February 27, 2025 • 9 mins
The Hurricanes take on the Blues in the first Super Rugby game of the season at Sky Stadium. Will the Canes bounce back from a somewhat mediocre performance last weekend?
Also, its the party of the year as the Warriors open their NRL season against the Raiders in Las Vegas on Sunday - what can we expect?
Newstalk ZB Weekend Sport host Jason Pine and All Sport Breakfast host Adam Cooper joined Nick Mills for the Friday Sport Kickoff.
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talk, said B get a U said, for
your sporting weekend, it's the Wellington Mornings Friday Sport Kickoff
on news Talks. Ed B.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Joining us for Friday sports kickoff as news Talk said
B Weekend sports hosts Jason Pine and All Sports Breakfast
hosts Adam Cooper Coops, good morning morning. We're just waiting
for Piney to come in. He's just finishing off doing.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
He's just sitting mobs by fans.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
And he is.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
People have got round him and asking what he's got
on the show tomorrow, but we'll be able to tell you.
Let's start Coops with the Hurricanes. Now, I didn't reckon
that the Hurricanes performance was that great against Fiji on
the weekend.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
I kind of I thought they were lucky.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
Yeah, I think that's fair.
Speaker 5 (01:10):
They certainly were not playing to the standard they'd hoped
or wanted to. I think in patches they were much
like the previous week against the Crusaders. There's certainly been
good twenty minute performances from the Hurricanes. There's been good
forty minute performances, and I thought if you take out
maybe the forty minutes of the middle of that game
against the Drawer and Napier, then if you can replicate
that for a full eighty. The Hurricanes, you know, can
(01:30):
be very threatening in this competition. So you know, they
did survive a bit of a scare from the Fijian drewer.
They relied on I think the young first five Harry
Godfrey for a bit of personal magic that you know,
helps set up a few good moments, but particularly that
sort of match ending try that won them the game.
So yeah, huge task for this Cane side against the
Blues tomorrow night though at Sky Stadium. Yes, the Blues
(01:52):
haven't had to see the start they would have wanted.
But you know, there's been some real doozies between the
Hurricanes and Blues in recent years. Both teams just have,
you know, some cracking lineups, the ability to set up
play really just prod space and score some great tries.
So I think it's gonna be a really tough game
for the Hurricanes and the Blues. They'll be ready, sort
(02:13):
of coming down ready with a task at the bottom.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Of the table two out of two losses. Jason Bid,
tell me what's going wrong with the Blues.
Speaker 6 (02:20):
I know, it's an interesting, interesting little conundrum that vern
Kotta faces because last year we know they built a
championship winning side on being you know, being pretty direct,
pretty grunty up front, doing the basics first. If the
first two rounds of Super Rugby this year have shown
us anything it's that the expansive game is what is
getting results. I mean, we're getting all sorts of tries.
(02:42):
Nobody seems to be defending that hard. But in amongst
the law, yeah, the Blues have had have had two defeats,
including a rare defeat against the Highlanders, who I actually
think were very impressive last week, particularly when they were
outnumbered near the end of that game. So look, Keats
is right, the Blues will come here tomorrow. I mean,
if you're defending champions and you're oh and two, oh
and three has not even heard of, it's just not acceptable.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Is it?
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Not?
Speaker 3 (03:05):
For playing through champion?
Speaker 4 (03:06):
No?
Speaker 6 (03:07):
No, I mean, but then having said that, look at
the Crusaders last year. I'm not saying the Blues are
going to fall off the kind of cliff that the
Crusaders did. They've got far too much quality for that.
But I think this is a really intriguing contest. So
just checked the TA b Odds and and the Blues
are favorites. But I think the Hurricanes are a really
good shout tomorrow night.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
I do too, Yeah, I do too. But I think
I think either team that loses that. I know Coops
is going to kick me from under the table because
I've said it earlier this morning and he just said
it's too early to say that. But I think it's
a big, big loss for the team that loses this
weekend because, you know, because the Hurricanes haven't been playing
that well, and it will be to one and two,
(03:43):
won't they.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
Remember, you got to be top six this year as well.
Speaker 6 (03:46):
I know there's only eleven teams, but you know last
year top eight, you could you could get them with
five wins out of fourteen or whatever it was a
top six.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
Not so much you would.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
I mean it's momentum too, Yeah, it is.
Speaker 6 (03:56):
Look neither team wants to lose. I don't think that's
that's no great you know, that's not brain surgery stuff there.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
But I just think it's going to be a cracking game.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Can I say that?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
I have been so impressed with Duple Secret if he's
Captaincy so impressed with him. The after game speech when
they lost to the Crusader has had me in tears.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
You know, he is.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Such a quality man, person, player, you know, and the
speech he gave, I don't know whether you saw it afterwards,
just got his you know, they just got beaten and
he was such, you know, such an inspirational leader.
Speaker 5 (04:29):
Yep, and say they when they had the tight one
over the drawer last week in Napier thanking. The Napier
fans are coming out now. He's very impressive. I mean,
led that Wellington line's side so well and now having
this regular opportunity to skip of the Hurricanes as one
of their four co captains, only two of whom are
actually playing at the moment are not injured. It's he
stepped up again and you just look at you know,
(04:50):
just him. If anyone's going to the game tomorrow, have
a look at him with your own eyes. Follow him
around the park, even if you don't have the ball,
and you'll just see how hard he works, the colligience
he puts himself into it.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
It's very impressive.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Unbelievable, unbelievable rate piny All Black in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
I really hope, so, I really hope.
Speaker 6 (05:07):
So.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
I know there's been a bit of interest in league
in him, you know, big, big money bit of interest
in the sideline.
Speaker 6 (05:12):
He could earn three times as much money playing rugby
in Japan. He wants to be in All Black. Sam
Caine has gone. Now I'm not entirely convinced by Dalton Papale.
I know there are other candidates. Duplas Codify would be
a very good All Black.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
I agree with you, one hundred percent, absolutely agree. Now, Piney,
I want to come to you for your area of expertise.
Great great intro to that big game last week too.
I thought it was an outstanding intro for SKY. I
got home early because I thought the game talk back
host in Wellington thought the game started at four o'clock,
not five o'clock. So I was home early from doing
all my chores.
Speaker 4 (05:46):
It's got stuff.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
By cup of tea and I got my bag of
crisps and I sat in front of my TV and
Partey walks out looking like missed the world and giving
us this big build up to the game.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Unbelievable. But your team or our team let us down.
Speaker 6 (06:02):
Yeah, they got well beaten didn't they I've beaten six one,
one of the worst losses in club history. Ends has
caused major angst amongst the fan base in particulars Oh yeah, absolutely.
I mean, no one wants your team to You don't
want your team to lose six to one, particularly to
your fierce's rival. So I've only just arrived, let's be honest.
(06:22):
So yeah, I think the fact that it was to
Auckland was the was the thing that caused the most
wailing and gnashing of teeth. But yeah, there back in
action tonight in Melbourne City. The measure of any good
team is the way they bounce back. Unfortunately for the Phoenix,
they've they've started along the season. They are running out
of time, running out of games. They're nine points off
the top six. It's not a must win game because
there's still the points there, but it would.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Be a must win game.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
It would be a very, very ending if they were.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
It's a muzzward game. Go on, go on, like.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
You know what I've got to say though, and I
say this with emotion, right, real emotion. I have never
ever seen a crowd like what I saw in Auckland
to watching and supporting. Apart from the All Blacks and
the All Whites against Bahrain or that ever in my entirety.
Maybe back in the sixties when the Rampfully Shield was
(07:16):
on the line and it was Canterbury versus Aubland, the
crowd was singing, they were yelling at look, magnificent coops.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
Have you ever seen anything like it?
Speaker 4 (07:23):
Not on TV? No, absolutely not, No, it looks not
in New Zealand.
Speaker 5 (07:27):
Actually no, it just looks absolutely it looks like you know,
we've seen that at the Sevens, we've seen that at
other events. But for a crowd to pack in for
two hours of a sport, in this case football, to
chair to make as much noise as they can, just
be so in behind their team, it's really impressive to watch.
And it is hard watching that as a Wellingtonian, you know,
(07:49):
knowing that you know, we've had the Phoenix for such
a long time now, knowing that they'd have a great
support base, but seeing this new team come in just
really make a statement, capture twenty five thousand plus fans
each and every week. It's been magical and Piney's been
up there and it sounds amazing.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Incredible, Is it incredible?
Speaker 3 (08:05):
Is it a good life?
Speaker 6 (08:06):
I thought i'd see the day that two New Zealand
football clubs would play in front of a crowd like that.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Yeah, okay, really quickly. I'll come to you both really
quickly because I've got it. We've got to go. Warriors
start the NRL season with him.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
I mean, showbahs, showbas showbus in Las Vegas are incredible
that they're even playing there against the Raiders.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Binding, what's your gut? What are you hearing?
Speaker 6 (08:25):
Well, I'm hearing it's an amazing time for fans. If
I'm in the Warriors coaching staff, I'm worried about keeping
my players focused. They let them off the leash in
the first night. If they have a win against the Raiders,
I'll probably have a have a night out in the
casino afterwards and come home. But for the fans, amazing
that the flight in New Zealand put on looked amazing.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Yeah, now, Coops, you've been to a lot of these events.
You're a very well traveled young man. You've seen sporting
events in all stadiums around the world. What do you
think that they're going to see out of Vegas.
Speaker 5 (08:50):
Oh, they're just just the magic and everything sort of
triples that you see in Vegas compared to anywhere else.
You know, America is maximized anyway, but then when you
get to Vegas and that, the light shows, the fireworks,
just everything about it, I think will be truly special
for everyone. They're an amazing stadium, they're going to be
playing it as well, so very jealous of everyone that's there.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
We're not even talking about whether they're going to win
or not.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
Yes or no.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Yes, yeah, we're going to win both. Okay, thank you both,
Jason Pine and Adam Cooper.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, Listen live
to news talks It'd Be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talk, said B get a U said, for
your sporting weekend, it's the Wellington Mornings Friday Sport Kickoff
on news Talks. Ed B.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
Joining us for Friday sports kickoff as news Talk said
B Weekend sports hosts Jason Pine and All Sports Breakfast
hosts Adam Cooper Coops, good morning morning. We're just waiting
for Piney to come in. He's just finishing off doing.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
He's just sitting mobs by fans.
Speaker 1 (00:49):
And he is.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
People have got round him and asking what he's got
on the show tomorrow, but we'll be able to tell you.
Let's start Coops with the Hurricanes. Now, I didn't reckon
that the Hurricanes performance was that great against Fiji on
the weekend.
Speaker 3 (01:04):
I kind of I thought they were lucky.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
Yeah, I think that's fair.
Speaker 5 (01:10):
They certainly were not playing to the standard they'd hoped
or wanted to. I think in patches they were much
like the previous week against the Crusaders. There's certainly been
good twenty minute performances from the Hurricanes. There's been good
forty minute performances, and I thought if you take out
maybe the forty minutes of the middle of that game
against the Drawer and Napier, then if you can replicate
that for a full eighty. The Hurricanes, you know, can
(01:30):
be very threatening in this competition. So you know, they
did survive a bit of a scare from the Fijian drewer.
They relied on I think the young first five Harry
Godfrey for a bit of personal magic that you know,
helps set up a few good moments, but particularly that
sort of match ending try that won them the game.
So yeah, huge task for this Cane side against the
Blues tomorrow night though at Sky Stadium. Yes, the Blues
(01:52):
haven't had to see the start they would have wanted.
But you know, there's been some real doozies between the
Hurricanes and Blues in recent years. Both teams just have,
you know, some cracking lineups, the ability to set up
play really just prod space and score some great tries.
So I think it's gonna be a really tough game
for the Hurricanes and the Blues. They'll be ready, sort
(02:13):
of coming down ready with a task at the bottom.
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Of the table two out of two losses. Jason Bid,
tell me what's going wrong with the Blues.
Speaker 6 (02:20):
I know, it's an interesting, interesting little conundrum that vern
Kotta faces because last year we know they built a
championship winning side on being you know, being pretty direct,
pretty grunty up front, doing the basics first. If the
first two rounds of Super Rugby this year have shown
us anything it's that the expansive game is what is
getting results. I mean, we're getting all sorts of tries.
(02:42):
Nobody seems to be defending that hard. But in amongst
the law, yeah, the Blues have had have had two defeats,
including a rare defeat against the Highlanders, who I actually
think were very impressive last week, particularly when they were
outnumbered near the end of that game. So look, Keats
is right, the Blues will come here tomorrow. I mean,
if you're defending champions and you're oh and two, oh
and three has not even heard of, it's just not acceptable.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Is it?
Speaker 2 (03:04):
Not?
Speaker 3 (03:05):
For playing through champion?
Speaker 4 (03:06):
No?
Speaker 6 (03:07):
No, I mean, but then having said that, look at
the Crusaders last year. I'm not saying the Blues are
going to fall off the kind of cliff that the
Crusaders did. They've got far too much quality for that.
But I think this is a really intriguing contest. So
just checked the TA b Odds and and the Blues
are favorites. But I think the Hurricanes are a really
good shout tomorrow night.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
I do too, Yeah, I do too. But I think
I think either team that loses that. I know Coops
is going to kick me from under the table because
I've said it earlier this morning and he just said
it's too early to say that. But I think it's
a big, big loss for the team that loses this
weekend because, you know, because the Hurricanes haven't been playing
that well, and it will be to one and two,
(03:43):
won't they.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
Remember, you got to be top six this year as well.
Speaker 6 (03:46):
I know there's only eleven teams, but you know last
year top eight, you could you could get them with
five wins out of fourteen or whatever it was a
top six.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
Not so much you would.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
I mean it's momentum too, Yeah, it is.
Speaker 6 (03:56):
Look neither team wants to lose. I don't think that's
that's no great you know, that's not brain surgery stuff there.
Speaker 4 (04:02):
But I just think it's going to be a cracking game.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
Can I say that?
Speaker 2 (04:06):
I have been so impressed with Duple Secret if he's
Captaincy so impressed with him. The after game speech when
they lost to the Crusader has had me in tears.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
You know, he is.
Speaker 2 (04:17):
Such a quality man, person, player, you know, and the
speech he gave, I don't know whether you saw it afterwards,
just got his you know, they just got beaten and
he was such, you know, such an inspirational leader.
Speaker 5 (04:29):
Yep, and say they when they had the tight one
over the drawer last week in Napier thanking. The Napier
fans are coming out now. He's very impressive. I mean,
led that Wellington line's side so well and now having
this regular opportunity to skip of the Hurricanes as one
of their four co captains, only two of whom are
actually playing at the moment are not injured. It's he
stepped up again and you just look at you know,
(04:50):
just him. If anyone's going to the game tomorrow, have
a look at him with your own eyes. Follow him
around the park, even if you don't have the ball,
and you'll just see how hard he works, the colligience
he puts himself into it.
Speaker 4 (04:59):
It's very impressive.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Unbelievable, unbelievable rate piny All Black in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (05:05):
I really hope, so, I really hope.
Speaker 6 (05:07):
So.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
I know there's been a bit of interest in league
in him, you know, big, big money bit of interest
in the sideline.
Speaker 6 (05:12):
He could earn three times as much money playing rugby
in Japan. He wants to be in All Black. Sam
Caine has gone. Now I'm not entirely convinced by Dalton Papale.
I know there are other candidates. Duplas Codify would be
a very good All Black.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
I agree with you, one hundred percent, absolutely agree. Now, Piney,
I want to come to you for your area of expertise.
Great great intro to that big game last week too.
I thought it was an outstanding intro for SKY. I
got home early because I thought the game talk back
host in Wellington thought the game started at four o'clock,
not five o'clock. So I was home early from doing
all my chores.
Speaker 4 (05:46):
It's got stuff.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
By cup of tea and I got my bag of
crisps and I sat in front of my TV and
Partey walks out looking like missed the world and giving
us this big build up to the game.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Unbelievable. But your team or our team let us down.
Speaker 6 (06:02):
Yeah, they got well beaten didn't they I've beaten six one,
one of the worst losses in club history. Ends has
caused major angst amongst the fan base in particulars Oh yeah, absolutely.
I mean, no one wants your team to You don't
want your team to lose six to one, particularly to
your fierce's rival. So I've only just arrived, let's be honest.
(06:22):
So yeah, I think the fact that it was to
Auckland was the was the thing that caused the most
wailing and gnashing of teeth. But yeah, there back in
action tonight in Melbourne City. The measure of any good
team is the way they bounce back. Unfortunately for the Phoenix,
they've they've started along the season. They are running out
of time, running out of games. They're nine points off
the top six. It's not a must win game because
there's still the points there, but it would.
Speaker 3 (06:43):
Be a must win game.
Speaker 4 (06:44):
It would be a very, very ending if they were.
Speaker 3 (06:47):
It's a muzzward game. Go on, go on, like.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
You know what I've got to say though, and I
say this with emotion, right, real emotion. I have never
ever seen a crowd like what I saw in Auckland
to watching and supporting. Apart from the All Blacks and
the All Whites against Bahrain or that ever in my entirety.
Maybe back in the sixties when the Rampfully Shield was
(07:16):
on the line and it was Canterbury versus Aubland, the
crowd was singing, they were yelling at look, magnificent coops.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
Have you ever seen anything like it?
Speaker 4 (07:23):
Not on TV? No, absolutely not, No, it looks not
in New Zealand.
Speaker 5 (07:27):
Actually no, it just looks absolutely it looks like you know,
we've seen that at the Sevens, we've seen that at
other events. But for a crowd to pack in for
two hours of a sport, in this case football, to
chair to make as much noise as they can, just
be so in behind their team, it's really impressive to watch.
And it is hard watching that as a Wellingtonian, you know,
(07:49):
knowing that you know, we've had the Phoenix for such
a long time now, knowing that they'd have a great
support base, but seeing this new team come in just
really make a statement, capture twenty five thousand plus fans
each and every week. It's been magical and Piney's been
up there and it sounds amazing.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
Incredible, Is it incredible?
Speaker 3 (08:05):
Is it a good life?
Speaker 6 (08:06):
I thought i'd see the day that two New Zealand
football clubs would play in front of a crowd like that.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Yeah, okay, really quickly. I'll come to you both really
quickly because I've got it. We've got to go. Warriors
start the NRL season with him.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
I mean, showbahs, showbas showbus in Las Vegas are incredible
that they're even playing there against the Raiders.
Speaker 3 (08:23):
Binding, what's your gut? What are you hearing?
Speaker 6 (08:25):
Well, I'm hearing it's an amazing time for fans. If
I'm in the Warriors coaching staff, I'm worried about keeping
my players focused. They let them off the leash in
the first night. If they have a win against the Raiders,
I'll probably have a have a night out in the
casino afterwards and come home. But for the fans, amazing
that the flight in New Zealand put on looked amazing.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
Yeah, now, Coops, you've been to a lot of these events.
You're a very well traveled young man. You've seen sporting
events in all stadiums around the world. What do you
think that they're going to see out of Vegas.
Speaker 5 (08:50):
Oh, they're just just the magic and everything sort of
triples that you see in Vegas compared to anywhere else.
You know, America is maximized anyway, but then when you
get to Vegas and that, the light shows, the fireworks,
just everything about it, I think will be truly special
for everyone. They're an amazing stadium, they're going to be
playing it as well, so very jealous of everyone that's there.
Speaker 3 (09:08):
We're not even talking about whether they're going to win
or not.
Speaker 4 (09:10):
Yes or no.
Speaker 3 (09:11):
Yes, yeah, we're going to win both. Okay, thank you both,
Jason Pine and Adam Cooper.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
For more from Wellington Mornings with Nick Mills, Listen live
to news talks It'd Be Wellington from nine am weekdays,
or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
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