February 23, 2025 • 46 mins
This week on Rugby Direct, with Liam away in Saudi Arabia, Elliott Smith is joined by Nick Bewley standing in to look back at week two of Super Rugby as the Chiefs assert their title favourites tag with a thumping win over the Crusaders and the Highlanders consign the defending champion Blues to another loss - we chat all of that and everything in between in Super Rugby.
We also preview Super Rugby Aupiki starting this weekend with Black Ferns legend Kendra Cocksedge, pay tribute to Michaela Brake after she claimed the World Series try-scoring record and run the rule over the Fantasy landscape.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
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Speaker 2 (00:17):
Inside the Game from Every Angle.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
It's Rugby Direct with Elliott Smith, powered by News Talks EDB.
Speaker 4 (00:24):
Welcome in to Rugby Direct, powered by Habit Health, tackling
all your aches and pains from sports and to work
back for another week of Rugby Day section on iHeartRadio
and powered by News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
He'd been.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
My name is Elligott Smith, with you as always, and
we'll changed things up this weekly and napier watching people
slug it out and reads we've called and Nick Bailey,
the voice of the Crusaders on Goldsport and iHeartRadio to
join us. And Nick thinks so much for joining us
to wrap the week in Super Rugby and beyond Chess.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Menie, I'm very much the Martin macaulay of Rugby Direct
Anti after he was drafted in a very late notice
to fight Joseph Parkers and great to be here. And
what's been a fantastic opening Fortnite of Super Rugby.
Speaker 5 (01:05):
Well, let's ripen to the weekend.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
It was in starf maybe with the Saturday night action
from a new Zealand perspective, the Highlanders beating the Blues.
Speaker 5 (01:14):
Twenty nine to twenty one. I mean, you would have.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
Got long odds to have the Blues windless through the
opening two rounds in their title defense, sunk at the
bottom of the ladder, but that's where we're at. The
Highlanders very very good given the hurdles they had to overcome.
The Blues just really haven't got this title defense underway.
What did you make of the game Saturday night?
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Yes, certainly speaking, those odds for the Blues being winless
after a fortnight they had have been very large. Indeed
one don't they But just on the Highlanders first, I mean,
what an inspired performance after the scenes pre match in
tribute to the late Jackson Garden Baship, not only a
moment's noise as opposed to a moment's silence, but a
huka as well. I thought that was very moving and
(01:56):
that really just set the tone for the evening. The
Blues did score first, and I was thinking, gee, they've
sort of taken the fizz out early and maybe it
was going to be a long night for the Highlanders,
but they just eked their way back into the contest.
We were starting to win some moments, particularly around in
the collision areas, and then a couple of standouts for
mine young Finn Hurley and isn't it great to see
(02:16):
some real little blokes star and super rugby gets a
run there at fullback and chances his arm with a
little chip and chase try contender early on for Try
of the year and then from there the Highland has
really got into their work. The other standout for mine,
I'm sure we're going to get to in a bit
more depth, was to Mothi Tava Tava Nahwhite. Incredible inspiring
(02:38):
selection really from Jamie Joseph back at the helm to
put him in at second five. Has played little to
no rugby at second five is my understanding off the
wing and just his impact not only with the ball
but without over the ball, winning penalty turnovers at the
breakdown and a co captain as well who really says,
come on, boys, I'm going to leave through actions here.
(02:59):
He was exceptional. But for them to do it, as
he alluded to, Smithy down not only fourteen men to
the Daniel Lennart Brown Red card, but obviously having go
to Golden Oldie and being punished therefore because of the
interpretations of World Rugby's laws to thirteen men. For them
still to hang on and beat a blue side laiden
with all blacks was simply outstanding. So Curdos to the
(03:20):
Landers and a lot of head scratching up in Blues country.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
Well, there's got to be some head scratching, absolutely, because
they have all these players and they've played very very
well last season. But I think they're just missing a
few key pieces and I don't know where exactly. Will
probably dig into a bit deeper where they're going wrong.
But on the basis of Saturday night, it fell to
me like I was always waiting for them to come
through and take control of the game, whether it was
(03:45):
at the sixty minute mark, the sixty fifth, seventy fifth,
and they're just running out of a runway, and I
figured about seventy eighth minute, this isn't going to happen.
They're not going to come back and win this game.
When Rocketswi scored in about the fiftieth minute, I thought, Okay,
this is when they take charge of the game. Then
Leonett Brown gets redcarded, but they just looked a little
bit lost out there on the path.
Speaker 5 (04:04):
They're missing.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
I think a few players up front, Sam Dowry being
a key one, but there just doesn't seem to be
a lot of cohesiveness in the game plan, and the
Highlanders were able to exploit it. Every time it felt
like they were about to maybe drift out of the
game or the Blues are about to take charge, that
the Highders would pull something out, whether it was a
turnover from Tava Tava Nahwai, that Finn Hurley magic try
(04:28):
in the second sassory in the first spell, and they
just won the key moments I thought right throughout the
night a lot better than the Blues, who pretty much
won every moment last year. So for the Highlanders, this
win has got to be a major boost to their confidence.
They obviously came away with a close loss in opening
round against the Waratahs in Sydney, but to go home
(04:48):
beat the defending champions on their own patch, there's a
sign there. I think that Jamie Joseph is instilled a
bit of grit in this team already in just two weeks.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Yeah, very much so. It feels like his fingerprints are
already all over this team in terms of what their
identity is all about, in terms of being there fighting
for every contest and that's shining through across the park,
just the one all Black and Ethan DeGroot, who was
one of those injured front rowers that caused those the
scenes late with the Highland is having to play with
third team in But just on the Blues, like, if
(05:18):
we look at the competition as a whole, three hundred
and seventy four points in the second round of the
five games across the weekend, what's an average of just
under seventy five points a game. The Blues, of all
the teams who have played two matches so far, have
the least amount of tries in five and it feels
like they feel like what works so well last year
in terms of being direct, physical, abrasive, backing the forwards
(05:41):
and just grinding out results can still get them through
twenty twenty five. And it still might prove you know,
it's very early on, but it still might prove to
be a successful template. But everyone else, it feels Smithy
is playing this high tempo February razzle, dazzle, quick rock, speed,
quick ball and you know ball and play stats through
the roof and rarely chancing the The Blues haven't really
(06:02):
adjusted to that, there's a lot of kicking. It seems
a little bit slower, and this is a team that
has Caleb Clark and Mark tal En, Rico Joanna, So
I don't know it's quite an identity crisis, but there
just hasn't been that adjustment to what everyone else is playing,
and therefore they're a step behind.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
Yeah, I think there's definitely signs of that, and maybe
look as the weather gets a little bit worse as
the season goes on, the Blues might be able to
come into their own a little bit more. But it
just doesn't feel like a cohesive team at this point
in time. We'll tag into that a little bit more
in the final four about exactly what is going wrong
at the Blues. You mentioned to more Tabatava Naway. He
has had an electric two weeks to start this season,
(06:40):
and as you mentioned, putting him at twelve has been
an absolute malester stroke. He's winning turnovers for fun, but
every time he gets the ball in hand, he's making
things happen, and he's from my mind, put himself in
that All Blacks conversation firmly.
Speaker 5 (06:55):
Early on in the season.
Speaker 4 (06:56):
He probably would have been in the mix a wee
bit last year, but he hadn't a couple of injuries
here and there. He's aligned himself with the All Blacks
because he would have been certainly caught up for Fiji
by this point. But he has been just a relation
in that twelve josey in the opening two weeks. And
I also think that being captain as well sits very
very nicely with him. He's he looks like a real leader,
(07:17):
confident in doing that and he's playing some great footing.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
A lot of our listeners smith will know Tava Tabanaho's
game in terms of that explosive power and his ability
over the ball. Probably what stood out to me most
on Saturday night down there in Dunedin was that heads
up play when the Highlanders, I think Tava tabanah had
actually just won the penalty at the breakdown, they're inside
their half and the Blues a little bit on the ropes.
(07:43):
There was no fallback back there. He taps and goes
from his own ten meter line boots at downfield fifty
twenty two. I didn't know that Tava tab no I
had had a kicking game, but like that's another element
to what is a very rall wounded game, and just
by having him in the midfield, you know you're not
limiting his opportunities with the ball or you know, waiting
(08:05):
for it to get out to his wing. He is
so heavily involved as say, both sides of the ball,
gets that first phase carry up over the advantage line
and then just such a menace there at the breakdown.
It's worked. Wonders already. I see one of our columnsts
in the New Zealand Heralds comparing him to the Annu already,
which might be a slight reach, but look Tabasavanai. For me,
(08:26):
he's probably the standout player of Super rugby twenty twenty
five so far.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
Indeed, look he's twenty seven years of age, so he's
taken a little bit longer to develop maybe than some
other players, but he is playing some simperid rugby. Had
time at Mwana Pacifica of course for a couple of seasons,
now at the Highlanders, and he has started the season
very very strongly. And you'll players old team this Friday night.
Let's move backwards to Saturday afternoon and Hurricanes beating the
(08:51):
Fijian Drewer in a thriller in Napy year by the
tune of thirty eight thirty four. I don't want this
to sound dismissive, but I think the Hurricanes won by
virtue of just being the team that was ahead when
the game was over, because two minutes later it could
have been the Drawer leading. Well, five minutes earlier it
would have been the Drawer. It was just a a
back and forth game. I'm not really sure what we
learned about either team, to be honest, from this game,
(09:13):
other than the fact that cam roy Guard's playing some
great footy. So's duples could he fear apart from that
yellow card? But that was super rugby of old, just
attacking rugby end to end stuff. And the Hurricanes you
get on the board after their opening round loss, which
will be a confidence booster for them certainly.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Well, yeah, you've got your value for money if you
head along to mcclaim Park and Napier on Saturday afternoon,
didn't you. It was like an old fashioned game of
touch where the ball was just being shifted from end
to end, side to side, and as you say, defense
was a little bit optional. But the poor old drawer,
they just can't buy one away from Fiji. I don't
know quite what it is. As you say, Smithy, maybe
(09:50):
if the game goes five minutes longer, it's a completely
different story. They know they bombed a try with an
early celebration there late in the first half, but they
play a really exciting brand of rugby and they really
bring a point of difference to Super Rugby Pacific. You
nailed it with cam Roy guard and really good to
see in the Hurricanes Jews. We've seen at the back
end of last year his abilities with the All Blacks
(10:12):
after coming back from that horrific knee injury. But he
created those first two tries, he snipes in from the
ruck and scores one late and I think his combination
it's very early days with young Harry Godfrey is effectively
what third or fourth cab off the rank at first
five eighth for the Hurricanes. But he started to see
some signs there of what Harry Godfrey speaking of little
blokes like Fin Hurley and Harry Godfrey, what a guy
(10:34):
like him can do on the super apy stage on
a dry track with the sun out. I thought he
was very good, created that try just before halftime and
then scored the match winner, So there's encouraging signs here.
For the Canes. I still think though, and I was
looking at some of these statsmithy issues up front, which
has been something I felt like the Hurricanes addressed last
year when they effectively finished minor premiers. But their lineout
(10:56):
and I know they are missing a safer a moa,
but ten lineouts only five to one, it's pretty hard
to have a platform to attack from when you set
piece or that area. Set piece isn't firing work today
for Clark Laidlaer and his men, but they're underway.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
They are underway, and a lot of the welcome the
Blues who are lower confidence this week as well. I'm
liking in that Hurricanes team just the ability to get
it out wide. And you know, I think Nahrda is
playing some good rugby kind of after halftime in that
Crusader's game last week we didn't see a lot of
even the Haller were finneng and northwar but those two
players are dangerous whenever they get ball in hand. And
(11:34):
in terms of fir here, he looks like he was
superb for the seven side for it for a couple
of years. He looks like a really promising player in
fifteen's still adjusting back to that fifteen style of play.
But I'm really liking what the Hurricanes are getting out
of him.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Yeah, speaking the two seven's wingers from New Zealand, Seams
fairhov On and off For and Caleb Tonguingtow are now
getting an opportunity at the Highlanders when they have a
bit of space down those fifteen meter channels lockout. They're
both lightning and they've they've really shown out in this
first couple of weeks.
Speaker 4 (12:03):
Let's go to Friday Night and the Reds beating more
Wana Pacific at fifty six thirty six in Brisbane. Poor
old Mowana Nick, you scored forty four points in week one,
thirty six in week two and they have no wins
to show from it. They can certainly score points. It's
the other side of the ball, the defense that is
the worry. Former Wanda PACIFICA you can't ship the number
(12:25):
of points they have in the opening couple of rounds
and expect to win too many games. So if you're
ti umong It, you'll love the attack, but you've got
to tighten up that defense somehow because they're a pretty
leaky ship.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
At the moment. Yeah, indeed, and you look at the
nature of the tries that have been scored on them,
particularly on Friday night against the Reds, and you know,
the Reds went to their set piece, they went to
their line out pushover more with Matt Fasla there at
the back, and I just look at Mowana's packing on paper,
you Ardie Savia aside. He can't do it all there,
(12:58):
you know, and it just feels like in that sort
of type five and then the other loose forward pieces,
they're just losing that collision battle and it is a
reel r Kelly's Hill for that team. Hand somehow tighten
things up defensively, as you say, they have got so
many points in them. You know Kiroen tolmoy Filau out
on that he scored a couple of tries I think
on the right wing, who's playing a bit of left
(13:19):
wing as well, but he's a serious challenge out of Tasman.
They got pace to burn. Good to see Solomon Alo
Marlow back from rugby league. He scored a try on
the weekend as well. So the pieces are there, but
if you can't put it together up front, the old cliche,
you're not really going anywhere in this competition. So yeah,
some work needs doing in those areas for Mowana to
(13:42):
be competitive, that's the bottom line.
Speaker 4 (13:44):
Yeah, it was interesting as well to see Artie Savier
move to open side flank on the weekend as well,
where we haven't seen a lot of him in recent times.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
I just you're right.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
I hope they don't sort of use Artie Savier as
the band aid to try and keep this pack together,
because he's such a better player than that. But I
hope they don't use him just to fill in holes
and try and go, well, maybe if we move this
piece around, we'll be better this week. Givevadi can play
seven or eight or maybe even blindside. You know, he's
better than obviously a band aid situation, so they've got
(14:15):
to figure out how to get the best of him.
We'll also, you know, figure out the balance of that
pack at some point over the next few weeks in
this competition.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
Just on the Reds, the mcwright, McDermott mcbrothers, if you
want to call them that, I thought, you know, that's
the first opportunity we've had to see them, And just
on the whole with the Australian teams, the demise of
the Rebels and bringing the four together. I think as
a collective they've all risen. We haven't touched on the
Force being two from two beating the Brumbies as well,
(14:44):
but they've got some really nice pieces and have that
good balance between having that four dominant pack able to
bully some teams up front and then having some real
excitement out wide. So I know the Reds are the
next team I'll see down here in christ Chitch Sunday
week and I think they'll be near the top of
the log when it comes to Ossie team's at the
(15:04):
back end of the season.
Speaker 4 (15:05):
Yeahed the four forty five points two weeks in a row,
one point when last week, three point when this weekend,
similar to Mawana Pacifica. But they're on the winning side
of the Leiga after both weeks. You know, it's it's
a case of will outscore you. You know, however, what
have you throw at us? And to go to canber
and put forty five points? There's no easy task, no.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
These and these are the fine margins of super Apia Pacific.
There's no easy beats. And I was going to James Marshall,
the Crusader's assistant coach last week, you know, and we're
going to get onto the Crusaders shortly, but there's you know,
one mistake can quickly be seven points, you know, and
that can that can decide a match and the Crusaders
found that out the hard way last year. But look,
(15:44):
it's great for the competition. We're seeing very close games.
I know we had a couple of blowouts, but but
the three others eight points or less. So I think
that's what the viewer wants to see.
Speaker 4 (15:53):
Well, let's go to the biggest blowout of the competition
over the through this two weeks so far. And you mentioned,
you know, stringing tries together in terms of conceding that. Well,
the Chiefs managed to do that on the weekend seventeen
all at one point and then they go bang bang
two tries in the space of three minutes in the
game was effectively gone at that point, is Crusaders caller?
(16:13):
What did you see from that performance in Hamilton?
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Well, firstly, just on the Chiefs. What just a freight
train and avalanche, wasn't it?
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Like?
Speaker 2 (16:21):
As you mentioned seventeen all, I kind of kicks that
penalty after what was potentially a contentious moment where he
was pulled back by Josh Lord after that line break,
no yellow card penalty, only seventeen all but the games
and the balance, and then from there just the way
that the Chiefs ran with intent and purpose. I'm going
to get to the Crusaders in a second, but I
looked initially with the loss of Wallace Atiti and thought,
(16:43):
you know, that's a pretty big out for a side.
You know that, you know he was their star last
year to get all the way to the Grand Final.
But a guy like Simon Parker stepping up in a
massive way for them in these first two weeks. And
then when they lose Luke Jacobson early, they've got Sam
a Penie Finale on the bench. They lose Rama Kapoi
Happy early, they got Quintu Pyra on the bench. Clayde
(17:03):
McMillan's strength and depth of that Chief's unit is and
they just blew the Crusaders away. They made them pay
for some pretty ordinary moments, and they are rightly on
its early days. But the leaders in this competition like
the way the Chiefs particularly are going about their second half.
What stands out for me Smith is two weeks and
(17:26):
now Blues and Crusaders. They've scored eight tries in in
the second half and conceded just the one and that
was Antonio Chellphone sort of falling over when the game
was absolutely gone. So they're a scary prospect and if
they can keep at this level, it's going to take
something pretty pretty scary to stop them.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
It is.
Speaker 4 (17:46):
You look at that bench that they put out on
the weekend as well, wasn't as many all blacks as
the week before. But something that Claude McMillan's doing very
very well is just balancing the bean Chan's bringing on
semipenny fee now for these in these games, I know
we end up playing seventy three minutes and then Quinta
Pie played seventy odd but a lot of these players
you're bringing on are quasi and just the depth that
(18:08):
I don't think you know, as many New Zealand super
Aby coaches have embraced. You know, a lot of them
mentioned about the bomb squad, the Chiefs bomb squad, you know,
taking a leaf out of South Africa and Russi Erasmus's
bomb squad. But I don't think New Zealand has been
wise enough to play with a full eighty minute mentality
and believing that the final thirty minutes is just as important,
if not more important, than the first fifty minutes in games.
(18:31):
And maybe we're just seeing a sign of that now
with Claydon McMillan and what he's doing around the way
that he's balancing his bench. You know, you would have
expected someone like a Cortizratama to have started these first
two games where has come off the bench and he's
making a real impact. So I just think it's maybe
a little bit of a mind shift maybe that clad
McMillan might be leading around some of these New Zealand coaches.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
Well, you just look at the fatigue in the game, Smithy,
with these with these score lines, you know, there's just
so much opportunity there to exploit fatigue, and I think
that's what the Chiefs did so well, you know, it
was unfortunate for the Crusaders. They lose Fletcher Null to
a late mouthguard Hia Trigger at halftime, and poor old
(19:11):
said martinga who's probably fifth or sixth cab up tight
head prop down here in Crusader's country, gets his opportunity.
He's only been with the team a hand full of
weeks and the scrum collapses and he was targeted in
a big way. And you know, just being able to
do that and see that and balance your squad. It
can't be done for every team. Teams just some squads
(19:33):
just don't have that depth. But as I was just
touching on the floor, like the Chiefs, it's scary how
far down you go in every position where they can
lean on and they've still got guys like Sean Stevenson
SAMMASONI take a halt to come back into the mix.
So very encouraging on the Crusaders though, and I do
want to touch on it, like, yes, the Chiefs, you know,
(19:53):
put them away, but you look at how some of
those tries began, you know, James O'Connor not finding touch
off a penalty one on one, soft misses and tackles,
missing those collisions, chancing their arm on pushing the pass unnecessarily.
I think it was O'Connor again intercepted by Ammoni Nadoe
boots it downfield. He then wins the turnover and they
(20:14):
score off the next phase. So there was just little
moments there, and I know the Crusaders are really trying
to push this up tempo you know, play what's in
front of you, offload the ball, recycle quickly style of rugby.
But it felt like they're at that point in time,
particularly when they went to their bench early where it
was seventeen all and they just needed to play the
(20:36):
percentages and you know, not every one of these fifty
to fifty passes are going to come off like they
did in round one against the Hurricanes. So I think
there was a real lesson learned there for the Crusaders
that if you want to play this attacking style and
on the other side to this defensive style which is
just all hell breaks loose with ol Miller shooting up
out of outside center and basically leaving Chafee Hackey marking
(20:57):
three minute times out on the flanks, that you're going
to have to adjust accordingly because you're going to get
found out by a team with the quality of the Chiefs.
Speaker 5 (21:05):
Indeed, so you very interesting.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
After a couple of weeks in Super rugby, it is
clear the Chiefs are now, you know, the team to
beat through two weeks, things might change and shuffle around,
but they've laid a real statement, where As I think
you look at the rested ladder and obviously there are
three teams still to get a win, but it feels
like a lot of that might shuffle around because there
are teams that can beat each other at the moment.
You know, a lot of these results are unpredictable. We'll
(21:29):
get to some tipping after our breaking in a moment
or two. But it feels like the Super Rugby competition
is really unpredictable at the moment.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
It certainly as yeah, and I think has alluded to before.
Since the rebels have moved away no more, we're now
in a position where the Australian teams, you know, the
talent pool is and it's spread as wide it's now
they're much more competitive. The drawer is still offer plenty.
You know, the Highlanders with the lift that Jamie Joseph
(21:56):
has provided, they're now you know, can beat a Blues team.
For them, it's just about consistency. So it's a tip
as nightmare this competition. But that's what it's all about,
I know listening to you guys over the last year.
So we want jeopardy in this competition. We don't want
a situation where we can sit here and go it's
going to be Blues Chiefs come June and we'll see
who makes up the rest or previously the Crusaders. It's
(22:18):
the Crusaders to lose. So I think Super Rugby as
a whole is actually in a really good spot. And
I think more broadly speaking, you think, particularly given what
probably their biggest competitor being the NRL starting this week,
it couldn't have been a better start this first fortnight
while the NRL is waiting to fire up.
Speaker 5 (22:36):
That's right.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
It will be interesting once we get a few more
Aussie New Zealand games. We've seen a lot of derbies,
I think four in the first couple of weeks of
the competition. It'll be interesting to see how things shakedown
after that. But you're right, there's been quality that the
first couple of weeks and I think the best start
to Super Rugby in years. One thing I did want
to touch on Nick before we take a quick break
was this rule. On Saturday night Solou and Ethan de
(22:59):
group both of the Park Daniel and it Brown gets
red carded and we go to Golden Oldie scrums and
we were messaging on Saturday night around It's one of
those things that we don't see too often in rugby,
but the Highlanders had to drop a player basically because
they were the ones that triggered the Golden Oldies scrums,
so it got them a bit of a mess, and
then they managed to come out on the other side
(23:20):
and win it, which is remarkable but one of those
old rugby rules that only come out once in a
blue moon and had everyone scratching their heads.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Yeah. I got into a good old little back and
forth on Twitter x whatever you call it these days
with Ryan Nixon. Shout out to Ryan who does some
great work there at the North Arbor Rugby Union around
educating referees and educating me. As it turns out, so
that law you know he was explaining to me is
basically put in place so you can't manipulate being overpowered
at scrum times sort of feigning injuries. Front rowers go
(23:50):
off and then there's no punishment for them going to
a Golden Oldies and the team that's been dominant aren't
all of a sudden no longer having that advantage. What
I'd like to see though, is I think common sense
needs to prevail, as you mentioned, so they had their
tight head come off with the failed HIA that's completely
out of their control and Ethan dig By all means
was buggered with some sort of leg injury. So yes,
(24:13):
Lennard Brown is the one that he's a front rower
too and he's committed that red card defense. But it
should be fifteen on fourteen in my view anyway, It
shouldn't be then fifteen on thirteen. As it turns out,
it's all in material and it makes the Highlanders went
even more impressive. However, I think that's just one of
those little oddities where you just tied it up, get
(24:34):
a bit of twink out at a line and we
don't have some sort of fascal situation like we did
on Saturday.
Speaker 4 (24:38):
Well, the thing is, I completely agree because one of
the arguments in this, the whole twenty minute red card,
the augment against is a players will we target players
will target a quality player from the opposition because it's
only a twenty minute deterrent. You still be off the
park for twenty minutes, or someone will off the park
for twenty minutes, but they're able to replace them. But
I don't buy that for a second. So on the
reverse of that, if you're taking off a player when
(25:00):
you have lost players through injury, and also yellow card.
I think you don't quite get the balance of that.
If you're doing it on one side for a discipline
reactually on the other you've got to balance it out
that way.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
Absolutely, and just on that too the Blues. It's talking
about that game management. They didn't recognize that if they
just went for scrums, albeit golden oldies scrums, they would
have had a two man numerical advantage in the back line.
Yet they went to the line out. Yeah, head scratching,
to say the least, very head scratching.
Speaker 4 (25:30):
And clearly, well, you know, the players on the part
should be smarter, but I'm not sure how there wasn't
a message they didn't get down ground level as a
result of that. Will take a break here on Rugby Direct.
Come back on the second half of the podcast after this.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
This is Rugby Direct, a podcast for real rugby fares,
power babies talk.
Speaker 4 (25:53):
You're back with Rugby Direct powered by Habit Health. Time
now for our final four. Let's change tax slightly. The
sevens still ongoing as we record this in Vancouver, but
over the weekends Mikayla Break became the all time leading
tri scorer on the women's seven circuit the question I
have for you, Nick, is she underappreciated.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
I'm gonna say yes, And that seems crazy to say,
but I think it's by virtue of the Black Ferns
being you know, Laiden with stars Black Fern and sevens
as and the Black Ferns. But you know, for so
long it's been what's Porscha Woodman Wickcliffe doing, or Sarah
Herony or Stacy Woker and michaela Blinde. Mikayla Brake is
(26:35):
you know, on the end of so much fantastic work.
But in her own right, she is an absolute superstar.
And you know, to be now clear of Porsche is
phenomenal and look personally, someone who loves both codes pretty
excited that she's going to chance rumon an NRLW as well,
which it's only twenty nine years old, Elliott, and I
feel like, I know you've seen a lot of the
(26:55):
SEVENS program, so you'll be able to probably put it
in better words than me, But she's she's got so
much still to offer to this program. And you see sometimes,
particularly in the men's game, sort of that twenty seven
year year age where it feels like, oh the pace
sort of of the players start losing a bit of
pace out wide, but if anything like, she's just got
speed to burn and she's such an asset to New Zealand.
So yeah, I think she is a bit unappreciated.
Speaker 5 (27:16):
Yeah, I've got to agree.
Speaker 4 (27:17):
She is phenomenal and just one of those underpreciated players
that just keeps delivering.
Speaker 5 (27:22):
You know, five tries and one half against Island on
the weekend.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
She had to get three in the game to take
the record out right where she had two in the
space about three minutes, bags another one and then grabs
a couple more before halftime. And what I really like
about her as well, she's adding extra elements to a game.
You mentioned, you know, she's twenty nine years of age,
probably got one more Olympic cycle in her which is
the current one after her stint with NRRAL later in
the year. But she's adding strings to a game. She's
(27:47):
now doing a little bit of goalkicking as well, and
it wouldn't surprise me maybe just to see it move
into the middle at some point over the next couple
of years, because there are going to be players that can,
you know, perhaps overtake it. With that pace out wide,
she still have absolute pace in the middle of the part.
But she may just perhaps after she come back from sevens,
just look to adapt to a game a little bit
(28:08):
further and maybe moving to the middle. It's going to
be fascinating to see how she comes back after that
stint with sevens. Sorry with with the nral W a
bit later on the year, quick word as well. The
men's sevens losing to Spain in the quarter finals, there
are some real issues. I know we're in the early
stages of an Olympic cycle neck but not liking the
(28:30):
way that the men's team is playing at the moment.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
It doesn't read well does it to lose to Spain
in any form, any format of rugby for a New
Zealand representative team. And look, I know, as you alluded
to their new Olympic cycle, relatively new coach and Tamasia summer,
but I think yeah, a real sort of stern look
is required into that men's set up, and maybe some
(28:56):
pretty significant change is required given how much we prioritize
other Olympic events.
Speaker 4 (29:00):
Yeah, that's right, top number two in the final four.
How's your your fantasy team going two weeks? And who
your best buy has been? Because I had battle of
a weekend. How did your team go?
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Well? Look, the Bewley's Battlers were flying in the inns
in me League. In round one I had the lead
over Foxton Fizz, which I'm i'm led to believe is
Liam Napier, the co host of Rugby Direct, usually by
just a solitary points, but yet similar I got too
cute with unlimited transfers that I tried to pack my
(29:30):
team full of what I thought was ideal matchups and
went with Hunter, Paisami and Leniki Tail for example in
the Reds and the Brumbies, and they scored about ten
points combined, so not as good. But look, I think
it's been a great addition. Certainly around the workplace here
in christ Church is a bit of chatter, but what
a cooler chat about who's in your fantasy team and
what not? Cam Royguard, I'm glad I stuck with him.
(29:52):
There's a fair amount of excitement to get Kyle Preston
in the mix after his hat trick in round one.
But roy Guard served me well with those two triss
and a tryver's own at the weekend and points of
roy Guard not too bad, not too bad, so McKinsey's
the second top score He's been my captain throughout the
season so far. But I'm going to put you on
the spot here. Do you know who the top scorer
(30:14):
is through two weeks.
Speaker 5 (30:17):
No, I'm going to guess and say it is Will Jordan.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
No. It is an outside back and he plays Form
ONEA PACIFICA and his name is Kliroen Tomoy full out
and he's only about four million, I think, so he's
almost I must have at this point in time. The
budget for your team is a one hundred million, So yeah,
get Kien and I think he's four tries in two games,
and yeah, he's some talent. Certainly, the points are skewed
(30:46):
towards the back three, so that's where you're really going
to load up, I think week to week and make
sure you get that right.
Speaker 4 (30:51):
You're not getting much out of locks. It doesn't seem
like a game made fantasy. It doesn't seem like game
made for locks. On the basis of what I've seen,
I think I've got eighteen from Holland and nine from
three be law to on the weekend.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
Colin Grace, somewhat strangely, is a lock in fantasy so
maybe that's one you need to exploit their smith.
Speaker 4 (31:07):
I'll look at that for the weekend. I think number
three we touched on this a bit earlier. But what
is going wrong at the Blues?
Speaker 2 (31:13):
For me?
Speaker 4 (31:14):
I think the missing Kida Yanni big time in that
pack both sides of the ball. He was electric last
year in Super Rugby. I don't know that the Blues
anticipated missing him as much as they have in the
opening rounds. Sam Dowry is a big loss for them,
but I also think their back line is looking really
clunky at the moment. I don't know that I'd be
(31:36):
sticking with Harry Plumber and Boden Barrett in that ten
to fifteen combination. I think you need to get Boden
involved in the game a little bit more. Maybe Plumber
moves back to twelve. Obviously, Petafetta is injured so to
Sullivan at the moment, but I don't know that they've
got the makeup of that run on side exactly right
at the moment, and they're missing a bit of tenaciousness
in that four pack. What are you seeing is going
(31:57):
wrong at the Blues at the moment?
Speaker 2 (31:58):
Nick, Yeah, I was going to ask you as if
you look the Blues call around that ten to fifteen
combination and we are seeing you know, the ten to
fifteen dual playmaker has been around for a number of
years now, but it just doesn't feel like the balance
is right in terms of the orchestrator of this attack.
And yeah, I do under two. Obviously, Harry Plumber's got
(32:18):
a lot of money in the bank from last year,
and you're not going to leave someone like Bowden Barrett out.
But yeah, when guys come back to they look at
Plumber at twelve, Barrett ten, Parafeta fifteen, something like that.
It's just sort of feels too many chefs in the kitchen.
And I touched on it earlier too, just around the kicking.
I just think, especially in these early rounds from what
(32:41):
we've seen from everyone else, they probably just need to
put the boot away a bit. Those two Boden Barrett
kicks straight down thin Hurley's throat led to tries and
in an eight point games, just some aimless kicking and
little decision making there can be the difference between a
win and a loss.
Speaker 4 (33:00):
Agreed, and the midfield's not quite clicking for me either.
I do rate aj Lamb as a player. I think
he's excellent. I think was quite close to getting an
All Blacks all up in the back end of last
year as well, was doing some training with them, and
I think twelve is his position. Bryce team out injured
for the season and what might be maybe his last.
But Lamb and Yanni aren't clicking at the moment, and
(33:22):
that in turn is affecting the kind of ball that
Caleb Clark and Mark Talia are getting on the edges
of the games. You know, Mark to Lea, I think
ran for about fifteen meters on the weekend, which is
not going to get it done. Clark for forty, which
is also not going to get it out.
Speaker 2 (33:37):
I think that was one breakout.
Speaker 4 (33:38):
And so when you're not getting it out to these
dangerous players, you've got to look in midfield and go
what's going wrong there? But just as a whole from
nine to fifteen, it doesn't feel like any part of
that back line is clicking at the moment.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
It's early. I wouldn't panic and wrap up your Super
Apia Winners tickets on the Blues just yet, but it
brings me to a point around Rico Joanni and can
you hear your thoughts just quickly too on this one,
like that, this is a guy who's just had a remarkable,
fantastic career both in Blue and black, but he does
have his detractors, particularly around his distribution, Like is he
(34:09):
under pressure at the moment?
Speaker 4 (34:10):
Well, I think he's got to be under pressure because
we've seen the kind of players that are standing up
across the state of the competition at the moment in
the midfield, not only at center, but also second five,
you know, to more of the tava tava nahwe He's
made twelve his own over a two week period. Why
couldn't he make thirteen his own in an all Blacks jersey.
You know, if he's going to take to twelve like
(34:33):
a duck to water, who's to say that he couldn't
also move out one and do the same thing there.
I think, you know, we've seen Quinta Pie come back
really really well across the back line as well. Twelve
and thirteen. Leonet Brown I think has had an excellent
start to Super Rugby. I thought he was superb against
the Crusaders on the weekend. So if you're Rico Jouani,
I think you do have to come in for a
(34:53):
little bit of pressure, a little bit of criticism over
the way that the opening two weeks have gone, and
there is a level that needs to be met by
all Blacks players, and I don't think he's quite hit
that as ye in this competition.
Speaker 2 (35:05):
Yeah, like he's not alone in that Blues team in
terms of all Blacks who haven't five from the opening round.
But yeah, look, i'd back him to bounce back. But
it just as it's been an interesting observation to me
that it just hasn't. Certainly I'll cross that back line.
It isn't firing.
Speaker 5 (35:19):
Topic number four in the final four.
Speaker 4 (35:21):
We'll have a chat with Kendrick Coxage Black fans legend
on the program on the podcast in a few moments time.
But who wins Super Rugby or Picky? Which gets underway
this weekend?
Speaker 2 (35:31):
Nick, Look, I think the balance of power still lies
in and around the Bombay Hills. Elliott I saw the
Blues racked up there on a cricket score against Chief
Munuah in a preseason game, and yes it is preseason,
but just look at the strength and depth again in
those squads. It is a sprint Super Rugby, Opicky, But
(35:52):
the Blues we mentioned Porsha Woodman Wickcliffe. But that's a
pretty handy addition for them, isn't it. And look my
Mata two down here, a couple of good INDs getting
Hannah King back, really looking forward to seeing what she
can do after a really solid year under her about
getting an opportunity up there at Hurrick Poler. The Bremner
sisters reunite, so they've they've got some talent too. But
(36:14):
but I just get the sense that it's Blues Chiefs manna,
if you will, And and it'll take some beating for
for the for the Polar or Matitu to come through
over the top of one of those two.
Speaker 4 (36:26):
Look on the basis of what I've seen in preseason,
and that is a little bit here and there, I think,
I think you're right. You know, the Chiefs are blowing
out on the weekend, but there will be better as
they get back into competition. There's a lot of new
faces in the new combinations in the mix. The Blues, though,
I think of the team to beat. You know, when
you can add pullshit Wooden Wickliffe into your team, you know,
(36:48):
it's a it's a hell of an inn to have
to an already championship winning team. But as we've seen
from the Blues Men, you know, sometimes things can go
off track when you're coming into the Fenia title.
Speaker 2 (36:59):
Yeah, titles aren't one with pre season predictions. You've got
a front. Games aren't played on paper, as I hear
tracked out every now and then Smithy's So we shall
wait and see, but very much looking forward to it
a lot like the fact that from another two perspective anyway,
you know they're gun to Nelson, which is great. There's
a doubleheader here next week in chross Church as well,
so getting around the Matto and yeah, like it's been
(37:22):
a fantastic addition. It's sort of going from strength to
strengths and now we have the situation where the winner
will play the Australian winner in a standalone final, so
it's treading in the right direction.
Speaker 4 (37:34):
Well, probably a good opportunity on the back of talking
about Super Rugby or Picky to bring in a Black
Funds legend to rugby direct Kendrick cox Age joining us
on the podcast. Kendre, I think so much for your time.
I'm always an exciting part of the season when Super
Rugby or Picky is around the corner.
Speaker 6 (37:50):
Yeah, it's very exciting. I'm looking forward to clicking off
this weekend. I think it's been a World Cup year
and the players that the coming through, it's going to
be an absolute rapper of a season.
Speaker 4 (38:01):
How much does that World Cup Carrott, you know, being
dangled in front of both current Black Funds players they
haven't played for the Black fans before, just increase the
intensity of what we might see over the coming weeks.
Speaker 2 (38:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (38:15):
I think the overall competition obviously is messive with the
World Cup year, but I think for the players they'll
be heavily focused on their job with their super side,
but also knowing that there's a big selection piece in
a World Cup at the end of it. You know,
everyone goes into a World Cup and pre season training
(38:35):
is another level.
Speaker 4 (38:36):
There's been a bit of movement, as there always is
in the off season. What's your read on I suppose
the off season transfers and maybe who's benefited the most
out of some of those changes.
Speaker 6 (38:47):
Yeah, I mean there's always a few a few changes
and people are looking for some game time and whatnot,
and being a World Cup year, you want to you know,
you've got to play to be seen so well, I think,
you know, there's there's there's a great players across the
whole board. I think a month or two have done
well with like a highly rade mety kind of player
to watch and pull her from obviously the Hurricanes region,
(39:11):
and then the likes of Atlanta Lola here who's decided
to move north to the Blues for some game time
as well. So there's been there's been a few that
have kind of mixed across it. But in terms of
players to watch, I think across like the Chiefs would
be probably they the prop she's awesome player, Braxton Star
(39:33):
and some McGhee young player with the Blues, very talented,
obviously plays a bit of sevens too, and she's a
young girl coming through. And then I'd say the Canes
players Elanor plump King, she always you know, she she's
she's a quality player on the on the flanks. And
then Matter two would be a Holy Holly Ray Metti
I think would probably be the players. She's probably the
(39:53):
player to watch for for MATERA two.
Speaker 4 (39:55):
Yeah, those are some players. Keeping on Ellen Or plump
King was superb last year in the f PC. She
had a breakout season, absolutely dominated in that competition, you
know for the Blues, you know there are championship team
is that he didn't so twenty twenty five obviously target
on the back is championship teams always have, and then
they go out and ad some talent like Porsche woodmen Wickliff,
(40:17):
which isn't a bad player to put on the books
when you've already won a title.
Speaker 6 (40:20):
Yeah, exactly, and you know what Porch is going to bring,
you know, like any team, you know obviously with the
first asat team sport, but if you've got Porscha Wood
will workloff on your team, you know you're probably going
to go pretty well. So on paper, I think the
Blues probably have the best side in terms of depth
across positions as well as across the whole one to well,
(40:41):
probably one thirty players, I've got to be honest. So
on paper they definitely that probably the best side.
Speaker 5 (40:47):
It's going to be fascinating.
Speaker 4 (40:48):
And then there's the additional trans Tasmin Final which will
be at the end of the competition, which is just
adds a little bit extra. Hopefully in the future there's
a combined competition of some sort, but to have that
is I think a great initiative. That must be something
you're looking forward to as well.
Speaker 6 (41:03):
Yeah, I think that's exciting and you know, anything that
kind of adds a bit a bit more meaningful competition
the you know, with the Aussies and hopefully in the
future the Opeki becomes extended. And you know the reason
kind of reason for having a crossover game. I can
see how the teams kind of go against each other
and then look to explore what it could look like
in the future and if there's potential there the combined
(41:25):
with Australia.
Speaker 4 (41:26):
And you can hear a lot of the super rugby
or picky action on gold Sport and iHeartRadio from this
weekends before we go on Rugby, Dirigulet's get into our tipping.
Now you are going to take hold of Liam's steps
for the week which is a lot of pressure. Five
out of ten we've picked so far in the competition,
both of us, Liam picked the Chiefs to beat the
Crusaders over the course of the weekend, and we both
(41:48):
picked the Reds and Hurricanes to get the job done.
Speaker 5 (41:50):
And we both picked the Blues and brum Bees to
get the job done. Who didn't.
Speaker 4 (41:54):
So after two weeks, five of ten matches for both
of us, So a bit of pressure for you Nick
this week taking on Liam's tipping. You know he'll be
listening and next time in christ which you know he
may have something out for you if you don't get
things right here. But let's see how we get on
Maana pacificat against the Highlanders Friday nights at North Harbor
Stadium to get round three underway.
Speaker 5 (42:15):
What do you reckon?
Speaker 2 (42:16):
I think I'll take the points over for that one.
But this is a tip in competition where we're picking
who's going to win. So look, I think on the
balance of what we've seen, particularly at the weekend, that
the Highlanders should be too good. But it has been
a bit of a story for them in terms of
backing up after a big win, not taking the foot off.
So I will put my faith though, and the Highlander
(42:37):
is beating Mowana on the road, I.
Speaker 4 (42:38):
Tend to agree, although yeah Mowan have been scoring points.
If they can tighten up that defense, I think it
could be a cracking game. But you can't go past
the Highlanders. Wartars drew a nine thirty five Saturday Sorry
Friday Nights in Sydney. You know the drawer probably got
a bit of confidence out of that loss to the
Hurricanes on the weekend, but again, they don't travel particularly well.
(43:00):
Do the Wartars fresh off the by beat the drawer?
Speaker 2 (43:03):
I think they do. Yeah, the post Boys Super Rugby
Joseph Saul is going to take the Waratars to two
and o. As you mentioned the drawer. Yeah, no, wait
until they're back in Fiji before I tip the drawer.
Speaker 4 (43:14):
I'm with you, Chiefs Brumbies, Chiefs go three and O.
What do the Brumbies come back and spoil things?
Speaker 2 (43:21):
The fun in Hamilton four thirty five kickoff as well,
looking forward to to this one and getting a real
good assessment where the Brumbies are at after Yeah, losing
to the Force, but the Chiefs Chiefs for me Hamilton, Yeah,
I need I need to throw something in the in
the works. Yeah maybe maybe this game.
Speaker 4 (43:40):
Well, Hurricanes Blues Saturday night, Sky Stadium, which way you're leaning?
Speaker 2 (43:44):
Look, I know that Liam Napier is from the region,
so it might be blastphe me if I was to
go Blues. So I'm going to I'm going to go
the Canes. I think I thought the Blues were going
to bounce back at the weekend and they didn't. And
I think there's a bit more than just a couple
of band aids to be put over this team to
get to some quick fixes. So I think the Hurricanes
(44:05):
are going to beat the Blues.
Speaker 5 (44:06):
I'm going to go the Blues. So there we are.
We are different on that front. The Blues surely can't
go oh and three in their title defense. You wouldn't
have thought. Surely, not all the Crusaders did last year.
Speaker 4 (44:16):
I was gonna say, and there is President, there is President,
and final game of the Round fours v Reds Saturday
night in Perth.
Speaker 5 (44:26):
This is a really interesting one. I'm going to go
the Force.
Speaker 2 (44:29):
What so you ll, let's go completely different on these
last two games, just really juice things up and it
could be still even by the end of it. But yeah,
I'll go the Reds. But yeah, I think it could
be another one of these eighty point games where it'll
just be whoever's in front of the final whistle.
Speaker 4 (44:48):
Indeed, we'll mark that down and we'll see how we
get on next Monday on Rugby Direct. Finally, Rugby Direct
Metal voting three to two ones the best three players
over the course of the weekend from New Zealand based franchises, Nick,
if you got some three two ones to dishout.
Speaker 2 (45:03):
For us three two ones? Okay, I forgot this in
my notes actually, but I'll just go righttle off the
top of my head. I think Tavatavahi, his influence can't
be understated, and had to have to be my player
of the round. I almost want to get Finn Hurley
in there as well, so maybe we'll give three to Tavatavanai,
one to Finn Hurley and two to Simon Parker at
(45:26):
the Chiefs thoy were my standouts from the weekend.
Speaker 4 (45:29):
I'm going three tomorrow at Tavatavannahwai as well, two to
Quinn to payer for me, you came off the benuel
were I played seventy minutes, but I thought he was
just superb over the course of the weekend, and giving
one to Damian McKenzie as well, who I think is
just in some sublime form over the first couple of
weeks of the competition and is playing some great rugby
(45:49):
and you know, directing the Chiefs around the park really
really well, whether it be from fifteen or from tennis.
Slotting in there later on in games. I think he's
playing some excellent rugby.
Speaker 2 (45:58):
Nick.
Speaker 5 (45:58):
Has been a pleasure having you on Rugby Direct.
Speaker 4 (46:00):
Thank you so much for your time, and I'm sure
we'll get back on over the course of the season
as well.
Speaker 2 (46:05):
Cheers Elliott. Always a pleasure, and yeah forward to going
back to my listening as opposed to hosting. As much
as it has been nice to be here with you
this afternoon.
Speaker 4 (46:16):
It has been right be Direct, powered by Habit Health,
tackling all your aches and pains from sport and work.
We're back next week with or another edition in our podcast.
Thanks very much to Last and Bars English for pulling
this all together. We'll see you next time.
Speaker 1 (46:30):
For more from News talkst B, listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our wide range of podcast now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Inside the Game from Every Angle.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
It's Rugby Direct with Elliott Smith, powered by News Talks EDB.
Speaker 4 (00:24):
Welcome in to Rugby Direct, powered by Habit Health, tackling
all your aches and pains from sports and to work
back for another week of Rugby Day section on iHeartRadio
and powered by News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
He'd been.
Speaker 4 (00:37):
My name is Elligott Smith, with you as always, and
we'll changed things up this weekly and napier watching people
slug it out and reads we've called and Nick Bailey,
the voice of the Crusaders on Goldsport and iHeartRadio to
join us. And Nick thinks so much for joining us
to wrap the week in Super Rugby and beyond Chess.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
Menie, I'm very much the Martin macaulay of Rugby Direct
Anti after he was drafted in a very late notice
to fight Joseph Parkers and great to be here. And
what's been a fantastic opening Fortnite of Super Rugby.
Speaker 5 (01:05):
Well, let's ripen to the weekend.
Speaker 4 (01:07):
It was in starf maybe with the Saturday night action
from a new Zealand perspective, the Highlanders beating the Blues.
Speaker 5 (01:14):
Twenty nine to twenty one. I mean, you would have.
Speaker 4 (01:16):
Got long odds to have the Blues windless through the
opening two rounds in their title defense, sunk at the
bottom of the ladder, but that's where we're at. The
Highlanders very very good given the hurdles they had to overcome.
The Blues just really haven't got this title defense underway.
What did you make of the game Saturday night?
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Yes, certainly speaking, those odds for the Blues being winless
after a fortnight they had have been very large. Indeed
one don't they But just on the Highlanders first, I mean,
what an inspired performance after the scenes pre match in
tribute to the late Jackson Garden Baship, not only a
moment's noise as opposed to a moment's silence, but a
huka as well. I thought that was very moving and
(01:56):
that really just set the tone for the evening. The
Blues did score first, and I was thinking, gee, they've
sort of taken the fizz out early and maybe it
was going to be a long night for the Highlanders,
but they just eked their way back into the contest.
We were starting to win some moments, particularly around in
the collision areas, and then a couple of standouts for
mine young Finn Hurley and isn't it great to see
(02:16):
some real little blokes star and super rugby gets a
run there at fullback and chances his arm with a
little chip and chase try contender early on for Try
of the year and then from there the Highland has
really got into their work. The other standout for mine,
I'm sure we're going to get to in a bit
more depth, was to Mothi Tava Tava Nahwhite. Incredible inspiring
(02:38):
selection really from Jamie Joseph back at the helm to
put him in at second five. Has played little to
no rugby at second five is my understanding off the
wing and just his impact not only with the ball
but without over the ball, winning penalty turnovers at the
breakdown and a co captain as well who really says,
come on, boys, I'm going to leave through actions here.
(02:59):
He was exceptional. But for them to do it, as
he alluded to, Smithy down not only fourteen men to
the Daniel Lennart Brown Red card, but obviously having go
to Golden Oldie and being punished therefore because of the
interpretations of World Rugby's laws to thirteen men. For them
still to hang on and beat a blue side laiden
with all blacks was simply outstanding. So Curdos to the
(03:20):
Landers and a lot of head scratching up in Blues country.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
Well, there's got to be some head scratching, absolutely, because
they have all these players and they've played very very
well last season. But I think they're just missing a
few key pieces and I don't know where exactly. Will
probably dig into a bit deeper where they're going wrong.
But on the basis of Saturday night, it fell to
me like I was always waiting for them to come
through and take control of the game, whether it was
(03:45):
at the sixty minute mark, the sixty fifth, seventy fifth,
and they're just running out of a runway, and I
figured about seventy eighth minute, this isn't going to happen.
They're not going to come back and win this game.
When Rocketswi scored in about the fiftieth minute, I thought, Okay,
this is when they take charge of the game. Then
Leonett Brown gets redcarded, but they just looked a little
bit lost out there on the path.
Speaker 5 (04:04):
They're missing.
Speaker 4 (04:05):
I think a few players up front, Sam Dowry being
a key one, but there just doesn't seem to be
a lot of cohesiveness in the game plan, and the
Highlanders were able to exploit it. Every time it felt
like they were about to maybe drift out of the
game or the Blues are about to take charge, that
the Highders would pull something out, whether it was a
turnover from Tava Tava Nahwai, that Finn Hurley magic try
(04:28):
in the second sassory in the first spell, and they
just won the key moments I thought right throughout the
night a lot better than the Blues, who pretty much
won every moment last year. So for the Highlanders, this
win has got to be a major boost to their confidence.
They obviously came away with a close loss in opening
round against the Waratahs in Sydney, but to go home
(04:48):
beat the defending champions on their own patch, there's a
sign there. I think that Jamie Joseph is instilled a
bit of grit in this team already in just two weeks.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
Yeah, very much so. It feels like his fingerprints are
already all over this team in terms of what their
identity is all about, in terms of being there fighting
for every contest and that's shining through across the park,
just the one all Black and Ethan DeGroot, who was
one of those injured front rowers that caused those the
scenes late with the Highland is having to play with
third team in But just on the Blues, like, if
(05:18):
we look at the competition as a whole, three hundred
and seventy four points in the second round of the
five games across the weekend, what's an average of just
under seventy five points a game. The Blues, of all
the teams who have played two matches so far, have
the least amount of tries in five and it feels
like they feel like what works so well last year
in terms of being direct, physical, abrasive, backing the forwards
(05:41):
and just grinding out results can still get them through
twenty twenty five. And it still might prove you know,
it's very early on, but it still might prove to
be a successful template. But everyone else, it feels Smithy
is playing this high tempo February razzle, dazzle, quick rock, speed,
quick ball and you know ball and play stats through
the roof and rarely chancing the The Blues haven't really
(06:02):
adjusted to that, there's a lot of kicking. It seems
a little bit slower, and this is a team that
has Caleb Clark and Mark tal En, Rico Joanna, So
I don't know it's quite an identity crisis, but there
just hasn't been that adjustment to what everyone else is playing,
and therefore they're a step behind.
Speaker 4 (06:17):
Yeah, I think there's definitely signs of that, and maybe
look as the weather gets a little bit worse as
the season goes on, the Blues might be able to
come into their own a little bit more. But it
just doesn't feel like a cohesive team at this point
in time. We'll tag into that a little bit more
in the final four about exactly what is going wrong
at the Blues. You mentioned to more Tabatava Naway. He
has had an electric two weeks to start this season,
(06:40):
and as you mentioned, putting him at twelve has been
an absolute malester stroke. He's winning turnovers for fun, but
every time he gets the ball in hand, he's making
things happen, and he's from my mind, put himself in
that All Blacks conversation firmly.
Speaker 5 (06:55):
Early on in the season.
Speaker 4 (06:56):
He probably would have been in the mix a wee
bit last year, but he hadn't a couple of injuries
here and there. He's aligned himself with the All Blacks
because he would have been certainly caught up for Fiji
by this point. But he has been just a relation
in that twelve josey in the opening two weeks. And
I also think that being captain as well sits very
very nicely with him. He's he looks like a real leader,
(07:17):
confident in doing that and he's playing some great footing.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
A lot of our listeners smith will know Tava Tabanaho's
game in terms of that explosive power and his ability
over the ball. Probably what stood out to me most
on Saturday night down there in Dunedin was that heads
up play when the Highlanders, I think Tava tabanah had
actually just won the penalty at the breakdown, they're inside
their half and the Blues a little bit on the ropes.
(07:43):
There was no fallback back there. He taps and goes
from his own ten meter line boots at downfield fifty
twenty two. I didn't know that Tava tab no I
had had a kicking game, but like that's another element
to what is a very rall wounded game, and just
by having him in the midfield, you know you're not
limiting his opportunities with the ball or you know, waiting
(08:05):
for it to get out to his wing. He is
so heavily involved as say, both sides of the ball,
gets that first phase carry up over the advantage line
and then just such a menace there at the breakdown.
It's worked. Wonders already. I see one of our columnsts
in the New Zealand Heralds comparing him to the Annu already,
which might be a slight reach, but look Tabasavanai. For me,
(08:26):
he's probably the standout player of Super rugby twenty twenty
five so far.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
Indeed, look he's twenty seven years of age, so he's
taken a little bit longer to develop maybe than some
other players, but he is playing some simperid rugby. Had
time at Mwana Pacifica of course for a couple of seasons,
now at the Highlanders, and he has started the season
very very strongly. And you'll players old team this Friday night.
Let's move backwards to Saturday afternoon and Hurricanes beating the
(08:51):
Fijian Drewer in a thriller in Napy year by the
tune of thirty eight thirty four. I don't want this
to sound dismissive, but I think the Hurricanes won by
virtue of just being the team that was ahead when
the game was over, because two minutes later it could
have been the Drawer leading. Well, five minutes earlier it
would have been the Drawer. It was just a a
back and forth game. I'm not really sure what we
learned about either team, to be honest, from this game,
(09:13):
other than the fact that cam roy Guard's playing some
great footy. So's duples could he fear apart from that
yellow card? But that was super rugby of old, just
attacking rugby end to end stuff. And the Hurricanes you
get on the board after their opening round loss, which
will be a confidence booster for them certainly.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Well, yeah, you've got your value for money if you
head along to mcclaim Park and Napier on Saturday afternoon,
didn't you. It was like an old fashioned game of
touch where the ball was just being shifted from end
to end, side to side, and as you say, defense
was a little bit optional. But the poor old drawer,
they just can't buy one away from Fiji. I don't
know quite what it is. As you say, Smithy, maybe
(09:50):
if the game goes five minutes longer, it's a completely
different story. They know they bombed a try with an
early celebration there late in the first half, but they
play a really exciting brand of rugby and they really
bring a point of difference to Super Rugby Pacific. You
nailed it with cam Roy guard and really good to
see in the Hurricanes Jews. We've seen at the back
end of last year his abilities with the All Blacks
(10:12):
after coming back from that horrific knee injury. But he
created those first two tries, he snipes in from the
ruck and scores one late and I think his combination
it's very early days with young Harry Godfrey is effectively
what third or fourth cab off the rank at first
five eighth for the Hurricanes. But he started to see
some signs there of what Harry Godfrey speaking of little
blokes like Fin Hurley and Harry Godfrey, what a guy
(10:34):
like him can do on the super apy stage on
a dry track with the sun out. I thought he
was very good, created that try just before halftime and
then scored the match winner, So there's encouraging signs here.
For the Canes. I still think though, and I was
looking at some of these statsmithy issues up front, which
has been something I felt like the Hurricanes addressed last
year when they effectively finished minor premiers. But their lineout
(10:56):
and I know they are missing a safer a moa,
but ten lineouts only five to one, it's pretty hard
to have a platform to attack from when you set
piece or that area. Set piece isn't firing work today
for Clark Laidlaer and his men, but they're underway.
Speaker 4 (11:12):
They are underway, and a lot of the welcome the
Blues who are lower confidence this week as well. I'm
liking in that Hurricanes team just the ability to get
it out wide. And you know, I think Nahrda is
playing some good rugby kind of after halftime in that
Crusader's game last week we didn't see a lot of
even the Haller were finneng and northwar but those two
players are dangerous whenever they get ball in hand. And
(11:34):
in terms of fir here, he looks like he was
superb for the seven side for it for a couple
of years. He looks like a really promising player in
fifteen's still adjusting back to that fifteen style of play.
But I'm really liking what the Hurricanes are getting out
of him.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Yeah, speaking the two seven's wingers from New Zealand, Seams
fairhov On and off For and Caleb Tonguingtow are now
getting an opportunity at the Highlanders when they have a
bit of space down those fifteen meter channels lockout. They're
both lightning and they've they've really shown out in this
first couple of weeks.
Speaker 4 (12:03):
Let's go to Friday Night and the Reds beating more
Wana Pacific at fifty six thirty six in Brisbane. Poor
old Mowana Nick, you scored forty four points in week one,
thirty six in week two and they have no wins
to show from it. They can certainly score points. It's
the other side of the ball, the defense that is
the worry. Former Wanda PACIFICA you can't ship the number
(12:25):
of points they have in the opening couple of rounds
and expect to win too many games. So if you're
ti umong It, you'll love the attack, but you've got
to tighten up that defense somehow because they're a pretty
leaky ship.
Speaker 2 (12:37):
At the moment. Yeah, indeed, and you look at the
nature of the tries that have been scored on them,
particularly on Friday night against the Reds, and you know,
the Reds went to their set piece, they went to
their line out pushover more with Matt Fasla there at
the back, and I just look at Mowana's packing on paper,
you Ardie Savia aside. He can't do it all there,
(12:58):
you know, and it just feels like in that sort
of type five and then the other loose forward pieces,
they're just losing that collision battle and it is a
reel r Kelly's Hill for that team. Hand somehow tighten
things up defensively, as you say, they have got so
many points in them. You know Kiroen tolmoy Filau out
on that he scored a couple of tries I think
on the right wing, who's playing a bit of left
(13:19):
wing as well, but he's a serious challenge out of Tasman.
They got pace to burn. Good to see Solomon Alo
Marlow back from rugby league. He scored a try on
the weekend as well. So the pieces are there, but
if you can't put it together up front, the old cliche,
you're not really going anywhere in this competition. So yeah,
some work needs doing in those areas for Mowana to
(13:42):
be competitive, that's the bottom line.
Speaker 4 (13:44):
Yeah, it was interesting as well to see Artie Savier
move to open side flank on the weekend as well,
where we haven't seen a lot of him in recent times.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
I just you're right.
Speaker 4 (13:54):
I hope they don't sort of use Artie Savier as
the band aid to try and keep this pack together,
because he's such a better player than that. But I
hope they don't use him just to fill in holes
and try and go, well, maybe if we move this
piece around, we'll be better this week. Givevadi can play
seven or eight or maybe even blindside. You know, he's
better than obviously a band aid situation, so they've got
(14:15):
to figure out how to get the best of him.
We'll also, you know, figure out the balance of that
pack at some point over the next few weeks in
this competition.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
Just on the Reds, the mcwright, McDermott mcbrothers, if you
want to call them that, I thought, you know, that's
the first opportunity we've had to see them, And just
on the whole with the Australian teams, the demise of
the Rebels and bringing the four together. I think as
a collective they've all risen. We haven't touched on the
Force being two from two beating the Brumbies as well,
(14:44):
but they've got some really nice pieces and have that
good balance between having that four dominant pack able to
bully some teams up front and then having some real
excitement out wide. So I know the Reds are the
next team I'll see down here in christ Chitch Sunday
week and I think they'll be near the top of
the log when it comes to Ossie team's at the
(15:04):
back end of the season.
Speaker 4 (15:05):
Yeahed the four forty five points two weeks in a row,
one point when last week, three point when this weekend,
similar to Mawana Pacifica. But they're on the winning side
of the Leiga after both weeks. You know, it's it's
a case of will outscore you. You know, however, what
have you throw at us? And to go to canber
and put forty five points? There's no easy task, no.
Speaker 2 (15:23):
These and these are the fine margins of super Apia Pacific.
There's no easy beats. And I was going to James Marshall,
the Crusader's assistant coach last week, you know, and we're
going to get onto the Crusaders shortly, but there's you know,
one mistake can quickly be seven points, you know, and
that can that can decide a match and the Crusaders
found that out the hard way last year. But look,
(15:44):
it's great for the competition. We're seeing very close games.
I know we had a couple of blowouts, but but
the three others eight points or less. So I think
that's what the viewer wants to see.
Speaker 4 (15:53):
Well, let's go to the biggest blowout of the competition
over the through this two weeks so far. And you mentioned,
you know, stringing tries together in terms of conceding that. Well,
the Chiefs managed to do that on the weekend seventeen
all at one point and then they go bang bang
two tries in the space of three minutes in the
game was effectively gone at that point, is Crusaders caller?
(16:13):
What did you see from that performance in Hamilton?
Speaker 2 (16:15):
Well, firstly, just on the Chiefs. What just a freight
train and avalanche, wasn't it?
Speaker 1 (16:20):
Like?
Speaker 2 (16:21):
As you mentioned seventeen all, I kind of kicks that
penalty after what was potentially a contentious moment where he
was pulled back by Josh Lord after that line break,
no yellow card penalty, only seventeen all but the games
and the balance, and then from there just the way
that the Chiefs ran with intent and purpose. I'm going
to get to the Crusaders in a second, but I
looked initially with the loss of Wallace Atiti and thought,
(16:43):
you know, that's a pretty big out for a side.
You know that, you know he was their star last
year to get all the way to the Grand Final.
But a guy like Simon Parker stepping up in a
massive way for them in these first two weeks. And
then when they lose Luke Jacobson early, they've got Sam
a Penie Finale on the bench. They lose Rama Kapoi
Happy early, they got Quintu Pyra on the bench. Clayde
(17:03):
McMillan's strength and depth of that Chief's unit is and
they just blew the Crusaders away. They made them pay
for some pretty ordinary moments, and they are rightly on
its early days. But the leaders in this competition like
the way the Chiefs particularly are going about their second half.
What stands out for me Smith is two weeks and
(17:26):
now Blues and Crusaders. They've scored eight tries in in
the second half and conceded just the one and that
was Antonio Chellphone sort of falling over when the game
was absolutely gone. So they're a scary prospect and if
they can keep at this level, it's going to take
something pretty pretty scary to stop them.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
It is.
Speaker 4 (17:46):
You look at that bench that they put out on
the weekend as well, wasn't as many all blacks as
the week before. But something that Claude McMillan's doing very
very well is just balancing the bean Chan's bringing on
semipenny fee now for these in these games, I know
we end up playing seventy three minutes and then Quinta
Pie played seventy odd but a lot of these players
you're bringing on are quasi and just the depth that
(18:08):
I don't think you know, as many New Zealand super
Aby coaches have embraced. You know, a lot of them
mentioned about the bomb squad, the Chiefs bomb squad, you know,
taking a leaf out of South Africa and Russi Erasmus's
bomb squad. But I don't think New Zealand has been
wise enough to play with a full eighty minute mentality
and believing that the final thirty minutes is just as important,
if not more important, than the first fifty minutes in games.
(18:31):
And maybe we're just seeing a sign of that now
with Claydon McMillan and what he's doing around the way
that he's balancing his bench. You know, you would have
expected someone like a Cortizratama to have started these first
two games where has come off the bench and he's
making a real impact. So I just think it's maybe
a little bit of a mind shift maybe that clad
McMillan might be leading around some of these New Zealand coaches.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
Well, you just look at the fatigue in the game, Smithy,
with these with these score lines, you know, there's just
so much opportunity there to exploit fatigue, and I think
that's what the Chiefs did so well, you know, it
was unfortunate for the Crusaders. They lose Fletcher Null to
a late mouthguard Hia Trigger at halftime, and poor old
(19:11):
said martinga who's probably fifth or sixth cab up tight
head prop down here in Crusader's country, gets his opportunity.
He's only been with the team a hand full of
weeks and the scrum collapses and he was targeted in
a big way. And you know, just being able to
do that and see that and balance your squad. It
can't be done for every team. Teams just some squads
(19:33):
just don't have that depth. But as I was just
touching on the floor, like the Chiefs, it's scary how
far down you go in every position where they can
lean on and they've still got guys like Sean Stevenson
SAMMASONI take a halt to come back into the mix.
So very encouraging on the Crusaders though, and I do
want to touch on it, like, yes, the Chiefs, you know,
(19:53):
put them away, but you look at how some of
those tries began, you know, James O'Connor not finding touch
off a penalty one on one, soft misses and tackles,
missing those collisions, chancing their arm on pushing the pass unnecessarily.
I think it was O'Connor again intercepted by Ammoni Nadoe
boots it downfield. He then wins the turnover and they
(20:14):
score off the next phase. So there was just little
moments there, and I know the Crusaders are really trying
to push this up tempo you know, play what's in
front of you, offload the ball, recycle quickly style of rugby.
But it felt like they're at that point in time,
particularly when they went to their bench early where it
was seventeen all and they just needed to play the
(20:36):
percentages and you know, not every one of these fifty
to fifty passes are going to come off like they
did in round one against the Hurricanes. So I think
there was a real lesson learned there for the Crusaders
that if you want to play this attacking style and
on the other side to this defensive style which is
just all hell breaks loose with ol Miller shooting up
out of outside center and basically leaving Chafee Hackey marking
(20:57):
three minute times out on the flanks, that you're going
to have to adjust accordingly because you're going to get
found out by a team with the quality of the Chiefs.
Speaker 5 (21:05):
Indeed, so you very interesting.
Speaker 4 (21:07):
After a couple of weeks in Super rugby, it is
clear the Chiefs are now, you know, the team to
beat through two weeks, things might change and shuffle around,
but they've laid a real statement, where As I think
you look at the rested ladder and obviously there are
three teams still to get a win, but it feels
like a lot of that might shuffle around because there
are teams that can beat each other at the moment.
You know, a lot of these results are unpredictable. We'll
(21:29):
get to some tipping after our breaking in a moment
or two. But it feels like the Super Rugby competition
is really unpredictable at the moment.
Speaker 2 (21:36):
It certainly as yeah, and I think has alluded to before.
Since the rebels have moved away no more, we're now
in a position where the Australian teams, you know, the
talent pool is and it's spread as wide it's now
they're much more competitive. The drawer is still offer plenty.
You know, the Highlanders with the lift that Jamie Joseph
(21:56):
has provided, they're now you know, can beat a Blues team.
For them, it's just about consistency. So it's a tip
as nightmare this competition. But that's what it's all about,
I know listening to you guys over the last year.
So we want jeopardy in this competition. We don't want
a situation where we can sit here and go it's
going to be Blues Chiefs come June and we'll see
who makes up the rest or previously the Crusaders. It's
(22:18):
the Crusaders to lose. So I think Super Rugby as
a whole is actually in a really good spot. And
I think more broadly speaking, you think, particularly given what
probably their biggest competitor being the NRL starting this week,
it couldn't have been a better start this first fortnight
while the NRL is waiting to fire up.
Speaker 5 (22:36):
That's right.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
It will be interesting once we get a few more
Aussie New Zealand games. We've seen a lot of derbies,
I think four in the first couple of weeks of
the competition. It'll be interesting to see how things shakedown
after that. But you're right, there's been quality that the
first couple of weeks and I think the best start
to Super Rugby in years. One thing I did want
to touch on Nick before we take a quick break
was this rule. On Saturday night Solou and Ethan de
(22:59):
group both of the Park Daniel and it Brown gets
red carded and we go to Golden Oldie scrums and
we were messaging on Saturday night around It's one of
those things that we don't see too often in rugby,
but the Highlanders had to drop a player basically because
they were the ones that triggered the Golden Oldies scrums,
so it got them a bit of a mess, and
then they managed to come out on the other side
(23:20):
and win it, which is remarkable but one of those
old rugby rules that only come out once in a
blue moon and had everyone scratching their heads.
Speaker 2 (23:28):
Yeah. I got into a good old little back and
forth on Twitter x whatever you call it these days
with Ryan Nixon. Shout out to Ryan who does some
great work there at the North Arbor Rugby Union around
educating referees and educating me. As it turns out, so
that law you know he was explaining to me is
basically put in place so you can't manipulate being overpowered
at scrum times sort of feigning injuries. Front rowers go
(23:50):
off and then there's no punishment for them going to
a Golden Oldies and the team that's been dominant aren't
all of a sudden no longer having that advantage. What
I'd like to see though, is I think common sense
needs to prevail, as you mentioned, so they had their
tight head come off with the failed HIA that's completely
out of their control and Ethan dig By all means
was buggered with some sort of leg injury. So yes,
(24:13):
Lennard Brown is the one that he's a front rower
too and he's committed that red card defense. But it
should be fifteen on fourteen in my view anyway, It
shouldn't be then fifteen on thirteen. As it turns out,
it's all in material and it makes the Highlanders went
even more impressive. However, I think that's just one of
those little oddities where you just tied it up, get
(24:34):
a bit of twink out at a line and we
don't have some sort of fascal situation like we did
on Saturday.
Speaker 4 (24:38):
Well, the thing is, I completely agree because one of
the arguments in this, the whole twenty minute red card,
the augment against is a players will we target players
will target a quality player from the opposition because it's
only a twenty minute deterrent. You still be off the
park for twenty minutes, or someone will off the park
for twenty minutes, but they're able to replace them. But
I don't buy that for a second. So on the
reverse of that, if you're taking off a player when
(25:00):
you have lost players through injury, and also yellow card.
I think you don't quite get the balance of that.
If you're doing it on one side for a discipline
reactually on the other you've got to balance it out
that way.
Speaker 2 (25:10):
Absolutely, and just on that too the Blues. It's talking
about that game management. They didn't recognize that if they
just went for scrums, albeit golden oldies scrums, they would
have had a two man numerical advantage in the back line.
Yet they went to the line out. Yeah, head scratching,
to say the least, very head scratching.
Speaker 4 (25:30):
And clearly, well, you know, the players on the part
should be smarter, but I'm not sure how there wasn't
a message they didn't get down ground level as a
result of that. Will take a break here on Rugby Direct.
Come back on the second half of the podcast after this.
Speaker 3 (25:40):
This is Rugby Direct, a podcast for real rugby fares,
power babies talk.
Speaker 4 (25:53):
You're back with Rugby Direct powered by Habit Health. Time
now for our final four. Let's change tax slightly. The
sevens still ongoing as we record this in Vancouver, but
over the weekends Mikayla Break became the all time leading
tri scorer on the women's seven circuit the question I
have for you, Nick, is she underappreciated.
Speaker 2 (26:13):
I'm gonna say yes, And that seems crazy to say,
but I think it's by virtue of the Black Ferns
being you know, Laiden with stars Black Fern and sevens
as and the Black Ferns. But you know, for so
long it's been what's Porscha Woodman Wickcliffe doing, or Sarah
Herony or Stacy Woker and michaela Blinde. Mikayla Brake is
(26:35):
you know, on the end of so much fantastic work.
But in her own right, she is an absolute superstar.
And you know, to be now clear of Porsche is
phenomenal and look personally, someone who loves both codes pretty
excited that she's going to chance rumon an NRLW as well,
which it's only twenty nine years old, Elliott, and I
feel like, I know you've seen a lot of the
(26:55):
SEVENS program, so you'll be able to probably put it
in better words than me, But she's she's got so
much still to offer to this program. And you see sometimes,
particularly in the men's game, sort of that twenty seven
year year age where it feels like, oh the pace
sort of of the players start losing a bit of
pace out wide, but if anything like, she's just got
speed to burn and she's such an asset to New Zealand.
So yeah, I think she is a bit unappreciated.
Speaker 5 (27:16):
Yeah, I've got to agree.
Speaker 4 (27:17):
She is phenomenal and just one of those underpreciated players
that just keeps delivering.
Speaker 5 (27:22):
You know, five tries and one half against Island on
the weekend.
Speaker 4 (27:26):
She had to get three in the game to take
the record out right where she had two in the
space about three minutes, bags another one and then grabs
a couple more before halftime. And what I really like
about her as well, she's adding extra elements to a game.
You mentioned, you know, she's twenty nine years of age,
probably got one more Olympic cycle in her which is
the current one after her stint with NRRAL later in
the year. But she's adding strings to a game. She's
(27:47):
now doing a little bit of goalkicking as well, and
it wouldn't surprise me maybe just to see it move
into the middle at some point over the next couple
of years, because there are going to be players that can,
you know, perhaps overtake it. With that pace out wide,
she still have absolute pace in the middle of the part.
But she may just perhaps after she come back from sevens,
just look to adapt to a game a little bit
(28:08):
further and maybe moving to the middle. It's going to
be fascinating to see how she comes back after that
stint with sevens. Sorry with with the nral W a
bit later on the year, quick word as well. The
men's sevens losing to Spain in the quarter finals, there
are some real issues. I know we're in the early
stages of an Olympic cycle neck but not liking the
(28:30):
way that the men's team is playing at the moment.
Speaker 2 (28:33):
It doesn't read well does it to lose to Spain
in any form, any format of rugby for a New
Zealand representative team. And look, I know, as you alluded
to their new Olympic cycle, relatively new coach and Tamasia summer,
but I think yeah, a real sort of stern look
is required into that men's set up, and maybe some
(28:56):
pretty significant change is required given how much we prioritize
other Olympic events.
Speaker 4 (29:00):
Yeah, that's right, top number two in the final four.
How's your your fantasy team going two weeks? And who
your best buy has been? Because I had battle of
a weekend. How did your team go?
Speaker 2 (29:10):
Well? Look, the Bewley's Battlers were flying in the inns
in me League. In round one I had the lead
over Foxton Fizz, which I'm i'm led to believe is
Liam Napier, the co host of Rugby Direct, usually by
just a solitary points, but yet similar I got too
cute with unlimited transfers that I tried to pack my
(29:30):
team full of what I thought was ideal matchups and
went with Hunter, Paisami and Leniki Tail for example in
the Reds and the Brumbies, and they scored about ten
points combined, so not as good. But look, I think
it's been a great addition. Certainly around the workplace here
in christ Church is a bit of chatter, but what
a cooler chat about who's in your fantasy team and
what not? Cam Royguard, I'm glad I stuck with him.
(29:52):
There's a fair amount of excitement to get Kyle Preston
in the mix after his hat trick in round one.
But roy Guard served me well with those two triss
and a tryver's own at the weekend and points of
roy Guard not too bad, not too bad, so McKinsey's
the second top score He's been my captain throughout the
season so far. But I'm going to put you on
the spot here. Do you know who the top scorer
(30:14):
is through two weeks.
Speaker 5 (30:17):
No, I'm going to guess and say it is Will Jordan.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
No. It is an outside back and he plays Form
ONEA PACIFICA and his name is Kliroen Tomoy full out
and he's only about four million, I think, so he's
almost I must have at this point in time. The
budget for your team is a one hundred million, So yeah,
get Kien and I think he's four tries in two games,
and yeah, he's some talent. Certainly, the points are skewed
(30:46):
towards the back three, so that's where you're really going
to load up, I think week to week and make
sure you get that right.
Speaker 4 (30:51):
You're not getting much out of locks. It doesn't seem
like a game made fantasy. It doesn't seem like game
made for locks. On the basis of what I've seen,
I think I've got eighteen from Holland and nine from
three be law to on the weekend.
Speaker 2 (31:00):
Colin Grace, somewhat strangely, is a lock in fantasy so
maybe that's one you need to exploit their smith.
Speaker 4 (31:07):
I'll look at that for the weekend. I think number
three we touched on this a bit earlier. But what
is going wrong at the Blues?
Speaker 2 (31:13):
For me?
Speaker 4 (31:14):
I think the missing Kida Yanni big time in that
pack both sides of the ball. He was electric last
year in Super Rugby. I don't know that the Blues
anticipated missing him as much as they have in the
opening rounds. Sam Dowry is a big loss for them,
but I also think their back line is looking really
clunky at the moment. I don't know that I'd be
(31:36):
sticking with Harry Plumber and Boden Barrett in that ten
to fifteen combination. I think you need to get Boden
involved in the game a little bit more. Maybe Plumber
moves back to twelve. Obviously, Petafetta is injured so to
Sullivan at the moment, but I don't know that they've
got the makeup of that run on side exactly right
at the moment, and they're missing a bit of tenaciousness
in that four pack. What are you seeing is going
(31:57):
wrong at the Blues at the moment?
Speaker 2 (31:58):
Nick, Yeah, I was going to ask you as if
you look the Blues call around that ten to fifteen
combination and we are seeing you know, the ten to
fifteen dual playmaker has been around for a number of
years now, but it just doesn't feel like the balance
is right in terms of the orchestrator of this attack.
And yeah, I do under two. Obviously, Harry Plumber's got
(32:18):
a lot of money in the bank from last year,
and you're not going to leave someone like Bowden Barrett out.
But yeah, when guys come back to they look at
Plumber at twelve, Barrett ten, Parafeta fifteen, something like that.
It's just sort of feels too many chefs in the kitchen.
And I touched on it earlier too, just around the kicking.
I just think, especially in these early rounds from what
(32:41):
we've seen from everyone else, they probably just need to
put the boot away a bit. Those two Boden Barrett
kicks straight down thin Hurley's throat led to tries and
in an eight point games, just some aimless kicking and
little decision making there can be the difference between a
win and a loss.
Speaker 4 (33:00):
Agreed, and the midfield's not quite clicking for me either.
I do rate aj Lamb as a player. I think
he's excellent. I think was quite close to getting an
All Blacks all up in the back end of last
year as well, was doing some training with them, and
I think twelve is his position. Bryce team out injured
for the season and what might be maybe his last.
But Lamb and Yanni aren't clicking at the moment, and
(33:22):
that in turn is affecting the kind of ball that
Caleb Clark and Mark Talia are getting on the edges
of the games. You know, Mark to Lea, I think
ran for about fifteen meters on the weekend, which is
not going to get it done. Clark for forty, which
is also not going to get it out.
Speaker 2 (33:37):
I think that was one breakout.
Speaker 4 (33:38):
And so when you're not getting it out to these
dangerous players, you've got to look in midfield and go
what's going wrong there? But just as a whole from
nine to fifteen, it doesn't feel like any part of
that back line is clicking at the moment.
Speaker 2 (33:49):
It's early. I wouldn't panic and wrap up your Super
Apia Winners tickets on the Blues just yet, but it
brings me to a point around Rico Joanni and can
you hear your thoughts just quickly too on this one,
like that, this is a guy who's just had a remarkable,
fantastic career both in Blue and black, but he does
have his detractors, particularly around his distribution, Like is he
(34:09):
under pressure at the moment?
Speaker 4 (34:10):
Well, I think he's got to be under pressure because
we've seen the kind of players that are standing up
across the state of the competition at the moment in
the midfield, not only at center, but also second five,
you know, to more of the tava tava nahwe He's
made twelve his own over a two week period. Why
couldn't he make thirteen his own in an all Blacks jersey.
You know, if he's going to take to twelve like
(34:33):
a duck to water, who's to say that he couldn't
also move out one and do the same thing there.
I think, you know, we've seen Quinta Pie come back
really really well across the back line as well. Twelve
and thirteen. Leonet Brown I think has had an excellent
start to Super Rugby. I thought he was superb against
the Crusaders on the weekend. So if you're Rico Jouani,
I think you do have to come in for a
(34:53):
little bit of pressure, a little bit of criticism over
the way that the opening two weeks have gone, and
there is a level that needs to be met by
all Blacks players, and I don't think he's quite hit
that as ye in this competition.
Speaker 2 (35:05):
Yeah, like he's not alone in that Blues team in
terms of all Blacks who haven't five from the opening round.
But yeah, look, i'd back him to bounce back. But
it just as it's been an interesting observation to me
that it just hasn't. Certainly I'll cross that back line.
It isn't firing.
Speaker 5 (35:19):
Topic number four in the final four.
Speaker 4 (35:21):
We'll have a chat with Kendrick Coxage Black fans legend
on the program on the podcast in a few moments time.
But who wins Super Rugby or Picky? Which gets underway
this weekend?
Speaker 2 (35:31):
Nick, Look, I think the balance of power still lies
in and around the Bombay Hills. Elliott I saw the
Blues racked up there on a cricket score against Chief
Munuah in a preseason game, and yes it is preseason,
but just look at the strength and depth again in
those squads. It is a sprint Super Rugby, Opicky, But
(35:52):
the Blues we mentioned Porsha Woodman Wickcliffe. But that's a
pretty handy addition for them, isn't it. And look my
Mata two down here, a couple of good INDs getting
Hannah King back, really looking forward to seeing what she
can do after a really solid year under her about
getting an opportunity up there at Hurrick Poler. The Bremner
sisters reunite, so they've they've got some talent too. But
(36:14):
but I just get the sense that it's Blues Chiefs manna,
if you will, And and it'll take some beating for
for the for the Polar or Matitu to come through
over the top of one of those two.
Speaker 4 (36:26):
Look on the basis of what I've seen in preseason,
and that is a little bit here and there, I think,
I think you're right. You know, the Chiefs are blowing
out on the weekend, but there will be better as
they get back into competition. There's a lot of new
faces in the new combinations in the mix. The Blues, though,
I think of the team to beat. You know, when
you can add pullshit Wooden Wickliffe into your team, you know,
(36:48):
it's a it's a hell of an inn to have
to an already championship winning team. But as we've seen
from the Blues Men, you know, sometimes things can go
off track when you're coming into the Fenia title.
Speaker 2 (36:59):
Yeah, titles aren't one with pre season predictions. You've got
a front. Games aren't played on paper, as I hear
tracked out every now and then Smithy's So we shall
wait and see, but very much looking forward to it
a lot like the fact that from another two perspective anyway,
you know they're gun to Nelson, which is great. There's
a doubleheader here next week in chross Church as well,
so getting around the Matto and yeah, like it's been
(37:22):
a fantastic addition. It's sort of going from strength to
strengths and now we have the situation where the winner
will play the Australian winner in a standalone final, so
it's treading in the right direction.
Speaker 4 (37:34):
Well, probably a good opportunity on the back of talking
about Super Rugby or Picky to bring in a Black
Funds legend to rugby direct Kendrick cox Age joining us
on the podcast. Kendre, I think so much for your time.
I'm always an exciting part of the season when Super
Rugby or Picky is around the corner.
Speaker 6 (37:50):
Yeah, it's very exciting. I'm looking forward to clicking off
this weekend. I think it's been a World Cup year
and the players that the coming through, it's going to
be an absolute rapper of a season.
Speaker 4 (38:01):
How much does that World Cup Carrott, you know, being
dangled in front of both current Black Funds players they
haven't played for the Black fans before, just increase the
intensity of what we might see over the coming weeks.
Speaker 2 (38:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 6 (38:15):
I think the overall competition obviously is messive with the
World Cup year, but I think for the players they'll
be heavily focused on their job with their super side,
but also knowing that there's a big selection piece in
a World Cup at the end of it. You know,
everyone goes into a World Cup and pre season training
(38:35):
is another level.
Speaker 4 (38:36):
There's been a bit of movement, as there always is
in the off season. What's your read on I suppose
the off season transfers and maybe who's benefited the most
out of some of those changes.
Speaker 6 (38:47):
Yeah, I mean there's always a few a few changes
and people are looking for some game time and whatnot,
and being a World Cup year, you want to you know,
you've got to play to be seen so well, I think,
you know, there's there's there's a great players across the
whole board. I think a month or two have done
well with like a highly rade mety kind of player
to watch and pull her from obviously the Hurricanes region,
(39:11):
and then the likes of Atlanta Lola here who's decided
to move north to the Blues for some game time
as well. So there's been there's been a few that
have kind of mixed across it. But in terms of
players to watch, I think across like the Chiefs would
be probably they the prop she's awesome player, Braxton Star
(39:33):
and some McGhee young player with the Blues, very talented,
obviously plays a bit of sevens too, and she's a
young girl coming through. And then I'd say the Canes
players Elanor plump King, she always you know, she she's
she's a quality player on the on the flanks. And
then Matter two would be a Holy Holly Ray Metti
I think would probably be the players. She's probably the
(39:53):
player to watch for for MATERA two.
Speaker 4 (39:55):
Yeah, those are some players. Keeping on Ellen Or plump
King was superb last year in the f PC. She
had a breakout season, absolutely dominated in that competition, you
know for the Blues, you know there are championship team
is that he didn't so twenty twenty five obviously target
on the back is championship teams always have, and then
they go out and ad some talent like Porsche woodmen Wickliff,
(40:17):
which isn't a bad player to put on the books
when you've already won a title.
Speaker 6 (40:20):
Yeah, exactly, and you know what Porch is going to bring,
you know, like any team, you know obviously with the
first asat team sport, but if you've got Porscha Wood
will workloff on your team, you know you're probably going
to go pretty well. So on paper, I think the
Blues probably have the best side in terms of depth
across positions as well as across the whole one to well,
(40:41):
probably one thirty players, I've got to be honest. So
on paper they definitely that probably the best side.
Speaker 5 (40:47):
It's going to be fascinating.
Speaker 4 (40:48):
And then there's the additional trans Tasmin Final which will
be at the end of the competition, which is just
adds a little bit extra. Hopefully in the future there's
a combined competition of some sort, but to have that
is I think a great initiative. That must be something
you're looking forward to as well.
Speaker 6 (41:03):
Yeah, I think that's exciting and you know, anything that
kind of adds a bit a bit more meaningful competition
the you know, with the Aussies and hopefully in the
future the Opeki becomes extended. And you know the reason
kind of reason for having a crossover game. I can
see how the teams kind of go against each other
and then look to explore what it could look like
in the future and if there's potential there the combined
(41:25):
with Australia.
Speaker 4 (41:26):
And you can hear a lot of the super rugby
or picky action on gold Sport and iHeartRadio from this
weekends before we go on Rugby, Dirigulet's get into our tipping.
Now you are going to take hold of Liam's steps
for the week which is a lot of pressure. Five
out of ten we've picked so far in the competition,
both of us, Liam picked the Chiefs to beat the
Crusaders over the course of the weekend, and we both
(41:48):
picked the Reds and Hurricanes to get the job done.
Speaker 5 (41:50):
And we both picked the Blues and brum Bees to
get the job done. Who didn't.
Speaker 4 (41:54):
So after two weeks, five of ten matches for both
of us, So a bit of pressure for you Nick
this week taking on Liam's tipping. You know he'll be
listening and next time in christ which you know he
may have something out for you if you don't get
things right here. But let's see how we get on
Maana pacificat against the Highlanders Friday nights at North Harbor
Stadium to get round three underway.
Speaker 5 (42:15):
What do you reckon?
Speaker 2 (42:16):
I think I'll take the points over for that one.
But this is a tip in competition where we're picking
who's going to win. So look, I think on the
balance of what we've seen, particularly at the weekend, that
the Highlanders should be too good. But it has been
a bit of a story for them in terms of
backing up after a big win, not taking the foot off.
So I will put my faith though, and the Highlander
(42:37):
is beating Mowana on the road, I.
Speaker 4 (42:38):
Tend to agree, although yeah Mowan have been scoring points.
If they can tighten up that defense, I think it
could be a cracking game. But you can't go past
the Highlanders. Wartars drew a nine thirty five Saturday Sorry
Friday Nights in Sydney. You know the drawer probably got
a bit of confidence out of that loss to the
Hurricanes on the weekend, but again, they don't travel particularly well.
(43:00):
Do the Wartars fresh off the by beat the drawer?
Speaker 2 (43:03):
I think they do. Yeah, the post Boys Super Rugby
Joseph Saul is going to take the Waratars to two
and o. As you mentioned the drawer. Yeah, no, wait
until they're back in Fiji before I tip the drawer.
Speaker 4 (43:14):
I'm with you, Chiefs Brumbies, Chiefs go three and O.
What do the Brumbies come back and spoil things?
Speaker 2 (43:21):
The fun in Hamilton four thirty five kickoff as well,
looking forward to to this one and getting a real
good assessment where the Brumbies are at after Yeah, losing
to the Force, but the Chiefs Chiefs for me Hamilton, Yeah,
I need I need to throw something in the in
the works. Yeah maybe maybe this game.
Speaker 4 (43:40):
Well, Hurricanes Blues Saturday night, Sky Stadium, which way you're leaning?
Speaker 2 (43:44):
Look, I know that Liam Napier is from the region,
so it might be blastphe me if I was to
go Blues. So I'm going to I'm going to go
the Canes. I think I thought the Blues were going
to bounce back at the weekend and they didn't. And
I think there's a bit more than just a couple
of band aids to be put over this team to
get to some quick fixes. So I think the Hurricanes
(44:05):
are going to beat the Blues.
Speaker 5 (44:06):
I'm going to go the Blues. So there we are.
We are different on that front. The Blues surely can't
go oh and three in their title defense. You wouldn't
have thought. Surely, not all the Crusaders did last year.
Speaker 4 (44:16):
I was gonna say, and there is President, there is President,
and final game of the Round fours v Reds Saturday
night in Perth.
Speaker 5 (44:26):
This is a really interesting one. I'm going to go
the Force.
Speaker 2 (44:29):
What so you ll, let's go completely different on these
last two games, just really juice things up and it
could be still even by the end of it. But yeah,
I'll go the Reds. But yeah, I think it could
be another one of these eighty point games where it'll
just be whoever's in front of the final whistle.
Speaker 4 (44:48):
Indeed, we'll mark that down and we'll see how we
get on next Monday on Rugby Direct. Finally, Rugby Direct
Metal voting three to two ones the best three players
over the course of the weekend from New Zealand based franchises, Nick,
if you got some three two ones to dishout.
Speaker 2 (45:03):
For us three two ones? Okay, I forgot this in
my notes actually, but I'll just go righttle off the
top of my head. I think Tavatavahi, his influence can't
be understated, and had to have to be my player
of the round. I almost want to get Finn Hurley
in there as well, so maybe we'll give three to Tavatavanai,
one to Finn Hurley and two to Simon Parker at
(45:26):
the Chiefs thoy were my standouts from the weekend.
Speaker 4 (45:29):
I'm going three tomorrow at Tavatavannahwai as well, two to
Quinn to payer for me, you came off the benuel
were I played seventy minutes, but I thought he was
just superb over the course of the weekend, and giving
one to Damian McKenzie as well, who I think is
just in some sublime form over the first couple of
weeks of the competition and is playing some great rugby
(45:49):
and you know, directing the Chiefs around the park really
really well, whether it be from fifteen or from tennis.
Slotting in there later on in games. I think he's
playing some excellent rugby.
Speaker 2 (45:58):
Nick.
Speaker 5 (45:58):
Has been a pleasure having you on Rugby Direct.
Speaker 4 (46:00):
Thank you so much for your time, and I'm sure
we'll get back on over the course of the season
as well.
Speaker 2 (46:05):
Cheers Elliott. Always a pleasure, and yeah forward to going
back to my listening as opposed to hosting. As much
as it has been nice to be here with you
this afternoon.
Speaker 4 (46:16):
It has been right be Direct, powered by Habit Health,
tackling all your aches and pains from sport and work.
We're back next week with or another edition in our podcast.
Thanks very much to Last and Bars English for pulling
this all together. We'll see you next time.
Speaker 1 (46:30):
For more from News talkst B, listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio.
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