Elliott Smith: Newstalk ZB Rugby Commentator on the Blues beating out Moana Pasifika

Blues coach Vern Cotter has commended Beauden Barrett's influence on the Super Rugby team since returning from a hand injury.

The All Black steered the Blues to a 19-point win over Moana Pasifika and Cotter says the number 10's talent is unmatched. 

Newstalk ZB Rugby Commentator Elliott Smith joined Piney to discuss.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk Z'B Yeah.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Rugby editor Elliot Smith, that's his voice. He called the
game for us and he joins us. Now, I know
it's a small sample size and a bit of a
low bar, Elliot, but was this the Blues best performance
of twenty twenty five?

Speaker 3 (00:24):
I think it was Piney. They reverted to type almost
from twenty twenty four and just played direct and roll,
best sleeves up. The Fords went to work, which is
what led them to the title last year and Zan
got the job done. Didn't allow Mauana Pacific a bit
of a look and we've become conditioned to Mowana being
a second half team and finding that kick in the

(00:45):
second spell. But the Blues just suffocated them and didn't
allow them to play in the right areas of the ground,
didn't allow them any ball really in the first spells
two thirds possession that the Blues had after forty minutes,
So they just denied Mawana any chance to get a
foothold in the game and played, as I said, more
direct and with a bit more intent than they've probably

(01:08):
played all seasons. So I think it has to be
their best win so far of twenty twenty five.

Speaker 2 (01:13):
So they used the blueprint that was so successful for
them last season. Have they been trying to do that anyway,
but just not doing it as well? Is that what's
been happening this year?

Speaker 3 (01:22):
I think so absolutely. I think they added a little
bit to the game, trying to play perhaps slightly more
expansively than what we saw last year. But in the
last few weeks they have gone a little bit more
direct as the results haven't come their way and it
just hasn't clicked. They've had a number of injuries, of course,
and now they've got some of their first choice players
back out on the park, those players that help them

(01:43):
to that title last year. You know, Boden Barrett didn't
play last year, but he's still now getting his head
into that game plan at the Blues want to play
Hoskins a twot. They missed some game time through suspension,
Golden Papalite's been injured. Some other of their fords, Rockettelli
Ekland have all been injured at certain points. So you're
getting the band back together at this point of the season,

(02:04):
and the band knows the tune. They want to play
and it was a very successful one last year in
the way they wanted to play. So I think we're seeing,
you know, that the pieces come together for the Blues,
only you know the seat the first time they got
back to back wins so far this year, but it
feels like there's getting a semblance of the game plan
that they want to play in twenty twenty five.

Speaker 2 (02:26):
So the Blues led twenty four to five at halftime,
which seems like a decent lead. How acutely aware would
they have been though, of Mowana's ability to mount a
comeback as they have in recent games.

Speaker 3 (02:37):
Very much so, I think, And with the power that
Mowana had on the bench, you know, Tom Savage, who's
usually their first choice Locke was coming off the bench.
Patrick Pallagrini, who's been in such great touch for Murwana
since making his debut coming off the bench as well.
It almost felt like they were adding more firepower to
what has already been a strong bench for them this season.

(02:59):
But the first I thought ten fifteen minutes after the
halftime break were really crucial and just not allowing Mowana
to get a roll on. In that second spell, we
saw the Blues just hold on to possession in that
first ten minutes, deny them and then the clock becomes
an enemy for Mowana Pacifica, and they just couldn't get

(03:20):
really out of their twenty two anytime they had the ball.
The Blues were able to diffuse it with poor exits.
The set piece of the Blues world really really well
last night if you line out steels throughout the course
of the game, and Mawada just looked clunky compared to
the way they're played in recent weeks as well. So
I thought, in terms of sticking to a game plan

(03:41):
and numifying the opposition's game plan, that was probably as
good as you'll get from the Blues in terms of
what we have come to expect from both the Blues
this season and wander Pacifica. They flipped it on their heads.

Speaker 2 (03:54):
You mentioned Boden Barrett before back from a hand injury
and had a big say for the second straight game.
Are the Blues just a better side with him in
the ten jersey?

Speaker 3 (04:03):
I think they are in a style they want to play,
and his ability to get them around the park, I
think he is, you know, clearly of the best verst
five you know in the in the country, I think
at the moment, and you know, season out in Japan
getting back into the Blues environment and playing Super rugby,
had that hand injury. Of course, it's noticeable, you know,

(04:26):
compared to the game against the Crusaders where he wasn't
there and they had about fifteen injuries in the ends.
Just the difference that he makes to this Blues team
and this tactical kicking, just the way pauls the strings
in the back line. He is playing really really good
football for them this season. A couple of weeks ago,
obviously against the Hurricanes for penalty goals, done it the

(04:48):
last time he would have kicked four penalty goals in
a match, Boten Barrett. But he's becoming adaptable, I think
in the way that he's playing with his Blues style,
but also the way that he wants to play in
this environment as well. So I think he suits the
way the Blues want to play. I think they're a
better team with him in the and you know, at
this point in the season, they're not completely out of

(05:09):
the playoff mixed by any stretch of the imagination. And
if he stays fit, you know, it's a big part
of potentially they're run into the playoffs as well.

Speaker 2 (05:16):
Back to back wins. Then, since the BUYE and the
buy came off the back of that loss to the
Crusaders at Eden Park that both you and you and
I were at, and we've talked a lot, you and
I about how poor the Blues were that night, do
you think that performance would have compelled some pretty deep
self examination in the Blues camp.

Speaker 3 (05:36):
I believe so.

Speaker 1 (05:37):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (05:37):
I'm of understanding that when they came back after that
bye and then got a few players back, they had
some pretty tough conversations the Monday when they got back
into camp around the team and the way that they
wanted to play this season. They obviously have a next
man up mentality, but fifteen injuries is tricky for any
team to deal with. But what they turned out against

(05:58):
the Crusaders was really disappointing in any Super rug big year,
but you know, coming off a championship year bit when
the Crusaders are in their pom, you know, that's one
of the marquee games of Super Rugby and an old rivalry,
and the Blues just didn't really turn up that night,
apart from perhaps the first five minutes and the last
ten or so when the game was done. So there's

(06:20):
been some honest conversations in cams that're reverted to what
worked from them last season. They've got some troops back
and they're looking a little bit better for it and
you know, winning Breed's confidence. A couple of wins under
the belt. They head to crist Etch next week on
Good Friday with a few more players fit that weren't
there last time and look to turn the tables on

(06:40):
now the top of the table side and Super Rugby.
The Crusaders just want.

Speaker 2 (06:44):
To look at the draw that the Blues have had.
Their New Zealand derby's have been really front loaded this season. Elliott,
you talk about the Crusaders this week, so that'll be
nine games eight of their first nine against the other
New Zealand sides, including Mowana Pacifica. They're remaining five games
Red's Force Drewer, Mowana Pacifica, Warritas. The draw has been
a bit tough on the Blues, hasn't it.

Speaker 3 (07:05):
It has been. It's a tough one for them and
they've had to navigate that with a number of injuries.
A lot of the derby's but as you say, they've
had the Chiefs twice, they've had the Crusaders once and
twice after this week in the Hurricanes as well, so
they do have what your term is an easier run home.
They do have to go play the Reds in Britain.

(07:27):
A lot of pacificate on the other side of the
bridge will be a tricky prospect as well, but they've
got some games there where I think certainly they can
target and go we can get on a little bit
of a roll here and get ourselves into the Plooves.
It might be the home advantages perhaps beyond them now
in the Ploves, but they're you know, really only a

(07:47):
win and you know win outside the playoffs when you
look at the table and they can really find their
momentum as they head in. So it's been a tricky
front half of the season. Then Cod has used golfing analogy.
You know that the front nine was pretty tough, but
they're on the back nine now and they've picked up
a couple of shitos and you know they'll need to

(08:08):
head for home and channel Rory mcelroyl up this morning
in the third round of the Masters and flush the
first round, which was terrible for rory and come back
strong in the second and third.

Speaker 2 (08:18):
Yeah, that's a good analogy. Just to finish you look
at the table. Everybody's played eight games now, so we
can make a genuine comparison with Without Buyers etc. Four
Australian sides, all four Australian sides in the top six,
Brumby's third, reads, fourth, wartas fifth force, sixth. When is
it time to actually say right, there are probably going

(08:39):
to be two or three in the top six.

Speaker 3 (08:43):
Look, I think the table will still have some movement
over the coming week. So we mentioned the Blues dra
all there. They should win a few of those games.
On the face of it, they should win those games.
If we're judging previous results and judging previous seasons, the
Blues should be good enough. But we're also judging against
this season where anyone can be anyone and it's very

(09:05):
very hard to predict. We thought that the Brumbies win
last night in a very good performance. I thought against
the Reds and I think there's still going to be
some teams beating up on each other. So I think
there's a little bit of change coming to the table
over the next few weeks. No one's really run away
and put themselves as the runaway leaders. We saw the

(09:25):
Chiefs obviously lose on Friday Night as well, so it's
really congested and that means in the closing weeks of
the season that every wind is going to mean more
and it is going to change that table a little
bit further. So, look, I think there'll be probably two
teams from Australia, if not three in the playoffs. The
kerew We sides have lift themselves a bit of work
to do, but there are wins to come and points

(09:47):
still on the table that could shake up this table.
So look, I think right until that final round where
there's some interesting matchups, we're going to be looking at
this table and it could change very dramatically over the
closing weeks of the season.

Speaker 2 (09:59):
Yeah, which is what we've always wanted. Elliott, thanks so much,
great call last night on the Blues Mina Pacific a game.
Thanks for your time this after knowing. That's our rugby
editor and lead commentator Elliott Smith.

Speaker 1 (10:10):
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