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Transcript

Rugby Direct: Episode 221 · Rugby Direct

• 0:09
  Speaker 1: You're listening to a podcast from News Talks ed B.
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: Follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio,
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: Straight down the Middle of Trunk Guy, try.
• 0:28
  Speaker 2: To get inside the game from every angle.
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: It's Rugby Direct with Elliot Smith and Liam Napier powered
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: by News Talks ed B.
• 0:37
  Speaker 2: Welcome into Rugby Directs powered by ins in Safety, Blackwoods,
• 0:41
  Speaker 2: Everything Trades Need sort of, Elligan Liam Napier back a
• 0:45
  Speaker 2: bit later than usual with Rugby Direct podcast nape It's
• 0:50
  Speaker 2: good to catch up for just once this week as
• 0:52
  Speaker 2: we review super Round look ahead to Round twelve this
• 0:56
  Speaker 2: coming weekend. First and foremost, though we went dig too
• 0:59
  Speaker 2: far into the games, given a few days of already transpired,
• 1:02
  Speaker 2: but super Round as a whole, what did you make
• 1:05
  Speaker 2: of it? You were down there more for the fan experience.
• 1:07
  Speaker 2: I was down there a fan experience on the Friday,
• 1:10
  Speaker 2: working after that, but you were all three days charging
• 1:13
  Speaker 2: around christ Church for the reports I'm hearing.
• 1:16
  Speaker 3: Don't believe everything you hear, Earliott.
• 1:18
  Speaker 2: It's passed on a citent text message that suggested in otherwise.
• 1:22
  Speaker 3: Yeah, look on that note. It was great to be
• 1:26
  Speaker 3: in christ Church.
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  Speaker 4: Always been a big fan of the city as you know,
• 1:32
  Speaker 4: and look it really turned it on in then. Amazing
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  Speaker 4: venue first and foremost, just a real statement venue for
• 1:43
  Speaker 4: New Zealand to put on the map. And it really
• 1:46
  Speaker 4: does highlights what the North Island, what Auckland's lacking. The
• 1:50
  Speaker 4: advantage points from the ground being able to the intimacy
• 1:54
  Speaker 4: of a purpose built rectangular venue, been that close to
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  Speaker 4: the action, the roof, the food and drink options, and
• 2:06
  Speaker 4: the proximity to the city, the ten minute walk you're
• 2:08
  Speaker 4: back in the in the heart of it. Just ye,
• 2:12
  Speaker 4: a real amazing venue and the city was buzzing. And
• 2:17
  Speaker 4: I'll tell you what, mate, I had so many people
• 2:19
  Speaker 4: come up to me at Rockpool Bar and various other
• 2:24
  Speaker 4: places and speak about the pod. So it was great
• 2:27
  Speaker 4: to meet those people that listeners out there. So thanks
• 2:30
  Speaker 4: for coming up to me. I names escaped me because
• 2:34
  Speaker 4: it was around a large weekend. The cane train was
• 2:37
  Speaker 4: in full force around town. But yeah, what a weekend
• 2:41
  Speaker 4: and it must have been pretty special for you going
• 2:43
  Speaker 4: home and seeing a city that you know had been
• 2:46
  Speaker 4: waiting fifteen years for this venue come alive.
• 2:49
  Speaker 2: Absolutely. Look, I went to Lincaster Park or Jade Stadium,
• 2:53
  Speaker 2: you know many times as a kid, and obviously that
• 2:55
  Speaker 2: had to be demolished and go as many times to
• 2:57
  Speaker 2: a Polo Project stadium, but didn't have a connection to
• 3:01
  Speaker 2: that as much because it was temporary. But this has
• 3:03
  Speaker 2: been a stadium that had been long in the waiting,
• 3:05
  Speaker 2: and you know, you see pictures and of the construction
• 3:08
  Speaker 2: in the progress, everything like that, and you go, yep,
• 3:10
  Speaker 2: it's looking good. But we've all been to hotels, airbnbs
• 3:16
  Speaker 2: whatever that don't look like the pictures. And to get
• 3:20
  Speaker 2: in there last Friday morning for a tour and see it,
• 3:22
  Speaker 2: it was quite breathtaking actually, and oh yeah, I was
• 3:25
  Speaker 2: really impressed by it. Watched the game from the stands
• 3:29
  Speaker 2: on on Friday night. We were in rose of Section three.
• 3:33
  Speaker 2: Oh too. I think it was my family and I
• 3:36
  Speaker 2: cheap as those steps are pretty steep, deceptively steep, but
• 3:39
  Speaker 2: I don't think it's a bad seat in the house
• 3:41
  Speaker 2: from where I'm sitting and again working from the media
• 3:45
  Speaker 2: areas and the commentary boxes on Saturday and Sunday. Yeah,
• 3:48
  Speaker 2: it does feel world class. And you know, I love
• 3:52
  Speaker 2: to need and I think it's an excellent stadium, but
• 3:54
  Speaker 2: this feels, you know, like it's on the world stage.
• 3:57
  Speaker 2: The stadium, small footprint, there's not a lot of space
• 3:59
  Speaker 2: to it, but what it does, it does very very well,
• 4:02
  Speaker 2: and you hope it will be a wake up call
• 4:04
  Speaker 2: to some people around the rest of the country in
• 4:06
  Speaker 2: the north Land of what is possible. Yes, it was
• 4:09
  Speaker 2: a big budget stadium six hundred and eighty mili from memory,
• 4:13
  Speaker 2: but everything about it works. They stress tested it. I
• 4:16
  Speaker 2: don't think there was too many complaints over the course
• 4:17
  Speaker 2: of the weekend over lines of food, bathrooms, that sort
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  Speaker 2: of thing. So all in all, I think a pretty
• 4:23
  Speaker 2: good job well done. And if we extrapolated out to
• 4:26
  Speaker 2: a super Round event, I thought it takes incredible amount
• 4:30
  Speaker 2: of boxes. They had the fan events, I think it
• 4:33
  Speaker 2: was Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday down at the Strip
• 4:37
  Speaker 2: on Oxford Terrace which went off. I was down there
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  Speaker 2: on Friday, heaps of fans, all different jerseys, some Super
• 4:43
  Speaker 2: Rugby jersey, some NRL, some Test jerseys, whatever it might be.
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  Speaker 2: It added to the sort of colleidoscope of the experience
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  Speaker 2: and I think it was a job well done all around.
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  Speaker 4: Yeah, I think it's an example of what can be
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  Speaker 4: achieved with a can do attitude that when all parties
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  Speaker 4: from government to local council really get on boards and
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  Speaker 4: invests because I think the government put in two hundred
• 5:09
  Speaker 4: million and then you've got the local money and you're
• 5:13
  Speaker 4: always going to have detractors in a tough economic economic climate.
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  Speaker 4: Could this money be better spent elsewhere? But even beyond
• 5:24
  Speaker 4: super rugby, beyond rugby, beyond sports, it's gonna put Chrish
• 5:28
  Speaker 4: Church right back on the map. From a music venue
• 5:32
  Speaker 4: point of view. You know, there were a few comments
• 5:35
  Speaker 4: about one end of the stadium being open, and while
• 5:38
  Speaker 4: it does look a bit weird, I think they can
• 5:41
  Speaker 4: increase that capacity to by ten thousand for a music
• 5:44
  Speaker 4: events and they'll be able to roll in the concerts
• 5:48
  Speaker 4: and potentially have some activations down that end. You think
• 5:51
  Speaker 4: of what Aukland f C have done with sampits and
• 5:55
  Speaker 4: big slides for kids. Maybe you could have a floating
• 5:59
  Speaker 4: bar or something something down down that ends being empty
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  Speaker 4: does look a bit weird, but the venue as a
• 6:06
  Speaker 4: whole will pay for it pay for itself in time.
• 6:11
  Speaker 4: You know, there's six million back into the Christich economy
• 6:15
  Speaker 4: and I think they had supercars the weekend before, which
• 6:17
  Speaker 4: was another injection, and that's just going to continue to
• 6:21
  Speaker 4: roll on.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely looking and the temporary seating will begin for
• 6:25
  Speaker 2: the All Blacks test in July Warriors. But they only
• 6:28
  Speaker 2: got handed over the stadium on Monday. They didn't have
• 6:30
  Speaker 2: time to build the temporary seats. I think they probably
• 6:32
  Speaker 2: could have sold them if they had, so it'd look
• 6:35
  Speaker 2: a lot better when it's at full capacity and that's
• 6:39
  Speaker 2: in there. I wonder if they could do something a
• 6:40
  Speaker 2: little bit different, maybe a sort of Canterbury Sports Hall
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  Speaker 2: of Fame or something down that end with some pictures
• 6:45
  Speaker 2: or whatever it might be, just to add a little
• 6:47
  Speaker 2: bit of variety to the whole area. But all in all,
• 6:51
  Speaker 2: pretty good job. And I think, you know, a major
• 6:55
  Speaker 2: tech and you know, I think they worked really hard
• 6:57
  Speaker 2: to you know, get those fan events across the line
• 6:59
  Speaker 2: and you know, signing sessions, get players close to the fans.
• 7:04
  Speaker 2: I think all involved did a very very good job.
• 7:07
  Speaker 2: The rugby on the field sort of almost took a
• 7:10
  Speaker 2: back seat for periods of it. Five different games in
• 7:14
  Speaker 2: the end, what stood out for you? I guess we
• 7:15
  Speaker 2: talked a little bit last week around lest of finding
• 7:17
  Speaker 2: a knooko at his open side, he scored a try.
• 7:21
  Speaker 2: You were on the big screen and on the sky
• 7:23
  Speaker 2: coverage looking rather unpressed by the try. But what did
• 7:26
  Speaker 2: you make of him as an open side flankert because
• 7:29
  Speaker 2: he's retained that for the Hurricanes game Friday night.
• 7:31
  Speaker 4: Yeah, bold move and I think largely he'd have to
• 7:34
  Speaker 4: say it paid off. Look, he gave away one early
• 7:37
  Speaker 4: breakdown penalty, didn't quite get his timing right there, But
• 7:41
  Speaker 4: I think the key takeaway is he ripped in. He
• 7:43
  Speaker 4: was highly involved in all aspects ball in hand defense,
• 7:49
  Speaker 4: He's roaming the edges. I think later in the match
• 7:51
  Speaker 4: he switched out to the midfield when heavily got his
• 7:55
  Speaker 4: yellow cards. So that versatility's real value and I think
• 8:00
  Speaker 4: it is something we'll clearly see more of. But that
• 8:03
  Speaker 4: ability the hybrid player, he's got the build for it.
• 8:07
  Speaker 4: I think I would be reticent at this point to
• 8:13
  Speaker 4: certainly start him there in a Test match. But from
• 8:17
  Speaker 4: a bench perspective, he does give you options, whether it
• 8:19
  Speaker 4: be seven to one or just utilizing his versatility. I
• 8:26
  Speaker 4: think from a breakdown perspective, the nuances there will still
• 8:29
  Speaker 4: take them a while to get to grips with, and
• 8:31
  Speaker 4: it test rugby, you have a lot less time, a
• 8:35
  Speaker 4: lot less margin for error, but great experience for him,
• 8:40
  Speaker 4: and I think he made a great fist of it.
• 8:43
  Speaker 2: Yeah, did. I was impressed by him. Kept a close
• 8:45
  Speaker 2: eye and on him for periods of the game. He
• 8:48
  Speaker 2: was pretty easy to tell who he was the what
• 8:51
  Speaker 2: he gear on. Didn't go in for as many turnovers
• 8:53
  Speaker 2: maybe as I thought he might, but I thought his
• 8:55
  Speaker 2: breakdown was effective enough the stats. I think he had
• 8:58
  Speaker 2: a lot more carries that he would have out in
• 9:00
  Speaker 2: the midfield, and that showed the Crusaders in the way
• 9:03
  Speaker 2: they wanted to utilize him. So yeah, I think a
• 9:05
  Speaker 2: tick And look, this will be a big test as
• 9:07
  Speaker 2: well against the very good Hurricanes a Loosewood trio this weekend.
• 9:11
  Speaker 2: We can get into that. What else stood out for you?
• 9:13
  Speaker 2: The Hurricanes with a very good demolition job of an
• 9:16
  Speaker 2: awful Brumbie side.
• 9:18
  Speaker 4: Yeah, the cane chain was tooting inside and outside of
• 9:22
  Speaker 4: the stadium. It was a statement performance, one of many
• 9:26
  Speaker 4: this year. Fining off for four.
• 9:29
  Speaker 3: Tries his third hat trick this year. He's on fire,
• 9:35
  Speaker 3: isn't he. Yeah, but Reuben.
• 9:37
  Speaker 4: Loved the ease with which he just cut that Brumbies
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  Speaker 4: defense to shreds.
• 9:44
  Speaker 3: Was embarrassing for the Brumbies.
• 9:47
  Speaker 4: Some really, really nice set plays but I'll tell you
• 9:49
  Speaker 4: what stood out for me from the Hurricanes were watching
• 9:51
  Speaker 4: them live for the first time this year, was just
• 9:53
  Speaker 4: the ferocity of their defense. The Brumbies found it really
• 9:57
  Speaker 4: hard to get through the Hurricanes, the size of their
• 10:01
  Speaker 4: pack in off the line, hitting with real vigor and
• 10:04
  Speaker 4: then attacking the breakdown. That was really start for me
• 10:09
  Speaker 4: in the way and which they're playing the game, and
• 10:13
  Speaker 4: probably something which gets a little bit overshadowed by their
• 10:18
  Speaker 4: attack and the way that they're just running rampant.
• 10:21
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I think the details that they probably haven't had
• 10:24
  Speaker 2: in previous seasons are with them this season around that
• 10:26
  Speaker 2: and breakdown work. It's defense, it's little things in a game,
• 10:29
  Speaker 2: it's a line out, you know. All those little things
• 10:32
  Speaker 2: are really adding up for them this season that previously
• 10:34
  Speaker 2: they've probably got by on having the superstars in the
• 10:36
  Speaker 2: back line and hoping for the best out of that.
• 10:39
  Speaker 2: But now they're very much getting into the nitty gritty
• 10:41
  Speaker 2: and the details of the team and it's made them
• 10:43
  Speaker 2: a much better outfit. So very impressed by that. Another
• 10:45
  Speaker 2: good outing for Reuben Love at ten as well.
• 10:47
  Speaker 3: Yeah, big time. He seems to be growing.
• 10:48
  Speaker 4: He had far too much time and space but you've
• 10:52
  Speaker 4: got to take those opportunities. Yes, you've got to back yourself.
• 10:55
  Speaker 4: You've got to showcase that speed and then dish to
• 10:58
  Speaker 4: others as well. So he's growing every week and that's
• 11:02
  Speaker 4: what the Hurricanes need. So I think you're also seeing
• 11:06
  Speaker 4: the maturity of guys that have been around in that
• 11:09
  Speaker 4: squad for three, four five years. You know, Caleb Delaney,
• 11:14
  Speaker 4: Xavier new mir These guys aren't all Blacks, but they
• 11:19
  Speaker 4: on the Cusp and have been on the French for
• 11:20
  Speaker 4: a number of years, and they know super Ragby and
• 11:25
  Speaker 4: they've got a great coaching staff for the Hurricanes, and I
• 11:27
  Speaker 4: think that's starting to come to the four as well.
• 11:28
  Speaker 2: Yeah, elsewhere, Blues, Highlanders, Chiefs all won, but they're kind
• 11:33
  Speaker 2: of clunky in their own ways, you know. And in
• 11:37
  Speaker 2: the Crusaders were clunky as well in periods of that game.
• 11:41
  Speaker 2: But you know, Blues get the job done in super point,
• 11:44
  Speaker 2: but you know they should never have got to super point.
• 11:46
  Speaker 2: But what else did that from the weekend?
• 11:48
  Speaker 3: Yeah, similar theme for the Blues.
• 11:50
  Speaker 4: They collapsed against the Highlanders recently, didn't They almost blew
• 11:54
  Speaker 4: that game at Edon Park and then again with the
• 11:56
  Speaker 4: Reds they were up let them back and got taken
• 11:59
  Speaker 4: to super points. So I think there's some mental fragility there.
• 12:05
  Speaker 4: They are not closing out games, are not being ruthless,
• 12:08
  Speaker 4: They're going away from what's working for them at the
• 12:10
  Speaker 4: back end of games. Maybe that will change. Maybe that's complacency.
• 12:15
  Speaker 4: Not too sure, and yeah the Chiefs. Look, I think
• 12:20
  Speaker 4: it's still them and the Hurricanes. For me, I'm not
• 12:23
  Speaker 4: convinced about the Crusaders. They had a really tough job
• 12:25
  Speaker 4: of it on Friday night. I think they were always
• 12:29
  Speaker 4: going to kick clear and with the emotion around that
• 12:32
  Speaker 4: occasion and everything that that weekend was, but they need
• 12:37
  Speaker 4: some of those guys back will Jordan Scott Barrett's I
• 12:42
  Speaker 4: just think they are very clunky. There's still a lot
• 12:46
  Speaker 4: of errors in their game, and they're going to need
• 12:49
  Speaker 4: to lift significantly this week and in the coming weeks.
• 12:51
  Speaker 2: Yeah. Absolutely, the Hurricanes this week, which we'll get onto
• 12:54
  Speaker 2: very very shortly. So super Round is a future. Does
• 12:57
  Speaker 2: it go back to christ each next year?
• 12:59
  Speaker 4: It has to, It has to look. You need to
• 13:01
  Speaker 4: reward that city, that venue for putting on such a showcase.
• 13:09
  Speaker 4: It's a no brain I think to go back there
• 13:11
  Speaker 4: next year. But beyond that I think Superkey needs to
• 13:17
  Speaker 4: keep an open minds. Look that weekend for me was
• 13:20
  Speaker 4: rugby's best weekend in New Zealand since the Wellington Sevens
• 13:24
  Speaker 4: in its pomp, and Superkey desperately needed that it needs
• 13:28
  Speaker 4: a market event. It needed a good news story. With
• 13:31
  Speaker 4: everything around Moana and the uncertainty around the draw and
• 13:34
  Speaker 4: the financial issues and all those things. Well, here was
• 13:38
  Speaker 4: a real moment in time that they can fly up
• 13:41
  Speaker 4: the flagpole.
• 13:41
  Speaker 3: So celebrate it. Do it again.
• 13:44
  Speaker 4: But in a New Zealand context, events can wayne and
• 13:48
  Speaker 4: they come the novelty can We're off that stadium is
• 13:51
  Speaker 4: not always going to be shiny and new, and I
• 13:56
  Speaker 4: know for a fact that there are others out there.
• 13:58
  Speaker 4: I think Dunedin would be keen to build a few
• 14:02
  Speaker 4: hotels first, that's their big problem, and they not only
• 14:05
  Speaker 4: four fans, but to host ten teams in Auckland's, New
• 14:09
  Speaker 4: Zealand's largest market doesn't have a comparable stadium. But there's
• 14:13
  Speaker 4: a lot that you could do around super Rugby to
• 14:16
  Speaker 4: attract people to the city.
• 14:19
  Speaker 2: Yeah. I think the strengths of christ Church are that,
• 14:23
  Speaker 2: as you touched on earlier, you can basically you're at
• 14:27
  Speaker 2: the stadium, then full time blows two minutes later, you've
• 14:30
  Speaker 2: probably got to bear in your hand at one of
• 14:32
  Speaker 2: the bars around the place and as that you spil
• 14:33
  Speaker 2: out into the city. But to an extent is the
• 14:36
  Speaker 2: same in Auckland. You can go to Kingsland. It's going
• 14:39
  Speaker 2: to be massively packed for a super Round. But that
• 14:42
  Speaker 2: proximity works so well is that it becomes an event.
• 14:45
  Speaker 2: You can hold activations in the city and then there's
• 14:47
  Speaker 2: you can walk to the stadium from there after getting
• 14:49
  Speaker 2: signatures from your favorite players. So that proximity isn't the
• 14:52
  Speaker 2: same in every other city. But I do agree that
• 14:55
  Speaker 2: it is going to probably naturally wane because New Zealanders
• 14:58
  Speaker 2: just go to events once twice and then park it.
• 15:01
  Speaker 2: So you kind of and especially the fan that is
• 15:03
  Speaker 2: likely to travel in for a super Round maybe not
• 15:06
  Speaker 2: likely to go to christ Church three years in a row.
• 15:08
  Speaker 2: They might go for a couple of years then go
• 15:10
  Speaker 2: liketual I'm going to go and go to a Test
• 15:12
  Speaker 2: match this year will fly into a Test match, So
• 15:14
  Speaker 2: I think you need to keep it moving somewhere around
• 15:16
  Speaker 2: the place and maybe it goes to Australia Preps after
• 15:20
  Speaker 2: twenty twenty eight potentially.
• 15:21
  Speaker 3: Yeah maybe.
• 15:22
  Speaker 4: Look, Magic Round is brilliant in Brisbane. Sun Court stadiums
• 15:27
  Speaker 4: a fantastic venue. Cason Street has that proximity, it just works,
• 15:32
  Speaker 4: so super Round could work there. I think there were
• 15:36
  Speaker 4: seventy three thousand fans that attended one New Zealand Stadium
• 15:40
  Speaker 4: to Kaha over the three days. I think there were
• 15:44
  Speaker 4: thirteen fourteen thousand traveling fans and apparently six thousand of
• 15:49
  Speaker 4: those were from Aussie so that really does illustrate how
• 15:53
  Speaker 4: popular it was and how many people came from outside
• 15:56
  Speaker 4: the region. I think they had thirty four thousand hotel beds,
• 16:00
  Speaker 4: So a roaring success has to go back there. Look,
• 16:04
  Speaker 4: maybe it can be the new Wellington Sevens could even
• 16:08
  Speaker 4: be better. You know, maybe you promote people dressing up.
• 16:13
  Speaker 4: Some of my mates went along and all the horseheads.
• 16:16
  Speaker 2: Brilliant because the sign of respect for the horses really
• 16:20
  Speaker 2: missed the horses.
• 16:21
  Speaker 4: Yeah, I gave that one a miss. But there's all
• 16:26
  Speaker 4: sorts of things you can add on. But it was
• 16:29
  Speaker 4: an amazing start. So back to christ Church and open
• 16:34
  Speaker 4: up to bids beyond that.
• 16:34
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I think so lucky super We needs to capitalize
• 16:37
  Speaker 2: on this because it felt like good publicity that, as
• 16:40
  Speaker 2: you said, the comp desperately needs. There is a lot
• 16:42
  Speaker 2: of love for these teams, you know. You see the
• 16:45
  Speaker 2: number of jerseys that were around christ Church over the
• 16:47
  Speaker 2: course of the weekend, you know, vintage originals from from
• 16:51
  Speaker 2: you know, all the New Zealand franchises. There was a
• 16:53
  Speaker 2: custom merch, there was all sorts around there. There was
• 16:56
  Speaker 2: a lot of love for these teams about harnessing it
• 16:57
  Speaker 2: and make sure that the comp is the what it
• 17:00
  Speaker 2: should be. On that the New Zealand Herald and our
• 17:02
  Speaker 2: colleague Grigapool Publishing this morning that the ANZAC Test between
• 17:07
  Speaker 2: the All Blacks and Wallabies is likely to go ahead
• 17:10
  Speaker 2: in twenty twenty seven and this is a much change
• 17:15
  Speaker 2: from where it's been previously.
• 17:17
  Speaker 4: Yeah, a massive shift that has come about due to
• 17:22
  Speaker 4: the big, wide, sweeping changes in the New Zealand Rugby
• 17:25
  Speaker 4: executive team. This is something that Rugby Australia have wanted
• 17:30
  Speaker 4: for at least two years. It was dismissed as being
• 17:34
  Speaker 4: too difficult, not financially viable, too much of a disruption
• 17:39
  Speaker 4: to super rugby. Some of those things might have shifted
• 17:43
  Speaker 4: and some of them are still very relevant.
• 17:45
  Speaker 3: What's your view on.
• 17:48
  Speaker 4: This potential test happening next year on ANZET weekend, particularly
• 17:53
  Speaker 4: given in the week Super Rugby super Round that that
• 17:56
  Speaker 4: was on ANXET weekend too.
• 17:57
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I don't particularly like it in all honesty. I
• 18:02
  Speaker 2: think it's Australian driven and they're desperate to find a
• 18:08
  Speaker 2: whole in the calendar which works for them to own it.
• 18:10
  Speaker 2: I get their perspective because often the bladerslow gets lost
• 18:14
  Speaker 2: in you know, nral AFL Finals. It's a bit later
• 18:18
  Speaker 2: than that this year, but there are elements where it
• 18:21
  Speaker 2: does get a little lost in the calendar. I get
• 18:23
  Speaker 2: it from Australian perspective, but I think it harms Super Rugby.
• 18:27
  Speaker 2: You know, Super Rugby's already gonna have what ten teams
• 18:29
  Speaker 2: next year. It's already gonna have issues, you know, getting
• 18:34
  Speaker 2: fan engagement. Potentially, You've just had a super Round that's
• 18:37
  Speaker 2: been exceptional over a long weekend in New Zealand. I
• 18:40
  Speaker 2: don't know why you would tamper with that. I think
• 18:42
  Speaker 2: it's a really poor decision if it does indeed go ahead.
• 18:45
  Speaker 2: So look again, I really understand why Australia wants it,
• 18:51
  Speaker 2: but I just don't think it adds it helps Super Rugby.
• 18:54
  Speaker 2: And I don't think it. Yeah, you know you're gonna
• 18:57
  Speaker 2: have what block of what eight nine weeks of Super
• 18:59
  Speaker 2: Rugby in your pause, then you come back what a
• 19:01
  Speaker 2: week later and you're back into it again. It just
• 19:04
  Speaker 2: feels a bit bitsy for me and no real reason
• 19:06
  Speaker 2: to it. I mean, yeah, yeah, I'm a no, but
• 19:11
  Speaker 2: I think yeah, it sounds like it's going to get
• 19:12
  Speaker 2: over the line.
• 19:13
  Speaker 4: I can see the attraction particular, particularly from an Australian perspective,
• 19:17
  Speaker 4: like you say, in the market where rugby battles for
• 19:20
  Speaker 4: airtime and headlines. The NRL and AFL don't have an
• 19:26
  Speaker 4: elite international product that they can pitch up like this.
• 19:32
  Speaker 4: But Rugby League also had an ANZAC test and they
• 19:34
  Speaker 4: went away from it, yeah, because it was so disruptive.
• 19:37
  Speaker 4: And the key question here is in this context, does
• 19:40
  Speaker 4: Super Rugby really matter? What? What message are you sending
• 19:44
  Speaker 4: by potentially putting the competition on hiatus for at least
• 19:49
  Speaker 4: a week, potentially taking all Blacks and Wallabies out for
• 19:53
  Speaker 4: two weeks in a competition where you already rest and
• 19:56
  Speaker 4: rotate your stars, where you know some of them like
• 20:02
  Speaker 4: Scott Barrett and Cody Taylor and others sit out half
• 20:05
  Speaker 4: a comp and come back. Others are on Sabbatako overseas
• 20:08
  Speaker 4: Kawani and Artie Severe. You're further developing a competition that's
• 20:14
  Speaker 4: already in a state of flux, So there's widespread ramififications. First,
• 20:18
  Speaker 4: the other point is that it probably means going back
• 20:21
  Speaker 4: to a three game Bleederslow Cup series and on form.
• 20:27
  Speaker 3: Can you justify that? Is it going to be the
• 20:29
  Speaker 3: interest in it.
• 20:30
  Speaker 2: Straight in one of the twenty three years? Hard to
• 20:34
  Speaker 2: argue that there is at this point in time. And
• 20:38
  Speaker 2: the other thing is that yes there's no Anzac League test,
• 20:40
  Speaker 2: but the Anzac Day Nral is well established. Dragon's Roosters
• 20:45
  Speaker 2: is a marquee game there. The Storm Wilways play at
• 20:47
  Speaker 2: home on Anzac Day. They usually play what three games?
• 20:50
  Speaker 2: Then there's the AFL which have long established rivalries on
• 20:54
  Speaker 2: Anzac Day. So where are you getting the media cut
• 20:57
  Speaker 2: through that you desire to put your sport on show.
• 21:00
  Speaker 2: I just don't don't. I don't know that they're going
• 21:03
  Speaker 2: to get what they want out of it from Australian perspective.
• 21:06
  Speaker 4: Look, I don't doubt that it would be as success
• 21:09
  Speaker 4: in terms of.
• 21:11
  Speaker 3: A crowd if you take it to Perth.
• 21:13
  Speaker 4: It'll be well supported, it'll be well backed financially, but
• 21:16
  Speaker 4: you also have to then compensate all the likely ten superclubs.
• 21:21
  Speaker 4: So that's a fair chunk of change are going to
• 21:23
  Speaker 4: be shelling out every year. And from a fan engagement perspective,
• 21:28
  Speaker 4: you're asking a lot of supporters to be engaged in
• 21:30
  Speaker 4: Super Rugby.
• 21:32
  Speaker 3: Check out Chicken.
• 21:34
  Speaker 4: It is very disruptive and look at this point you
• 21:38
  Speaker 4: could say, you know, how much interest is it going
• 21:41
  Speaker 4: to be every year? And a potential third dead rubber
• 21:44
  Speaker 4: bledslow so.
• 21:46
  Speaker 2: Well and he as we touched on how do you
• 21:48
  Speaker 2: build up interest in super run and say it's going
• 21:50
  Speaker 2: to be antach weekend every year when you move it
• 21:52
  Speaker 2: after the first weekend where it was very successful because
• 21:55
  Speaker 2: there was a public holiday on the Monday afterwards that
• 21:57
  Speaker 2: enable people to travel back and move about the city
• 22:00
  Speaker 2: and drink as much as they wanted or whatever it was,
• 22:02
  Speaker 2: because they knew they had that buffer of the Monday
• 22:04
  Speaker 2: that those things are sort of quite vital.
• 22:05
  Speaker 4: You have to find another long weekend which is potentially
• 22:08
  Speaker 4: King's Birthday.
• 22:10
  Speaker 2: That's not the fine round, that's probably of Super Rugby.
• 22:12
  Speaker 4: Yeah, so I think it worked really well when it
• 22:16
  Speaker 4: was ends that weekend because it's you know, not smack
• 22:20
  Speaker 4: being in the middle of the year, but it's it's
• 22:22
  Speaker 4: not at the end, so you're you're generating interest in
• 22:25
  Speaker 4: your competition and there's still quite a long runway to go,
• 22:27
  Speaker 4: so it really was the perfect window. Yeah, I have
• 22:31
  Speaker 4: big questions about that concept.
• 22:34
  Speaker 3: I understand why Australia wanted in New Zealand.
• 22:37
  Speaker 4: The other point, from a New Zealand perspective, I think
• 22:40
  Speaker 4: around the negotiating table they're probably have to having to
• 22:43
  Speaker 4: make some concessions and compensations for the greatest rivalry tour, right,
• 22:49
  Speaker 4: that would be my assumption because you know, Australia and
• 22:53
  Speaker 4: Argentina have had to take a back seat during those
• 22:57
  Speaker 4: years from a Rugby Championship perspective, while the All Blacks
• 23:01
  Speaker 4: and spring Box cash. So maybe this is a bit
• 23:03
  Speaker 4: of a compensation. Thank you keep Australia on side.
• 23:07
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm not sure we need to, but that's all right,
• 23:10
  Speaker 2: quick break come back with more after the sub rugby
• 23:12
  Speaker 2: direct you're back with rugby directs. So let's look ahead
• 23:15
  Speaker 2: to the weekend that is upcoming in Super Rugby Pacific
• 23:21
  Speaker 2: Big Darby to kick things off and That's probably one thing,
• 23:23
  Speaker 2: just going back to super and briefly is that next
• 23:25
  Speaker 2: year you need to probably change the shedele up a
• 23:26
  Speaker 2: little bit and maybe have a Derby as the centerpiece
• 23:29
  Speaker 2: of the weekend. Whether the Crusaders if they're the home
• 23:32
  Speaker 2: team obviously play on a Saturday night against the New
• 23:34
  Speaker 2: Zealand team and it flows builds up to that, then
• 23:37
  Speaker 2: it comes back down again on Sunday. There are little
• 23:39
  Speaker 2: things you could do then and by instead of changing
• 23:41
  Speaker 2: up the drawer a lot.
• 23:42
  Speaker 4: Yeah, I think you need to have at least one
• 23:44
  Speaker 4: Marquie match and because of the occasion, that was always
• 23:48
  Speaker 4: going to be the Crusaders no matter who they played,
• 23:50
  Speaker 4: but that's not going to be the case in the
• 23:52
  Speaker 4: coming year. So you do need a Markie fixture, whether
• 23:55
  Speaker 4: that be Blues Crusaders, another New Zealand Derby, whatever it is,
• 24:00
  Speaker 4: and you could have two Aussie teams playing or something.
• 24:05
  Speaker 3: But you need something to hang your head on.
• 24:06
  Speaker 2: You do. Okay, Well, let's get into this week. Hurricanes, Crusaders,
• 24:09
  Speaker 2: Hurricanes with a few changes, Crusaders even Black at a
• 24:12
  Speaker 2: back for the least. Fine looker again on the open side,
• 24:15
  Speaker 2: David Heavily playing as one hundred and fiftieth Crusader's riding
• 24:19
  Speaker 2: high heading to the Capitol Henry Stadium. There's a time
• 24:22
  Speaker 2: that they knock off the would be champions of this competition.
• 24:27
  Speaker 3: Lamb too, Elliott, It's so we need to know, mate.
• 24:31
  Speaker 4: Look, I I think that the Kanes win. I don't
• 24:38
  Speaker 4: think the Crusaders evoke the same fear for the Hurricanes
• 24:42
  Speaker 4: as they have done in previous years. I think if
• 24:46
  Speaker 4: there's a team that worries the Hurricanes, it's the Chiefs
• 24:48
  Speaker 4: and we saw that in Hamilton. And I still feel
• 24:52
  Speaker 4: like the Crusaders need to lift significantly from where they
• 24:55
  Speaker 4: were last weekend.
• 24:56
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I think you're right, but I'm still gonna tip them.
• 24:59
  Speaker 2: Wartars forced nine thirty five. Pretty crunch game for the
• 25:03
  Speaker 2: Wartars after the loss last week in christ The now
• 25:06
  Speaker 2: four points outside the eight is stands in eighth place.
• 25:10
  Speaker 2: They need to get the job done against the Force,
• 25:12
  Speaker 2: do they.
• 25:13
  Speaker 4: Well, the Force did the business for me last summer.
• 25:15
  Speaker 4: I think they're a vastly improved team this year, so
• 25:17
  Speaker 4: I'm actually going to tip them to go to Sydney.
• 25:20
  Speaker 4: Joseph Suiley back at center. Great for the comp Good
• 25:24
  Speaker 4: to see he's been out since the start of the
• 25:26
  Speaker 4: season with a hamstring injury.
• 25:29
  Speaker 3: I don't know.
• 25:29
  Speaker 4: I still don't feel like center's his best position. He's
• 25:32
  Speaker 4: not utilized enough under the high ball and they use
• 25:34
  Speaker 4: them a lot as a decoy runner, and just not
• 25:38
  Speaker 4: impressed by the Waratars in general. So yeah, go Twiggy's force.
• 25:42
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm going to go the Tars. Sure enough from
• 25:43
  Speaker 2: them last week to suggest they'll get the job done.
• 25:46
  Speaker 2: We have the Fijian draw against the Highlanders, a really
• 25:49
  Speaker 2: interesting game in bar on Saturday afternoon crunch game for
• 25:53
  Speaker 2: both of their playoff hopes. The Highlanders twentieth or Lader
• 25:56
  Speaker 2: and seventh Fiji and draw on sixteen. Glenn Jackson said
• 25:59
  Speaker 2: after the game who he was not happy about the refereeing,
• 26:02
  Speaker 2: wasn't happy about Jordan Way being appointed to that game
• 26:04
  Speaker 2: with a couple of test touches on the touch line,
• 26:07
  Speaker 2: wasn't happy about the knock on from the Chiefs he
• 26:09
  Speaker 2: saw in the first spell. Interesting game. I think the
• 26:13
  Speaker 2: Drawer get up at home in this one.
• 26:15
  Speaker 3: I think so.
• 26:16
  Speaker 4: I think it's meant to be stonking hot over there
• 26:19
  Speaker 4: as well. But the Drawer have been very competitive in
• 26:24
  Speaker 4: recent weeks, haven't they. Despite their away struggles, So going
• 26:28
  Speaker 4: back home, I think they sneaked it.
• 26:30
  Speaker 2: One O pacific aout in the Blues, probably for the
• 26:32
  Speaker 2: last time in North Harbors Stadium. You saw Mowana beat
• 26:37
  Speaker 2: the Blues last year in the corresponding fixture in North
• 26:39
  Speaker 2: Harbor Stadium. Can they do it again?
• 26:42
  Speaker 4: You never know, but it's probably not. The Blues made
• 26:45
  Speaker 4: a few changes, haven't they rested a few Stephen Peterfeza
• 26:48
  Speaker 4: coming into ten bon and Barretts and a couple of
• 26:52
  Speaker 4: others benched aj Lamb.
• 26:55
  Speaker 3: But they should still have enough five power.
• 26:57
  Speaker 2: This week for them either. But I think the thing,
• 26:59
  Speaker 2: You're right, I'll have too much and Reads Brumby is
• 27:01
  Speaker 2: interesting game for both of these teams. Five v six
• 27:04
  Speaker 2: in the playoff mix for super Ragby Reds at Home.
• 27:07
  Speaker 2: Reid's taking the Blos to super point last week. The
• 27:09
  Speaker 2: Brumbies are having a capitulation. At one point we thought,
• 27:14
  Speaker 2: you know, there were maybe competition front runners. Now they're
• 27:16
  Speaker 2: struggling to stay inside the six. Reads at Home. I
• 27:20
  Speaker 2: think it's gonna be too strong again.
• 27:21
  Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm going the Reds and that the Brumbies have
• 27:23
  Speaker 4: fallen off butt of a cliff, haven't they.
• 27:25
  Speaker 2: They have. Indeed, you went five from five at super Round.
• 27:28
  Speaker 2: I went four from five because I tip my Wonder
• 27:30
  Speaker 2: over the high Landers, which didn't happen. You've opened up
• 27:33
  Speaker 2: a five point lead overall.
• 27:34
  Speaker 3: Sounds familiar, Yeah it does.
• 27:36
  Speaker 2: Actually I think I won the whole thing last year,
• 27:38
  Speaker 2: had you won the year before quite comfortably. Of course
• 27:40
  Speaker 2: you can follow us on the fantasy as well Rugby
• 27:42
  Speaker 2: Direct podcast. I forgot to change my team last week
• 27:45
  Speaker 2: going on a third are you yeah, Chepaus, you might
• 27:48
  Speaker 2: win the jersey yourself. Mail bag will also open Rugby
• 27:52
  Speaker 2: Direct and News Talk ZB, Dakota and Z will check
• 27:54
  Speaker 2: that next week and get into the mail bag. But
• 27:57
  Speaker 2: that about does us for another week of Rugby Direct.
• 28:00
  Speaker 2: Napes back again on Monday to review the weekend that
• 28:02
  Speaker 2: was and the Crusaders surely ascending closer to the top two.
• 28:07
  Speaker 3: Well did you ever punt?
• 28:09
  Speaker 2: Yes?
• 28:09
  Speaker 3: Weekend?
• 28:10
  Speaker 2: Yep? What I put on it?
• 28:12
  Speaker 3: Lunch?
• 28:12
  Speaker 2: Yeah? Sure done?
• 28:13
  Speaker 3: All right, brilliant? Yeah, yeah, we'll who I find the
• 28:17
  Speaker 3: fine dining restaurants?
• 28:19
  Speaker 2: Catch that's I think the budget honeygo so far? Mate's
• 28:25
  Speaker 2: good to catch up as always, thanks to Mark Kelly
• 28:27
  Speaker 2: and then'll do us for rugby directs for another week,
• 28:30
  Speaker 2: courtesy of our friends at ins Insacty Blackwoods. Everything Cradies need.
• 28:34
  Speaker 1: Sorders for more from News Talks B Listen live on
• 28:39
  Speaker 1: air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
• 28:42
  Speaker 1: you go with our podcast on iHeartRadio