December 6, 2025 • 8 mins
James McOnie chats about the Blackcaps' struggles through the West Indies, England's collapse in the Ashes, how promising All Whites' World Cup run could be, and Sam Ruthe's rising status on the track.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks Abday Afternoons.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
James mconey time, Hello.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Mate, good a piney.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
How are you very good? Very good? A few topics
to kick around with you today. Can we start at
Hagley Ovl in christ Church where a depleted black Caps
attack just could not get through the West Indies. Did
you feel as though they have lost an opportunity to
go one nel up here?
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Yeah, one hundred percent. I mean, injuries are injuries, right,
It's rare to see them decimated bowling an attack like
that in a Test match, but it is the attack
wasn't quite you know, at full strength when you consider
what Will O'Rourke was doing last year, and even we're
still waiting for the return of Kryle Jamison if you like,
(00:53):
you know, the second coming because he was so talented
when we won the World Test Championship final. It is
still a brave effort. But that was incredible from the
West Indies and probably has given something to this Test
series that didn't really have a lot of fire to
it beforehand.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
I agree. I think we all sort of you know,
perhaps you know, rather disparagingly thought that the West Indies
will be a bit of a walkover, would have a
couple of three and four day Test matches. I just
thought the way that they dug in yesterday, albeit as
I say, against a depleted bowling attack with Henry and
Smith not able to bowl on the final, Now you're
still got to stay in. You know, one hundred and
sixty three overs out there, You're still got to stay in.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Yeah, And that four hundred and fifty seven for six
in the fourth innings of a Test is madness. They're
calling it the second highest. It really is the highest
in a five day Test, because I think that it's
only behind a timeless Test from nineteen thirty nine when
they kept on batting in South Africa. I think it
was England for nine days or something. You know, like
timeless tests a thing of the past. But seeing them
(01:57):
go out there with the double times, I mean we
have seen some incredible Test matches, you know, India's miracle
at the Gabba. I actually think Test match cricket is
really keeps on giving and it's just that New Zealand
has to prepare for life after Kane. Really, when is
he going to hold on to the Australian series next year.
(02:17):
It's a big mystery. There are a lot of people
preparing for a retirement.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Sooner than that, you reckon it might be before that.
You don't reckon he'll he'll make next summer's Australian Test
Series because I guess I would like to think, and
it could be well off, that that might be his
swan song, a four Test series against Australia away.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
I'm hoping that it will be. I think he probably
will hang on. It probably won't be the best for
the average. He hasn't done that well against Australia in
the past, but not terrible. It's just it is a
tough ask. I mean, we just saw Joe Roots score
his first Test down a test century down under. It
that's how hard it is. But yeah, I mean that
(02:57):
is it still means that it's imminent and we still
need to look for new talent coming through. And I've
got my own a few, and I've heard there's a
young better from Otago called Hugo Bog who we should
all keep an eye on out of nineteens at the stage.
But still we do need players of rear talent, not
just to keep the team, you know, in that I
(03:19):
guess in the elite level that we that we like
to think we are. It's also just to have big
names that excite other nations because that's how you get tours.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
I think these days it's generally accept that, isn't it
Your best batsman goes in at three. So when came
Williamson comes out of the team, whenever that is, I
feel like, rightch and Revender just goes up one, doesn't
he He's the heir apparent at three, isn't he?
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Well, Richend's average we went up from forty two to
forty five. Facts that it ends the one seventy sixty scored.
So that's just the impact because he's still quite early
in his career. That's the difference that can make to
your average. So he's also tracking ahead of Kay Williamson
for the same number of tests early in his career.
(04:03):
But of course Kane had an incredible purple patch for
four or five years. But then that's good signs for
Rutchen really because I think he is world class and
they probably held him back the right amount of years.
I mean, we always we're talking about him, but now
he's just the mainstay of the team, which is pretty
(04:23):
heartening because you know, we've lost a few in the
past few years with Taylor and McCallum and the likes of.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Those to the ashes at the Gabber and Brisbane Day
four today, Australia eventually dismissed yesterday for five hundred and eleven.
England were doing all right, they were ninety for one
and then they've just I don't know, just inexplicable one
thirty four for six day are They're still forty odd
short of making Australia bad again. There are two days
(04:49):
to go. This probably won't go much past the first
session tonight.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Yeah, it's tough for England, but then I don't think
their batterers have too much excuse. This is a depleted
Australian attack. Yeah, Mitchell Stark one of the all time
greats now the top get taking left arbor and cricket
going past was Si Matkrim. But what's what's your other excuse? England?
Come on now, you turn up with it with guys
who are pretty much really highly tilted, with Joe Route,
(05:17):
Harry brook Stokes as well, who's we've seen him some
of the innings that he can play. They have to
really find another way because I actually don't think their
bowling attack is that great at the moment. So it's
up to their batter is to do something special, and
they just didn't. But hey, there's still a few embers
in the ashes. But it has a fantastic watch, I
(05:39):
must say, just the drama and you know, even the
personality is the crowd. Everything about it just has another
level up. It's kind of like watching State of Origin
in some ways, you know, just the the the hoopla
around it.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Yeah, I agree, I agree, speaking of hoopla. The draw
for the World Cup, the FIFA World Cup. This was
made yesterday eventually after some pageantry. We know the All
Whites will play against Belgium, Egypt, and Iran. We know
that the first of those games will be in Los Angeles,
that one is against Iran, and then up to Vancouver
where they'll play the remaining two. This is a good
(06:15):
draw for us, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
It's not too bad, you know, I'm happy with Belgium,
Egypt and Iran. Iran so far away O good and
yeah all we yeah, flock of seagulls there for anybody
whose generation X will know what I'm singing about. But
I actually think it's fine. Belgium a sort of not
necessarily past the use by date, but they are on
(06:38):
the decline when you look at the likes of Lukaku
and de Bruyna into their mid thirties. And you could
say the same for most Sala given Liverpool's season. But hey,
Mosala is so good. All I ask for anyone who
has to mark Mosala is mark that left foot. Yeah
he might score off as right, but he will score
off his left if you give him a chance. So
(07:00):
if Libby Cacacci, I think we've got a good left
back there, Pony, I'm not too unhappy with the left side,
I guess with Salah playing in that inverted right wing
position and then Iran, I mean, look, it could have
been a lot worse.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
It could have It could well have been a lot worse.
I think it's a group we can approach with a
degree of optimism. Hey, just before you go, have you
been keeping eyes on Sam Ruth?
Speaker 3 (07:26):
Oh my goodness, this runner Sam Ruth just breaking all records.
Another one today, the eight hundred meetings. I think the
schools or under eighteen record that this is a great
thing about the resurgence. It's a renaissance and running in
New Zealand, and I think someone like Nick Willison needs
to take some credit here. His bronze medal upgraded to
silver in the Beijing Olympics was amazing and then of
(07:51):
course he repeated the dose in Rio, so that I'm
sure that had an impact on this generation with Jordy
Beamish and now Sam Ruth and all those guys, So
neck takeabow. I know that there was always a tough
fact to follow when you've got the likes of Snell
and Walker in the history of middle distance running. But
now New Zealand is a genuine contender. Jordi Beamish that
(08:14):
gold medal in the steeplechase, it was always thought unheard
of to see a medalist outside of Africa in that event.
And so I mean in back country Hawk's Bay, we've
got the best in the world. And now from Todo
owner Sam Rue, you love to see it. Let's us
hope that he can keep up the pace that he's
set because it's just unbelievable, scorching.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Yeah, it is unreal. And Sam's dad been on with
us in the next hour. He used to run against
Nick Willis so yeah. They know each other pretty well
and by the sounds of it, Nick has been very
helpful in the early stages of Sam's career as well.
Great to chat as always, James, thanks for taking the time.
James mcconey big part of our Sundays.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, Listen live
to news talks b weekends from midday, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks Abday Afternoons.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
James mconey time, Hello.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
Mate, good a piney.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
How are you very good? Very good? A few topics
to kick around with you today. Can we start at
Hagley Ovl in christ Church where a depleted black Caps
attack just could not get through the West Indies. Did
you feel as though they have lost an opportunity to
go one nel up here?
Speaker 3 (00:31):
Yeah, one hundred percent. I mean, injuries are injuries, right,
It's rare to see them decimated bowling an attack like
that in a Test match, but it is the attack
wasn't quite you know, at full strength when you consider
what Will O'Rourke was doing last year, and even we're
still waiting for the return of Kryle Jamison if you like,
(00:53):
you know, the second coming because he was so talented
when we won the World Test Championship final. It is
still a brave effort. But that was incredible from the
West Indies and probably has given something to this Test
series that didn't really have a lot of fire to
it beforehand.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
I agree. I think we all sort of you know,
perhaps you know, rather disparagingly thought that the West Indies
will be a bit of a walkover, would have a
couple of three and four day Test matches. I just
thought the way that they dug in yesterday, albeit as
I say, against a depleted bowling attack with Henry and
Smith not able to bowl on the final, Now you're
still got to stay in. You know, one hundred and
sixty three overs out there, You're still got to stay in.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
Yeah, And that four hundred and fifty seven for six
in the fourth innings of a Test is madness. They're
calling it the second highest. It really is the highest
in a five day Test, because I think that it's
only behind a timeless Test from nineteen thirty nine when
they kept on batting in South Africa. I think it
was England for nine days or something. You know, like
timeless tests a thing of the past. But seeing them
(01:57):
go out there with the double times, I mean we
have seen some incredible Test matches, you know, India's miracle
at the Gabba. I actually think Test match cricket is
really keeps on giving and it's just that New Zealand
has to prepare for life after Kane. Really, when is
he going to hold on to the Australian series next year.
(02:17):
It's a big mystery. There are a lot of people
preparing for a retirement.
Speaker 2 (02:20):
Sooner than that, you reckon it might be before that.
You don't reckon he'll he'll make next summer's Australian Test
Series because I guess I would like to think, and
it could be well off, that that might be his
swan song, a four Test series against Australia away.
Speaker 3 (02:35):
I'm hoping that it will be. I think he probably
will hang on. It probably won't be the best for
the average. He hasn't done that well against Australia in
the past, but not terrible. It's just it is a
tough ask. I mean, we just saw Joe Roots score
his first Test down a test century down under. It
that's how hard it is. But yeah, I mean that
(02:57):
is it still means that it's imminent and we still
need to look for new talent coming through. And I've
got my own a few, and I've heard there's a
young better from Otago called Hugo Bog who we should
all keep an eye on out of nineteens at the stage.
But still we do need players of rear talent, not
just to keep the team, you know, in that I
(03:19):
guess in the elite level that we that we like
to think we are. It's also just to have big
names that excite other nations because that's how you get tours.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
I think these days it's generally accept that, isn't it
Your best batsman goes in at three. So when came
Williamson comes out of the team, whenever that is, I
feel like, rightch and Revender just goes up one, doesn't
he He's the heir apparent at three, isn't he?
Speaker 1 (03:42):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Well, Richend's average we went up from forty two to
forty five. Facts that it ends the one seventy sixty scored.
So that's just the impact because he's still quite early
in his career. That's the difference that can make to
your average. So he's also tracking ahead of Kay Williamson
for the same number of tests early in his career.
(04:03):
But of course Kane had an incredible purple patch for
four or five years. But then that's good signs for
Rutchen really because I think he is world class and
they probably held him back the right amount of years.
I mean, we always we're talking about him, but now
he's just the mainstay of the team, which is pretty
(04:23):
heartening because you know, we've lost a few in the
past few years with Taylor and McCallum and the likes of.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Those to the ashes at the Gabber and Brisbane Day
four today, Australia eventually dismissed yesterday for five hundred and eleven.
England were doing all right, they were ninety for one
and then they've just I don't know, just inexplicable one
thirty four for six day are They're still forty odd
short of making Australia bad again. There are two days
(04:49):
to go. This probably won't go much past the first
session tonight.
Speaker 3 (04:55):
Yeah, it's tough for England, but then I don't think
their batterers have too much excuse. This is a depleted
Australian attack. Yeah, Mitchell Stark one of the all time
greats now the top get taking left arbor and cricket
going past was Si Matkrim. But what's what's your other excuse? England?
Come on now, you turn up with it with guys
who are pretty much really highly tilted, with Joe Route,
(05:17):
Harry brook Stokes as well, who's we've seen him some
of the innings that he can play. They have to
really find another way because I actually don't think their
bowling attack is that great at the moment. So it's
up to their batter is to do something special, and
they just didn't. But hey, there's still a few embers
in the ashes. But it has a fantastic watch, I
(05:39):
must say, just the drama and you know, even the
personality is the crowd. Everything about it just has another
level up. It's kind of like watching State of Origin
in some ways, you know, just the the the hoopla
around it.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
Yeah, I agree, I agree, speaking of hoopla. The draw
for the World Cup, the FIFA World Cup. This was
made yesterday eventually after some pageantry. We know the All
Whites will play against Belgium, Egypt, and Iran. We know
that the first of those games will be in Los Angeles,
that one is against Iran, and then up to Vancouver
where they'll play the remaining two. This is a good
(06:15):
draw for us, isn't it.
Speaker 3 (06:16):
It's not too bad, you know, I'm happy with Belgium,
Egypt and Iran. Iran so far away O good and
yeah all we yeah, flock of seagulls there for anybody
whose generation X will know what I'm singing about. But
I actually think it's fine. Belgium a sort of not
necessarily past the use by date, but they are on
(06:38):
the decline when you look at the likes of Lukaku
and de Bruyna into their mid thirties. And you could
say the same for most Sala given Liverpool's season. But hey,
Mosala is so good. All I ask for anyone who
has to mark Mosala is mark that left foot. Yeah
he might score off as right, but he will score
off his left if you give him a chance. So
(07:00):
if Libby Cacacci, I think we've got a good left
back there, Pony, I'm not too unhappy with the left side,
I guess with Salah playing in that inverted right wing
position and then Iran, I mean, look, it could have
been a lot worse.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
It could have It could well have been a lot worse.
I think it's a group we can approach with a
degree of optimism. Hey, just before you go, have you
been keeping eyes on Sam Ruth?
Speaker 3 (07:26):
Oh my goodness, this runner Sam Ruth just breaking all records.
Another one today, the eight hundred meetings. I think the
schools or under eighteen record that this is a great
thing about the resurgence. It's a renaissance and running in
New Zealand, and I think someone like Nick Willison needs
to take some credit here. His bronze medal upgraded to
silver in the Beijing Olympics was amazing and then of
(07:51):
course he repeated the dose in Rio, so that I'm
sure that had an impact on this generation with Jordy
Beamish and now Sam Ruth and all those guys, So
neck takeabow. I know that there was always a tough
fact to follow when you've got the likes of Snell
and Walker in the history of middle distance running. But
now New Zealand is a genuine contender. Jordi Beamish that
(08:14):
gold medal in the steeplechase, it was always thought unheard
of to see a medalist outside of Africa in that event.
And so I mean in back country Hawk's Bay, we've
got the best in the world. And now from Todo
owner Sam Rue, you love to see it. Let's us
hope that he can keep up the pace that he's
set because it's just unbelievable, scorching.
Speaker 2 (08:34):
Yeah, it is unreal. And Sam's dad been on with
us in the next hour. He used to run against
Nick Willis so yeah. They know each other pretty well
and by the sounds of it, Nick has been very
helpful in the early stages of Sam's career as well.
Great to chat as always, James, thanks for taking the time.
James mcconey big part of our Sundays.
Speaker 1 (08:51):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, Listen live
to news talks b weekends from midday, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
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