August 22, 2025 • 15 mins
A 14th member of the All Blacks' 100 club.
Codie Taylor will join the test centurions group on Sunday morning against Argentina in Buenos Aires, the same side he debuted against in 2015.
Former teammates of Taylor, Wyatt Crockett and Matt Todd joined Piney to reflect on his journey to 100 tests.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalks edb.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Teenth All Blacks centurion when he runs out against Argentina
and Buena series. He debuted against that same opposition in
twenty fifteen in christ Church, coming off the bench and
scoring a try. Well, the All Blacks screw it this time.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
And mccour has a great piece of destructive scrummaging there
from the All Blacks. They come for the line. That's
Tody Taylor, not defeat a night at this time, scoring
nine debut.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Yeah, that was Cody Taylor. A decade ago. Tomorrow Morning
Test number one hundred. White Crockett played seventy two times
for the All Blacks in a record two hundred and
three games for the Crusaders between two thousand and six
and twenty eighteen, the last six of those years alongside
Cody Taylor. He joins US now White. Can you remember
the first time you became aware of Cody Taylor as
(01:06):
a rugby player?
Speaker 4 (01:08):
I do. I remember it was a pre season game
for the Crusaders and he came off the bench and
I think his first touch of the ball he got
the ball inside our half halfway line, stepped two or
three people and sprinted off and beat the fullback for pace,
(01:28):
caught under the post. And I was sitting next to
Corey Flynn in the stands because we went playing we're
having a bit of a longer break at the start
of the season, and I said, oh, Jesus, kid can
play mate. I think he want to keep an eye
on this one. And yeah, and he's turned out to
be pretty bloody good.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
He certainly has. So once you got into a team
environment with them, I mean that's your first impression, and
a pretty decent first impression once he came into the
team environment. How did you find Cody Taylor early on
in his professional rugby career.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
Well, he started off how he is now. He hasn't
changed at all. Really. I think he you know, he's
super dedicated to his craft and getting better, and that
was right from the get go. You know, he's really
meticulous about his nutrition and his training, and I think,
you know, like looking at him now, you know, I
(02:24):
feel like he's still getting better and still playing absolutely
at the peak of his powers, so you know, and
that's credit to the work that he does. And I
think also another fact thing that I think about Cody
as you see, super super well balanced guy. You know,
he's a family man. You know, he enjoys himself off
the off the field, but when he's in the in
(02:44):
that team environment, he's working extremely hard.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
There are a few hookers around and I'm sure you've
come across them who are a bit chirpy. They don't
mind a chat, especially at scrum time.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Was he either like that?
Speaker 4 (02:54):
No, not at all, Cody was. Cody's head down and
actions a lot like Keivy Milamo. I think you know
he just you know, just led his ex instead of talking,
and you know, very rarely. I mean, I must say,
you know he didn't you enjoy a good scrum win
And he might maybe have a couple of words at
(03:16):
that point, but no, I think his real actions, man,
rather than words.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
You've wrapped your arm around a few blokes wearing wearing
the two jumper or the sixteen jump or whatever it
might be. What as a as a front row forward,
what do you want from your hooker?
Speaker 4 (03:32):
Oh? Communication and I think is really important so he
can he can feel different things that you can't, especially
as a loose head. He's feeling different things from the
tight head than what I am, so he'll let me
know little things that's happening and things that I can
do to to help him out and vice versa. You know,
(03:53):
if I find feeling something that I'm not getting from him,
that that communication was always open. But but yeah, I
think that's that's really important. And yeah, I suppose just
you know, just having someone that does what they say
they're going to do and works really hard. It's what
you need. So someone that you can really trust because
(04:15):
you know, you is a prop you really just rely
on your hookers so so much, and he's not where
you need him to be. It's pretty pretty tough to
do your job.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
And you'd been in the All Blacks for a while
when Cody Taylor made his test daybo, what was it
ten years ago? Now you've been there for a while.
A special moment. I think you might have been in
the reserves with him when he made his teest dayble.
Speaker 5 (04:34):
Was that right?
Speaker 4 (04:35):
Yeah? That sounds better, right, I can't quite recall, but yeah, no,
it was really special. Actually, I think you know, obviously,
I've played a lot with Corey Flunn over the years
and we're still really good mates. And Corey worked really
hard on bringing Cody through and not giving him his
(04:57):
jersey and making him he still work really hard to
try and go past them, and nice saw what Cody
put in to get there. People forget actually that Cody
spent two or three years at the Crusaders is the
number two or number three hooker. He was often behind
Cody and Ben for now, so he had to really
(05:19):
do his time, you know, probably even I'm sure he
may have even considered moving away from the Crusaders to
get his opportunity, but he didn't. He stuck at it,
work really hard, and eventually, you know, we went past
a couple of those guys, and it's always it's always
difficult when someone goes past year. But you know, pretty
(05:41):
pretty amazing what Corey did for I think for Cody,
and you know that sort of stood him in good
stead to go on to do what he's done.
Speaker 5 (05:48):
Now.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
That's a pretty special quality, isn't it. Because I'm sure
you know you've been in teams with guys who can't
get in the team and as you say, are down
the pecking order a bit, and that affects them in
and around the team and personally, for it must have
been a pretty cool quality and a teammate that even
if you are number three or you perceive yourself to
be that, you're still just working hard every day.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
Yeah, and I think it goes both ways. You know.
That was the environment that we sort of we came through,
you know, when we were coming up, and we made
sure that you know, the guys that weren't getting there
you getting it getting much of a crack, We're still
encouraging them and still working with them on on developing
their game. You know, it's funny, funny enough. It was,
you know, for myself and Corey that were sort of
(06:31):
I suppose you number number one and number two for
a long time, and we had Joe Moody and Cody
Taylor coming through who we everyone knew. You could see
how much potential and how good a future they had,
but you know, sometimes they went getting that crack, and
you know, I suppose we work really hard on those guys,
(06:52):
and I'm sure that they're working really hard with the
younger guys coming through as well, passing that bed and
onto that next crop of talent. And there's certainly some
some some good ones coming through.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
That's for sure. Terrific insight. Well, thanks so much for
joining us, MATEO, I know it'll be a special day
for everybody who's worn red and black. Thanks for taking
the time for a chat this afternoon.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
Now, Absolute pleasure. And you know, obviously Cody is what
he's done on the field is incredible, but off the
field as well, he's a great human and a really
just just a great news yonder in general and someone
that I think we're really proud of.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Very well said, thanks White White Crockett there, former teammate
in Crusaders colors, Canterbury colors and All Blacks colors of
Cody Taylor. Let's bring in Matt Todd. He played twenty
five tests for the All Blacks, seventy two games for
Canterbury and one hundred and forty one for the Crusaders,
many of those alongside Cody Taylor. He's now, of course
Matt Todd Crusaders defense coach, so he can offer us
(07:46):
a pretty unique perspective. Let's start there. Actually, Matt, is
the Cody Taylor that you now coach any different from
the Cody Taylor who was a teammate of yours.
Speaker 5 (07:56):
Not too much. And obviously as as you get older, yeah,
mature a little work. But in terms of his working
looking that that's something that really stands out when you
talk about Cody. Like a lot of people after a
long season used their off season to kind of get
away from it and relaxed. But Cody, he's that type
of boat. It's always sort of seeing how he can
(08:17):
challenge himself and push himself physically, and he's straight into
getting himself better. And I guess that's why he's had
the career he's had. In the length of a career
he's head.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
What was he like when he first came into the
Canterbury and Crusaders teams that you were a part of.
Speaker 5 (08:35):
I guess just a young, enthusiastic blope Like he was
obviously a great athlete, natural speed and backed himself. You know,
he wanted to get in there, he wanted to challenge
himself and you saw, you know, like every time he
got given the opportunity he took out he he I
guess progressed pretty quickly from when he debuted for Kenna
for the Crusaders to be in the Illbecks was a
(08:57):
fairly rapid kind of promotion, but it was just through
that enthusiasm, excitement and backing himself whenever he got the opportunity.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
What have you seen from him in terms of his
evolution as a as a hooker, Yeah, I.
Speaker 5 (09:14):
Guess it's just that sort of staying a step ahead
of how the game's gone. You know, the modern day hooker,
they need to be able to play on the edge,
play almost as an extra, you know, back or Lucy
at times, and he can certainly do that, but whilst
still having that core part of his game, you know,
his lying out, throwing, his scrummaging, its working close. And
(09:36):
I think that ability to be able to play multiple
types of game and have the skill set to be
able to, I guess, adjust to the game plan depending
on the team, and just that ability to physically continue
to evolve. And you know there's always younger players commentation
his position, but the work he pits the physically keeps
(09:58):
him at the top of his game, and he's always
seeking those little bits how he can get better, how
he can look after his body, how he can more
out of his body.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
You talked about core roles there, and you often hear
them when you talk about the hooking position, as you say,
throwing into the line, out, scrummaging, that sort of thing.
I guess you could easily dial that stuff in once
you've been around for a while. By the sounds of it,
he doesn't do that, nah.
Speaker 5 (10:21):
Like I think you're never comfortable. You know, you don't
have a career like he does, and you rest on
your laurels. I think you pick that box off. He's
always working on or always trying to try and get better.
But at the same time, I guess when you've done
it for as long as he is, he knows the
process that works. So if he doesn't get it right,
he knows you know how to rectify the steps, to
(10:42):
make any adjustments and can move on quickly from a mistake,
because you're never going to get it right all the time.
But it's about, you know, making sure you're not making
the same mistakes. And when you've done it for as
long as he has that ability to have that process
to work through it just and now the next one.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
What about when younger players have come into the side.
You know, with eyes on his position, younger hookers into
the environment that he's a part of. What do you
see from him? And areos like that.
Speaker 5 (11:08):
He's a great mentor for the younger players coming through?
You know he understands he was that that guy one time.
And and I think you know, when he was a
young guy, he had older howkers like Flynny and etcetera
who helped him and welcomed him but but challenged him.
But they helped him get the best out of it. And
I think he's the same. You know, he welcomes any
new hooker in any young ho because he helped them.
(11:31):
But he also you know, makes it clear that he's
the standard they need to get to and he will
help them. But he's not going to give in and
give up his jersey. You know, you're gonna have to
take it off from if you want to get it.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
And do you see from the younger players in your environment,
not just hookers, but all players. Do you see them
looking at Cody Taylor and realizing what you need to
do and what you need to be to become not
just an All Black, a good all blacker, one hundred
test all black.
Speaker 5 (11:57):
Yes, certainly, you know, and you'd be silly not to.
You know, he lives He's type of like that lives
it every day. It's not a sort of sometimes thing.
And you know, I guess that's why he's playing one
hundred tests and still playing at the level that he
is and still got plenty of footy in front of
him because he lives it all the time. And yet
you see, you know, he's in there on his days
off doing extra he's looking after his body, he's making
(12:19):
sure he knows his opposition. Every week, he's done the
homework around that. You know, he tests himself physically during
the week, so he heads into the game and he's
confident that he's where he needs to be physically. So
all those little things, you know, there's nutrition, all the
little stuff that stacks up. You know, he's world classed
in all those areas. And for young players coming into
(12:40):
you know, where it's crusades, all the all blacks. You
just see what he does and how diligent is with
all that little stuff, and you soon, you know, you
soon learn what's required. But it's not easy. And it's
one thing to see it, but to be able to
actually live it as another thing.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
And you have moved into coaching. Is that a path
you could see Cody Taylor take it.
Speaker 5 (13:00):
Yeah, he's certainly good. You know, he's one of those
guys as well that he's always looking for extra stuff
out of the game to I guess mentally Refresham and
he's always got little side interests in that. So wherever
he goes down the coaching path, I'm not sure. But
he's certainly got the knowledge to to do it, and
and he relates well to the other players, so he could.
(13:21):
But he's got a lot of I guess, varied interests
and stuff away from the game that perhaps he goes
that route. I'm not too sure.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
All right, Matt, Well, I appreciate you taking the time
to pay tribute to one of your former teammates and
now one of your players as a Crusader's defense coach.
Thanks very much for your time, mate. That's Matt Todd
and before Matt White Crockett paying tribute to Cody Taylor.
When you think of great All Blacks hookers, it is
quite a crowded field. Kevin me A Lummel, Sean Fitzpatrick,
(13:51):
Dane Coles, Andy Dalton, Cody Taylor absolutely belongs in that conversation.
The constant themes you hear about Cody Taylor are around
his work, ethic and just how much playing rugby means
to him, whether it's for Canterbury, the Crusaders, or the
All Blacks. He just apitomises what it means to be
(14:14):
part of something that is bigger than you. The jersey
has never been bigger than Cody Taylor, the team has
never been bigger, The game has never been bigger than
Cody Taylor. But he's enhanced the jersey, enhanced his teams,
and really done the game of rugby proud. He models
the way for anyone who joins the teams that he
is in. And you heard that from Matt Todd and
(14:35):
from White Crockett. They look at Cody Taylor and they
understand what it means to be an All Black, to
be a Crusader, to be a Canterbury player. He's a
leader in the size that he's a part of. He
hasn't often been captain of those teams, but he is
a prime example of the old adage that you do
not need an armband to lead. What a player he's been.
(14:59):
There is more to come and what a special moment
for Cody Taylor and his family tomorrow morning when he
becomes All Blacks tests Centurion number fourteen.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
For more from Weekends Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to news talks at b weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalks edb.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Teenth All Blacks centurion when he runs out against Argentina
and Buena series. He debuted against that same opposition in
twenty fifteen in christ Church, coming off the bench and
scoring a try. Well, the All Blacks screw it this time.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
And mccour has a great piece of destructive scrummaging there
from the All Blacks. They come for the line. That's
Tody Taylor, not defeat a night at this time, scoring
nine debut.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Yeah, that was Cody Taylor. A decade ago. Tomorrow Morning
Test number one hundred. White Crockett played seventy two times
for the All Blacks in a record two hundred and
three games for the Crusaders between two thousand and six
and twenty eighteen, the last six of those years alongside
Cody Taylor. He joins US now White. Can you remember
the first time you became aware of Cody Taylor as
(01:06):
a rugby player?
Speaker 4 (01:08):
I do. I remember it was a pre season game
for the Crusaders and he came off the bench and
I think his first touch of the ball he got
the ball inside our half halfway line, stepped two or
three people and sprinted off and beat the fullback for pace,
(01:28):
caught under the post. And I was sitting next to
Corey Flynn in the stands because we went playing we're
having a bit of a longer break at the start
of the season, and I said, oh, Jesus, kid can
play mate. I think he want to keep an eye
on this one. And yeah, and he's turned out to
be pretty bloody good.
Speaker 2 (01:48):
He certainly has. So once you got into a team
environment with them, I mean that's your first impression, and
a pretty decent first impression once he came into the
team environment. How did you find Cody Taylor early on
in his professional rugby career.
Speaker 4 (02:01):
Well, he started off how he is now. He hasn't
changed at all. Really. I think he you know, he's
super dedicated to his craft and getting better, and that
was right from the get go. You know, he's really
meticulous about his nutrition and his training, and I think,
you know, like looking at him now, you know, I
(02:24):
feel like he's still getting better and still playing absolutely
at the peak of his powers, so you know, and
that's credit to the work that he does. And I
think also another fact thing that I think about Cody
as you see, super super well balanced guy. You know,
he's a family man. You know, he enjoys himself off
the off the field, but when he's in the in
(02:44):
that team environment, he's working extremely hard.
Speaker 2 (02:47):
There are a few hookers around and I'm sure you've
come across them who are a bit chirpy. They don't
mind a chat, especially at scrum time.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Was he either like that?
Speaker 4 (02:54):
No, not at all, Cody was. Cody's head down and
actions a lot like Keivy Milamo. I think you know
he just you know, just led his ex instead of talking,
and you know, very rarely. I mean, I must say,
you know he didn't you enjoy a good scrum win
And he might maybe have a couple of words at
(03:16):
that point, but no, I think his real actions, man,
rather than words.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
You've wrapped your arm around a few blokes wearing wearing
the two jumper or the sixteen jump or whatever it
might be. What as a as a front row forward,
what do you want from your hooker?
Speaker 4 (03:32):
Oh? Communication and I think is really important so he
can he can feel different things that you can't, especially
as a loose head. He's feeling different things from the
tight head than what I am, so he'll let me
know little things that's happening and things that I can
do to to help him out and vice versa. You know,
(03:53):
if I find feeling something that I'm not getting from him,
that that communication was always open. But but yeah, I
think that's that's really important. And yeah, I suppose just
you know, just having someone that does what they say
they're going to do and works really hard. It's what
you need. So someone that you can really trust because
(04:15):
you know, you is a prop you really just rely
on your hookers so so much, and he's not where
you need him to be. It's pretty pretty tough to
do your job.
Speaker 2 (04:24):
And you'd been in the All Blacks for a while
when Cody Taylor made his test daybo, what was it
ten years ago? Now you've been there for a while.
A special moment. I think you might have been in
the reserves with him when he made his teest dayble.
Speaker 5 (04:34):
Was that right?
Speaker 4 (04:35):
Yeah? That sounds better, right, I can't quite recall, but yeah, no,
it was really special. Actually, I think you know, obviously,
I've played a lot with Corey Flunn over the years
and we're still really good mates. And Corey worked really
hard on bringing Cody through and not giving him his
(04:57):
jersey and making him he still work really hard to
try and go past them, and nice saw what Cody
put in to get there. People forget actually that Cody
spent two or three years at the Crusaders is the
number two or number three hooker. He was often behind
Cody and Ben for now, so he had to really
(05:19):
do his time, you know, probably even I'm sure he
may have even considered moving away from the Crusaders to
get his opportunity, but he didn't. He stuck at it,
work really hard, and eventually, you know, we went past
a couple of those guys, and it's always it's always
difficult when someone goes past year. But you know, pretty
(05:41):
pretty amazing what Corey did for I think for Cody,
and you know that sort of stood him in good
stead to go on to do what he's done.
Speaker 5 (05:48):
Now.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
That's a pretty special quality, isn't it. Because I'm sure
you know you've been in teams with guys who can't
get in the team and as you say, are down
the pecking order a bit, and that affects them in
and around the team and personally, for it must have
been a pretty cool quality and a teammate that even
if you are number three or you perceive yourself to
be that, you're still just working hard every day.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
Yeah, and I think it goes both ways. You know.
That was the environment that we sort of we came through,
you know, when we were coming up, and we made
sure that you know, the guys that weren't getting there
you getting it getting much of a crack, We're still
encouraging them and still working with them on on developing
their game. You know, it's funny, funny enough. It was,
you know, for myself and Corey that were sort of
(06:31):
I suppose you number number one and number two for
a long time, and we had Joe Moody and Cody
Taylor coming through who we everyone knew. You could see
how much potential and how good a future they had,
but you know, sometimes they went getting that crack, and
you know, I suppose we work really hard on those guys,
(06:52):
and I'm sure that they're working really hard with the
younger guys coming through as well, passing that bed and
onto that next crop of talent. And there's certainly some
some some good ones coming through.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
That's for sure. Terrific insight. Well, thanks so much for
joining us, MATEO, I know it'll be a special day
for everybody who's worn red and black. Thanks for taking
the time for a chat this afternoon.
Speaker 4 (07:10):
Now, Absolute pleasure. And you know, obviously Cody is what
he's done on the field is incredible, but off the
field as well, he's a great human and a really
just just a great news yonder in general and someone
that I think we're really proud of.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Very well said, thanks White White Crockett there, former teammate
in Crusaders colors, Canterbury colors and All Blacks colors of
Cody Taylor. Let's bring in Matt Todd. He played twenty
five tests for the All Blacks, seventy two games for
Canterbury and one hundred and forty one for the Crusaders,
many of those alongside Cody Taylor. He's now, of course
Matt Todd Crusaders defense coach, so he can offer us
(07:46):
a pretty unique perspective. Let's start there. Actually, Matt, is
the Cody Taylor that you now coach any different from
the Cody Taylor who was a teammate of yours.
Speaker 5 (07:56):
Not too much. And obviously as as you get older, yeah,
mature a little work. But in terms of his working
looking that that's something that really stands out when you
talk about Cody. Like a lot of people after a
long season used their off season to kind of get
away from it and relaxed. But Cody, he's that type
of boat. It's always sort of seeing how he can
(08:17):
challenge himself and push himself physically, and he's straight into
getting himself better. And I guess that's why he's had
the career he's had. In the length of a career
he's head.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
What was he like when he first came into the
Canterbury and Crusaders teams that you were a part of.
Speaker 5 (08:35):
I guess just a young, enthusiastic blope Like he was
obviously a great athlete, natural speed and backed himself. You know,
he wanted to get in there, he wanted to challenge
himself and you saw, you know, like every time he
got given the opportunity he took out he he I
guess progressed pretty quickly from when he debuted for Kenna
for the Crusaders to be in the Illbecks was a
(08:57):
fairly rapid kind of promotion, but it was just through
that enthusiasm, excitement and backing himself whenever he got the opportunity.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
What have you seen from him in terms of his
evolution as a as a hooker, Yeah, I.
Speaker 5 (09:14):
Guess it's just that sort of staying a step ahead
of how the game's gone. You know, the modern day hooker,
they need to be able to play on the edge,
play almost as an extra, you know, back or Lucy
at times, and he can certainly do that, but whilst
still having that core part of his game, you know,
his lying out, throwing, his scrummaging, its working close. And
(09:36):
I think that ability to be able to play multiple
types of game and have the skill set to be
able to, I guess, adjust to the game plan depending
on the team, and just that ability to physically continue
to evolve. And you know there's always younger players commentation
his position, but the work he pits the physically keeps
(09:58):
him at the top of his game, and he's always
seeking those little bits how he can get better, how
he can look after his body, how he can more
out of his body.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
You talked about core roles there, and you often hear
them when you talk about the hooking position, as you say,
throwing into the line, out, scrummaging, that sort of thing.
I guess you could easily dial that stuff in once
you've been around for a while. By the sounds of it,
he doesn't do that, nah.
Speaker 5 (10:21):
Like I think you're never comfortable. You know, you don't
have a career like he does, and you rest on
your laurels. I think you pick that box off. He's
always working on or always trying to try and get better.
But at the same time, I guess when you've done
it for as long as he is, he knows the
process that works. So if he doesn't get it right,
he knows you know how to rectify the steps, to
(10:42):
make any adjustments and can move on quickly from a mistake,
because you're never going to get it right all the time.
But it's about, you know, making sure you're not making
the same mistakes. And when you've done it for as
long as he has that ability to have that process
to work through it just and now the next one.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
What about when younger players have come into the side.
You know, with eyes on his position, younger hookers into
the environment that he's a part of. What do you
see from him? And areos like that.
Speaker 5 (11:08):
He's a great mentor for the younger players coming through?
You know he understands he was that that guy one time.
And and I think you know, when he was a
young guy, he had older howkers like Flynny and etcetera
who helped him and welcomed him but but challenged him.
But they helped him get the best out of it. And
I think he's the same. You know, he welcomes any
new hooker in any young ho because he helped them.
(11:31):
But he also you know, makes it clear that he's
the standard they need to get to and he will
help them. But he's not going to give in and
give up his jersey. You know, you're gonna have to
take it off from if you want to get it.
Speaker 2 (11:42):
And do you see from the younger players in your environment,
not just hookers, but all players. Do you see them
looking at Cody Taylor and realizing what you need to
do and what you need to be to become not
just an All Black, a good all blacker, one hundred
test all black.
Speaker 5 (11:57):
Yes, certainly, you know, and you'd be silly not to.
You know, he lives He's type of like that lives
it every day. It's not a sort of sometimes thing.
And you know, I guess that's why he's playing one
hundred tests and still playing at the level that he
is and still got plenty of footy in front of
him because he lives it all the time. And yet
you see, you know, he's in there on his days
off doing extra he's looking after his body, he's making
(12:19):
sure he knows his opposition. Every week, he's done the
homework around that. You know, he tests himself physically during
the week, so he heads into the game and he's
confident that he's where he needs to be physically. So
all those little things, you know, there's nutrition, all the
little stuff that stacks up. You know, he's world classed
in all those areas. And for young players coming into
(12:40):
you know, where it's crusades, all the all blacks. You
just see what he does and how diligent is with
all that little stuff, and you soon, you know, you
soon learn what's required. But it's not easy. And it's
one thing to see it, but to be able to
actually live it as another thing.
Speaker 2 (12:55):
And you have moved into coaching. Is that a path
you could see Cody Taylor take it.
Speaker 5 (13:00):
Yeah, he's certainly good. You know, he's one of those
guys as well that he's always looking for extra stuff
out of the game to I guess mentally Refresham and
he's always got little side interests in that. So wherever
he goes down the coaching path, I'm not sure. But
he's certainly got the knowledge to to do it, and
and he relates well to the other players, so he could.
(13:21):
But he's got a lot of I guess, varied interests
and stuff away from the game that perhaps he goes
that route. I'm not too sure.
Speaker 2 (13:28):
All right, Matt, Well, I appreciate you taking the time
to pay tribute to one of your former teammates and
now one of your players as a Crusader's defense coach.
Thanks very much for your time, mate. That's Matt Todd
and before Matt White Crockett paying tribute to Cody Taylor.
When you think of great All Blacks hookers, it is
quite a crowded field. Kevin me A Lummel, Sean Fitzpatrick,
(13:51):
Dane Coles, Andy Dalton, Cody Taylor absolutely belongs in that conversation.
The constant themes you hear about Cody Taylor are around
his work, ethic and just how much playing rugby means
to him, whether it's for Canterbury, the Crusaders, or the
All Blacks. He just apitomises what it means to be
(14:14):
part of something that is bigger than you. The jersey
has never been bigger than Cody Taylor, the team has
never been bigger, The game has never been bigger than
Cody Taylor. But he's enhanced the jersey, enhanced his teams,
and really done the game of rugby proud. He models
the way for anyone who joins the teams that he
is in. And you heard that from Matt Todd and
(14:35):
from White Crockett. They look at Cody Taylor and they
understand what it means to be an All Black, to
be a Crusader, to be a Canterbury player. He's a
leader in the size that he's a part of. He
hasn't often been captain of those teams, but he is
a prime example of the old adage that you do
not need an armband to lead. What a player he's been.
(14:59):
There is more to come and what a special moment
for Cody Taylor and his family tomorrow morning when he
becomes All Blacks tests Centurion number fourteen.
Speaker 1 (15:09):
For more from Weekends Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to news talks at b weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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