September 19, 2024 • 6 mins
All eyes will be on the All Blacks this weekend as they aim to redeem themselves across the ditch.
With the Rugby Championship out of reach and the Freedom Cup gone, the Bledisloe Cup takes on even more significance than usual.
ZB rugby commentator Elliott Smith discussed Scott Robertson's picks for Saturday's test.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Wildergrave
from News Talk z'b.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
I'll attempt to keep you up with what's going on
in the cricket as well. I'll give you an update
on that soon. They're back on the park again after
rain sent them off. It's been a bit of a stop.
Start morning's entertainment, right, Let's go to Sydney now and
we'll tear across the ditch. New South Wales. Joining us
is Elliott Smith. It's league rugby commentator and he joins
(00:35):
us now to look at the team and look at
the naming of the side through the mind of Rasor Robertson. Elliott, welcome,
not too many surprises.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Get a Darcy, yeah. I think you're right. It is
largely predictable. I suppose the biggest one of those changes
is Spode and Barra being restored to fallback a week
or two weeks on from moving to the bench behind
Will Jordan, Will Jordan moving back to the wedding and
then call of Clark's fit again. So that's the justification
for restoring back three that started in Johannesburg when the
(01:08):
attack did look a lot better. They scored four tries,
of course, on that afternoon, despite losing to the restored
that combination and move Boden Barrett to fallback. So he's
Joe out of the team or out of the starting
fifteen and you you're back into the run on side
for this weekend. Obviously running football likely to be the
case in sunny conditions on a Sydney afternoon on Saturday,
(01:29):
but certainly the highest profile of the changes to the
All Blacks team elsewhere fearly predictable. You see Cadem Clarke
back from injury, that Ethan de Grew back in the
mix as well, and Wallace Atititi retaining his spot at
blindside flanker after a pretty good run on debut has
to be said in Cape Town. So he gets the
nod again. Is the All Blacks you know, make some
little tweaks, but as you said, Darcy, you know relatively
(01:52):
predictable for this test here in Sydney.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Is this a move that suggests it's an anti move
for Will Jordan or more of a positive move for
Bowden Barrett, if that makes sense?
Speaker 3 (02:04):
I agree. I think you look at that and I
think it's probably an anti move fit for Will Jordan
around the combination that they just want to get that
back three clicking, and it feels like it hasn't really
clicked the season. They've gone with a number of different
combinations throughout the season around who started on what wing
and who started at full back. You know, Petter Fetter
(02:26):
started the year out, and then Boden Barrett was coming
off the bench to replace him at full back, and
then Boden Barrett was starting at full back. Well Jordan
there on the wings with Mark Khala and sevu reeson.
Will Jordan's back in the mix there. So I think
it speaks to perhaps just a lack of certainty around
their best combination, and by moving it back this week,
they feel that this is probably the best combination at
(02:46):
the moment. I know Will Jordan, you know very much
keen to play more fullback, but it's back in the
right pieces into place. And I think we saw in
Cape Town that, you know, maybe Mark Khala just a
little bit out of sorts at the moment, sevu Reese
probably likewise. So that kind of means that you've got
to play the hot hands, and that's Boden Barrett who's
been pretty good I think so the season, maybe an
(03:07):
off day in Johannesburg, but that's probably the best combination
for this point in time. But as I said that,
I think it is still a relatively live discussion around
what is the best makeup of the back three for
this All Blacks team.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Sam Kaine guess an odd nineteen ninth Test match, So
it looks like he'll notch up the ton in Wellington.
Couldn't have him to a nicer blowk This is really
good and he's not there out of congratulations for your
hard work. He's there because he's a great player and
he's providing plenty of what they want.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Yeah, it is.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
And it was interesting to hear Scott Robinson talking to
the media this morning sort of saying, well, how long
is the spawn song going to go on for? Because
they know he's leaving, but he's in such irrepressible form
at the moment that they can't keep him out. So
I think we probably all thought that maybe his lot
might be just coming off the bench and adding some
experience in the closing stages of tests and you know,
(03:57):
notching up the hundred on the way And if that
was that, then that's a pretty good finish. To his
Test career. But as it happens, he's usurped Old and
Papoli out of the starting team and he's made that
seven jersey back his own again. And you know how
many more tests are going to play well, as you said,
one hundred next week, but that the kind of form
that he's in is just making him very very hard
to leave out of this All Blacks team, and that
(04:19):
testament to the you know, the kind of character that
he is. You know, it was twilight of his Test career.
Would have been very very easy for him to sort
of go off into the sunset and chip away and
make some appearances off the bench, maybe get some of
the starts against the lesser lights. But he's been very,
very impressive and has been one of the first names
down on the team sheet and reunite that combination with
(04:40):
with Ardie Savilla while Titi they're on the blind as well.
It's a formidable loose for Trio that the All Blacks
are putting in there, even though you know one Blurk's
about to depart the game from New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
And what the tit Alex Smith joins us a lot
of applauded for what he did. Now let's just be
slightly critical. You need to step back and look at
where improvens need to be made for Wallace because he
was pretty flashy in the loose he looked good. He's
up against an Australian team that down on their like
to be pleasant. Where do you think he needs to
lift to selp I suppose see all that problematic six position.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Well, I think the miss tackles column is the one
that he needs to look at. So he missed three
in Cape Town and he just did a lot of
good stuff with the ball in hand, but he can't
afford to miss that many test tackles at this level
as a player, so that needs to be something. Those
spot tackles needs to be better because if you miss one,
then that puts the rest of the team under pressure,
puts the defensive line under preciure. So he's going to
(05:35):
be better at that, but he will learn that. I
think he's a character that's willing to learn and develop
his game, as we've seen throw his meteoric rise from
Chiefs development right through to starting with the Chief's number
eight jersey this season, so he's willing to put in
the work. He gets another opportunity on Saturday with Ethan
Blackhead are still troubled by the hamstring injury that kept
him out in Cape Chown, it's another opportunity and I
(05:57):
think you get that miss tackle column down. You know,
there's always going to be miss tackles in a game
from any team, but I think if you can nullify
that a little bit, we know what he's capable of,
ball and handmads and great runs in Cape Town. I
think this Australian team and playing against the will suit
Wallas to tz. You think about, you know, the kind
of loose forwards that have previously had success against Australia
(06:17):
in the past. You know a lot of those the
hard running type of you know, loose forwards that can
carry hard and bend the defensive line. Different kind of
style defensively Australia put out there rather than South Africa,
who are much more in your face and that rush defense.
Australia don't tend to do that as much. So it
gives players like Wallas to t t time with ball
(06:38):
and hands it to really cause some havoc and I
think that's what they want to see. From what all
Black's perspective comes Saturday afternoon.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
For more from sports talk, listen live to news talks
that'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Wildergrave
from News Talk z'b.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
I'll attempt to keep you up with what's going on
in the cricket as well. I'll give you an update
on that soon. They're back on the park again after
rain sent them off. It's been a bit of a stop.
Start morning's entertainment, right, Let's go to Sydney now and
we'll tear across the ditch. New South Wales. Joining us
is Elliott Smith. It's league rugby commentator and he joins
(00:35):
us now to look at the team and look at
the naming of the side through the mind of Rasor Robertson. Elliott, welcome,
not too many surprises.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
Get a Darcy, yeah. I think you're right. It is
largely predictable. I suppose the biggest one of those changes
is Spode and Barra being restored to fallback a week
or two weeks on from moving to the bench behind
Will Jordan, Will Jordan moving back to the wedding and
then call of Clark's fit again. So that's the justification
for restoring back three that started in Johannesburg when the
(01:08):
attack did look a lot better. They scored four tries,
of course, on that afternoon, despite losing to the restored
that combination and move Boden Barrett to fallback. So he's
Joe out of the team or out of the starting
fifteen and you you're back into the run on side
for this weekend. Obviously running football likely to be the
case in sunny conditions on a Sydney afternoon on Saturday,
(01:29):
but certainly the highest profile of the changes to the
All Blacks team elsewhere fearly predictable. You see Cadem Clarke
back from injury, that Ethan de Grew back in the
mix as well, and Wallace Atititi retaining his spot at
blindside flanker after a pretty good run on debut has
to be said in Cape Town. So he gets the
nod again. Is the All Blacks you know, make some
little tweaks, but as you said, Darcy, you know relatively
(01:52):
predictable for this test here in Sydney.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
Is this a move that suggests it's an anti move
for Will Jordan or more of a positive move for
Bowden Barrett, if that makes sense?
Speaker 3 (02:04):
I agree. I think you look at that and I
think it's probably an anti move fit for Will Jordan
around the combination that they just want to get that
back three clicking, and it feels like it hasn't really
clicked the season. They've gone with a number of different
combinations throughout the season around who started on what wing
and who started at full back. You know, Petter Fetter
(02:26):
started the year out, and then Boden Barrett was coming
off the bench to replace him at full back, and
then Boden Barrett was starting at full back. Well Jordan
there on the wings with Mark Khala and sevu reeson.
Will Jordan's back in the mix there. So I think
it speaks to perhaps just a lack of certainty around
their best combination, and by moving it back this week,
they feel that this is probably the best combination at
(02:46):
the moment. I know Will Jordan, you know very much
keen to play more fullback, but it's back in the
right pieces into place. And I think we saw in
Cape Town that, you know, maybe Mark Khala just a
little bit out of sorts at the moment, sevu Reese
probably likewise. So that kind of means that you've got
to play the hot hands, and that's Boden Barrett who's
been pretty good I think so the season, maybe an
(03:07):
off day in Johannesburg, but that's probably the best combination
for this point in time. But as I said that,
I think it is still a relatively live discussion around
what is the best makeup of the back three for
this All Blacks team.
Speaker 2 (03:19):
Sam Kaine guess an odd nineteen ninth Test match, So
it looks like he'll notch up the ton in Wellington.
Couldn't have him to a nicer blowk This is really
good and he's not there out of congratulations for your
hard work. He's there because he's a great player and
he's providing plenty of what they want.
Speaker 1 (03:37):
Yeah, it is.
Speaker 3 (03:37):
And it was interesting to hear Scott Robinson talking to
the media this morning sort of saying, well, how long
is the spawn song going to go on for? Because
they know he's leaving, but he's in such irrepressible form
at the moment that they can't keep him out. So
I think we probably all thought that maybe his lot
might be just coming off the bench and adding some
experience in the closing stages of tests and you know,
(03:57):
notching up the hundred on the way And if that
was that, then that's a pretty good finish. To his
Test career. But as it happens, he's usurped Old and
Papoli out of the starting team and he's made that
seven jersey back his own again. And you know how
many more tests are going to play well, as you said,
one hundred next week, but that the kind of form
that he's in is just making him very very hard
to leave out of this All Blacks team, and that
(04:19):
testament to the you know, the kind of character that
he is. You know, it was twilight of his Test career.
Would have been very very easy for him to sort
of go off into the sunset and chip away and
make some appearances off the bench, maybe get some of
the starts against the lesser lights. But he's been very,
very impressive and has been one of the first names
down on the team sheet and reunite that combination with
(04:40):
with Ardie Savilla while Titi they're on the blind as well.
It's a formidable loose for Trio that the All Blacks
are putting in there, even though you know one Blurk's
about to depart the game from New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
And what the tit Alex Smith joins us a lot
of applauded for what he did. Now let's just be
slightly critical. You need to step back and look at
where improvens need to be made for Wallace because he
was pretty flashy in the loose he looked good. He's
up against an Australian team that down on their like
to be pleasant. Where do you think he needs to
lift to selp I suppose see all that problematic six position.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Well, I think the miss tackles column is the one
that he needs to look at. So he missed three
in Cape Town and he just did a lot of
good stuff with the ball in hand, but he can't
afford to miss that many test tackles at this level
as a player, so that needs to be something. Those
spot tackles needs to be better because if you miss one,
then that puts the rest of the team under pressure,
puts the defensive line under preciure. So he's going to
(05:35):
be better at that, but he will learn that. I
think he's a character that's willing to learn and develop
his game, as we've seen throw his meteoric rise from
Chiefs development right through to starting with the Chief's number
eight jersey this season, so he's willing to put in
the work. He gets another opportunity on Saturday with Ethan
Blackhead are still troubled by the hamstring injury that kept
him out in Cape Chown, it's another opportunity and I
(05:57):
think you get that miss tackle column down. You know,
there's always going to be miss tackles in a game
from any team, but I think if you can nullify
that a little bit, we know what he's capable of,
ball and handmads and great runs in Cape Town. I
think this Australian team and playing against the will suit
Wallas to tz. You think about, you know, the kind
of loose forwards that have previously had success against Australia
(06:17):
in the past. You know a lot of those the
hard running type of you know, loose forwards that can
carry hard and bend the defensive line. Different kind of
style defensively Australia put out there rather than South Africa,
who are much more in your face and that rush defense.
Australia don't tend to do that as much. So it
gives players like Wallas to t t time with ball
(06:38):
and hands it to really cause some havoc and I
think that's what they want to see. From what all
Black's perspective comes Saturday afternoon.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
For more from sports talk, listen live to news talks
that'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
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