Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalks EDB, New.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
Zealand Rugby Women's High Performance Pathways Manager and member of
the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to rugby
Kendra cockxedge to preview this one for us, Kendrack, can
we start with the Blues firm favorites? You'd have to
say five wins from six in the regular season home advantage.
What have been the main reasons for the Blues success
up to this point this season?
Speaker 3 (00:35):
Yeah, I mean the Blues are a classy side. You know,
they've got really talented athletes across the across the board
for one, probably to thirty in terms of their whole squad,
the type of footy that they're playing, their attacking style
in terms of playing on top and teams probably allowing
them to do that, and then just ability to be
able to if someone might push a w then outline
(00:56):
and Braxton Charnson mcgah, who's a young girl coming through
to be able to finish those opportunities off a.
Speaker 2 (01:02):
Bit further on, how integral to their success has Hey DeMont.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
We know what sher brains right, like her leadership and
her experiences is outstanding. And you know, we've seen what
she can do in the Black Jersey too, and you
know when she's playing and she's on the top of
her game and she controls, it's but it's women hard
to stop. So I think she's in plays an integral
part and I think you know, someone like her tonight
has an outstanding game. Must Ter two will struggle to
(01:29):
probably get into the game.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
MUCHA two do know though, don't they? That they can
and have beaten the Blues, which they did in fun
at A just a couple of weeks ago. So how
much confidence, first of all will they take from that?
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Yeah, I think when you when you do get a one,
there's a there's an element of belief. So I think
they'll have a bit of belief now that they can
they can beat the Blues and they can win the competition,
and we know when it gets the final footy, it
becomes a whole different, different beast. Yet the Blues are
at home, but you know, the must To are sitting
in a position where you're the underdog and it's the
best the best place that you want to be. And
(02:02):
I think you know that. But Cardinal've progressed throughout the season.
They're I've probably got a team a team of like
rather than the team of individuals, a team of good
quality players, and it's each each week in week out.
It's been really hard to choose an outstanding player because
they're all playing as a group of players and as
a team.
Speaker 2 (02:18):
I guess when you run your right down the teamless though,
and as you say, they are a true team, but
you naturally land on the lights of black ferns. Alana
Bremner Amy Doupless, do you feel as though they will
be particularly important tonight for the Matatu.
Speaker 3 (02:33):
Yeah, and you know, your leaders in the team and
your black fans, they do become important. You know, you
need your big players to make big plays, and you
know someone like Amy do as well especial she said
the outstanding season, So I know that she'll want to
kind of want to continue to carry that and a
line of prem in the way she kind of leads
in the grind she puts and you do kind of,
you know, probably lean on that a little bit, so
(02:53):
you know, and there's a lot of them across both teams.
So that's why I think it's going to be an
exciting match because it's just the number of black Ferns
and quality out players that are coming through across both
teams is really exciting.
Speaker 2 (03:05):
And the winner of course will play Australia's Super W
champion their finals this afternoon in North Sydney reds war Atas.
How much of an extra carrot will that be for
these two teams?
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Yeah, I think it's a cooler aage of carrot. Obviously,
it's it's new, it's the first time being done and
it's going to be great to be able to see
that crossover match get get played. And I think, you know,
like it's going to be a pretty short turnaround from
Sunday to Thursday in terms of the kickoff, but I
think there'll be a little bit of a carrot there
to want so one you know when when when you
know when you're in competition in country and then go
(03:36):
and hopefully top of a team from a different country.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
So this game takes center stage at Eden Park tonight,
the Blues against Miner PACIFICA in the early game and
Super Rugby Pacific. What are you hoping for in terms
of a crowd and and and those who will maybe
come along to watch the Blues Minor Pacifica and hang
around for the for the five past seven game.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
Yeah, I mean, what an exciting opportunity, right to be
on the main stage and then after what is going
to be an epic match Elkland with Minor and the Blues.
And I think, you know, the having a prime time
is you know, usually kind of stuck in the afternoon
at the moment and people have club rugby and that's
all started now, so that's kind of people having to
make decisions and you have to go play club footy
and missing the action of Opaki. So I think having
(04:17):
it on the primetime gives them an opportunity for people
to get along and watch it. And I think, you know,
both both the games will be spectacles.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
What do you see, Kendra as the evolution the natural
next bit of evolution for Super Rugby, Opicky, What have
we had? We've had six rounds, so the four teams
each play each other three times. What would you like
to see in terms of expansion the longest season. What's
the ideal in the next few years.
Speaker 3 (04:40):
Yeah, I think in the next year you'd want to
have been an expansion and then hopefully it's an opportunity
for it to be a bit for full time as
well for the players, so they're getting more time together
and we're seeing it across this year with certain teams.
The teams that have spend a bit more time to
get it tend to yell a bit more so as
an expense expanding the competition as well as going full time.
(05:01):
I wud up to see that down and down the track.
I think that'd be a great opportunity for these classes
that continue be able to play more rugby at a
high level.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
One hundred percent and huge year for the Black Ferns.
Of course the World Cup in August and September. How
confident should we be that this team can emulate what
what your team did three years ago?
Speaker 3 (05:20):
Yeah, I mean I'm back in there, you know, because
I've been part of a team that's done that. But
after watching this opake, we've definitely got the players to
be able to win a World Cup on the world stage.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
And also just this week you launched New Zealand Rugby
Next Ferns nationwide search for new rugby talent in a
bid to uncover some future players for the fifteens and
sevens programs. How confident. Are you can uncover a few
gems through through this program.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Yeah. I'm really excited about this program. And it's such
a great opportunity to you know, to put the feelers
out there for athletes and you know they're not already
I guess in our path play and we know the
power of that. We don't want it's already done with
the lights of a Kada b Kayla mckels who came
through Paul Shwartsman. I think even Gail Bortter was kind
of ordering the system in terms of a little bit
of rag player in the league and other sports too,
so for her, you know. So it has worked in
(06:07):
the past, so you know, we wanted to give it
a crack. It spend wanted over a decade since we've
We've done it, and I think it's just yeah, it's
course want people to come in and give it a go.
If you want to be an explecter and you've got
a bit of height, you've got some speed, or you
offer some real serious power, you know, we want to
see that.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Yeah, looking forward to seeing the fruits of up all right,
are you willing to call it tonight Blues or Mata too?
Speaker 3 (06:29):
I've actually I've been I've been becking my probably my
heads the last few weeks, and I'm going to back
my heart this week and I'm gonna go with the
Buster two twelve and wonderful.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Thanks Kendra, I really appreciate your time this afternon look
forward to our cracking game tonight at Eaton Park.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
All Right, thank you for more from Weekend Sport with
Jason Fine. Listen live to news Talks b weekends from midday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio