The latest edition of 'The All-Star Panel' features Rugby Commentator Paul Allison and NZ Herald Online Sports Editor Alex Powell.
On this weekend's agenda:
Shaun Stevenson's ongoing 'beef' with NZR, Liam Lawson and New Zealand's sudden interest in F1, and do we really need Super Rugby expansion?
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldgrave from News Talk ZEDB, Paul Sport Breakfast All Star Panel, and.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Our All Star Panel this morning consists of Paul Allison
out of the deepest South, Paul, good morning to you, sir,
Hello Darcy, and Alex Powell who's here. Basically is we're
both Formula one addicts and so good luck Paul getting
at word and we're going to try and cover a
(00:37):
few subjects we rarely are, but Alex will go to
you first. This is it, This is the weekend. I
know you've written a lot of good stories around this
for NZ Herald, but the pressure just accelerates. Excuse the pun,
but it does. Free Practice three coming up this afternoon,
qualifying this evening, and then race day to morrow. This
(00:59):
is big as it gets for young lawson.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Absolutely mate, thank you for having me this morning. No,
you're right, this is this is it. This is the
opportunity he's fought his whole career for. And you look
at what happened yesterday and practice one and two and
they were so off the pace red Bull red Bulls
two cars that this really could be a tricky weekend.
For Lairbrs and Max with Stappans world champion teammate.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Yeah, his parents is going to rain on Sunday. They're
just fine. So what him? The Stappin and Ghastly should
be sweet?
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Right there you go, one two three.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
You'd like to think. So do you think the Australians
are embracing this guy as you know, if forgiven him
for what happened to Daniel Riccardo.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Yeah. Look, I think Formula one fans are so fragmented
now into the old school fans and the drives of
ive fans. I think the old school fans understand that
this is about results and Daniel Riccardo just wasn't doing it.
He was there to try and get into Red Bull
and he couldn't hold down a seat in the junior team.
Whereas the drives of ive fans say, this is a
guy who's got rid of the main character and therefore
he's now the bad guy because it is so binary
(02:03):
like that now. But I think the right people getting
behind Lamb and that's the important thing.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Drive to Survive Paul Alison was great for like the
first two series and then it just turned into Hollywood
pamp and I stand by that drive to survive. Fans
are not Formula one fans, the fans of TV.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
How about yourself, I think a lot of people like
me have probably got more interested with people likes of laws.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
And coming and do it.
Speaker 4 (02:28):
I mean I've always followed it a bit with McLaren
and Amon and Holm setting the scene way way back
in the early days. I don't think we've had anyone
on the podium at a Formula one it's about nineteen
seventy two, so having a New Zealander there and what
is he the eleventh or twelfth New Zealander ever to
race in a Formula one? Tenth is eaka, So you know,
there hasn't been too many guys that are actually raced
at that level. And they are the only three that
(02:50):
have ever been on the podium, and only McLaren and
how even won a Formula one race. So we can't
expect too much of this young man who's twenty three
just yet, but it'll be great to see him come
through and just develop and retain his spot. And I
actually think he probably has got potential at somewhere in
his career to be at he joined those three greats
somewhere on the podium into his career, and I think
that sort of interest from a Kiwi fan point of
(03:12):
view would have raised the height of Formula one and
how people are now starting to tune and not just
through that Drive to Survive program, which was a great series.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
As you said early on, thank you very much for
agreeing with me. I feel vindicated almost, Alex. I'll ask
you to name the ten drivers of representative yive in
Formula one, but we haven't got time, so let's talk
about Chiefs fallback. Sean Stevenson criticizing lack of feedback from
the All Black coaches? Is he right to do that?
So they didn't tell me anything? It's not fair.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Yeah, I don't know what Shawn Stevenson is really after here.
This guy played one test two years ago under a
different coach, And like, if you're asking the All Blacks
coaches to go around to every player and say why
they're not in the All Blacks, they wouldn't really get
time to do anything else. I mean, Sean, and you've
also got a team to account. Sewan Stevenson undermined New
(04:03):
Zeland rugby's whole contracting system by bugging off to Japan
at the start of the year, So I really don't
know what he thinks he's owed here.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
What about you, Paul, do you think he's owed anything
or he should speak up or what situations you find
himself in.
Speaker 4 (04:17):
Well, from my point of view, it's always about how
did that story come about? Anyhow did someone ask him
from a media perspective, why have you gone offshore? Or
going off shore? Why haven't you stuck around further? And
he might have said, well, I've had no feedback, and
that may have come from that. Okay, he's been around
on that scene for a long time. I think he
made his debut for the Chiefs back in about twenty sixteen.
(04:38):
He's talking about lack of communication being disappointing, and I
can understand that, But the reality is he was always
probably a fringe all black and if he wasn't in
that sort of line of sight for Scott Robertson when
he came into the coaching head in twenty twenty four.
So yeah, it's probably a little bit bizarre, but it
may have well been just as a result of a
couple of throwaway comments and it's built a media story
(05:00):
around it.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
That's what the bloody media do. You should know damn
well for both of you, because so we are did
do you think just real quickly, Paul, has he even
got a chance of getting even close to the black
jersey again or not?
Speaker 4 (05:14):
I think there's so much talent around at the moment
of the outside backs in New Zealand rugby, what we're
seeing in Super Rugby, I think those chances are probably
quite limited. He's twenty eight years of age now, and
as I said, he's been around a long time. He's
been a great, great contributor at Super rugby level and
he got a chance in twenty twenty three, but I
think the chances of him coming back into the all
Black mix is probably quite small.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
So Alex he's going to play for Sammo then.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
I mean that would actually be a really good to see.
I think anytime the Pacific Islands get the chance to
be strengthened with players from the New Zealand rugby system,
I think that's always something that should be looked at.
You know, you look at a guy like Gipsey Carefa
you could play for somewhere. You know what that would
do for them, you know, So any chance to get
a genuine Super Rugby star, which to be fair, Shawn
Stevenson actually is. He's a very good super rugby player,
(06:01):
but that is something that should happen.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
All right, let's talk to Sean himself. Mister Stevenson, have
you got to say, Yeah.
Speaker 5 (06:08):
I guess that. I just think the disappointing thing was
just the feedback in terms of where I was sitting in.
You know, I can't help well, you know, change that,
so you know, I gotta do what's best for myself
and for my family, and you know it's just part
of footy, right, So it's gokey, but that's.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
The way things roll in the game of rugby Union.
It is nineteen minutes to nine. We'll sport Bricks on
NEWSTALKSZB all Star Panel await for their next shot at glory.
They'll join us surely as we'll talk super rugby expansion
and we'll touch on the Usik Parker debacle. Can you
(06:48):
call it that but rhymes so I'm gonna say it anyway.
This is Newstalk's EB zero.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Don't care.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
If I could kill the thing? Makes you so well?
Star Panel on Newstalks EB. At eight point forty four,
Alex Poweller joins us. Paul Allison in his air as
well Paul Super Rugby expansion plan. Liam Napier seems to
think it should be shelved because I think it's the
perfect mix is right here right now, and I suppose
(07:19):
when you look at the engagement and the quality of
the footboy's not far off the mark, is he.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
Well, it's been an outstanding start to the twenty twenty
five season in terms of closeness of the games, the
activity that's going on inside the eighty minute spectacle itself,
the fact that you've got huge crowd engagement looking at
eyeballs on screens, not big crowd numbers at some of
the venues. If you got a Lart Tokra it might be.
But in terms of this competition so far, it started
with a hiss and a roar and it's been an
(07:46):
outstanding Super Rugby Pacific opening four and a bit rounds
this year. But if you start looking back, what is
the ideal mix and what do the fans want? And
you go back to what was it twenty sixteen and
right through to twenty twenty had got up to eighteen
teams and five countries in a lot of travel and
(08:07):
that made it really hard for players in terms of
time zones and the times that they spent in the plane.
But you do want a bit of variety in this competition,
and you're getting the closeness at the moment, but you
don't want the same old, same old people. The competition
doesn't become too stale, but the quality at the moment
is outstanding. But I still think there's the opportunity to
grow that over the next few years. What that looks like,
(08:28):
who's involved, how many teams, I guess we'll wait and see,
but I don't think eleven is the ideal number.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
They need a twelve team so it can be Super
Doope Pacific twelve, which is what we had back in
the day. Alex Paal, do you think, like the Australian
government will give Papua New Guinea half a billion dollars
to sen.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
I mean last peed of alandis and say if he
can that pup and you're going to have too No.
I mean, I agree with what Paul's saying. It has
been a great start to the season. The only issue
with it, of course, being eleven teams is that it's
uneven so you're going to have to have someone sit
out every week. It would be good to go to
twelve teams. Just where will that team come from? You know,
when South Africa is not coming back, Japan's it's probably saled.
(09:06):
You can't really go to Argentina because that's on a
different continent.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Australians and other team that always worked really well.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
Yeah, I mean you look at the quality this year
has come about through the demise of the Rebels as
Satursay's because those Australian teams are so much stronger now
by having the players all filtered into into the four
remaining teams. So I mean, I just don't know where
they would look. You know, do they want a six
New Zealand team? Probably not? I mean exactly so where
(09:34):
does this come from? Do you split one of Pacifica
into being a separate tongue and and Salmon and Sea?
Probably not so. I mean, people with a lot higher
salaries than are being paid to talk about this sort
of stuff at board level and competition level, and they
can't seem to figure it out. So who knows.
Speaker 5 (09:52):
Me.
Speaker 4 (09:53):
You look at the NRL though, look how many teams
there are there, and it's a competition which actually has
really got fan engagement, really really good, and that's got
a lot more teams than they're growing that all the time.
They don't have as much travel, sure, because most of
it's actually all Australia. But you start looking at this, okay,
where they take the NRL across to Las Vegas for
the occasional game like they did last weekend or the
weekend before. But you start looking at it and you say,
(10:15):
eleven may not be enough to give that variety that
the fans want long term. So that's the mix, and
that's the tricky bit that the administrators and the decision
makers are having to grapple with.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
And I think it's a fair thing to say, Alex
that the way Super rugbyc being handled this year shows
a lot for the ears of the people running it.
Actually they talk about fan at the center of the room,
now talk about fan centric. I think they're actually doing
it now. One thing I've noticed is my own relationship
(10:45):
with the players. They're always say thanks very much for
having me on the program. They've gotten really polite and
they really want to be involved. And I think that's
a real push from Super Rugby to go we don't
have this audience by default. We must earn this audience
that's got to be good, doesn't Alex.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
You're right. I think that has been a very conscious
realization when like Paul was saying, up against the CNRL,
they know that they are no longer going to be
the sole player in this entertainment market. So you're right.
Whether or not it's something that has come from the
top down, I mean, sorry, If ever it's something that's
come from the top down that it needs to keep happening.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
I get the feeling it has. All the conversations I've
had in there top level over the last year and
a half suggest they are suddenly going, oh, hold on,
you guys got a point. Maybe we should start listing.
Which is so good? Usik v Parker? How are you
in the alphabet soup world of straps, mister Allison?
Speaker 4 (11:41):
Well, I get confused between WBCWBA, and WBO, to be honest, Darcy, Yeah, look,
this is an interesting one. It's a great opportunity for
Joseph Parker. I mean, I think he's only had one
one loss in his last thirteen fights, and it wasn't
that long ago people were saying he's washed up and
over the hill, and now you've got this Alexander Usik,
who's been asked to ordered by the WBO to begin
(12:04):
negotiations with him a fight. It's a great opportunity for
Joseph Parker really, and you look at his age he's
thirty three versus Usix, who's thirty eight, and it's all
about the boxing politics really. It sort of complicates things
a bit because they talked at one stage about Daniel
the Bois being the next contender to take on Usik,
(12:25):
So I'm not really sure what's going on. It's more
confusing than Super Rugby is for me. But if he
does win this, it's an absolutely outstanding plus for Parker
and a great boost for New Zealand sport and a
great boost for Parker's legacy.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
He's got the money right though, Alex Pale That's really
what it always has come down to. That's the person
that's going to make the ruling here. I'm glad POI
didn't mix the WWF into that because that's either pandas
or people in skin tight leggings. So Alex, where does
this go for you?
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Look, I'm really cynical about boxing at the moment after
what we saw with Dubai over in Saudi Arabia pulling
out at the last minute so he could dodge Parker
and try and get a shot at Lusik, which it
looks like he will get. I mean, that's the thing
to take on board here. It's just because the WBO
have ordered Usick to fight Parker, that's never a guarantee
it's going to happen. If if Usak and Dubaya want
to fight and make it the super fight of twenty
(13:15):
twenty five, then that's probably what's going to happen, and
then someone else would get the WBO belt, and whoever
won out of Usak and Dubai would just go and
fight them to try and get them all at one time.
So yeah, when as in, when Parker and Usick are
both walking out to the ring, that's when I'll say, Okay,
it's happening. But until then, I'm taking nothing for granted.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
That's absolutely fair place to be, and I get it.
I've had so many varying opinions from various people involved
at various levels, and never the Twain shall meet. But
if it does happen, I'll be there because explosive Joseph
Jurassic Parker, he is definitely the man and on that,
mister Powell, mister Allison, thanks so much for your time,
(13:55):
your expertise, your positivity. Have wonderful weekends men.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
Yeah, enjoying you have five point thirty tomorrow afternoon.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
We parked up somewhere. It tuned into Albert Park. Darcy No,
I'd say probably more like five because it was five
point thirty when I missed the start. He PM two
PM that it starts at three o'clock tomorrow afternoon in Australia.
When you get five o'clock.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
Here, yeah, get there early.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
I'm gonna go home, turn the TV on and plug
myself into it. I'm not going to leave. Thank you
very much, men, thank you for your debate. It is
at nine minutes to nine. Jason Payne to join us
next to forecast this program. It's not really prediction. He
knows exactly what's going to be on. He'll tell us
what's happening one weekend sport. He's up next, suit me welled,
(14:49):
cat any weak person.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
For more from the Your Sport Breakfast with Darcy Watergrave,
listen live to News Talk said Be on Saturday mornings,
or follow the podcast on I Hardbread.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
Yeah.
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldgrave from News Talk ZEDB, Paul Sport Breakfast All Star Panel, and.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Our All Star Panel this morning consists of Paul Allison
out of the deepest South, Paul, good morning to you, sir,
Hello Darcy, and Alex Powell who's here. Basically is we're
both Formula one addicts and so good luck Paul getting
at word and we're going to try and cover a
(00:37):
few subjects we rarely are, but Alex will go to
you first. This is it, This is the weekend. I
know you've written a lot of good stories around this
for NZ Herald, but the pressure just accelerates. Excuse the pun,
but it does. Free Practice three coming up this afternoon,
qualifying this evening, and then race day to morrow. This
(00:59):
is big as it gets for young lawson.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
Absolutely mate, thank you for having me this morning. No,
you're right, this is this is it. This is the
opportunity he's fought his whole career for. And you look
at what happened yesterday and practice one and two and
they were so off the pace red Bull red Bulls
two cars that this really could be a tricky weekend.
For Lairbrs and Max with Stappans world champion teammate.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Yeah, his parents is going to rain on Sunday. They're
just fine. So what him? The Stappin and Ghastly should
be sweet?
Speaker 3 (01:29):
Right there you go, one two three.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
You'd like to think. So do you think the Australians
are embracing this guy as you know, if forgiven him
for what happened to Daniel Riccardo.
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Yeah. Look, I think Formula one fans are so fragmented
now into the old school fans and the drives of
ive fans. I think the old school fans understand that
this is about results and Daniel Riccardo just wasn't doing it.
He was there to try and get into Red Bull
and he couldn't hold down a seat in the junior team.
Whereas the drives of ive fans say, this is a
guy who's got rid of the main character and therefore
he's now the bad guy because it is so binary
(02:03):
like that now. But I think the right people getting
behind Lamb and that's the important thing.
Speaker 2 (02:07):
Drive to Survive Paul Alison was great for like the
first two series and then it just turned into Hollywood
pamp and I stand by that drive to survive. Fans
are not Formula one fans, the fans of TV.
Speaker 4 (02:20):
How about yourself, I think a lot of people like
me have probably got more interested with people likes of laws.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
And coming and do it.
Speaker 4 (02:28):
I mean I've always followed it a bit with McLaren
and Amon and Holm setting the scene way way back
in the early days. I don't think we've had anyone
on the podium at a Formula one it's about nineteen
seventy two, so having a New Zealander there and what
is he the eleventh or twelfth New Zealander ever to
race in a Formula one? Tenth is eaka, So you know,
there hasn't been too many guys that are actually raced
at that level. And they are the only three that
(02:50):
have ever been on the podium, and only McLaren and
how even won a Formula one race. So we can't
expect too much of this young man who's twenty three
just yet, but it'll be great to see him come
through and just develop and retain his spot. And I
actually think he probably has got potential at somewhere in
his career to be at he joined those three greats
somewhere on the podium into his career, and I think
that sort of interest from a Kiwi fan point of
(03:12):
view would have raised the height of Formula one and
how people are now starting to tune and not just
through that Drive to Survive program, which was a great series.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
As you said early on, thank you very much for
agreeing with me. I feel vindicated almost, Alex. I'll ask
you to name the ten drivers of representative yive in
Formula one, but we haven't got time, so let's talk
about Chiefs fallback. Sean Stevenson criticizing lack of feedback from
the All Black coaches? Is he right to do that?
So they didn't tell me anything? It's not fair.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Yeah, I don't know what Shawn Stevenson is really after here.
This guy played one test two years ago under a
different coach, And like, if you're asking the All Blacks
coaches to go around to every player and say why
they're not in the All Blacks, they wouldn't really get
time to do anything else. I mean, Sean, and you've
also got a team to account. Sewan Stevenson undermined New
(04:03):
Zeland rugby's whole contracting system by bugging off to Japan
at the start of the year, So I really don't
know what he thinks he's owed here.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
What about you, Paul, do you think he's owed anything
or he should speak up or what situations you find
himself in.
Speaker 4 (04:17):
Well, from my point of view, it's always about how
did that story come about? Anyhow did someone ask him
from a media perspective, why have you gone offshore? Or
going off shore? Why haven't you stuck around further? And
he might have said, well, I've had no feedback, and
that may have come from that. Okay, he's been around
on that scene for a long time. I think he
made his debut for the Chiefs back in about twenty sixteen.
(04:38):
He's talking about lack of communication being disappointing, and I
can understand that, But the reality is he was always
probably a fringe all black and if he wasn't in
that sort of line of sight for Scott Robertson when
he came into the coaching head in twenty twenty four.
So yeah, it's probably a little bit bizarre, but it
may have well been just as a result of a
couple of throwaway comments and it's built a media story
(05:00):
around it.
Speaker 2 (05:01):
That's what the bloody media do. You should know damn
well for both of you, because so we are did
do you think just real quickly, Paul, has he even
got a chance of getting even close to the black
jersey again or not?
Speaker 4 (05:14):
I think there's so much talent around at the moment
of the outside backs in New Zealand rugby, what we're
seeing in Super Rugby, I think those chances are probably
quite limited. He's twenty eight years of age now, and
as I said, he's been around a long time. He's
been a great, great contributor at Super rugby level and
he got a chance in twenty twenty three, but I
think the chances of him coming back into the all
Black mix is probably quite small.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
So Alex he's going to play for Sammo then.
Speaker 3 (05:38):
I mean that would actually be a really good to see.
I think anytime the Pacific Islands get the chance to
be strengthened with players from the New Zealand rugby system,
I think that's always something that should be looked at.
You know, you look at a guy like Gipsey Carefa
you could play for somewhere. You know what that would
do for them, you know, So any chance to get
a genuine Super Rugby star, which to be fair, Shawn
Stevenson actually is. He's a very good super rugby player,
(06:01):
but that is something that should happen.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
All right, let's talk to Sean himself. Mister Stevenson, have
you got to say, Yeah.
Speaker 5 (06:08):
I guess that. I just think the disappointing thing was
just the feedback in terms of where I was sitting in.
You know, I can't help well, you know, change that,
so you know, I gotta do what's best for myself
and for my family, and you know it's just part
of footy, right, So it's gokey, but that's.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
The way things roll in the game of rugby Union.
It is nineteen minutes to nine. We'll sport Bricks on
NEWSTALKSZB all Star Panel await for their next shot at glory.
They'll join us surely as we'll talk super rugby expansion
and we'll touch on the Usik Parker debacle. Can you
(06:48):
call it that but rhymes so I'm gonna say it anyway.
This is Newstalk's EB zero.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
Don't care.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
If I could kill the thing? Makes you so well?
Star Panel on Newstalks EB. At eight point forty four,
Alex Poweller joins us. Paul Allison in his air as
well Paul Super Rugby expansion plan. Liam Napier seems to
think it should be shelved because I think it's the
perfect mix is right here right now, and I suppose
(07:19):
when you look at the engagement and the quality of
the footboy's not far off the mark, is he.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
Well, it's been an outstanding start to the twenty twenty
five season in terms of closeness of the games, the
activity that's going on inside the eighty minute spectacle itself,
the fact that you've got huge crowd engagement looking at
eyeballs on screens, not big crowd numbers at some of
the venues. If you got a Lart Tokra it might be.
But in terms of this competition so far, it started
with a hiss and a roar and it's been an
(07:46):
outstanding Super Rugby Pacific opening four and a bit rounds
this year. But if you start looking back, what is
the ideal mix and what do the fans want? And
you go back to what was it twenty sixteen and
right through to twenty twenty had got up to eighteen
teams and five countries in a lot of travel and
(08:07):
that made it really hard for players in terms of
time zones and the times that they spent in the plane.
But you do want a bit of variety in this competition,
and you're getting the closeness at the moment, but you
don't want the same old, same old people. The competition
doesn't become too stale, but the quality at the moment
is outstanding. But I still think there's the opportunity to
grow that over the next few years. What that looks like,
(08:28):
who's involved, how many teams, I guess we'll wait and see,
but I don't think eleven is the ideal number.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
They need a twelve team so it can be Super
Doope Pacific twelve, which is what we had back in
the day. Alex Paal, do you think, like the Australian
government will give Papua New Guinea half a billion dollars
to sen.
Speaker 3 (08:46):
I mean last peed of alandis and say if he
can that pup and you're going to have too No.
I mean, I agree with what Paul's saying. It has
been a great start to the season. The only issue
with it, of course, being eleven teams is that it's
uneven so you're going to have to have someone sit
out every week. It would be good to go to
twelve teams. Just where will that team come from? You know,
when South Africa is not coming back, Japan's it's probably saled.
(09:06):
You can't really go to Argentina because that's on a
different continent.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
Australians and other team that always worked really well.
Speaker 3 (09:14):
Yeah, I mean you look at the quality this year
has come about through the demise of the Rebels as
Satursay's because those Australian teams are so much stronger now
by having the players all filtered into into the four
remaining teams. So I mean, I just don't know where
they would look. You know, do they want a six
New Zealand team? Probably not? I mean exactly so where
(09:34):
does this come from? Do you split one of Pacifica
into being a separate tongue and and Salmon and Sea?
Probably not so. I mean, people with a lot higher
salaries than are being paid to talk about this sort
of stuff at board level and competition level, and they
can't seem to figure it out. So who knows.
Speaker 5 (09:52):
Me.
Speaker 4 (09:53):
You look at the NRL though, look how many teams
there are there, and it's a competition which actually has
really got fan engagement, really really good, and that's got
a lot more teams than they're growing that all the time.
They don't have as much travel, sure, because most of
it's actually all Australia. But you start looking at this, okay,
where they take the NRL across to Las Vegas for
the occasional game like they did last weekend or the
weekend before. But you start looking at it and you say,
(10:15):
eleven may not be enough to give that variety that
the fans want long term. So that's the mix, and
that's the tricky bit that the administrators and the decision
makers are having to grapple with.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
And I think it's a fair thing to say, Alex
that the way Super rugbyc being handled this year shows
a lot for the ears of the people running it.
Actually they talk about fan at the center of the room,
now talk about fan centric. I think they're actually doing
it now. One thing I've noticed is my own relationship
(10:45):
with the players. They're always say thanks very much for
having me on the program. They've gotten really polite and
they really want to be involved. And I think that's
a real push from Super Rugby to go we don't
have this audience by default. We must earn this audience
that's got to be good, doesn't Alex.
Speaker 3 (11:03):
You're right. I think that has been a very conscious
realization when like Paul was saying, up against the CNRL,
they know that they are no longer going to be
the sole player in this entertainment market. So you're right.
Whether or not it's something that has come from the
top down, I mean, sorry, If ever it's something that's
come from the top down that it needs to keep happening.
Speaker 2 (11:23):
I get the feeling it has. All the conversations I've
had in there top level over the last year and
a half suggest they are suddenly going, oh, hold on,
you guys got a point. Maybe we should start listing.
Which is so good? Usik v Parker? How are you
in the alphabet soup world of straps, mister Allison?
Speaker 4 (11:41):
Well, I get confused between WBCWBA, and WBO, to be honest, Darcy, Yeah, look,
this is an interesting one. It's a great opportunity for
Joseph Parker. I mean, I think he's only had one
one loss in his last thirteen fights, and it wasn't
that long ago people were saying he's washed up and
over the hill, and now you've got this Alexander Usik,
who's been asked to ordered by the WBO to begin
(12:04):
negotiations with him a fight. It's a great opportunity for
Joseph Parker really, and you look at his age he's
thirty three versus Usix, who's thirty eight, and it's all
about the boxing politics really. It sort of complicates things
a bit because they talked at one stage about Daniel
the Bois being the next contender to take on Usik,
(12:25):
So I'm not really sure what's going on. It's more
confusing than Super Rugby is for me. But if he
does win this, it's an absolutely outstanding plus for Parker
and a great boost for New Zealand sport and a
great boost for Parker's legacy.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
He's got the money right though, Alex Pale That's really
what it always has come down to. That's the person
that's going to make the ruling here. I'm glad POI
didn't mix the WWF into that because that's either pandas
or people in skin tight leggings. So Alex, where does
this go for you?
Speaker 3 (12:55):
Look, I'm really cynical about boxing at the moment after
what we saw with Dubai over in Saudi Arabia pulling
out at the last minute so he could dodge Parker
and try and get a shot at Lusik, which it
looks like he will get. I mean, that's the thing
to take on board here. It's just because the WBO
have ordered Usick to fight Parker, that's never a guarantee
it's going to happen. If if Usak and Dubaya want
to fight and make it the super fight of twenty
(13:15):
twenty five, then that's probably what's going to happen, and
then someone else would get the WBO belt, and whoever
won out of Usak and Dubai would just go and
fight them to try and get them all at one time.
So yeah, when as in, when Parker and Usick are
both walking out to the ring, that's when I'll say, Okay,
it's happening. But until then, I'm taking nothing for granted.
Speaker 2 (13:34):
That's absolutely fair place to be, and I get it.
I've had so many varying opinions from various people involved
at various levels, and never the Twain shall meet. But
if it does happen, I'll be there because explosive Joseph
Jurassic Parker, he is definitely the man and on that,
mister Powell, mister Allison, thanks so much for your time,
(13:55):
your expertise, your positivity. Have wonderful weekends men.
Speaker 4 (13:59):
Yeah, enjoying you have five point thirty tomorrow afternoon.
Speaker 2 (14:02):
We parked up somewhere. It tuned into Albert Park. Darcy No,
I'd say probably more like five because it was five
point thirty when I missed the start. He PM two
PM that it starts at three o'clock tomorrow afternoon in Australia.
When you get five o'clock.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
Here, yeah, get there early.
Speaker 2 (14:25):
I'm gonna go home, turn the TV on and plug
myself into it. I'm not going to leave. Thank you
very much, men, thank you for your debate. It is
at nine minutes to nine. Jason Payne to join us
next to forecast this program. It's not really prediction. He
knows exactly what's going to be on. He'll tell us
what's happening one weekend sport. He's up next, suit me welled,
(14:49):
cat any weak person.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
For more from the Your Sport Breakfast with Darcy Watergrave,
listen live to News Talk said Be on Saturday mornings,
or follow the podcast on I Hardbread.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
Yeah.
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