Full Show Podcast: 02 August 2025

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks EDB.

Speaker 2 (00:13):
The only place for the.

Speaker 1 (00:15):
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 ed B.

Speaker 2 (00:30):
Hi, Deck, you're a good afternoon. Welcome and to the
Saturday edition of Weekend Sport on News Talk SeeDB August two.
I'm Jason Pine Show produces Any McDonald. Were talking sport
until three absolute to heartbreak for the Warriors last night.

Speaker 3 (00:46):
How they go on chants here for the Dolphins be
the turner pasa.

Speaker 2 (00:54):
Are you serious? Yes, deadly serious? The Dolphins getting up
right at the end to beat the Warriors twenty eighteen.
Your reaction this hour, we'll get some expert analysis. Michael
Burgess out of the New Zealand Herald to join us.
Matt Russell from Foxport as well. But it's your views.

(01:16):
I'm really interested and could the Warriors have done anything
differently last night? And is this still a top four
side or is the injury list just going to stemy
their chances of that. Lines open immediately on the Warriors
and across the r as well other matters around today
quite a bit. Rob Penny is with us after one

(01:36):
o'clock with a freshly signed contract extension to guide the
Super Rugby champion Crusaders again next season. Did he have
any thoughts that he might be done after twenty twenty
five or was he always keen to come back and
defend Rob Penny after one The Red Philly Shields on
the line in New Plymouth tonight holds Taranaky looking defend

(01:57):
off the challenge of the Northland Tunney farh Josh Jacob
from Taranaki. Simon Parker out of Northland Chiefs teammates ring
Super Rugby opponents tonight in New Plymouth and it is
stagdating in Theicargan Southland v Otago four thirty five. Massive
crowd in coming for this one, Southland stalwart Jason Rutler,

(02:20):
you're going to join us. I also wanted to drill
down into the lead up to the third Wallaby's British
and Irish Lions Test tonight, and in particular the fallout
from last weekend's controversial second Test and the effect on
Wallaby's loose Ford color Tuzano. He's been left out of
the side tonight, partly because of the impact of social

(02:41):
media on him across the week. Is this the right
decision from Wallaby's coach Joe Schmidt will have an examination
of that after two Adam Peacock out of Australia in
his regular slot and a brand new competition, a Sporting
Chance with Tab where we place a two hundred and
fifty dollars bonus bet on your behalf and if it

(03:03):
comes in you get the winnings. We'll do that a
bit later on in the show to Live Sport This
afternoon NPC action comes from Jerry Collins Stadium and Pottydearth.
As defending champions Wellington open their campaign against Canterbury five
past two. We'll set the scene there before kickoff and
keep you posted once the game is underway. Please join
us across the afternoon if you'd like to make a contribution, Oh,

(03:24):
eight hundred and eighty ten eighty. We'll get you through
on the phone nine two, nine to two for your
texts emails into Jason at NEWSTALKSEB dot co dot nz.
It is ten past twelve.

Speaker 1 (03:35):
When it's down to the line. You made a call
on eight hundred eighty ten eighty Weekend Sports with Jason
hine Us.

Speaker 2 (03:42):
TALKSB ten and a half past mid day. If the
Warriors lose all their remaining games, they'll finished ninth. Says
this text, Well, that's the optimism that we wanted to
start the show with. Look, no, let's let's not go
down that track. I think the Warriors are still a
top eight proposition. The issue is, of course that since
round six they've been in the top four. We've just

(04:03):
got used to seeing them there, haven't we. And I
guess in their favor, the fact that they front loaded
their season with those wins and stacked up the points
nice and early, and as I say, have lived in
the top four since round six is going to help
them at the back end of the season. Every season

(04:23):
is going to contain peaks and troughs. It's going to
contain blips. It's going to contain periods where you think, oh,
if only we'd managed to win that game. It's the
injuries for me, the injuries that are the big worry
for me. We are keen to get your thoughts. We'll
get some expert analysis very very shortly. But yeah, you
can send you text into nine two nine to two

(04:46):
emails to Jason at newstalkzb dot co dot NZ Dolphins
winger Jermaine Issako stealing the game, of course with that
last minute try. Despite the visit has been down to
twelve men back to back defeats for the Warriors. Let's
bring in Matt Russell out of Fox Sport. It says,

(05:08):
it sounds like you're driving. Did the years like came in?

Speaker 1 (05:11):
I am?

Speaker 4 (05:12):
I pull out of the right. I'd a forty yet
glory right, h it the Mage round in the women
Actually the women are at Donald James tady in u
Kah the woll six games, the one who you and
I wrote about the first Magic Round. But last night
is the Warrior hot right? The Warriors, wasn't that they
don't so much worked tottle high two crucial boys offer

(05:34):
and I watched the Dolphins school right to get it done?

Speaker 2 (05:38):
Do you think they could have done anything differently?

Speaker 4 (05:40):
Meant, of course, I go back and only come about
we tweeny your thirsion line. That's why I'd like to
do these people do play. That's why now I lost
Gigi question absolutely everything I wrote at apparently there at
the end of the where we'll speaking to the dolphins
to take a short of golf and try and chase
Golbart point. You see, I went holing and like believe

(06:02):
the NDA did because I play footed. Start on the
left and listen to right and Jermain a taco's goal
as to winning, try for the topic, you know, question
to make the topic. But yes, the Worries look they
really look like getting done. They in the top four
this dual actually the group, but they aren't deals with
a gaming hand. By hearing the mountain injury toll, they're

(06:24):
going to have to really earn it for whos they
want to beached off for.

Speaker 2 (06:28):
Yeah and yeah, and that's setting dots. Is a good
a good description. Does it feel like I'll be swallowed
up for you, Matt?

Speaker 4 (06:36):
Now I think they will say, I want to be
that I worried. I love the fact that when the
worry is going where like the quay, you week and
look forward to an exciting to joining. The dealer is
touching and I'm the figureze Plighting Live is fil a
lot of colletry, is the dealer. I love the Worries.
I wanted to them do well by job Plenty team
as long for topital Beach. Now to the Fuller group

(06:57):
from the Fuller papert and the injury that are starting
divide on the Warriors, which fine jug group, big top huge,
right they were Wade even James Busha, Howers, Chanelle Iris,
I won't be back in time the challenge, who are
coming boarder and my pit at.

Speaker 2 (07:16):
The post, Matt, great to chat may going to leave
you with it and the rain there and on the freeway.
I appreciate you giving up some of your time, mate,
I know you're busy.

Speaker 5 (07:24):
Thanks.

Speaker 2 (07:25):
Indeed, Matt Russell had a Fox Sports there rpe you
could pick up met okay with the background noise. He
made a couple of very salient points and that's the
top four is the one for me? Right, you know
they've been there for so long, it's still possible. Of course,
it's still possible. Five games to go, team points up
for grams. You just got to get them, that's all.
I've got some thoughts. You'll have yours too. Hello, Greg,

(07:45):
Yeah good. You sound a lot less noisy than Matt
Matt Russell was. How are you mate?

Speaker 6 (07:55):
Yeah?

Speaker 7 (07:56):
Good? Warriors defense, dead composure. I think we're sort of
really getting to the depth point of view at the moment,
with the number of injuries we've got. I know all

(08:17):
teams do get injuries, but we seem to have a
lot of injuries in quite key positions. Some of those
some of those players who are stepping up just you know,
just a little bit below the level that we need.

(08:37):
Defense was pretty good. Instead of being the right side
that we filed on, it was the left side this week.

Speaker 5 (08:49):
But I but I think.

Speaker 7 (08:52):
We're just missing a couple of ball playing forwards. I
watched the game, and we've all said this year about
Aaron Clark and also bout.

Speaker 6 (09:07):
The core.

Speaker 7 (09:09):
Now to me watching the game last night, they're very
single minded players. They don't look for any other opportunity
around them. All they were doing was up the middle,
up the middle, up the middle, and we I think
we really need a ball playing forward in our repertoire.

(09:34):
But I also while watching the game, there was a
key moment for me in their lead up to the try.
Jackson Ford was penalized earlier in the game for not
getting up and playing the ball correctly. They got a
penalty now later in that game seventy seventh minute or

(09:56):
somewhere around there. Cody Nukarrema did exactly the same thing,
and Ashley Klein let them play on straight after that,
there was also a player who ran behind and obstructed
you know us. Now, I'm not crying crying about it,

(10:17):
but there also needs to be like some consistency about things.
If you went back and looked at the game, you'll
see what I'm talking about.

Speaker 2 (10:25):
I will, I will Greg. Yeah, look the depth. The
depth conversation is interesting because it's still a good side.
There are still good players, but unfortunately, what the injury
list has done is forced players out of position. Kirk
Capewell into the centers. He played far far more games
in the centers than they ever would have imagined that
he would have to because of the injuries to Rock

(10:49):
o'berry and Ali Latawa. Good to see him back in
the second row last night. But then Chance Nikol Kluksta
is into the centers, which he is very rarely played.
So you're forcing guys out of position. But you look
at that, there's still good players and you have to say,
with eight guys out, I mean I've done tremendously well

(11:10):
to get within a minute of beating the Dolphins. Barney
metcalf Berry Fisher, Harris, light Tower, Egan, Harris, de Vita
and Vaimonga all out last night. That is a very
long injury list. Thanks for you called Greg and Nikorra.

Speaker 6 (11:25):
Hello, Yes, good morning to you.

Speaker 2 (11:27):
How are you very good? Thank you?

Speaker 8 (11:30):
Look, I think thought, why don't they just put the
new South Wales Cup team and play in the main
games because the way they play, you know, spin the ball,
you know, that's the way the ball beats the man
every time. And I can't understand why the backs have
to go into the fords all the time. Why do
they have to go into a pet where the leaves

(11:50):
the exposes the backs on your opposition team. You can
see the spacers out. They need to feed the ball more,
you know, the backs. Pluck's dead, he's greedy. He goes
in it to two about a sick on the outside
many times clocks there, goes too much on his own.
The opposition and knows what he does. So why don't

(12:12):
they change their tactics?

Speaker 9 (12:14):
You know?

Speaker 8 (12:15):
And also you know I learned when I played rugby,
tap the leagus, one up, one down, one down, get
the man on the ground and one up take him upstairs.
You've got four forwards trying to stop the man from
moving forward and that's where our forwards get tired. They
use the energy up on that. Do you think that's
a vailuable as assumption.

Speaker 2 (12:37):
Of the how they play well, I mean it's your opinion, Nicorda,
so it's absolutely valid. Yeah, look, you're you're looking at
what you're seeing. I think with the New South Wales
Cup side, you're right they've been tremendous. But let's not
forget they're not playing against first grade players. They're playing
in the New South Wales Cup, so it's everybody's reserve
grade side. But yeah, Tane duopiky tremendous in that team

(12:57):
and has earned his place back in the side. Some
would say it should have come before now. I thought
the defense last night was actually pretty good. There was
a good game of rugby leg If you're a neutral,
it's a great game end to end, lots of action,
but a controversy, a late try to win it, a
sin binning, you know, players stepping up. I thought Sam

(13:19):
Healy was terrific in the in the hooking role. He's
hardly played and you don't win Wade Egans your number
one hooker. So the game was good and yeah, you
talk about the defense, and yeah, maybe I'd probably have
to unpack that as in more detail as you have
in the quarter around how many guys are committing to
the tackle. But yeah, you keep coming back to the injuries,

(13:42):
and I've just been I've been trying to process this
in some sort of cool logical fashion today and saying,
because you can. It's not an excuse, but it is
an explanation. Eight frontline players and arguably three or four
of your most important players not there. Everybody has to
deal with injuries, but the fact remains they've had to

(14:05):
go much deeper into their squad than they ideally would
have liked. Thanks for your calling and caught up. Keep
the faith.

Speaker 10 (14:11):
Hello, Mark, absolutely frightened when we play the Bulldogs. Terrified.

Speaker 2 (14:21):
Yeah yeah, yeah, yeah, Mark. I hear you, mate, hear you.

Speaker 11 (14:29):
And I don't think I don't think.

Speaker 10 (14:30):
I don't think we have I think we've got a
team of individuals, highly talented, very good footballers, but a
team of individuals, and I don't see combinations in our squad.
Whereas I look across at the Doggies that brought him,
the kid from West and he slotted in there and

(14:51):
was he nineteen, behaving like a veteran immediately within that
system and structure. It's the system and structure, the system
and structure. I always come back to it. I think
if you overlaid the I think the overlayd Crusader's philosophy
on top of the on top of the Warriors, they'd
be the most dominant team in the Narl by far.

(15:15):
But there's just something that won't take. There's something that
won't take this in the way that we're developing our
players because I think, look, look Macaura was run of them,
all good player. From time to time is something comes
back home and kicks out butt last night kicks how
but and it's like this happens to us so many times.

(15:40):
Players come home, kick out. But well, are they a
better platform? Is it the discipline around them? Is it
the environment? I don't know. I just don't know that
there's always been this knock on the Warriors and has
been for a long time that you know from Australia
that they're a feeder team and they won't do this

(16:00):
and they won't dominate, they won't get up and they
won't front up. And I just think that's wrong. I
just think that that they can and they I hope
they grow and develop in the way that they can,
because look, five million people feeding into one team. No
other squad's got that, nothing close, and we have and

(16:24):
we're somehow not taking advantage of it.

Speaker 2 (16:27):
Those combinations, Mark, Yeah, yeah, sorry, those combinations, I mean,
Harris Tavita Metcalf was a great combo. Metcalf's gone in
the centers, you know what, whether whether it was Bury
and like or Pompey in there as well with one
of the other two, those combinations were building and like
I said, you don't want to make an excuse around
the injuries, but they've I mean that Metcalf Harris ta

(16:48):
Vita combination was really developing for me. And then yeah,
it was it was Yeah, it was solid.

Speaker 12 (16:54):
Yeah, it was.

Speaker 10 (16:54):
It was something I was sitting there and you're hoping
and you're hoping and you're hoping that these guys can
get through eighteen twenty games together, that they become symbiotic
and know and they can't exist without each other. And
that's what you want. The triangle and the fact that
they all understand and they become one brain. That's the goal.
That's that's the ultimate goal is that they're thinking as

(17:15):
a unit, and you only get that from that extended
playing time. And look, I'm gutted, so I'm lashing out
a little. Sorry people, but look, I truly believe that
this can be a great a great team, a great club,
a great squad, and an enduring legacy. That's why I'm gutted,
because I just think that we're falling short.

Speaker 2 (17:37):
Do not lose your passion. Do not look Mark, do
not lose your passion ever, Do not lose lose your passion.
You make good articulate comments. Mate, Let's have a chat
next week Bulldog's next Saturday night. We can get through
it together. We can get through it together. Twelve twenty five.
Spielin there if you want to jump on, Paul, please
hold with you right after this, Oh eight hundred and

(17:59):
eighty for your thoughts on the Warriors last night.

Speaker 1 (18:02):
One grudge hold Ngage Weekend Sport Jason Pain and GJ.
Gunner Homes New Zealand, So was trusted Home Milder.

Speaker 2 (18:10):
News Talk twelve twenty seven, Talking Warriors on our eight
hundred and eighty ten to eighty troublers. Piney says, Mike,
you don't win titles in June. The gun teams are timing,
they're run perfectly for a September finish. I can't think
the Warriors are timing or not timing. They're run. But
what they have done at the start of the season
by winning all those games, has given themselves a shot
of the top four. Paul mate, Am I wrong to

(18:32):
be focusing too much on the injury list or is
it a valid Is it a valid explanation for what's
going on here?

Speaker 13 (18:38):
Well, yeah, there's no doubt. I mean I count on
I think eight but a key injuries, starting starting players.
But the pleasing thing is finally is that you know
that's Piney played last night was a new South Wales
Cup spine, you know, and for the Dolphins to come
over that they should have.

Speaker 11 (19:00):
I mean, I was hoping for a win, but I wasn't.

Speaker 13 (19:02):
Expecting a win for us because because of the new
South Wales Cup spine the late change to Baymonga, our
two props are don't really offer much, you know as
starting pops. So I wasn't expecting. I wasn't really expected
of what I was hoping for when but you know,
the doctrines are a good sign, not enough credits being
given to them, partly because you know, they've beaten the Storm,

(19:24):
the Raiders and the Bulldogs. They're a good team. So
for us to take it down to the wire, you know,
you know me, finally, I'm I'm an optimist when it
comes to the Warriors. But there are pleasing signs, you know,
there are very pleasing signs with the depth coming through
in that team. And you know, we've got we've got
some games that we should win coming up the other
the Dragons for Pardons and so forth. So the Dogies

(19:44):
will be tough, no doubt about it. But we get
a couple of players back, and you know, I total
faith mate that that if we finish in the top
four pointy it'll be a bonus. But after last year
finishing fourteens, but if we finished in the eighth this year,
you know, that's a massive improvement. That's all we ask.

Speaker 2 (20:04):
Yeah, totally, and that's it. We're here. We are, you know,
in the at the start of August, you know, being
a little bit disappointed that the Warriors might drop out
of the top four. I mean, that's a conversation we
would love to have been having a most previous season surely.

Speaker 13 (20:21):
Yeah, oh absolutely, So you know all is not lost
and like I said, you know, the depth coming through
is fantastic. We just need some of those other players
to come to come back from injury. So no, you know,
we keep the face, mate, We keep the face and
you know all is not lost.

Speaker 2 (20:38):
Good man, Paul, always good chatting to you.

Speaker 9 (20:39):
Mate.

Speaker 2 (20:40):
You bring a level headedness to it that I very
much appreciate. Oh, eight hundred and eighty ten eighty is
our number nine two ninety two if you'd like to
send a text. It was heartbreaking having fought back from
sixteen to six down last night to lose it right
at the end with that, Jermaine Issako. Try let's bring
in New Zealand Herald at Rugby League writer Michael Burgess birds,

(21:02):
you've been following this team for a while. You've seen
a lot of games at that venue. Where does last
night rank among the cruel finishes that you've seen at
go media?

Speaker 14 (21:13):
Yeah, buy, I've seen a few over the years, but
they will be right up there. It really would, because
the Warriors had you know, we didn't give them a
chance before kickoff. There were so many players missing. They
lost another players during the week so you thought, Okay,
let's hope they try hard, but they're not going to win.
And then they just played played so well, so much

(21:36):
spirit and energy and skill, defended well, and so to
be winning with a minute to go and the Dolphins
score on the fifth tack or the last player of
the game, as you say, heartbreaking for the Warriors.

Speaker 9 (21:50):
Fantastic ever by the Dolphins.

Speaker 14 (21:53):
And the wider question I guess we've got to think
about now is that the Warriors are and are definitely
in a bit of a hole.

Speaker 2 (22:00):
Now let's talk about that in a moment. But with
the benefit of hindsight, could or should the Warriors have
done anything differently in the last minutes of that game
last night?

Speaker 9 (22:11):
Yes, I think so. I didn't really like the way
they managed the last five or six minutes.

Speaker 14 (22:16):
It's always great in hindsight, but I felt there were
a couple of times they're right attacking on the Dolphins
line and they died with the ball on the fifth
tackle twice, and you see that tactic it's safe rather
than trying to kick it, and it might go long
for a seven tackle set, which is which is risky,
but you also might get a repeat set, so it

(22:37):
felt like they were really just trying to hang on
rather than kill the game with another try. They also
had a shot at a penalty close to the post,
which would of been a.

Speaker 9 (22:47):
Four point lead.

Speaker 14 (22:49):
So you wonder that that's a real if only because
a four point lead, you know, isn't isn't everything because
but there were just a.

Speaker 9 (22:58):
Few things they did.

Speaker 14 (22:58):
And then the biggest thing pining, to be honest, was
the way they approached the very last set. It felt
they were just a bit passive with their defense. And
Andrew Webster said after the game he didn't like the
body language, the way that Okay, you don't want to
charge out of the line and leave a hole, but
they were sort of hanging back and that allowed the
Dolphins to go one side the field to the other
and then score in the right corner.

Speaker 2 (23:20):
Was that caution or fatigue or both?

Speaker 14 (23:23):
Yeah, good point, mate, I mean, there would have been
a lot of fatigue. It was a crazy game. It
was a It was one of the most entertaining games
I can remember, back and forward, so much attack, just
just a brilliant watch, it really was.

Speaker 9 (23:39):
It would have taken a lot out of them, So
there was fatigue. There were players cramping, but also you
know it's hard.

Speaker 14 (23:44):
You're thinking, we just had to hang on here, we
win the game, the tackles are counting down, so just
felt like they were hanging off a bit and they
paid the ultimate price. Because the other thing we haven't
mentioned here is that the Dolphins were down to twelve
men Foreliseekfusi sinbnd with seven minutes to go.

Speaker 9 (24:03):
So twelve against thirteen.

Speaker 14 (24:05):
It's another and why you should be able to hang
on in another reason why this result will hurt so much.

Speaker 2 (24:13):
I guess if we flip it though, eight frontline players
missing birds, you know, a couple of that for season,
others coming back in dribs and drabs over the next
few weeks or so. Given that was was this actually
a pretty good performance from a vastly under strength Warrior's side.

Speaker 9 (24:30):
Yeah, we can't forget that, Piney, You're exactly right.

Speaker 14 (24:32):
I mean, they had seven hundred and fifty games of
ANERL experience sitting on the sideline. And if you make
a list of their five most important players, four of
them went there last night, Egan, Fisher, Harris Barnett, Metcalf.
So you add all that up, they weren't supposed to
get closer to the Titans, and they played.

Speaker 9 (24:50):
They played really well.

Speaker 14 (24:51):
As I mentioned before, this is a vastly superior performance
the last week against the Dolphins. So they will take
when the dust settles, they will take positives out of
this game, and there's things to build on.

Speaker 9 (25:04):
I liked the new the new structure they had, the
new lineup. I like the way they played.

Speaker 14 (25:10):
But the question will be how much mental and emotional
energy this kind of defeat also takes out of them, just.

Speaker 2 (25:19):
On the lineup, Chance nikol Klukstar coming into the centers,
which released Capewell back into the forge, and Andrew Webs
has been wanting to do that for a while. What
did you make of that? Do you think they'll stick
with Charms until the likes of Rock o'berry and Ali
Layatawa are back in the equation.

Speaker 9 (25:37):
I hope they do. Yeah, I think it will be
a smart move.

Speaker 14 (25:39):
I mean Chance, it was only Chance's second NRL game
at center, which sounds pretty crazy, but he's also played
seven tests there. As you say, it releases cape Well
back to the second row, which is is his position.
You get eighty minutes out of him there, he was
excellent again. The other thing it does is that brings
in tain to old Pecky into fullback and they need

(26:03):
that spark and that speed, especially without Metcalf now who
was their X factor player to our peck did well.
He adds another dimension, so it feels like more of
a balanced lineup, and you'd think that they'll stick with
Nickel clock start at center until as you said, the
specialists comeback, which you know is still a few weeks away.

Speaker 2 (26:24):
All right, So the Warriors will finish the weekend in
fourth place, but the chasing pack is closing in Broncos, Panthers,
even the Dolphins themselves after last night Sharks five games
to go, Bulldogs away, Dragons home, Titans away, Eels home,
See Eagles away. Are the Warriors still a top four side?

Speaker 14 (26:44):
Well, they haven't been playing like one, have they? If
we're frank, They've lost four of their last six games.
I think the thing that's hurt them the most is
they've lost four of the four of five games at
Mount Smart.

Speaker 9 (26:56):
You know who would have picked that this paird was.

Speaker 14 (26:58):
Supposed to be their time of milk and honey, all
these games at home, and it just hasn't worked out
like that. So of course they can still furnished in
the top four, but whether they will is looking increasingly
unlikely because the Bulldogs, i mean far out of them
and they lost a couple of games all season.

Speaker 9 (27:13):
They're going great.

Speaker 14 (27:15):
The Dragons are a decent team, as you say they've
got and then they've got the Titans away the ultimate
bogie team, and the Seagles match you mentioned that will
just happen to be daily Cherry Evans last Metro, mainly
after he's played a thousand games there, so you'd think
that'd be quite a hostile occasion. So yeah, it's it's

(27:35):
not stacking up great, but I guess look, they're still
in They're still in the top four.

Speaker 9 (27:41):
They've got to find a way to stay there. If
they slipped to fifth or six, it wouldn't be.

Speaker 14 (27:46):
The end of the world because they still have a
home home semi final, but they will lose their second life.

Speaker 9 (27:53):
So really, you really want to stay in the top four.

Speaker 14 (27:56):
But a combination of you know, a loss of a
bit of confidence in Mojo and critically all these this
injury crisis just happening at the worst possible time has
has really really stalled all that momentum ahead in May
in early June.

Speaker 2 (28:14):
Indeed, yep a very challenging final five rounds to play
for the Warriors. Appreciate your time as always, Burge, enjoy
the rest of your weekend, mate, Thanks for joining us. Thanks.

Speaker 9 (28:23):
By now, I mean the sun shining in Auckland. So
you know we keep going, don't we? We do? We do.

Speaker 2 (28:29):
There's no other way, Berg, There's no other way. Thanks mate,
Michael Burgess. Read him at enzidherld dot co dot z
linees open oh eight hundred and eighty ten eighty will
talk league until one speed line there if you want
to jump on. Should they have taken that shot? A
goal at the end or near the end they will
bot two points ahead that would have taken them out
to four points. Possibly they should have taken it. Hindsight

(28:52):
would say definitely they should have. But hindsight's always almost
twenty twenty, isn't. It only takes you out to a
four point lead. It's not as though they would have
been well clear. They just decided instead to try and
keep the Dolphins down that end instead of giving them
the ball back from a kickoff, and think Andrew Webster
said afterwards, if you take the two points, give the

(29:12):
Dolphins the kickoff, they take a short one and then
go for a try. You know you're kicking yourself, aren't you.
I mean, it's not the worst call in the world
to not take the two and to instead keep the
Dolphins down that end and back your defense to keep
them there or not let them advance. Still, it is
a game management decision which you can comment on if

(29:34):
you would like to. Player Wise, I mentioned a couple
of players as I said, thought Sam Heley was good
in the hooker role. Just a second start, third game
all season. He can be very proud of his outing.
He's been a big part of that new Southwest Cup site.
Of course. Similarly, I thought timmightighty Martin was good at
five eighth. I thought he was good there. I'd say
Wade Egan and Chanelle Harris Tavita probably come back in

(29:54):
next week when they're available again, but I think Sam
Heley and Timarty Martin gave good accounts of themselves. Great
to see Tang Dou. I'll pick you back there at fullback.
I think you leave them there now, don't you, at
least for the meantime chance Nok Klukstan to the centers.
I think you leave him there, Kirk cape Or goes
back into the second row, which is where he should be,

(30:15):
and you just wait for the cavalry to arrive. Rock
o'berry Alida were back two or three weeks away, so
let's hope that they, you know, are on track and
can can join in in a couple of weeks. And
just on Dellan what Tennis Lesniak. He gets a lot
of flak, or has in recent times about his defense
down that right edge, but he pulled off a trice

(30:35):
saving intercept late on, plus a couple of tries and
Lecqua Helisima. Just that Trive has the latest example of
his incredible emergence as an NRL superstar in the making.
Oh eight hundred and eighty ten eighty for your thoughts

(30:55):
twenty to one back after this.

Speaker 1 (30:58):
You be the TMO. Have your say on eight hundred
and eighty ten eighty Weekend Sport with Jason him and GJ.
Gubnohomes New Zealand's most trusted O and builder News Talks.

Speaker 2 (31:09):
News Talks are sixteen away from one. Some of the
thoughts of Andrew Webster shortly after the game.

Speaker 6 (31:14):
Good I Cameron, gooday, Pony, how you go mate?

Speaker 2 (31:17):
Yeah, very good things mate, thanks for you cool.

Speaker 6 (31:20):
Yeah no, I just thought, like you know, I mean,
I know the Warriors lost last night, but you know,
in past years, if you take out the amount of
starting talent that the Warriors team are effectively playing without
at the moment, they really gave a good account of themselves,
you know, And I just think it shows that there's
obviously a spell at that club now and and a

(31:40):
depth that maybe they haven't had and maybe the past decades.
You know that haw is allowing them to compete even
in games when they probably shouldn't be competing.

Speaker 2 (31:51):
Oh look, I think take eight frontline players out of
any squad and they're going to be tested for their depth,
aren't they. And as you say, Cameron, you know, in
past years, eight players out of the Warriors squad would
have would have basically decimated any chance they had. And
the fact is they took another top eight side to
the very final minute before eventually losing by two points.

(32:13):
I mean, this Dolphins team ain't a bad team.

Speaker 6 (32:16):
Yeah, No, I mean exactly. I mean, Cart, there's some
of those guys and those teams you know, that's a
Dolphins team that's performing really well, and I just thought,
like considering the late the late changes they had to
make Kelsey, with the reshuffle of the back line, I
thought that they obviously there's inner steel in that club now,
and I think that something they should really be proud of.

(32:38):
So who is driving that?

Speaker 2 (32:40):
It's a great observation. It is a really good observation, Yeah,
that that there's something that has been that has been
instilled in that playing group now that there is a
next man up mentality. Every club says they have it,
every club, yet you know, we deal with injuries, next
man up, all that sort of thing. But you know,
the proof is in, as you've said, the pudding here,
where's its sp a spine of a new south West
Cup site. There are guys in there. We had another

(33:02):
debut last night, players who've hardly played this season getting
decent minutes and you know, at the end of the
weekend they'll still be fourth. So you know it's you know,
it's not a the wor not the worst scenario in
the world. Thanks Cameron, I appreciate your call. Oh eight
hundred and eighty ten eighty great text here from Luke
which is along similar lines given the context, says Luke.

(33:24):
I think the Warriors can hold their heads high late
scratchings missing. Our front row, hooker and center team is
full of youth, a debutante. We'll bounce back. The Dolphins
put forty four on the Dogs, forty two on the
Storm and they only scored eighteen against our injury ravage side.
We showed positive signs and I'm backing an upset next week,
says Luke against the Dogs. And yes, by the way,

(33:45):
Tane is our full back moving forward. He opened up
that right edge and chance gave us some strong defense
on the edge. Thank you, Luke, appreciate it very much.
Andrew Webster on the decision last night to not take
the penalty late on, he missed this. They were down
at the Dolphins end, were given a penalty and Dolphins

(34:07):
player was showing a yellow cat or got ten of
the bin. I'm mixing up my sports here, got ten
of the bin for the tackle on Jacob Laban, And
so there was the opportunity to take two points and
go ahead by what would it have been twenty points
to sixteen with about six or seven minutes to go.
In the post match press conference. That question was posed

(34:27):
to Kurt Capewell, who was up the front with Andrew Webster.
And Andrew Webster actually took on the answer himself. Yeah,
that was my call.

Speaker 15 (34:38):
Like if you're if you kick that goal and you
get a lead and then they go, sure, get the
ball back and score. You know, if you give yourself
what you want to put them, you want to put
them there for the next rest of the game. Just
put him in the corner, keep them there, don't let
him out.

Speaker 2 (34:54):
And that's you know, you're making.

Speaker 15 (34:56):
It the hardest play for the opposition possibly can as
if they go short, get the ball buck which a
lot of teams are good at these days. Then now
you're back defending your answer Borough decision. And like you said,
the spine that so they control things.

Speaker 2 (35:10):
Well there there you go. That's the explanation of why
they didn't take it. So that message came down from
upstairs from Andrew Webster. He said, do not take the two.
Do not take the two, and he outlined the reasons
why they're Hindsight's wonderful.

Speaker 11 (35:23):
It is.

Speaker 2 (35:23):
Hindsight's a wonderful thing. You know, you can say I
take the two and there you know, there are twenty
points to sixteen ahead, and even if the Dolphins score
at the end, it's twenty all and all that. But
you know, you, once they take the two, the game
takes a different path, and it could take the path
that Andrew Webster was talking about there of the Dolphins
taking a short kickoff, regathering scoring a try, and all
of a sudden you look like a mugfer taking the

(35:44):
two and not keeping them down that end no win situation.
Hindsight's always twenty twenty. Is there quite a bit to
process after this game for Andrew Webster? Not really, No,
I know that we're lost on the bell. The game
is in our hands. Are then we turn the ball
over in two really good spots late we let him out.

(36:04):
So yeah, that's the frustrating bit. I'm so proud of.

Speaker 15 (36:11):
The way we started the second half and probably for
major of that second half we played with such spirit
and we really started to put them under pressure with
our defense. But yeah, that's pretty It's pretty simple, like
we gave ourselves a good opportunity in the game and
we didn't. We didn't find a way at then. Just see,

(36:33):
oh I haven't looked at it closely. I haven't analyzed it.
When those moments happened and you know the sirens going,
you tend to leave straight away to the sheds. But yeah,
it felt like our body language could have been better
and we could add thirteen guys standing in the straight
line twelve in the straight line and would have made
it harder for them. So but we'll learn from that,

(36:56):
Like there's lots to be proud of, but there's the
stuff that we can control.

Speaker 2 (37:00):
Such an interesting observation. They're the body language at the end. Yeah,
they're thirteen against twelve. The maths would tell you you
should be able to keep them out. Mike says, sorry, Piney,
injuries or not, they should have closed that game out
against twelve men. Last week against the Titans, no excuses.
Boys are close, but not close enough. Jamie says, pinety,
the time for talking growth and all that is over.

(37:21):
Thirty years is too long for winning nothing and die
hard Manly Sea Eagles supporter here living in Wellington. The
Sea Eagles will beat the Warriors in the last game
of the season and it'll cost the Warriors their spot
on the top eight. They'll end up ninth. Goodness me,
I hope that doesn't happen. I don't think the Warriors
is going to drop out of the eight, although that

(37:42):
last game is against the Sea Eagles. Yeah, as Bird
said Michael Burgess, there's going to be Daily Cherry Evans'
final game, so there'll be some emotion wrapped around it,
although of course if they make it into the eight,
it won't be but if the Sea Eagles are out
of top eight contention, there's still some emotion riding around

(38:03):
that game. Daily Cherry Evans, one of Manly's favorite sons,
playing his final game. I think everybody will be getting
up for that game and the Manly jersey, regardless of
whether the top eight's on the line or not. No
easy games in this competition. Look a month ago, I
remember looking. We had this conversation a month ago, you know,
after the losses to the Panthers and the Broncos. We said, okay,

(38:25):
well that's right because we've got the Tigers, the Knights,
the Titans, and the Dolphins, and three of those four
games are at home, so we should be okay. And
we started off okay, beat the Tigers. Then there was
that when away at the Knights, but that was right
at the end, and then back to back losses to
the Titans and the Dolphins at home. And now you

(38:47):
look ahead and you say Bulldogs away, that's tough. Well,
Dragons are there and that's tough. Titans they beat us,
they're our bogey team. Got to go over there and
try and win. Eels at home, Seagulls away. I mean,
your guess is as good as mine as to what
the last five games will produce. On the positive side,

(39:07):
the guys coming back in Chanelle Harris, Ta Vita back
next week, Wade Egan back next week, Ali Le'i Dawa
two weeks away, James Fisher Harris two weeks away, Rock
o'berry two to three weeks away. So by the time
we reached the business end, the back end of the

(39:27):
season and into the top eight and into the postseason,
which I fully expect us to be involved in, he
got some big players back. You keep your fingers crossed.
There are no more injuries and dimetric weimonga last night
the latest. Haven't heard what his status is. But your

(39:50):
luck's got to turn sometime, doesn't it? Surely to goodness?
Eight to one News talks.

Speaker 1 (39:54):
eNB analyzing every view from every angle in the sporting world.
Weekends for it with Jason Vaie. They're call eight hundred
and eighty eight News Talks.

Speaker 2 (40:04):
eNB five to one. Final piece of audio from Andrew Webster.
Does last night hurt more given the fact that they
almost got there with so many players out.

Speaker 15 (40:12):
Honestly coming in and I we didn't think we were depleted.
We were really happy in the seveneen we put out,
so you know, like we've got a squad here that
we believe in. So that's not why I'm frustrated that
people think we're depleted. Like I'm just there's so many

(40:34):
good signs.

Speaker 2 (40:34):
But yeah, it's just it's hard to take obviously because such.

Speaker 15 (40:37):
A dramatic finished shit, no one's going to lie here.
You get your hopes up, don't you think she's very
close here? And then gets taken away from him And
that's that's hard, and we're to move on and get
on with the next show.

Speaker 2 (40:49):
It's Andrew webs The final couple of texts, one here
from Jason Metcalf is the key. We underestimate how good
he is in the last two years. He's been injured
in both years when he was out, we struggled. When
he returned, we flourished. He's the touch of class that
consistently lifts this team. Thank you, Jason. Susie says Jason,
we need to keep the faith. Lots of great young
players coming through. I watch them every week. They're my

(41:09):
favorite team of all sports. Let's not be too harsh
on them up. There was good on your Susan and
from Paul. Last year there was finished thirteenth, so a
top eight finish is a massive improvement considering we now
have a new South Wales Cup spine and all of
these injuries. Thank you for all your calls and correspondence
on the Warriors. After one o'clock, the freshly re signed
Crusader's head coach Rob Penny.

Speaker 1 (41:31):
The only place to discuss the biggest fourse issues on
and after fields. It's all on Weekends Ford with Jason
Paine on your home of Sports.

Speaker 9 (41:41):
New York.

Speaker 2 (41:43):
Hello there, welcome and welcome back. This is Weekend Sport
on News Talk. Said b I'm Jason Pine seven seven
no one O seven one O seven not seven oh
one before seven oh one. There be a ram fairly
shield challenge just about to start. Speaking of eis next
our Josh Jacob out of Tallanaki and Simon Parker out
of the Northland Tunny Far Chiefs teammates during the year,

(42:06):
but adversaries tonight with the log of wood on the sideline.
That's next our this hour. Actually we're going to get
you out to Potty Duer in Wellington's northern suburbs, where
the Wellington MPC side are about to start their title
defense against one of their oldest foes, Canterbury. The decision
made by Wellington Rugby this year to take all games

(42:30):
home games that is, away from Sky Stadium and play
them in the much smaller venue of Pottydoor Park Jerry
Collins Stadium, as it's known out there. Good decision, good decision.
It's a good piece of good piece of grass out there,
much more intimate for spectators, much more fitting for games
of this magnitude. Tony Giles is the CEO of Wellington Rugby.

(42:53):
He is with us this hour Rock Penny, shortly having
re signed as head coach of the Crusaders Adam Peacock
a bit later on this hour. Our numbers eight hundred
and eighty, ten to eighty. Always enjoy hearing from you.
Our text line is not you can send your thoughts
and by checks in any time, We'll flick me an
email Jason at NEWSTALKSDB dot co dot nz. But yeah,

(43:15):
let's go to Robpenny confirmation this week that he will
return for next year's Super Rugby Pacific title defense after
guiding the Crusaders to his maiden title this year.

Speaker 3 (43:27):
The Crusaders have done us the Rotts please good please
the rock Pennistine the Crusaders return to cocker.

Speaker 2 (43:39):
Yeah. Robpenny confirmed on Wednesday as returning to the top
job next year. He joins us now, Rob, congratulations on
the contract extension. Was it a relatively straightforward decision to
throw your hat back in the ring.

Speaker 16 (43:53):
You know, once the review was completed and the information
disseminated out of it. Yeah, that was really organized waiting
for to make sure there was no blind spots or
anything that might put the organized and the compromise position.
So yeah, it was wonderful to accept the opportunity again.

Speaker 2 (44:12):
So there was never a thought in your mind between
the back end of the season or after the Super
Rugby Final and now that you thought maybe I won't
go around.

Speaker 16 (44:21):
Again, only if the review had worked out the way
it had Certainly, as I always said, you know, I
wasn't wanted here, I would never stay, but you know
that wasn't the case, so wrapped to be doing it again?

Speaker 2 (44:38):
Do you whose opinion do you seek out apart from
the review? Like would you go to the senior players
and say to them, how are you yappy for me
to stay? That sort of thing.

Speaker 16 (44:47):
They're all part of the review. Yeah, yeah, of course,
and there's lots of conversations headed across multiple platforms, and yeah,
all that's taken into consideration. And there's many people you know,
from outside of the type group, I guess that are
across what's happening daily with the group, and their opinions

(45:07):
matter as well, So multiply multiply layered in terms of
the feedback.

Speaker 2 (45:12):
Yeah, all right, so we've we've got your locked in
for next year? Will you stick with your same coaching group?

Speaker 16 (45:19):
Yeah, it's one of the big things that uh, you know,
it was a really keen had some solidity. We've had,
you know, changes from when I came in there was
two new coaches and one of them moving into a
new role. Then the end of last year, obviously Tim's
got called into the all black environment, so we had

(45:39):
another change there and another change of role internally, and
so the continuity and the synergy that we can develop
on the back of that continuity is really important. And
so yeah, there'll be no changes in the coaching roster,
which is outstanding there.

Speaker 2 (45:53):
When you look at those guys James Marshall, Matt Todd,
Dan Pear and Brad Moore, they're all at different stages
of their coaching journey, aren't they. How much responsibility, rob
do you feel for developing them so they can go
on to check their coaching ambitions if they choose to
do so.

Speaker 16 (46:09):
I think it's encumbered on anyone in a situation where
I guess they have a senior role to make sure
that they're thinking about succession, planning and developing their people.
And we're no different.

Speaker 9 (46:23):
I really enjoy that part of it.

Speaker 16 (46:26):
Like when you finish playing and you can't play anymore,
you live your life through the game, through your players.
And then the coaching part of it is you know
when you've come and I guess being less time at
the cold face on the grasp of supporting those that
are and you know, nurturing them and providing any wisdom

(46:47):
and seeking outside help to come in and be inspirational
and educational for their growth, and you know, I really
enjoy that component of it, so that'll continue.

Speaker 2 (47:00):
Is it true that Dan Perrin had a coughing fit
for about the first half hour of the.

Speaker 16 (47:03):
Final poor man, he got some little, some little issue,
and I think he vomited at one point. But it
wasn't the prettiest of place to be for the first
fifteen minutes save it distracting, to be honest, But we
got there. The big Man's on the road to recovery,
which is awesome.

Speaker 2 (47:22):
Good to hear, good to hear. Did the prospect of
playing in a brand new stadium next year play any
part in your decision?

Speaker 16 (47:31):
Yeah, i'd be you know, I would be reticent to
say it didn't because it's going to be quite a
unique situation and just you know, to get involved in
that special place will be, you be wonderful, and you know,
to be part of the group that gets on there
for the first time will be you know, just I

(47:51):
guess a part of the attraction, But it wasn't. If
you know, if we had been paying it at renual
domain for the year, it wouldn't have changed my decision.
It was you know, it was all about how good
this group's going to be next year, and the excitement
on the back.

Speaker 2 (48:05):
Of that Addington I know that it's had it. It's
had its to tractors and you've got this brand you
call a sceum you're going to be playing in which
will be magnificent. But will any part of you, will
the Crusader's organization be sorry to say goodbye to Eddington?

Speaker 16 (48:18):
Oh yeah, lots of people will be. It's I think
it's had for trophy successes there in its tenure, so
it's a special place. You know, it looks humble, but
that that reflects I guess you know, the attitude that
emanates out of here. It's it's not pretentious, and it's
and it's done a great job, and it's it's lasted

(48:41):
a hell of a lot longer than it was ever
meant to. And so you know, it was lovely to
be able to send her off in the appropriate manner.
And as we build into what will be an incredible
stadium for not only for our region and this province,
but also for the country. The size of the stadium
and the ability to sort of guarantee what the weather

(49:03):
is going to be like inside it is is going
to be one of a great fasfect for the development
of the game.

Speaker 2 (49:10):
You've had a bit of time to reflect on the
twenty twenty five season, the Grand Final, those wonderful scenes
at Addington sort of around June. June twenty one, I
think was the Grand Final. Have you been able to
put your finger on anything that was markedly different in
twenty twenty five compared to twenty twenty four.

Speaker 16 (49:31):
Well, I think I've said that several times. You know,
the playing roster was the biggest one we had, you know,
the twelve or so boys that were unavailable for long
periods of time and twenty four were all available in
twenty five. But there's you know, as with every campaign,
you know, there's things that change, and you know, we've

(49:53):
got our teeth into the boys early and our preseason
was really successful. We felt and you know, David Heavily
and the leadership group Ethan, Cody Taylor and Will Jordan
of world class, you know, the four of them. The
way they drove the group and devolved responsibility and allowed

(50:17):
others to grow internally and take responsibility to certain aspects
was just a joy to watch. And you know, those
things all add three or four percents, you know, and
so in the back end obviously we had success.

Speaker 2 (50:34):
So you squed next year will you likely be without
Scott Barrett as he takes a non playing sabbatical.

Speaker 16 (50:40):
Yeah's highly likely that there'll be something you know around
his participation will be reduced marketly, and that's easy the
right man. He's been a wonderful contributor for a long
period of time and you know, it's a bit like
Cody Taylor did last year. First seven or eight rounds
just got their bodies into great shape and you know

(51:03):
you can understand the rest now behind that and we're
fully supportive. So that's probably highly.

Speaker 2 (51:08):
Like in the year and the other ones. So definitely
leaving Levi, James O'Connor, Quentin Strange, Yoanni Muana who do
you feel like you've got good depth in their positions
to cover their departures.

Speaker 16 (51:21):
Yeah. Yeah, Levi was a great contributor and you know
on the field he's a dynamic player. Will miss him,
but Leicester faire Uki's back and excited about having him
back in red and black.

Speaker 9 (51:36):
You know, we know what he can do.

Speaker 16 (51:38):
And again all black class player, international class.

Speaker 12 (51:45):
And the you know.

Speaker 16 (51:46):
Quentin's been a great contributor here and time was you
know for him to experience another environment, been here a
long time and contributed brilliantly for his for the time
he was here, and he'll be missed. But we do
have a stable a young man coming through in that
middle road that you know, we're very very happy with him,
excited about and their opportunity is going to come and

(52:10):
and they'll be hungry and you know, opportunity is about
to arride for them. So yeah, we we feel as
we've got that those positions covered. Yoani who was a
revelation and will be sadly missed for as not only
as on field but his off field connection pieces. But
we've got some young ones coming through. We've got two

(52:31):
under twenty hookers, eli Od and Ryan and Moa are
just outstanding young men and you know they're not far
off being ready. So we're just in the space just
on Leicester.

Speaker 2 (52:45):
Were you playing in the back three or is he
an optional center for you?

Speaker 5 (52:49):
Yeah?

Speaker 16 (52:50):
Yeah, covers all those positions. Ye, without doubt are involved
mentioned them as a loose forward?

Speaker 2 (52:56):
Well, he probably could. He's probably got the bill for him.
Are you involved in the conversations around getting Richie mu
Wonga back to New Zealand.

Speaker 16 (53:04):
Yeah, I have been across all those years, so I.

Speaker 2 (53:09):
Mean, obviously clearly you'd love to get him back to
the Crusaders, but you just have to wait and see
what plays out higher up than you. Is that how
it works?

Speaker 16 (53:17):
Yeah, that's very much how it works. Yeah, Yeah, it's yeah,
it's one of those things. You've got another year up
in Japan. Obviously you've got nose, he's got his third
year away and you know the twenty seven campaign we'll
you know, potentially highlight an opportunity for someone like him

(53:40):
to come back.

Speaker 2 (53:41):
Look forward to that and I guess you're probably theoretically
on holiday, are you, but a year a watch a
bit of MPC you'd be watching as much as you Coul,
wouldn't you. Yeah?

Speaker 11 (53:49):
I love it.

Speaker 16 (53:50):
Yeah, it's just exciting to see a few new faces
and a few men that you know and are excited
to contribute and really want to just get some more
rugby under their.

Speaker 2 (54:00):
Belt, because you've probably got a few gaps, have you,
well you take are you looking at recruiting out of
the MPC for the Crusader in twenty six?

Speaker 17 (54:08):
Yeah?

Speaker 16 (54:08):
We've got a couple of spots, so we just want
to be playing well. I'm sure like everybody, all the
Super teams will be looking at their depth and you know,
trying to spot the gym that they can attract to
their environment, and we're no different.

Speaker 2 (54:23):
Congrats on the contract extension, Rob, look forward to catching
up when the twenty twenty six season draws closer.

Speaker 16 (54:29):
Pleasure thanks to Tom No thanks for yours, Rob.

Speaker 2 (54:31):
Rob Penny Crusader's head coach again. There was some bit
of conjecture about whether he would go round again, particularly
straight after the final. I was down in christ Church
and Rob Penny came out and to media after the
final and was very noncommittal about what he would do next.
But clearly he's a highly principled guy. He said no,

(54:51):
we'll just wait and see how the review plays out.
And what did he say there? Look, I I wasn't wanted.
There's no way he would have stayed and that seems evident.
But you know, Rob Penny would never be anywhere he
wasn't wanted, would he? But when you win Super Rugby,
particularly given the dreadful twenty twenty four that they had,
when you bounce back and win it. I mean, the

(55:13):
temptation to stay would be almost irresistible, wouldn't it. I
can't imagine. But they say you should go out on top.
And so if Rob Penny had decided, you know what,
I've got other things to do with my weeks in
the first half of a year than coach a rugby team,
then everybody would say, hey, well your legacy is secure
Rob if you go into the sunset. But yeah, more

(55:33):
work to do, and it would be pretty hard to
say goodbye to that playing group. They're not losing too many,
as I say, next year, just the four or five players.
The only thing about Scott Barrett not being there, and
I'm not suggesting the same thing will happened again. But
remember Cody Taylor had that non playing sabbatical last year
in twenty twenty four, and his absence from the side

(55:55):
was actually quite a big factor because we all know
how influential he is inside a rugby team and not
being there. I'm not saying what's the reason the Crusaders
had such a poor twenty two four. There were lots
of other factors at play too, including other player unavailability
like Will Jordan for example. But I just wonder whether

(56:15):
there's any trepidation about giving Scott Barrett the first eight
to ten weeks of Super Rugby off next year, just
in case the same thing happens again. Look, I'm not
suggesting it will. And they've got pretty good lock and
cover as well. And as I say, you look at
that squad and you know not losing too many really.
James O'Connor's gone, but they've got you know, pretty good

(56:36):
first five cover, haven't they, with reverz Raehanna and Tahakemta
two of the more exciting first fives going around. And
James o connor came made me off the bench anyway
last year, didn't he? Or this season I think they'll
be Okay. It's twenty two past one. Just want to
get your read on NPC. It started brilliantly, didn't it
Thursday night whitcutt or Auckland. I was glued to that game.

(56:59):
I'm very rarely glued to a game of rugby that
doesn't involve one of the teams I support, But I
was watching that game and yeah, it was played out
at a fairly cavernous Eden Park. But Man thirty six
thirty five Lema Sawpowanga off the bench into second five
outside Aaron Cruden, Anton Lennet Brown running the water for
Waycuttle and all of a sudden they scored twenty points.

(57:22):
Sun answered at the end or whatever it was and
beat Auckland thirty six thirty five. Oh, it was a
terrific game of rugby. I didn't watch last night's game
between one or two in North Harbor. I had eyes
on the Warriors and other things. But by the sounds
of it, that was a good contest too. And then
you look at the week or the weekend ahead this
afternoon Wellington v Canterbury, then Stag Day ten thousand plus

(57:47):
expected at Rugby Park, and in Vicago for Stag Day
Southland v Otago, one of the oldest rivalries in New
Zealand provincial rugby. Then the shield goes on the line
tonight when Tadahaki welcomed Northland to New Plymouth. And a
couple of quite intriguing games tomorrow as well, including in
Totonga the match between Bay of Plenty and Tasman, both

(58:13):
of who look absolutely stacked, absolutely stacked. I had a look.
Someone pointed out the Tasman back line to me here's
the Tasman back line. Tomorrow fin Lake, Christie all Black
at half back, William Harvilly is at first five, David
Harvilly All Black at second five, Levi Almore at center,

(58:37):
Macas Springer on one wing, Tamothy Tavatava Nahway All Black
on the other, and Kyra and Tamoifela one of the
big stars of Mauana Pacifica and now is the Chiefs.
Isn't he at fallback? Mitchell Drummonds can't even get into
the side. He's he can't even get into the site.

(59:02):
He's reserved halfback. And then you look at Bay of
Plenty and you think, actually they're pretty good too. Some
of the players there rolling out Tomorrow pass or Tossi
all Black front row, Kurt Eklund, Moory all Black's captain
at hooker, Nita are Corey in the second row, Lucas Cashmore,

(59:23):
who's been turning heads at first five, Leroy Carter's at center,
em Moon in Nadawa All Black, Caleb Trusk Cole Forbes.
That's a good team. That's a good team. Sorry, and
didn't want to make a point to me then or not? No, no,
no point to make as a least in that Marco
side as well. No, well, he's not playing tomorrow, but

(59:45):
he's he's in the squad. He is in the squad.
He could have made the team either, was he. He
surely wasn't available. I don't.

Speaker 18 (59:52):
I think he's injured. Surely that's another player they've got
to fit in there, Piney, I'm sure that Lester Fko
hasn't been left out on form. But then okay, we
is he going to play? You're right because I just
read out the back loan.

Speaker 2 (01:00:08):
Who's he going to fit in? Well? You mentioned to
Rob Penny loose Ford's there you go, loose Ford. Well,
they've got Ethan black Ethan Blackhead as well, and don't
mentioned him Quentin Strange. It's a stack team, Tasman. That's
your team, isn't it. Yes, Yeah, that's pretty good, pretty good.
I don't favorite. I think their favorite to win the
whole thing are mate have mentioned So I don't know

(01:00:29):
what Eureck and Wellington can back up against that without doubt.
But I'm very one eyed when it comes to Wellington,
as you are when it comes to Tessaman. But you
look at the Wellington team and it's actually a pretty
good team. I've been through some of these other teams,
so I can mention some of these Wellington players. Ruben
Loves and the team this afternoon, Brad Shields as the captain,
Peter Larkeye, Xavier new Meya, Julian Savia's back playing at

(01:00:53):
second five this afternoon. Matt Proctor, brother of Billy one
test all black. Matt Proctor's and the team. That's pretty
good team, that's not bad.

Speaker 18 (01:01:03):
They would take most teams pretty close. I'd say, okay,
even Tasin.

Speaker 2 (01:01:08):
Yeah, look Tasman. I had a look at the tab
oft satur Day. I think think Tasman and Bay of
Plenty with a top two from memory. I'm just going
to check that while we're while we're chatting, rather than
give out false information, I'm almost certain that that Tasman
were favorites to win NPC, paying around three fifty I
think the last time I checked. Where are we in PC?

(01:01:31):
Let me have a look for you. Here we go
Tasman three twenty five. They are Wellington and Canterbury. Actually
my apologies are joint second favorite five dollars and Bay
of plenty seven dollars rank outsiders Northland. I think that's
a bit rude. They could win the shield to Night Northland.
I'm not sure that they will win the Shields to Night,
but they could. Piney MPC said Andy is a great

(01:01:54):
product mainly because there's no TMO, the game flows and
after a tried teams and fans can celebrate without the
obligatory fifty replace trying to find a reason not to award.
Sorry lad says this one. It's turbo time. I love

(01:02:15):
man of we two rugby fans. I must say I
love mother with two rugby fans. And the passion with
which they I was gonna say, tolerate their rugby team.
That's a bit rude. The passion with which they follow
their rugby team. And good on them last night. They
had a big crowd there at well not a big crowd,
but a good crowd at Central Energy Trust Arena, from
what I can understand, to watch their team beat North Harbor.

(01:02:37):
And look at the matter with two teams, so you forget,
you forget who plays in these teams because you're so
used to super rugby and then you go, that's right,
that guy plays for that such and such a team.
Two listen to muddle were Two's back line Yordy ville
Yrne who was a hurricane was at half back. Brett
Cameron another hurricane. First five and then they're in the

(01:02:58):
twelve Jersey Nanni La Marpy Brandon. You're say off the
back of their scrum. T K Howden's in that team
as well. Good on them, aye, mother, we'd two good
on them.

Speaker 9 (01:03:12):
One.

Speaker 2 (01:03:12):
Let's take a break. We'll get you out to pottidor
actually at to Jerry Collins Stadium where it's going to
be Wellington v. Canterbury in about forty minutes or so.
Tony Giles is the CEO of Wellington RUGBI, can have
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Speaker 16 (01:04:28):
It's more than just a game.

Speaker 1 (01:04:31):
Weekends for it with Jason Hin and G. J. Gardnohomes,
New Zealand's most trusted home builder newstalgs.

Speaker 2 (01:04:37):
MB News talks every twenty seven. Away from two. Wellington
will start the defense of their NPC title this afternoon
against Canterbury at Jerry Collins Stadium and Pottydo a kick
off at five past two. Pretty handy Wellington's side bunch
of super rugby players, as I said before, Reuben Love,
Julian Savier, Brad Shields, Peter Lakeye, Kyle Preston, Zavi Numa
and others. But for Canterbury they can call on freshly

(01:04:58):
capped all blacks hooker Brody McAllister, as well as the
likes of Cullen Grace, Tom Christy, braden enaw and Chaffee
Hockey who will were all part of the for rugby
winning side not that long ago. Wellington Rugby CEO Tony
Giles is with us, give us a check on weather
and conditions. First of all, Tony and pottydoer today Piney.

Speaker 11 (01:05:17):
How are you mate?

Speaker 5 (01:05:17):
Listen, we're out here in Pottydoor Park, Jerry conin stadium,
basket and glorious blue sunshine pointing here in the club
met at the South Pacific Peetown. Here we are in
PC's upon us of the weather is glorious.

Speaker 11 (01:05:29):
Mate.

Speaker 2 (01:05:30):
Oh, that is a wonderful, wonderful introduction in fellow, I
feel like we should be swapping positions. You should be
sitting here and I can be out there. But as
you are out there, just on the decision to take
your home matches to Pottydoor, was that a relatively straightforward one?

Speaker 16 (01:05:44):
Yeah?

Speaker 5 (01:05:44):
It wasn't there mate.

Speaker 11 (01:05:45):
Listen.

Speaker 5 (01:05:45):
We've had conversations obviously with the Wellington Regients Stadium, Trust
Sky Stadium. We've had conversations around Wellington, n Z. He said,
in rugby to see how we can benefit and reconnect
with our community in a meaningful and different way. Sky
Stadium is a wonderful venue and we will still be
going back there still should we be fortunate enough to

(01:06:06):
be hosting playoffs. But it was really important to be
connecting with our community at a community park and allowing
our players and our game to be accessible to fans.

Speaker 4 (01:06:16):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:06:17):
Do you think that's a view held widely across your
provincial union counterparts as well?

Speaker 5 (01:06:24):
Absolutely is afternoon footy at community venues. We went down
last year to Canterbury and played a wonderful game at
Rangiura Domain, was incredible. We know by a Plenty play
all their games a toad on the domain. We know
Auckland played a game at Mount Alvin Grammar. We're all
trying to connect to re engage fans back to this
wonderful game of rugby that provides incredible pathways for young

(01:06:46):
men and women in the SPC as well.

Speaker 2 (01:06:49):
And just on the NPC. I mean it started brilliantly.
I mean I mentioned before Auckland White Cutter was a
great game on Thursday night. Last night, one of W
two in North Harbor got into one another some big
games across this weekend. There's always this conversation about the
relevance of NPC, but I mean, I know you're a
a big fan of it. I think there's certainly a
lot still to be said for provincial rugby, isn't there.

Speaker 5 (01:07:12):
It's an incredible product. I mean, it's the jewl in
the crown for us here in his Zellan because it
provides not only a calendar window of rugby throughout the
whole thing franchise in PC into the All Blacks, but
it also provides an opportunity for wonderful players who may
have worn the black jersey working alongside something young, up
and coming talent and learning. So we've seen that across

(01:07:34):
Manawatu last night against North Harbor. We saw that in
Auckland with young Rico Simpson coming on and playing a
scala role as well. It's a wonderful product and the
fans are wilding in through the gate here and obviously
it's still resonating really really well and.

Speaker 2 (01:07:49):
Some integration of players back in. A bunch of All
Blacks have been released to play for their provinces this
weekend and I know they've and Jordan in fact duplas.
Kalifie hasn't been released back, but I understand he was
still at training during the week with the Lions boys.

Speaker 5 (01:08:01):
He's been training every day. Fine, that's just a medal
of the man. He likes to be a part of it,
likes to support the program off the field as much
as he can. But yeah, we've got Reuben starting today.
We've got Peter Larkeye in the number seven shirt shirt
that he wore for the All Blacks last year, so
we're excited by that. Of course, ab and Emir starting
in the front row as well, and we welcome back

(01:08:21):
the likes of a kid at Emir who is the
only non starting franchise player who's just come back from
Japan after having a professional year there with Caboda and
Wellington Rugby.

Speaker 2 (01:08:33):
In fact, all of the provincial unions oversee the game
in their patch. How important a part of that is
the is the NPC side and the FBC side as well.

Speaker 5 (01:08:44):
Yeah, listen, it's a really important part of our DNA
and Wellington. I mean we have nine and a half
thousand members throughout the Willington province. We've got eighteen clubs
and it's the opportunity to provide a pathway, whether it
be through the Wellington Rugby Academy through the NPC team.
But young men and women have aspirational dreams to play
this game. And you know NPC is a really really

(01:09:04):
important part of it and competitive nature of it. Two
wonderful sides here. You've got the Wonington Lions, last year's
NPC defending champions against Canterbury today without a doubt, the
strongest performing provincial rugby team of this millennium. So it's incredible.

Speaker 2 (01:09:22):
I can almost smell the sausages cooking out there, Toney.
Presumably there's some food on offer out.

Speaker 5 (01:09:27):
There, ironically, Finey, as you know me, well, I'm standing
right in front of the wonderful hot chips, wraps and
loaded fry caravan. We have Baxter's, we have all coffee carts,
you name it. It's here at Pottidoo Park. As I say, mate,
we're putting it on Club met of the South Pacific.
Everybody should come out and don't forget mate, kids under
fifteen are free.

Speaker 2 (01:09:49):
Love it, Tony. Good to chat to you, mate, can't
help but be drawn up in your enthusiasm. Made all
the best to your Wellington side. This afternoon. Thanks for
the chat.

Speaker 5 (01:09:57):
Appreciate you mate, Cheers all the best.

Speaker 2 (01:09:59):
Tony Joels, CEO of Wellington Rugby. Yeah, I think he's
a great and the of the kind of person that
is running provincial rugby. Utter enthusiast, absolute enthusiast for the
game at grassroots level. You're swept up in the enthusiasm
of the man. Yes, so this afternoon the five past

(01:10:20):
two commentary incidentally on gold Sport and iHeartRadio if you'd
like to take in commentary of that game. In fact,
all in PC games are on gold Sport and iHeartRadio,
or just stay with us and we'll keep you updated.
After two o'clock a bunch of text through on NPC.
Clint says, great move from Wellington Rugby. Full stop. It
was a but bleak seeing that final played in an

(01:10:40):
empty sky Stadium last year. I hope more unions take
their lead and do the same. It will definitely invigorate
the game at grassroots level. Thanks Clint, muss Is Ponty.
You should do a small segment on who to watch
out for to be selected for the next Super Rugby season.
I'll start, says mus Cooper Flanders for the Magpies. This
young man is an absolute talent, presumably Devin Flander's brother.

(01:11:04):
And look, I'll take all suggestions of who to look
out for in the MPC, because that's the other thing
about it. NPC is the pathway to super rugby. That's
how you know, almost without exception, players find themselves and
super rugby teams by playing well for their provinces. And
there will be players that you and I have never

(01:11:25):
heard of who will be super rugby players in twenty
twenty six, simply by virtue of the way they play
over the next ten rounds of NPC rugby. Yeah, fireman,
if there's a player that we need to keep an
eye on or write down Cooper Flanders, mus I'll write
down his name. But if you've got somebody who we
need to keep an eye on across the next ten weeks.
Texted in nine two nine to two, one of our

(01:11:47):
siting commissioners has texted saying, Bonnie, there are tmos at MPC.
All right, Well, that's good to know. And I kind
of thought there was, because I think was the decision
the other night, as I was reading that text out before,
I was thinking to myself, did I see a decision
the other night by the TMO. Anyway, there are tmos
at MPC.

Speaker 16 (01:12:04):
Thank you for that.

Speaker 2 (01:12:04):
Don't forget about those pesky mag Piney says Macat. They're
looking good as well. Look, I would never discount the
Hawk's Bay Magpies. Always a good team. And we mentioned
Cooper Flanders. Devon Flanders is in that team as well.
Miracle fighter Lungey is in that team. Who else We've

(01:12:27):
got Harry Godfrey of course, one of the rising stars,
and the ten jumper Zarn Sullivan at fullback, Tom Parsons
in the second row. Jacob Devery he played with the Hurricanes,
as did Pody Lakety, Stones, Hawks, bait yep. Good team,
good team always there or there about four fuckatava on
the bench. Yeah, good team, Thank you very much indeed

(01:12:49):
for that, Mecca, Gary says Piney. Good luck to you
today against Canterbury. Your backlines like Golden Oldies. Guard of
bashef Tavia Proctor. Thanks Gary. I saw Jackson Guard of
Baship yesterday. Actually he was getting coffee at the same
coffee cart that I did, and we had a bit
of a yard. He's looking a good nick. He's looking
a good nick. Seeing through your players to watch, and

(01:13:13):
we'll give them a bit of love today and across
the season eighteen to two. When we come back across
the Tasman, we'll go Adam Peacock.

Speaker 1 (01:13:21):
After this the tough Questions off the turf weekends for
It with Jason Pine and GJ. Garbnerholmes, New Zealand's most
trusted home builder.

Speaker 2 (01:13:30):
News Talks, News Talks. He'll be one forty four. Lookout
for Patrick mccurran from White Cuttle, says Ross. Thanks Ross,
Kensy's pony. I'll put Xavier Titto Harris in your list.
He looks like a good replacement for Mark t Lea
at the Blues. Meantime, the Dragons to beat the Raiders. Well,
I'm sure they're not favorite, Ken, but thanks for thanks

(01:13:53):
for the text, and Gary says Pony. Watch out for
this young man, Kitlee Watson for Taranaki, a prop one
hundred and forty kegs, former judo champion, twenty four years old.
It's only been playing rugby for five years. Thanks Gary,
I'll keep an eye on him as well. Seen through
your players to watch in the MPC. Australian correspondent Adam

(01:14:15):
pea Cox with us as usual on a Saturday, Adam,
thanks for your time. Our third Test tonight Wallaby's and
British and Irish Lions in Sydney. The series has gone
obviously with the Lions winning Tests two last weekend in Melbourne.
What has the fallout been from that, the controversy of
the of the you know, the late passages of play

(01:14:35):
in that match in Melbourne.

Speaker 11 (01:14:37):
Yeah, it was.

Speaker 19 (01:14:38):
It was pretty robust straight away that a lot of
people saying it's taken on the phone of how good
would it be instead of blowing up about the decision
and saying Australia were ripped off. And there are a
few people who still think that, but it's more about
how good would it have been if this was a decide.
It's still going to be a great occasion. Tonight in
Sydney has packed out and I live in Sydney.

Speaker 5 (01:15:00):
I see.

Speaker 19 (01:15:02):
People cladn't read all week just walking the street to
Sydney enjoying themselves, even though it's been absolutely hosing.

Speaker 11 (01:15:08):
Down all week.

Speaker 19 (01:15:09):
But yeah, it's it feels like a bit of a
missed opportunity for something epic, even though probably looking at
that decision it was a fifty to fifty.

Speaker 2 (01:15:18):
There was a fifty to fifty, and there's been a
lot of fallout and judgment during the week, saying Loo
color Tazano, he's obviously feeling the effects of the of
the attack or but also feeling the effects of some
online abuse as well. He's been sort of, I guess
taken out of the spotlight. Do you think this is
the right call?

Speaker 19 (01:15:35):
Yeah, well, it's born out of the fact that people
and knowledgeable people without the game of rugby said he
was diving so and that was off the basis of
their own bias. It wasn't about oh, well, he actually
could have been hurt, like it was a fairly full
on attack on the back of his neck, and whether

(01:15:56):
or not he should have been there, or whether or
not that he was there at the same time, whatever,
that's that's not the point.

Speaker 10 (01:16:00):
It was, Yeah, he got hit and it hurt.

Speaker 19 (01:16:03):
So I like the whole thing. And I think those
people who had to go at him for doing a
blatant dive and trying to milk a penalty and all
of those things should maybe reconsider having such a forthright opinion,
because that's the fall that people hop on and then
the guy ends up copying abuse for what I mean,
let's all calm down. So yeah, it's unfortunate.

Speaker 11 (01:16:24):
PostScript to it all.

Speaker 19 (01:16:26):
But yeah we still haven't quite got over it, but
maybe tonight we will get over it if the lot
of his can find a way to win and for a.

Speaker 2 (01:16:34):
Memorable occasion in Sydney tonight. The NRL reaching its business end.
The Warriors losing to the Dolphins right at the end
last night, clinging on in fourth spot, but they've lost
four of their last six. Now do you think the
chasing pack is going to swallow the Warriors up?

Speaker 19 (01:16:50):
Yeah, Penrith are the ones have hit a bit of
rhythm and they've got Sorry, there's the cockatoos that we
have here in Australia and they're making a bit of noise.
They want to be on the radio as well. But yeah,
that the Panthers have got their you know what together
And at the same time, one of these teams was
potentially going to have a bit of pressure put on

(01:17:10):
them and it's ended up being the Warriors through an
injury crisis and then James Fushaharis dipping out and he's
the latest one to go down. No wag to egans
of course, Metcalf went down as well, and earlier in
the season Mitch Barnett, So you can't keep on coping
with those types of injuries and expect to get better.
And that's the thing that the Warriors I had to

(01:17:30):
consider and I can see Penrith making a charge for that.
But Pendrith do have a last month of the season,
four high intensity games, so they're not across the line yet,
but they are the ones I think that are going
to jump at them.

Speaker 2 (01:17:42):
You see Eagle's going to make the eight, are they?

Speaker 19 (01:17:45):
Oh maybe? Yeah, we're bottom eight team I called earlier
in the year, like bottom eight team, as in bottom
of the eight team, Yeah, yeah, gotcha, seventh or eighth, Yeah,
just gone around in circles. It feels like I've got
absolutely tapped last week by the Bulldogs play the Roosters
later on tonight. Again they mentioned that whether it could

(01:18:07):
be challenging conditions for a team like Marley he liked
to throw the ball around. It's raining and it's showing
those signs of easing up. So yeah, I think you
can guess by the tone of my voice, and I'm
I'm not booking my ticul the Grand Finals for that way.

Speaker 2 (01:18:21):
Good to see that. And just finally today World Swim
Champs and Singapore, we know how big swimming is in Australia.
Five golds so fast, same number as the US, including
three to Mollio Callahan. She's now equaled Ian Thorpe's Australian
record of eleven World Championship gold medals, agonizing second and
the one hundred and three overnight but still some record.

Speaker 19 (01:18:42):
Yeah, she felt, and reading what she said after that,
she basically said, I was a bit gassed from the
night before where I anchored the four by two hundred
meter relay for a huge win over America. So she's
so good, Molio Callahan, and she's going to go down
as one of our greatest swimmers. A question that's kind
of been raised over here this week is will she

(01:19:04):
go down as our greatest stop And the thought is
that she'll probably have to go for two more Olympic cycles,
which is going to be difficult. By the time Brisbane
comes around, I think she'll be twenty nine, So that's
at the outer edge of what we've seen from swimming.
Usually they retire in their mid twenties because it is
so arduous and you know, that they're not getting these
big five hundred and six hundred thousand dollars contracts at

(01:19:26):
footy players get to keep being professional, they have to
go off into the real world, some of them. So yeah,
I hope she can. It's going to be the big
watch over the next four or five years about how
good she ends up. But even Ian Thorpe has said
that she's got a chance to be as right at
the top of the rum and.

Speaker 10 (01:19:41):
He's the guy at at the top of the run.

Speaker 19 (01:19:43):
So that'll be a good watch. And she's had a
great week and our swimmers have done so well against
an American team again, which the Americans have so much
depth in this book because they've got the collegiate system,
and our swimmers have stood up to them.

Speaker 12 (01:19:55):
Again.

Speaker 2 (01:19:55):
Absolutely, Maria Kell, she's got all these golds and world
championship and her Olympic feats. Of course she's only twenty one.
It's crazy, isn't it.

Speaker 19 (01:20:04):
Its means and it's about the timing, isn't it. So
Michael Phelps had that timing just right, like coming and
becoming great at the right time, which allowed you to
fit in three or four Olympic cycles instead of two
or three and yeah, so Molly's definitely in that Molio
Callahan's definitely in that space and probably helped by the
fact that the Tokyo Olympics got eighty years so she

(01:20:25):
could start her Olympic career there and obviously went to
Paris and La and Brisbane's on the radar.

Speaker 2 (01:20:31):
Indeed, always great chatting Australian sport with you, Adam. Thank
you for updating us. We'll do it again next Saturday.

Speaker 19 (01:20:37):
Sounds good.

Speaker 9 (01:20:38):
Thanks Bunny, No, thank you, Adam.

Speaker 2 (01:20:39):
Adam Piccott, our Australian correspondent on All Sporting Matters Saturday
afternoons here on Weekend Sports. Just coming at eight to two.
Couple of techs through Cooper Roberts Center for New Zealand
in the Under twenty World Cup Tasman MPC this year.
We badly need his style of player, good on d
and good at setting up as wingers Cooper Roberts. I
think he's in an older boys, isn't he. The problem

(01:21:00):
with he might strike is getting a game when you
look at the stacked midfield and Tasman. But I'm sure
he time will come Cooper Roberts and watch this player,
says Quinn Sage walters Hanson and Talleranaky. He's been in
the Northland junior set up last three years, moved back
home to the Naki last year as cracked the Tartanhucky
squad this year after being named club player of the

(01:21:20):
Year from Clifton Up the Balls, says Quinn, I'll keep
an eye on Sage walters Hanson as well. I think
he might be on the bench tonight loose Ford for
Talleranaky against Northland seven to two. Back after this on
Newstalk ZBI from.

Speaker 1 (01:21:34):
Breaking Down the Hail Mary's and the empic fails Weekend
Sport with Jason Hine, News Talk ZENB.

Speaker 2 (01:21:43):
It's four to two after two o'clock between two and
three we have a new competition courtesy of the Tab.
It's called Sporting Chants. A Sporting Chants with the Tab.
Every week we're going to give you the chance to
win a two hundred and fifty dollars bonus bet. So
you call through and if you're the lucky caller, we

(01:22:03):
give you the bet. Now We're going to give you
three options short, evens or long and you just choose
which one you like. We place the bet and if
it comes in, you get the winnings pretty easy. Got
to be over eighteen, got to have a ta B account,
but we'll play that after two, after two o'clock straight away.
I just want to drill down to this decision by

(01:22:24):
Joe Schmitt to leave Carlo Tazano out of the Wallabies.

Speaker 1 (01:22:27):
Tonight the only place to discuss the biggest sports issues
on and after fields.

Speaker 10 (01:22:34):
It's all on weekends.

Speaker 1 (01:22:35):
Forward with Jason Day on your home of sports US
Talk Shoo seven.

Speaker 2 (01:22:42):
Welcome back into the show, Welcome into the show. Busy
last hour coming your way. Caught up in a rugby
to get through Stag Day and then for cargo. Southland
vi Otago. They love it down there. Ten thousand set
to pack into Rugby Park. Jason Rutlers will be there.
He's played about one thousand games for Southland, not that
many but plenty. He still he's not still playing, is he?

Speaker 16 (01:23:05):
No?

Speaker 2 (01:23:07):
I know he came out of retirement to play some
club stuff. It'd be mid forties now, Jason Rutlers. Anyway,
he's going to have you on to us about Southland
vi Otago and just how big a game this is
for the Stags, particularly this early in the season. We'll
also preview tonight's ran Philly Shield challenge. Tananhacky, Northland, Josh
Jacob Simon Parker, both on the show chiefs teammates but

(01:23:28):
opposition players tonight for the Amber and Blacks and the
Tunny Fa also going to play our new game a
sporting chants. Looking forward to that your chance to win
a two hundred and fifty dollars bonus bet and then
place it on one of the three options we have
for you and if it happens, you get the winnings.

(01:23:49):
Pretty good really. I want to talk shortly as well
about the decision by Joe Schmidt, Wallaby's coach to bring
Carlo Tazano out of the spotlight, because I reckon that's
what he's done ahead of the third Test tonight. I
know Carlo Tizano have been suffering some ill effects from
the collision at the back end of the second Test

(01:24:11):
last week, but he has been copying it on social media,
mainly from British and Irish Lions fans about his so
called theatrics at the end of that game, and that
impact I think has played a part in Joe Schmitt's
decision not to pick him tonight anyway we can get
into that. Oh e one hundred and eighty ten eighty's
our phone number nine two ninety two is our text line.

(01:24:32):
We'll also keep eyes on the MPC game at Potty
Tour which has just kicked off three minutes and no
score between Wellington and Canterburdge. But as we always do
it around about this time on Saturday afternoons and Sundays
in fact time to get you across the stuff you
may have not caught up with, some of the stuff
that you may have missed. In case you missed it

(01:24:53):
is what we call it. Starting in the AFL Australian Rules,
a Berg went for Adelaide over Hawthorne last night, putting
them right back at the top of the table. Jin Walker.

Speaker 16 (01:25:06):
The kid data.

Speaker 2 (01:25:08):
Promes by eleven points.

Speaker 7 (01:25:11):
So Frida in August.

Speaker 2 (01:25:15):
Nine eleven a September light contest and Andre for those
Adelaide fans one seven and Adelaide's still on that side
of the Tasman the Broncos running up an enormous score
over the Rabbit O's in the NRL, Ezra.

Speaker 3 (01:25:33):
Limps to the play the ball, Carrigan floats it whilst over.

Speaker 11 (01:25:41):
And satsin.

Speaker 20 (01:25:41):
You just can't get back there to point that out,
and whilst joins the dry.

Speaker 16 (01:25:46):
Scoring party a sense of an inevitability and now Forsbon
are going to get to.

Speaker 2 (01:25:51):
Six sixteen fourteen, the Broncos over the Rabbit, O's to
golf and the Women's British Open. Lidia Coe having her struggles, will.

Speaker 16 (01:25:59):
Most likely her last shot of her AIG this year.

Speaker 9 (01:26:04):
But you'll never know.

Speaker 8 (01:26:06):
I'll let them see what happens.

Speaker 18 (01:26:11):
Yeah, you feel actually pretty confidence if they're wand all
of a car just looking at the where things are doing.

Speaker 2 (01:26:15):
If the wind were to continue to blow like this,
but two maybe pushing it now, luck was on her side.
She has made the Cutler deco and we'll play the weekend.
The black Caps mopped up their first Test against Zimbabwe
well inside three days. I think it's done now.

Speaker 15 (01:26:32):
Henry Nichols plays the pull shot to end the first
Test match inside three days.

Speaker 2 (01:26:38):
New Zealand win this by nine wickets. They needed just
eight runs in their second innings to finish the job
and did it without any problems. Well, they lost even Conway,
but got there relatively easily and in PC delivering two
great matches already with an exciting win from monaw two
last night over North Harbor.

Speaker 19 (01:26:56):
Your say's got it, Your say tries to elude fights
a gap gets the offload away to Sam Coles.

Speaker 2 (01:27:02):
Oh it just said was a note? No full of
money's gone? Full of money scores?

Speaker 18 (01:27:08):
Oh outrageous mono a two score, I'm sure the winning
try of the game.

Speaker 2 (01:27:16):
Oh how did that unravel?

Speaker 1 (01:27:18):
Goodness gracious me analyzing every view from every angle in
the sporting world. Weekends for It with Jason Ye Call
eighty News Talks.

Speaker 2 (01:27:29):
MB, News Talks, VB and Weekend Sport twelve past two.
Jason Rutledge is still playing rugby. He's forty seven. I've
just been sent from a good mate will a social
media screenshot from earlier this year. Jason Rutledge, it says,
has just been part of his eleventh Southland Premiere Club

(01:27:51):
rugby title after turning in an eighteen minute performance in
the front row at forty seven years of age. The
legend continues Rutledge's eleventh title at the age of forty seven.
That is incredible. Jason Rutlige is with us surely well.
Thanks for sending that through, mate, Much appreciated. The Wallabies
and the Lions clash in the third and final Test

(01:28:12):
of their series in Sydney tonight. Australian loose forward Carlo
Tazano found himself the center of attention last weekend when
he was cleaned out by Jack Morgan in the final
ruck of the game, which of course led to the
Lions winning tried. Controversy raged about whether the cleanout was legal,
and Carlo Tazano himself copped a lot of blowback for

(01:28:32):
what many thought was a theatrical reaction to the contact
he received from Jack Morgan. Wallaby's coach Joe Schmidt said
on Thursday that Tazano had copped a lot of online
abuse and along with the effects of the blow to
his neck, would sit the third Test out. Let's bring
in vastly experienced and highly regarded performance coach Aaron walshoes

(01:28:56):
worked with the Chiefs, with the Newcastle Knights, with the
Scotland rugby team and many others. Aaron, thanks for lending
us your expertise. It feels to me as though Joe
Shmi is taking Carlo Tazano out of the spotlight here
because of the week he's head in terms of the
social media blowback. Is this the right move by Joe Schmidt?

Speaker 16 (01:29:17):
Yeah?

Speaker 11 (01:29:18):
It's an interesting one, isn't it, Because you know, we
now live in the day of age, a day of
age where you think, you know, we look back ten
fifteen years ago when these things sort of happen and
the athletes is able to crack onto it. There might
be a couple of newspaper articles. But you know, I
think in some senses, you know, if you're a player
and you're feeling this, and you know your coach shows

(01:29:40):
that amount of care to protect the person over the performance,
you know, I think there's a lot to be said
by the way that Joe is actually approaching it.

Speaker 2 (01:29:49):
Do you think Carlo Tuzano would have wanted to play tonight?

Speaker 11 (01:29:54):
So hard to say, isn't it, mate, Unless you're in
there like one, you know, we're not sure of you know,
the injury complications from a collision like that. But also
I imagine, you know, highly experienced operator and Joe that
they would have had these conversations during the week and
he may have picked up something and you know, often
the players will you know, they always want to play,

(01:30:14):
they always want to put their best foot forward, and
you know, he may have picked up something during the
week and you know, in his mood or the way
things are being processed, that he just might thought, hey,
I need to look after this young full He's got
a long career ahead of him, he's a good player,
and it might be just the right thing to do
at this point of his career.

Speaker 2 (01:30:32):
As you say, Aaron, we're operating in a completely different
environment than we were even ten fifteen years ago. Is
it possible for a player to completely ignore online noise?

Speaker 11 (01:30:47):
It's an interesting one, mate, because I think, as you're aware,
you know, a lot of their social media presence just
isn't about them sharing their life or about their performance.
They of commercial obligations. So it's very easy to say
I just you know, don't have a presence. You don't
have to look for everything, you don't have to hear
for it. But you know that they may have to
post a certain number of times a week to meet

(01:31:08):
you know, either the team sponsors or their personal sponsors.
There is you know, I know a couple of athletes
that I've worked with over the years who have a
couple of phones, and you know they'll just go to
one of their phones two or three days out after
a game, and maybe a day out after a game
where they'll just have their loved ones, their close family,
and there'll be no social media on it, just so

(01:31:29):
they create you know, a little bit of separation, you know,
from building into the game one and not having those
voices sort of percolating in their head. And also secondly
just about the process. I think, I think what you've
got to realize with players is I sort of call
it the microscope and telescope. You know, the first twenty
four hours after a game, they're in microscope mode, which is,

(01:31:53):
you know, everything's bigger, everything feels bigger. They're replaying, rehashing
moments of the game. But you know, as they get
further away from the performance, they're able to step back,
have perspective, look at things, and then you know, probably
get a bit of a clearer evaluation of how their
performance went.

Speaker 2 (01:32:09):
That's a that's a terrific way of looking at it.
Often the bigger impact is on the family of the
players who find themselves in the spotlight. They might not
have two phones, you know, they they might not be
able to avoid the stuff that's being said about their son,
their brother. How should family of high profile. Athletes deal
with this sort of thing.

Speaker 11 (01:32:30):
You know, it's one of those ones where you know,
I think it's going to be a little bit different
for everyone. I know, even you know and the teams
that I work with. You get close to the players,
they become I wouldn't say like family, but they become
people you care about deeply, and you know, you just
got to it's easier to send them done. You've got
to stay away, and you know, I think you know,
one of the things that you know, Claydon McMillan, that

(01:32:51):
the chiefs used to talk about is, you know, you
can't just look at social media when you're going well
and then avoid it when you're going poorly. You know,
you know, now you know you're going to take both
sides of it. So if you want to engage, there's
going to be parts of it. We have to deal
with the criticism.

Speaker 5 (01:33:05):
But I you know, you you hear it.

Speaker 11 (01:33:06):
It sounds a bit of a cliche, but I don't
really think it is. Is that these players and these
athletes will be much harder critics on their own performance
than anyone in the public.

Speaker 2 (01:33:16):
Indeed, do you think players are on the whole when
they've had a good game, like to get online to
see what people are saying about them.

Speaker 11 (01:33:24):
Are they humans?

Speaker 12 (01:33:25):
I probably suspect.

Speaker 11 (01:33:26):
So it's probably like after if you do an absolute
belter of a show, you're probably looking at the common.

Speaker 2 (01:33:32):
Yeah, that doesn't have it very often. That doesn't have
it very often. But no, I take your point.

Speaker 11 (01:33:37):
But if you have a shock, you still at want
to stay away. I think I think it's natural human instinct.
We all want to feel praised, don't we all? Don't
We all want to feel valued. We all want to
feel like, you know, our work has acknowledged. So I think,
you know, there's part of the human side that would
be naturally looking for, you know, whether it's affirmation or
support or whatever it is. I think, yeah, it's probably

(01:33:58):
pretty common.

Speaker 2 (01:34:00):
How much has the care of players improved, you know
in recent times? You know, offer you look back and
the old days, as they say, actually just you know,
toughen up and get out there careful players. Is that
something which has improved in recent times?

Speaker 11 (01:34:16):
Yeah, I reckon it's completely different right now. I think
it's one that the athletes. It's a wider question actually,
because you know, the athletes now are much more aware
of their own mental and emotional status. I think, you
know that one of the positives of social media or
you know, the world we live it now is people
aren't really afraid. And our conversations around mental health as

(01:34:39):
a society has given permission for people to speak about
how they feel. And so, you know, I think a
lot of it was, you know, back in the day
when I was growing up and you were growing up.
I don't know if we had the tools or we
had the experts around us to be alop to process that.
And now I think every coach who's dealing with these
young athletes, they have to be equipped and they have

(01:34:59):
to be aware that, you know, you have to care
for the person to get the best out of the performer,
and our players are so sensitive. If they don't feel
cared for it, but they don't feel like they belong,
if they don't feel like people value them beyond what
they can just do on a field, then you're not
going to get the best out of them. So I
think it's actually a competitive advantage now to create environments

(01:35:23):
where we actually care for people. Yeah, it'd be a basic.

Speaker 2 (01:35:27):
Yeah, absolutely right. Just to finish tonight is what is
commonly termed a dead rubber. The series is won by
the Lions Tonight's material as far as that is concerned.
So how challenging or not is it to get players
up for games like this?

Speaker 11 (01:35:42):
I think you've got to be pretty savvy about how
you do it, you know, like I think good teams
are driven externally so that if they're up for a
big game, and you know, we face this all the
time and I wasn't super rugby. You know, you've got
it's not hard to motivate guys for Blues or Crusaders.
But what if you play one of the other teams
that you know, on paper you should have a pretty
good chance of defeating, Well, then you've got to go

(01:36:05):
much more internal is about you know, we've got to
we've got to perform, not motivated by the circumstance, but
motivated by it as I to actually put out a
good performance and to be true to ourselves and to
hold to our values and to make sure our standards
are high. And you know, I think both you know,
from my experience of working in competitions both Andy Farrell

(01:36:26):
when we played them in Ireland, and you know, I
think Joe Smith and you know I don't think there'll
be any problem with that. I think there's so much
on the line as far as you know, we want
to perform, to represent the teams, we want to play
for each other. We want to make sure our fans
are proud of what we put out there today. So
I don't think there'll be any issue around getting up
for a game like this.

Speaker 2 (01:36:47):
Brilliant insight as always, Erin, Thanks so much for joining
us this afternoon, mate, really appreciate it. Yep, no problem,
make anytime to twenty one. Thanks Aaron Aaron Walsh their
mental skills and performance coach with some really interesting thoughts. Yeah,
microscope and telescope. That's a very good way of looking
at it, isn't it.

Speaker 16 (01:37:04):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:37:04):
Third and final test between the Bridis in Irish Lines
in the Wallabas to night ten o'clock Sydney. The Allians
looking to become the first team since nineteen seventy four
to go through an entire tour on foreign soil unbeaten.
If they win tonight, that is exactly what they will achieve.
Canterbury seven on the head of Wellington six and a
half minutes gone at Jerry Collins Stadium in pottydoer. Following

(01:37:27):
this match, it's Southland v O Targo, one of the
oldest rugby rivalries in our domestic game, commonly referred to
as Stag Day, and they'll be flocking in to Rugby
Parking in Viicago and they are huge numbers to take
part in the latest edition of that. Jason Rutlis will

(01:37:47):
be among them. He's going to chat to us right
after this.

Speaker 1 (01:37:50):
The biggest Thames in sports are on Weekend Sports with
Jason Paine and Gjjubnodes New Zealand's most trusted home builder
news Dogs.

Speaker 2 (01:37:58):
They'd be news Dogs. Two twenty five, the Tunney far
open their NPC season by challenging for the Ranfurly Shields Night.
They are in New Plymouth to take on Taranaki Chiefs.
Loose forward Simon Parker going to pack down on the
back of the scrum for Northland and he joins us now,
thanks for taking our call on match day, Simon. How's
the prep been in the Northland camp for tonight's shield challenge?

Speaker 12 (01:38:21):
Yeah good?

Speaker 11 (01:38:21):
Any thanks for having me on.

Speaker 12 (01:38:26):
So I've just been focusing on ourselves, I guess, and
trying to get.

Speaker 9 (01:38:29):
Out at the fright.

Speaker 16 (01:38:30):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:38:31):
All said to go just before we look at tonight.
Your injury that kept you out of the back end
of the Super Rugby season, that's all come right now?
Are you back one hundred percent?

Speaker 11 (01:38:41):
Yeah, yeah, good to go.

Speaker 12 (01:38:43):
Thankfully spent Joady my rear sting a chief sex to
just getting it right and then sort of once I
was good to team train his home and yeah, it's
been with the Tony's boys, it's been good.

Speaker 2 (01:38:55):
What was the exact nature of the injury?

Speaker 12 (01:38:58):
Ah, so it was a low ankle spraying with a
bit of figh Englishman as well.

Speaker 2 (01:39:04):
But yeah, how gutting was it to miss the back
end of the season.

Speaker 12 (01:39:14):
Yeah, I suppose initially was was pretty tough to take,
but I've been injured enough to know a bad attitude
sort of gets you know where in forty so sort
of just had to cop it and do anything I
sort of could to help the other boys prepare for
what was the CME.

Speaker 2 (01:39:32):
In the final and obviously didn't quite get across the line.
But can you look back on the season with a
degree of pride again?

Speaker 12 (01:39:40):
Yeah, yeah, one hundred percent. There's plenty of innovation and
stuff we wanted to tick off at the start of
the year that we talked about, and I think for
the most part we achieved that and obviously just tripped
over at the final stage and you know, Crusaders with
a better team on the night and thoroughly deserved it
so well.

Speaker 2 (01:39:59):
The nature of MPC is that you all split off
now into your province's a couple of chief teammates and
the tadler lucky side tonight. Josh Jacobs there, Daniel Rona,
Caleb Bush is in the eight jersey for them. You're
keen to give them a bit of a tickler.

Speaker 12 (01:40:11):
Yeah, I had to receive Friday.

Speaker 2 (01:40:14):
Brilliant.

Speaker 11 (01:40:15):
Look.

Speaker 12 (01:40:16):
I'll be the first to put my head up and
say I'd love to put one of their robes for sure.

Speaker 2 (01:40:21):
It was what's it like when you when you all
sort of disperse because you know these guys so well, right,
you spend you know, a huge part of the first
half of the year with them. Do you do you
go out there with any extra determination when you're playing
against your super rugby teammates for your province.

Speaker 12 (01:40:39):
Nah, not particularly. I don't think I don't I overly
go into a rock any harder or anything. I'm just
trying to I guess, just not anyone that's in front
of me, and then you might giggle at the bottom
of a breakdown or something else you're run into them.

Speaker 2 (01:40:54):
But yeah, how happy were you with your Super Rugby season?

Speaker 12 (01:41:01):
Uh? Yeah, Like I said before, I was injured for
quite a lot at the start of my career, so
just getting back to back games and minutes together was
quite roaring. And yeah, just I guess I was on
to performance when there's any certain stuff you can work
on when you're out in the middle.

Speaker 2 (01:41:21):
So well, I mean, yeah, I mean you are being
very humble, and I think that's a quality of yours.
But everybody was just so I'm pressed. You talked about
in All Blacks discussions. Had you had any discussions or
conversations with anybody from the All Blacks during the Super
Rugby season.

Speaker 12 (01:41:40):
No, just obviously they come around at different times throughout
the season and sort of just sort of casual chats
as they come through. And then when I got injured,
Razor just gave me a quick call just to check
up was all good and where the headspace was and
that kind of thing. But nothing out of the ordinary.

Speaker 2 (01:42:02):
You've got ambition to wear that black jersey oh one.

Speaker 12 (01:42:07):
You know, I guess everyone and playing in New Zealand
sort of has that dream to put the black jersey on,
and mine's no difference. So yeah, that's the aspirations for sure.

Speaker 2 (01:42:18):
And number eight for the tunny fart tonight.

Speaker 1 (01:42:20):
Are you what?

Speaker 2 (01:42:20):
We've seen you at six, we've seen you at eight
even seven on occasion. Do you have a preference?

Speaker 12 (01:42:26):
Definitely, end all the question, Barny, I get us that
quite a lot, to be honest, but I'm not too
faced personally. Just as long as there's a jersey on
my back, I just sort of yeah, it doesn't change
the way I play by any means. Yeah, I do
quite long mixed enough, I guess traditionally tend to get
a bit more sort of line out stuff if you're

(01:42:48):
at six, and then a bit more defense focus if
you're at seven, So I don't mind changing it up sometimes.

Speaker 2 (01:42:54):
A time I was just trying to work out whether
you won the Shield when you were playing for Whitecato.
I don't think you did. Did you have you ever
won the Shield?

Speaker 20 (01:43:00):
No?

Speaker 12 (01:43:01):
No, Unfortunately now we had a decent lead twenty nineteen,
I think it was, but I didn't quite get the
job done.

Speaker 2 (01:43:10):
Unfortunately, jo I'm glad I brought that up.

Speaker 12 (01:43:15):
It was a good startup for tonight.

Speaker 2 (01:43:17):
Absolutely all right mate, Well I hope you get your
hands on the log tonight. Great to see you back
out there are no all rugby fans that are just
delighted to see you back on the field. Hope. It's
a great MPC for you made in that black jersey.
I'm sure isn't too far away.

Speaker 12 (01:43:30):
Yeah, wicked, Thanks very much, Borny, No.

Speaker 2 (01:43:32):
Thank you, Simon, Simon Parker there out of the Chiefs,
what a character. So up against Taradaki tonight they're the
shield holders of course. Five past seven. Josh Jacob is
going to run the cutter in the ten jersey for Tadanhaka.
He joins us. Now, how's your built up being Josh
the for the Amber and Blacks in PC season?

Speaker 21 (01:43:50):
Yeah, no, thanks for having me mate. Yeah, the prep's
been good. We've had a good couple of weeks of
preseason getting all the super boys back and Maudy all
Blacks back along with our club boys. So just a
good last couple of weeks connecting as a group and yeah,

(01:44:11):
looking forward to looking forward to kicking things off tonight.

Speaker 2 (01:44:15):
Ye had the Shield game against Thames Valley a couple
of weeks ago. You played in that game. Was that
your first game since the end of Super Rugby?

Speaker 21 (01:44:22):
Yep, that was my first game. So yeah, just love
being back in the Ambra and Black colors and back
home in the neck.

Speaker 9 (01:44:31):
You just.

Speaker 21 (01:44:33):
Pretty fortunate to have a pretty similar group of players
and coaching stuff for the last couple of years, so
almost felt like we're able to pick things up from
where we left off in the last last year or two.

Speaker 2 (01:44:47):
I want to talk about the game tonight in the moment,
but as far as the chief season is concerned, big
season for you, Josh. You played all seventeen games, a
mix of starts and off the bench. How do you
assess the season with the Chiefs?

Speaker 21 (01:45:00):
It was an awesome season. Initially set the goal out
to hopefully be playing and each of those games, which
maybe at the side of the year could have seen
a bit unrealistic or a bit far.

Speaker 9 (01:45:14):
Fast stretch.

Speaker 21 (01:45:15):
So yeah, pretty pleased to be out there amongst the
boys and going to work every week with an awesome
group of lads and coaches. So very grateful for all
the opportunities that presented themselves in the season and as
you know, unfortunately just couldn't get across the line at

(01:45:37):
the end. There but plenty of motivation leading into next
year once once it's time to turn focus back to
super Ugly.

Speaker 2 (01:45:49):
Did you get more opportunities than you thought you would?

Speaker 21 (01:45:54):
Yeah, potentially, I think. I think within that there's kind
of been a few I guess things that kind of
went my Unfortunately for my teammates that was at the
expense of a couple of injuries. So I think I
know that if the team was healthy and fit, there

(01:46:17):
could have been a bit more experimenting and trying out
different combinations, which is expected and just guess one of
those things and rugby might not play every week. But yeah,
I think to answer the question bluntly, I think I
was a little surprised, but like I said before, very

(01:46:38):
very grateful as well.

Speaker 2 (01:46:40):
All right, so into in PC mode now with Taranaki
and ran fully shield mode of course as well. How
big an incentive is keeping hold of that log of
war every time you play at home?

Speaker 9 (01:46:51):
Yeah, I think it's huge.

Speaker 21 (01:46:54):
Put the shield to a side for a second, like
you never want to lose at home. Home should be
a place that I think other team should fear to
come play. So but then saying with the shield, it's
just a extra bit of I guess motivation or yeah,

(01:47:15):
motivation within the group, and we want to pay respect
to the Shield as well. It's sort of very large
and rich history. So putting out a performance both us
as a group and I guess us as a group
can be proud of, but also within that, putting in
a performance that's worthy of a of a Shield defense

(01:47:38):
or a Shield challenge.

Speaker 2 (01:47:39):
All things being equal, you should beat Northland tonight, your
favorites to do so you're at home and the shields
on the line, all that sort of thing. But are
you aware of the threat that they will present you tonight?

Speaker 11 (01:47:50):
Yeah.

Speaker 21 (01:47:54):
I mean they've they've always had a good squad and
they've got some new signings as well, So they've got
some big players in their crew that have been around
for a while, likes Simon Parker and Rivers and Sam Knox.
So I've got a lot of flare and a lot
of experience all over the park, and I think there's

(01:48:17):
quite similar to us in a sense. There players that
will roll the sleeves up and be prepared to go
for eighty minutes or however long it takes to get
a result. So we know the challenger that lies ahead
of us tonight. But we're I think we're in a
good spot. I know we're in a good spot, boys

(01:48:39):
of Physsens. So yeah, looking forward to it getting underwear.

Speaker 2 (01:48:42):
In Stadium Taranaki, the old Yero stadium. Of course, we
know it pretty well. Is it completely refurbished now, Josh?
Has it all done? Because it was sort of delayed
for a while, wasn't it in half finished? Does it
completely refurbish now?

Speaker 16 (01:48:55):
Yeah?

Speaker 21 (01:48:55):
All finished up? The stand up and rolling. So yeah,
I remember when I first came down to the neck
in twenty nineteen. I guess that got everyone got told
it was no longer able to be used. So there
was a few few years there where I thought I

(01:49:16):
might not ever see a stand up. So awesome to
have that up and hopefully the community just as keen
to see it up and running again. So hopefully looking
forward to a big crowd tonight.

Speaker 2 (01:49:31):
And I'm sure they'll turn up for you mate. Hey,
all the best and the first Shield Challenge of the season.
First well n PC Shield Challenge anyway, first MPC game.
Appreciate you taking the time for a chat.

Speaker 21 (01:49:40):
Josh cheers, Matte, appreciate your time.

Speaker 2 (01:49:43):
No, I appreciate your Shosh. Thanks indeed, Josh Jacob the
very level headed first five running the cutter for Tadanhaky
tonight in their Shield defense against the Northland Tune If
Peters is on text just started raining here in New Plymouth, Piney.
I'm not sure who that would benefit. I guess maybe Northland.
I don't know. I don't know. Seven oh five tonight
Ranfieldy Shield, Rugby, Goldsport and iHeartRadio is where you will

(01:50:05):
find the commentary. We have an all meantime between Wellington
and Canterbury at Jerry Collins Stadium in Pottyder. We've had
about half an hour there. We'll keep eyes on that
for you. Jason Rutlich is obviously far too busy signing
autographs and getting selfies with the Southland Stags. Faithful but
off the bench in his place, not a bad replacement

(01:50:26):
host of the muster on Hakanue, Andy Muir, how big
Stag day down there, Andy.

Speaker 17 (01:50:32):
Well To put it in perspective, Pony Southland Rugby. Southland
has pretty much put their focus on the marketing, it seems,
on this one game. They're calling it ten k for
Stag Day. Now, the rivalry between Otago and Southland is
immense and it just seems to be a rising in popularity.
I mean you think back, say ten twenty years ago,

(01:50:52):
and when Southland played O Targo it was a given
that a Targo was going to win.

Speaker 12 (01:50:56):
However, over the.

Speaker 17 (01:50:57):
Years the Stag has seemed to gain a bit of
dominance in the results, none more so than last year,
claiming about the Donald Stuart Memorial Shield and on both
teams calendar. The best thing is Otago has got by
and now Otago journalists are getting frustrated with rugby Southland.
It sounds as a rugby Southnd's actually set up an
academy indemeeding of all places. And so there is an

(01:51:20):
immense rivalry there.

Speaker 2 (01:51:21):
For sure, love that I love the love the niggle.
So would you say that that certainly for Southland fans
and for its players, that Otago is the game that
they want to win the most.

Speaker 5 (01:51:35):
I was out of doubt.

Speaker 17 (01:51:36):
There's nobody else you want to be like I say,
the Highlanders franchise comes into it. You got North Otago,
Targo and south and of course Otaga and Southend have
been rivals and stay Dot. I think they've played something
like two hundred and twenty plus games over the animals
of time. If you want to beat one team, ats
Otago mainly because you know it's like big brother Little
Brother Syndrome, and just for this game as well. To

(01:51:58):
put it into context regarding Stags merchandise for this game,
I drove through Macago last night. I've been in Tiano
up for the night. Just go back to in Icago
now and if you want to get hold of an
adult Stag jersey, I think the only size has left
the Rebel for example, and then he got geared this
week was four or five excel adult jerseys. There was
nothing else available there. They've said, look, there'll be no

(01:52:20):
regalia available online at the game, sorry, because everything's been brought.
So Stag's guest seems to just sell out just for
whatever reason.

Speaker 2 (01:52:29):
Because this team is really well supported, wonderful stuff. I'm
sure they'll be the odd four Excel or five Excel
Southland fan who could fill up a jersey like that.
I'm sure that they'll be be snapped up. I'm looking
at the odds Andy and you probably have seen these
as well, Otago our favorite to beat Southland this afternoon,
paying a dollar forty seven as against Southland's two dollars sixty.

(01:52:50):
It's certainly not a you know, a one sided contest
being predicted here. What would Southland have to do this
afternoon to go back to back in this fixture.

Speaker 17 (01:53:00):
I think Southland's got to match them in the backs
and the forwards algibly and the Luzies especially will hold
our own, but in the back line as well, pretty
much a Highlanders back line that Otago has at their disposal.
Southland obviously attracting players down here can be an issue.
So there's been guys who have only been contracted to
the union over the last four or five weeks who
have come down. But that's just the nature of the NPC.

(01:53:23):
But then another key is going to be the bench
as well, to see the depth. There's still guys on
these benches, especially here for Southlands, that we don't actually
know too much about, so it's still a case of
the unknown. But I had Morgan Mitchell and the Musterder
and the Wheak Pony, and he just said, look when
you're looking up at that terrace and you see it
just going off of all those maroon jerseys. That pretty
much is the sixteenth man for these Stags players. So

(01:53:46):
this go either way. The yards pretty much respect where
it is from a neutral's perspective, but from Southland's viewpoint, Mate,
it gets no bigger than playing a Tago and the Micago.

Speaker 2 (01:53:56):
How's the weather, Andy Well?

Speaker 17 (01:54:00):
I looked at the phone this morning, I like to
say in piano in the few of them base, and
it was nine degrees. We left it with sunshine just
going through Winton and the cargo of his cats and
dogs falling from the heavens, although it is forecast to
be nine degrees eight to nine degrees for the game,
which for Southland in early August is actually pretty barmy.
I've got my sons there with me. He's in his

(01:54:20):
shirts and his shorts, so there's that nine year olds
do down here, and I've made the prudes decision to
have a jacket with me. I'm just in to put
the short sleeve top away because it's in the cargo.
It's a lot of beverages and will have suddenly come
off fabo straight on something like that. But that's how
we like it down here.

Speaker 2 (01:54:36):
Wonderful ten k for Stag Day. Andy, thanks for coming
off the bench for us. Notte really appreciate your time.

Speaker 17 (01:54:41):
No worries that what's up?

Speaker 2 (01:54:43):
Endless up good man Andy. Andy Muer, host of the
muster on Hakanui and one of the most passionate Southland
Stags fans you will ever find. Four thirty five this
afternoon Rugby Park in Vicagoo Stag Day as Southland take
on Otago seven. All were five minutes to go in
the first half between Wellington and Canterbury at Pottido Park.

(01:55:07):
Or Funger Porowa has sent me an email, Jason, I've
picked all the results of the remaining games in the
NRL and I've come up with the final positions of
the top eight Raiders, Storm, Bulldogs, Broncos, Sharks, Panthers, Dolphins, Warriors.

(01:55:28):
That's William's prediction. He's gone through all the remaining games,
pick the winners and that's what he's come up with.
So William, you've got us eighth. If you've got the
Warriors eighth. Yeah, gee, that would be disappointing, wouldn't it
After the season we've had. We wait and see. William.
We appreciate you doing the heavy lifting for us. We'll

(01:55:48):
see how that pays out over the next month or so.
Time to play a sporting chants with the tab. Every
week we place a two hundred and fifty dollars bonus
bet on your behalf. If it comes home, the winnings
are deposited into your tab account. I'm going to offer
you the chance if you're the lucky caller of three
bets a short bet, an even's bet or a long bet.

(01:56:10):
You decide which one you want will place the bet
for you, and you collect all winnings into your tab account.
You must be over eighteen and have an existing tab account.
If you are oh eight hundred and eighty ten eighty
to play a sporting chant with a tab right after this.

Speaker 1 (01:56:26):
Don't get caught off side. Wait hundred and eighty eight
Weekend Sports with Jason Paine and GJ. Gardnerholmes, New Zealand's
most trusted home builder News sogs MV. It's time for
a sporting chance thanks to tab.

Speaker 2 (01:56:43):
Exciting stuff. Every week, we've got a two hundred and
fifty dollar bonus bet to place on behalf of a
lucky caller. Mark you're a lucky caller, how are you awesome?

Speaker 16 (01:56:54):
Fantastic. How are you funny?

Speaker 2 (01:56:56):
Very good, Mark, very good. Okay, here's how the competition works.
I'm going to give you three choices, a short, evens
or long choice, all right, and you just have to
choose the one that you're lot and we'll place it
for you. If it wins, you get the you get
the winnings. Pretty simple, really perfect. Okay. Here are your
three options. Short Australia against the British and Irish Lions

(01:57:19):
tonight in Sydney. The Lions to win by over seven
and a half points, it's paying a dollar eighty you
would collect four hundred and fifty. That is your short.
Evans North Queensland Cowboys women against the New Zealand Warriors
women tomorrow in Newcastle. The bet is for the Warriors

(01:57:39):
to win at three dollars ten, you would collect seven
hundred and seventy five dollars. Long Southland v otago this
afternoon and in Vericago Southland to win by thirteen plus
paying six dollars fifty, you would collect sixteen hundred and
twenty five dollars. So, Mark, is it the Lions to

(01:58:03):
win by over seven and a half tonight? The worry
is to win tomorrow in the women's match, or Southland
to beat O Tago by thirteen plus? Which one?

Speaker 16 (01:58:13):
I've got the line.

Speaker 2 (01:58:17):
Alright, so not interested in the Southland thirteen plus. It's
good money, it's good money, but yeah, all right. So
you're going with the British and Irish lines to beat
Australia by over seven and a half, so basically by
eight points or more tonight. It's playing a dollar eighty
if that happens. Mark four hundred and fifty dollars is

(01:58:38):
yours mate. You're happy to lock that in?

Speaker 12 (01:58:40):
Yeah, un locked that in?

Speaker 2 (01:58:42):
Good on your mark. I'm going to put your back
on hold and he's going to talk to you a
bit more. We'll get your details, make sure that we're
all on the same page with everything, and place the
bet for you. The two hundred and fifty dollars tab
bonus bet on your behalf for the British and Irish
Lines to beat Australia tonight by over seven and a
half points, paying a dollar eighty If you get the
result that you're after, the winning's transferred into your tab

(01:59:05):
account and we will we'll do it all again next Saturday.
Thanks to our mates at the tab as always, please
bet responsibly. Eleven away from three, eleven away from three
News talks ab back in a motor at the show.

Speaker 1 (01:59:19):
The scoot from the track, fields and the Court on
your homes sort Weekend Sport with Jason vine Us.

Speaker 2 (01:59:26):
Talks INB seven and a half away from three Halftime
at Jerry Colin Stadium, a sun soaked Jerry Colin Stadium
and Potty do it just north of Wellington. Seven all
between Wellington the defending champions and Canterbury the visitors. So
Philly low scoring first half, just to converted try a piece.
Seven all at the break, as we've been saying for

(01:59:46):
most of the afternoon. Stagg Day to follow, four point
thirty five Southland the Otago, then the Shield Challenge tonight,
Tallanaky against Northland. Commentary of all in PC rugby available
on Gold Sport and iHeartRadio. Two more games tom Ow
Bay of Plenty Tasman we'll preview that actually on the
show and Hawks Bay against Counties Manico. Just mopping up
a couple of things I need to let you know

(02:00:07):
about tomorrow's show. I want to talk a bit about
Matt Henry tomorrow nine for ninety. In this latest Test Match.
He has become this irresistible force as a scene bowler
for us, hasn't he in all the formats? So has
he always been this good and just waiting for the
opportunity for how the Bolt and Wagner to retire or

(02:00:28):
is it a development? I want to talk to Matt
Henry himself and also Dale Hadley, who had a lot
to do with Matt Henry coming through the ranks as
a bowling coach. We're also I got some cycling for you.
Corbyn Strong has won the Tour de Wolloni in Belgium
the Kiwi. He's on the show tomorrow, as is a
man who became the first Kiwi to officiate at the

(02:00:49):
Tour de France. They just completed Tour de France. His
name is Zach Prendergast. He's on the show. And a
big week for the Wellington Phoenix with the hiring or
the announcement of their new coach BF Priestman and another
big signing yesterday with CJ Bott the fifty cap football
Ferns signing on for this season. I'll have a bit
of a chat about the Phoenix tomorrow as well and
anything else that happens in the next twenty one hours

(02:01:11):
or so, we'll cover it off. Huge thanks to any
McDonald for producing the show. As always, what are we
going out with? In terms of a song today?

Speaker 9 (02:01:18):
Mate?

Speaker 2 (02:01:18):
The opponey?

Speaker 18 (02:01:18):
There's something about the start of MPC, isn't there very
classic grassroots Kiwi? So I tried to think of one
of the most iconic, real true Kiwi songs I could
go with, So I've gone Dave Dobbins Slice of Heaven. Really,
I think I think that's one of the more New
Zealand songs you can pack us at.

Speaker 2 (02:01:37):
It's iconic, it's Kiwi. I think it fits the mood perfectly. Well,
I'm mate, good work, We'll see you. We'll see you tomorrow.
Tim Beverage after three five an.

Speaker 20 (02:01:47):
Out spass Chosa stas.

Speaker 2 (02:02:29):
Stop rowing.

Speaker 9 (02:02:36):
When you ways.

Speaker 20 (02:02:45):
Some chosa e STIs it happened? Chastis it happen.

Speaker 1 (02:02:57):
That Chusa? Stay for more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine.

(02:03:45):
Listen live to news Talks it be weekends from midday,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.

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