April 2, 2025 • 42 mins
D'Arcy Waldegrave returned to wrap another day of sports news! Highlights for tonight include:
Debbie Sorensen - CEO of Moana Pasifika on their incredible victory against the Crusaders
Talkback - Is Rugby having a resurgence? Are we afraid to admit it?
Mitch Hay - Blackcaps Wicketkeeper - On wrapping up the series against Pakistan in Hamilton today.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Waldegrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Greetings, one and all, this is Sports Talk on news
Talks ABBE. It's approaching at seven after seven. It's a
Wednesday evening, the second of April twenty twenty five, and
Dars and Waldergrave on here through till eight o'clock and
what have we got lined up for your consumption this
evening while I tell you later on and the piece
we'll be catching up with one of the stars of
(00:53):
the I would say, interesting performance the black Caps put
down against Pakistan. They eventually beat them comfortably that they
were in the process of absolutely pounding them into the
two and something went horribly wrong. They got the Mitch
Hay joins us nearly picked himself up a ton and
he'll talk to us about that odd old game. And Hamilton,
(01:16):
we're kicking the show off of chief Executive of Mowana
Pacifica and their historic win over the Crusaders. Are the
success of the team winning over the critics and the
resurgence of super rugby amongst fans, and that's what I
want to talk about tonight as well. On eight hundred
and eighty ten eighty, So Debbie Sorenson is our guest next.
(01:38):
But just think about it. Ere this time we start
bagging Rugby and actually maybe admit that Super Rugby Pacific
is a bloody good product. Would that be hard? Have
we got it in us? What's the point of view?
Eight hundred and eighty ten eighty context standard text charge
does apply. That's nine two ninety two zb zeb right
(02:01):
before we head straight on into it, let's start with this.
And in sports today, new Red Bull driver Yuki Sonoda
has been told he's not necessarily second fiddle to teammatee
and four time Formula One world champion Max with stabbing
Tim boss Christian Horner spun this yarn to.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Him and if I able to be ahead of Max,
he wouldn't necessarily ask me to swap the position. I
think it's very fair and I'm sure you would be
easy anyway to straight away beat.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Max well in front of Max. Yeah, cool, cool, run
with it. Advisor to New Breakers Ownership Group former starterurn
Tom Abercrombie has told them to get Parker Parker. Jackson
can't write that.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
Is Parker is someone that we one hundred percent want
to try and get back He's a cornerstone piece that
you can build an entire team around, and he loves
New Zealand, loved his time here, so certainly that conversation
with him is ongoing. They're trying to get him back
in the team.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
To be fair, I could have advised him of sebu
Ree says back for the Crusaders, and he's in a
couple of spots. The winger will play against the Fijian
drewer in the thirteen jersey for the Island Clash, a
jersey he's plainly had his eye on. Listen to this
slap at Rob Penny at the end.
Speaker 5 (03:25):
What a place to play. Centers are and in front
of my family backing PG and bah Man. Like I said,
I can't even find the words.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Just so excited, thank you Pens.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
About time ooh and from the All Blacks to the
Wilderness Huskins. Sattutu didn't snare an ab jump up last year,
which somewhat but he's let that go so we can
fully zero in on helping the Blues out of the
hole they've found themselves in.
Speaker 6 (03:55):
No, that's just something I can't control, I think, so
I just didn't really think about it that much.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Anymore.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
I think at the beginning of my career, I'll put
pressure on myself to try to play for there, But
now I think I'm more focused on losing, and that's sort.
Today we're talking the resurgence of Mowana Pacificia. Not they
exactly fell down, they weren't great, but man, they came
back with a roar over the weekend and also the
(04:20):
lifting of Super Rugby. Joined now by chief executive of
Marana Pacifica, Debbie Sorenson. Good evening, Debbie, good evening, does
he I trust your well and still reveling in what
happened over the weekend with your team of men who
did well almost the impossible.
Speaker 7 (04:38):
Indeed, indeed we were very proud of them.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
They did something that no one expected. And I suppose
the underlying thing here is this competition has been throwing
up fantastic results, unusual results right the way through, which
lends it to thinking whatever has changed has worked. This
is a great camp.
Speaker 7 (04:58):
It is a great camp.
Speaker 6 (04:59):
And I think it says you say every week is unpredictable,
which is what brings the excitements to the fans. You know,
you can't say for sure on any week what the
outcome will be and the teams are very close together.
You know, there's not a big gap amongst them.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Well, we've seen that Mowana hasn't had the greatest start.
They've had the one victory against the Hurricanes, but they've
been very close right the way through. They've not been
a team that's been easily rolled. Is there anything particularly?
I think that the new version of Super Rugby Pacific
is done to aid to assist the closing of this competition.
Speaker 6 (05:34):
I think that the clubs all working and the Super
Rugby clubs all work together as a group, and so
working as a collective really makes a difference.
Speaker 7 (05:45):
You know, we understand that it's all of.
Speaker 6 (05:46):
Us together, not an individual team that will make the difference,
and so on things that matter, like improving fan engagement.
You've seen Fantasy Rugby stood up this year. You know,
those are the sorts of initiatives that are making a
difference and you can see those bedding in.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
So there's the Super Rugby Fantasy. Is there another way
that manifests that you can share this when teams actually
clubs come together, franchises come together. What's the dominant thing
here that helps helps us out.
Speaker 7 (06:16):
The dominant theme is actually fan engagement.
Speaker 6 (06:19):
How can the game be faster, How can it be
closer to fans so fans understand it more so, you know,
things like reffing up mikes is really important so that
fans understand the rules and what's going on on field.
I think player welfare is a big thing, and you know,
the clubs are very serious about player welfare and so
(06:42):
that makes a difference to the team's performance.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
When you look at the transferable results from things like
fan engagement. Though, but does that directly affect what goes
on on the pad it because what we're seeing here is,
as we've mentioned, a very close competition. So is it
an easing of ruling for the referees? Is there anything
palpable there that makes these games a better fixed, your
(07:06):
a better vision.
Speaker 6 (07:08):
Well, we're monitoring statistics all the time, so you know,
things like how much downtime when the ball's not in play,
So that's reduced significantly from last season, so the ball
is active for longer.
Speaker 7 (07:21):
That's what fans want to see.
Speaker 6 (07:22):
They don't want to be standing around, you know, watching
officials talking about stuff, making sure that the game is
moving faster.
Speaker 7 (07:29):
You know, how many more runs. Players make.
Speaker 6 (07:31):
Those sorts of things they translate directly onto the field
and directly into you know, fan appreciation, and we have
seen more engagement from fans this year significantly than last year.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Must be helpful for yourselves that you've actually got a
regular venue to call home. That can't be slowing things down, Debbie.
Speaker 7 (07:53):
Indeed, you're right, Darcy.
Speaker 6 (07:54):
You know, I think that we all accept that North
Harbor is not where we would love to be, you know,
in terms of our heart and soul. But you know,
I'm so grateful to the North Harbor Rugby and North
Harbor community, the business community who have stepped behind us,
and also to our fans who have embraced us being
at North Harbor. And you know, it's a world class facility.
(08:17):
We can't complain about the facilities there. It's just that
kind of thought of having to drive across the bridge
on a Friday night is a little bit daunting. But
we're seeing it with fans. You know, we have more
people coming than we've had in four seasons.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
You can't be close to being happy though, with the
amount of fans that turn up. I'm presuming there's a
lot of room to move. What other adjustments can be
made through super rugby that can help get bums on seats.
Speaker 6 (08:45):
Yes, I think looking at how you know, this year
we've got a new final structure, so having a look
at seeing how that works with finals footy and whether
that works very well. I think also just being mindful
of the drawer and so the drawer is quite a
technical activity, trying to shep at eleven teams, you know,
across sixteen weeks.
Speaker 7 (09:06):
And I think just being mindful.
Speaker 6 (09:07):
That the draw actually works for fans is an important
thing because we know it works for broadcasters.
Speaker 7 (09:13):
It's largely driven around that.
Speaker 6 (09:15):
But also making sure that fans, you know, they can
actually get two games is an important thing.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
So it's planning where the games are and when they are,
and it's tailoring that to the venue they find themselves
in the city, the town they find themselves in.
Speaker 7 (09:29):
That's absolutely right.
Speaker 6 (09:30):
So you know, the Highlanders would say that that their
best crowds are on a Sunday afternoon. They can get
the crowds in from their rural areas, whereas you know
another city Sunday afternoon is not the go. So, you know,
I think those sorts of things. I think there's a
lot of work that goes on behind the scenes that
people are not necessarily that aware of, you know, where
(09:53):
the Super Rugby community are actually working hard to make
it a great experience in a great event.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
There's been complaints debbe about the legitimacy I suppose you'd
say of an eleven t competition and how how difficult
it makes it with working and buyers and the like.
But with the eleventh or the eleven teams one less
that's actually really really rateled up the ability of the
Australian side. So even though eleven is cumbersome, it's working
(10:22):
quite well. Is there a potential for a shift to twelve?
Is there a want for that?
Speaker 6 (10:27):
Well, you know, I think twelve would be ideal. Ten
is not ideal, and it's just about how that develops.
I think there is a lot of concern about eleven teams,
you know, at the preseason, but as you say, Darcy,
it is working very well and we're seeing, you know,
it's a very tight competition.
Speaker 7 (10:47):
It's very competitive.
Speaker 6 (10:49):
The Australians have come to play this year and it's
interesting to watch that, you know, I think it's going
very well.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
What about you mentioned the fact that you're looking after
player welfare and player safety. We're still seeing a number
of players being envalided out. I suppose I look at
the Blues the amount of players that they lost. Is
that just part and parcel of having a competition that's
high impact.
Speaker 6 (11:11):
The competition is high impact, and of course what people
on the street don't see is also the high impact
that goes on at training during the week. So it's
not just you know, the game that they play on
the field on the weekend, it's also the training during
the week, and it is physically you know, the competition
itself is physically demanding. These young men are bigger and
(11:32):
faster and stronger, and so you know that it's an
impact sport and so you've got to appreciate that that's
going to take a toll, you know, on people. I
think the thing that everyone is most concerned about is
protecting the head and reducing head injuries. You know, we
all understand that that's something that we need to continue
to work hard on.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
The general. Populist sports fans, Rugby fans for quite some time,
and I'm right at the cold face head Debbie have
been pretty keen to punch down on Rugby Union on
Super Rugby. I think it's high time the game war
lifted through the fans themselves. Do you think it's time
for a turnaround in fortunes and for people to accept
(12:13):
that actually Super Rugby is a vibrant and relevant competition
despite years of maybe being underwhelming.
Speaker 6 (12:21):
I think we're seeing that this year. It feels like
our Super Rugby star is rising, that we have the
right combination of you know, clubs and teams working together,
of an end of the game being really exciting to watch.
You know, it's exciting and it's interesting, and our fans
are turning out and so you know, our star is
(12:42):
on the rise and it's a fantastic thing to be
part of.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Well, no, Laurel resting, what happens now? What has to
be worked on now? Because there's the brave future, isn't there?
It's the new front. What are you looking toward?
Speaker 7 (12:54):
Well, that's right.
Speaker 6 (12:55):
So you know, we continue to need to have you know, memberships,
We need to continue to drive fans turning up for
games because the viewership is actually very strong on broadcasting,
but you know, it makes all the difference having fans
in the seats at the grounds and you see the
impact of that. I think the other thing is just
(13:16):
the ongoing financial viability of the sport.
Speaker 7 (13:19):
And you know, sport, no matter what sport you're in.
Speaker 6 (13:22):
Things are pretty tough at the moment with the recession,
and so thinking about you know, what does the if
you consider that rugby is primarily a broadcasting product, you know,
it's an entertainment product. What does that then mean? You know,
where are those markets where there's more revenue to support
the game?
Speaker 1 (13:43):
No need for the DMO. We've got the breakdown on
sports talk call oh eight hundred news Talk.
Speaker 5 (13:50):
Z B.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Seven. This is sports talk. Lines are Reubeno eight hundred
and eighty ten eighty You can text nineteen nine two
is z b ze best in the text? Charge does apply?
With that? There was DeBie sorens and chief executive of
minor PSIFACA, talking about their win, but talking about the
improvement in the quality of the league for one of
(14:14):
a better phrase. Super Rugby Pacific is a better product.
It's improved, and i'd suggest dramatically, is it time we
stop actually bagging it and finding ways to kick it
because it's not down anymore. Can we admit that super
Rugby Pacific is a decent product, and the people that
(14:40):
are running Super Rugby have actually got this right.
Speaker 5 (14:43):
Now.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
It's not the finished deal. It's not soaring amongst the
clouds like earlier editions of Super Rugby, but it's on
its way up. It's turned the corner. Can we admit
that Super Rugby Pacific is a decent product and if
(15:03):
overall you're not one hundred percent on a but where
are the areas you'd like to see it lift? Because
I think Debbie pointed out a number of areas that
the game has improved because the powers that be have
been listening to us. But I say us because I
know the powers that be at Super Rugby listen to
this show and they listen to Jason Pinees show because
(15:26):
they want to hear the feedback from the people we
share the same market, Super Rugby and myself conjure it
to what's happening upstairs. They're listening to your complaints and
they're acting on them. Have they listened hard enough? Simple question?
(15:47):
Can we admit that Super Rugby Pacific is actually a
decent product and if it's not a Hundi, where's the
area we'd like to see it lift? I like the
fact that, as Debi pointed out, less mucking around, lest
fanning around on the park, less predictable scores. Who had
any idea that Mwana would tip over the Crusaders. Well,
(16:10):
I did say last week, if they could put together
two consecutive halves as opposed to sixty minutes, they probably
have a chance, and of course that's exactly what they did.
Is it the jeopardy in the competition because you don't
know what's going to happen next? Is it simply the
fact that there's four strong Aussie teams and not a
punch down bag in the form of the Rebels. Is
(16:33):
it public transport helping people get there? Annikdotally, tell me
in your sphere of influence, terrible phrase from what you've
experienced so far halfway through the round Robins competition? Is
Super Rugby Pacific a much better product? I think it
(16:54):
is always room to improve improve, But for all intents
and purposes, Super Rugby Pacific is worth recording. It's worth
sitting down till it's even worth going to the ground
for they've got this right right. Tell me I'm wrong?
I agree? Oh, eighte hundred eighty ten eighty lines are open.
We're talking of the black Caps wicket keeper and bat
(17:15):
Mitch Hay some stage the next fifteen to twenty odd minutes.
Looking for your calls before that on this subject. Can
you a minute? Canha? Can you can your hand on heartgo?
They've actually got it right? God eight hundred eighty ten
eighty can lemon head? I'm hand, but let's free as that.
Speaker 7 (17:34):
I guess I gonna oport.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
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Speaker 1 (18:47):
Forget the riff's call.
Speaker 4 (18:48):
You make a call on.
Speaker 8 (18:51):
Sports Talk on your home of sport use talks bityuas twenty.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Eight sports still caring newstalks their bam Darcy Water gave
looking forty your calls eight hundred and eighty ten eighty
civil concept here can we have been to the Super
Rugby Pacific. It's actually a decent product. And I know
that we were very excited and stimulated by round one,
(19:28):
round two, even by round three, were thinking, okay, this
might actually be suggesting the trend. I don't know if
many of us, if we're honest with ourselves, thought that
the competition would keep throwing up great games of rugby.
Almost halfway through the round, robin falls off a cliff.
(19:51):
Now we can turn and point at me and go
I're told so ha ha ha. But I don't think
any of us would have said, hand on heart that
this competition would carry on the same flavor that it
had when it started off. It's been great. Normally in
shows like this, it's pretty easy to tip on things.
People love complaining, I love grizzling, and it's very easy
(20:14):
to punch down when something's not going right without solving it.
But what we've got here is Super Rugby's commission of
listened and going actually hold on this is a problem.
And they talk about fan centric, they talk about putting
a fan center of room, and now they're actually doing it,
which is really nice to see some of the ideas
and concepts actually be put in place, and the result
(20:36):
is it's a better game.
Speaker 5 (20:40):
What does it for you?
Speaker 2 (20:41):
What's improved for you? What's lifted? The quality? The intensity?
Are the improbability of victories? Where you think they come from? Nowhere,
where is it actually come from? I mean, in Mowana's case,
you say Ardie Savia because he's been amazing. But man,
they've found some other cracking players and slowly as that
team comes together and starts applying itself no longer easy. Look,
(21:06):
they've only won a couple of times, but the games
they lost, they didn't get run straight over the top
of it, wasn't a Sherman tank crushing them into the ground.
We've seen some tweet fixtures Highland as fans out there,
you'd be just pulling hair out right now. But you've
been in the fight and I think if you look
(21:27):
right across the drawer for this weekend, you couldn't confidently
say or predict one result. Possibly the one you'd be
comfortable with would be the Heighland is aren't going to
win because they're traveling to Perth and that's an absolute
dog of a journey. It's going to be very difficult
for the Crusaders to lift themselves over in Fiji because
(21:49):
that place is almost impossible to travel to get some
kind of victory. You can't write it off top of
the table. Clash chiefs read it any idea.
Speaker 5 (22:00):
No.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Looking at the Blues trying to extricate themselves from the
hole they've found them selves them up against the hurricanes
have hardly set the world on fire. Can't predict that either.
So what is it for you that's made this Super
Rugby Pacific season better? How is it a good product?
How is it a decent product? Find some love and
(22:23):
tell me what it's done.
Speaker 5 (22:24):
For you.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
It could be as simple as I'm not paying for
Sky anymore, no jokes. It'd be nice to transfer it
to actually moving into the games, people going to the
games themselves. But as Debbie sirens and pointed out themselves,
a bit more help from AT would be good in
Auckland City helping to ferry people around that that's always
(22:45):
a problem in Auckland public trains, but we get that.
Apparently City rail Link is going to change that. It's
great when the draw works, so they put games at
a time that is more convenient and consumable for their
target market. Again, this makes sense. It's not the Dune deal,
but it's made huge strides this season, and I think
(23:09):
we should celebrate this. Our eight hundred and eighty ten
eighty lines are open. A couple of calls coming on,
and I'll just put through some texts. First, interesting lady
to listen to, says Nathan. That's Demie Sorenson, chief executive
Wana Pacificate. Interestingly to listen to. I agree with her
on nearly everything, particularly the addition of Pacific Flare. The
(23:32):
only thing I'd argue about is whether we need the
sun walls and the Jaguar's Backhuiries. I believe they were
great from the comp Thank you very much, Nathan ca
Pete good yourself.
Speaker 9 (23:47):
Yeah, good, No, I think it's a lot very now.
I think they must have listened to the old Steve.
Speaker 10 (23:50):
Henson, you know who.
Speaker 9 (23:51):
He sort of said it in the game's got to
change because I was almost.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
Going to.
Speaker 9 (23:57):
Rugby League himself is too much going up the stage
and the t and that sort of thing, so basically
not going up vingess they really have to. So I
think obviously they must have listened to a lot of people.
Listen to your talkback show to what you do is
very good, and I think they've actually listened to people
out there before we was just getting too many decisions
(24:18):
and stopping the game by the guys upstairs and somethink
it's a lot faster game. They're like, you've got to
kick the ball a lot faster. I think they just
sped the gamer.
Speaker 2 (24:28):
And you said that they've taken notice, and it's great
to hear that, isn't it. You feel a bit more
like xy hold on I account. I'm not just a
pawn on this game. I matter.
Speaker 9 (24:41):
Yeah, if they want people to come to the games,
well who pays the bills.
Speaker 2 (24:46):
One's us And it's a realization, isn't it that without
interesting because basically we're their boss, right, the fans are
the most important thing about this whole game. We're not
happy the whole game falls apart.
Speaker 10 (25:03):
And I think they.
Speaker 9 (25:04):
Realized that to say, I was going back, so I'm
starting to follow the league and I hitch it's hot
past the game, and that's what.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
I think they realize it.
Speaker 9 (25:11):
Otherwise people will.
Speaker 10 (25:12):
Leave the rugby and they'll go to the league and
that's not good for them.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
Interesting speed of the game, Pete, thanks very much for it.
Listen to films from upstairs, and I know there's a
bit of problems with that in the NRL, mostly because
when someone does something devilously stupid, crawel violent, they just
go you to go and report. I think that might
be changing too, because people are sick to the back
teeth of that. But I thank you very much for
your call as points that you made one hundred eighty
(25:37):
ten eighty good evening, Allen.
Speaker 10 (25:40):
You've got evening Darcy, you know, very good subjects. And
actually I got really excited about Moana Pacific of beating
the Crusaders and I'm just telling you a reduce who
would be really nice for a player like tana Umaga,
who would be as good as players I've ever seen
in my life succeed as a coach, and I I
(26:02):
dis trusting them to. Haven't been interviewed by on Radio
Nasca by Jesse and he's got a bit of sense
of him. He sounds like it would be nice to
see a legendary all black succeed as the coach, like
say Frank vance Good and John Coup and couldn't you
(26:26):
know Colin Just this goes on and on so and
the introduction of these new players, I mean like maybe
as well.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
Allen with that. And you're right. And Tom Mann is
a top top man, top bloke, and he's a whole
lot funny than we got to see previously. I think
he's much more in a comfortable space with Mowana. But
the way the game has been sped up, the way
the game there's more space, there is less likelihood that
someone's going to blow a whistle in your ear. I
(26:56):
think that appeals to the way Mauana Pacific could play
the game, and that's why we're seeing this explosion of vibrant,
fast physical, high teamo rugby because the rules or the
interpretation of the laws are allowing this to come through,
which works beautifully for teams like Malana.
Speaker 10 (27:19):
Yeah, it actually suits them because the game is actually
I've got a really interesting question to ask you. Are
there more injuries currently in this phase of football as
opposed to say, in the nineteen sixties when there were
(27:40):
no replacements.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
I don't know, Alan, I've got no numbers around that.
Things for your core, I'm sure that the higher the impact,
the faster the game, the more players get busted up.
There's a lot more combatitive go to tory than it
was back then. So interested in the fact that this
time around New Zealand teams aren't hamstrung by the national
(28:07):
coach demanding that all Blacks can basically take a deck
chair onto the park and do nothing. I hate his break,
not its compulsory or he's gonna sit down.
Speaker 8 (28:17):
I go.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
That that kind of interference them up aboves. It destroyed
that product we talked about this last year, and Super
Rugby is a regular shop window for the game of
rugby union in New Zealand and at a top level.
Insistence on the stars of the game not performing on
(28:41):
a weekly basis because they wanted to wrap them in
cotton wall or tissue paper for the main series coming
up Destructive, they kicked their shot window in, they flogged
all the product and ran off. When this is ms R,
it was there window too, which makes it even funnier.
But that's changed. So much has changed. I think we
(29:05):
should celebrate the one hundred and eighty eighteen eighty lines
are open. That's the main factor in your enjoyment. Obvious
super Rugby this year. Come on with a smile with
Hey and Mitche will join us later on in the
piece's the we can keep a bat out of the
black Caps, who had a comfortable, albeit bizarre win over
(29:27):
Pakistan today in Hamilton. It's seventh to the eighth.
Speaker 5 (29:34):
To see old us, the same old being.
Speaker 8 (29:36):
You get bored and I get cold. Yeah, I dear
one in as figure I've never read had this l sweet.
Speaker 4 (29:42):
I realized I've got.
Speaker 11 (29:43):
In the maut down because Dean Dugan will in the crown.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
Yeah, there it is there.
Speaker 12 (29:48):
It has Bences five in the bag for them. He
finishes five for fifty nine. Na seems fifty one of
those shining lights for Pakistan today. But they have been
beaten and soundly so New Zealand win by eighty four runs.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
They take the series here in Hamilton tonight. Thank you
for coming out today, kids. It him score two hundred.
It looked like getting rolled for under one hundred for
a while there, but the tail wagged somewhat not enough
game set and match the black Caps match. Hay is
(30:25):
going to join us later in the pieces. We talk
about his role Flailing ninety nine with the batman keeping
as well. Just know how that pitch play. But the
atmosphere is like every strange and that's coming up around
the corner. Carry on with rugby now and the resurgence
of Super Regular because it is a resurgence. It's a
much better product, and I think the jury's out on
(30:47):
what has actually made it work and from information I've
received from people, what's the game with it? It's quicker,
there's more action more of the time. It doesn't get
strangled by overly of vicies. Men with long socks and
(31:08):
shorts that are too short. Listen to me, I'm a raf.
We don't care about you. You're so important in the
wider scylet things here short sort the game out. We
want to see tackling and kicking and passing and rugby.
And you look from the games we've watched. Just take
last weekend for example, we no one want to saw
(31:34):
the Hurricanes whipping the Warretars fifty seven twelve. I'm sure
Thecanes abs that you loved it, but I don't think
that was a givens just managed to beat the Brumbies beforehand?
Are the Brumbies Highlanders made? Hogland is again broken heart?
Only seven points? The lost by talk much about the Crusaders,
(31:54):
beginning that they got owned by Mowana in their own
backyard forty five to twenty nine? Are the redsjast over
the Force the Force were visiting? This is crazy? What
about this week I've talked of this. I don't know
if we can hand on your heart Chiefs, Reds now
whine not Pussyfiker war Tize, Nope, Drawer Crusaders possibly leaning
(32:19):
toward the drawer Blues Hurricanes. I have no idea. I
throw my hands in the Air Force Highlanders. I mean,
maybe the Force favorites because at least they're at home
and the Highland has got to travel ten thousand miles.
But this is what this competition is now. It isn't predictable,
it's fast, it's high paste as well with for Reid,
(32:40):
and it's full of players that the fans know and love.
They want to see them play and they want to play.
They're not being.
Speaker 11 (32:47):
Stoled to rest and rotate. So get out there and
enjoy yourself. A couple of texts for you, excuse me, Darcy.
Super Rugby Pacific is a good product, but the crowds
make the grounds look empty.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
Were the lack of crowds. The biggest problem with rugby
is still the penalty advantage rawle. It goes on too long.
Thank you Paul Fair points here the next step. Now
they've got a game that's sailable and watchable, how do
you get people along to the venues or are they
using venues that are just way too big? Because you
(33:26):
look at the Warriors twenty seven twenty six pack that up.
In fact they've sold at the Broncos game. You look
at what's happening with Auckland FC. Again amount smart, it's
the smaller ground. It's easy to sell out. It looks packed.
It's smaller ground. Even if it's got the same amount
of people's going to look better and more inviting you
(33:46):
want to go to grounds like that. It's still lots
to do, but we should be infused and happy that
something's being done and the game isn't just folding, I'd
say under its own weight. Sometimes it's been through some
crazy changes since it became professional. Not all of them
(34:07):
have worked. I think this time around, though, That's something
going on Kia and Matt writes Matt, I'm thirty two
living in Wellington and my experience I lost interest as
they added more teams and went crazy on the rules.
Cuba rugby has kind of been like a currency. The
more you add, the more it loses value. But it
(34:29):
is better now. And Steve sent me a text entirely
in what I presume is Chinese. Not really a favor
of those characters, Steve, but thanks anyway. I'm sure it
was deep and meaningful. Thirteen minutes to eight o'clock. Mitch
Hay is going to join us next as we take
a look at the success of the Caps that day,
(34:51):
after losing the toss, being put in explosive start, saggy
old middle, planging, an ending and somehow Pakistan How it
was a long and cruel death. It was almost again
to torture, but it's not. It's a game of cricket.
Thirteen to eight. Mitch joining us next here at Newstalks
(35:11):
e bay oh Am, I take somebody, Bunny. He's supposed
(35:35):
to be joining us, so I called up in team
up meetings. Come on, any what are you doing. It's
supposed to be producing the show. You get down the
Dragond meeting. Hopefully we'll get to him bad Why we
wait if it do happen. At the Breakers press conference today,
my Mitchell and you, owner of the Bunch, talks about
(35:58):
making spark.
Speaker 13 (36:00):
The Sparkering is definitely home Sparkering is one of the
best home court advantages in the NBL. We're happy that
the owner of Spark Arena and the GM of Spark
Arena joined us today at our launch event. They are
very committed to working closely with us. So in Auckland,
Spark Arena is our home. We want that place full.
(36:20):
I expect every seat to be full going forward in
that arena. But we are going to do some regional games.
I think last year there were too many and the
results were not good. The team was zero and four
during the regional games. But we are the new Zealand breakers.
So we do want to touch other parts of this country.
(36:41):
But the difference is that we will spend more time
in the cities where we have games, so we won't
just come in and play and leave. We want to
be on the ground for an extra day or two
and really connect with those communities, do programs in schools
while we're there, and make it a much bigger event.
Speaker 2 (36:57):
That's a lot of thing to say, Matt, Matt Mitcheli
see and you own all the breaker is. But if
you want a strong and firm home support base and
selling season tickets and now people won't like you to
buy them if you spent a lot of your time
out of the city and not playing it spot It's
like it's a balance question. It's a huge balance question.
Another question is how to retain players in basketball. It's
(37:20):
not impossible. Impults, exports, outputs come and go. How do
they go about trying to nail these players down, to
tie them down to the breakers.
Speaker 13 (37:31):
I think consistency is so important and so that is
why we went out and signed coach Coop immediately. He
did a great job for the team last year. Although
the wins and losses weren't where they wanted to be.
I think some of that was out of his hands,
but you could tell that throughout the season all the
way to the end, the guys really played hard for him,
(37:51):
They really respected him as a coach, and so to
build that continuity was really important, and he was one
of the first pieces of that on the court. I
do agree with that where we can have consistency, we
will try to achieve that, and that's with our local cores,
but also with our imports.
Speaker 2 (38:10):
Go the local core, I wonder if they're going to
return to actually fancy pants seats like the front row
guys and Mitch Hay joins us. Now I'm lead to
believe you've been dragged kicking and screaming out of a
team meeting. Man of the match or player of the
match match congratulations.
Speaker 5 (38:25):
Hey, thank you very much, appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
And what happened in the team meeting? What do they have?
You been scolded for not polishing the tail off in
a hurry?
Speaker 14 (38:33):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, a few harsh words for the seamers
or glory up with half a but nah, it's pretty positive, man,
very positive.
Speaker 2 (38:40):
Interesting game, the way it started off with a hiss
and a roar and then just tailed away. What was
actually happening out there in the middle before the explosion
in the last ten overs, Yeah.
Speaker 5 (38:50):
It was. It was.
Speaker 14 (38:51):
We've obviously got off to a great start with Recent
and Nick and they had beautifully and we just sort
of lost a few wickets quite quickly. So yeah, just
me and me and Mo talked about trying to get
to the sort of death overs if we could both
sort of be there in the fortieth sort of over
as we thought we'd be able to put a pretty
good score on the board. So we managed to get
there and you know, Inflix a bit of damage at
(39:13):
the death which was cool.
Speaker 2 (39:14):
Ye May had a really impressive debut scoring that fifty,
but I think probably even more impressive today because it
was a hard workout there forum. He only struck at
sixty odd percent, so not a high strike rate, but
he carried his work at really well. He refused to
let it go. That's a mature kind of innings, isn't it.
Speaker 5 (39:34):
Oh yeah, he was.
Speaker 14 (39:36):
Yeah, obviously debut was fantastic and just showed he can
do it both ways. You know, you can grit it
out but also put a finishing touch on the innings.
Speaker 5 (39:42):
Too, so he was great.
Speaker 14 (39:44):
We had great time betting out there together and now
he was fantastic, just really calming out there for a
young fellas.
Speaker 2 (39:50):
Are you comfortable in your position? It's very much a
tangled team. Oh, there are players away playing with the IPL,
there are players injured, and there are so many players
now that could represent You're right in the thick of it.
You're feeling more at home, are you?
Speaker 5 (40:03):
Match?
Speaker 14 (40:04):
Yeah, I'm really enjoying my time in the Fern and
playing at home. It's been surreal really and I've just
absolutely loved my summer. But you know, there's some pretty
good players unavailable, like Tom Latham, so yeah, you know,
just enjoying the time I have, well, I have it,
and yeah, it's been really cool to play quite a
few games for his own at home.
Speaker 5 (40:22):
It's been pretty special. Really.
Speaker 2 (40:23):
Are he's sitting on a swing in a playground or something.
What's that noise in the background.
Speaker 5 (40:29):
Not sure, it's just some sort of deconstruction going on.
Speaker 2 (40:34):
Yeah, I like at the end of it match and
we really thought you were going to pick up that
tunnel though it seemed not possible, you know, in the
last couple of overs, but you did You very much
pulled that same act out for Canterbury in the Trophy
Final a couple of weeks back, didn't you.
Speaker 6 (40:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 14 (40:51):
Yeah, it's one of those ones you sort of just yeah,
slowly going along and then get a couple ou of
the middle, clear the ropes a couple of times, and
all of a sudden the score creeps up quite quickly.
But yeah, no, it's just cool to be able to
put a good performance on the board and get a total.
We thought it was gonna be pretty competiti which was yeah,
which showed.
Speaker 2 (41:09):
So playing cricket at home in april's kind of interesting,
isn't it. But you never expected you to do that.
Speaker 5 (41:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 14 (41:15):
No, it's the weather that's been good to be fair like.
We've played a little bit of drizzle the sr O,
but now it's been cool. We been pretty lucky off
the weather so far, and the crowd has been great too,
So we've been very lucky and I'm going to.
Speaker 2 (41:26):
Look forward to tied all up with the three zip
victory comes Saturday. You're confident you're going to get the
word You're going to get picked again, are you?
Speaker 5 (41:35):
Yeah, hopefully. I guess we'll wait and see.
Speaker 14 (41:37):
But I'm pretty excited for the last game at the Mount,
finish the summer on a high, so that'd be great.
Hopefully we can put out another strong performance and yeah,
get the get the series three and it would be
great match.
Speaker 2 (41:48):
Hey, thanks very much for joining us. Congratulations on the
player of the match more so and being part of
a team that comfortably beat Pakistan.
Speaker 5 (41:54):
You go well brilliant, Thank you very much, appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (41:57):
Thank you. It's seven fifty six match said, scoring a
century didn't cross my mind and I was just swinging
for the hills and opening really.
Speaker 5 (42:11):
Honest.
Speaker 2 (42:12):
It did there at the final of the Trophy as well,
same deal. Suddenly he put us foot downs and went
to town explosive when it counted. And thank you much
for joining us here on NEWSTALKSZB. Thanks and did up
for organizing glad you dragged him out of their team
meetings out adult. Thanks to all for listening, thanks for
your calls, thanks for your texts. Just thanks Marcus Slush
(42:33):
with more thanks coming up next here on News Talks EB.
Speaker 1 (42:44):
For more from sports talk, listen live to News Talks
ZB from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Waldegrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Greetings, one and all, this is Sports Talk on news
Talks ABBE. It's approaching at seven after seven. It's a
Wednesday evening, the second of April twenty twenty five, and
Dars and Waldergrave on here through till eight o'clock and
what have we got lined up for your consumption this
evening while I tell you later on and the piece
we'll be catching up with one of the stars of
(00:53):
the I would say, interesting performance the black Caps put
down against Pakistan. They eventually beat them comfortably that they
were in the process of absolutely pounding them into the
two and something went horribly wrong. They got the Mitch
Hay joins us nearly picked himself up a ton and
he'll talk to us about that odd old game. And Hamilton,
(01:16):
we're kicking the show off of chief Executive of Mowana
Pacifica and their historic win over the Crusaders. Are the
success of the team winning over the critics and the
resurgence of super rugby amongst fans, and that's what I
want to talk about tonight as well. On eight hundred
and eighty ten eighty, So Debbie Sorenson is our guest next.
(01:38):
But just think about it. Ere this time we start
bagging Rugby and actually maybe admit that Super Rugby Pacific
is a bloody good product. Would that be hard? Have
we got it in us? What's the point of view?
Eight hundred and eighty ten eighty context standard text charge
does apply. That's nine two ninety two zb zeb right
(02:01):
before we head straight on into it, let's start with this.
And in sports today, new Red Bull driver Yuki Sonoda
has been told he's not necessarily second fiddle to teammatee
and four time Formula One world champion Max with stabbing
Tim boss Christian Horner spun this yarn to.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Him and if I able to be ahead of Max,
he wouldn't necessarily ask me to swap the position. I
think it's very fair and I'm sure you would be
easy anyway to straight away beat.
Speaker 2 (02:35):
Max well in front of Max. Yeah, cool, cool, run
with it. Advisor to New Breakers Ownership Group former starterurn
Tom Abercrombie has told them to get Parker Parker. Jackson
can't write that.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
Is Parker is someone that we one hundred percent want
to try and get back He's a cornerstone piece that
you can build an entire team around, and he loves
New Zealand, loved his time here, so certainly that conversation
with him is ongoing. They're trying to get him back
in the team.
Speaker 2 (03:04):
To be fair, I could have advised him of sebu
Ree says back for the Crusaders, and he's in a
couple of spots. The winger will play against the Fijian
drewer in the thirteen jersey for the Island Clash, a
jersey he's plainly had his eye on. Listen to this
slap at Rob Penny at the end.
Speaker 5 (03:25):
What a place to play. Centers are and in front
of my family backing PG and bah Man. Like I said,
I can't even find the words.
Speaker 3 (03:31):
Just so excited, thank you Pens.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
About time ooh and from the All Blacks to the
Wilderness Huskins. Sattutu didn't snare an ab jump up last year,
which somewhat but he's let that go so we can
fully zero in on helping the Blues out of the
hole they've found themselves in.
Speaker 6 (03:55):
No, that's just something I can't control, I think, so
I just didn't really think about it that much.
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Anymore.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
I think at the beginning of my career, I'll put
pressure on myself to try to play for there, But
now I think I'm more focused on losing, and that's sort.
Today we're talking the resurgence of Mowana Pacificia. Not they
exactly fell down, they weren't great, but man, they came
back with a roar over the weekend and also the
(04:20):
lifting of Super Rugby. Joined now by chief executive of
Marana Pacifica, Debbie Sorenson. Good evening, Debbie, good evening, does
he I trust your well and still reveling in what
happened over the weekend with your team of men who
did well almost the impossible.
Speaker 7 (04:38):
Indeed, indeed we were very proud of them.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
They did something that no one expected. And I suppose
the underlying thing here is this competition has been throwing
up fantastic results, unusual results right the way through, which
lends it to thinking whatever has changed has worked. This
is a great camp.
Speaker 7 (04:58):
It is a great camp.
Speaker 6 (04:59):
And I think it says you say every week is unpredictable,
which is what brings the excitements to the fans. You know,
you can't say for sure on any week what the
outcome will be and the teams are very close together.
You know, there's not a big gap amongst them.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
Well, we've seen that Mowana hasn't had the greatest start.
They've had the one victory against the Hurricanes, but they've
been very close right the way through. They've not been
a team that's been easily rolled. Is there anything particularly?
I think that the new version of Super Rugby Pacific
is done to aid to assist the closing of this competition.
Speaker 6 (05:34):
I think that the clubs all working and the Super
Rugby clubs all work together as a group, and so
working as a collective really makes a difference.
Speaker 7 (05:45):
You know, we understand that it's all of.
Speaker 6 (05:46):
Us together, not an individual team that will make the difference,
and so on things that matter, like improving fan engagement.
You've seen Fantasy Rugby stood up this year. You know,
those are the sorts of initiatives that are making a
difference and you can see those bedding in.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
So there's the Super Rugby Fantasy. Is there another way
that manifests that you can share this when teams actually
clubs come together, franchises come together. What's the dominant thing
here that helps helps us out.
Speaker 7 (06:16):
The dominant theme is actually fan engagement.
Speaker 6 (06:19):
How can the game be faster, How can it be
closer to fans so fans understand it more so, you know,
things like reffing up mikes is really important so that
fans understand the rules and what's going on on field.
I think player welfare is a big thing, and you know,
the clubs are very serious about player welfare and so
(06:42):
that makes a difference to the team's performance.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
When you look at the transferable results from things like
fan engagement. Though, but does that directly affect what goes
on on the pad it because what we're seeing here is,
as we've mentioned, a very close competition. So is it
an easing of ruling for the referees? Is there anything
palpable there that makes these games a better fixed, your
(07:06):
a better vision.
Speaker 6 (07:08):
Well, we're monitoring statistics all the time, so you know,
things like how much downtime when the ball's not in play,
So that's reduced significantly from last season, so the ball
is active for longer.
Speaker 7 (07:21):
That's what fans want to see.
Speaker 6 (07:22):
They don't want to be standing around, you know, watching
officials talking about stuff, making sure that the game is
moving faster.
Speaker 7 (07:29):
You know, how many more runs. Players make.
Speaker 6 (07:31):
Those sorts of things they translate directly onto the field
and directly into you know, fan appreciation, and we have
seen more engagement from fans this year significantly than last year.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Must be helpful for yourselves that you've actually got a
regular venue to call home. That can't be slowing things down, Debbie.
Speaker 7 (07:53):
Indeed, you're right, Darcy.
Speaker 6 (07:54):
You know, I think that we all accept that North
Harbor is not where we would love to be, you know,
in terms of our heart and soul. But you know,
I'm so grateful to the North Harbor Rugby and North
Harbor community, the business community who have stepped behind us,
and also to our fans who have embraced us being
at North Harbor. And you know, it's a world class facility.
(08:17):
We can't complain about the facilities there. It's just that
kind of thought of having to drive across the bridge
on a Friday night is a little bit daunting. But
we're seeing it with fans. You know, we have more
people coming than we've had in four seasons.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
You can't be close to being happy though, with the
amount of fans that turn up. I'm presuming there's a
lot of room to move. What other adjustments can be
made through super rugby that can help get bums on seats.
Speaker 6 (08:45):
Yes, I think looking at how you know, this year
we've got a new final structure, so having a look
at seeing how that works with finals footy and whether
that works very well. I think also just being mindful
of the drawer and so the drawer is quite a
technical activity, trying to shep at eleven teams, you know,
across sixteen weeks.
Speaker 7 (09:06):
And I think just being mindful.
Speaker 6 (09:07):
That the draw actually works for fans is an important
thing because we know it works for broadcasters.
Speaker 7 (09:13):
It's largely driven around that.
Speaker 6 (09:15):
But also making sure that fans, you know, they can
actually get two games is an important thing.
Speaker 2 (09:20):
So it's planning where the games are and when they are,
and it's tailoring that to the venue they find themselves
in the city, the town they find themselves in.
Speaker 7 (09:29):
That's absolutely right.
Speaker 6 (09:30):
So you know, the Highlanders would say that that their
best crowds are on a Sunday afternoon. They can get
the crowds in from their rural areas, whereas you know
another city Sunday afternoon is not the go. So, you know,
I think those sorts of things. I think there's a
lot of work that goes on behind the scenes that
people are not necessarily that aware of, you know, where
(09:53):
the Super Rugby community are actually working hard to make
it a great experience in a great event.
Speaker 2 (09:59):
There's been complaints debbe about the legitimacy I suppose you'd
say of an eleven t competition and how how difficult
it makes it with working and buyers and the like.
But with the eleventh or the eleven teams one less
that's actually really really rateled up the ability of the
Australian side. So even though eleven is cumbersome, it's working
(10:22):
quite well. Is there a potential for a shift to twelve?
Is there a want for that?
Speaker 6 (10:27):
Well, you know, I think twelve would be ideal. Ten
is not ideal, and it's just about how that develops.
I think there is a lot of concern about eleven teams,
you know, at the preseason, but as you say, Darcy,
it is working very well and we're seeing, you know,
it's a very tight competition.
Speaker 7 (10:47):
It's very competitive.
Speaker 6 (10:49):
The Australians have come to play this year and it's
interesting to watch that, you know, I think it's going
very well.
Speaker 2 (10:55):
What about you mentioned the fact that you're looking after
player welfare and player safety. We're still seeing a number
of players being envalided out. I suppose I look at
the Blues the amount of players that they lost. Is
that just part and parcel of having a competition that's
high impact.
Speaker 6 (11:11):
The competition is high impact, and of course what people
on the street don't see is also the high impact
that goes on at training during the week. So it's
not just you know, the game that they play on
the field on the weekend, it's also the training during
the week, and it is physically you know, the competition
itself is physically demanding. These young men are bigger and
(11:32):
faster and stronger, and so you know that it's an
impact sport and so you've got to appreciate that that's
going to take a toll, you know, on people. I
think the thing that everyone is most concerned about is
protecting the head and reducing head injuries. You know, we
all understand that that's something that we need to continue
to work hard on.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
The general. Populist sports fans, Rugby fans for quite some time,
and I'm right at the cold face head Debbie have
been pretty keen to punch down on Rugby Union on
Super Rugby. I think it's high time the game war
lifted through the fans themselves. Do you think it's time
for a turnaround in fortunes and for people to accept
(12:13):
that actually Super Rugby is a vibrant and relevant competition
despite years of maybe being underwhelming.
Speaker 6 (12:21):
I think we're seeing that this year. It feels like
our Super Rugby star is rising, that we have the
right combination of you know, clubs and teams working together,
of an end of the game being really exciting to watch.
You know, it's exciting and it's interesting, and our fans
are turning out and so you know, our star is
(12:42):
on the rise and it's a fantastic thing to be
part of.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Well, no, Laurel resting, what happens now? What has to
be worked on now? Because there's the brave future, isn't there?
It's the new front. What are you looking toward?
Speaker 7 (12:54):
Well, that's right.
Speaker 6 (12:55):
So you know, we continue to need to have you know, memberships,
We need to continue to drive fans turning up for
games because the viewership is actually very strong on broadcasting,
but you know, it makes all the difference having fans
in the seats at the grounds and you see the
impact of that. I think the other thing is just
(13:16):
the ongoing financial viability of the sport.
Speaker 7 (13:19):
And you know, sport, no matter what sport you're in.
Speaker 6 (13:22):
Things are pretty tough at the moment with the recession,
and so thinking about you know, what does the if
you consider that rugby is primarily a broadcasting product, you know,
it's an entertainment product. What does that then mean? You know,
where are those markets where there's more revenue to support
the game?
Speaker 1 (13:43):
No need for the DMO. We've got the breakdown on
sports talk call oh eight hundred news Talk.
Speaker 5 (13:50):
Z B.
Speaker 2 (13:52):
Seven. This is sports talk. Lines are Reubeno eight hundred
and eighty ten eighty You can text nineteen nine two
is z b ze best in the text? Charge does apply?
With that? There was DeBie sorens and chief executive of
minor PSIFACA, talking about their win, but talking about the
improvement in the quality of the league for one of
(14:14):
a better phrase. Super Rugby Pacific is a better product.
It's improved, and i'd suggest dramatically, is it time we
stop actually bagging it and finding ways to kick it
because it's not down anymore. Can we admit that super
Rugby Pacific is a decent product, and the people that
(14:40):
are running Super Rugby have actually got this right.
Speaker 5 (14:43):
Now.
Speaker 2 (14:43):
It's not the finished deal. It's not soaring amongst the
clouds like earlier editions of Super Rugby, but it's on
its way up. It's turned the corner. Can we admit
that Super Rugby Pacific is a decent product and if
(15:03):
overall you're not one hundred percent on a but where
are the areas you'd like to see it lift? Because
I think Debbie pointed out a number of areas that
the game has improved because the powers that be have
been listening to us. But I say us because I
know the powers that be at Super Rugby listen to
this show and they listen to Jason Pinees show because
(15:26):
they want to hear the feedback from the people we
share the same market, Super Rugby and myself conjure it
to what's happening upstairs. They're listening to your complaints and
they're acting on them. Have they listened hard enough? Simple question?
(15:47):
Can we admit that Super Rugby Pacific is actually a
decent product and if it's not a Hundi, where's the
area we'd like to see it lift? I like the
fact that, as Debi pointed out, less mucking around, lest
fanning around on the park, less predictable scores. Who had
any idea that Mwana would tip over the Crusaders. Well,
(16:10):
I did say last week, if they could put together
two consecutive halves as opposed to sixty minutes, they probably
have a chance, and of course that's exactly what they did.
Is it the jeopardy in the competition because you don't
know what's going to happen next? Is it simply the
fact that there's four strong Aussie teams and not a
punch down bag in the form of the Rebels. Is
(16:33):
it public transport helping people get there? Annikdotally, tell me
in your sphere of influence, terrible phrase from what you've
experienced so far halfway through the round Robins competition? Is
Super Rugby Pacific a much better product? I think it
(16:54):
is always room to improve improve, But for all intents
and purposes, Super Rugby Pacific is worth recording. It's worth
sitting down till it's even worth going to the ground
for they've got this right right. Tell me I'm wrong?
I agree? Oh, eighte hundred eighty ten eighty lines are open.
We're talking of the black Caps wicket keeper and bat
(17:15):
Mitch Hay some stage the next fifteen to twenty odd minutes.
Looking for your calls before that on this subject. Can
you a minute? Canha? Can you can your hand on heartgo?
They've actually got it right? God eight hundred eighty ten
eighty can lemon head? I'm hand, but let's free as that.
Speaker 7 (17:34):
I guess I gonna oport.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
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Speaker 1 (18:47):
Forget the riff's call.
Speaker 4 (18:48):
You make a call on.
Speaker 8 (18:51):
Sports Talk on your home of sport use talks bityuas twenty.
Speaker 2 (19:06):
Eight sports still caring newstalks their bam Darcy Water gave
looking forty your calls eight hundred and eighty ten eighty
civil concept here can we have been to the Super
Rugby Pacific. It's actually a decent product. And I know
that we were very excited and stimulated by round one,
(19:28):
round two, even by round three, were thinking, okay, this
might actually be suggesting the trend. I don't know if
many of us, if we're honest with ourselves, thought that
the competition would keep throwing up great games of rugby.
Almost halfway through the round, robin falls off a cliff.
(19:51):
Now we can turn and point at me and go
I're told so ha ha ha. But I don't think
any of us would have said, hand on heart that
this competition would carry on the same flavor that it
had when it started off. It's been great. Normally in
shows like this, it's pretty easy to tip on things.
People love complaining, I love grizzling, and it's very easy
(20:14):
to punch down when something's not going right without solving it.
But what we've got here is Super Rugby's commission of
listened and going actually hold on this is a problem.
And they talk about fan centric, they talk about putting
a fan center of room, and now they're actually doing it,
which is really nice to see some of the ideas
and concepts actually be put in place, and the result
(20:36):
is it's a better game.
Speaker 5 (20:40):
What does it for you?
Speaker 2 (20:41):
What's improved for you? What's lifted? The quality? The intensity?
Are the improbability of victories? Where you think they come from? Nowhere,
where is it actually come from? I mean, in Mowana's case,
you say Ardie Savia because he's been amazing. But man,
they've found some other cracking players and slowly as that
team comes together and starts applying itself no longer easy. Look,
(21:06):
they've only won a couple of times, but the games
they lost, they didn't get run straight over the top
of it, wasn't a Sherman tank crushing them into the ground.
We've seen some tweet fixtures Highland as fans out there,
you'd be just pulling hair out right now. But you've
been in the fight and I think if you look
(21:27):
right across the drawer for this weekend, you couldn't confidently
say or predict one result. Possibly the one you'd be
comfortable with would be the Heighland is aren't going to
win because they're traveling to Perth and that's an absolute
dog of a journey. It's going to be very difficult
for the Crusaders to lift themselves over in Fiji because
(21:49):
that place is almost impossible to travel to get some
kind of victory. You can't write it off top of
the table. Clash chiefs read it any idea.
Speaker 5 (22:00):
No.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Looking at the Blues trying to extricate themselves from the
hole they've found them selves them up against the hurricanes
have hardly set the world on fire. Can't predict that either.
So what is it for you that's made this Super
Rugby Pacific season better? How is it a good product?
How is it a decent product? Find some love and
(22:23):
tell me what it's done.
Speaker 5 (22:24):
For you.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
It could be as simple as I'm not paying for
Sky anymore, no jokes. It'd be nice to transfer it
to actually moving into the games, people going to the
games themselves. But as Debbie sirens and pointed out themselves,
a bit more help from AT would be good in
Auckland City helping to ferry people around that that's always
(22:45):
a problem in Auckland public trains, but we get that.
Apparently City rail Link is going to change that. It's
great when the draw works, so they put games at
a time that is more convenient and consumable for their
target market. Again, this makes sense. It's not the Dune deal,
but it's made huge strides this season, and I think
(23:09):
we should celebrate this. Our eight hundred and eighty ten
eighty lines are open. A couple of calls coming on,
and I'll just put through some texts. First, interesting lady
to listen to, says Nathan. That's Demie Sorenson, chief executive
Wana Pacificate. Interestingly to listen to. I agree with her
on nearly everything, particularly the addition of Pacific Flare. The
(23:32):
only thing I'd argue about is whether we need the
sun walls and the Jaguar's Backhuiries. I believe they were
great from the comp Thank you very much, Nathan ca
Pete good yourself.
Speaker 9 (23:47):
Yeah, good, No, I think it's a lot very now.
I think they must have listened to the old Steve.
Speaker 10 (23:50):
Henson, you know who.
Speaker 9 (23:51):
He sort of said it in the game's got to
change because I was almost.
Speaker 2 (23:55):
Going to.
Speaker 9 (23:57):
Rugby League himself is too much going up the stage
and the t and that sort of thing, so basically
not going up vingess they really have to. So I
think obviously they must have listened to a lot of people.
Listen to your talkback show to what you do is
very good, and I think they've actually listened to people
out there before we was just getting too many decisions
(24:18):
and stopping the game by the guys upstairs and somethink
it's a lot faster game. They're like, you've got to
kick the ball a lot faster. I think they just
sped the gamer.
Speaker 2 (24:28):
And you said that they've taken notice, and it's great
to hear that, isn't it. You feel a bit more
like xy hold on I account. I'm not just a
pawn on this game. I matter.
Speaker 9 (24:41):
Yeah, if they want people to come to the games,
well who pays the bills.
Speaker 2 (24:46):
One's us And it's a realization, isn't it that without
interesting because basically we're their boss, right, the fans are
the most important thing about this whole game. We're not
happy the whole game falls apart.
Speaker 10 (25:03):
And I think they.
Speaker 9 (25:04):
Realized that to say, I was going back, so I'm
starting to follow the league and I hitch it's hot
past the game, and that's what.
Speaker 3 (25:10):
I think they realize it.
Speaker 9 (25:11):
Otherwise people will.
Speaker 10 (25:12):
Leave the rugby and they'll go to the league and
that's not good for them.
Speaker 2 (25:16):
Interesting speed of the game, Pete, thanks very much for it.
Listen to films from upstairs, and I know there's a
bit of problems with that in the NRL, mostly because
when someone does something devilously stupid, crawel violent, they just
go you to go and report. I think that might
be changing too, because people are sick to the back
teeth of that. But I thank you very much for
your call as points that you made one hundred eighty
(25:37):
ten eighty good evening, Allen.
Speaker 10 (25:40):
You've got evening Darcy, you know, very good subjects. And
actually I got really excited about Moana Pacific of beating
the Crusaders and I'm just telling you a reduce who
would be really nice for a player like tana Umaga,
who would be as good as players I've ever seen
in my life succeed as a coach, and I I
(26:02):
dis trusting them to. Haven't been interviewed by on Radio
Nasca by Jesse and he's got a bit of sense
of him. He sounds like it would be nice to
see a legendary all black succeed as the coach, like
say Frank vance Good and John Coup and couldn't you
(26:26):
know Colin Just this goes on and on so and
the introduction of these new players, I mean like maybe
as well.
Speaker 2 (26:36):
Allen with that. And you're right. And Tom Mann is
a top top man, top bloke, and he's a whole
lot funny than we got to see previously. I think
he's much more in a comfortable space with Mowana. But
the way the game has been sped up, the way
the game there's more space, there is less likelihood that
someone's going to blow a whistle in your ear. I
(26:56):
think that appeals to the way Mauana Pacific could play
the game, and that's why we're seeing this explosion of vibrant,
fast physical, high teamo rugby because the rules or the
interpretation of the laws are allowing this to come through,
which works beautifully for teams like Malana.
Speaker 10 (27:19):
Yeah, it actually suits them because the game is actually
I've got a really interesting question to ask you. Are
there more injuries currently in this phase of football as
opposed to say, in the nineteen sixties when there were
(27:40):
no replacements.
Speaker 2 (27:41):
I don't know, Alan, I've got no numbers around that.
Things for your core, I'm sure that the higher the impact,
the faster the game, the more players get busted up.
There's a lot more combatitive go to tory than it
was back then. So interested in the fact that this
time around New Zealand teams aren't hamstrung by the national
(28:07):
coach demanding that all Blacks can basically take a deck
chair onto the park and do nothing. I hate his break,
not its compulsory or he's gonna sit down.
Speaker 8 (28:17):
I go.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
That that kind of interference them up aboves. It destroyed
that product we talked about this last year, and Super
Rugby is a regular shop window for the game of
rugby union in New Zealand and at a top level.
Insistence on the stars of the game not performing on
(28:41):
a weekly basis because they wanted to wrap them in
cotton wall or tissue paper for the main series coming
up Destructive, they kicked their shot window in, they flogged
all the product and ran off. When this is ms R,
it was there window too, which makes it even funnier.
But that's changed. So much has changed. I think we
(29:05):
should celebrate the one hundred and eighty eighteen eighty lines
are open. That's the main factor in your enjoyment. Obvious
super Rugby this year. Come on with a smile with
Hey and Mitche will join us later on in the
piece's the we can keep a bat out of the
black Caps, who had a comfortable, albeit bizarre win over
(29:27):
Pakistan today in Hamilton. It's seventh to the eighth.
Speaker 5 (29:34):
To see old us, the same old being.
Speaker 8 (29:36):
You get bored and I get cold. Yeah, I dear
one in as figure I've never read had this l sweet.
Speaker 4 (29:42):
I realized I've got.
Speaker 11 (29:43):
In the maut down because Dean Dugan will in the crown.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
Yeah, there it is there.
Speaker 12 (29:48):
It has Bences five in the bag for them. He
finishes five for fifty nine. Na seems fifty one of
those shining lights for Pakistan today. But they have been
beaten and soundly so New Zealand win by eighty four runs.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
They take the series here in Hamilton tonight. Thank you
for coming out today, kids. It him score two hundred.
It looked like getting rolled for under one hundred for
a while there, but the tail wagged somewhat not enough
game set and match the black Caps match. Hay is
(30:25):
going to join us later in the pieces. We talk
about his role Flailing ninety nine with the batman keeping
as well. Just know how that pitch play. But the
atmosphere is like every strange and that's coming up around
the corner. Carry on with rugby now and the resurgence
of Super Regular because it is a resurgence. It's a
much better product, and I think the jury's out on
(30:47):
what has actually made it work and from information I've
received from people, what's the game with it? It's quicker,
there's more action more of the time. It doesn't get
strangled by overly of vicies. Men with long socks and
(31:08):
shorts that are too short. Listen to me, I'm a raf.
We don't care about you. You're so important in the
wider scylet things here short sort the game out. We
want to see tackling and kicking and passing and rugby.
And you look from the games we've watched. Just take
last weekend for example, we no one want to saw
(31:34):
the Hurricanes whipping the Warretars fifty seven twelve. I'm sure
Thecanes abs that you loved it, but I don't think
that was a givens just managed to beat the Brumbies beforehand?
Are the Brumbies Highlanders made? Hogland is again broken heart?
Only seven points? The lost by talk much about the Crusaders,
(31:54):
beginning that they got owned by Mowana in their own
backyard forty five to twenty nine? Are the redsjast over
the Force the Force were visiting? This is crazy? What
about this week I've talked of this. I don't know
if we can hand on your heart Chiefs, Reds now
whine not Pussyfiker war Tize, Nope, Drawer Crusaders possibly leaning
(32:19):
toward the drawer Blues Hurricanes. I have no idea. I
throw my hands in the Air Force Highlanders. I mean,
maybe the Force favorites because at least they're at home
and the Highland has got to travel ten thousand miles.
But this is what this competition is now. It isn't predictable,
it's fast, it's high paste as well with for Reid,
(32:40):
and it's full of players that the fans know and love.
They want to see them play and they want to play.
They're not being.
Speaker 11 (32:47):
Stoled to rest and rotate. So get out there and
enjoy yourself. A couple of texts for you, excuse me, Darcy.
Super Rugby Pacific is a good product, but the crowds
make the grounds look empty.
Speaker 2 (33:03):
Were the lack of crowds. The biggest problem with rugby
is still the penalty advantage rawle. It goes on too long.
Thank you Paul Fair points here the next step. Now
they've got a game that's sailable and watchable, how do
you get people along to the venues or are they
using venues that are just way too big? Because you
(33:26):
look at the Warriors twenty seven twenty six pack that up.
In fact they've sold at the Broncos game. You look
at what's happening with Auckland FC. Again amount smart, it's
the smaller ground. It's easy to sell out. It looks packed.
It's smaller ground. Even if it's got the same amount
of people's going to look better and more inviting you
(33:46):
want to go to grounds like that. It's still lots
to do, but we should be infused and happy that
something's being done and the game isn't just folding, I'd
say under its own weight. Sometimes it's been through some
crazy changes since it became professional. Not all of them
(34:07):
have worked. I think this time around, though, That's something
going on Kia and Matt writes Matt, I'm thirty two
living in Wellington and my experience I lost interest as
they added more teams and went crazy on the rules.
Cuba rugby has kind of been like a currency. The
more you add, the more it loses value. But it
(34:29):
is better now. And Steve sent me a text entirely
in what I presume is Chinese. Not really a favor
of those characters, Steve, but thanks anyway. I'm sure it
was deep and meaningful. Thirteen minutes to eight o'clock. Mitch
Hay is going to join us next as we take
a look at the success of the Caps that day,
(34:51):
after losing the toss, being put in explosive start, saggy
old middle, planging, an ending and somehow Pakistan How it
was a long and cruel death. It was almost again
to torture, but it's not. It's a game of cricket.
Thirteen to eight. Mitch joining us next here at Newstalks
(35:11):
e bay oh Am, I take somebody, Bunny. He's supposed
(35:35):
to be joining us, so I called up in team
up meetings. Come on, any what are you doing. It's
supposed to be producing the show. You get down the
Dragond meeting. Hopefully we'll get to him bad Why we
wait if it do happen. At the Breakers press conference today,
my Mitchell and you, owner of the Bunch, talks about
(35:58):
making spark.
Speaker 13 (36:00):
The Sparkering is definitely home Sparkering is one of the
best home court advantages in the NBL. We're happy that
the owner of Spark Arena and the GM of Spark
Arena joined us today at our launch event. They are
very committed to working closely with us. So in Auckland,
Spark Arena is our home. We want that place full.
(36:20):
I expect every seat to be full going forward in
that arena. But we are going to do some regional games.
I think last year there were too many and the
results were not good. The team was zero and four
during the regional games. But we are the new Zealand breakers.
So we do want to touch other parts of this country.
(36:41):
But the difference is that we will spend more time
in the cities where we have games, so we won't
just come in and play and leave. We want to
be on the ground for an extra day or two
and really connect with those communities, do programs in schools
while we're there, and make it a much bigger event.
Speaker 2 (36:57):
That's a lot of thing to say, Matt, Matt Mitcheli
see and you own all the breaker is. But if
you want a strong and firm home support base and
selling season tickets and now people won't like you to
buy them if you spent a lot of your time
out of the city and not playing it spot It's
like it's a balance question. It's a huge balance question.
Another question is how to retain players in basketball. It's
(37:20):
not impossible. Impults, exports, outputs come and go. How do
they go about trying to nail these players down, to
tie them down to the breakers.
Speaker 13 (37:31):
I think consistency is so important and so that is
why we went out and signed coach Coop immediately. He
did a great job for the team last year. Although
the wins and losses weren't where they wanted to be.
I think some of that was out of his hands,
but you could tell that throughout the season all the
way to the end, the guys really played hard for him,
(37:51):
They really respected him as a coach, and so to
build that continuity was really important, and he was one
of the first pieces of that on the court. I
do agree with that where we can have consistency, we
will try to achieve that, and that's with our local cores,
but also with our imports.
Speaker 2 (38:10):
Go the local core, I wonder if they're going to
return to actually fancy pants seats like the front row
guys and Mitch Hay joins us. Now I'm lead to
believe you've been dragged kicking and screaming out of a
team meeting. Man of the match or player of the
match match congratulations.
Speaker 5 (38:25):
Hey, thank you very much, appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (38:27):
And what happened in the team meeting? What do they have?
You been scolded for not polishing the tail off in
a hurry?
Speaker 14 (38:33):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, a few harsh words for the seamers
or glory up with half a but nah, it's pretty positive, man,
very positive.
Speaker 2 (38:40):
Interesting game, the way it started off with a hiss
and a roar and then just tailed away. What was
actually happening out there in the middle before the explosion
in the last ten overs, Yeah.
Speaker 5 (38:50):
It was. It was.
Speaker 14 (38:51):
We've obviously got off to a great start with Recent
and Nick and they had beautifully and we just sort
of lost a few wickets quite quickly. So yeah, just
me and me and Mo talked about trying to get
to the sort of death overs if we could both
sort of be there in the fortieth sort of over
as we thought we'd be able to put a pretty
good score on the board. So we managed to get
there and you know, Inflix a bit of damage at
(39:13):
the death which was cool.
Speaker 2 (39:14):
Ye May had a really impressive debut scoring that fifty,
but I think probably even more impressive today because it
was a hard workout there forum. He only struck at
sixty odd percent, so not a high strike rate, but
he carried his work at really well. He refused to
let it go. That's a mature kind of innings, isn't it.
Speaker 5 (39:34):
Oh yeah, he was.
Speaker 14 (39:36):
Yeah, obviously debut was fantastic and just showed he can
do it both ways. You know, you can grit it
out but also put a finishing touch on the innings.
Speaker 5 (39:42):
Too, so he was great.
Speaker 14 (39:44):
We had great time betting out there together and now
he was fantastic, just really calming out there for a
young fellas.
Speaker 2 (39:50):
Are you comfortable in your position? It's very much a
tangled team. Oh, there are players away playing with the IPL,
there are players injured, and there are so many players
now that could represent You're right in the thick of it.
You're feeling more at home, are you?
Speaker 5 (40:03):
Match?
Speaker 14 (40:04):
Yeah, I'm really enjoying my time in the Fern and
playing at home. It's been surreal really and I've just
absolutely loved my summer. But you know, there's some pretty
good players unavailable, like Tom Latham, so yeah, you know,
just enjoying the time I have, well, I have it,
and yeah, it's been really cool to play quite a
few games for his own at home.
Speaker 5 (40:22):
It's been pretty special. Really.
Speaker 2 (40:23):
Are he's sitting on a swing in a playground or something.
What's that noise in the background.
Speaker 5 (40:29):
Not sure, it's just some sort of deconstruction going on.
Speaker 2 (40:34):
Yeah, I like at the end of it match and
we really thought you were going to pick up that
tunnel though it seemed not possible, you know, in the
last couple of overs, but you did You very much
pulled that same act out for Canterbury in the Trophy
Final a couple of weeks back, didn't you.
Speaker 6 (40:51):
Yeah.
Speaker 14 (40:51):
Yeah, it's one of those ones you sort of just yeah,
slowly going along and then get a couple ou of
the middle, clear the ropes a couple of times, and
all of a sudden the score creeps up quite quickly.
But yeah, no, it's just cool to be able to
put a good performance on the board and get a total.
We thought it was gonna be pretty competiti which was yeah,
which showed.
Speaker 2 (41:09):
So playing cricket at home in april's kind of interesting,
isn't it. But you never expected you to do that.
Speaker 5 (41:15):
Yeah.
Speaker 14 (41:15):
No, it's the weather that's been good to be fair like.
We've played a little bit of drizzle the sr O,
but now it's been cool. We been pretty lucky off
the weather so far, and the crowd has been great too,
So we've been very lucky and I'm going to.
Speaker 2 (41:26):
Look forward to tied all up with the three zip
victory comes Saturday. You're confident you're going to get the
word You're going to get picked again, are you?
Speaker 5 (41:35):
Yeah, hopefully. I guess we'll wait and see.
Speaker 14 (41:37):
But I'm pretty excited for the last game at the Mount,
finish the summer on a high, so that'd be great.
Hopefully we can put out another strong performance and yeah,
get the get the series three and it would be
great match.
Speaker 2 (41:48):
Hey, thanks very much for joining us. Congratulations on the
player of the match more so and being part of
a team that comfortably beat Pakistan.
Speaker 5 (41:54):
You go well brilliant, Thank you very much, appreciate it.
Speaker 2 (41:57):
Thank you. It's seven fifty six match said, scoring a
century didn't cross my mind and I was just swinging
for the hills and opening really.
Speaker 5 (42:11):
Honest.
Speaker 2 (42:12):
It did there at the final of the Trophy as well,
same deal. Suddenly he put us foot downs and went
to town explosive when it counted. And thank you much
for joining us here on NEWSTALKSZB. Thanks and did up
for organizing glad you dragged him out of their team
meetings out adult. Thanks to all for listening, thanks for
your calls, thanks for your texts. Just thanks Marcus Slush
(42:33):
with more thanks coming up next here on News Talks EB.
Speaker 1 (42:44):
For more from sports talk, listen live to News Talks
ZB from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com