Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from newstalks 'b.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Watching some nipple goodness made This off field stuff has
been a bit tiring, hasn't it. Finally we got some
some nipple to watch, some nipple analyze, and we do
land on that fourth quarter because they were were off
the pace in the in the final quarter. If it
McCausland jury admitted it. Mistakes under pressure, we fatigued. So
it's a work on for the next one. Lily.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Hello, yeah, hi, I'm just saying that the time they played,
I mean it was past their bed, Thomas past mine
as well, and he went over there two days ago.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Yeah, that's right. At least they don't have to go
to Perth, Lily, that would have been worse.
Speaker 3 (00:47):
But I mean the Absies tend to do that, don't they.
But I mean in Sydney they probably play a better
game because the adjustice to the time difference.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
You know, good point, good point.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
What about the fourth quarter?
Speaker 2 (00:58):
What about their fourth quarter? Though? Were you a bit
concerned in the fourth quarter?
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Ah, year, I was, But I mean they actually made
their own mistakes. Yeah, they weren't out played. They threw
the ball away. They made their own mistakes, and I.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Guess in that regard, Lily, then if they can stop
doing that, then they should improve in the second test,
shouldn't they?
Speaker 3 (01:21):
Absolutely? And I think I think we've got to look
at the players that weren't available with day, you know,
with the team, so there was about five of them
that weren't available, So I mean, I think those were
the ones that probably complained.
Speaker 2 (01:38):
Yeah, we don't know that, Lily. We don't know who
who has made the complaints, and it's probably a little
bit you know. I'm not sure it's that valuable to
assume anything in the absence of absolute knowledge. But I
know what you're saying, and I know a lot of
things have been said about you know, about who said what.
We'll take some more calls on the NEBUL eight hundred
(01:59):
and eighty ten eighty if you texts through here, Jason,
the silver Fan's considered sixteen points in the last quarter,
clearly in the adding a lack of fitness. Do you
need any more proof they do not meet the fitness
requirements that Dame Nolen required. Look, Terry, thanks for your text.
I don't know that a player will stop trying to
(02:23):
reach fitness targets just because their coach isn't there to
drive them anymore. Maybe that is naive. Maybe I don't know.
Maybe there are players in the team who who do
need to have a hard task master driving them on.
I don't know. Maybe they do, but I'm not sure
that a player's personal and professional pride would stop them
(02:47):
from wanting to be as fit as they possibly could.
Dame Nolen says this text from ra would have been
totally annoyed at the lack of fitness coming home to
roost in the fourth quarter, lack of oxygen going to
the brain leading to inexcusable mistakes and handling errors. Hello Heather,
(03:08):
Oh gosh, that was fast.
Speaker 3 (03:09):
Hello, I'm speaking with Jason am I. You are right.
There's a lot of things I could say, as I
guess many people who don't ring as well could, But
I do wish to remind people to rugby.
Speaker 2 (03:26):
Otago have stormed into the NPC Final an emphatic forty
one at seventeen win over Bay of Plenty in their
semi final last night in Dunedin. Otago ahead twenty one
twelve at the break, and then overwhelm the Steamers with
a seventeen point surge to assert their dominance.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
So I'm the advantage of fifteen out Pleasure, try to
breach the defense, fill a steps inside, one time two
back and tripe pleasure the try tynan preasure scoreses hat
to try this year.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
There was a mistackle in there.
Speaker 4 (03:54):
Pleasure touches down and between the uprights. Otago extend their
halftime lead.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
So Otago will play the winner of tonight's second semi
between Canterbury and Hawks Bay. Otago halfback Dylan Pledger is
with us. Don thanks for your time and congratulations on
another superb performance last night from you and the Otago team.
How much fun is it playing for Otaga right now?
Speaker 3 (04:14):
No, I'm loving it.
Speaker 5 (04:15):
Every every weekend. It's just getting better. And yeah, the
boys are firing at the moment, which is good to
see it. And you're just loving every moment of it.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
What has been going so well for you as a
team this season? What are the foundations of this this
excellent campaign that you've had.
Speaker 5 (04:30):
I think we've just trusted our just trusted our game
to tended our coaches have given us, and I think
that's you. We've reaped the rewards from that and as
you can see, the results are going our way, which
is cool to see.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
I think when people were coming up with their NPC
favorites before the season started, not too many I'm sure
would have had Otago in their in their conversations. Did
you know though, pre season that you were going to
be a pretty decent side?
Speaker 5 (04:54):
Yeah, well, I guess we've had We've had a tough
couple of years, but we've had returning boys from the
last couple of seasons and I think it's really helped
them when you build connections and stuff and just know
that that we had us to hopefully go the whole way.
Speaker 2 (05:09):
A lot of you weren't even born the last time
Otago won the NPC back in nineteen ninety eight. Are
you all aware though, of the proud provincial rugby history
and you're part of the country.
Speaker 5 (05:20):
Yeah. Now, I'm definitely talking about it lots, and about
how I'm just playing for our region and we know
that it's been a long time since since the last final,
and I think it's pretty special special to get him
there and you have a chance at winning the title.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
Another really good crowd there last night looked awesome on TV.
How's the energy under that roof on nights like last night.
Speaker 5 (05:45):
No, that's unreal. I think last night was pretty special
in front of the tapped out for styth Bar and yeah,
they really helped us get over the line at the
U meal, which was cool to see.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
So this is your debut NPC season. Of course you've
got Christian Leo Willy there at number eight, pretty handy
first five and Cam Miller outside you. How much help
have those guys in particular been year as you navigate
your first MPC season.
Speaker 5 (06:10):
No, those those two are very good players and I
think they just Yeah, it's pretty easy for me to
do my job. And I've got Christian as my and
came outside me just calling a shot, so that yeah,
helps me just play my game, which is yeah, pretty easy.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Dylan. Can you tell us a bit about your rugby journey?
Where did you grow up?
Speaker 5 (06:28):
Ma?
Speaker 2 (06:28):
Where'd you go to school?
Speaker 5 (06:30):
I went to school at came to high school in
Doneda and yeah, just been in to Needam since I
was a young kid and played all my foot and yeah,
school done all my schooling in Duneda and come out
of school now I'm playing for Kite.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
Have you always been a halfback?
Speaker 5 (06:47):
Yeah, I played but a ten and fallback throughout my
throughout the schooling grades. But yeah, kind of settled into
the ninth position in about year twelve.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
And has rugby been an ambition in terms of playing
at the elite level for a while. Is it something
that you have, you know, have thought about since you
were you know, I guess since you first started running around.
Speaker 5 (07:12):
Yeah, definitely. I think by the age of two, I
was just holding your rugby ball and that's all I
wanted to do and loved it. And I think mom
and dad probably got sick of me. But I guess
it's work here out now, which is cool.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
I think it played a bit of touch growing up
as well. Did you do have those skills kind of
been helpful and things like, you know, sniping from the
base and stuff like that.
Speaker 5 (07:32):
Yeah, definitely. I think Touchhip Kings really helped my game
and rugby wise. I think, yeah, we had a good
team at Kings and that helped me. I guess what
you're saying, pick the ball around the raps and stuff,
which is what I'd try to do and add into
my rugby game as well.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Did you feel ready for MPC at the start of
the season. Did you you think, yep, this is my time.
I'm ready for this next step.
Speaker 4 (07:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (07:54):
I think the Newdiland twenties campaign definitely helped coming into
m PC. It's probably the closest thing to the n PC,
and I think, yeah, a good good twenty of them
really help coming into the NBC season.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
I'm sure this hasn't escaped your attention.
Speaker 5 (08:13):
Mate.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
There's a lot of hype arounds about you right now.
How are you staying grounded?
Speaker 5 (08:20):
I kind of try to block that out and just yeah,
I just stick to my people and I'm just focused
on a target at the moment, and you haven't really
thought of anything else other than that.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Can you block it out? I mean you're you're I
mean you're a twenty year old, you know, a young man.
I know social media is a big part of what
everyone's about it at your age. Can you can you
block it out?
Speaker 5 (08:41):
Yeah? I've found raised to keep my mind off it
and not really focus on it. I'm just looking forward
to finishing the season with a target and then ye're
just to break from footy after that.
Speaker 2 (08:53):
We had Jamie Joseph on the show earlier today. He
took us through the rationale of not picking you for
the All Blacks fifteen tour. Were you okay with that decision?
Speaker 5 (09:03):
Yeah, I'm happy. I wasn't expecting a call or anything.
I think I've got a quality n three quality nines
in there, and yeah, I guess maybe in a couple
of years. That's the goal. That just kind of taking
it one sep at a time. At the moment, you.
Speaker 2 (09:17):
Look around the country and there's some pretty decent nines
running around, yourself included obviously, and there's six that have
been chosen for the All Blacks, and there's All Blacks
fifteen squad that's about to head away. You must feel
as though you're part of a pretty pretty decent bunch
of halfbacks running around right now.
Speaker 5 (09:34):
Yeah, No, it's good. It's cool to see the quality
nines going around the country. And I think it's just
adds to the competition, I guess, and how I want
to play my game.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
We're often hurly. Come on, last night, I got a
try and then I saw him limp Off. Is he okay?
Speaker 1 (09:49):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (09:49):
I haven't heard very much, but I think you'd be sweet.
He's walking around and hopefully all the news.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
For some so I guess you just sit back now
and cheer for Hawk's bay Ton ideas so you can
host the final next week.
Speaker 5 (10:01):
Yeah, it'd be pretty unreal to have a home home
final under the stadium with another picked out crowd. It'd
be cool to see that. Whatever where that game goes,
I guess the boys have to prepare him appearing.
Speaker 2 (10:14):
For a win and they talk about earning another Monday,
which you guys have obviously done with you with your
win last night. What do you think the weak ahead
will look like? Do you get the feeling that you'll
try as a playing group and think the coaches will
encourage you just to treat it like another week, or
will you actually embrace the fact that there's a massive
game at the end of it.
Speaker 5 (10:33):
Yeah, definitely. I think it'll be much the same as
any other week. I don't think we have to look
at it too deep. It's obviously a big game, but
if we trust our game plan, I think we can
get it done.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
You're starting to get recognized around the streets of Dunedin.
Speaker 1 (10:47):
Now, No, not yet.
Speaker 2 (10:50):
No, you'd be very modest, mate, and I think that's
probably a hallmark of the way you're playing. Hay Dylan,
congrats on last night. Another great performance from you and
the Otago boys. I actually I think anyone outside christ
Which hopes that Hawks Bay win tonight so you guys
can host the final, but we'll see how it goes.
Thanks for taking the time for a chat. Thank you
very much, Thank you for joining us. Dylan Nigo Dylan Pledgure,
one of the rising stars of New Zealand rugby.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
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