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Transcript

Rugby Direct: Episode 227 · Rugby Direct

• 0:09
  Speaker 1: You're listening to a podcast from News Talks at B.
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: Follow this and our Wide Ranger podcasts now on iHeartRadio
• 0:26
  Speaker 1: straight down the middle of tru try to get inside
• 0:37
  Speaker 1: the game from every end goal. It's Rugby Direct with
• 0:40
  Speaker 1: Elliott Smith and Liam Napier, powered by News Talks at B.
• 0:44
  Speaker 2: Welcome into Rugby Directs back again for another week, and
• 0:49
  Speaker 2: of course we are powered by our good friends at
• 0:52
  Speaker 2: Habit Health. Book today and stay in the game. Elliott
• 0:54
  Speaker 2: Smith with me Liam Napier, Sports Corresponded rugby writer for
• 0:58
  Speaker 2: The New Zealand Herald napes back again and Dar I
• 1:01
  Speaker 2: say that the cane train keeps rolling on.
• 1:04
  Speaker 3: To toot Elliott's You're on board, Bill, and it was
• 1:09
  Speaker 3: great to have your presence. And I must say, I
• 1:11
  Speaker 3: think we're almost at full capacity now, so anyone else
• 1:15
  Speaker 3: wanting to jump on the bandwagon better get on board.
• 1:18
  Speaker 2: Really good with that badwagon comes to a crash in
• 1:21
  Speaker 2: the fast semi finals.
• 1:23
  Speaker 4: Seats are fast falling up. Mate.
• 1:25
  Speaker 2: Okay, well, let's start with that game, as we always do,
• 1:28
  Speaker 2: work our way backwards over the key games of the weekend.
• 1:30
  Speaker 2: From a New Zealand perspective, Hurricanes forty seven Blues twenty four. Look,
• 1:36
  Speaker 2: the Hurricanes were exceptional forty points to seven, driven by
• 1:40
  Speaker 2: some really strong performances out of their pack. I thought
• 1:43
  Speaker 2: their forwards carried really well, especially in the first forty
• 1:47
  Speaker 2: to fifty minutes. Also their props Numidia and Tossy Muwer
• 1:53
  Speaker 2: carried really strongly. Dun's had a cracking game. Luck I
• 1:56
  Speaker 2: was everywhere, and then just laid the platform for the
• 1:58
  Speaker 2: Hurricanes to do what they do really well, which has
• 2:01
  Speaker 2: worked their outsides and give them plenty of ball and
• 2:05
  Speaker 2: they look to be honestly, they look three and the
• 2:08
  Speaker 2: Blues looked one dimensional. On the basis of that performance.
• 2:13
  Speaker 3: It's a great way of putting it, Elliott, the contrast
• 2:15
  Speaker 3: between the two teams couldn't have been starker.
• 2:18
  Speaker 4: I think it was a.
• 2:20
  Speaker 3: Real illustration of where these two teams sit in the
• 2:24
  Speaker 3: pecking order, where their trajectories are going. And a look
• 2:28
  Speaker 3: earlier in the year, the Hurricanes humbled the Blues in
• 2:31
  Speaker 3: Wellingtons and I think it was round nine, similar scoreline,
• 2:35
  Speaker 3: but the Blues were down on troops at that point.
• 2:37
  Speaker 4: They had no.
• 2:38
  Speaker 3: Patrick two, Polo two and a couple of others. I
• 2:40
  Speaker 3: think Hoskinstituto might have been missing from their pack, so
• 2:44
  Speaker 3: they had a few excuses away from home as well.
• 2:47
  Speaker 3: This was the Blues final regular season game. They had
• 2:51
  Speaker 3: post to twenty thousand people. Dalden Papoli was the only
• 2:56
  Speaker 3: major out. They did have to reshuffle their back line
• 2:58
  Speaker 3: and they did lose quite a few in the full
• 3:01
  Speaker 3: plaque to Hias throughout the game, but as you say,
• 3:04
  Speaker 3: just really one dimensional on the back foot.
• 3:07
  Speaker 4: Their forward path.
• 3:09
  Speaker 3: Was humbled really, and like you say, it was a
• 3:14
  Speaker 3: really dynamic performance from the Hurricanes pack and guys like
• 3:19
  Speaker 3: Armor and new Mayor in particular, and Tossi with Tyrol
• 3:24
  Speaker 3: Lomax still to come back, really stepping up. And that's
• 3:28
  Speaker 3: been the Hurricanes Achilles, hasn't it in previous years. I've
• 3:32
  Speaker 3: always had the flashy backs and that they still have
• 3:34
  Speaker 3: that this year. But the transformation has come up fronts
• 3:37
  Speaker 3: and in their defense and in their work at the breakdown.
• 3:40
  Speaker 3: They've got the most turnovers in the competition this year
• 3:43
  Speaker 3: and they really are doing it all. So the Blues
• 3:47
  Speaker 3: were never really in that contest. They competed at times,
• 3:50
  Speaker 3: but twenty one zero down at halftime, the game's gone.
• 3:53
  Speaker 4: And despite a late flourish.
• 3:56
  Speaker 3: I think there's some real question marks to be asked
• 3:58
  Speaker 3: about where the Blues are at, and it does feel
• 4:02
  Speaker 3: like they are really stale currently.
• 4:04
  Speaker 2: It does, and that's two losses in a row now
• 4:07
  Speaker 2: and kind of big losses at the hands of fellow
• 4:10
  Speaker 2: New Zealand teams. Obviously that the Hurricanes put them more
• 4:13
  Speaker 2: to the sword than the Crusaders did previously under the
• 4:17
  Speaker 2: roof in christ Church. But I think over the two
• 4:20
  Speaker 2: weeks you struggled to mount in the argument that the
• 4:22
  Speaker 2: Blues have a convincing case to win this title. If
• 4:26
  Speaker 2: we drilled down into that, what do you think is
• 4:28
  Speaker 2: going wrong? I thought Boden Barrett didn't have a great
• 4:31
  Speaker 2: night out and he's had a few poor nights out
• 4:33
  Speaker 2: this season for the Blues. Their packs struggled to get going. Especially,
• 4:39
  Speaker 2: I thought they're type five. You know, Signa was into everything.
• 4:42
  Speaker 2: I thought Rampling had probably his best game and those
• 4:45
  Speaker 2: two were impressive, But they're type five. Just went matching
• 4:49
  Speaker 2: up to what the Hurricanes were delivering on the other
• 4:51
  Speaker 2: side of.
• 4:51
  Speaker 3: The ball, absolutely, and things that have worked well for
• 4:55
  Speaker 3: the Blues, like their line out, have has disintegrated in
• 4:58
  Speaker 3: the past two weeks. They had issues against the Crusaders
• 5:01
  Speaker 3: there and they were they again came to the four
• 5:04
  Speaker 3: against the Hurricanes. Some of that you can contribute to
• 5:07
  Speaker 3: Warner Durns probably the most prominent lineout forward in terms
• 5:11
  Speaker 3: of contesting and stealing opposition ball this year. But they're
• 5:16
  Speaker 3: just not getting enough pay from their pack and if
• 5:19
  Speaker 3: you can meet them physically match them up front, it
• 5:22
  Speaker 3: doesn't seem like they've got any other levels leavers to pool.
• 5:26
  Speaker 3: Caleb Clark barely sees any ball. Boden Barrett feels like
• 5:29
  Speaker 3: he's a wee bit gun shy, in a bit of
• 5:32
  Speaker 3: a ruts even you know, things that have worked well
• 5:35
  Speaker 3: for him in recent years. His kicking game is deserting him.
• 5:40
  Speaker 3: He had that charge down try and then maybe lost
• 5:43
  Speaker 3: a bit of confidence. And even his passing is quite erratic.
• 5:45
  Speaker 3: There's a number of instances this year where he's just
• 5:49
  Speaker 3: completely missed his intended receivers. So that's a real concern.
• 5:55
  Speaker 3: So yeah, there's big question marks to ask about the Blues.
• 5:58
  Speaker 3: I think they seem bereaft of confidence and ideas and
• 6:03
  Speaker 3: just don't know where they're going to turn. Because it's
• 6:06
  Speaker 3: all good and well when they can get on the
• 6:09
  Speaker 3: front foot. They can go through the front door, but
• 6:11
  Speaker 3: if that's not working, they just look a bit headless.
• 6:15
  Speaker 2: They do and their thirdest stands, but have the buy
• 6:18
  Speaker 2: this week and then the Chiefs away in the final round,
• 6:21
  Speaker 2: the Crusaders six points behind them, the Brumbies probably can't
• 6:25
  Speaker 2: get there. They're nine points behind them. They may yet
• 6:28
  Speaker 2: hold on to third, but it's going to be fascinating
• 6:31
  Speaker 2: to see who they get in that third and fourth matchup,
• 6:34
  Speaker 2: because they could potentially, just the luck of the drawer,
• 6:37
  Speaker 2: have a Brumbies maybe even have a Reds in that
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: third fourth game, which would give them potentially any easier
• 6:44
  Speaker 2: pass through to the semi finals than say the Chiefs
• 6:48
  Speaker 2: or maybe the Hurricanes if they have to potentially meet
• 6:50
  Speaker 2: the Crusaders.
• 6:52
  Speaker 3: I think the Crusaders are the team that you don't
• 6:54
  Speaker 3: want to meet come the playoff time because they'll probably
• 6:57
  Speaker 3: have Will Jordan, Scott Barrett and another of others coming back.
• 7:03
  Speaker 3: And if the Blues are matching up with the Crusaders,
• 7:06
  Speaker 3: I think on you'd certainly tip that only only going
• 7:10
  Speaker 3: one way, So it's gonna be interesting to see how
• 7:13
  Speaker 3: all that shakes down, and just I guess going back
• 7:16
  Speaker 3: to the point about the contrast between the Hurricanes and
• 7:19
  Speaker 3: the Blues. It really did come down to the variety
• 7:22
  Speaker 3: in their game, didn't it. The Hurricanes scored from rolling wolves,
• 7:26
  Speaker 3: they scored out wides, they scored a brilliant special set
• 7:31
  Speaker 3: move where they'd set up the mall and came sweeping
• 7:35
  Speaker 3: around the blind side and Anade gave the inside ball
• 7:37
  Speaker 3: to Kidning a holo. So just the variety to their
• 7:41
  Speaker 3: play where the Blues the seem a bit stale, a
• 7:43
  Speaker 3: bit dodgy, a bit predictable in one dimensional. So this
• 7:47
  Speaker 3: really did illustrate where the two teams are at, and
• 7:50
  Speaker 3: just that the variety in their game was really stark.
• 7:53
  Speaker 2: It was fitting on and off as well. Equals Joe
• 7:56
  Speaker 2: Roff and Ben Lamb's record of sixteen tries in a season.
• 8:00
  Speaker 2: You wouldn't put it past some you know, bettering that
• 8:02
  Speaker 2: against the Highlanders this week or Crusaders potentially. Maybe they
• 8:07
  Speaker 2: look to rest him for one of those two games
• 8:10
  Speaker 2: ahead of the playoffs, but he should have that record outright,
• 8:13
  Speaker 2: you would think by the time all is said and
• 8:15
  Speaker 2: done the season. I guess on that point as well. Liam,
• 8:18
  Speaker 2: if you are the Hurricanes, you are now five points
• 8:20
  Speaker 2: clear of the Chiefs, so you haven't completely locked down
• 8:23
  Speaker 2: top spot as yet. So do you roll out your
• 8:25
  Speaker 2: quote unquote best team again this week and then give
• 8:28
  Speaker 2: them a lot of the starters a week off for
• 8:31
  Speaker 2: that final game in christ Church against the Crusaders. You know,
• 8:35
  Speaker 2: in the final week of the regular season. What would
• 8:37
  Speaker 2: you do if you're Clark Ladlaw to freshen up this
• 8:39
  Speaker 2: team if they need freshening up before the playoffs.
• 8:43
  Speaker 4: It's a great position to be in, isn't it.
• 8:46
  Speaker 3: Clack Well Laidlaw said postmatch that fan and off four
• 8:49
  Speaker 3: pulled up a bit lame, whether it was cramp or
• 8:53
  Speaker 3: Jesus had a big workload this year, so he did
• 8:56
  Speaker 3: intimate that he may be rested this week. And when
• 8:59
  Speaker 3: you've got a guy like Josh Moreby waiting in the
• 9:01
  Speaker 3: wings who scored four tries against Mowana and had the
• 9:04
  Speaker 3: week off, maybe they looked to rotate a wee bit there.
• 9:07
  Speaker 3: But I think I would be going all out for
• 9:09
  Speaker 3: the Landers, looking to get a bonus point and potentially
• 9:13
  Speaker 3: lock up that top spot. One victory maybe all the
• 9:17
  Speaker 3: Hurricanes need. The Chiefs have to go and play the Crusaders,
• 9:21
  Speaker 3: probably without Damien McKenzie. So that's a tough ask, but yeah,
• 9:27
  Speaker 3: the Hurricanes might only need to go full guns blazing
• 9:30
  Speaker 3: one week, look to get a bonus points, and then
• 9:33
  Speaker 3: potentially in the final round before the playoffs, you could
• 9:36
  Speaker 3: rotate and look to go into those playoffs really fresh.
• 9:39
  Speaker 2: Yeah, it's pretty good problem for Clark Laidlaw to have.
• 9:43
  Speaker 2: Let's go backwards again to Friday Night, the Chiefs forty
• 9:46
  Speaker 2: two over the Highlanders twelve. Look that the Highlanders scored first,
• 9:51
  Speaker 2: but by and large this was usual transmission from the Chiefs.
• 9:55
  Speaker 2: So we've talked a couple of times on the podcast
• 9:57
  Speaker 2: that maybe we haven't seen the best of them, but
• 10:00
  Speaker 2: in a way, they didn't really have to get out
• 10:02
  Speaker 2: of second gear to beat this Highlanders team. There was
• 10:04
  Speaker 2: an impressive performance from Lucas Casey obviously on the other
• 10:07
  Speaker 2: side of the ball, but I never felt like the
• 10:10
  Speaker 2: Chiefs were too in danger of losing that one, and
• 10:12
  Speaker 2: obviously they won by thirty in the end.
• 10:15
  Speaker 4: Yeah they did.
• 10:15
  Speaker 3: And look, I thought it was a workmanlike performance from
• 10:21
  Speaker 3: the Chiefs. I don't think it was their best performance
• 10:23
  Speaker 3: of the year, but like you say, they never felt
• 10:26
  Speaker 3: like they were in danger of losing it. I was
• 10:28
  Speaker 3: extremely impressed with Lucas Casey and a losing team. I
• 10:32
  Speaker 3: thought he was the best player on the park. Some
• 10:34
  Speaker 3: of his stats around carrying meeters, maids, turnovers, he was everywhere,
• 10:40
  Speaker 3: switching from open side to number eight. I thought it
• 10:45
  Speaker 3: was a real standout performance. And those sort of guys
• 10:48
  Speaker 3: that have to be the future of the Highlanders, don't
• 10:51
  Speaker 3: they They have to hold on some they have to
• 10:53
  Speaker 3: harness them and evolve them. Because a young guy who
• 10:57
  Speaker 3: came on the scene in the NPC and lit it
• 11:00
  Speaker 3: up is showing that he can match it at super
• 11:02
  Speaker 3: rugby level when potentially putting his case forward for high
• 11:06
  Speaker 3: honors later in his career against some established all Blacks
• 11:12
  Speaker 3: and Luke and Luke, Jacobson, Wallace, a TC, some of Pennies, now,
• 11:16
  Speaker 3: I thought Lucas Casey outshone them all.
• 11:19
  Speaker 2: I thought he did so. I thought it was a
• 11:20
  Speaker 2: really good performance from Lucas Casey and certainly gave Dave Renni,
• 11:23
  Speaker 2: who would be in the stands, something to ponder perhaps
• 11:25
  Speaker 2: for that South African tour that maybe he might be
• 11:28
  Speaker 2: applied to look to for those midweek games with a
• 11:31
  Speaker 2: view to seeing how he goes in the all blacks environment.
• 11:35
  Speaker 2: The thing that stood out to me, and as I
• 11:37
  Speaker 2: mentioned a number of times here, the stats don't tell
• 11:39
  Speaker 2: the full story because they can be skewed by the
• 11:41
  Speaker 2: way that matches go. But you look at the territory
• 11:44
  Speaker 2: Highlanders fifty eight forty two, position fifty nine to forty
• 11:47
  Speaker 2: one in favor of the Highlanders, carries one hundred and
• 11:51
  Speaker 2: sixty nine to one hundred and nineteen, four hundred and
• 11:53
  Speaker 2: fifty eight post comptat meters to three hundred and two.
• 11:56
  Speaker 2: The Chiefs conceded ten penalties to five. They missed thirty
• 11:59
  Speaker 2: three tackles the Chiefs to thirteen. On the basis of
• 12:02
  Speaker 2: what the stats show, there's no way the Highlanders should
• 12:05
  Speaker 2: have lost that by thirty points.
• 12:07
  Speaker 4: No, absolutely not.
• 12:08
  Speaker 3: I guess yes, that's don't tell the full picture, and
• 12:11
  Speaker 3: that they couldn't convert when they had a number of opportunities,
• 12:14
  Speaker 3: and the Chiefs are fairly ruthless when they get guys
• 12:18
  Speaker 3: like Sammasoni, Takyaho or natur Arkoi close to the line,
• 12:24
  Speaker 3: are pretty difficult to stop. And ultimately it just comes
• 12:28
  Speaker 3: down to converting those chances, those entries into the twenty two.
• 12:30
  Speaker 3: And I think that's what we saw from the Hurricanes
• 12:34
  Speaker 3: as well, particularly in that first half. They didn't actually
• 12:37
  Speaker 3: have that many opportunities, but they had three opportunities, Bang
• 12:41
  Speaker 3: Bang Bang took them. And the Blues are on the rack,
• 12:44
  Speaker 3: and that's probably the difference with where the Hollanders right
• 12:47
  Speaker 3: at the moments and why they struggle to match the
• 12:50
  Speaker 3: New Zealand teams. Obviously their roster isn't as strong and
• 12:55
  Speaker 3: a massive loss for them, and Caleb Tongueytowl really feel
• 12:59
  Speaker 3: for him.
• 13:01
  Speaker 4: You'd have to.
• 13:01
  Speaker 3: Think bolted on and that all black squads. So they
• 13:04
  Speaker 3: haven't had a lot of luck this year with Fabian
• 13:05
  Speaker 3: Holland missing, Dylan Pledge as well and now Caleb Tonguetow
• 13:10
  Speaker 3: and their roster as a whole. They can't afford to
• 13:12
  Speaker 3: lose those real upper echelon players, can they.
• 13:15
  Speaker 2: No, they can't. I have thought of the last few
• 13:19
  Speaker 2: weeks that they haven't perhaps been or looked as well
• 13:22
  Speaker 2: drilled as Highland as teams have in the past, especially
• 13:25
  Speaker 2: the way they started the season with that went over
• 13:27
  Speaker 2: the Crusaders and actually looked like a well drilled outfit
• 13:31
  Speaker 2: that maybe wouldn't win, you know, maybe maybe about five
• 13:34
  Speaker 2: hundred for the season or maybe you know, might be
• 13:36
  Speaker 2: able to sneak a few upsets, but they seem to
• 13:38
  Speaker 2: have gone backwards. And whether that's the toll of the
• 13:41
  Speaker 2: season and a lot of these players playing big minutes,
• 13:43
  Speaker 2: I'm not sure. Ta ta Nahwa doesn't seem to be
• 13:46
  Speaker 2: having the influence that he's had, you know, in previous
• 13:50
  Speaker 2: Compared to previous seasons, or even compared to earlier in
• 13:53
  Speaker 2: the season. It feels like they're looking a bit tired
• 13:55
  Speaker 2: and they can see the finish line and cite the
• 13:57
  Speaker 2: Thailanders team with just one more game to go for
• 13:59
  Speaker 2: them before a final round.
• 14:00
  Speaker 3: By yeah, I think that's fair, and it's probably been
• 14:05
  Speaker 3: a lack of evolution and progression. The Highlanders finished what
• 14:09
  Speaker 3: Wooden Spooners last year, and you could argue they haven't
• 14:12
  Speaker 3: really improved from that obvious roster challenges, But you just
• 14:17
  Speaker 3: want to see incremental improvements, don't you, And I don't
• 14:20
  Speaker 3: think we're seeing that from them.
• 14:21
  Speaker 4: They had what a big win at the start of the.
• 14:24
  Speaker 3: Year and haven't really fired a lot of shots since
• 14:29
  Speaker 3: they beat the Waratars two weeks ago in Dunedin, But
• 14:34
  Speaker 3: struggling to ever think of to think of other real
• 14:37
  Speaker 3: notable performances from them this year, so a few questions
• 14:41
  Speaker 3: potentially be asked once the season wraps up. Yeah.
• 14:44
  Speaker 2: Absolutely, they do have Josh Jacon of course coming in
• 14:47
  Speaker 2: next year into their lineup. A couple of other games
• 14:50
  Speaker 2: of course. On the weekend Force nineteen over the Reds
• 14:53
  Speaker 2: fourteen and the drawer going down to the Waratarz and
• 14:57
  Speaker 2: Fig fifty thirty five. The war retars still in the
• 15:00
  Speaker 2: mix for the playoff spots. The Force and Theory as
• 15:04
  Speaker 2: well could potentially get there on thirty two, although it's
• 15:07
  Speaker 2: a long w back for them, but you know, we're
• 15:10
  Speaker 2: going to have some really tight spots. We'll get into
• 15:13
  Speaker 2: this in the final four shortly. But those Australian teams
• 15:16
  Speaker 2: are eating each other the season, aren't they.
• 15:19
  Speaker 3: They are, indeed, and well there's probably a question to
• 15:23
  Speaker 3: be asked about just how good the Australian teams are.
• 15:27
  Speaker 3: And I think we've probably seen them even out since
• 15:31
  Speaker 3: the demise of the Melbourne Rebels. The talent pools probably
• 15:34
  Speaker 3: spread there. Not sure whether they've actually lifted or improved,
• 15:40
  Speaker 3: but they do seem to be fairly even among the
• 15:44
  Speaker 3: teams that do remain. So I can't see any of
• 15:47
  Speaker 3: them being overly competitive come playoff time, and it's pretty
• 15:52
  Speaker 3: hard to predict which one is actually going to emerge
• 15:54
  Speaker 3: as the best team as well.
• 15:55
  Speaker 2: It is indeed, I thought the Brumbies were, you know,
• 15:59
  Speaker 2: a chance to finish top two earlier in the season
• 16:01
  Speaker 2: and they've gone slid down to fifth. Yeah, it feels
• 16:05
  Speaker 2: like they've gone backwards a bit over the course of
• 16:06
  Speaker 2: the season. Is well, quick break back with more after
• 16:09
  Speaker 2: this on Rugby Derecks. Back now with the final four
• 16:14
  Speaker 2: four rugby topics that Liam and I debate. First one
• 16:18
  Speaker 2: for you, Liam, who's the next cab off the rank
• 16:20
  Speaker 2: when it comes to All Blacks wingers if we assume
• 16:22
  Speaker 2: and I think we both do, that Caleb tunguy Toe
• 16:25
  Speaker 2: was going to be named in that squad later on
• 16:28
  Speaker 2: this month, sorry, next month.
• 16:30
  Speaker 4: Yeah.
• 16:30
  Speaker 3: Devastating for Caleb Tunkytail, isn't it. He's been on the
• 16:33
  Speaker 3: cusp of that All Blacks team, went on the Allbecks
• 16:36
  Speaker 3: fifteen tour. Probably should have been in the All Blacks
• 16:38
  Speaker 3: last year. To be honest, Serie Reese was a bit
• 16:41
  Speaker 3: of a passenger. I certainly felt that Tongueytail should have
• 16:44
  Speaker 3: been in that mix. So for him now to be
• 16:46
  Speaker 3: ruled out for the best part of nine months to
• 16:49
  Speaker 3: a year, massive blow for him personally. Hopefully he can
• 16:52
  Speaker 3: get back to the player that he was this year
• 16:55
  Speaker 3: next cab off the rank you're probably looking at guys
• 16:58
  Speaker 3: La Morning, naraur Lee Roy Carter, who we haven't seen
• 17:01
  Speaker 3: a lot of this year. Both must big chunks of
• 17:03
  Speaker 3: the season with the Chiefs. But do you back come
• 17:05
  Speaker 3: playoff time, so they'll be chomping at the bit to
• 17:09
  Speaker 3: get out there and impress new coach Dave Rennie. But look,
• 17:13
  Speaker 3: I don't think you can rule out the possibility of
• 17:15
  Speaker 3: rehen selecting Finnian Enough for Historically All Blacks coaches have
• 17:22
  Speaker 3: moved on from players who have signed contracts you think of.
• 17:25
  Speaker 3: The latest example was probably Mark t Lea. Scott Robinson
• 17:29
  Speaker 3: did not select him once he had signed in Japan,
• 17:33
  Speaker 3: and the All Blacks I think, struggled to fill that void.
• 17:37
  Speaker 3: There's all sorts of arguments, aren't there about developing players
• 17:40
  Speaker 3: or picking someone who's inform. It's a big year for
• 17:42
  Speaker 3: the All Blacks, so I think Rennie will be seriously
• 17:46
  Speaker 3: considering selecting Finnian Enough for what do you reckon?
• 17:49
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I think he'll have to mull it over. I'll
• 17:51
  Speaker 2: be looking at maybe Knina Holo potentially, although he's had
• 17:55
  Speaker 2: obviously that injury, but I was impressed by what I
• 17:57
  Speaker 2: saw from him over the weekends. It feels like he's
• 18:00
  Speaker 2: been around for a long time. He's twenty seven, been
• 18:02
  Speaker 2: through what this is his third Super Rugby franchise Kannina Hollo.
• 18:06
  Speaker 2: But he's playing some great rugby you know last year
• 18:09
  Speaker 2: as well before that injury, and if he can keep
• 18:12
  Speaker 2: that form up in the playoffs, and I think he's
• 18:13
  Speaker 2: a contender. I wouldn't rull that. Shafie Hackey as well.
• 18:17
  Speaker 2: His ability under the high ball I think is really
• 18:19
  Speaker 2: really vital and test match football. It's gonna be interesting
• 18:24
  Speaker 2: as well to see what the All Blacks do around
• 18:26
  Speaker 2: that back three. I would probably look towards maybe moving
• 18:32
  Speaker 2: Will Jordan back to the wing, especially with that tongue
• 18:35
  Speaker 2: in tot injury now and Damian McKenzie potentially at fullback.
• 18:40
  Speaker 2: But it's kind of interesting to see which what preference
• 18:42
  Speaker 2: Dave Rennie has for the makeup of his back three
• 18:44
  Speaker 2: and what kind of players he wants.
• 18:46
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I think that's a good shout with Will Jordan.
• 18:48
  Speaker 3: He's played some exceptional rugby for the All Blacks on
• 18:53
  Speaker 3: the wing. Ian Foster used him there predominantly and Scar
• 18:58
  Speaker 3: Robson went back to him at fullback. I didn't think
• 19:00
  Speaker 3: he had a particularly good year for the All Blacks
• 19:02
  Speaker 3: last year. The All Blacks attack wasn't great, but Jordan
• 19:05
  Speaker 3: did have some struggles under the high ball. He wasn't
• 19:07
  Speaker 3: alone in that aspect of the game, so then we
• 19:11
  Speaker 3: need to see some big improvements there.
• 19:12
  Speaker 4: But he can give him a.
• 19:15
  Speaker 3: Roman commission from the wing. Bill Blacks do have a
• 19:17
  Speaker 3: number of different options in the backfield. As you say McKenzie,
• 19:22
  Speaker 3: I thought when he played at fullback, probably played his
• 19:25
  Speaker 3: best rugby in recent years, I think at fullback for
• 19:27
  Speaker 3: the All Blacks rather than first five.
• 19:29
  Speaker 4: So yeah, I think that's a real live option as well.
• 19:34
  Speaker 2: That moves us on to topic number two. On a
• 19:36
  Speaker 2: similar note, what chances and you wrote about this last
• 19:38
  Speaker 2: week that he Finn Young and Awfha remains in New
• 19:42
  Speaker 2: Zealand and doesn't take up that contract with Newcastle Redbulls.
• 19:47
  Speaker 3: Not too sure I was going to play out Elliott,
• 19:49
  Speaker 3: but it's very much a live conversation and Dave Rennie
• 19:53
  Speaker 3: we caught up with him didn't we last week while
• 19:55
  Speaker 3: he was in New Zealand and he was at the
• 19:57
  Speaker 3: Chiefs Highlanders, he visited the Hurricanes. He would have had
• 20:00
  Speaker 3: a chat to finger Ung and North four and said,
• 20:03
  Speaker 3: may I want you a more Blacks team? And that
• 20:06
  Speaker 3: significantly changes the complexion of his earning potential on New Zealand.
• 20:11
  Speaker 3: Still well shot, probably about one hundred and fifty K
• 20:14
  Speaker 3: for what he can earn a Newcastle. But look, I've
• 20:18
  Speaker 3: heard he's having second thoughts, potentially leaning towards a change
• 20:22
  Speaker 3: of hearts. I don't know how that plays out, but
• 20:27
  Speaker 3: I think it's a very live proposition that he could
• 20:29
  Speaker 3: yet stay in New Zealand.
• 20:30
  Speaker 2: We talked with Stig Lancast obviously on the podcast and
• 20:33
  Speaker 2: those quotes are included in your article too. New Zealand
• 20:37
  Speaker 2: Rug we obviously can't induce him to get out of
• 20:40
  Speaker 2: this contract. They probably shouldn't pay him out of this contract.
• 20:43
  Speaker 2: So he is going to have to figure out if
• 20:46
  Speaker 2: he wants to get out of the Steel. He's going
• 20:47
  Speaker 2: to have to figure out a way out himself. Isn't
• 20:49
  Speaker 2: he all look at it through the fine print in
• 20:51
  Speaker 2: this contract to see whether there's any regal room to
• 20:54
  Speaker 2: get out of this.
• 20:56
  Speaker 3: Yeah, Ultimately it is a ball in his court scenario,
• 20:59
  Speaker 3: and look, there's a lots of wigh up, isn't there.
• 21:03
  Speaker 3: He's the guy that's emerged from oni hunger, humble upbringings,
• 21:07
  Speaker 3: has a desire to help his parents retire, and so
• 21:11
  Speaker 3: has jumped at the money, probably prematurely. I think at
• 21:15
  Speaker 3: the start of the year. Things have changed drastically since then,
• 21:19
  Speaker 3: haven't they. So I haven't spoken to him directly. I've
• 21:22
  Speaker 3: spoken to people around him, and I think he's got
• 21:26
  Speaker 3: a lot to think about it in the coming weeks. Interestingly, though,
• 21:30
  Speaker 3: Elliott's while New Zealand Rugby are saying they won't stable
• 21:33
  Speaker 3: a new offer and they won't engage in buying him
• 21:37
  Speaker 3: out of his contracts. Twenty fifteen, while sucking the Holo,
• 21:41
  Speaker 3: I had signed for Cumont. I think it was quite
• 21:44
  Speaker 3: a long term deal. He went gang busses that year
• 21:47
  Speaker 3: and there was an undisclosed commercial agreement reach with Clemont,
• 21:52
  Speaker 3: I think, and the whole ultimately stayed, became a World
• 21:58
  Speaker 3: Cup winner, went on to play twenty seven Tests. So
• 22:02
  Speaker 3: the finn Younger norful case is not without precedence.
• 22:05
  Speaker 2: No, it's not. It's going to be fascinating to see
• 22:07
  Speaker 2: how this unfolds of the closing weeks of the season.
• 22:10
  Speaker 2: Topic number three. Reports over the weeken in that South
• 22:12
  Speaker 2: Africa are considering exiting the European champions Cup, which is
• 22:17
  Speaker 2: where all the European teams come together and play off
• 22:20
  Speaker 2: for the trophy. Could the USC be a next Liam
• 22:24
  Speaker 2: And do you think this affects Super rugby at all?
• 22:28
  Speaker 3: I don't see it affecting Super Rugby. It was interesting
• 22:30
  Speaker 3: when these comments first emerged from the South African Rugby
• 22:34
  Speaker 3: CEO is basically saying, look, we need to take stock.
• 22:38
  Speaker 3: The global season is not happening. We've been talking about
• 22:41
  Speaker 3: it for you know, probably since you and I were kids,
• 22:47
  Speaker 3: and we're no closer to reaching an agreement. New Zealand
• 22:50
  Speaker 3: and Australia do not want to move the Rugby Championship
• 22:54
  Speaker 3: or that window to align with the six Nations. I
• 22:57
  Speaker 3: think quite rightly, given the impact that would have on
• 22:59
  Speaker 3: domestic rugby in our part of the world. And so
• 23:03
  Speaker 3: South Africa are ultimately looking and saying something's got to give.
• 23:06
  Speaker 3: We can't keep our sek our players to go round
• 23:10
  Speaker 3: and around all year. It's not feasible, and they are
• 23:13
  Speaker 3: looking at the Champions Cup as something that they can
• 23:18
  Speaker 3: get some payback, and look, I think they will stay
• 23:21
  Speaker 3: in the USC. I think the Champions Cup they've never
• 23:25
  Speaker 3: really valued that. It's they don't have an affinity with it.
• 23:28
  Speaker 3: The South African teams often recet players in that competition anyway,
• 23:32
  Speaker 3: I don't think they've progressed past the quarterfinals of it
• 23:35
  Speaker 3: in the time.
• 23:36
  Speaker 4: That they've been in there.
• 23:37
  Speaker 3: So look, there's a whole host of views in the
• 23:41
  Speaker 3: North and it sounds like they won't be particularly missed.
• 23:45
  Speaker 3: But they do bring a huge financial element to the URC,
• 23:51
  Speaker 3: so I can't see them leaving that competition.
• 23:53
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I was unlikely as well, but a mencing seth
• 23:56
  Speaker 2: that there's any phone calls being made around that and
• 23:59
  Speaker 2: any possibilities of not realigning and getting back into Super Rugby,
• 24:03
  Speaker 2: But just what might mean around the calendar through that,
• 24:05
  Speaker 2: as Steve Lancaster the global calendar in the move of
• 24:09
  Speaker 2: the Rugby Championship. Look, there's been a lot of change
• 24:13
  Speaker 2: in New Zealand rugby sims, but I suspect the feeling
• 24:15
  Speaker 2: remains the same around having the Rugby Championship to start
• 24:19
  Speaker 2: the year. The other thing about Soervriga pulling out of
• 24:21
  Speaker 2: the European Cup as well. Is that a lot of
• 24:23
  Speaker 2: their players, not all of them, a bit a significant
• 24:25
  Speaker 2: amount are playing in Japan. So this only helps, you
• 24:29
  Speaker 2: know a little bit, because some of their top players
• 24:31
  Speaker 2: are still going to be playing, you know, year round,
• 24:34
  Speaker 2: because of their commitments in other competitions around the globe.
• 24:38
  Speaker 2: And final question in the final four, what is the
• 24:40
  Speaker 2: finishing order of the Super Rugby top six with two
• 24:43
  Speaker 2: rounds to go? We know the Hurricanes and Chiefs are
• 24:46
  Speaker 2: the top two, although maybe we don't know necessarily the
• 24:48
  Speaker 2: order if the Hurricanes could drop the games to the
• 24:50
  Speaker 2: Highlanders and the Crusaders limb. So what's the order you've
• 24:54
  Speaker 2: got of your top six?
• 24:56
  Speaker 3: Well, I'll let you be shocked to here. They'll have
• 24:58
  Speaker 3: the Hurricanes at number one, Chiefs will be two. I
• 25:02
  Speaker 3: think the Blues probably hold on to third. I think
• 25:07
  Speaker 3: the Crusaders, what are they is it six or eight
• 25:09
  Speaker 3: points to make out there?
• 25:10
  Speaker 4: Yeah?
• 25:10
  Speaker 2: Six points to make up and they've got the Chiefs
• 25:12
  Speaker 2: this week in high Hurricanes next week both at home.
• 25:15
  Speaker 3: Yeah, So I think they probably won one of those
• 25:19
  Speaker 3: and finished fourth, and then it's a real blolly scram.
• 25:23
  Speaker 3: I'm gonna say the Reds and Brumbies probably sneak in,
• 25:26
  Speaker 3: but any one of those four Australian teams could sneak
• 25:30
  Speaker 3: in and exit and Week one other playoffs.
• 25:33
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I've got the same, although I'm interested to see
• 25:36
  Speaker 2: how the Wartars Brumbies game goes this weekend. It's sort
• 25:39
  Speaker 2: of sneaked under the radar a little bit. Good win
• 25:41
  Speaker 2: for the war Retars over the weekend and now if
• 25:43
  Speaker 2: they can win this week, it puts them right in
• 25:46
  Speaker 2: the playoff reckoning. So I've got the same order as
• 25:48
  Speaker 2: you for the top three Hurricanes, Chiefs, Blues. I have
• 25:51
  Speaker 2: the Crusaders winning one but not two of the next
• 25:54
  Speaker 2: two games. I have the Waratars coming in and into
• 25:59
  Speaker 2: the playoffs, but I have the Reds at five, and
• 26:02
  Speaker 2: I might even have the Brumbies missing out. In all honesty,
• 26:05
  Speaker 2: the Brumbies have got more Wana Pacifica next week, so
• 26:08
  Speaker 2: they'll probably still get five from that, so maybe they
• 26:10
  Speaker 2: do take six. The Reds have Mawana this week and
• 26:13
  Speaker 2: the draw next so they might get ten. Okay, I'll
• 26:16
  Speaker 2: go the I'll go the Reds in five, the Brumbies
• 26:19
  Speaker 2: and Sex and the Wartares actually will miss out. I'm
• 26:21
  Speaker 2: going to change my mind. I thought the Wats might
• 26:22
  Speaker 2: be able to sneak in, but I think I think
• 26:24
  Speaker 2: the top six as it stands will remain the same,
• 26:27
  Speaker 2: maybe just with a couple of slight tweaks in the order.
• 26:30
  Speaker 2: But good to have a bit of jeopardy as we
• 26:32
  Speaker 2: head into the final couple of week snapes.
• 26:35
  Speaker 4: Yeah.
• 26:35
  Speaker 3: Absolutely, But look, as it stands, I have the Canes
• 26:40
  Speaker 3: and Chiefs, maybe the Crusaders. I can't see anyone else
• 26:46
  Speaker 3: really challenging first year's title.
• 26:48
  Speaker 2: No, that's the thing, isn't it. You've got a bit
• 26:49
  Speaker 2: of jippety in the playoffs, but the playoff mix. But
• 26:53
  Speaker 2: where the Hurricanes played, Look, you can potentially see a
• 26:56
  Speaker 2: Chiefs team on the day beating beating the Hurricanes, even
• 27:01
  Speaker 2: in the Capital. Maybe the Crusaders could get a roll on.
• 27:04
  Speaker 2: I can't I'm with you. I can't see the Blues
• 27:06
  Speaker 2: now doing it after having forty points put on them
• 27:09
  Speaker 2: twice this season. It'd be a massive flip of the
• 27:11
  Speaker 2: script to see them do so. The Crusaders, if things
• 27:14
  Speaker 2: go their way in a playoff game, could beat the
• 27:16
  Speaker 2: Canes in the Capitol. Maybe the Chiefs. But as it stands, Liam,
• 27:20
  Speaker 2: it is the Hurricanes title to lose.
• 27:23
  Speaker 3: It is, indeed, but look, I've got everything to prove
• 27:26
  Speaker 3: from a finals perspective bombed out. I think it's the
• 27:30
  Speaker 3: past four years professing to having learned those lessons, and
• 27:34
  Speaker 3: there's a number of players and coaches that have lived
• 27:37
  Speaker 3: through that. But finals, for he's a different beast. So
• 27:40
  Speaker 3: we'll see how they go come playoff time.
• 27:43
  Speaker 2: Indeed, let's get into the MVP voting for Finny Young
• 27:46
  Speaker 2: and Alfo has sixteen points, he's out on top, can
• 27:49
  Speaker 2: Royguard has ten and Leicester fining Anooka after a big
• 27:52
  Speaker 2: couple of weeks, is on nine. In third, Liam, your
• 27:56
  Speaker 2: three two ones?
• 27:57
  Speaker 3: Please, I'm going to go Lucas Casey for three, Malokai
• 28:02
  Speaker 3: Rampling for two and Peter Lucky for one.
• 28:06
  Speaker 4: My stuff are more unlucky to miss out.
• 28:09
  Speaker 2: Wow, Okay, the second week in array you even give
• 28:13
  Speaker 2: them the Hurricanes two?
• 28:15
  Speaker 4: Yeah. Well, I'm a fair man out let you know this.
• 28:17
  Speaker 2: I do know that, I do know that I'm going
• 28:20
  Speaker 2: I'm going Warner Dunes for three. I thought he was
• 28:24
  Speaker 2: exceptional once again, that charge down, But he's just giving
• 28:27
  Speaker 2: the Hurricanes something they haven't had. And look, Dave Rennie
• 28:30
  Speaker 2: We've talked a bit about Brodi will tat the last
• 28:32
  Speaker 2: couple of weeks, but you know, maybe there's a wee
• 28:34
  Speaker 2: tap on the shoulder then goes three years. Standdown, mate,
• 28:37
  Speaker 2: you can play for the All Blacks from what twenty
• 28:39
  Speaker 2: twenty eight or thereabouts. I'll be having that conversation because
• 28:43
  Speaker 2: Scott Barrett don't know if he's going after the next
• 28:45
  Speaker 2: world cart Patrick Dowey, but lod too, not sure about him.
• 28:48
  Speaker 2: Locking socks pretty good at the moment, but what will
• 28:50
  Speaker 2: they be like in twenty twenty seven to twenty eight.
• 28:52
  Speaker 2: So just putting that out there for Dave Rennie maybe
• 28:55
  Speaker 2: worth a conversation to young Dunes. My three two ones.
• 28:59
  Speaker 2: Warner Duns has said the three Lucas Casey gets two
• 29:02
  Speaker 2: from me, and I was topsing up a suffer on
• 29:05
  Speaker 2: more or Idiotata and Nari for one, and I'm going
• 29:09
  Speaker 2: with a Nari because he gets slotted in and not
• 29:12
  Speaker 2: playing overplaying his hand with the Hurricanes losing cambroy Guard.
• 29:16
  Speaker 2: Last time they lost cambroy Guard to a season ending injury,
• 29:19
  Speaker 2: it derailed their season, even if they did make the
• 29:21
  Speaker 2: playoffs and semi finals that year, but they were never
• 29:23
  Speaker 2: quite the same team without him. Well, Anardi slotted in
• 29:27
  Speaker 2: and like he's a bit of a journeyman. Eddie Gatada
• 29:29
  Speaker 2: and Nari but he's not overplaying his role have been
• 29:32
  Speaker 2: really impressed by him. So Legham, he gets my one point.
• 29:36
  Speaker 3: Yeah, Sir Elott, I think Ken Morig are the most
• 29:38
  Speaker 3: influential player in Super Rugby the Great Fears when they
• 29:42
  Speaker 3: when he went down. But an Ardi showing his experience
• 29:47
  Speaker 3: and composure certainly with that excuse and that set move
• 29:51
  Speaker 3: and stepping up for the games.
• 29:52
  Speaker 4: So I think it's a sign of a quality team.
• 29:55
  Speaker 3: The Chiefs are really good at that under Dave Rennie
• 29:57
  Speaker 3: not missing and beat the Crusaders as well. Just bringing
• 29:59
  Speaker 3: guys in performing their role which allows the team just
• 30:03
  Speaker 3: to keep trucking.
• 30:04
  Speaker 2: One hundred percent right. That'll do us for Rugby Direct
• 30:07
  Speaker 2: for our early week edition. We'll be back on Thursday
• 30:09
  Speaker 2: with another edition of the pod. Until then, Limb you
• 30:12
  Speaker 2: stay safe and have yourself a good week.
• 30:15
  Speaker 4: Your teammate See you Thursday.
• 30:17
  Speaker 2: Bet'll do us Rightly Direct powered by Habit Health is
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• 30:21
  Speaker 2: our producer as well, Marke Kelly. We all see you thusday.
• 30:27
  Speaker 1: For more from News Talks, ed B, Listen live on
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