CSB - Elliott Smith - All Blacks Preview

Previewing the first Bledisloe test match between the All Blacks and Wallabies tomorrow out of Stadium Australia. LIVE here on GOLD SPORT. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
International rugby coverage on the country.

Speaker 2 (00:03):
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
We're talking international rugby now on the show where the
All Blacks and the Wallabies play the first of two
Bledisloe Cup Tests. The All Blacks have made four changes
to their starting side and we'll of course have a
live commentary here on Goldsport from five point thirty out
of Stadium, Australia. Joining us on the show this morning

(00:30):
out of Ossie. Our man on the ground, Elliott Smith,
where it's very warm in Sydney.

Speaker 2 (00:34):
Morning, Elliott, very good morning, bk Y. This has been
a beautiful week here in Sydney and the weather has
been absolutely beautiful. I don't think the All Blacks complaining
too much about being over here and preparing for afternoon
footy tomorrow afternoon here in Sydney.

Speaker 1 (00:48):
All right, let's talk about the selection and another rejig
of the All Blacks back three a body Barrett returning
to the started fallback. Will Jordan moves to the right wing,
Caleb Clark on the left. What do you make of
those moves, Eliot?

Speaker 2 (01:01):
Yeah, I think surprising to an extent that they haven't
stuck as Will Jordan at fullback given in one test
there and then decided to move Boden Barrett back into
that jersey and Will Jordan on the right wing. Now,
the attack certainly worked a lot better in Johannesburg with
this combination the back three than it did in Cape
Town when they changed it out and had March for

(01:22):
the sever reeson and Will Jordan at fullback. So that's
part of the thinking there as well, and I think
it's just the best combination then they could put out
at the moment as well. I think you look at
Mark Clear a little bit stacked and at the moment
he's been in and out of the team and also
included on the bench. Sever Reeese as well has been
in and out of the team this year. So you

(01:42):
look at those three individuals, Caleb Clark, Will Jordan and
Boden Barrett, Bay and Marks all in pretty good full
Will Jordan's still coming back to teeth level. Boden Barrett's
had maybe an off night and Johannesburg, but we know
the quality that he's got, and cadb Clark has returned
to take that eleven Jersey and make it its his
own ones again after a couple of years being in

(02:03):
and out of the team and with injuries and various things.
So I think it's the best back three they can
put out there at the moment from an All Blacks perspective.
But it very much seems like a horse is the
course of the approach that Scott Robertson is making. I
think Will Jordan probably lacks the kicking game that Boden
Barrett has and that could be pretty significant this weekend,

(02:25):
but also the running ability as well. I think your
blocks want to run at this Australian team and who
did it a than Caleb Clark and Will Jordan on
a dry track on a Sydney afternoon tomorrow.

Speaker 1 (02:35):
Yeah, absolutely left to agree with it there. The other
big one, the half back spot, has been discussed a
lot and of changes coming up, but Cortez Ratimer has
the job this week again. Do you agree with Razor
Robertson's selection on that one?

Speaker 2 (02:50):
Yeah? I think I do. Look, I think it was
a big test for Cortiers in South Africa, finding a
lot about test rugby and starting pressure test matches. But
I think he will have learned from that experience, and
I think that's a real nod to the future that
tjan and isn't going to be around too much longer
in this All Blacks team and Cam royguards poised to

(03:13):
come back to so of course he's rather than getting
as much game time as he can and then All
Blacks nine years again, and remember because well T jeff
and Ura has placed the vast majority of his Test
career off the bench. That's the role that he had
to fill behind Aaron Smith for a number of years
and it was a wonderful one to two pounds that
All Blacks were able to call on for a number
of seasons. So I think in the twilight of his career,

(03:35):
trying to get T j. Pitanara into a starting role, well,
he's certainly capable of it. It's not really nice of
the future. Whereas he's been a closer for most of
his Test arena. I think that's where his ability is
best suited at this point of his career as he
begins to wind down and prepared to head to Japan
then and make his international retirement.

Speaker 1 (03:53):
And talking about half backs on the other side of
the field, the Joe Schmitt coach Wallaby is the most
eye opening change has come on half back as well,
with thirty four year old Nick White given the number
nine jersey. Is that a surprise surprise?

Speaker 2 (04:08):
Sure, Jake Gorden getting the shuffle off and Nick White
coming back in. I thought his days We're dumb to
be honest. Look, he's a tremendous player, but it feels
like similar to Teja Peinara, it's sort of a look
to the past rather than and I to the future.
You know that Gordon, their tatnic Germott as well, players
who are going to be around you to think a

(04:29):
bit longer than Nick White. But what Nick White does
do very well and we've seen that over a number
of years. Right into that niggle against New Zealand teams,
him and Dane soul was having that. It was Eden
Park a few seasons ago, and that's something that he's done.
He just brings that negl An Australian factor to the game.
So I think that's certainly part of it from a

(04:52):
Wallaby suspective. But also they've tossed out in a Donaldson
and Gordon started that game and Santa Fe where the
Wallaby is conceded sixty seven points and made a couple
of areas there, although they weren't entirely responsible for conceding
sixty seven points between them. But it's sort of I
guess a bit of a shocking all moment from Joe
Schmidt to based underline that no one's flatly in the

(05:13):
team is safe. I think that's, you know, what he
wants out of Nick White is just that that Neglie
has come up against Cortez Razano, who's inexperienced at test level.
I'm sure that their battle, as you know, scrum time,
they'll be worth there and just try and get under
his skin a little bit. That's what Nick White ll
try and do comes Saturday afternoon and it's you know,
I think a look to the past from the Wallabies.

(05:35):
But you know, Joe Schmidt doesn't necessarily have the depth
at his disposal to try too many things. If he
wants to shack things up.

Speaker 1 (05:43):
It's worth It's worth noting that Nick White has fond
memories of home Bush Stadium, where he steered the Wallabies
to their last win over the All Blacks back in
twenty fifteen. They were down nineteen seventeen sixty fifth minute,
White came off the bench and scored ten point to
claim the win. So who'll remember that?

Speaker 2 (06:02):
Yeah, exactly, And look, these are the kind of moments.
You know, the Warlby is desperate for a bit of
a boost, a bit of a psychological boost over this
tall black side. They're desperate, you know, they lost a
number of their recent games and their Hamburg last time out.
So you know, whatever they can hang on to, you know,
and try and make it work, I guess is going

(06:24):
to be key for them. And memories like that one
to latch onto pretty important from a Wallaby suffective.

Speaker 1 (06:29):
Yeah, do you think there's any hope for a Naussie
went after that sixty seven twenty seven drubbing to Argentina
a fortnit ago? Yeah?

Speaker 2 (06:37):
I think. Look, I wouldn't rule them out entirely. I
think the Wallaby scene that will be hurt by that
performance have made some changes to that team. Certainly they're in,
you know, rebuilding modes that they were really already in
when Ednie Jones came in and blew the joined up.
During Smith's having to picture the rubble and figure out

(06:57):
what exactly he wants to keep him, what he wants
to disc so it's still rebuilding mode from a Wallaby's perspective.
But you Saturday after and running Rugby sixty five thousand
plus supporters behind them, and with that sort of backlash
feeling from the defeat in Santa Fe. I think, you know,
it could be a sort of seas mentality Wallaby side

(07:18):
that turns up tomorrow afternoon here in Sydney, and that
could be dangerous from an All Black perspective. You you just
don't know what you're going to get. Joe Schmidt famous
for running differently, a different phase that maybe your Blacks
aren't expecting. And Scott Robinson said yesterday morning when he
named his team that there'll be stuff that Joe Schmidt's
put into the team the Wallabies that they're not expecting

(07:39):
that they'll have to try and deal with as it
comes on the day. So yeah, I give the Wallaby
the chance. Certainly the All Blacks go in as favorites.
There's an interesting stat during the rounds as well though.
In the last seven Wallabies coaches, only two have lost
their first Test and charge against the All Blacks. So
you and McKenzie and John Connolly with a two out

(08:01):
that have lost the Bos tests in charge. Otherwise it's
all been wins and in the case of Dave Rennie,
it's been a drawer so back in twenty twenty so
there's a little bit of an omen there for our
Coachmip with his first piece again there's native country that
maybe all you know, all hope is not lost.

Speaker 1 (08:16):
Elliott. We look forward to your call on on Saturday afternoon,
New Zealand Time. Thank you so much for joining.

Speaker 2 (08:22):
Us, Jess. Okay, catch you say, Elliott.

Speaker 1 (08:24):
Smith joining us out of Sydney. Yes, he'll be here
doing the commentary with Gregor Paul here on Goldsport and iHeartRadio.
It's interesting we're talking about Nick Smith, you know, at
what thirty four years old, but Scott Nick White rather
Scott Robinson says he actually likes him. He says, I
just like the way he plays. He's got a bit
of grit about him. He's a Test match footballer and

(08:47):
I'm sure he'll bring the niggle out there tomorrow afternoon