrad Smith. Again,
Billy Proctor looks like the type of player who can
do that as well as break the line himself when
the situation allows. He's an eyes up player, very quick
decision maker. So he's won. I'd say Cortez Ratima is
making a pretty good case for inclusion in the twin

(19:06):
twenty three. Sounds like t J. Petnado will be back
for the Rank B Championship, and no I hope them
did well on debut yesterday as well throwing fin Lake Christian.
There's a bit of a lockjam building, isn't there At
half back. One thing I would love to see and
hopefully we will on the end of season tour is
the cam roy Guard Coartiers Lautima half back double punch.
But I think even before Royguard comes back, Courteers lot

(19:26):
Toma is ideally suited right now to the impact role
off The All Blacks bench scrumb was good yesterday with
an almost entirely different pack. The line out was certainly
better than the shambles at Eden Park, and the All
Black sunsed to just the one try against the side
renowned for their attacking, unpredictability and strike power, so a
lot of boxes ticked. There is of course the caveat
of how much we can take from a game against Figi, who,

(19:49):
while they have improved in recent years, didn't look anything
like the same side that beat England and Australia last
year when they played yesterday. But you can only play
what's in front of you, and the All Blacks did that.
And finally, before we go to the lines, no cards,
no cards, red or yellow cards. In the first three
tests under Scott Robertson. Now compare that to last year.

(20:11):
Sam Kane's red and Shannon Frazell's yellow in the World
Cup Final, Cody Taylor and Aaron Smith's yellows against Ireland
in the quarterfinal, Ethan de Groot a red card against
Namibia and Paul Play at the World Cup, Will Jordan's
yellow against France in the opening game, and in that
warm up game against South Africa, Sam Kane got a
yellow and Scott Barrett got a red. That's five yellow
and three red cards in the last eight Test matches

(20:34):
of last year, none at all in the first three
Test matches of this year. That is a sign of
pretty good discipline, isn't it under the new regime. Oh
eight hundred and eighty ten eighty's our number nine two
ninety two. If you'd prefer to center, text your thoughts
and feedback on the all Blacks, we're back with your
calls after this twelve twenty eight on news talks.

Speaker 6 (20:54):
He'd be the big.

Speaker 2 (20:56):
Issues on and after fields call Oh.

Speaker 1 (20:59):
Eight hundred eighty ten eighty Weekends forward with Jason.

Speaker 11 (21:02):
Faine and GJ.

Speaker 1 (21:03):
Gunner Homes New Zealand's first trusted home.

Speaker 2 (21:06):
News Talks, News Talks A twelve thirty talking to All
Blacks Kathy on text. Here's great listening to Laurie Mains.
I'm totally confident in a raiser and is all Blacks.
There's one hundred percent buy in a lot of science
behind the player. Choice is great discipline and cohesion and
they'll only get better with time together. Good stuff, Kathy, Right, Graham,
I want you to do an exercise for me around
half backs. Are you okay with that?

Speaker 12 (21:27):
I'm about the side of a half back. But I
didn't play there, all right.

Speaker 2 (21:31):
So okay, let's assume that everybody is fit, including cam
Roy Guard. So let's go Cam Roy Guard, t J Pettinada,
Noah Hotham, Courtes, Finlay, Christi Falal Fokkatava. There's six for you.
If you're picking three, who are your three? And who
are you starting at nine and bringing off the bench
in a Rugby Championship test.

Speaker 12 (21:53):
Well, to be honest, I'm going to have to PostScript
for sort of reading. I mean I would have had
TJ there definitely before his injury, because obviously I think
it's a experience and they picked them for that. But
I think if Roy guard was fully fit tomorrow. He's
your number one, and Ratama's too. And I think Noah

(22:15):
Hosum he's played very very well. You know, the Crusader underperformed,
but he played. He kicked on even though it was
against CG. But I think he pushed, he sort of
muscled his way. He's been lucky with the injuries and
it's unfortunate what's happened at CJ and Courtiers last night.
But I think Ratama showed a lot in his last
week off the bench and then again yesterday. Yeah, yeah,

(22:40):
I like, I.

Speaker 2 (22:41):
Like, I like, But I must admit I really liked
what Noah Hotham did too. You know, he came on,
albeit albeit against a slightly you know, lesser opposition and
a four pack that was going forward. But look, look
going forward. If we if we assume, you know that
t J. Pittanada is closer to the end of his
career than the start of it. Roy gathered up to Mahotham.

(23:01):
There are three pretty decent halfbags over the next World
Cup cycle, aren't they?

Speaker 12 (23:05):
Oh definitely, I'm yeah, And no I did play very
very well. I mean, like I said, the Crusader didn't
do very well, but two of our wins I remember
against the Chiefs and Blues. He was absolutely starts, you know,
like a star player in those games and they're not
easy games, those news on derbies and and last night
he was still under a lot of pressure because you're
a debut and all black. So I think he's yeah,

(23:27):
I think the bound of the lust on his way
with the injuries, but he's actually I think those three
just really appealed to me. I mean, it all slightly different.
Ratam was brilliant and re guard. You know, I thought
sort of started the final in the World Cup last year,
so they went with Finlay Christie. I think, didn't they

(23:47):
correct me even wrong?

Speaker 2 (23:48):
But yeah, Aaron Smiths done it.

Speaker 13 (23:51):
But yeah, of course he did.

Speaker 12 (23:54):
Yeah, yeah, but your reguard should have been on the bench.
Actually it was in the final and they played Finlay
off the bench. Yeah that was yeah, but no, I
do that's a threat. Yeah, I think. You know, it's
tough on p TJ. Because he's you know, he thought
he'd come back from serious injury and then you know,

(24:15):
he gets another not quite as serious, but yeah, it's
just unfortunate, but that's the way it goes. And but
it'll be interesting. They may what they may not do
that they may go with TJ. So yeah, the ways
about his dob and obviously I think they get a
big pass mark, but it's early days.

Speaker 5 (24:34):
Yeah, it is great.

Speaker 2 (24:35):
Good on you, mate, I thanks for calling. And yeah,
I think with Roy guard out, I think they'll go
with the same three half backs for the Rugby Championship.
Finlay Christie will I think was just sitting out yesterday
after his bang on the head against England. So I
think they'll go t J, Petanada, Pimla Christi Cortiz Latima
as the three for the Rugby Championship. No, I hope
them showed yesterday. He's you know, he's a good up

(24:57):
and comer. But I think they'll It would be unfair
I think to get rid of any of Christy, Latimer
or Petandada if they're fit, having selected them for the
first three test matches of the year, and I can't
see them taking four half backs. I wouldn't take four
into the Rugby Championship, would they? Hello, Pippy, Jason, isn't
that's right?

Speaker 14 (25:17):
It is?

Speaker 2 (25:18):
Jason? How are you?

Speaker 9 (25:19):
Yeah?

Speaker 15 (25:19):
Not too bad? Thank you. I'm just ringing in but
I got put.

Speaker 12 (25:25):
Into you.

Speaker 15 (25:27):
I'm not really out for a discussion, but I'm just
saying that I give Raiser a teen out of team
because he's Caterbury.

Speaker 2 (25:37):
Let's assume, for argument's sake, that he was in Auckland.
How would you be rating?

Speaker 15 (25:40):
And then oh, yeah, second hometown. I love it.

Speaker 2 (25:48):
So you're you're giving to give a teen out of
teen for the first three test matches?

Speaker 15 (25:52):
Slutely? I mean he can swing, he can dance, he
can you know whatever, he can.

Speaker 2 (25:58):
Coach as well, Pippy as well. God on you, lovely
to hear your bright and shiny voice. Thank you for
calling it all right? Ten out of ten for ras
in your mind? Love it? Uh, Lincoln, let's talk half
backs mate? What have you got a picking order of
any sort?

Speaker 16 (26:15):
Not so much thinking about a pecking order. But I
think Courtiers Ratama I might be out for a while.
I think the way the way is he hit the
dirties today. I wouldn't be surprised if he's out for
at least a month.

Speaker 2 (26:29):
You reckon, Yeah, we had done. I'm going to play
this audio for you because Scott Robertson spoke to media
this morning about it. Here's what Here's what he said
about courtiz Latima.

Speaker 11 (26:39):
Yeah, god, he wake up well, Doc said he was
is in good spirits. He obviously couldn't go back on,
and he'll go through the next two or three week
protocols to make sure he's available bags and good spirits thinking.

Speaker 2 (26:49):
So, I think what you're saying is right, Lincoln two
a three week protocol, So presuming he passes the protocols,
he should be okay. But it was a It was
a heck of a knock, wasn't it.

Speaker 8 (26:58):
Yeah.

Speaker 16 (26:59):
Well, one of the big GM players just like slingshot
of them straight into the ground and his head sort
of bounced and I just saw him on the ground
there and he was just lying. I thought, oh shit,
something really bad has happened to him. He's just lying there,
and eventually they got him up and walked him off.
But it just looked like one of those really bad ones.

Speaker 2 (27:17):
Have you been a press for them?

Speaker 16 (27:19):
Oh yeah, yeah he was.

Speaker 5 (27:21):
Yeah, he was really good.

Speaker 16 (27:23):
I mean he came on that England test and he
just looked at home.

Speaker 8 (27:25):
He looked so good.

Speaker 16 (27:26):
But also, Noah, hope him looked pretty good yesterday too.

Speaker 10 (27:28):
It is.

Speaker 2 (27:29):
But yeah, so let's say let's say then I ask
you the same question. Let's say everybody's fit. Would you
agree with Cam roy Guard's number one when he's fit? Yes,
all right, so then off the bench. Then are you
going Ratima? Are you going a guy like Christy he's
a bit more rugged defensively, No, I hope them. I
think he's probably behind Ratima in terms of the pecking

(27:50):
order at the moment. Would you go roy Guard to Rattima?

Speaker 10 (27:53):
Yeah?

Speaker 16 (27:53):
Ratima? If he's fit, Yeah, yeah, and then yeah, I'm
thinking Noah, Hopem's gonna he's just going to get better
and better. I think he's just got to be given opportunities.

Speaker 2 (28:07):
Mark out of ten for the all Blacks for the
first three tests.

Speaker 16 (28:12):
Seven.

Speaker 2 (28:13):
Good on your Lincoln, Good to chat to you. Thanks
for calling in. Please call back anytime. Oh eight hundred
and eighty ten eighties and number twenty two away from
one spere line if you want to jump aboard. We're
talking all blacks until one pick up on anything from
yesterday the first three test matches. Mark the all blacks
out of ten if you like, or give them a
grade if you prefer the B minor C plus. I'm
not the saying's a c plus things behind that. But
if you want to use the old school system, you

(28:35):
can anything you want to pick up on. Oh, eight
hundred and eighty ten eighty back with more of your
calls after this one.

Speaker 1 (28:40):
Grudge hold Ngage Weekend Sports with Jason Tram and GJ. Gunderholmes,
New Zealand's first trusted home builder, News TALKB News Talks.

Speaker 2 (28:51):
He be a lot of coming a lot of feedback
coming through on text, but let's get back to the lines.
I'll try and get to some of the texts in
a moment. Hello George, how are.

Speaker 10 (28:57):
You very well?

Speaker 6 (28:59):
Thank you piney ring you full of anticipation and excitement
before the first siest of the season down in Dunedin.
Like to be a callback after the first three games
of the season. Been very very impressed with what the
ad mix have shown so far this year. I kind
of wanted to just draw a bit of attention to
the mental toughness and fortitude and the last twenty minutes

(29:20):
of particularly the English matches. I think you know the
composure shown and that in those parts of the game.
He runs quick to talk to how well body went,
But I think across the board a lot of players
came on the bench and keept that composure, and it
can almost be a bit of a snowball effect. The
more you can win those games, the more you win them,
you know, and you kind of have that here we

(29:42):
go again moment at the sixty minute mark, and if
you've sort of been on the good end of a
few close ones, you sort of approach that last twenty
minutes or a lot of confidence. And equally on the
other foot, if you've let games slip in the last
twenty minutes, that can sort of feed on itself and
can become hard to get yourselves out of, as you
saw in the last few years. So I think that

(30:02):
will be the most pleasing aspect for Razors, how well
we've kind of con old and being composed and dominated
the last twenty minutes, would you agree, Pining, Yeah.

Speaker 2 (30:12):
I'll tell you USh used to do that very well.
Was the Crusaders under Razor?

Speaker 6 (30:17):
Exactly exactly? And I mean it even goes across sports.
So I mean when Australia had the water on us
in rugby and in the late nineties, I think that
was you know that that was that whole part of
the game. You just saw you knew it. Mentally you
knew it, and I wouldn't be surprised of you out
in the field as well. You kind of had that
r here we go again, here they come type of
moment and now really successful gonna city of sort of

(30:40):
twenty and eight to twenty fifteen. The amount of games
we won in the last fifteen to twenty minutes by
staying cool and calm and composed was unbelievable and it
can kind of feed off off it that sort of confidence.
So yeah, I think you dead right. Razor had that
going well with the Crusaders and looks pleasingly like it's
it's come into the warbricks environment.

Speaker 2 (31:00):
Good man, George, are right good to put a bracket
around the first three. So give us a yell before
we play Argentina in our our hometown Wellington in mid August,
and we'll chat again there any mate, we'll do for sure,
we'll talk to it. Yeah, good on your George. Thanks.
I appreciate your call very much. Mark, what's on your
mind when you think about the All Blacks at the moment?

Speaker 17 (31:21):
Thank you. Jason turn out of ten go to mighty
All Blacks. And for me personally, my rugby history since
the seventies has been one of the best journeys I
could have picked by myself, my personal strength and my
mental health. Thank you guys. And I had the privilege
actually popping into our neighbors and watching the old school

(31:42):
They've got a as every said, the history of news
of rugby with mister Matthew Roods whoa and yeah no,
and that World Cup twenty seventeen with those helicopters flying
over now and to here it was all isn't that red?

Speaker 2 (31:58):
Yeah? Thanks Mark? Good stuff, mate, Well we might move
on to what's going on with the team at the moment. Hello, Michael, you.

Speaker 10 (32:05):
Get out of mate.

Speaker 18 (32:07):
I don't know what.

Speaker 10 (32:09):
I don't know what everyone'saw on. I think we should
be worried. I was just listening to George there. George
is talking about our Raisin raised be proud about how
the All Blacks playing that those last twenty minutes, especially
against the English. You know, let's not you know, let's
not talk ourselves and to a place where we're confidence
going forward. Because those two first Test Test matches against

(32:32):
the English, we were really lucky to win. And if
we looked at the game plan that is not the
type of game plan you play against the English. Last
night's the g name, they had a lot more space.
That game plan worked well, which is the same game
plan they had for the two tests. It worked well
because the Figians stood off, they didn't have the rush
of defense. So you know, my worry, My worry is

(32:58):
we need we capt to rely on people like Voting
come off the bench and win the games for us
and their positions. We shouldn't be in being We shouldn't
be confident that Razor or Razors game plan is the
best game plan going forward, because to my mind, it's.

Speaker 2 (33:15):
Not were we lucky against England? Were we lucky against England?

Speaker 19 (33:19):
Michael?

Speaker 2 (33:20):
Would that be the right adjective?

Speaker 10 (33:21):
One hundred million billion percent? We were lucky, The English should
have won. Doesn't matter who you talked to that will
tell you that we were lucky to win that game.
The English were unlucky not to win it. And we've been,
you know, we've been. We've been in situations like that
plenty of times before over the years. But I always
felt confident, especially when you had your Richie mccause on

(33:44):
the park, that we could pull it back from the desk,
and when we did. There was no surprise.

Speaker 2 (33:50):
See, I wasn't surprised. I wasn't I wasn't surprised. Actually,
I wasn't surprised. They pulled it back at Eton Park, Michael.
When when Boden Barrick came on, when when Courtiers Latimer, Well,
they were behind, they were behind. When when when Boden
Barrick came on, and when Courtiers Latimer came on and
they found the way in the last twenty minutes to
the game. So I'm not sure that was lucky.

Speaker 10 (34:10):
I think when we when we look at it and
then we said to us, and when we look at
it and we say to ourselves, hey, the English playing
way better than us. You know, those first maybe twenty
thirty minutes, even after halftime, when the game plan didn't change,
we were behind. This is a game plan to go
and to go into after the first forty with a
game plan, come out of the come out of the

(34:32):
break with the same game plan. That's got to be
a game plan. There's no you know, somebody inside there
and said, hey, what we're doing. We just got to
trust in the systems. But I think eight people out
of ten watching it, maybe seven people out of ten
watching it. What have said the game plan isn't working,
we need to change and we did it, which is
fine if that's what the game plan is. My point

(34:54):
being that's not a good game plan. But that's you know,
that's just me. I'm not all back scenictor or anything
like that.

Speaker 2 (35:00):
But then, well, your your opinion. Your opinion is as
valid as anybody's, especially on this show. We're all a
bad opinions lately. Please don't don't apologize for having a
different opinion than other people. Mate, I love it that
you're so invested in the team. Thanks for calling in man,
let's chat again. O good all the best oh eight
one hundred and eighty ten eighties our number, Jamie, how
do you feel about the All Blacks midfield at the moment?

(35:21):
What would you be doing in twelve and thirteen?

Speaker 9 (35:24):
Yeah?

Speaker 20 (35:24):
Well, to be honest, I like him. I mean it's
a it's a bit different to what they've to put
up with against England with the rush defense, but I
person will personally like to see but he pot they've
been given more of a go at thirteen. I mean
nothing against Rico, but to me, he's to me, he's
still pretty much more or less a winger. I mean,

(35:45):
this defense is really good, but it's just a distribution.
Is probably probably that King of Wee bit. But then
and I was really encouraged what I saw of that
he put there yesterday. And I'm thinking with I mean, yeah,
once again, it didn't have it didn't have the pressure
of paying the rush defense that England employed. You stay obviously,
but I also like, you know, with someone like you know,

(36:09):
Jordi Barrett. You know, they've had a combination and super
Rugby or Antonin and Brown and sidem. I think that's
it could be the way going forward. That's that's what
I think anyway.

Speaker 2 (36:19):
Yeah, I like the Jordi Barrett Billy Proctor combination. But
then again, Jamie, I'm a Hurricanes fan, so I'm gonna
like it. But I think it worked well for the Hurricanes.
But I think Billy Procter has shown enough to suggest
that he needs to be in the conversation. I guess
exactly as you've said. The discussion now is if Billy
Proctor was playing against England's rush defense, how would he

(36:40):
have looked. We'll never know the answer, but they've got
to try and predict now whether he can take a
step up against the likes of Argentina and particularly South Africa.

Speaker 9 (36:48):
Yeah, that's right.

Speaker 20 (36:49):
Yeah, and overall I give it about that, say the
season so for probably about six or seven. I think
there's still lots of room for improvement, like in the
line outs, in the in the midfield obviously as well.
But yeah, but yeah, yeah, it's it's it's a work
in progress at the stage in my opinion. Anyway, we'll

(37:09):
see how they go in the Rugby Championship.

Speaker 2 (37:12):
Indeed, Jamie of courtious seven from you, I think most
people would probably concur you know, three wins from three.
The main metric is the wins, right, And as Michael
said before, yes, I'm sure a lot of people thought,
you know, they were a bit lucky, if that's the
right word, or or perhaps you know, just had to
work a bit harder than we thought they might against England.
Having said that, I think most or most people who'd

(37:35):
watched a bit of England over the last twelve months
knew that they were going to present a big challenge
down here, and I'm pretty sure the All Blacks weren't
taking them lightly when they arrived. Ten to one News
Talks there'd be back after this.

Speaker 1 (37:46):
From breaking down the Hail Mary's and the epic fail
weekend sport with Jason Vine News Talk zenby.

Speaker 2 (37:55):
Seven to one time for a couple of quick ones
before we hit the news at one.

Speaker 21 (37:58):
Get a fill, oh, I got a fighting at you
doing good?

Speaker 2 (38:02):
Thank you mate?

Speaker 21 (38:04):
A nice one. I've been making me live with no tea,
but I'll try and be quick.

Speaker 10 (38:08):
Yeah.

Speaker 21 (38:09):
I like what Laury Mayne said. I think raises on
the same sort of mindset and track with what he's
doing and where he's going. As to Laurie was back
in when he was preparing for that World Cup when
he first him and Curtain took over the All Blacks.
I liked the way you could say that we were
like against England, but I would say would rather say

(38:30):
that could have gone either way against England. But what
I liked about the games against England and Fig was
with England, you know, we toughed it out and ground
it out and got that win, even though it mightn't
have been pretty, but we toughed it and got it grounded,
grounded out, showed the fortituo and then with Fig we've
seen the Fler and the combination of Haing given a

(38:52):
bit more freedom, so we were able to see people
like Proper and let It Brown come together and do
their stuff. Interesting about the card you were saying, you
made a comment about there were no yellow cards or anything,
and I've seen on a sports thing with the the
sports news saying with the forwards don't touch that, that's

(39:13):
dirty ball. So again there's that discipline that he's going
to bring in, I think, which he's proven in three games. Yeah,
I think. Oh and one thing I would have loved
you to ask when you were talking to Lurry, and
I've tried to texting, was how the hell do we
beat that rush defense? You know that might come with

(39:33):
South Africa like England done to us and shut us
down real quick, you know, but definitely propped Cortez. And
also that lot that came on near the end of
the last ten minutes. Derry or Drury, I can't remember
his name.

Speaker 2 (39:45):
Yeah, Sam Darry is his name. Yeah, he's another good one, Phil,
isn't he? I got to get to Mark Makee, but
good to Chety as alway. Yeah, I should have asked
Loaurie that he probably wouldn't tell us though, because it
might give a clues to the opposition.

Speaker 5 (39:56):
Mark, I mate, yeah, but he's very quick made.

Speaker 22 (39:59):
As much as I love Ricco, I think even though
he played against the team, he really didn't show up.
Is covin Ricco's to think about it. Hopefully he does
think about it and get back in there.

Speaker 10 (40:11):
I'm out of ten.

Speaker 8 (40:12):
At the moment.

Speaker 22 (40:12):
I give the All Blacks a nine, but a quick
one on the other game, please, Jase and the Wallaby
still got made the problems.

Speaker 10 (40:19):
They only beat Georgia to.

Speaker 22 (40:21):
Me as a minnow side by eleven points.

Speaker 2 (40:24):
Oh, I hope they still got problems, bug. I hope
they have because I want us to beat them and
retain the Bleader's Low Cup. Like I think Joe Schmitt's
early in his reign, isn't he as well and trying to,
you know, find the right combination. But like Razor, he's
three from three. Joe Schmitt certainly better than the previous bloke.

Speaker 5 (40:43):
Four to one.

Speaker 2 (40:43):
Couple of texts to finish finally won. You're talking about
Anton Lennet Brown. Fantastic game. I agree there, I agree.
I thought that Anton Lennep Brown had a very very
good game. I just wonder what his role to players
right as Anton Lennet Brown a is starting all black
could be. He wouldn't let you down if he was
in big games. It's just a matter of how Razor
now works out his best combination. Jordi, Barrett, Rico, Uwanni,

(41:08):
Anton Lennart Brown, Billy Proctor. He's got David Harveli to
come back as well, and even a guy like Quintupaya
is probably in that conversation. And a word for Ethan
Blackadder still wild and rugged, says this text. He certainly
is News at one and then Brian Stronach from New
Zealand Cricket.

Speaker 1 (41:27):
It's the only place to discuss the biggest sports issues
on and after fields.

Speaker 6 (41:32):
It's all on we jen Ford with.

Speaker 1 (41:34):
Jason Vane on your home of sport or.

Speaker 2 (41:40):
One seven.

Speaker 22 (41:41):
Welcome.

Speaker 2 (41:41):
Good to have your company this Sunday afternoon. Nice day
in the Capitol. I hope it's nice where you are
as well. The Olympic Games are rushing up, first action
involving New Zealand teams early hours of Thursday morning, New
Zealand time. Our seven's men are in action and our
Ollie Whites that's our men's football team. Both have matches

(42:04):
in the early hours of Thursday morning average on News
Talk shad B and gold Sport begins on Thursday and
goes right across the games of the thirty third olympiad
Walls wall coverage through the night on gold Sport and
the big events and all the reaction, et cetera covered
off on News Talk SHADB, so you don't need to
go very far. Are looking forward to being involved in

(42:26):
our commentary team actually alongside Elliott Smith, Nick Beuley, Malcolm Jordan,
Andrew Ordison and new boy Adam Cooper. What a team
to be alongside when the Olympics gets underway. Speaking of
after two, our Road to Paris feature has been really
popular these last couple of months as we've checked in

(42:48):
with some of our great Olympians from Games past, and
our final stop on the Road to Paris brings us
to twenty twelve in London where Sarah Walker became the
first and still the only New Zealander to win a
BMX medal at the Olympics. A silver for Sarah Walker
in twenty twelve. She's going to tell us all about
that after two and also Joseph Romanos on the show

(43:10):
this afternoon. He's about to head off to Paris. In fact,
I think he might be flying out today. He said
he poppin', so hopefully he'll keep his word. It'll be
his tenth straight Olympic Games. I think if I've done
the maths right, covering it in various forms as a journalist,
a broadcaster, in author, so Joseph Romanos before three o'clock

(43:30):
as well, But between now and two I want to
talk some cricket. It might seem unseasonal, but an unhappy
tour of England for the White Ferns concluded on Thursday,
that will be all she wrote, an absolutely emphatic victory
for England over New Zealand that may well be back

(43:52):
they come. England have won the match and the series are.

Speaker 23 (43:57):
A comprehensive series. Victory achieved by England over the White
Ferns in the air will be.

Speaker 2 (44:06):
Taken by Captain.

Speaker 5 (44:07):
Here the night.

Speaker 2 (44:10):
Ray a keV picks up a wicked It has been
a morning from England.

Speaker 23 (44:15):
Just beyond will it kick on?

Speaker 2 (44:17):
Will it go for four?

Speaker 23 (44:18):
Will it be the game for England? Jonas has made
a complete hash of it and has allowed England to
secure victory for the third match in.

Speaker 1 (44:29):
A row our four to winn.

Speaker 2 (44:31):
I think one day what fashion England might try and
chase this total.

Speaker 3 (44:35):
Down and it will trickle away to the boundary to
secure a seventh wicket win for England.

Speaker 2 (44:42):
Here at the Oval.

Speaker 23 (44:44):
This the two hundred and twenty international for the England women.
Tidy stop from the skipper. There were two to finish
things off and it was comfortable in.

Speaker 2 (44:59):
The end for England. So I feel like Groom listening there.
The White Phone's losing all three One Day internationals and
all far T twenty internationals on their tour of England.
Brian Stronach, as general manager of High Performance for New
Zealand Crickety, joins US now Brian eight matches, eight losses
for the White fans. How disappointed are you with that?

Speaker 5 (45:20):
Yeah, we got it. I think the team's gut it
where gutter, The individuals are gutter that it's not where
we want to be as a team. But there's also
some realizations that we're a young, developing side that has
some incredible aspirations and and some extreme talent and it's
taking some time. But no, they're not the results that
we want.

Speaker 2 (45:40):
Do you agree that results are the main metric? For
success for this team.

Speaker 5 (45:46):
Yeah, at the end of the day, Yes, that's what
sport's about. You going out to win and lose. I
think some realization around where we are compared to the
rest of the world and understanding that, and we've got
some incredibly big goals that we want to achieve and
it's going to take some time to get there, but ultimately, yes,
that's that's what we're doing in sport.

Speaker 2 (46:08):
What are the major planks in your improvement strategy for
the white films.

Speaker 5 (46:13):
I think experience and I think depths of talent are
the two big things that we have clear plans around,
and we're working towards the more fulfilling and working towards
but ultimately they are the things where we've got to
improve and get better.

Speaker 2 (46:31):
Is the our domestic women's competition strong enough to produce
the depth that you're after to be a competitive international side.

Speaker 5 (46:39):
I think you've got to look at that wider than
just a domestic cricket system. If you look solely at that, no,
but we have a system below that which also includes
different programs and u L and a program on North
South program and so forth, and all that together I
think over time will The whole strategy here is we've

(47:00):
got some real young talent with our white friends, and
we are building that talent and they're growing, but we
don't want to be in this situation again, so we
have to build that system behind it so when these
players retire, we've got ready to go players behind them.
And that's the trap that we've fallen into in the past.
We haven't done that.

Speaker 2 (47:21):
So that structure that exists behind the domestic competition as
well as the domestic competition. Once you get to that,
you believe that over time that will produce the depth
and the experience that you're after.

Speaker 5 (47:33):
Over time, I think it will. I mean, we have
to do it so differently to some of the other
nations because we don't have the depth of talent, we
don't have the resource. However, that's non excuse. We still
believe that we can do it, even with those issues
that we've got to overcome, and yeah, I sincerely believe
we will get there.

Speaker 2 (47:53):
So you said, then you said experience and depth. Can
you just unpack that for us a little bit, Brian,
the operational stuff behind that strategy.

Speaker 5 (48:03):
Yeah, I think it is largely late development sports, so
it takes time to come through and develop and perform consistently,
and I think that's the key. Consistently at the highest
level for us. Talent can mean you can perform at times,
but performing consistently is the key, and that's our aspirations.

(48:25):
You need to learn from experience to do that. You
need to go through that, and there needs to be
pressure and enough players to pick from to be able
to do that. And that's what our strategy is largely
based on, is creating that.

Speaker 2 (48:38):
When you say over time, it'll take time, that sort
of thing, what's at the time frame have you targeted?

Speaker 5 (48:46):
So I look at the Black Captain where they've got
to and that took I reckon an essence ten years plus.
Now I don't want it to take that long for
the Watchings and our women's program in system, so we
want it to be quicker than that. But it will
take time. Now that doesn't give us an excuse though,

(49:06):
to not perform in between. We still want to go
to World Cups and win World Cups. We're just talking
about winning World Cups and peak events consistently is the goal.

Speaker 2 (49:17):
What improvements or progress have you seen under Ben Sawyer
as head coach.

Speaker 5 (49:23):
I've seen a lot of improvements. I look at our
bowling unit and how they're consistently performing. I look at
the individuals around batting at times and how they're improving
and performing. It's just not at the level where we
need it to be to compete with the best at
the moment, and that's the critical thing that we hold
people accountable to.

Speaker 2 (49:41):
So you hold Ben Sawyer accountable to the results of the.

Speaker 5 (49:44):
Side, to players getting better, which the results of the
size is part of.

Speaker 2 (49:50):
But main metric though as results, isn't it, Brian, We
said that before. You know, the White fans and the
Black camps job is to win cricket matches, right, Yeah,
over time.

Speaker 5 (49:59):
So I don't agree that the sole metric is winning games,
because that does give us indications around how we're progressing
and so forth. But if you put some of our
players and their experience and their development opportunities up against
some of those players, they don't compete. So it's not
solely on winning and losing, but.

Speaker 10 (50:18):
That is a big part of it.

Speaker 2 (50:19):
Yes, do you back Ben Sawyer as White Ferns coach.

Speaker 5 (50:22):
Yeah, we're backing. We've got a World Cup just around
the corner. We're backing them fully towards that World Cup.

Speaker 2 (50:30):
Are you open to being innovative, to trying different things
as you seek improvement.

Speaker 5 (50:38):
I think we have to, especially through the system and
through the team. And I think that's some criticism that
can be pointed at us at times, that we can
be a bit stubborn around what we're doing. But yes,
I agree with you that we've got to be open
to doing new things.

Speaker 2 (50:53):
How worried are you that because the white fans have
got a lot of fans, A lot of New Zealand
cricket fans are fans of the Black Apps and of
the White Ferns, they support their domestic men's and women's
sides equally. I live and willing to and I love
watching the Blaze as much as I like watching the Firebirds.
How worried are you that apathy might set in among

(51:14):
the women's fan base.

Speaker 5 (51:17):
Well, the good thing is, at the moment, I agree
with you, we've got a great fan base who care
a lot, and they say it's not good enough when
we're not performing, which is tough. That I agree is
a really good thing. It drives us and it holds
us accountable. I think the biggest thing that we can

(51:38):
do is just show that improvement and show.

Speaker 8 (51:40):
That we're working towards it.

Speaker 10 (51:41):
And are the results of.

Speaker 5 (51:43):
This to a good enough to show that, No they're not,
but behind the scenes that we're pushing towards that massively.

Speaker 2 (51:51):
Are you optimistic about that improvement, Brian, because I look
back to the you know, the series against Pakistan back
in December, you know over in South Africa in October,
back to the last T twenty World Cup when the
side didn't make the semi finals. Are you are you
optimistic that improvement will come?

Speaker 5 (52:11):
Yeah? I am optimistic around our systems and our team
moving board. I yep. Those results are not where we
want them to be, but yes, I'm incredibly optimistic around
where the white fans and woman's cricket in New Zealande
can get to.

Speaker 16 (52:23):
Definitely.

Speaker 2 (52:24):
Do you have a performance target in place for the
next T twenty World Cup in October?

Speaker 5 (52:29):
A performance target?

Speaker 9 (52:29):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (52:30):
I mean our intention is to go out and try
and win it. That's that's ultimately. Like I said, we
have a long term strategy around the white fans. That
doesn't give us the excuse to go out and not perform.
So we are trying to go to that World Cup.

Speaker 10 (52:43):
And win it.

Speaker 2 (52:44):
So what if I was to give you a call
in November and nothing's changed, what.

Speaker 5 (52:48):
Then, well, nothing changed changes, then we would have to
make some changes. And ultimately I'm accountable for the performance
of this team and moving in the right direction. So
that's the critical piece where we've got to ensure things
keep changing and moving forward. And I'm, like.

Speaker 16 (53:05):
I said before, incredibly optimistic.

Speaker 8 (53:07):
Are on that all right?

Speaker 2 (53:08):
Well that was going to be my last question. So
optimism remains your your main emotion around the White Ferns,
even despite what's happened in the last month or so
in England.

Speaker 5 (53:18):
Optimism and disappointment. There's no hiding behind the fact that
we wanted to succeed better in England. But I'm not
losing faith in the fact that we're improving and can
improve and blow improach.

Speaker 2 (53:30):
All right, Brian, appreciate you taking the time for a chat.
Brian Strounich head to HiPE performance at New Zealand Cricket.

Speaker 10 (53:36):
There.

Speaker 2 (53:36):
I am really keen on your feedback on this, oh,
eight hundred and eighty ten eighty and just before we
open the lines or as we do, let's try and
be solutions based here in trying to improve the consistency
of the white ferns. Where should we be focusing our
attention now? First and foremost, it seems to me that

(53:57):
our domestic competition, the women's one, simply doesn't prepare our
players for international cricket. There are a couple of side
that dominate domestic women's cricket, but the overall standard of
the comp is simply too far below international cricket. Scoring
lots of runs and taking lots of wickets domestically in

(54:19):
New Zealand is not a good indicator as to whether
a plier is ready to contribute consistently at international level
because the gap is currently far too big between the two. Now,
if you think about the best elite sporting structures that
support an international side, the best ones create competition for

(54:46):
places in the national side, the realization and crystal clear
knowledge that if you do not perform, there is someone
just waiting to take your place and take their chance.
And that simply doesn't exist right now. And that in
no way says that the players who are there don't
care because they know they can't get dropped. I'm not

(55:07):
for a second suggesting there is complacency among our top
White Ferns players, and I am not for a second
suggesting that they are not trying as hard as they can,
but it's a simple fact that competition for places increases performance. Now,
Brian Stronik talked there about addressing that not only the
Supersmash and the Halliburd and Johnston Shield, our two domestic comps,

(55:29):
but the age group competitions and creating a bigger pool
of talent. But the word he used the most often
was time. It takes time, unfortunately, and the instant gratification
and results driven business of elite sport, you're not always
afforded that time. And as I said to Brian, the
worst thing that could happen here is for apathy to

(55:50):
set in in the White Ferns fan base, especially the
discretionary fan base, those fans who will make a decision
on various factors as to whether they'll follow aside or not.
They'll take an interest and invest in a side they
sees make progress and is backed by an organization with
a constant search for improvement. Now, my gut feel is

(56:12):
that isn't how New Zealand sports fans feel about the
White fans right now. They are very much on the
fence about watching them or not. And there's only one
thing worse than not performing and not progressing, and that
is becoming irrelevant. No sport can afford to become irrelevant. Oh,
eight hundred eighty ten eighties our number nine two ninety two.
If you would prefer to send a text hello, Brian.

Speaker 18 (56:35):
Yes, arternoon Jason. I saw a little clip of the
women's cricket team batting. I forget who the person was,
but they were standing outside their leg and the mow
was outside the off and they just stood in one place, Jason,

(56:57):
and sort of tried to swat the ball and I thought,
my god, that's not how you play cricket. And another thing,
I heard Craig coming speak the other day Jason about
what he would do if he was in charge, and
he said, I would put Sophie Divine in with Suiti

(57:20):
Bits because of the way she can hit, so he
can hit sixes. And while the power plays on and
there's less players out in the outfield, that's where you
should get try and get most of your runs. And look, Jason,

(57:41):
they're getting paid very well, I hear, and they are
just not beforming.

Speaker 2 (57:49):
Yeah, I'm not sure they're getting paid that well, Brian.
I'm not sure they're getting paid that well for paying
for New Zealand. The ones who are playing the T
twenty competitions, the likes of Sophie Devine, Melely Kerr and others,
are getting paid well there, but I'm not sure that
the others are getting paid that well for playing for
New Zealand. Just on the batting, I mean, a lot
of male players take a guard outside leag stumper, you.

Speaker 18 (58:06):
Know, Brien, Yes I have, but this looked so bad, Jason,
like trying to swatch some fly that was outside. They
just didn't move their feets and that is a result
of perhaps the coaching is not coaching them correctly, or
whether the players just can't adapt to what the coaches

(58:28):
are telling them. But it's very disappointing for an old
fellow like myself who've seen a little bit in this day.
And I'll still support, but I want to see results.

Speaker 2 (58:39):
Good Man, No, thank you, Brian, good to chet to you.
It's not just disappointing for those who've been around for
a while like you and I, Brian. I think everybody
wants to see results, and I think you're ded right.
We all want to support the White fots. I don't
think there's any suggestion that we don't want to support
one of our national teams. We would just love to
see some improvements and results. Just on Sophie Devine opening

(59:01):
the batting, I'm a big fan of that too. This tour,
they decid that Georgia Plimmer would open the batting with
Susie Bates. It didn't seem to work on the face
of things as far as the volume of runs was concerned.
I agree. I like Sophie Divine at the top, especially
in T twenty where you can go at it during
the powerplay. Have a look at some of these texts

(59:25):
coming through here. There's a gender difference in KPI is
evident here, says this text from Aiden. For male cricket teams,
outcomes are the priority metric for the Ferns. It's more
about skills development on innovation. Foundational skills and fitness are
essential before innovating. Players need to learn the trade, before

(59:46):
learning the tricks of the trade. Things aden interesting text,
interesting text, Like I say, it's I think all we
want to see is progress, and I think that there
has to be some questions around whether there's been any
of that under Ben Sawyer. He himself, I'm sure would

(01:00:07):
admit that under his coaching the results have not improved,
certainly not as much as he would have hoped they did.
We're not to take over just before the Commonwealth Games
in twenty twenty two from memory, where one bronze there
in the women's T twenty. Since then it hasn't been
a steady increase in performance or results. Really, can you

(01:00:28):
get your thoughts? Oh, eight hundred and eighty ten eighty
nine two nine to two on text it's one twenty
six on us TALKSB.

Speaker 1 (01:00:34):
You'd be the TMO. Have your say on eight hundred
and eighty ten eighty Weekend Sport with Jason him and GJ. Guvnerholmes,
New Zealand's most trusted home builder, News TALKSB.

Speaker 2 (01:00:45):
One twenty nine talking the white ferns, which I've been
keen to do for a while and there's been a
bit of an appetite for it to chat about it.
I see there have been sections of the sporting public
who have basically said, look, you know, nobody's questioning the
white ferns, so we were keen to do it today
to get Brian Stronick on and have a chat to him.
Hebes are texts coming through which I'm going to get to,

(01:01:06):
but the lines are open on it at eight hundred
eighty ten eighty. Let's get some texts. Chris Pintly, what
the hell's this guy talking about? That results are only
part of the metrics. Ask India or Australia or England
if winning is their priority. There's a big problem with
New Zealand Cricket if they think this team is improving.
If we didn't have the curse sisters Sophie Devine, Susie
Bates and occasionally lead to who who would lose every

(01:01:27):
match for years to come as the young ones are
just not up to it unfortunately, and that has to
be coaching. Surely the coach can work on their technical deficiencies.
Thanks Chris. This one from an unnamed person says Jason.
I think it's too late for apathy, but I feel
like they can still arrest it for starters, blow up
the Supersmash competition and start again, have it over a

(01:01:49):
shorter period of time and have New Zealand Cricket and
Ben Sawyer sit down with the coaches of the teams
and divide the best players across all teams. Having the
White Ferns mainly playing out of Wellington is great for Wellington,
not for the rest of the country. Need to make
the Super Smash a development game. Also, simple things like fitness,
some body shape and size are vital to performance. Shocking

(01:02:13):
comment that cricket that winning is not important. Says this one.
Of course, it is for fans, for sponsors and for
attracting people to the game. Get a Piney, says Mike.
The White Ferns, I think we coach them like they
are men. We should coach them to play timing based shots,
not strength based shots. Same for the bowling. Thanks Mike Piney,
says Alex. Cricket has very quickly become a game of

(01:02:34):
haves v have not given the golf and finances between
the big three nations and the rest of the world.
This will happen to every nation that isn't India, Australia
or England. Interesting comment, Alex sues, says Pinta. Do you
denote that Brian Strounik said when the players retire, not
when they don't perform well enough for the team.

Speaker 20 (01:02:54):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:02:54):
Interesting little in a phrase. Oh one hundred and eighty
ten eighty is our number. Lots coming through on text.
I get the feeling that people have been wanting to
say some stuff here and there's a lot of quite
long texts coming through on this. We'll take another break,

(01:03:15):
come back and yeah, I just want to unpick whether
we can we can drive a bit of a few
of this text out because there's some quite interesting stuff
being said. I wanted to take another break. It's twenty
eight away from two. We're back after this on Weekend Sport.

Speaker 1 (01:03:28):
It's more than just a game. Weekend Sport with Jason
Vine and GJ. Gunnerhomes New Zealand's most trusted home builder, News.

Speaker 2 (01:03:36):
Talks News Talks B twenty five to two.

Speaker 24 (01:03:39):
Hello Ellen, Yeah, Hi Jason, how are you good?

Speaker 2 (01:03:43):
Thanks?

Speaker 10 (01:03:43):
Mate?

Speaker 9 (01:03:44):
Hey.

Speaker 24 (01:03:46):
This was probably a clash between the the desire to
make everyone feel good and the hard realities of trying
to compete in a sport where you've got firebagger budgets
and the results count more than how good you feel.

(01:04:09):
And so the cricket powers that be need to focus
on proper coaching and the players that are on contract
need to be made well aware that that's part of
the requirement too, to learn how to play, you know,
proper shots, and then learn how to innovate from that

(01:04:30):
once they've got their defensive based organized, because if you
look at all of those wickets that the White Friends
give away over the last two or three years in particular,
they're all due to lack of foot movement, lack of technique,
and they're just blindly hitting in the hope that they'll

(01:04:50):
get a result. And you know, that's just not good enough.
If you've been paid to play the game, you know,
that's what You've only got one job to do, you know,
if you're a bad person, and that's the school runs.

Speaker 2 (01:05:05):
So it's a coaching thing for you, Ellen, Well, I
think it.

Speaker 24 (01:05:10):
I think the players, I'm not saying they've got the
wrong attitude or anything, but I think that they need
to be made aware of what the expectations are and
whether that's what you call KPIs or whether it's what
you call what's in their contract. You know, if you're
a if you're a batsman, you know you're opening the
bat sort of thing. You need to score runs. You know,

(01:05:31):
you should be told this has been your average, this
is what we expect you to do, and they should
be focusing on the goals around that.

Speaker 2 (01:05:40):
Do you not think that's happening? Do you not think
that's happening. Wouldn't you imagine that's not happening.

Speaker 24 (01:05:45):
I don't know who would not obviously not, because if
if it wasn't if it was happening, then they've either
got really really low targets, or they're not taking any
notice of them.

Speaker 2 (01:05:58):
The problem to strike Ellen is that is that who
do you bring in? That's the thing. And I think
the depth is the thing. I think these are our best,
These are our best, These are best player. I don't
think there's you couldn't look around and say, actually, there's
about half a dozen players who should be in there.
And as it goes to the point that I mentioned before,
and that building depth creates competition, which creates better performance,
there just isn't that. I think every player in that

(01:06:20):
team knows what their job is. Do they Well, I'm
sure they do their professional they're professional sports people. I'm
sure if you spoke to I'm sure if you spoke
to an opening batsman in any grade of cricket, they
would know that their job was to score runs.

Speaker 24 (01:06:36):
Well, I obviously don't know that winning is part of
their role because New Zealand Cricket are happy with them
not winning.

Speaker 2 (01:06:42):
Well, didn't sound like Brian Stronich was that happy.

Speaker 24 (01:06:45):
Well, how about then they're getting coaches that can coach technique,
you know, and because you know, if you take Seas
Divine and the Cursisters and cz Bates out, you know
you've just got club players with their attitude and obviously

(01:07:07):
with their techniques. Well, something's got to change because you
can't expect to turn up at every game with the
way they're going and expect a different outcome if you're
not making changes yourself.

Speaker 2 (01:07:19):
Good point, Ellen, No, I think that's and again I
think that's any sportsperson would feel that way. I don't
think there's any coasting going on here, I really don't.
I don't think there's anybody in that team who isn't
looking at the stat sheets from what happened in England
with anything other than a real disappointment of what they've produced.

(01:07:42):
I don't think there's any any doubt that these players
want to be playing better and getting better results. It's
just a matter of how that has achieved. I honestly,
as I said, before. I think it comes back to
the domestic competition, the base from which these players are chosen,

(01:08:04):
because without without the depth, then you know there's no
competition for places. There is simply no, there's no one
to take those places. If you know what I mean.
You look at Australian men's cricket. If you don't get
runs in Australian men's cricket on the international side, you
know that there's a dozen players playing Sheffield Shield if

(01:08:30):
it's still called that over there, who already got ten
thousand first class runs? Oh, eight hundred eighty ten eight?
Hello sus oh hi.

Speaker 25 (01:08:42):
Honey, we love this show. We were just going to
ask you who do you think Chees as.

Speaker 10 (01:08:48):
The coach.

Speaker 2 (01:08:51):
The board would be in charge of that, Yeah.

Speaker 25 (01:08:54):
Because it appears to us that as the cof the
players are all cozy and happy with the coach that
they would ask for him to stay. Now, I've ever
heard of a New Zealand team any code before that
someone comes on from the board or you know, from

(01:09:16):
the management and said, oh no, no, no, it's not
all about winning. Does he have the same attitude with
the Black Caps? Does he?

Speaker 2 (01:09:22):
No? I don't think so. I kind of think he
was almost not misquoted necessarily there, So I'm not sure
he got his point across as I don't think he
was saying it doesn't matter if we want to lose.
I really don't think that's what he meant. I think
he was saying it was part of the it was
part of the overall equation. I think I think most
of us would be happy with, you know, with with

(01:09:44):
some ups and downs, as long as we saw progress.
And I'm just not sure we're saying. I'm just not
sure we're seeing that.

Speaker 25 (01:09:50):
No, is Bob Carter still part of it?

Speaker 2 (01:09:53):
No, no, no, he's not Ben Sawyers the coach.

Speaker 25 (01:09:55):
Now, yes, yeah that's right, But I think, yeah, yeah,
we do need to see progress, don't we. But thank
you very much, Paney, Thank.

Speaker 2 (01:10:04):
You, so it's great to chat to you. Yeah, the
board are in charge of selecting coaches as far as
I know they well, or actually what happens as they say,
right we need a new coach. They run a recruitment process,
A recruiting company usually runs that process for them, and
then a member or members of the board are part

(01:10:25):
of the recruitment panel. So yeah, so really it's a
board thing. I'm pretty sure that's how the coach has
chosen heaps of text. Let's get to some of these, Jason.
We won't start seeing results from the white fans until
we address the lack of depth in the women's game,
not enough girls playing between ages fifteen and twenty three.
They've addressed the lack of financial resources, so that will

(01:10:47):
go some way to incentifize girls to get into the
game and stick with it. The New Zealand public needs
to remember that England and Australia started their professionalism journey
some ten years ago and the results are showing. Give
them time and be part of the solution. Thank you.
What's the succession plan for when they drop or retire?

(01:11:08):
The underperforming players have? New Zealand Cricket got talent scouts
out there like rugby and rugby league. Well, again, you
can only choose what you have at your disposal. You
can only choose the players who are there sixty six
players at any given time they're playing domestic cricket in
New Zealand. It's the same with the men's but only

(01:11:30):
sixty six are playing at any one time. Six prominces
eleven players. Let's take the squads out to say fifteen,
you've got ninety players to choose from. The essue we
have with the New Zealand women's game is that once
you get below the top dozen players, you're getting towards
players who just simply aren't good enough to make the
step up, either through coaching or ability or both. The

(01:11:54):
poll just isn't there. Brian Stronich talked about increasing the poll,
making sure there is great a depth, and yes it
does take time, but maybe it does come back to you.
You know you the argument that Allen made about coaching,
there are some good domestic coaches around. I know Lance
Dry and Luke Woodcock at the Wellington Blaze have done

(01:12:16):
terrific stuff with that team. They've worked hard on aspects
that in the past have perhaps been ignored or not
focused on, like fielding, for example. You watch the way
the Wellington Blaze and I hate to keep using them
as an example, but they are the team that's in
my backyard and I've watched them play a lot. The
way they field is far and away better than well

(01:12:40):
we used to see in the women's game. But why
should it be different than the men's game. Why shouldn't
you be as good a catcher and ground fielder just
because you're female. There's no reason. Hey Richard, good, good,
thank you.

Speaker 26 (01:12:58):
Look I just a general thought I've had And I've
just looked at the white ferns during the World Cup
and the you know, the cricket and football, and I
generally think you're hitting the nail on the head. Yes,
you don't have that bigger thought to choose from. Two
things have struck me. One is that women generally don't

(01:13:18):
look fit enough in either of it, in the soccer
or the cricket. They just don't look fit, and that
it's a big start. Secondly, I think when they're talking
about developing talent that I think in what needs to
be some incentive in the high schools to have the
girls playing with the boys mixed teams all the way through,
even if they have to do a financial incentive, because

(01:13:40):
that's how the girls to fill up their skills. We
don't have enough in the country to get a good
competitive lead going. We actually need to tap into what
god which a boy's playing and get the girls to
play with them. Yes, they might not be able to
bowl as faster or it's as far, or kick a
ball as faster as far, but at least they're learning
to do it, learning what's required, learning the speed that

(01:14:02):
they have to get to. And I'm sure you'll see
a bigger improvement just or something like that, rather than
just waiting for our adults and then trying to tune
them up to be international. So all these other countries
they do it from the age of five or ten.
We're way behind.

Speaker 2 (01:14:20):
So mix mixed, so mixing of that. So yeah, and
I love Richard, and I like the idea. And I know,
for example, merely Kerr played in the played in the
first eleven, you know, the boys first eleven during secondary
school and clearly she might be a bit of an
outlier in terms of her talent and ability, but it
obviously helped her playing against boys as she was coming

(01:14:41):
up through her teenage years.

Speaker 26 (01:14:43):
Well, even if it's only second eleven or you know,
third eleven, it doesn't matter about playing with that. They're
getting that higher level of competition and they know what
they have to compete because when you go to a
country that's got sixty million people there and they've got
women playing cricket or football, they've got a messive player
base and there will be a lot more persentage wise

(01:15:05):
that have sit as stronger and faster. So if to
get the girls accustomed to playing with that right at
the start, they know what they have to do. It's
not a shock.

Speaker 2 (01:15:15):
Thanks Richard, interesting thoughts. I think it feels to me
the fitness one isn't isn't an issue. I think, you know, again,
at elite level, these players have all got the ability
to know to be fit. If we're talking about, you know,
physically fit, good stamina, that sort of thing, able to
deal with the rigors of playing professional sport. I don't

(01:15:36):
think there is a fitness issue here. I really don't. Again,
at the risk of repeating myself, you can only fish
from the size of the pond at your disposal. There
are only so many players available to play for New Zealand,

(01:16:00):
in England, in Australia in particular those two countries, there
are a lot more so, as Brian Stronik pointed out,
And I have to say, I don't think Brian made
too many excuses. Really. He said, we don't have the depth,
we don't have the experience. Over time, we would like
to build it. So but then he also said that's

(01:16:22):
no excuse for not getting results. Along the way, I
think if we knew what the plan was, and maybe
that's what Brian was telling us. The plan is to
improve the domestic competition, to improve the under nineteen, the
b competition, to have more girls playing cricket at a
younger age and sticking with it through their teenage years,

(01:16:44):
and building a bigger base making the game attractive, that
depth will be built. The unfortunate counterpoint to that is
that we all as youngsters want heroes to aspire to
be like, and yes, there are some of those in
the White Ference, but if there were more and they
were winning more often, then you get more kids playing,

(01:17:04):
et cetera, et cetera. And it's a it's your self
fulfilling prophecy.

Speaker 13 (01:17:09):
Hello, Chris, Yeah, good Piney, Hey a couple of things. Hey,
I was over in England when for about five of
those matches, I didn't go to watch them, but I
was over there. But I mean the cricket riders wrapped
for the Eros and them in the in the British tabloids.
You know, absolutely they just didn't hold back.

Speaker 2 (01:17:26):
And neither they should. Neither they should, Chris, Neither they should.
I mean, this is elite sport. After all, and you know,
neither they should be holding back. I saw a bit
of that commentary as well. You know some of the
postmatch comments saying they were very disappointed with the with
the lack of competition that England got from New Zealand.
Two are on the face of it, better than they
showed in England.

Speaker 13 (01:17:47):
Yeah, and and and and it reflected what they said
to reflect on crowd numbers. You know, there was less
and less going to each game when you've got past
the first four losses. And the other thing. Look, the
other thing I reckon this starts right back from when
Amy south away, when they had a baby and she
expected to be captain again and they didn't reinstate her
and then ultimately she had meant she had much what

(01:18:11):
Sophie Divine and Susie Bates have to offer, and they
should never have let her go. Never let it go.

Speaker 2 (01:18:16):
What do you think, well, she I think Amy Sattathwaite
is a was a terrific cricketer for New Zealand. So yeah,
I agree with you. If she wanted to play for
New Zealand, then I think she probably should have been retained.
Look at lea to who is another one they didn't
give her a contract either, and then they were not forced,
but they had to go back to her because they
were sort of fast bowlers, and all of a sudden

(01:18:38):
she showed us just exactly what she could do. Yeah.
I don't think Amy Sattathwaite was ready to retire. I
don't know that for a fact, but it seemed like
a bit of a forced exit for her. Well again,
yeah you were true. Yeah, yeah, you're right. Actually, but
again it's a matter of finding that balance, isn't it
every team that needs to regenerate. And yeah, hindsight has

(01:18:59):
probably shown that that that was a misinformed decision to
let her go.

Speaker 13 (01:19:07):
Yeah. And the other thing is Jason, just one of
our thing before I first is I mean, man, this
was supposed to be a build up to give us
let us perform in the twenty twenty World Cup.

Speaker 5 (01:19:15):
Four.

Speaker 13 (01:19:16):
Well we've got I mean, fig Oh, we're in the
bottom three and now we're in the bottom three and
what we used.

Speaker 2 (01:19:24):
To be about four Yeah, I don't Well, yeah, whether
or not we're in the bottom three, it doesn't feel
like we're in the top four. Chris. Which is the
way that Women's Tea twenty World Cup works two pools
of five, got to make the top two in your
pool to make the semi finals. Yeah, they didn't make
it last time in South Africa. I would hope that
they would on their day. And someone made the point

(01:19:46):
here on text before and I just am scrolling through
the dozens of texts we're getting on this. So it's
great to know that there is emotional investment in this
team saying that we have the base of a good team.
You know, you look at at Sophie Devine and Susie
Bates have been two of the best performing international cricketers
over a long period of time, and even their scores

(01:20:08):
on the recent tour weren't too bad. I mean, Sophie,
Ifvine got an unbeaten hundred and one of the games,
then you've got Merely Kerr. We know what a special
talent she is. Sister Jess another one, and then you
work your way down and you and you find actually
some pretty decent cricketers. Is he Gaze, Hannah Rowe, Leah

(01:20:30):
to Who, fran Jonas, Eden Carson, Maddy Green. You know
that these are all players who on their day should
be able to consistently play well. So again, that's and
that's got nothing to do with depth. These players have
been there for a while, So then do you flip
around and start looking at the coaching that they're getting

(01:20:50):
or the motivation from within the camp. It never seems
to me to have been any lack of desire within
the white fence. That has never ever been apparent to me.
That this team doesn't want to win every time they
go out, that they haven't been able too is worthy
of discussion, and that's why we've dedicated an hour to
it today. I just hope that moving forward we do

(01:21:13):
start to see some progress, some progress, and that probably
starts with a good performance at the upcoming T twenty
World Cup at the back end of this year. I
honestly think that if and I said that, I asked
Brian Stronik that right at the end, if beyond this
T twenty World Cup, but for example New Zealand don't
make the Semis, then maybe they do have to look

(01:21:35):
at a change in terms of the leadership and the
coaching of this side. Because it is a results based
business at the end of the day, and we must
treat all of our sports teams in this way, male
or female. We must put them under the microscope and
say why aren't things going as well as they should be?

(01:21:57):
Seven to two News Talks.

Speaker 1 (01:21:58):
EP analyzing every view from every angle in the sporting
world weekends for it with Jason Ye they call O
eight hundred.

Speaker 2 (01:22:07):
News Talks EDB four to two. After two hour Road
to Paris feature concludes Sarah Walker and to join us
to talk about her silver medal at London twenty twelve
and the ups and downs of her BMX career. Joseph
rom Arnos also popping in for a chat as he
jets out to what will be his tenth Olympic Games.
Andrew says, I can say that the focus on female

(01:22:27):
cricket at community level is about developing cricketers in the
youth space. There is more of a provincial a program
in each area that is developing quickly. That is great
to hear. Hope to see the fruits of that development
in the years to come. News Next at two.

Speaker 1 (01:22:41):
The only place for the big names, the big issues,
the big controversies and the big conversations. It's all on
weekend Sporard with Jason Vain on your home of Sport
News Talks.

Speaker 2 (01:22:56):
EDB seven past two Sarah says Jason shout out to
Green Island Rugby Club in Dunedin. They won the PREMS
competition yesterday, first time for the up in forty six years.
Congratulations to Green Islands. Our road to Paris continues shortly,
Sarah Walker BMX silver medallist London twenty twelve, standing by
the chattist Joseph Romaros this hour as well, and we'll

(01:23:19):
continue to mop up any calls and correspondents that come through.
But as we always do it around about this time,
which is seven past two, we want to get you
up to date with the stuff that you may have missed.
Andy McDonald has painstakingly put together in case you missed
it for another day to the golf and the Open Championship.
American Billy horseshell in fantastic form overnight heading into the

(01:23:42):
final rounds.

Speaker 14 (01:23:43):
Brucial downhill right to left at seven exactive opposite but
that Rose had looking good, looking, good looking great Portieal
picks up his third birdie in four hole of all
of a sudden.

Speaker 2 (01:23:54):
He's five under and as the outright leader, the Melbourne
Storm move another step closer to the NRL Minor Premiership
twenty four eight went over the roosters last night Walker the.

Speaker 3 (01:24:05):
Little grop far long or she's on freak so love
fo long. He's been on for two minutes and they
get to try. The path to the Grand Final looks
like it's going through Amy Park once again.

Speaker 2 (01:24:21):
Can we Hidjoumber Hamish Kur another win before the Olympics.

Speaker 7 (01:24:25):
We'll get tight legs. This man looks very crashing. These
Hemmish Kur go from stretch to strength. He really is
in one of those purple patches at the moment. Two
thirty three I mentioned in.

Speaker 5 (01:24:34):
Monaco eight days ago.

Speaker 2 (01:24:37):
Two thirty here looking provide nice.

Speaker 7 (01:24:39):
Hamish Kurt wins again as he did it in Monaco.

Speaker 2 (01:24:42):
Here top stuff from Hamish Kurt and with just one
stage to go the Tour de Frances Yellow Jersey all
but so on up after another dominant day in the
mountains for Tade Pugatcha.

Speaker 19 (01:24:52):
And now the yellow jersey strikes and a shake of
the head from vnga guard who says there's nothing nothing
I can do. It's pure power. It's Tandy Pergatcha. It's
win number five in this year's time of France. Take
a massive bout Taddy Pagaca, because that is five wins

(01:25:12):
in this year's race.

Speaker 25 (01:25:14):
New Zealand in the.

Speaker 6 (01:25:15):
Home straight, lan Jeewe's have planned all.

Speaker 15 (01:25:20):
Three God.

Speaker 1 (01:25:24):
Weekends forth through to Perris twenty twenty four.

Speaker 2 (01:25:29):
That's what the Olympics now just four days away. It's
time for the final stop on our road to Paris
feature we land in London twenty twelve, where Sarah Walker
became New Zealand's first and still only Olympic BMX medalist,
winning silver. She was second fastest in her qualifying ride,
but only fourth fastest of the four in her semi

(01:25:50):
final that went through to the final, but in that
final she was outstanding.

Speaker 3 (01:25:55):
Date drops we.

Speaker 4 (01:25:57):
Look for walking around at date six and she's made
a cracking start through Sir Walker over the top pash
On again, Sarah Walker's up the second. At the moment
Sarah Walker goes high on the whistles around she's a
tickets but at the moment she's behind the Columbia pasha On.
Sarah Walker is in second spot. Here comes the French
woman Potier, Sarah Walker maintaining seconds pot At the moment
Bardajan racing away up on the inside, goes the Dutch Woman.

(01:26:18):
Sarah Walker fighting back. She's back up in the seconds.
Button the movement, Sarah Walker. She's riding behind the Columbian.
Sarah Walker, riding there behind the final turn. Sarah Walker
around the berd. It's out of me. A strait sprint,
Sarah Walker looking to trike it up the inside, Come
to it.

Speaker 3 (01:26:32):
Sarah Walker Silver.

Speaker 2 (01:26:34):
I want to call from Nigel Yolden and Sarah Walker,
clocking a time of thirty eight point one one three seconds,
claiming silver. She also competed in Beijing in two thousand
and eight, when BMX made its Olympic debut. She placed fourth.
She is a twelve time medalist of the BMX World Championships,
and for the past eight years she's been a member
of the IOC Athletes Commission, a role she'll relinquish after

(01:26:58):
Paris twenty twenty four. Sarah Walker is with us. Sarah
is silver at London twenty twelve. That we just heard
there might not even have happened. Tell us about the
crash that you had in April of twenty twelve in
Norway which resulted in a dislocated shoulder.

Speaker 9 (01:27:14):
Yeah, exactly. Yeah, we're in the final World Cup races,
leading into the Games, and I had a pretty good race,
but I was coming out down the second straight next
to one of the American riders and they made a
mistake and crash and I had absolutely nowhere to go
and hit them and just located my shoulder. So it

(01:27:36):
was kind of frustrating because obviously I hadn't made the mistake,
but I was the one that was injured, and it
was three months out from the Games, and I was
just kind of like, Okay, the only thing I need
to know is do I need surgery before now, or like,
am I going to miss the Games? Or can I
do something and do that later? And obviously I could

(01:28:01):
do that later and focus on just rehabbing as well
as possible and turn up on the start line is
in good condition as they possibly could.

Speaker 2 (01:28:10):
But you still had to qualify, is that right? You
still had me qualified at that point, so and amongst
all of that, So so what six weeks after that
crash World Champs in Birmingham you had to qualify? So
how challenging was it to get ready for that?

Speaker 9 (01:28:25):
I think like in terms of my mindset, it was
just like that's the reality, and that's what I have
to do. So I'm going to go do it. Yeah.
So I went into the World Champs and it was actually,
I reckon it was perfect preparation for the Games because
the pressure on that World chance was if you perform,

(01:28:45):
me go to the Olympics. If you don't, you don't
even get to line up at the start line. So
it was kind of a similar amount of pressure because
of what the outcome of that race was. So I
needed to perform to the best mobility in that competition
to even get selected for the game. So I think, yeah,

(01:29:06):
efect perfect mental preparation, but very stressful and absolute.

Speaker 2 (01:29:10):
I can imagine what address root for you did. Did
fear of another crash play a part in your mindset
as you were as you were attempting to qualify for London?

Speaker 9 (01:29:21):
There was there was a balance because it was kind
of I wanted to turn up to London and the
best shape could possibly be, and I believed that even
with that injury, I was good enough to be the
best in the world at the game. So it was
kind of like I could play it safe and give

(01:29:43):
myself every chance of being on the start line and
maybe not being competitive, but being there at least, or
I can just give my best every single day, do
whatever I can to reduce the risk of hurting myself again,
but turn up best prepared I could possibly be, and

(01:30:04):
give myself every chance of winning a gold medal. Then pluck.
That was the kind of path that I could choose them.
So yeah, obviously I was. I done the participation that
finished fourth, and I was like, no, I believe I'm
good enough, and I'm going to aim for gold and
I'm going to reduce the risk where I can, but

(01:30:26):
I'm going to take more risks than I would if
I was just wanting to line up on the start
and that's all I was aiming for. So yeah, gave
it everything, and fortunately at those World Champs I did qualify.

Speaker 2 (01:30:37):
Yeah yeah, and got to London and the silver medal.
As we know, I'm interested in the They're very fine
margins I'm sure between you know, you talk about the
risks that you take. It can be just very tiny
margins between those risks playing off I'm sure and then
having the opposite effect of crashes like you've experienced. How
big a mental game is that?

Speaker 9 (01:31:00):
Yeah, It's huge. Like I tried tracks backing for a
couple of months and I remember thinking how mentally or
emotionally easier to do a sport where there's less less rest.
The worst case scenario are going to turn up to
training or competition and I'm going to be really exhausted

(01:31:22):
at the end of it, or if I've pushed my
body too hard, i might throw up. And that's probably
my worst case scenario, where every single week at training
DMX and a competition, you don't know whether you're going
to go home to your hotel or at home, or
you're going to go to the hospital after racing and
someone else is going to ask pat your bags, you know.
So the emotional pace is quite hard, but obviously a

(01:31:47):
lot of years of practices going and accepting that there
is risk in what we do. But it's also extremely
fun and enjoyable and I love that sport so much
that the good way outweighs the risk every time. Yeah,
it is something you just have to work like. I

(01:32:10):
did a lot of work with a sports psychologists. They
did thirteen years with the same sports sack, and that
was amazing in terms of just feeling the fear, which
I think got more challenging as they got more injuries,
but also going okay, well how do I reduce the risk.
And if I'm afraid of crashing, then I'm not going

(01:32:32):
to relax and ride the best that I can. So
I need to accept that's a possibility, but also staying
on my bike it's possible as well. And all I
can control is how I'm going to do my best
start and how I'm going to peddle my heart is
how I'm going to do the nicest jump and also
do all of those things right then the chances are
cracking away less and so focusing on that and my

(01:32:55):
process allowed me to kind of put my fear on
to the side and really just intenptly to focus on
what I needed to do and how I needed to
perform those skills to be if they couldn't an except
that there were things outside of my control given people
in no lanes.

Speaker 2 (01:33:14):
Yeah, what great insight? What great insight? So you cross second?
Silver is yours? How are the emotions? What are you
most vivid memories of that?

Speaker 9 (01:33:24):
I just like it was an insanely proud moment. I've
done a lot of work again with sports, like around.
One of theggest ones I had was believing in myself
and believing that I was good enough and I was
capable of winning, and the next step for that was

(01:33:45):
actually going. Okay, but it's all right if you don't win,
as long as you have given it everything like you could.
So at that finish line, I crossed, and I just
knew that I'd under the ultimate pressure of an Olympic final.
I'd done my absolute best art that I could ever
have done, and my first strait was incredible, and I

(01:34:07):
raced the best race I could given the circumstances it
and so yeah, casting the finish line, I didn't achieve
my goal of winning the gold, but because of all
that mental work of going, I'm good enough to achieve it.
But it's okay if I don't, because there's a lot
of things that I can't control and that excludes my competitors.

(01:34:31):
But in that one moment, in that thirty eight seconds,
one person in the world was better than me, and
that's absolutely okay because I rode my best race in
that moment. So yeah, just pride is really pride for myself,
pride for New Zealand, and just it was weird because

(01:34:53):
I remember getting the Olympic medal around my neck on
the podium, which is something that you kind of picture
or hopeful as an athlete for many, many years, and
I remember thinking that the object of the medal wasn't
as powerful as the feeling of pride that I had,

(01:35:15):
And I was quite surprised by that. I thought the
object would mean more to me than it did, but
the feeling of what I had was actually the overpowering thing.

Speaker 2 (01:35:27):
That is so cool, that's so cool. Of course London
was your second games. Of course you're in Beijing in
two thousand and eight, just out of the medals and fourth.
How do you reflect on Beijing?

Speaker 9 (01:35:38):
I didn't believe in myself. I think is the biggest reflection,
and that was what we we recognized and worked on
for that next four years. But I kind of looked
at it as most young Olympians do at their first games.
I'm here for the experience. I'm aiming for the next one.
I'll see what happens. But you know, like I could

(01:36:02):
win a medal but anything, and like kind of almost
setting myself up to have reasons why it wouldn't work
before I even took the start line, or rather than
just focusing on how do I turn up and do
the best that I can even though it's my first games,
even though I'm young, or even though whatever. It's like

(01:36:25):
poll all of those things, but actually, how do I
get the best start I can? How do I do
this as smooth as possible? How do I put myself
in a position to get the best lines around the track,
and like really focus on that process as much as possible.
In reality, I was just a little eight year old

(01:36:49):
me who dreamed of the coming in Olympian one day
just being like, I'm here, this is insane, this is
so cool, it's so surreal. I'm like living a dream.
And I was really I don't know if you'd say distracted,
but yeah, just focused on the fact that I was
there rather than what I needed to do.

Speaker 2 (01:37:11):
And then Rio twenty sixteen. You missed that one through injury,
and then this is a roller coaster of a chat.
I tell you, a training accident February twenty sixteen. So
how gutting not to make it to rear.

Speaker 9 (01:37:25):
Yeah, I think that was one of the hardest days
I think that I've ever had an athlete. Was the
day didn't qualify at the World Champs that year. The
crash itself, I knew instantly that I'd done something bad.
So I broke my humor, which is bone, and did

(01:37:51):
a pretty good job of it. But I knew immediately
something was bad because when I crashed and sat straight
back up, I couldn't feel my arm at all, and
through my history of breaking bones, I was like, Okay, well,
my body's not going any signal from that part. I'm
not going to look at which way this might be

(01:38:12):
facing or what might be poking out where it shouldn't be.
And but yeah, it was. It was just kind of
like ring an ambulance and we'll sort it out. But
the recovery from that took like three years until I
got the plates back out again that it actually was
much better. But you do what you can in the

(01:38:32):
meantime and make the best of the situation. And I
did everything I could to get ready and still qualify,
but it just wasn't strong enough, and it actually caused
me to have another crash and hurt my other shoulder
because I was just pushing to try and make it.
But I was just like, what was there's even if

(01:38:56):
there's still a one percent chance and I could make it,
then I'm going to try. And so that was my attitude. Yeah,
I think it was hard because before that crash in
the weeks leading into that, it was the start of
the season heading into like Olympic year, and all of

(01:39:17):
my testing every single week, I was doing personal best
and I was feeling good. Even Heather and one of
my journals saying like I can't sleep because I just
think of like how cool everything's going, and I'm just
so excited. So rather than not sleeping through stress, I

(01:39:38):
was not sleepings through excitement. And it was just what
I was realizing what I was truly capable in terms
of phyficult performance and what was possible. And I really
wanted to see what that meant when I lined up
against other people, but never got the opportunity because of
that crash.

Speaker 2 (01:39:57):
Man, this is a roller coaster, Sharah. I've got a
bunch more questions to ask you. If you're okay to
hold on through a break, I want to find out
a bit more about your journey. Sarah walkers with us
on the road to Paris. It's two twenty four more
when we come back on Weekend Sport.

Speaker 1 (01:40:11):
From Penrose to Paris. If you make the call on
eight hundred and eighty ten eighty Weekend Sports with Jason
Pine and GJ. Gardnolmes, New Zealand's most trusted home builder
News Dogs NV.

Speaker 2 (01:40:25):
Two twenty six we're talking to Sarah Walker BMX silver
medalists from London twenty twelve as we wrap up our
road to Paris. Sarah, thanks for hanging with us. We've
heard about Rio twenty sixteen and how injury robbed you
of the chance to compete there. What about Tokyo with
the Tokyo Games.

Speaker 9 (01:40:42):
On your radar and yes, it was so I started
Olympic qualifying. One of the races was twenty twenty World
Cup in Australia in February, and then came home to
kind of continue to see them. And then obviously COVID

(01:41:03):
arrived on the world's door steps and really stopped the
international travel and being able to go to races and
get points and try and qualify. Well. New Zealand managed
to the spot, but in terms of selection, just not
going to any races besides that one race. That came

(01:41:23):
down to that one race. And yeah, myself and Rebecca Pitch,
who went to Tokyo Games for VNX, were pretty much
similar results. And I think given that she's ten years younger,
and I was towards the end of my career. I
think they started looking for the future and they took
her and she did amazing and I was just stuck

(01:41:46):
to see New Zealand on the start line at the
Olympics again and being next the girls. So yeah, it
was it was a bit rafter. It was kind of
like one of my goals was when I finished writing
that I still love what I do and I still
love my sport, because a lot of people who dedicate

(01:42:08):
like ten, fifteen, twenty years to a sport just want
to break and just want to kind of sometimes never
do that sport again. But I really wanted to like
go through that last Olympic class or to Tokyo and
know that I did it because it was a cool
sport and I loved doing it. But you don't know

(01:42:31):
if for sure, if it's your actual truth or you're
lying to yourself until you're in a situation where you're like, well,
did you do it because you loved it or did
you do it just because you want to go to
another Olympics. And so when I didn't make the team,
it was like, for right, were were you telling truth

(01:42:51):
to yourself or were you trying to pretend? And the
first thing I did was put on all my gear
and go for a ride at the track. So like,
even though I hadn't qualified, I was really proud of
myself that I had achieved that next block or Olympic
cycle on my bike, doing my love, and that it

(01:43:13):
made their Olympic team. Of course it would have been
amazing and the cherry on top, but it wasn't wasn't
my core why I was riding. And yeah, I'm really
glad I actually did that Olympic cycle because I made
the podium at a World Cup late twenty eighteen in Argentina,

(01:43:33):
and that was just like this kind of justification that
I'm still one of the best in the world and
that I was right to keep the living in myself
even though others may have been chushing, like my age
or my injuries or whatever. So that was quite a
satisfying moment, my bet.

Speaker 2 (01:43:53):
So are you at peace with your elite career, because
as I mentioned it, it's had it's had its peaks
and troughs. It's been a roller coaster. To use a
couple of cliches, Are you at peace with them?

Speaker 9 (01:44:05):
Yeah? Yeah, I'm really really proud that I'm at peace
with it, Like I didn't feel even after the Rio
cycle I committed to Tokyo. It wasn't like I need
to keep going because I feel like there's unfinished business.
It was I want to keep going because I love
it and with the benefit of hindsight being able to

(01:44:29):
go that was authentic and genuine and that doesn't feel
like anything that I left that I didn't achieve that
I wanted to or whatever. It's kind of it's really nice.
So yes, definitely had peace with my whole career and
the journey that I had, and even through the boundaries

(01:44:51):
and the feedback because it was all part of that
journey and like, yeah, it's really cool.

Speaker 2 (01:44:57):
And during the Yeah, and during the Rio Games, even
though you couldn't compete, it was announced you'd been elected
onto the IOC Athletes Commission for an eight year term.
Which does I mean that the start of the chat
concludes after the upcoming Paris Games. So what does that
work involved for you over the last eight years?

Speaker 9 (01:45:13):
Yeah, that was that was pretty crazy. I owned living
at home and obviously West Rio. It was quite a
big time difference that I st Eliza McCartney actually it
was her first Olympics and I said, if you wake
up on competition day and you just overwhelmed by the

(01:45:35):
fact that it's the day, which I would totally understand.
I've been there. If you need to ring me, just
ring me. I'll leave my phone on loud overnight and
just just ring. So my phone went off at two
wait in the morning. It was the only day that
I left my phone on loud and onto the phone

(01:46:00):
thing it's going to be Eliza, and it was actually
the head of the Athleteses department at the IOV saying like,
you need to be awake because the IOC president is
going to court with you.

Speaker 5 (01:46:12):
So wow.

Speaker 9 (01:46:14):
I was like, all right, I'm awake away. So I
remember sitting just staring at my phone waiting for this
phone call, and at five a m. Three hours later,
I finally get the call, which is obviously exciting that

(01:46:35):
I was so wired for that to get the call
being like, yeah, we want you to be on the
athletes Commission, but in order to get on the Athletics
Commission this year, you need to be in Rio tomorrow,
so you need to be on the next flight out
of New Zealand to britil so that you can become

(01:46:57):
part of the IOC is an athletic representative and so yeah, jove,
uh got my passports, drove to the airport, flew out
on the very next light, and yeah, the rest is history.
But it's been so cool. So basically I was pretty
overwhelmed to start with about all the different things the

(01:47:20):
committee do and all the different initiatives and cool things
that they're involved with, all the different departments, and yeah,
I think I was initially just thought there was no
way I'd be able to either understand all of it.
But like my sport, I just focused on giving my

(01:47:41):
best that I had each day and each time that
we had meetings and contributing where I can. But yeah,
O the time, I learned more and got better and
could positively impact the the athlete experience of being at
the Olympics and the athlete experience in general of between

(01:48:02):
games as well. And it's been very, very rewarding to
be able to be part of those decisions that that
obviously make that impact the athletes.

Speaker 2 (01:48:12):
Love you know, Yeah, what a cool thing. What a
cool thing to be able to do. So where is
your silver medal? Where do you keep up?

Speaker 9 (01:48:21):
I think I think it's in the cavern, and I
think I know which cabin.

Speaker 10 (01:48:30):
That.

Speaker 9 (01:48:32):
Yeah, it's very worn that the ribbon is tatty and
the medal has some dents in it, but like I
love that because I shared it with as many people
in schools, but as many kids basically as they could
when I got home from the games and got every

(01:48:53):
kid that wanted to put it around their neck and
get a photo, like just as many hands on it
as possible, because I think the first time I held
in the Olympic medal was at Beijing Olympics, and it
was already been a massive goal of mine anyway, but
to hold the medal just I felt like so inspired

(01:49:15):
at Beijing, and now I could share that with as
many people as possible, so I did, And so it's
it's a lot worse forwear, and it's sitting somewhere and
I'm sure if I went looking for I would find it.
But like I said, the medal itself as an object

(01:49:39):
became a symbol of how I felt, but feeling even
to this day, what twelve years later still is stronger
than the metal itself and the object, like I don't
need to hold the medal to be reminded of the
pride that I had on that day. But maybe in

(01:50:01):
the future, when a few more years passed, I'll bring
it out there I can look at it and be
reminded more often. But at the moment it's still I
don't know. It seems fairly. It feels fresh enough that
I don't need to need it out to get that feeling, you.

Speaker 2 (01:50:20):
Know, Yeah, I do.

Speaker 12 (01:50:21):
Well.

Speaker 2 (01:50:21):
It feels like the yeah, the metal has been bumped
and bruised a bit and knocked around in a bit
worse for wear, but still shining bright, no doubt, which
seems like a nice little analogy to you as well.
It's yeah, Sarah, it's been. It's been such a delight
to chat to you. Thank you for being so authentic
with a chat about your your BMX career. It's been

(01:50:42):
been such such a cool twenty minutes chatting to you.
Thanks so much for taking the time. No, thank you
so much, Thank you, Sarah. Sarah Walker there, silver medalist
London twenty twelve on the final stop on our road
to Paris twenty three or three. When we come back,
Joseph Romanos, he's off to Paris. We'll talk Olympic Games
with him when we come back.

Speaker 1 (01:51:03):
The tough Questions Off the Turf Weekend Sports with Jason
Kine and GJ. Gunner Homes New Zealand's most trusted home builder.

Speaker 2 (01:51:12):
Two forty. You'd be struggling to find anyone I reckon
with more knowledge and experience of the Olympic Games in
this country than New Zealand journalist, author and broadcaster Joseph Romanos.
He's about to jet hot jet out to Paris, but
he stopped for a jet on the way. How many
Olympic Games have you attended, Joseph.

Speaker 27 (01:51:30):
I've been to them all since nineteen eighty eight, and
I went to a Winter Olympics as well, so ten
or eleven around there.

Speaker 2 (01:51:38):
See, when you're losing count, that means you've been to
a lot of them, right.

Speaker 27 (01:51:42):
Yeah, it's starting to get into those misty memories.

Speaker 2 (01:51:46):
Yeah, do you have a favorite Olympic Games?

Speaker 27 (01:51:50):
Some of them were really good, Like Ethens was great
because it was a centenary. It was because it was
the home of the Olympics. That was good. Sydney was
good because it was so well run, and London was
good because you were so familiar with London that it
was easy Paris.

Speaker 2 (01:52:05):
What do you expect from the Paris Olympic Games.

Speaker 27 (01:52:09):
I suppose it'll be good.

Speaker 2 (01:52:10):
It'll be hot.

Speaker 27 (01:52:11):
I expected to be hot, really really busy. I mean,
it's such a big tourist place. Jason and I know
they were very determined to do a better job than
they did last time they hosted it.

Speaker 2 (01:52:22):
Yeah, well that was was it nineteen twenty four? Though
that it's one hundred I'm surely they could do better
one hundred years old.

Speaker 27 (01:52:28):
They hosted it in nineteen oh four and it was
a total shambles. The Olympics lasted about five months and
they were just part of a World Trades fair and
were a real after thoughts, and they every now and
then they'd stick in an Olympic event. It was nothing,
and no one grasped the importance of the occasion at all.
In nineteen twenty four, it was a very important Olympics

(01:52:49):
because after World War One, Antwerp it had the Olympics
nineteen twenty in Belgium devastated by World War one, really devastated,
very poor, and it was it was hardly an Olympics.
I don't know why they gave it to Antwerp. They
weren't ready for it, so it had to be good
in Paris in nineteen twenty four. Otherwise there was a
bit of jeopardy for the whole Olympic movement. And that

(01:53:12):
they did. They did well. De Kubertant was there, was
quite ever present, and there was quite a few innovations,
like the Olympic Village for athletes the first time that
had been there. There they come up with the citius
ltus fortius, the Olympic motto. There were medal ceremonies, there

(01:53:32):
was quite a lot of things that came in the
first time, and it was a pretty successful Olympics. Having
said that, Jason, there was something like three thousand, two
hundred just rounding it. Three two hundred athletes competed and
only one hundred odd were women, so it was a
man's event.

Speaker 2 (01:53:48):
Sounds like it. So if you look at the success
of an Olympics, now, if for example, we get to
the end of the Paris Olympic Games, what sort of
things have to happen for it to be regarded as
a successful Olympics.

Speaker 27 (01:54:00):
Well, you'd like to get through without a major incident,
a security incident, that would be you know, and they
do spend billions and billions of dollars on security, and
it's great of a few heroes of the Olympics can emerge,
people like Hussein Bolt or Michael Phelps and going back
further as sort of an Olga Corbett or something like that.
So it's nice if you can think, oh, yes, that

(01:54:22):
was the Olympics that you know, Jason Pine was in
the gymnastics and how good he was and so on. Yeah, yeah, yeah,
that's good. And then you'd like it to be a
friendly Olympics. That for them to be an atmosphere of
conviviality and collegiality and so on. And I mean it
didn't happen in Atlanta. That was not an easy Olympics

(01:54:44):
because of some absurd security stuff going on and various
other problems. But generally is a nice feeling.

Speaker 2 (01:54:52):
As far as the athletes are concerned. The Olympics seems
to have retained its relevance. And it's allure is that
the feeling you get.

Speaker 27 (01:54:59):
Oh more than I mean, I mean, they point much
more than forty years ago. They point their whole sports
careers around the next Olympics. That's what they're aiming for.
Even in the interim years when they're competing in World
champion so and it's like this is good, this is
a good stepping stone to the Olympics.

Speaker 2 (01:55:16):
How has that happened? How is it because it's a
crowded sporting marketplace. How attention span seem to be minuscule
by comparison to what they were a while ago. How's
the Olympics retained its relevance?

Speaker 27 (01:55:27):
Oh, it's more than retained it though. I mean, it's
become the major thing in most sports. I mean they've
got tennis and golf in there, and I'm not sure
that the tennis players or the golfers would put winning
an Olympic gold medal anywhere near winning a Grand Slam
tennis or a major golf event. And they have cycling,
and I still think they'd rather win the two de

(01:55:47):
France than an Olympic gold medal. But for virtually every
other sport, a World Champs is the next tier down
to winning an Olympic gold medal. And I guess the
longer time goes on and the more tradition there is,
the more important Olympic gold medal is.

Speaker 2 (01:56:02):
So you mentioned Yusain Bolt before, So it's your feeling
that he would his Olympic gold medals more than his
World championship.

Speaker 27 (01:56:10):
Absolutely, no question. In one World champce he broke in
the two hundred meters I think it was, and so
he was disqualified from that event and it was just
a blip in his career. Really, I tell you what
if that happened to him at an Olympics and that
was an Olympic gold medal thrown away, he'd be crying
about that today.

Speaker 2 (01:56:28):
How do you regard the addition of new sports to
the Olympics, the likes of breakdancing, sport, climbing, skateboarding. How
do you feel about those sports?

Speaker 27 (01:56:37):
I love it. I think it's great. The Olympics are
supposed to reflect the youth of today, and they do,
and they're great. The young people go out and express
themselves in ways that you couldn't have dreamed of. Its terrific.
I just wish that the IOC had the courage to
discard some of the sports that aren't relevant today. The

(01:56:58):
modern pentathlon invented over one hundred years ago for army people.
I mean, it's got no relevance today at all. No
one in the most countries in the world has even
heard of it, and also some of the fencing and
wrestling events and some other ones that they could have
a look at and discard without a lot of sweat.

Speaker 2 (01:57:18):
Who was our greatest Olympian?

Speaker 27 (01:57:20):
Well, ever, I always said Peter Snell, but I think
you'd have to I would. I would pass the torch
on to Lisa Carrington. Now, I think over three Olympics,
that level of achievement in the modern sports world, when
it's so competitive, pretty hard to go past her.

Speaker 2 (01:57:36):
Absolutely, yeah, no, I think you do. You're necessary. I
think whenever we talk about a greater sports person, I
think so Peter Snell jumps to the front of the
queue for a lot of people, doesn't he. But in
terms of because medals are only one part of it,
aren't they? But Dame Lisa has been consistently brilliant for
a long time.

Speaker 27 (01:57:52):
Well, she was never beaten in her specialty event, the
two hundred meters just gone O course, yeah, yeah, they
do that. They did that with Olma when you know
the three thousand meters individual pursuit. Okay, that's out. Yeah,
So she was never beaten at any time, and that
in a success of world titles and then the ability
to go to the five hundred meters, a longer distance event.
It's like a sprinter going to the eight hundred meters

(01:58:14):
on the track and then also then to team up
in the pears and the fours and be winning medals
there too. So it's really fantastic and you have to
you have to salute her and go has anyone done
that well for New Zealand?

Speaker 2 (01:58:27):
There could be more to come as well. Do you
have a favorite Olympic moment or do you have a
couple of moments that stand out from all of the
games she've covered.

Speaker 27 (01:58:34):
I think the Olympic moment that stands out for me
was in Sydney in two thousand when Kathy Freeman won
the two the four hundred meters gold medal and a
home home at home, homegirl. She'd been the facy the Olympics.
She had fifteen story high billboards of her on buildings.
She'd carried the Olympic flame into the stadium. She was

(01:58:56):
the face of the Olympics. The pressure on that woman
was monumental. She came out onto the track, that Sydney
stadium was overflowing with people one hundred and eight and
twelve thousand people. I remember Brendan Telfer saying to me,
the city's gone Kathy Freeman mad. And she came out
in that space age suit she wore, and she went

(01:59:17):
out there and she won the gold medal and when
it finished, she just squatted down on the track in shock.
And you know what, I'm not surprised she never ran
that well again, because I don't think you can climb
that high a mountain twice.

Speaker 2 (01:59:32):
Sydney wasn't a great Olympics for New Zealand, was it?
Consider how close it was. We didn't win many medals?
Are that wanted to we?

Speaker 25 (01:59:38):
No?

Speaker 27 (01:59:38):
No, it was terrible. We won one gold. I think
Roberdell won a gold and Barbara Kendall won a bronze
and we got I think a board sailing medal.

Speaker 5 (01:59:47):
That was it.

Speaker 27 (01:59:47):
I think, or no, Todd might have got a medal. Yeah,
that was it. Not much at all, and it really
signaled the end of the Sports Foundation. That model wasn't
working clearly, and a more professional attitude towards distributing funds
through what became Spark Sport in New Zealand.

Speaker 2 (02:00:06):
Well, it's gone well in the last three I think,
you know, London, Rio Tokyo. We've gone up each time.
Tokyo was our best ever buy by the metric of
total medals. What twenty in Tokyo? Do you think twenty's
under threatened Paris?

Speaker 27 (02:00:20):
No, I don't think we'll get to twenty. I mean
that was a fantastic achievement and the team behind the
team in Tokyo did so well to prepare those athletes
in that COVID environment and to make it comfortable for
them and able to perform well. It was a fantastic
effort by the Olympic Committee and by the competitors themselves.
Really fantastic and not easy circumstances. But you know some

(02:00:44):
of these sports. Rowing is a good example. We did
really well in Tokyo, and talking to the rowing people,
I don't think they're expecting anything like that medal hall
this time, and in fact they'll treasure every medal they get.

Speaker 2 (02:00:56):
So you're over there, I think aligned to the New
Zealand Olympic Committee. But will you get the chance to
watch other Are there sports that kiwis don't you know,
compete in or at a very high level that you
like to watch if you get the opportunity.

Speaker 27 (02:01:10):
No, No, I probably wouldn't you mean like gymnastics. No,
I probably wouldn't, Jason, I'm busy enough, but I try
to get I'd try to get to the rock climbing,
for example, and that sort of thing, you know, something
novel and special. And I always made a point of
going to watch Bolt run because it was a performance
like watching Muhammad Ali, except he's running, not boxing. Yeah,

(02:01:32):
so there are things you set your sights on.

Speaker 2 (02:01:35):
Is working in the sports media at an Olympic Games
easy or challenging.

Speaker 27 (02:01:42):
It's easy on one hand because all the information is supplied,
it's incredible. There's in the main press center, which is
a massive, massive building, and the main room is huge.
There's TVs all around, and there's results flooding in, and
there's a lot of information available. But on the other hand,
you're jostling with you know, Peruvian TV and some African

(02:02:04):
radio stations doing practice broadcast two meters away from you,
and it's it's a very hectic, busy environment.

Speaker 2 (02:02:12):
Twenty twenty eight, you're after twenty twenty eighth.

Speaker 27 (02:02:15):
I'm just trying to get through twenty four justin jeez, okay,
just happy. I'm breathing, and when I wake up in
the morning.

Speaker 2 (02:02:23):
Well save travels to Paris. Thanks for popping in before
your head off. Look forward to seeing whether that twenty
is under threat and which our new Olympic heroes are
both New Zealanders and others emerge.

Speaker 27 (02:02:34):
Good to Jetty and Joseph, you too, Jason, Thanks no.

Speaker 2 (02:02:36):
Thanks for hopping on Joseph Romanos their honors way to
the Paris Olympic Games. Eight Away from three News Talks EB.

Speaker 1 (02:02:43):
When it's down to the line, you made a call
on ten eighty Weekend Sport with Jason Hine News.

Speaker 2 (02:02:50):
Talks EB five to three. That is us for another
Sunday and another weekend of Weekend Sport. Thanks so much
for tuning in wherever you may have been, and we
hope to attract you back next weekend. In fact, from Thursday,
when the Olympic Games begins in a competitive sense with
our seven's men and our football side, our men's football side,

(02:03:12):
the Ollie Whites in action. Gold Sport is where you'll
find wall to wall coverage of the games of the
thirty third Olympiad in Paris. Huge thanks to Anna McDonald
for pulling the show together not only today but yesterday
as well. Thanks mate, we'll see it during the week.
Thank you for listening, as I say song to go
out as the official song of the nineteen ninety six

(02:03:33):
Summer Olympics held in Atlanta, Georgia. In the US, Cuban
American singer songwriter Gloria Estefarn on lead vocals. Here this
is reach.

Speaker 25 (02:04:09):
Rejnaryjunary Junary.

Speaker 5 (02:04:13):
Fili.

Speaker 1 (02:04:36):
For more from Weekends Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to news talks it be weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.

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