July 18, 2025 • 19 mins
Stephen Donald has had an iconic, if not turbulent rugby career.
He was an All Black for four years, playing from 2008 to 2011, and capped it off by kicking the winning penalty in the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
Donald joined Piney to discuss that moment, what he’s been up to in the years after retiring from the game, and what he makes of the current All Blacks performances.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
In this part of the country, a few names spring
instantly to mine, most notably our next guest. He actually
played his first NBC rugby games for Counties while he
was still at school in two thousand and one, then
moved to Waycuttle in two thousand and four debut for
the Chiefs and five went on to become their all
time leading points scorer eight hundred and eighty six points
(00:33):
and one hundred and five matches, still second only to
Damien Mackenzie. Played for the New Zealand under twenty one
so the junior All Blacks, and made his full All
Blacks debut against England in two thousand and eight. Went
on to play twenty five times for the All Blacks,
including twenty three Test matches, the last of which provided
one of the most iconic moments in our sporting history.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Thirty five out dead in front, he moves in. He
likes it. There's a little skimmin that's.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Over hay Well and he's already back at the twenty two.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Stephen Dunnell packed up.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Everyone knows where they were when he kicked that goal
in the twenty eleven Rugby World Cup Finals. Since then,
he's been and continues to be a radio host, podcaster, entrepreneur,
rugby coach and commentator, analyst with Skysport and universally has
Beaver Stephen Donald, Nice to see.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
You, mate, great beer pony, How you mate, I'm very good.
It's so good to see you.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Can you go anywhere in this town without us being
asked for a selfie or will we stop for a chat?
Speaker 4 (01:31):
It's good, it's I don't live in Hamilton anymore, but
I've been down all morning watching my beautiful nieces play
netball to start with at eight point thirty and then
hockey at ten thirty.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
And yeah, I love being down here.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
It's a wonderful public And yeah, he said, it's a
wonderful part of my life. And I always feel like,
you know, obviously born and bred Wayuku, but this always
I talk about home. This is you know, sitting there
a place that I feel like it's home for me.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
You know, good on your mate, Well you look right
at home now last night or yesterday late afternoon. You
coach the Classics against the PACIFICA Legends and even park
how would that go.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Yeah, it was good.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
If anyone saw it on Sky TV last night, you'd
have had a laugh. Obviously, a lot of us, well,
a lot of us, all of us well and truly passed,
are used by date, but great fun and a great concept.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Of course.
Speaker 4 (02:24):
Classics is born out of the Classic All Blacks that
the Great Andy, the late great Andy Hayden was the
big driving force behind it, and then a wonderful, wonderful story.
His kids now have picked up the bet and then
just called the Classics, obviously due to legal reasons, but
they're running it. And although it's a lot of fun
(02:45):
for the guys to get together and play games and socialize,
it really is a wonderful void filled for guys post career.
And you know, we do live a wonderful life as
far as our careers go.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
But you know, and it shouldn't. We don't feel sorry
for yourselves.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
But once you walk out of an environment where you've
got thirty five of your best mates and your front
out into what I call the real world, it's it
can be harsh, and things like getting to give up
a couple of times a year or whatever, like the
Haydens are now carrying on is wonderful and they're doing
God's work as far as I'm concerned in a small way,
for the for the rugby players. I mean, we've got
(03:25):
a great game next week against fong and Nui at
the legendary Cooks Garden. And again, although it's wonderful for
us to get together as former teammates and opponents. Also,
I love the thing that the last couple of years,
last year we went to Fongolai and played in Northland.
This year Cooks Garden Wanganui MPC team is people like,
(03:47):
the names are pretty impressive and next week's team is
even more blockbust than the last night's team. And the
fact is people Fongui would have seen that caliber player.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
I know, you know, pass these.
Speaker 4 (03:57):
Wadys, but that caliber player and there in the community
and the boys will be down there for four days
straight next week.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
So looking forward to that.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Mate, you talk about that move to the real world,
and there are so many chilling I'm sure with that
financial physical but the friendship stuff. You spend all day
every day with thirty five of your best mates yep,
and all of a sudden that's gone. How challenging is that?
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (04:17):
And I guess I found it pretty challenging something because
the fact that it is, it is essentially you don't
realize what you've got until it's gone. And mine left
with COVID. Really I finished in Japan and SEID and
catch off COVID and came back and for six months,
you know, I was, I know, we were all sort
(04:38):
of getting up in the morning, going right, how I'm
going to fill in today because we weren't allow to
go to anybody our house. But I found an extremely
difficult just routine.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
You know.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
I was always someone that because I had to work
so hard to get where I did, because I wasn't talented,
I sort of would take every box. And I used
to think myself, oh, I can't wait till I'm finished playing.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
I'll drink and eat pies.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
And then, you know, you wake up and all of
a sudden, a month into this new freedom, you're like,
she's are I supposed to be somewhere?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Or where's my next training? You know?
Speaker 4 (05:07):
And I can eat what I want or I can
drink what I want, you know, and all of a sudden,
you know the structure of life is tough to get
hold of. And then you're not being around guys, and
then going through you feel isolated and I just kill him.
Males being what they are, we don't bring up each
other and go, jeez, you struggling because I don't know
what to do now, you know, And and then you know,
getting into the real world. I mean, you're yourself for
(05:29):
a reason. Why my cushion was a lot softer because
you got me a job. But there are guys, and
I know, for six months I was thinking what am
I going to do? You know, and I know the
guys that really struggle, and you talk about the paycheck
and we are blessed with the paycheck.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
We get while playing.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
But then all of a sudden you get used to that,
and your family and your wives and all that get
used to it too, and all that becomes a factor.
So no, it's an interesting time, and yeah, things like
the classics all that. It's not going to solve all
the problems. It's just still a nice way for guys
to get to give and actually be open about it
and talk about it and go, yeah, it's she's a
bit difficult in which you can you help each other out.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
So I got to I got a little business.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
At the moment, which you know, we strugg along, but
like one of our employees or the only employee we've
got is one of my great old teammates from down
these ways. So it's it's called about I do that
sort of stuff too.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Yeah, brilliant stuff. I want to talk about your your
current exploits and your and your things you're involved in. Shortly,
but it's there a day that goes by when someone
doesn't remind you about the twenty third of October twenty eleven.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
It's funny you get asked it, and.
Speaker 4 (06:34):
And the raally is probably not no, it's yeah, it's yeah.
I guess it's just become so normal now that there's
always that sort of that sort of people and the
you know, like people go oh, you get sick of it.
There's two things about like a it's a lot better
than being reminded about Hong Kong every day. And secondly,
(06:55):
and secondly, when those people come up and talk to you,
it's the first time that they've ever seen you or
been the opportunity. Like some of the stories I've heard
from people are unbelievable as far as what either meant
to them or where they were or like I ran
into somebody.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
I'm trying to think where I was.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
I was overseas somewhere, and I ran into one of
our true heroes, which is somebody who's in our army.
And he told me that how he watched the game.
They watched it six hours after us because they were
serving over in wherever the war was at the time,
Afghanistan or what have you, and they got it, They
knew when it was on, but they had to get
(07:35):
it taken up to them on some sort of device
through like what what do they call those in the
army sort of yea convoys or whatever, and dropping off
the tape of the game, dropping off the.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Tape of the game.
Speaker 4 (07:48):
And when this guy told me that, I mean I
was probably a few beers deep at the time. By
tell what, it sobered me up when you when you
hear that sort of story in the reality of it,
and and I guess again highlights the fact that what
what the what the sport and the team means to
this country. And so when you hear things like that, mate,
you can't help. But you know, if it's five minutes
out of your day, then so beet, because it's always
(08:09):
cool to hear people's excitement for it.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Were you actually white baiting or has that story been exaggerated?
Speaker 4 (08:15):
Look at you know a lot of a lot of
my friends from and say were you or were you
just trying to make a quick buck from the next
movie or something? But no, it's It's true. I was
white bating down the river with my great mate Douggie,
and I like, the river's got a pretty good reception
these days.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
Isn't it.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
But that part of it is still to this day
hasn't been covered by any of the any of the towers.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
So, yeah, I was.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
I was none the wise, And you know, I went
down there that day having no information but thinking, shit,
it's not me then who you know? So obviously you'd
already been an injury and you'd had a glimmer of hope.
But my great mate Cruds had got caught on ahead
of me there on that one, And yeah, I had
I had hopes. But at the time Pitty was goal
(09:01):
kicking Petty. He had also the ability to probably cover
ten if need me, And I didn't know how deep
the Hong Kong fall out ran with the coaches, you know,
like they say, I mean on yours gone from the
early announcements. But did it mean that if they were
down to number three, was I still gone?
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Gone?
Speaker 4 (09:20):
So I went down there have no ambition or thought
of being a part of it.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Well, it's, as I say, part about folklore, something that yeah,
I'm sure you'll be reminded of for many years to come.
Can we bring it to the present day?
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
You're close with many of these chiefs boys. Can I
ask you about a couple of them? Anton Lenet Brown yep.
First test of the year after coming back from injury,
his eighty six tests. And we know we can play
twelve or thirteen? What is his best role beef to
play with it? All Blacks twelve, thirteen or twenty three?
Speaker 4 (09:50):
Yeah, I mean the first thing that strikes you that
I reckon creeps up on it crept up on me
when I looked at it the start of the year,
was you just said his number eighty six. If you're
an a six test all Black, you are something. And
I remember, first of all, A came back from Japan.
I walked out on a big contract and I was
I've regret it ever since with my paycheck. But I
(10:13):
I came back and just played white Kadow and then
picked up another Chiefs turn and I remember the first
training I ever went too, and obviously he was a
lot of hype around the guy with blonde hair and
a cheeky smile and we'll.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
Get to him.
Speaker 4 (10:26):
And there was also a bit of high pround this midfielder.
And I had about two or three trainings with with him.
Then I'm from Bara Soap and I thought I literally
fought Conrad Smith straight away, and from from an engine
point of view, like to play in the midfield and
to play like Conrad that you need a big engine,
and Conrad had that. Anton's got a massive engine, an
(10:50):
intelligent football even at a young age, and just the
way he's he's not one of your typical explosive midfielders,
but he's a very safe pair of hands.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
He's very clever on defense.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
And that's what I just thought straight a Conrad Smith,
and fairness to Antony's he probably offers a little bit
more than Conrad would on it tech Like if you
ever get to see Anton close up, he's a big body,
just probably doesn't come across there as that explosive guy.
So for me, I'm excited by seeing him tonight. I
think from what we've seen this year, maybe that thirteen
Jersey is available for first time in a long time.
(11:25):
And for Anton, who we've mentioned he's played eighty six
tests apart from when he first came in, which was
through necessity. He came in very young because he was
a replacement lots of midfield injuries and he had a
quite a long run at twelve that very first year.
He's not had a prolonged run.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
I don't think.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
He's always been that guy that can cover every position,
and that's so for him, best position pinely like twelve,
I think sown up like Jordi bout rightfully so vice
captain of the All Blacks.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
He ain't going anywhere.
Speaker 4 (11:58):
So for Anton, big opportunity tonight and hopefully in the
coming weeks to say, hey, what about me?
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Is the starting option?
Speaker 2 (12:05):
What about blonde headed guy with the cheeky smile? He
gets to start tonight? Damien McKenzie at first five?
Speaker 3 (12:11):
Is there a.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Genuine head to head going on here between him and
Bowden Barrett? Or do you think a pecking order has
been established?
Speaker 3 (12:18):
Yeah, it's an interesting one.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
I mean prior to the prior to the quarter final
here Blues Chiefs. I would have said, this is Damien's time.
We've just got to go in on Damien. He will
be the man, you know, And this is just ignoring
the fact of whatever Richie does, Richie does. But I
just thought, if he's going to be a man for
twenty twenty seven, then I thought they missed an opportunity
(12:39):
last year by fluffing around with him and not backing
him where now body I was live that day and
Body showed everything that you'd expect from a first five
of one hundred and fifty All Black Games, you know,
and has experienced to bring down the Chiefs with that
Blues team that night. Then he went very well in
that semi final, and I've really enjoyed the way Body's
(13:00):
gone about conducting things in the last sort of couple
of weeks. So I think there is a picking order.
I think there's no hiding from the fact. I think
bodi'snumber one, and it's his jersey well and truly at
the moment, which I guess lends itself to think, right,
how are you going to use Damien McKenzie in and
still and I lose track of his numbers. But again,
he's been around for a long time now, and obviously
(13:20):
always treat those two in particular because they're business partners,
as young.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Little bloody boys.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
But the fact is that they're very experienced guys now.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
And I still don't think we've nurtured Damien's role.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
If he is going to be a bench player, he
could be the world's best bench player. You know, he's
no doubt about that in my mind. So what have
we got to do to make that happen? You know, like,
do we need to be committed to bringing him on
for a certain time? And you know, because for me,
I would have thought there's nothing more scary from an
opposition point of view if you can bring on a
(13:52):
Damien McKenzie when you've had fifty five sixty minutes of
the All Blacks playing at a tempo that they are now,
and then I know there's no rest this thing's coming
on and his first and second ford and third foard
is to run. Then I think that's an exciting prospect
of the as.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
I totally agree Beef, I totally And that was Boden
Barrack's role to play.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
And you know, up to the twenty fifteen will came
and he was the best bench player we've ever seen. Yeah,
we're about a shadow it out. He did a bit
of an anyone.
Speaker 4 (14:16):
So Damien physically and attribute wise, he's got everything body hair,
So why can't he come on and be that guy
too and that difference maker. We don't need to have
Blomen's seven giants come off the bench and call it
a bomb squad. We can bring on these guys who
can turn a game our way.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
You know, between Damien and Anton. The scene in Quintin
Pie back in the All Blacks twelve Jersey given the
three years, he said, how cool is this man?
Speaker 3 (14:42):
It's a brilliant story.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Obviously we all know the injury and how it happened
and cut him down when he was essentially starting twelve.
It was at a young age, and they say with
those knees injuries that it does take a while. Even
when you're back, you're not truly back. You know, you've
got to get feel free about and all the rest
of it. Him and this year, like I mean, I
actually said on another bloody platform that last year I
(15:05):
thought he was getting stuffed around by the Chiefs, And
even as a proud Chiefs man, I said, get this
guy out of here. For Quinn's career, Go be Highland US.
You know they would love you down there. Now they've
got a pretty good twelve themselves, but you know, he
needed to be starting, and I thought he was getting
stuffed around here by the Chiefs.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
But this year, obviously, I just think.
Speaker 4 (15:24):
Maybe his confidence has come back because he's physically a
lot better. And I've always wanted him in this sort
of setup, and for the Chiefs too, because simply he
reminds me a bit of Lamapi, and I don't think
we've had all our marpie since Lamapi, and I think
that's been a missing ingredient in our midfield. I like
the idea of a contrast, but Quinn this year is
(15:47):
offered and showed that he's a lot more than just
a basher. He's got subtleties of his kicking game as
passing game. And I also think, and any ten will
tell you there's twelves that they play better with, and
it might not be the best twelve they've played with,
but they do just some twelves fit you like a glove.
And I just think Quinn and Damien well together, and
(16:09):
I think Damien often plays his best Boody, So for
me that shows that Quinn's a great communicator, because a
ten playing well is usually a result of having a
great communicator outside them.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
How do you feel the All Blacks are placed? What
will be three games into year or two of a
World Cup cycle? After tonight? Can you make an assessment
on how we're placed heading towards twenty twenty seven?
Speaker 4 (16:31):
Probably not twenty twenty seven, But what I do like
compared to last year is the style and the intent
that they're playing with. And I don't want to sound
like a cheerleader, but I am a cheerleader for the
way that they're playing.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
You know.
Speaker 4 (16:47):
Like last year, as proud in New Zealander and All
Black fan, as I am, I found it tough to
be positive and tough to enjoy it because I just
felt that we were I think we were chasing the
opposite the other countries. You know, we were seeing these
Northern Hemisy teams have success and we were thinking, oh,
we need to copy that. Well, that's arrogantly or whatever.
That's not our way, you know, like we play our way.
(17:10):
And I just think the last two weeks has shine.
I think the rugby public and anyone watching is that
I think we're starting to realize that we're never going
to be South Africa. But we don't want to be
South Africa. We're never going to be Island or England.
You know we want to be We've been the best
rugby team in the world for one hundred years for
a reason, because they've played like we play. And I
(17:30):
just think the last couple of weeks you've seen a
endeavor to play with more tempo. You've seen an endeavor
to be more attacking from all parts of the field.
And some of the best attacking teams of a most
you kick the most, but you've got to kick in
a way that you still got the option to attack.
And I just felt last year we were kicking and
(17:52):
you knew of our kicking. I knew of our kicking,
and the guy one hundred meters away and you've are
kicking and the drunk guy five ks down the road
and you've are kicking where This year, I just think
they've got a lot more threat to their game and
I'm loving watching it.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
Just to finish, I know you've got lots going on.
You're on the Sky team tonight and loving your commentary.
You're analysis part of the breakdown and everything. What about Grins,
You got the Grins jacket on. Yeah, they're still going strong.
Is it your your drink brand?
Speaker 4 (18:16):
Yeah, we've got myself and Damien and Nton and a
couple of other silent partners. We've got our We've got
our Grim's Drink Band, which is an RTD, which I
never touched an RTD before we started the brand. But
you got to keep up with the trends, they say.
So now we've got that and if it's and if
it's not in your bottle store, then you're not buying
from a good bottle store.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
And so yeah, now we're tracking along.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
As a tough market, there's lobbies overseas companies coming in
and making it extremely tough for us little kby companies
to survive.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
But we're boxing on.
Speaker 4 (18:45):
I've got many roles in there, including the delivery driver,
the CEO, the marketing manager, and warehouse packer. But it's
been it's been good, and we're actually looking overseas and
seeing if we can get any footholds here. So it's
it's certainly been an interesting dip into a business world.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
Good man, And I mean, how are you staying fit?
Because you haven't blown out man, what are you doing
to stay fast?
Speaker 3 (19:06):
Well, I'm not a great sleeper, so I've utilized that.
Speaker 4 (19:08):
So I get up at about a quarter five every
morning and just do something.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
But it I go.
Speaker 4 (19:13):
I go for a run on the dark, cold streets
of Ike you for half an hour, or I've got
a bit of home gym gibbon. I go to half
an hour, get that done before kids wake up, and
then it's there. Turned to make me be a slave,
I guess like I did my own parents.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Beaver, It's so good to see you, man. We could
chat for a long time, and I know you got
other commitments. I really appreciate your stopping down. He mate,
It's great to see you.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
She's pining. Great to be a mate.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Stephen Donald Beaver to all of us, joining us here
at the Roaming Giant seven eight nine he feet Terrace
as we build towards kickoff tonight at five past seven.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Paine, Listen live
to News talk Ed b weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
In this part of the country, a few names spring
instantly to mine, most notably our next guest. He actually
played his first NBC rugby games for Counties while he
was still at school in two thousand and one, then
moved to Waycuttle in two thousand and four debut for
the Chiefs and five went on to become their all
time leading points scorer eight hundred and eighty six points
(00:33):
and one hundred and five matches, still second only to
Damien Mackenzie. Played for the New Zealand under twenty one
so the junior All Blacks, and made his full All
Blacks debut against England in two thousand and eight. Went
on to play twenty five times for the All Blacks,
including twenty three Test matches, the last of which provided
one of the most iconic moments in our sporting history.
Speaker 3 (00:55):
Thirty five out dead in front, he moves in. He
likes it. There's a little skimmin that's.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
Over hay Well and he's already back at the twenty two.
Speaker 3 (01:05):
Stephen Dunnell packed up.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
Everyone knows where they were when he kicked that goal
in the twenty eleven Rugby World Cup Finals. Since then,
he's been and continues to be a radio host, podcaster, entrepreneur,
rugby coach and commentator, analyst with Skysport and universally has
Beaver Stephen Donald, Nice to see.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
You, mate, great beer pony, How you mate, I'm very good.
It's so good to see you.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Can you go anywhere in this town without us being
asked for a selfie or will we stop for a chat?
Speaker 4 (01:31):
It's good, it's I don't live in Hamilton anymore, but
I've been down all morning watching my beautiful nieces play
netball to start with at eight point thirty and then
hockey at ten thirty.
Speaker 3 (01:41):
And yeah, I love being down here.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
It's a wonderful public And yeah, he said, it's a
wonderful part of my life. And I always feel like,
you know, obviously born and bred Wayuku, but this always
I talk about home. This is you know, sitting there
a place that I feel like it's home for me.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
You know, good on your mate, Well you look right
at home now last night or yesterday late afternoon. You
coach the Classics against the PACIFICA Legends and even park
how would that go.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
Yeah, it was good.
Speaker 4 (02:09):
If anyone saw it on Sky TV last night, you'd
have had a laugh. Obviously, a lot of us, well,
a lot of us, all of us well and truly passed,
are used by date, but great fun and a great concept.
Speaker 3 (02:24):
Of course.
Speaker 4 (02:24):
Classics is born out of the Classic All Blacks that
the Great Andy, the late great Andy Hayden was the
big driving force behind it, and then a wonderful, wonderful story.
His kids now have picked up the bet and then
just called the Classics, obviously due to legal reasons, but
they're running it. And although it's a lot of fun
(02:45):
for the guys to get together and play games and socialize,
it really is a wonderful void filled for guys post career.
And you know, we do live a wonderful life as
far as our careers go.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
But you know, and it shouldn't. We don't feel sorry
for yourselves.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
But once you walk out of an environment where you've
got thirty five of your best mates and your front
out into what I call the real world, it's it
can be harsh, and things like getting to give up
a couple of times a year or whatever, like the
Haydens are now carrying on is wonderful and they're doing
God's work as far as I'm concerned in a small way,
for the for the rugby players. I mean, we've got
(03:25):
a great game next week against fong and Nui at
the legendary Cooks Garden. And again, although it's wonderful for
us to get together as former teammates and opponents. Also,
I love the thing that the last couple of years,
last year we went to Fongolai and played in Northland.
This year Cooks Garden Wanganui MPC team is people like,
(03:47):
the names are pretty impressive and next week's team is
even more blockbust than the last night's team. And the
fact is people Fongui would have seen that caliber player.
Speaker 3 (03:56):
I know, you know, pass these.
Speaker 4 (03:57):
Wadys, but that caliber player and there in the community
and the boys will be down there for four days
straight next week.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
So looking forward to that.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Mate, you talk about that move to the real world,
and there are so many chilling I'm sure with that
financial physical but the friendship stuff. You spend all day
every day with thirty five of your best mates yep,
and all of a sudden that's gone. How challenging is that?
Speaker 1 (04:16):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (04:17):
And I guess I found it pretty challenging something because
the fact that it is, it is essentially you don't
realize what you've got until it's gone. And mine left
with COVID. Really I finished in Japan and SEID and
catch off COVID and came back and for six months,
you know, I was, I know, we were all sort
(04:38):
of getting up in the morning, going right, how I'm
going to fill in today because we weren't allow to
go to anybody our house. But I found an extremely
difficult just routine.
Speaker 3 (04:47):
You know.
Speaker 4 (04:47):
I was always someone that because I had to work
so hard to get where I did, because I wasn't talented,
I sort of would take every box. And I used
to think myself, oh, I can't wait till I'm finished playing.
Speaker 3 (04:57):
I'll drink and eat pies.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
And then, you know, you wake up and all of
a sudden, a month into this new freedom, you're like,
she's are I supposed to be somewhere?
Speaker 3 (05:05):
Or where's my next training? You know?
Speaker 4 (05:07):
And I can eat what I want or I can
drink what I want, you know, and all of a sudden,
you know the structure of life is tough to get
hold of. And then you're not being around guys, and
then going through you feel isolated and I just kill him.
Males being what they are, we don't bring up each
other and go, jeez, you struggling because I don't know
what to do now, you know, And and then you know,
getting into the real world. I mean, you're yourself for
(05:29):
a reason. Why my cushion was a lot softer because
you got me a job. But there are guys, and
I know, for six months I was thinking what am
I going to do? You know, and I know the
guys that really struggle, and you talk about the paycheck
and we are blessed with the paycheck.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
We get while playing.
Speaker 4 (05:44):
But then all of a sudden you get used to that,
and your family and your wives and all that get
used to it too, and all that becomes a factor.
So no, it's an interesting time, and yeah, things like
the classics all that. It's not going to solve all
the problems. It's just still a nice way for guys
to get to give and actually be open about it
and talk about it and go, yeah, it's she's a
bit difficult in which you can you help each other out.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
So I got to I got a little business.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
At the moment, which you know, we strugg along, but
like one of our employees or the only employee we've
got is one of my great old teammates from down
these ways. So it's it's called about I do that
sort of stuff too.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Yeah, brilliant stuff. I want to talk about your your
current exploits and your and your things you're involved in. Shortly,
but it's there a day that goes by when someone
doesn't remind you about the twenty third of October twenty eleven.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
It's funny you get asked it, and.
Speaker 4 (06:34):
And the raally is probably not no, it's yeah, it's yeah.
I guess it's just become so normal now that there's
always that sort of that sort of people and the
you know, like people go oh, you get sick of it.
There's two things about like a it's a lot better
than being reminded about Hong Kong every day. And secondly,
(06:55):
and secondly, when those people come up and talk to you,
it's the first time that they've ever seen you or
been the opportunity. Like some of the stories I've heard
from people are unbelievable as far as what either meant
to them or where they were or like I ran
into somebody.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
I'm trying to think where I was.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
I was overseas somewhere, and I ran into one of
our true heroes, which is somebody who's in our army.
And he told me that how he watched the game.
They watched it six hours after us because they were
serving over in wherever the war was at the time,
Afghanistan or what have you, and they got it, They
knew when it was on, but they had to get
(07:35):
it taken up to them on some sort of device
through like what what do they call those in the
army sort of yea convoys or whatever, and dropping off
the tape of the game, dropping off the.
Speaker 3 (07:47):
Tape of the game.
Speaker 4 (07:48):
And when this guy told me that, I mean I
was probably a few beers deep at the time. By
tell what, it sobered me up when you when you
hear that sort of story in the reality of it,
and and I guess again highlights the fact that what
what the what the sport and the team means to
this country. And so when you hear things like that, mate,
you can't help. But you know, if it's five minutes
out of your day, then so beet, because it's always
(08:09):
cool to hear people's excitement for it.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Were you actually white baiting or has that story been exaggerated?
Speaker 4 (08:15):
Look at you know a lot of a lot of
my friends from and say were you or were you
just trying to make a quick buck from the next
movie or something? But no, it's It's true. I was
white bating down the river with my great mate Douggie,
and I like, the river's got a pretty good reception
these days.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
Isn't it.
Speaker 4 (08:32):
But that part of it is still to this day
hasn't been covered by any of the any of the towers.
Speaker 3 (08:38):
So, yeah, I was.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
I was none the wise, And you know, I went
down there that day having no information but thinking, shit,
it's not me then who you know? So obviously you'd
already been an injury and you'd had a glimmer of hope.
But my great mate Cruds had got caught on ahead
of me there on that one, And yeah, I had
I had hopes. But at the time Pitty was goal
(09:01):
kicking Petty. He had also the ability to probably cover
ten if need me, And I didn't know how deep
the Hong Kong fall out ran with the coaches, you know,
like they say, I mean on yours gone from the
early announcements. But did it mean that if they were
down to number three, was I still gone?
Speaker 3 (09:19):
Gone?
Speaker 4 (09:20):
So I went down there have no ambition or thought
of being a part of it.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
Well, it's, as I say, part about folklore, something that yeah,
I'm sure you'll be reminded of for many years to come.
Can we bring it to the present day?
Speaker 3 (09:34):
Yep.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
You're close with many of these chiefs boys. Can I
ask you about a couple of them? Anton Lenet Brown yep.
First test of the year after coming back from injury,
his eighty six tests. And we know we can play
twelve or thirteen? What is his best role beef to
play with it? All Blacks twelve, thirteen or twenty three?
Speaker 4 (09:50):
Yeah, I mean the first thing that strikes you that
I reckon creeps up on it crept up on me
when I looked at it the start of the year,
was you just said his number eighty six. If you're
an a six test all Black, you are something. And
I remember, first of all, A came back from Japan.
I walked out on a big contract and I was
I've regret it ever since with my paycheck. But I
(10:13):
I came back and just played white Kadow and then
picked up another Chiefs turn and I remember the first
training I ever went too, and obviously he was a
lot of hype around the guy with blonde hair and
a cheeky smile and we'll.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
Get to him.
Speaker 4 (10:26):
And there was also a bit of high pround this midfielder.
And I had about two or three trainings with with him.
Then I'm from Bara Soap and I thought I literally
fought Conrad Smith straight away, and from from an engine
point of view, like to play in the midfield and
to play like Conrad that you need a big engine,
and Conrad had that. Anton's got a massive engine, an
(10:50):
intelligent football even at a young age, and just the
way he's he's not one of your typical explosive midfielders,
but he's a very safe pair of hands.
Speaker 3 (10:58):
He's very clever on defense.
Speaker 4 (11:00):
And that's what I just thought straight a Conrad Smith,
and fairness to Antony's he probably offers a little bit
more than Conrad would on it tech Like if you
ever get to see Anton close up, he's a big body,
just probably doesn't come across there as that explosive guy.
So for me, I'm excited by seeing him tonight. I
think from what we've seen this year, maybe that thirteen
Jersey is available for first time in a long time.
(11:25):
And for Anton, who we've mentioned he's played eighty six
tests apart from when he first came in, which was
through necessity. He came in very young because he was
a replacement lots of midfield injuries and he had a
quite a long run at twelve that very first year.
He's not had a prolonged run.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
I don't think.
Speaker 4 (11:44):
He's always been that guy that can cover every position,
and that's so for him, best position pinely like twelve,
I think sown up like Jordi bout rightfully so vice
captain of the All Blacks.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
He ain't going anywhere.
Speaker 4 (11:58):
So for Anton, big opportunity tonight and hopefully in the
coming weeks to say, hey, what about me?
Speaker 3 (12:04):
Is the starting option?
Speaker 2 (12:05):
What about blonde headed guy with the cheeky smile? He
gets to start tonight? Damien McKenzie at first five?
Speaker 3 (12:11):
Is there a.
Speaker 2 (12:12):
Genuine head to head going on here between him and
Bowden Barrett? Or do you think a pecking order has
been established?
Speaker 3 (12:18):
Yeah, it's an interesting one.
Speaker 4 (12:19):
I mean prior to the prior to the quarter final
here Blues Chiefs. I would have said, this is Damien's time.
We've just got to go in on Damien. He will
be the man, you know, And this is just ignoring
the fact of whatever Richie does, Richie does. But I
just thought, if he's going to be a man for
twenty twenty seven, then I thought they missed an opportunity
(12:39):
last year by fluffing around with him and not backing
him where now body I was live that day and
Body showed everything that you'd expect from a first five
of one hundred and fifty All Black Games, you know,
and has experienced to bring down the Chiefs with that
Blues team that night. Then he went very well in
that semi final, and I've really enjoyed the way Body's
(13:00):
gone about conducting things in the last sort of couple
of weeks. So I think there is a picking order.
I think there's no hiding from the fact. I think
bodi'snumber one, and it's his jersey well and truly at
the moment, which I guess lends itself to think, right,
how are you going to use Damien McKenzie in and
still and I lose track of his numbers. But again,
he's been around for a long time now, and obviously
(13:20):
always treat those two in particular because they're business partners,
as young.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
Little bloody boys.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
But the fact is that they're very experienced guys now.
Speaker 3 (13:28):
And I still don't think we've nurtured Damien's role.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
If he is going to be a bench player, he
could be the world's best bench player. You know, he's
no doubt about that in my mind. So what have
we got to do to make that happen? You know, like,
do we need to be committed to bringing him on
for a certain time? And you know, because for me,
I would have thought there's nothing more scary from an
opposition point of view if you can bring on a
(13:52):
Damien McKenzie when you've had fifty five sixty minutes of
the All Blacks playing at a tempo that they are now,
and then I know there's no rest this thing's coming
on and his first and second ford and third foard
is to run. Then I think that's an exciting prospect
of the as.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
I totally agree Beef, I totally And that was Boden
Barrack's role to play.
Speaker 3 (14:10):
And you know, up to the twenty fifteen will came
and he was the best bench player we've ever seen. Yeah,
we're about a shadow it out. He did a bit
of an anyone.
Speaker 4 (14:16):
So Damien physically and attribute wise, he's got everything body hair,
So why can't he come on and be that guy
too and that difference maker. We don't need to have
Blomen's seven giants come off the bench and call it
a bomb squad. We can bring on these guys who
can turn a game our way.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
You know, between Damien and Anton. The scene in Quintin
Pie back in the All Blacks twelve Jersey given the
three years, he said, how cool is this man?
Speaker 3 (14:42):
It's a brilliant story.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Obviously we all know the injury and how it happened
and cut him down when he was essentially starting twelve.
It was at a young age, and they say with
those knees injuries that it does take a while. Even
when you're back, you're not truly back. You know, you've
got to get feel free about and all the rest
of it. Him and this year, like I mean, I
actually said on another bloody platform that last year I
(15:05):
thought he was getting stuffed around by the Chiefs, And
even as a proud Chiefs man, I said, get this
guy out of here. For Quinn's career, Go be Highland US.
You know they would love you down there. Now they've
got a pretty good twelve themselves, but you know, he
needed to be starting, and I thought he was getting
stuffed around here by the Chiefs.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
But this year, obviously, I just think.
Speaker 4 (15:24):
Maybe his confidence has come back because he's physically a
lot better. And I've always wanted him in this sort
of setup, and for the Chiefs too, because simply he
reminds me a bit of Lamapi, and I don't think
we've had all our marpie since Lamapi, and I think
that's been a missing ingredient in our midfield. I like
the idea of a contrast, but Quinn this year is
(15:47):
offered and showed that he's a lot more than just
a basher. He's got subtleties of his kicking game as
passing game. And I also think, and any ten will
tell you there's twelves that they play better with, and
it might not be the best twelve they've played with,
but they do just some twelves fit you like a glove.
And I just think Quinn and Damien well together, and
(16:09):
I think Damien often plays his best Boody, So for
me that shows that Quinn's a great communicator, because a
ten playing well is usually a result of having a
great communicator outside them.
Speaker 2 (16:19):
How do you feel the All Blacks are placed? What
will be three games into year or two of a
World Cup cycle? After tonight? Can you make an assessment
on how we're placed heading towards twenty twenty seven?
Speaker 4 (16:31):
Probably not twenty twenty seven, But what I do like
compared to last year is the style and the intent
that they're playing with. And I don't want to sound
like a cheerleader, but I am a cheerleader for the
way that they're playing.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
You know.
Speaker 4 (16:47):
Like last year, as proud in New Zealander and All
Black fan, as I am, I found it tough to
be positive and tough to enjoy it because I just
felt that we were I think we were chasing the
opposite the other countries. You know, we were seeing these
Northern Hemisy teams have success and we were thinking, oh,
we need to copy that. Well, that's arrogantly or whatever.
That's not our way, you know, like we play our way.
(17:10):
And I just think the last two weeks has shine.
I think the rugby public and anyone watching is that
I think we're starting to realize that we're never going
to be South Africa. But we don't want to be
South Africa. We're never going to be Island or England.
You know we want to be We've been the best
rugby team in the world for one hundred years for
a reason, because they've played like we play. And I
(17:30):
just think the last couple of weeks you've seen a
endeavor to play with more tempo. You've seen an endeavor
to be more attacking from all parts of the field.
And some of the best attacking teams of a most
you kick the most, but you've got to kick in
a way that you still got the option to attack.
And I just felt last year we were kicking and
(17:52):
you knew of our kicking. I knew of our kicking,
and the guy one hundred meters away and you've are
kicking and the drunk guy five ks down the road
and you've are kicking where This year, I just think
they've got a lot more threat to their game and
I'm loving watching it.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
Just to finish, I know you've got lots going on.
You're on the Sky team tonight and loving your commentary.
You're analysis part of the breakdown and everything. What about Grins,
You got the Grins jacket on. Yeah, they're still going strong.
Is it your your drink brand?
Speaker 4 (18:16):
Yeah, we've got myself and Damien and Nton and a
couple of other silent partners. We've got our We've got
our Grim's Drink Band, which is an RTD, which I
never touched an RTD before we started the brand. But
you got to keep up with the trends, they say.
So now we've got that and if it's and if
it's not in your bottle store, then you're not buying
from a good bottle store.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
And so yeah, now we're tracking along.
Speaker 4 (18:36):
As a tough market, there's lobbies overseas companies coming in
and making it extremely tough for us little kby companies
to survive.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
But we're boxing on.
Speaker 4 (18:45):
I've got many roles in there, including the delivery driver,
the CEO, the marketing manager, and warehouse packer. But it's
been it's been good, and we're actually looking overseas and
seeing if we can get any footholds here. So it's
it's certainly been an interesting dip into a business world.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
Good man, And I mean, how are you staying fit?
Because you haven't blown out man, what are you doing
to stay fast?
Speaker 3 (19:06):
Well, I'm not a great sleeper, so I've utilized that.
Speaker 4 (19:08):
So I get up at about a quarter five every
morning and just do something.
Speaker 3 (19:12):
But it I go.
Speaker 4 (19:13):
I go for a run on the dark, cold streets
of Ike you for half an hour, or I've got
a bit of home gym gibbon. I go to half
an hour, get that done before kids wake up, and
then it's there. Turned to make me be a slave,
I guess like I did my own parents.
Speaker 2 (19:29):
Beaver, It's so good to see you, man. We could
chat for a long time, and I know you got
other commitments. I really appreciate your stopping down. He mate,
It's great to see you.
Speaker 3 (19:35):
She's pining. Great to be a mate.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
Stephen Donald Beaver to all of us, joining us here
at the Roaming Giant seven eight nine he feet Terrace
as we build towards kickoff tonight at five past seven.
Speaker 1 (19:46):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Paine, Listen live
to News talk Ed b weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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