Chryss Viliko: Black Ferns prop ahead of their clash against Brisbane on Sunday

The Black Ferns are keen to continue their evolution ahead of next year's World Cup in England. 

New Zealand tackles Australia in Brisbane on Sunday afternoon, with coach Alan Bunting looking to trial some new on-field initiatives. The Ferns will also be chasing their 26th straight test win against the Wallaroos.  

Chryss Viliko joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to preview the clash.  

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldgrave from News talks 'b.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Let's Talk Ferns Rugby now here on news TALKSZB Your
sport for Breakfast welcomes Chris Villico to the program and
Brisbane at the moment looking ahead to Laurie O'Reilly test
match up against plainly the Australians. Chris, welcome to the program.
I trust you well and looking forward to a solid exchange.

Speaker 3 (00:32):
Yeahkota, also, I can't wait, can't wait for the game.

Speaker 2 (00:36):
What are you expecting up against the Australians. What do
they bring to the party? What have you been training for?
Because you've been there for a while now, haven't you.

Speaker 3 (00:44):
Yep so from the Ouzie team, great threats across the park,
attacking wives. Seeing their game last week obviously gives them
a lot of confidence that can't wait to just put
it out there.

Speaker 2 (00:55):
I guess we're your confidence levels at not only in
the team, but personally, Chris.

Speaker 3 (01:00):
I think if we can just stick to our core
roles and obviously play to ol string, I think we're
we'll get the job done.

Speaker 2 (01:07):
Strength. It's a good thing to play do when in
the front row? What are yours? What where do you excel?

Speaker 3 (01:12):
Do you think?

Speaker 2 (01:12):
Why have you been packed to play as a fern?
What's your strong point there?

Speaker 3 (01:16):
I think my dominant for carry. I love defending, I
love the contact, I love the litty gritty stuff in
the front row. Obviously core role scrumming, I love scrums
and yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:31):
And from a defensive capability, where are you lifting in
that area? What do you have to look through? What
have the coaching staff been saying to you?

Speaker 3 (01:39):
Obviously below the ball tackles. If we can table below
the ball, get up off the ground, shut away and
get back into the line man, our defense will be
in destructible.

Speaker 2 (01:50):
Is it something you struggle with? Because I know the
tackle height's been coming down and down and down over
years and years and years. I mean you're still only
relevantly young. What are you only in your early twenties?
But is that something that work on or just something
you've got to remind yourself of.

Speaker 3 (02:04):
Yeah, has been a work on for me. So everycraft
mastle will be working on my low body tackle height
and yeah, just a collision area needs to be lower, sir, Yeah,
what makes that difficult?

Speaker 2 (02:15):
Is it just something that you're so used to doing.
Is why do you have to really concentrate on keeping
things low?

Speaker 3 (02:22):
Chris? Honestly, we don't want to get off of a
red card now, but from.

Speaker 2 (02:29):
It from a physical point of view, to actually keep
yourself down and keep yourself thinking low when you're so
used to maybe going a little high.

Speaker 3 (02:36):
Is that?

Speaker 2 (02:36):
Is that just a difficult proposition or just something going
to remind yourself of?

Speaker 3 (02:40):
Yeah, just something going to remind myself of. Below the ball.
If we want to stop the attacker, we obviously got
to drop our height, chop them and then shut up
off the.

Speaker 2 (02:49):
Depth makes sense, doesn't it? And what about We're not
going to mention the walleries anymore. It's all about running
over top of them. As far as the rest of
your team is concerned, you've got to You've got a
debutante coming off the bench, had you Atlanta a lot
of here coming out of the of the front road.
How's she been coping with us?

Speaker 3 (03:07):
Oh? She's one to watch. She's an exciting player. She's keen.
She's breaked so hard since packed forth, since she got Cordon.
So she's one to watch.

Speaker 2 (03:17):
We're her strengths.

Speaker 3 (03:18):
She's quick, she's mobile, she's aggressive. Her strength is insane,
so she's definitely want to watch.

Speaker 2 (03:26):
And what so far have the Black Ferns predominantly been
successful at this year? And what do you think you've
had to learn and put some yards in?

Speaker 3 (03:34):
I e.

Speaker 2 (03:36):
What's your coach doing? Is he getting grumpy? Is he
happy with what's going on? I'm talking talking about bunts
of course Alan Bunting.

Speaker 3 (03:44):
Yeah, Alan Bunty, there's definitely one to He's real calm.
I think that's something we need in our team, just
to be collective. If we have a calm coach, then
everything follows through for the rest of the team.

Speaker 2 (03:59):
Your calm play it I feel like I am.

Speaker 3 (04:01):
It's obviously great to be calm headed. You don't want
to get too ahead of yourself, so I think I'm
a com player.

Speaker 2 (04:08):
Well two o'clock, Ossie time, four o'clock and New Zealand
time and Black Ferns up against the Wallaroos Lawyer Riley
Cup thank you very much for your time. Great to
catch up, Chris Villico, go well, keep it low.

Speaker 1 (04:20):
Thank you for more from the All Sport Breakfast with
Darcy Watergrave. Listen live to news talks'd be on Saturday mornings.
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