August 14, 2024 • 8 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
International rugby coverage on the country. Sport Breakfast is proudly
brought to you by Access Solutions, elevating you and your
business to a higher level. Catching up with Gregor Paul.
We haven't done it for a couple of weeks because
of the Olympics. Of course, New Zealand Herald contributor and
a rugby writer, Gregor.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Good morning, Good morning.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
No doubt you enjoyed the Olympic Games as well. Now
you can refocus on the ABS.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
No. I think probably the All Blacks enjoyed the timing
of the Olympic Games more than anyone else. It probably
hit the fact all these gold medals were raining in.
It probably hid the fact that they were collapsing in
Wellington's really surprising defeat to the Pumas.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Yeah, it was, it was. It was quite timely, really,
wasn't that the Games were making all the headlines and
the All Blacks and that result. It kind of became
page two.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Yeah, I don't think it'll steal on page two. No,
you know, I know that. No, the Olympics were finished,
We've got another game forty eight hours here in Eden, Clark,
A lot of scrutiny will be back on the team.
They were slightly fortunate that the nation was enjoying a
fantastic moment elsewhere at the sporting moment. So the inquiry
(01:11):
into what went wrong with Wellington has been not quite
as intense, I feel, as it might have been if
it happened at a different time of the year. And
potentially it's because it's early in Scott Robertson's coaching tenure.
There's still a little bit of leeway, a little bit
of generosity and how we're seeing things perhaps, but clearly
(01:31):
there's pressure, there's tension. There's no leeway this weekend because
if it's another defeat or another poor performance at Eden Park,
I think everyone will be wondering if personal aise is
a lot deeper perhaps than we're currently thinking it might be.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Did that result Gregor on Saturday night surprise you? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (01:52):
It did, because I think even if an all Black
team isn't at full noise or quite where it needs
to be. Argentina, look, they took their opportunity as well.
But I'm probably going to rudly say they're ranked wrongly,
but I mean, what are the eighth ninth in the
world at the moment, He's number three. I think there's
there's a gap there and there's a little bit of
(02:15):
margin for New Zealand to not be at their best
and still put them away. And they really should have.
Even though they didn't play particularly well. They they handed
Argentina far too many easy points. Really, like there were
two tries that would give the terrible all back, you know,
like comical mistakes almost yeah, And there was a bit
of little discipline towards the end, and then there were
(02:37):
just chronically poor execution from the Old Blacks at times
which continually gave the ball back to Argentina, give them
opportunity to get back into the game. And they are
a team. Good on them, they stayed in the fight,
but they are a team that like the like the
zombies and the movies, you've really you've got to find
a way to kill them and really put them out
(02:58):
of it. In New Zealand didn't do that. Every time
they got ahead, they'd open the door and let them
back in. And that's you know, that's down to numerous factors,
but you just can't do that at the highest level.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
And will they be the Argentinians will they'll be fired
up by that result knowing that they can beat the
ol Blacks and get to Eden Park thirty years since
the ol Blacks have lost there, and I think they'll
be fired up. I think they can probably do it again.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Yeah, they won't. They won't be coming up here with
any fear. And they talked about that after the game.
Maybe you know, back back in the day day, you know,
when we go back into the amateur days, Argentina rarely
played the All Blacks and they saw them as a
mythical beast and they didn't believe they were ever going
to beat them. Even in early professional years, they rarely
played them, couldn't believe they would ever beat them. Now
they played them regularly every year, twice a year. And
(03:44):
the fact that they got over that bump of beating
them a bit like Ireland. Remember Ireland took one hundred
and ten years, one hundred and eleven years to beat
the All Blacks, did at once and then all of
a sudden they've done it three four times. Argentina are
quite similar in that that once they realize that they
can do it, the fear factor's gone. For that they
don't see it as an impossible mission. They came here
with realistic opportunity and hope in the heart that they
(04:06):
could do it. Once they've done it, I don't think
that they'll be thinking, oh, you know, that was a fluke.
We'll never be able to do that again. Admittedly, needing
park factor will kick in a eibit, but they'll be
coming up here with a real six. They were calm
after they won, by the way. There was no, you know,
enormous celebration there was, the first time they did it.
They were happy they had won. Rust them in the airport.
(04:27):
They're almost flight home on Sunday and these guys were
already recessing, refocusing. They'll be They'll be confident that they
can do it again.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Sometimes the loss is a good thing for a team,
and no doubt for the All Blacks. They'll refocus now
and I think there'll be a bit of team. Do
you think there'll be many changes when Razor announces the
team that will live in this morning.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
I think it would be a few. I think they're
going to be a wee bit careful because selection isn't
always the answer to a problem, is it. You can
figure defeat like that and make too many selection changes,
but natural fact, you know you're throwing the baby out
with the bath water some of the time, but there
were clearly a few areas where you'd be thinking those
are definitely change spots. For me, one would be half back.
(05:10):
I think they need to bring back quarters right am
at a start, because he gives them temple, a higher
temple anyway, a greater ability to play a faster attacking
brand of rugby, so that's a must. Tuber Reche didn't
have a brilliant game and has looked awad bit quiet
since a great opening game. And you know, Will Jordan's
(05:31):
back and fit, so he presumably will come back on
the right wing at the stage, whether it's full back
later in the year maybe. And the composition of the
loose trios still doesn't look quite right. I don't know
what the right one is. I don't think they know
what the right one is, and they're sort of throwing
things at the wall a little bit to see if
something sticks. But I don't think they've got it right,
and I don't think it was right in Wellington, and
(05:53):
they'll probably keep shuffling that around until they feel they've
got something that represents what they want. And maybe Sam
Kaine is an ingredient they need to put in there
this weekend.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
The other concerning thing about last weekend's Taste match with
the all the empty seats at Wellington sky Stadium, that's
a little bit of a concern. And I hear that
Eden Park hasn't even sold out this weekend.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Yeah, look it is. I mean it's probably illustrative of
a number of factors which you can't get here. Wellington's
had a horrible period of government job purgeing, so there's
a lot of people without work there that would be
slightly reflective of it, a general cost of living crisis
as well kicking in and the fact that the Wallerbies
were playing there later in the year a couple of
months that game has sold that for people have probably
(06:38):
made a choice. But I think there's also an underlying
factor here that you know, rugby is not the must
have purchase that it previously has been. People are more
discerning with their income and they're may be rebelling a
little bit against the state of stadiums, the ticket prices,
the level of entertainment, the fact that you know everything's
(07:00):
set up for TV and if you're already paying for
a Sky subscription, a lot of people are probably going to,
know what, We've got a living room, it's warm, we've
got a nice bridge full of things that we want
to eat. Blah blah blah. You know we're not We're
not going to fork out to go to the game
as well as pay for a subscription. So there's a
real message here that pricing equality of the quality of experience,
(07:22):
the whole infrastructure around going to games. The Zelain Rugby
has may be taking that for Grant said, and look
in the other thing here is a little bit of
a sense that you know, New Zealand's target is you know,
American fans, Japanese fans, British fans, when they soon to
be chasing everybody around the world to be all black
fans apart from the locals who are may be thinking,
you know what, we've had enough of that, and you know,
(07:44):
our love is not unconditional. We're not just going to
pay exorbitant ticket prices because we've had because we have to.
We can watch this at home if we want.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Such a good point, Very good point, hey, Gregor, Always
enjoyable to check and we'll talk again next week. Well
do Gregor, Paul joining us your own golds,
International rugby coverage on the country. Sport Breakfast is proudly
brought to you by Access Solutions, elevating you and your
business to a higher level. Catching up with Gregor Paul.
We haven't done it for a couple of weeks because
of the Olympics. Of course, New Zealand Herald contributor and
a rugby writer, Gregor.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Good morning, Good morning.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
No doubt you enjoyed the Olympic Games as well. Now
you can refocus on the ABS.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
No. I think probably the All Blacks enjoyed the timing
of the Olympic Games more than anyone else. It probably
hit the fact all these gold medals were raining in.
It probably hid the fact that they were collapsing in
Wellington's really surprising defeat to the Pumas.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Yeah, it was, it was. It was quite timely, really,
wasn't that the Games were making all the headlines and
the All Blacks and that result. It kind of became
page two.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
Yeah, I don't think it'll steal on page two. No,
you know, I know that. No, the Olympics were finished,
We've got another game forty eight hours here in Eden, Clark,
A lot of scrutiny will be back on the team.
They were slightly fortunate that the nation was enjoying a
fantastic moment elsewhere at the sporting moment. So the inquiry
(01:11):
into what went wrong with Wellington has been not quite
as intense, I feel, as it might have been if
it happened at a different time of the year. And
potentially it's because it's early in Scott Robertson's coaching tenure.
There's still a little bit of leeway, a little bit
of generosity and how we're seeing things perhaps, but clearly
(01:31):
there's pressure, there's tension. There's no leeway this weekend because
if it's another defeat or another poor performance at Eden Park,
I think everyone will be wondering if personal aise is
a lot deeper perhaps than we're currently thinking it might be.
Speaker 1 (01:46):
Did that result Gregor on Saturday night surprise you? Yeah?
Speaker 2 (01:52):
It did, because I think even if an all Black
team isn't at full noise or quite where it needs
to be. Argentina, look, they took their opportunity as well.
But I'm probably going to rudly say they're ranked wrongly,
but I mean, what are the eighth ninth in the
world at the moment, He's number three. I think there's
there's a gap there and there's a little bit of
(02:15):
margin for New Zealand to not be at their best
and still put them away. And they really should have.
Even though they didn't play particularly well. They they handed
Argentina far too many easy points. Really, like there were
two tries that would give the terrible all back, you know,
like comical mistakes almost yeah, And there was a bit
of little discipline towards the end, and then there were
(02:37):
just chronically poor execution from the Old Blacks at times
which continually gave the ball back to Argentina, give them
opportunity to get back into the game. And they are
a team. Good on them, they stayed in the fight,
but they are a team that like the like the
zombies and the movies, you've really you've got to find
a way to kill them and really put them out
(02:58):
of it. In New Zealand didn't do that. Every time
they got ahead, they'd open the door and let them
back in. And that's you know, that's down to numerous factors,
but you just can't do that at the highest level.
Speaker 1 (03:08):
And will they be the Argentinians will they'll be fired
up by that result knowing that they can beat the
ol Blacks and get to Eden Park thirty years since
the ol Blacks have lost there, and I think they'll
be fired up. I think they can probably do it again.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
Yeah, they won't. They won't be coming up here with
any fear. And they talked about that after the game.
Maybe you know, back back in the day day, you know,
when we go back into the amateur days, Argentina rarely
played the All Blacks and they saw them as a
mythical beast and they didn't believe they were ever going
to beat them. Even in early professional years, they rarely
played them, couldn't believe they would ever beat them. Now
they played them regularly every year, twice a year. And
(03:44):
the fact that they got over that bump of beating
them a bit like Ireland. Remember Ireland took one hundred
and ten years, one hundred and eleven years to beat
the All Blacks, did at once and then all of
a sudden they've done it three four times. Argentina are
quite similar in that that once they realize that they
can do it, the fear factor's gone. For that they
don't see it as an impossible mission. They came here
with realistic opportunity and hope in the heart that they
(04:06):
could do it. Once they've done it, I don't think
that they'll be thinking, oh, you know, that was a fluke.
We'll never be able to do that again. Admittedly, needing
park factor will kick in a eibit, but they'll be
coming up here with a real six. They were calm
after they won, by the way. There was no, you know,
enormous celebration there was, the first time they did it.
They were happy they had won. Rust them in the airport.
(04:27):
They're almost flight home on Sunday and these guys were
already recessing, refocusing. They'll be They'll be confident that they
can do it again.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
Sometimes the loss is a good thing for a team,
and no doubt for the All Blacks. They'll refocus now
and I think there'll be a bit of team. Do
you think there'll be many changes when Razor announces the
team that will live in this morning.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
I think it would be a few. I think they're
going to be a wee bit careful because selection isn't
always the answer to a problem, is it. You can
figure defeat like that and make too many selection changes,
but natural fact, you know you're throwing the baby out
with the bath water some of the time, but there
were clearly a few areas where you'd be thinking those
are definitely change spots. For me, one would be half back.
(05:10):
I think they need to bring back quarters right am
at a start, because he gives them temple, a higher
temple anyway, a greater ability to play a faster attacking
brand of rugby, so that's a must. Tuber Reche didn't
have a brilliant game and has looked awad bit quiet
since a great opening game. And you know, Will Jordan's
(05:31):
back and fit, so he presumably will come back on
the right wing at the stage, whether it's full back
later in the year maybe. And the composition of the
loose trios still doesn't look quite right. I don't know
what the right one is. I don't think they know
what the right one is, and they're sort of throwing
things at the wall a little bit to see if
something sticks. But I don't think they've got it right,
and I don't think it was right in Wellington, and
(05:53):
they'll probably keep shuffling that around until they feel they've
got something that represents what they want. And maybe Sam
Kaine is an ingredient they need to put in there
this weekend.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
The other concerning thing about last weekend's Taste match with
the all the empty seats at Wellington sky Stadium, that's
a little bit of a concern. And I hear that
Eden Park hasn't even sold out this weekend.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
Yeah, look it is. I mean it's probably illustrative of
a number of factors which you can't get here. Wellington's
had a horrible period of government job purgeing, so there's
a lot of people without work there that would be
slightly reflective of it, a general cost of living crisis
as well kicking in and the fact that the Wallerbies
were playing there later in the year a couple of
months that game has sold that for people have probably
(06:38):
made a choice. But I think there's also an underlying
factor here that you know, rugby is not the must
have purchase that it previously has been. People are more
discerning with their income and they're may be rebelling a
little bit against the state of stadiums, the ticket prices,
the level of entertainment, the fact that you know everything's
(07:00):
set up for TV and if you're already paying for
a Sky subscription, a lot of people are probably going to,
know what, We've got a living room, it's warm, we've
got a nice bridge full of things that we want
to eat. Blah blah blah. You know we're not We're
not going to fork out to go to the game
as well as pay for a subscription. So there's a
real message here that pricing equality of the quality of experience,
(07:22):
the whole infrastructure around going to games. The Zelain Rugby
has may be taking that for Grant said, and look
in the other thing here is a little bit of
a sense that you know, New Zealand's target is you know,
American fans, Japanese fans, British fans, when they soon to
be chasing everybody around the world to be all black
fans apart from the locals who are may be thinking,
you know what, we've had enough of that, and you know,
(07:44):
our love is not unconditional. We're not just going to
pay exorbitant ticket prices because we've had because we have to.
We can watch this at home if we want.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Such a good point, Very good point, hey, Gregor, Always
enjoyable to check and we'll talk again next week. Well
do Gregor, Paul joining us your own golds,
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