October 30, 2024 • 7 mins
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The international rugby coverage on the country.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Sport Breakfast is proudly brought to you by Access Solutions,
elevating you and your business to a higher level.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
It's time to talk rugby on the show now and
catch up with the man has seen a test or
two at Twickenham. In fact, last weekend he was in
Japan watching the Your Blacks put the Japanese to the sword.
Gregor Paul from the New Zealand Herald joined this morning. Gregor,
good morning, last weekend. What did you make of that
opening test for the Your Blacks on the Northern Tour.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Yeah, well, probably what I expected really, given the volume
of changes, the nature of the occasion. It was a
game that was played primarily to give what I would
call second string All Black team I run around, and
it was a chance to go to Japan and make
a bit of money and showcase the all Black brand
(00:52):
out there. They played pretty well in a twenty minute
patch late on in the first half, and then once
they emptied the bench, game kind of drifted away and
I sort of lost interest, but I think everyone else
at that.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Point alrighty, well, Twickers is going to be a different story.
In fact, we've played England back a few months ago
here in New Zealand. But you've written in the Herald
today that the result the swag of Twickers is tough.
Why is that.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
It's become a uniquely challenging ground to play at. There's
a hostility about it that it's hard to explain unless
you've actually bought a ticket and you're standing there. It's
looking at the cathedral of a venue. England supporters are
a different breed and I don't mean that rudley or euphemistically.
(01:43):
They're very passionate about their team. They make a lot
of noise. They love the occasion of being at Twickenham
of a big game of rugby. They love it when
they All Blacks are in town. They throw everything into it.
They have a few pints, they make a lot of
noise that they've been. There been times in that stadium
where if England get a bit of momentum, it's deafening.
(02:05):
And they seen they grow extra arms and legs and
it can be a hell of a place to try
and wrestle back momentum if you lose it. And I
think we've seen, you know, we saw that last time
the All Blacks played England. You know, they considered three
tries and nine minutes to draw a game that they
were they were never ever going to lose, and yet
they somehow conspired to almost lose it.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
I think what we've seen with the All Blacks and
their seven tests so far, and that's an advantage we
have over England is the fact that they have I
think under the new coach, been learning and growing. Would
you agree with that?
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Yeah, like I think they have, but you need you
need a benchmark moment to to to come back in
and test that theory that we saw. If we forget
the Japan game, the one prior to that, the defeat
of the Wallabies in Wellington was the first time that
we saw really comprehensive performance from the All Blacks. You know,
they were good and minute one, they were good in
(02:59):
minute eighty, didn't lose the way, held their structure, held
their shape, had to fight through some tough moments and
you know, that looked like a test match performance that
would stand them in good stage for these sorts of
occasions that are coming up. However, you know, playing Australia
in Wellington is one thing, and now we're going to
have to find out you know how much they have advanced,
(03:22):
how prepared they are, what kind of flow they do
have in their attack game, because you know when England
were out in New Zealand and July, they stifled that
attack with their rush defense. They're an aggressive team, they're
a big team, but put a huge amount of pressure
on New Zealand and we get a really good indication.
There's no doubt that the New Zealand team is better
(03:43):
now that it was in July, but we're going to
get a really good indication of just how much better
it is.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
They're also a young team. There's a number of players
there that have not played a lot of rugby. Judging
by the naming of that squad yesterday.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Isn't there in the England team. In the England team, Yeah, yeah,
they're quite a young, exciting team and I think that
gives gives them a wee bit. I wouldn't say an advantage,
but I think for them that there's no fear factor
that comes without there's guys that don't you know that
there were some England players who probably went through their
entire career getting nowhere near being the All Blacks, and
(04:18):
it was just a procession of defeats, you know, and
that's quite hard to break up. But we've got a
grip at young guys who hold no fear, who have
seen you know, who came out in July, saw how
close they got, and are thinking jeepers. You know, we're
one pass away, we're one goal kick away from being
the slot. We don't need to be afraid of them.
(04:39):
We've not got a whole mental data bank stored of
losing to these guys. So yeah, you're right, And a
few of them complaine there's some there's some speed and
ability in their back three.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Joe Mahler has fanned the flames, hasn't he by making
the comments a day or two ago about the all
black Harker being absolutely ridiculous. Has there's been much said
over there about the.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Head Well, I think I think Joe has disappeared, and
I don't mean that euphemistically either, Like he's he's a
guy that suffered with mental stress in his past. You know,
he left England team a few years ago. He didn't
like being away from home. It challenged him reading the
English papers here. He sent those texts when he was
(05:24):
inside the camp and then he disappeared on Monday night
he went home and the word is that he may
not play in Awesome. He had to be persuaded a
few years ago by Steve Borthwick to you know, to
recommit to England, which he did. But he's clearly a
bit emotionally volatile. It's a tough gig for him, by
the way, to you know, to deal with what he
(05:44):
has to deal with with his you know, with a
bit of mental stress. So look, from a personal point
of view, I've been coming out here writing about all
blacks England tests for twenty years. I think I've heard
and read every story under the sun about the how,
and I've heard a million different people say a million
different things about how it's unfair, how it should be stopped,
(06:06):
what if we changed it and allowed this. Look, I
just think it's a good little bit of theater. Rugby
needs to listen. It's got quite a cool thing there.
You don't need to overlook. People can can stand up to.
That's the one thing I would say. You can treat
the hacker anyway you like. There shouldn't be any restrictions
on that, and people shouldn't feel that they're being forced
(06:28):
into accepting it. In a certain way, or that they're
going to be culturally offensive. If they do something you
should be able to face. However you like New zeal And,
can the crowd love it? It's the entertainment business. I
have no issues whatsoever with it being performed.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Bring on the Test, looking forward to it, Gregor, thank
you for joining us this morning and joy my pleasure.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
That's Gregor Paul joining us out of the UK, out
of London, of course. The Orblack's looking to end the
end of year on a high, beating London, beating England.
Looking forward to it. Live commentary at the match Sunday morning,
four o'clock with Elliot Smith out of Twickenham here on
gold Sport
The international rugby coverage on the country.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Sport Breakfast is proudly brought to you by Access Solutions,
elevating you and your business to a higher level.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
It's time to talk rugby on the show now and
catch up with the man has seen a test or
two at Twickenham. In fact, last weekend he was in
Japan watching the Your Blacks put the Japanese to the sword.
Gregor Paul from the New Zealand Herald joined this morning. Gregor,
good morning, last weekend. What did you make of that
opening test for the Your Blacks on the Northern Tour.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Yeah, well, probably what I expected really, given the volume
of changes, the nature of the occasion. It was a
game that was played primarily to give what I would
call second string All Black team I run around, and
it was a chance to go to Japan and make
a bit of money and showcase the all Black brand
(00:52):
out there. They played pretty well in a twenty minute
patch late on in the first half, and then once
they emptied the bench, game kind of drifted away and
I sort of lost interest, but I think everyone else
at that.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Point alrighty, well, Twickers is going to be a different story.
In fact, we've played England back a few months ago
here in New Zealand. But you've written in the Herald
today that the result the swag of Twickers is tough.
Why is that.
Speaker 2 (01:22):
It's become a uniquely challenging ground to play at. There's
a hostility about it that it's hard to explain unless
you've actually bought a ticket and you're standing there. It's
looking at the cathedral of a venue. England supporters are
a different breed and I don't mean that rudley or euphemistically.
(01:43):
They're very passionate about their team. They make a lot
of noise. They love the occasion of being at Twickenham
of a big game of rugby. They love it when
they All Blacks are in town. They throw everything into it.
They have a few pints, they make a lot of
noise that they've been. There been times in that stadium
where if England get a bit of momentum, it's deafening.
(02:05):
And they seen they grow extra arms and legs and
it can be a hell of a place to try
and wrestle back momentum if you lose it. And I
think we've seen, you know, we saw that last time
the All Blacks played England. You know, they considered three
tries and nine minutes to draw a game that they
were they were never ever going to lose, and yet
they somehow conspired to almost lose it.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
I think what we've seen with the All Blacks and
their seven tests so far, and that's an advantage we
have over England is the fact that they have I
think under the new coach, been learning and growing. Would
you agree with that?
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Yeah, like I think they have, but you need you
need a benchmark moment to to to come back in
and test that theory that we saw. If we forget
the Japan game, the one prior to that, the defeat
of the Wallabies in Wellington was the first time that
we saw really comprehensive performance from the All Blacks. You know,
they were good and minute one, they were good in
(02:59):
minute eighty, didn't lose the way, held their structure, held
their shape, had to fight through some tough moments and
you know, that looked like a test match performance that
would stand them in good stage for these sorts of
occasions that are coming up. However, you know, playing Australia
in Wellington is one thing, and now we're going to
have to find out you know how much they have advanced,
(03:22):
how prepared they are, what kind of flow they do
have in their attack game, because you know when England
were out in New Zealand and July, they stifled that
attack with their rush defense. They're an aggressive team, they're
a big team, but put a huge amount of pressure
on New Zealand and we get a really good indication.
There's no doubt that the New Zealand team is better
(03:43):
now that it was in July, but we're going to
get a really good indication of just how much better
it is.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
They're also a young team. There's a number of players
there that have not played a lot of rugby. Judging
by the naming of that squad yesterday.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Isn't there in the England team. In the England team, Yeah, yeah,
they're quite a young, exciting team and I think that
gives gives them a wee bit. I wouldn't say an advantage,
but I think for them that there's no fear factor
that comes without there's guys that don't you know that
there were some England players who probably went through their
entire career getting nowhere near being the All Blacks, and
(04:18):
it was just a procession of defeats, you know, and
that's quite hard to break up. But we've got a
grip at young guys who hold no fear, who have
seen you know, who came out in July, saw how
close they got, and are thinking jeepers. You know, we're
one pass away, we're one goal kick away from being
the slot. We don't need to be afraid of them.
(04:39):
We've not got a whole mental data bank stored of
losing to these guys. So yeah, you're right, And a
few of them complaine there's some there's some speed and
ability in their back three.
Speaker 1 (04:51):
Joe Mahler has fanned the flames, hasn't he by making
the comments a day or two ago about the all
black Harker being absolutely ridiculous. Has there's been much said
over there about the.
Speaker 2 (05:02):
Head Well, I think I think Joe has disappeared, and
I don't mean that euphemistically either, Like he's he's a
guy that suffered with mental stress in his past. You know,
he left England team a few years ago. He didn't
like being away from home. It challenged him reading the
English papers here. He sent those texts when he was
(05:24):
inside the camp and then he disappeared on Monday night
he went home and the word is that he may
not play in Awesome. He had to be persuaded a
few years ago by Steve Borthwick to you know, to
recommit to England, which he did. But he's clearly a
bit emotionally volatile. It's a tough gig for him, by
the way, to you know, to deal with what he
(05:44):
has to deal with with his you know, with a
bit of mental stress. So look, from a personal point
of view, I've been coming out here writing about all
blacks England tests for twenty years. I think I've heard
and read every story under the sun about the how,
and I've heard a million different people say a million
different things about how it's unfair, how it should be stopped,
(06:06):
what if we changed it and allowed this. Look, I
just think it's a good little bit of theater. Rugby
needs to listen. It's got quite a cool thing there.
You don't need to overlook. People can can stand up to.
That's the one thing I would say. You can treat
the hacker anyway you like. There shouldn't be any restrictions
on that, and people shouldn't feel that they're being forced
(06:28):
into accepting it. In a certain way, or that they're
going to be culturally offensive. If they do something you
should be able to face. However you like New zeal And,
can the crowd love it? It's the entertainment business. I
have no issues whatsoever with it being performed.
Speaker 1 (06:43):
Bring on the Test, looking forward to it, Gregor, thank
you for joining us this morning and joy my pleasure.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (06:49):
That's Gregor Paul joining us out of the UK, out
of London, of course. The Orblack's looking to end the
end of year on a high, beating London, beating England.
Looking forward to it. Live commentary at the match Sunday morning,
four o'clock with Elliot Smith out of Twickenham here on
gold Sport
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