Simon Parker: All Blacks blindside flanker previews the clash against England

This third clash of the All Blacks Northern Tour is kicking off tomorrow morning – arguably the biggest test so far. 

They’re taking on England at their home ground of Twickenham, in front of what’s set to be a loud, passionate crowd of over 80,000 fans.  

The All Blacks will be looking to continue their dominant streak, not having lost to the home side at Twickenham since 2012.  

Simon Parker is starting at blindside flanker on Sunday morning, and caught up with D'Arcy to preview the test. 

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Episode Transcript

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

Speaker 2 (00:11):
Plainly, there is a huge focus on what's happening ten
past four tomorrow morning, live and free on News Talks
EB and iHeartRadio. It is the match to twicken In
the All Blacks taking on the English. Elliot Smith, Gregor
Paul with that call and this really is the peak,
this is the one, This is the test match. Everyone's

(00:34):
after the victory. There there's a chance that Wales might
roll a sim A Grant say, but let's face it,
tomorrow morning, it's the key one. So we've got some
great names on the program to talk about that, including
a former English player who was playing for the English
last time they won against the All Blacks of twicken
And back in twenty twelve. Chris Ashton joins the program

(00:57):
and will go to one of the big lumps he's
come back into the team. Get to spend last weekend
watching the game from this stands. Simon Parker joins us
shortly as we take a look at that test match.
That is our general plan stand So I'd say we'd
probably get into it right here right now at eight
minutes after seven. It's the third match of the Northern

(01:20):
to it. It is the biggest. It's going to be
eighty thousand plus people jammed into Twickening and the dominance
of English rugby. Well it's been pretty big. They haven't
lost to the home site, as I said, since back
in twenty twelve. So Simon Parker, one of the big
finds of the season, is here now to help us

(01:42):
preview that he was not here. He's on the bar
on the other side of the world. He's been named
to start in the loose Ford trio. He spent last
week sitting in the stands watching the game. That must
have been horrible. Simon, Welcome to the show. So tell
us about the frustration of just sitting there and watching
it unfold.

Speaker 3 (02:02):
Yeah, Darcy, I spose you're always always gathered to be
sitting on the stands watching. But you know, we're pretty
pretty blessed in this country and the scene to have
the quality of leases that we've gotten, you know, back
anyone that goes out there to do the job. And yeah,

(02:23):
you know, to put it flunly, I suppose wasn't as
good enough as I should have been. The week before
against the Island. So it was you know, I thought,
what's the word. I thought it was, yeah, you know,
other boys deserved their opportunity and coaches went with other people,
which I thought was warranted given how I performed the
week force.

Speaker 2 (02:42):
So what has Scott Robinson told you about expectations? What
does he want to see more of on the park
or less of on the part from you?

Speaker 3 (02:51):
Yeah? I guess, especially you know in an hour roll,
we've got to be sort of more of the physical
force than than what I was. And that was sort
of the feedback I got that. You know, that's what
they're looking for and that's what they need. So yeah,
it's a great opportunity this week to go up against

(03:12):
you know I call the English peck and yeah, looking
forward to it.

Speaker 2 (03:15):
Mobile pack as well from the English. They've packed five
number sevens in that team. What does that say to
you about what they're going to bring to the battle.

Speaker 3 (03:24):
Yeah, yeah, I mean, you know, obviously great loose forwards
with Pepper, Earl and Underhill, but of you know, like
you said, they've almost got another set of three loose
fords on the bench as well, so that's obviously something
they're looking to target. You know to start well and
then obviously they finished well, which you know is going

(03:46):
to be a great test for our bench coming on
as well to yeah, feed that intensity that they're trying to.

Speaker 2 (03:51):
Bring minimal changes in the side simon, how master does
that contribute to your dynamic on the field, The fact
that they've got familiar guys in familiar possessions.

Speaker 3 (04:02):
Yeah, I guess it's always good as a play group
to get some continuity and selection. And you know, there's
sort of only some stuff you can train with and
other stuff sort of can be built on until you're playing.
So yeah, it's good. But yeah, like I said before,
we trust anyone in this team to go there and
do a job, and that too they've selected this week.

Speaker 2 (04:23):
You're only a relatively young man in your career. I
don't think you would have faced pressure as much as
this so far. But how do you adjust your behavior
to set yourself up best going into fixes like this?

Speaker 3 (04:36):
Yeah, I think, like you said, they've I've got a
big foard pack and obviously there comes a physicality, so
that'll be one of their big targets. I reckon has
coming through set peace and you know the breakdown and
then obviously they're quite good in the air when in
the aerial battle, So that's a great challenge for us
US this week and getting that right.

Speaker 2 (04:59):
Outside of the team dynamic, Simon, what about personal preparation?
What do you like to check off before we get
on the park.

Speaker 3 (05:07):
Luckily we got some pretty heavy lifting props and next
sort of thing that can can get me up there. Otherwise, Yeah,
with my genetics not getting up very early.

Speaker 2 (05:17):
You can't replicate playing in front of a crowd of
eighty two thousand people. You've come close, though, right. You
can't replicate playing in front of a crowd of eighty
two thousand people. You've come close though, right.

Speaker 3 (05:32):
Yeah. The biggest was probably was probably actually two weeks
ago against Island in Chicago, I think was sixty odd thousand,
So that was quite a cool experience in itself. But yeah,
you're right, you can't quite replicate. You know, the crowd's
over here and just how passionate they are to get
behind their team, and you know how much they feed

(05:53):
it to you as well once things aren't going right.
So no, it's good. Yeah, crowds don't really phase me
too much, to be honest. Yeah, like I said, I
just try and keep it simple and smile.

Speaker 2 (06:07):
Discipline, discipline, discipline, I'd suggest that's right at the forefront currently.

Speaker 3 (06:12):
Simon, Yeah, that was I guess one of the main
focuses coming out of last week was, you know, we
just didn't have enough self control and it only takes
you know, one person to throw a penalty out there
each and that's fifteen penalty. So yeah, it's been a
massive focus for us. But I guess just trying to
train bad habits out and you know, something happens at

(06:35):
training that would get penalized in game, then sort of
face the consequence of it, and I guess that once
you see the impact that has on the team, then yeah,
just sort of keeps you in check.

Speaker 2 (06:49):
Tell us about the nickname Spy. I think it's fairly
self explanatory. Do you want to expand on that one.

Speaker 3 (06:55):
Simon An That was actually usually it's sp but there
was obviously an sp before me. So yeah, they just
throw an extra letter on the last name on there
and it sort of stuck.

Speaker 2 (07:08):
So nothing to do with the excessive time and a
hot tub, then, oh.

Speaker 3 (07:13):
That is very true also, but uh nah.

Speaker 1 (07:16):
No. For more from the All Sport Breakfast with Darcy Watergrave.
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