Tayla Bruce: World Champion Lawn Bowler previews the Molecheck Women's Open Singles

The second most prestigious bowls event is taking place in Auckland this weekend – the Molecheck Women’s Open Singles. The event is sold out, with 96 entries being played across 6 clubs in Auckland.  

Headlining the event is a first appearance in the competition for Tayla Bruce.  

She's a world champion lawn bowler, and she caught up with D'Arcy ahead of the event to preview what's going down on the green this weekend.  

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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'd be.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
The second most prestigious bowl event and Auckland is this
weekend the molcheck Women's Open Singles ninety six entries across
six clubs and Auckland entries from all over the country.
Headline the event. World champion lawn bowler Taylor Bruce to
debut at the event actually joins us now to program
that weekend of bowls.

Speaker 3 (00:32):
Hello Taylor, Hello, thanks for having me.

Speaker 2 (00:35):
And welcome on in. So a big time hanging on
the greens coming up for you over the next couple
of days. It's a national championship, isn't it.

Speaker 3 (00:45):
Well, yeah, it's cool to have the opportunity to go
up to Auckland. I'm from christ Church, so it's nice
to travel away and being part of the molchech Women's Open,
play some different players from up in the region and
get set up for the rest of the season.

Speaker 2 (00:57):
It should be competition, okay, So it's the women's Open,
so it's singles. There's not anything else and our dogg
and pairs or the like as well. It's purely the singles.

Speaker 3 (01:06):
Just the singles. For this one.

Speaker 2 (01:07):
Yeah, there are ninety six players across the board here
and roughly half of them are very new, aren't they
bring new players to this level? What does that say
about the depth of women's lawn bowls here?

Speaker 3 (01:21):
Yeah, I think it's great that there are other tournaments
out there aside from our open nationals and things that
all players can go to and you end up with
a real variety in the field. So I'm really looking
forward to playing some different players. And the great thing
about bowls is anyone can win on the day and
that's why, you know, we all come back for more,
because it doesn't matter how experienced you are. Everyone's got

(01:43):
one bowl in their hand can and can do some
damage on the green. So looking forward to it, and
I think it'll be really cool to see some new
up and coming players.

Speaker 2 (01:52):
But experience must count for something. Well, what do you
know that other players don't know? Well, what can you
actually hit? Go on? It might push you up to
the top of the table.

Speaker 3 (02:03):
Oh yeah, definitely. Experience does play a big part as well.
Over the years, you learn a lot about tactics and
how to read the green, and you learn your own
strengths and everything else. As well, and being able to
adapt is a huge part in bowls. So more experience
you are typically the quicker. You're able to adapt to
different surfaces and brinks, and then that can be quite
an advantage. So yes has its perks, but there's still

(02:26):
a lot of other factors at play. If there's a
bit rain or a bit of wind or something else
going on.

Speaker 2 (02:30):
Then it can be quite a level I think. Also
you've got the when I played bowls, the dreaded wind
shadow and when you're playing at a green that you know,
it can give you an advantage because you know what
the conditions are doing because it's outside or are you
guys all inside?

Speaker 3 (02:46):
Some of these are covered greens, so I'm at Royal
Oak and yeah, it'll be a nice chance to play
in some different surfaces that we don't have access to
down in christ Church, we don't have an indoor or
covered green, so really looking forward to hopping on some
carpet and yeah, just getting set up for the rest
of the season.

Speaker 2 (03:06):
Breed right across as well. There are sections all over
the show New Lynn Ebsen. They're all over the place,
so it's really covering the whole The Auckland isthmus if.

Speaker 3 (03:17):
You will it is, and I really hope the locals
come down and support it because that is just so
nice to have an atmosphere like that when you're out
in the green, when you know that there's people that
are there to support the sport and back the clubs
and support them. The clubs do a lot of work
to try and make their clubs welcoming and they want
people in the doors, so really hoping they get a
good turnout and that it goes really well.

Speaker 2 (03:40):
World Singles Champion, that's you. Why are you any debuting
in this event? What's the deal? Did you not bother
with local championships before he did that?

Speaker 3 (03:49):
I mean, this isn't This is an individual tournament run
by Bowles Auckland, so it's a little bit different than
say our open championships. I've definitely played in many nationals
over the years. I do play a lot of local events.
It's just this opportunity came about and I used to
play in this event when it isn't quite the same,
like it wasn't run the same or name the same

(04:09):
many years ago. So the way it's run now their
first time, and I think it's just a great opportunity
to go and travel to a different part of New
Zealand and play some quality competition. But no, I've definitely
played a lot around New Zealand and I would have
come across a few of the players before that are
in this event.

Speaker 2 (04:27):
When look at the quality of the players in this event,
though there's Auckland wide open right up there, I mean,
are the represent the best talent that's out there.

Speaker 3 (04:37):
There are some very quality names and they are coming
from within Auckland region but also further as well. So
it'll be exciting to see who ends up qualifying and
give you through to the nitty gritty. Can't wait to
see how it all unfolds.

Speaker 1 (04:50):
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