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Transcript

Rugby Direct - Episode 208 · 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 range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio,
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: Straight down the.
• 0:20
  Speaker 2: Middle, Try.
• 0:23
  Speaker 3: Try get inside the game from every end Goal. It's
• 0:32
  Speaker 3: Rugby Direct with Elliot Smith and Liam Napier powered by
• 0:36
  Speaker 3: News Talks EDB.
• 0:37
  Speaker 2: Welcome into Rugby Direct powered by Habit Health Physio book
• 0:40
  Speaker 2: today and stay in the game. Rugby Direct back for
• 0:44
  Speaker 2: another early week edition as we wrap the round that
• 0:48
  Speaker 2: was run four in Super Rugby Pacific, as well as
• 0:51
  Speaker 2: a few other rugby issues. And great to welcome Liam
• 0:54
  Speaker 2: Napier back into the podcast a few days on from
• 0:58
  Speaker 2: the mannic midweek nature of last week. Liam, welcome in.
• 1:04
  Speaker 4: Great to be here, Elliott.
• 1:05
  Speaker 5: Look, I might only have one working arm at the moment,
• 1:09
  Speaker 5: but it was a great weekend of footy and certainly
• 1:11
  Speaker 5: couldn't have hoped for a bitter turn of results, could ye.
• 1:15
  Speaker 2: Well, I don't know how you managed to be on
• 1:16
  Speaker 2: the weekends that the Crusaders and Hurricanes both Old Crusaders
• 1:20
  Speaker 2: lose and the Hurricanes win a week after somehow escaping
• 1:24
  Speaker 2: that drew a loss, But regardless, let's rip into it
• 1:27
  Speaker 2: and from a New Zealand perspective. Let's work our way
• 1:29
  Speaker 2: back and let's get into that Blues Crusaders' performance on
• 1:32
  Speaker 2: Saturday night, The Blues twenty nine the Crusaders thirteen, a
• 1:36
  Speaker 2: very good win for the Blues and the context of
• 1:38
  Speaker 2: the season to date after the loss of the Brumbies
• 1:42
  Speaker 2: the week prior the loss to the Chiefs in round one.
• 1:44
  Speaker 2: Winning against the Crusaders has not come easy for the
• 1:47
  Speaker 2: Blues over the last fifteen twenty years, but that would
• 1:52
  Speaker 2: be one of the easier wins over the Crusaders, and
• 1:56
  Speaker 2: the Crusaders very very disappointing. What did you make of
• 1:59
  Speaker 2: that match?
• 2:02
  Speaker 4: Yeah, it's interesting. Look, the Blues were very good.
• 2:04
  Speaker 5: I thought they played a lot more rugby than I expected,
• 2:07
  Speaker 5: particularly in the first off. They broke the Crusaders open
• 2:10
  Speaker 5: regularly down their left hand flank, I think clictifying and
• 2:15
  Speaker 5: look who was exposed on defense. A couple of times
• 2:19
  Speaker 5: got beaten on the outside. But just that the ease
• 2:22
  Speaker 5: with which that they broke them open was quite surprising.
• 2:24
  Speaker 5: Caleb Clark running in or was it three tries and
• 2:28
  Speaker 5: didn't have to do a lot of work for most
• 2:30
  Speaker 5: of them. I thought it was really stark the way
• 2:33
  Speaker 5: in which the Blues got go forward and the Crusaders didn't.
• 2:37
  Speaker 5: And just their their ball carriers, their intense, their their
• 2:42
  Speaker 5: rout clean everything they did at a higher standard generally
• 2:47
  Speaker 5: than than the Crusaders, And.
• 2:50
  Speaker 4: It was quite surprising given the way in which the.
• 2:52
  Speaker 5: Crusaders stepped up the week previous against the Chiefs and
• 2:55
  Speaker 5: really responded in that manner. And you know, you've got
• 2:59
  Speaker 5: to pose the question at the moments, are the Crusaders
• 3:03
  Speaker 5: just completely off their game when they don't have Will Jordan?
• 3:06
  Speaker 4: Is he that influential? Well?
• 3:07
  Speaker 2: I think he is and I put that to Rob
• 3:10
  Speaker 2: Penny on Saturday Night? Is that so much of their
• 3:13
  Speaker 2: attack just revolves around Will Jordan? And remember in twenty
• 3:16
  Speaker 2: twenty four they didn't have him for the entire comp
• 3:20
  Speaker 2: of Memory Serves, or at least a very very long
• 3:23
  Speaker 2: stretch of it, and they were a shadow of the
• 3:25
  Speaker 2: team they'd been under Scott robertson the years prior. Not
• 3:30
  Speaker 2: having Will Jordan basically decimated that campaign. And it feels
• 3:33
  Speaker 2: like when they don't have him on the park, they
• 3:36
  Speaker 2: really do miss a trick. The decision to move Taha
• 3:39
  Speaker 2: Kimita back to fullback did not pay dividends I don't
• 3:42
  Speaker 2: think he's ever played there, certainly at NPC level or higher.
• 3:47
  Speaker 2: He went off at halftime but barely sort of had
• 3:49
  Speaker 2: a touch in the first spell, very very quiet. They
• 3:52
  Speaker 2: think they needed to move Fee Harckey to fall back
• 3:55
  Speaker 2: and maybe Dallas McLeod or Brandon Inaw onto the wings
• 3:59
  Speaker 2: or maybe firing a nooku onto the wing potentially, and
• 4:03
  Speaker 2: swapped those around with sev Reeson. Maybe it felt like
• 4:06
  Speaker 2: Rob Penny got that selection wrong. Will Jordan out for
• 4:09
  Speaker 2: the weekend with rest and from what I understand, a
• 4:13
  Speaker 2: personal engagement, So there was a bit of combo of
• 4:15
  Speaker 2: all backs rest there. But they did not look threatening
• 4:20
  Speaker 2: at all with ball in hand and were very lateral
• 4:24
  Speaker 2: on the attack and we're waiting for someone to spark
• 4:26
  Speaker 2: things up and it just didn't happen.
• 4:29
  Speaker 5: No, their attack was very middling, very predictable, and I
• 4:35
  Speaker 5: think they've got to move to Kimita back to ten.
• 4:39
  Speaker 5: I wouldn't pin that whole performance on Rivers Rahuna, but
• 4:42
  Speaker 5: I just feel like Kimita offers so much more with
• 4:45
  Speaker 5: ball in hands, He challenges the line. His goal kicking
• 4:48
  Speaker 5: isn't as good, but he's so much more of an
• 4:50
  Speaker 5: attacking threat, so I'll be putting him back to ten.
• 4:54
  Speaker 4: You desperately need, obviously Will Jordan back.
• 4:56
  Speaker 5: But lestifying anok who has returned to super rugby hasn't
• 5:00
  Speaker 5: gone to plan. I think some of his soft skills
• 5:03
  Speaker 5: we spoke about this earlier in the year, his pensiont
• 5:07
  Speaker 5: for throwing off flows that aren't necessarily always on. He's
• 5:10
  Speaker 5: great were ball in hands, but defensively still getting exposed
• 5:13
  Speaker 5: at times, So some issues there for the Crusaders to
• 5:17
  Speaker 5: work through. And yeah, I think my spies were out Elliott.
• 5:20
  Speaker 5: You're probably aware of this as well.
• 5:21
  Speaker 4: Will Jordan.
• 5:23
  Speaker 5: I think it was his brother's wedding and christ Church
• 5:25
  Speaker 5: Urich and Muwanga was there as well, so making the
• 5:28
  Speaker 5: most of his all black rest and enjoying family occasion.
• 5:32
  Speaker 5: But the Crusaders desperately need him back for their sudden
• 5:36
  Speaker 5: derby with the Highlanders. The Blues on the flip side
• 5:39
  Speaker 5: very important one in the context of their season, isn't it.
• 5:43
  Speaker 5: They've had a couple of tight losses and if that
• 5:45
  Speaker 5: starts to spiral, then belief comes into question. You start
• 5:49
  Speaker 5: pointing the finger and trying to drill deep into everything
• 5:52
  Speaker 5: and fix everything well in front of a pretty decent
• 5:56
  Speaker 5: turnout on a beautiful Saturday night in Auckland.
• 5:59
  Speaker 4: They really turned it on from an.
• 6:00
  Speaker 5: Attacking perspective and some of their big bull carriers really
• 6:04
  Speaker 5: did the job on the Crusaders up front.
• 6:06
  Speaker 2: So the dead the Crusader's dug the hole. And I
• 6:09
  Speaker 2: think that'll probably what hurts the most when they go
• 6:11
  Speaker 2: through their Monday review, is that, dear I say it.
• 6:14
  Speaker 2: I know wanted to trade from the Blues performance, but
• 6:17
  Speaker 2: the Blues didn't have to work as hard as they
• 6:19
  Speaker 2: would usually have to to get a win over the Crusaders.
• 6:21
  Speaker 2: You think over the last few years when they've managed
• 6:24
  Speaker 2: to beat the Crusaders, you know they've had to really
• 6:27
  Speaker 2: roll the sleeves up and you know it's a full
• 6:30
  Speaker 2: eighty minute performance. Well, really, they didn't have to play
• 6:34
  Speaker 2: to their full potential to beat the Crusaders, who turned
• 6:37
  Speaker 2: the ball over twenty four times in that game. The
• 6:40
  Speaker 2: basic skill execution, the basic handling from the Crusaders was
• 6:45
  Speaker 2: not of super rugby standard, and you know Rob Penny
• 6:49
  Speaker 2: looked exasperated when they cut to in the coach's box.
• 6:52
  Speaker 2: But these are basic skills that super rugby players should have.
• 6:55
  Speaker 2: So I don't know what got into them on Saturday night.
• 6:59
  Speaker 2: But it was a shadow of the team that you
• 7:02
  Speaker 2: know won the week prior against the Chiefs and to
• 7:04
  Speaker 2: come from behind performance before we leave this game, Liam
• 7:08
  Speaker 2: bow and Barrett was thrusting to start at ten, first
• 7:11
  Speaker 2: game since the end of your tour last year. Steven
• 7:13
  Speaker 2: Petafetta withdrawn with a wee niggle not expected back this
• 7:18
  Speaker 2: week either. Look, it was I thought a very good
• 7:21
  Speaker 2: and composed performance from Boden Barrett at ten for someone
• 7:24
  Speaker 2: that hadn't seen the lot of game time, had been
• 7:27
  Speaker 2: expecting to come off the bench. He steered the ship
• 7:30
  Speaker 2: really really well.
• 7:32
  Speaker 5: He did a hugely influential his crossfield kick for I
• 7:37
  Speaker 5: think was Cody Vais finish in the corner, brilliant finish,
• 7:40
  Speaker 5: but just those little touches of class you can't buy.
• 7:43
  Speaker 5: Unfortunate for Steven Peedefetter, who missed most of last year
• 7:48
  Speaker 5: with recurring half injuries. It's not a good sign that
• 7:52
  Speaker 5: that's come back in any capacity. Hasn't really stamped his
• 7:57
  Speaker 5: authority and his couple of chances at ten, so you'd
• 8:00
  Speaker 5: think potentially a bit of a long rowback with Boden there.
• 8:03
  Speaker 5: Boden will have to go through all Blacks rests at
• 8:05
  Speaker 5: various points this year, even though he had a late start,
• 8:08
  Speaker 5: so potentially some openings. But yeah, Boden's certainly showing that
• 8:13
  Speaker 5: he's still got those moments of brilliance in them, and
• 8:16
  Speaker 5: I think just as calm composure around directing their attack.
• 8:20
  Speaker 5: He kicked one ball out in the full and missed
• 8:21
  Speaker 5: a bit of a penalty, one penalty as well that
• 8:24
  Speaker 5: he'd normally expects to get, But all in all, very
• 8:27
  Speaker 5: accomplished display. And yeah, let's not sugarcoat that Crusader's performance,
• 8:31
  Speaker 5: particularly in the second half. You mentioned the errors there
• 8:34
  Speaker 5: really basic skills and just the lack of I think
• 8:39
  Speaker 5: attacking deception. They couldn't get any front foot penetration. It
• 8:42
  Speaker 5: really was a terrible second half performance.
• 8:45
  Speaker 4: You know that the door was left to jar, wasn't
• 8:50
  Speaker 4: it with the back.
• 8:51
  Speaker 5: End of the first half Cody Taylor's scoring, and you thought, okay,
• 8:56
  Speaker 5: the Crusader's go in here, there's we could see a
• 8:59
  Speaker 5: trademark second half comeback.
• 9:01
  Speaker 4: But it was anything but.
• 9:02
  Speaker 2: No exactly didn't score a point in the second spell.
• 9:05
  Speaker 2: After getting back to nineteen thirteen, the break couplican versions
• 9:08
  Speaker 2: as maybe nineteen seventeen they dug growing Gravy Crusaders and
• 9:13
  Speaker 2: now with just the one win to their name and
• 9:15
  Speaker 2: the Highlanders who have already beaten them this season at
• 9:17
  Speaker 2: home this weekend a very very interesting turning point potentially
• 9:22
  Speaker 2: in their season. Let's go to the Highlander's force on
• 9:25
  Speaker 2: Saturday afternoon, interned in plenty of points thirty nine to
• 9:28
  Speaker 2: thirty one, the Highlanders taken in the end. This was
• 9:32
  Speaker 2: super raggy madness at its best, lead changes of plenty
• 9:36
  Speaker 2: back and forth, but ultimately the Highlanders just a fraction
• 9:40
  Speaker 2: too good for the Weastern fourth, who have clearly improved
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: the season, but not enough to close out a victory
• 9:45
  Speaker 2: like that.
• 9:47
  Speaker 4: No important win for the Holanders.
• 9:48
  Speaker 5: I think Jamie Joseph I saw on post match talking
• 9:51
  Speaker 5: about it as being a must win and I don't
• 9:53
  Speaker 5: think you can discount I think it was Tavanaua who
• 9:59
  Speaker 5: termed it chaos during the week around everything with Jamie
• 10:03
  Speaker 5: Joseph and the All Blacks job, There's no doubt there
• 10:07
  Speaker 5: was a massive distraction on the team and the assistant
• 10:11
  Speaker 5: coaches at the handers would have had to take on
• 10:13
  Speaker 5: a lot with Jamie going away for interviews and being
• 10:17
  Speaker 5: wrapped up in their All Blacks process. So I think
• 10:20
  Speaker 5: to get a win in the context of everything that
• 10:23
  Speaker 5: went on there is very important for the Honders. I
• 10:26
  Speaker 5: think in the context of the year these are These
• 10:30
  Speaker 5: are two teams, two pretty pretty average teams compared to others.
• 10:35
  Speaker 5: The Honders have knocked over the Crusaders, but I think
• 10:39
  Speaker 5: that probably elevated where they are at, and they do
• 10:42
  Speaker 5: have some issues. I think Jack Taylor missed his first
• 10:44
  Speaker 5: six lineouts, which is quite staggering for a hooker, isn't it.
• 10:49
  Speaker 4: That's faith half back not hitting.
• 10:51
  Speaker 5: His first five with his first six passes, and he'd
• 10:54
  Speaker 5: be probably hooked after that. So important win for the Hondas,
• 10:59
  Speaker 5: and they had to dig deep and come back, and
• 11:00
  Speaker 5: there were some nice touches from Jacob Rushmavuki Nepkins and
• 11:06
  Speaker 5: a few others dotted around the high.
• 11:09
  Speaker 4: But yeah, I just feel like they don't have the.
• 11:13
  Speaker 5: Depth of other teams and the Force of previous week
• 11:17
  Speaker 5: had a good one against Mouana, but I don't see
• 11:19
  Speaker 5: them challenging the top teams in the competition either, So,
• 11:21
  Speaker 5: as you say, bit of a back and forth, but
• 11:23
  Speaker 5: not necessarily a game of high quality.
• 11:26
  Speaker 2: No No. I mean a lot of points. I thought
• 11:28
  Speaker 2: Tunguey Tower was impressive again for the Highlanders and continues
• 11:32
  Speaker 2: to put his name up in lights. And you'd have
• 11:34
  Speaker 2: to think whether you know Dave Reddy was watching that
• 11:36
  Speaker 2: on a Saturday afternoon in Kobe, he would have been
• 11:39
  Speaker 2: very impressive with what he saw from Caleb Tunguytower's ability
• 11:43
  Speaker 2: to take on the line I thought was excellent again
• 11:46
  Speaker 2: and just the out and outpace that he in power
• 11:49
  Speaker 2: that he has makes them irresistible. Forces fell off a
• 11:53
  Speaker 2: lot of tackles in that game. You know, they got
• 11:56
  Speaker 2: themselves into a position where they could have won, but
• 11:58
  Speaker 2: I think their tackle percentage I was looking at the
• 12:00
  Speaker 2: stats last night preparing for the pot. It was roughly
• 12:02
  Speaker 2: around in the vicinity of sort of seventy percent, which
• 12:07
  Speaker 2: is not going to get the job done at Super
• 12:09
  Speaker 2: rugby level, but a confidence boosting win for the Highlanders
• 12:11
  Speaker 2: as they head north to play the Crusaders this week,
• 12:15
  Speaker 2: and as we touched on before, they've already beaten them.
• 12:18
  Speaker 2: Jamie Joseph, you know, with no distractions this week that
• 12:21
  Speaker 2: looms is an important game for both teams in the
• 12:25
  Speaker 2: context of the competition, doesn't it? The Highlanders If they
• 12:27
  Speaker 2: win that they're back to three and two. The Crusaders
• 12:30
  Speaker 2: win that they're you know, two and three. So this
• 12:33
  Speaker 2: week Looms is pretty vital for both sides. We'll get
• 12:36
  Speaker 2: into that on Thursday, but you know, a pretty pivotal
• 12:38
  Speaker 2: match coming up.
• 12:40
  Speaker 5: Indeed, Yeah, in the Southern Derby, you can never right
• 12:42
  Speaker 5: off the Hlanders and it's where they like to be
• 12:45
  Speaker 5: written off.
• 12:45
  Speaker 4: No one will expect them to win going to christ Church.
• 12:48
  Speaker 5: Will Jordan will be back, but I would expect the
• 12:52
  Speaker 5: Crusaders to get up there all right.
• 12:55
  Speaker 2: Friday Night, Hurricanes fifty nine Waratas nineteen Liam. You can
• 13:00
  Speaker 2: wax lyrical if you like about this. This was a
• 13:03
  Speaker 2: performance I didn't see coming I thought the Wartars. In fact,
• 13:07
  Speaker 2: we did exchange some tips because we didn't have time
• 13:09
  Speaker 2: to do it on the podcast last week, and I
• 13:11
  Speaker 2: tipped the Wartars from memory. But they were blow off
• 13:15
  Speaker 2: the park by a very very good Hurricanes performance. Off
• 13:18
  Speaker 2: the back of that lost last week against the Fiji
• 13:21
  Speaker 2: and Drawer, which was an insipid performance from the Hurricanes,
• 13:24
  Speaker 2: this showed what they can do against the Wartars team
• 13:28
  Speaker 2: that you know, had been riding some highs after a
• 13:30
  Speaker 2: couple of good wins to too.
• 13:33
  Speaker 4: Elliott, you're on there on the cane train yet.
• 13:36
  Speaker 2: No, I don't have a ticket as yet.
• 13:39
  Speaker 5: Well you better get them quick, mate, because it's gonna
• 13:42
  Speaker 5: sell It's gonna fast sell out because look, the next
• 13:45
  Speaker 5: few weeks the Hurricanes have a pretty good run. They've
• 13:48
  Speaker 5: got the Western Force this week and I expect them
• 13:51
  Speaker 5: to build a bit of a momentum. Now, look, this
• 13:53
  Speaker 5: performance was a real stake in the ground and a
• 13:57
  Speaker 5: real statement because it's not easy coming from Fiji to
• 14:01
  Speaker 5: play anything. Generally speaking, teams are zep with energy, canke
• 14:08
  Speaker 5: bit of legs and fall away, particularly in the last
• 14:11
  Speaker 5: quarter of matches. Well, there was a stark difference here
• 14:14
  Speaker 5: in both teams conditioning. It was really clear that the
• 14:18
  Speaker 5: Hurricanes were intent on running the war Tars around.
• 14:22
  Speaker 4: The war Tows are.
• 14:22
  Speaker 5: A very big, physical team and it was very even
• 14:26
  Speaker 5: in the first probably half an hour, but the Hurricanes
• 14:29
  Speaker 5: did have a lot of success getting around the war Tows.
• 14:34
  Speaker 5: Rush defense broke them open on the edges and some
• 14:38
  Speaker 5: great performances, and then they completely ran away with.
• 14:41
  Speaker 4: It in the second half.
• 14:42
  Speaker 5: Some of the support play, the offloading, the skills on
• 14:46
  Speaker 5: display from backs and forwards, was just sublime, So I
• 14:50
  Speaker 5: think a really important performance in the context of the
• 14:53
  Speaker 5: Hurricane season. You've got to remember they're still without Reuben Love,
• 14:55
  Speaker 5: They've lost Breck Cameron.
• 14:57
  Speaker 4: Callum Harkin. I thought stepped up had a couple of
• 15:00
  Speaker 4: nice touches in this game. So look the Hurricanes.
• 15:04
  Speaker 5: I've got all the ingredients, Elliott to give it a
• 15:06
  Speaker 5: real shape this year, and I think this pfe months
• 15:09
  Speaker 5: will make you run stit up and take notice of that.
• 15:12
  Speaker 2: They have all the ingredients. I do worry about their depth,
• 15:16
  Speaker 2: and for me, the drop off from Royguard to Anadi
• 15:22
  Speaker 2: at half back and beyond, I think is a masive one.
• 15:28
  Speaker 2: And we saw a Nati get last twenty minutes and
• 15:30
  Speaker 2: the game was gone by that point in time. But
• 15:32
  Speaker 2: if Royguard gets injured, then I think the Hurricanes are
• 15:35
  Speaker 2: at a bit of strife, as we saw a couple
• 15:36
  Speaker 2: of seasons ago, so I would worry on that front.
• 15:39
  Speaker 2: I was impressed by vill Juan a couple of years ago.
• 15:42
  Speaker 2: He seems to have fallen off the face of the earth.
• 15:44
  Speaker 2: I'm not sure what's gone on there. But if they
• 15:46
  Speaker 2: can keep Royguard relatively injury free, and who knows if
• 15:49
  Speaker 2: he'll played the Western Force this week. He may not
• 15:51
  Speaker 2: need to. Then they are going to be a real
• 15:54
  Speaker 2: contender for the title. You think about that draw. So
• 15:57
  Speaker 2: far haven't had to play a New Zealand team as it,
• 16:01
  Speaker 2: so there are bigger challenges potentially to come for them,
• 16:05
  Speaker 2: you know, Hurricanes a sorry the Highlanders next week is
• 16:07
  Speaker 2: their first New Zealand aubbit, but have to leave the
• 16:08
  Speaker 2: country again in the regular season. So it's all set
• 16:12
  Speaker 2: up for the Hurricanes. And really I'm king for your thoughts, Lamb,
• 16:17
  Speaker 2: but anything less than the title at this point seems
• 16:19
  Speaker 2: like a failure.
• 16:22
  Speaker 5: Staring the pot, staring the pot here and yet look,
• 16:24
  Speaker 5: look shoot for the stars, Elliott.
• 16:27
  Speaker 4: But I think the titles wide open and we're seeing
• 16:29
  Speaker 4: that this year.
• 16:31
  Speaker 5: You know, the Chiefs started the season favorites, but they
• 16:34
  Speaker 5: were knocked over at home by the Crusaders. The Crusader's
• 16:36
  Speaker 5: been real, Jack and Hyde. The Blues beat the Crusaders
• 16:40
  Speaker 5: but haven't totally convinced. The Hurricanes have been off and on.
• 16:44
  Speaker 5: So even the Brumbies, Australia's best team, we're knocked over
• 16:48
  Speaker 5: at home by the Red So I think that's what
• 16:50
  Speaker 5: you want to see from the competition in general, but
• 16:53
  Speaker 5: this this title does feel wide open, and I do
• 16:57
  Speaker 5: believe the Hurricanes have got everything they need. Billy Procter
• 17:00
  Speaker 5: and Jordi Barrett in that midfields are combining really nicely.
• 17:04
  Speaker 5: Jordi Barrett's little chip kick was it was one one
• 17:08
  Speaker 5: brilliant try. I think you've still got the Holo to
• 17:12
  Speaker 5: come back on the edge and Reuben Love going to
• 17:15
  Speaker 5: add another attacking dimension see Carifi. That was his first
• 17:20
  Speaker 5: game back. So I do think they have some depth.
• 17:23
  Speaker 5: Warner durns your big tabs on him. He's just starting
• 17:26
  Speaker 5: to find his feet. They've got real depth in the
• 17:28
  Speaker 5: front row. Was No one wants to tackle him down
• 17:32
  Speaker 5: the edge. If he can sort his wine out throwing out,
• 17:35
  Speaker 5: then yeah, I think the Hurricanes are a real threat.
• 17:37
  Speaker 5: We do need to see them against New Zealand opposition
• 17:39
  Speaker 5: because that's generally the benchmark, but I don't think they'll
• 17:43
  Speaker 5: carry any fear into those games, so they can build
• 17:47
  Speaker 5: a bit of momentum and as you say, keep Roygard
• 17:49
  Speaker 5: fit could be title Town coming home.
• 17:51
  Speaker 4: Mate.
• 17:52
  Speaker 2: Let's just mark this down. It's the ninth of March
• 17:54
  Speaker 2: and you're referring to title town with the Hurricanes. One
• 17:58
  Speaker 2: thing that did impress me with that performance was just
• 18:00
  Speaker 2: their ability to find meters with with you know, with
• 18:05
  Speaker 2: ball in hands, you know, even when the attack of
• 18:08
  Speaker 2: the post contact meters. You know, we're really impressive from
• 18:12
  Speaker 2: the Hurricanes and that's the kind of super rugby that
• 18:15
  Speaker 2: they've always wanted to play, and the war Tars to
• 18:18
  Speaker 2: an extent let them. But I thought just their ability
• 18:21
  Speaker 2: on the carry was very, very impressive, just to get
• 18:24
  Speaker 2: themselves in the right position of the park, set up
• 18:26
  Speaker 2: those tries and you know, lead drives and everything like that,
• 18:30
  Speaker 2: just combining to put the Wartars on the back foot
• 18:34
  Speaker 2: constantly on defense. So I thought it was a really
• 18:36
  Speaker 2: smart game plan from from the Hurricanes on Friday Night.
• 18:40
  Speaker 5: Yeah, they've got big bull carriers, don't They are more
• 18:43
  Speaker 5: Peter Luckeye a number of their props. I think Lowaki
• 18:47
  Speaker 5: has been a revelation coming in this year. On the
• 18:51
  Speaker 5: tight head side. Xavier new Mea is very mobile prop
• 18:56
  Speaker 5: as well. So yeah, they've got a lot of threats.
• 18:59
  Speaker 5: What about what about the Waratars Is that their bubble
• 19:02
  Speaker 5: burst there was the first time that they've really faced
• 19:05
  Speaker 5: full strength opposition. I think they're going to be without
• 19:08
  Speaker 5: who we haven't actually seen the best of this year
• 19:10
  Speaker 5: probably for the next month by the sounds, is it
• 19:14
  Speaker 5: another year of hype coming to nothing for Sydney team Quite.
• 19:19
  Speaker 2: Quite well, be Yeah, they were I thought good in
• 19:23
  Speaker 2: the opening two rounds against the Reds, kicked away later
• 19:26
  Speaker 2: in that one. I thought they were pretty impressive. They
• 19:28
  Speaker 2: put the drawer away, then they had to buy and
• 19:32
  Speaker 2: they folded against the Hurricanes on the weekend. And now
• 19:34
  Speaker 2: they've got a pretty pretty tricky couple of weeks. They've
• 19:37
  Speaker 2: got the Reds who are riding high after that win
• 19:39
  Speaker 2: over the Brumbies, then the Blues come to town. Then
• 19:42
  Speaker 2: they've got to go to Canberra and face the Brumbies,
• 19:45
  Speaker 2: then they go and play the Chiefs. I think off
• 19:47
  Speaker 2: the top of my head, and I think they might
• 19:48
  Speaker 2: have another buye off off off the top of my head.
• 19:52
  Speaker 2: So that's a tricky few weeks, and you know, the
• 19:55
  Speaker 2: bubble has been probably boost on them, and if they
• 19:58
  Speaker 2: don't get back on the horse quickly this week against
• 20:01
  Speaker 2: the Reds, then it could unravel really really quickly. With
• 20:03
  Speaker 2: no Suwa Lee, who as you said, hadn't been overly impressive,
• 20:07
  Speaker 2: but it's such a big name and presence in that team.
• 20:11
  Speaker 2: Had a lot of mistakes in that back line. Without
• 20:15
  Speaker 2: them on the weekends, you know that they could unravel
• 20:18
  Speaker 2: pretty quickly.
• 20:19
  Speaker 5: I reckon, Yeah, it does feel like another familiar tale
• 20:22
  Speaker 5: for the Waratas some good offseason recruits, but I think
• 20:27
  Speaker 5: that's gonna be really hurt their confidence. And we're also
• 20:31
  Speaker 5: yet to see them travel across the ditch to New
• 20:34
  Speaker 5: Zealand's and historically that doesn't go well for them either.
• 20:37
  Speaker 5: So unfortunately, I think it could be a familiar script
• 20:42
  Speaker 5: for the Waratars and it might be left to the
• 20:44
  Speaker 5: Brumbies and Reads to contest the pointing end of this
• 20:48
  Speaker 5: season again.
• 20:49
  Speaker 2: All right, let's go to the first game of the round,
• 20:51
  Speaker 2: which was the Chiefs fifty seven more onea PACIFICA twenty four.
• 20:55
  Speaker 2: Look a jobb done for the Chiefs. In many ways,
• 20:58
  Speaker 2: they were clearly the better team. Wasn't always going to
• 21:02
  Speaker 2: plan for them in that game, but they were just
• 21:05
  Speaker 2: good enough. I thought on the night, you know, they
• 21:07
  Speaker 2: got to a tricky position. I think about twenty minutes
• 21:10
  Speaker 2: in when Turportelas scored the first of his tries. It
• 21:13
  Speaker 2: was nineteen fourteen at that point, and he thought, Okay,
• 21:16
  Speaker 2: maybe Mowana are coming back. Into this, but you just
• 21:20
  Speaker 2: had a sense that the Chiefs are ultimately going to
• 21:22
  Speaker 2: be a little too good and by halftime I think
• 21:25
  Speaker 2: it was what thirty one fourteen kicked away in the
• 21:27
  Speaker 2: second spell and you know, Mwana never saw them really again,
• 21:31
  Speaker 2: never got close to them again. A job done for
• 21:33
  Speaker 2: the Chiefs after a tricky Saturday night the week before
• 21:37
  Speaker 2: against the Crusaders. They'll be pretty pleased with that bounce back.
• 21:40
  Speaker 5: They will confidence boosting one at home. I'm not too
• 21:44
  Speaker 5: sure they'll take a huge amount out of that. I'm
• 21:48
  Speaker 5: keen to focus on a bit on Moana here because
• 21:50
  Speaker 5: the last three weeks their combined score I think there
• 21:53
  Speaker 5: are one hundred and forty four points conceded to fifty
• 21:58
  Speaker 5: three scored. So it's quite stark given the positive note
• 22:03
  Speaker 5: that they started the year on in Fiji, and for me,
• 22:07
  Speaker 5: their plights is summed up by current Tymouflow went in
• 22:14
  Speaker 5: the off season to the Chiefs and played for the
• 22:16
  Speaker 5: development team at the weekend, and I think that's.
• 22:18
  Speaker 4: A real slap in the face.
• 22:20
  Speaker 5: It's a sign that's you know, we desperately need some
• 22:23
  Speaker 5: form of Super rugby draft to even out the spread
• 22:26
  Speaker 5: of talents in New Zealand, whether it be to Muana
• 22:29
  Speaker 5: or the Highlanders. You've also got guys like Riley Higgins
• 22:33
  Speaker 5: not playing for the Hurricanes, a real talent at second five,
• 22:36
  Speaker 5: so these guys need to be playing rugby. Timewoy Flow
• 22:39
  Speaker 5: has been outed as a potential future All Black prospect
• 22:42
  Speaker 5: and can't get a looking at the Chiefs. So it
• 22:45
  Speaker 5: could be a tough year for Mowana. They're trying hards.
• 22:49
  Speaker 4: You know.
• 22:50
  Speaker 5: You've got guys like Augustine Pulu coming back very late
• 22:53
  Speaker 5: stage of his career mentioned Tunneloa. There sixteen tackles, fifteen runs,
• 22:59
  Speaker 5: seventy meters. I thought he was great and I've seen
• 23:02
  Speaker 5: a few questions around his potential eligibility in the future
• 23:06
  Speaker 5: as the potential All Blacks prospect Wana. Collectively, Yeah, they're
• 23:11
  Speaker 5: in a pretty pretty tough sport, aren't they they are.
• 23:13
  Speaker 2: Look I think on tilaw I've really rated him. I
• 23:17
  Speaker 2: thought it was excellent. Last year he was swept under
• 23:21
  Speaker 2: the Mowana picked him up in the for the wider
• 23:25
  Speaker 2: training group at the start of twenty twenty five. He
• 23:27
  Speaker 2: was educated in Highlanders territory. They didn't pick him up
• 23:31
  Speaker 2: and then Mawana scooped him up on a wider training
• 23:34
  Speaker 2: group contract last year. I think he's on a two
• 23:36
  Speaker 2: year deal with them now. Now the All Blacks can't
• 23:38
  Speaker 2: pick out of Majana players, so it'd have to be
• 23:42
  Speaker 2: until he gets out of you know, out of that
• 23:45
  Speaker 2: Majana contract is my understanding. But very very good player.
• 23:49
  Speaker 2: But if you look at that Mouana side, you're right
• 23:51
  Speaker 2: Taimoid for lad goes and I just don't think they've
• 23:53
  Speaker 2: got enough in their back line to be a real
• 23:56
  Speaker 2: threat that their forwards are do you know, you know,
• 24:00
  Speaker 2: Yeomen's work up front and low supported by fire Lungey
• 24:04
  Speaker 2: and good, you know, solid hard working second row of
• 24:07
  Speaker 2: Savage and Craig, good front row that occasionally get a
• 24:11
  Speaker 2: few penalties. But their back line I just don't think
• 24:13
  Speaker 2: is up to super rugby level. You know, Garden Baship
• 24:17
  Speaker 2: has had his time at the Hurricanes, Pallegrini came on
• 24:22
  Speaker 2: early doors and then went off again. But they're just
• 24:25
  Speaker 2: not getting enough out of the back line. La Marpe
• 24:28
  Speaker 2: looks past it from what I've seen Almuloor, it looks
• 24:32
  Speaker 2: like yesterday's man and they just don't generate enough in
• 24:35
  Speaker 2: their back line to be a threat to opposition. Teams,
• 24:38
  Speaker 2: and I think it's going to be a very very
• 24:40
  Speaker 2: long season. And on time Way Flout, you know, it's
• 24:42
  Speaker 2: a bit of the levi Ar Moores and look, there's
• 24:43
  Speaker 2: plenty of time for Time wayfil how to turn it around.
• 24:46
  Speaker 2: But More went from being a big fish in a
• 24:48
  Speaker 2: small pond at more on a Pacifica. Then he went
• 24:51
  Speaker 2: to the Crusaders and didn't really leave an impact. Tava
• 24:54
  Speaker 2: Tava Nahwai. I did the opposite, you know, I went
• 24:56
  Speaker 2: to Mourner and then there's had a huge impact with
• 24:58
  Speaker 2: the Highlanders, became an All Black out of it. But
• 25:01
  Speaker 2: you know he's got some work to do, I guess
• 25:03
  Speaker 2: in terms of finding his way into the chief starting
• 25:06
  Speaker 2: side over the cu weeks if he wants to push
• 25:09
  Speaker 2: for that All Blacks jersey when he's eligible later in
• 25:12
  Speaker 2: the year. But as for Mowana, look, as you said,
• 25:14
  Speaker 2: Blues away at Eton Park this weekend and the Crusaders
• 25:18
  Speaker 2: at North Harbor Stadium the following weekend. There's no, there's
• 25:22
  Speaker 2: not only up inside, is there from one to PACIFICA.
• 25:25
  Speaker 4: No, it's a bloody tough run that yeah, big time And.
• 25:31
  Speaker 5: Tamoi filout going to a team where you've got two established,
• 25:37
  Speaker 5: well largely established All Black Wings and leg Rokada and
• 25:40
  Speaker 5: money in an hour and a pretty classy operator and
• 25:43
  Speaker 5: attending nine as to touto out the back as well
• 25:46
  Speaker 5: along with Coobs Fabling who's really impressed at the weekend
• 25:50
  Speaker 5: and has been you know, knocking on the door certainly
• 25:55
  Speaker 5: at Super rugby level in recent years, quite an underrated player,
• 25:58
  Speaker 5: particularly for his size. It's very different, isn't it than
• 26:02
  Speaker 5: going to the holandas where you sort of can back
• 26:04
  Speaker 5: yourself to get game time to build games consistency.
• 26:09
  Speaker 4: So what's better?
• 26:11
  Speaker 5: Is it better to stay in the team where you're
• 26:13
  Speaker 5: going to be playing, even if they're not at the
• 26:16
  Speaker 5: elite standard of you know, the top teams in the competition,
• 26:20
  Speaker 5: or go to a team like the Chiefs and try
• 26:23
  Speaker 5: and further your national aspirations. It's a real roll of
• 26:28
  Speaker 5: the dice in some cases. But if you're not in
• 26:30
  Speaker 5: the shot window then you're not going to be viewed.
• 26:32
  Speaker 5: So it's a pretty vexed decision for some of these guys.
• 26:36
  Speaker 2: Yeah totally, And if they want to be All Blacks eligible,
• 26:38
  Speaker 2: they've got to leave Molwana before we leave the Super
• 26:41
  Speaker 2: Rugby weekend. The Chiefs head into the buy on the
• 26:44
  Speaker 2: back of that win over Malwana four weeks into the
• 26:47
  Speaker 2: comp with a bit of a breather. How do you
• 26:49
  Speaker 2: think they feel with a three win one loss record
• 26:53
  Speaker 2: at this point.
• 26:54
  Speaker 5: I think they'll still be stung by their home loss
• 26:56
  Speaker 5: to the Crusaders, just the manner of it, the fact
• 26:59
  Speaker 5: that they were up quite significantly and then got rolled
• 27:04
  Speaker 5: considered a lot of unanswered points, so that loss will
• 27:07
  Speaker 5: sting them. It'll fester, I think over the buy and
• 27:11
  Speaker 5: they'll be very realistic over where Moana are at in
• 27:15
  Speaker 5: the context of that performance. But look, their squad still
• 27:19
  Speaker 5: boasts probably the best depth throughout the competition.
• 27:22
  Speaker 4: The guys like Leroy Carter are building some real form.
• 27:25
  Speaker 5: They've just got Damien McKenzie back, so he'll have a
• 27:28
  Speaker 5: real impact over the back end of this campaign. I
• 27:31
  Speaker 5: thought he was good without being amazing, and he'll get
• 27:34
  Speaker 5: better and better in the coming weeks, particularly as he
• 27:37
  Speaker 5: said it was into that ten Jersey. So look, I
• 27:41
  Speaker 5: think they've still got to be probably favorites for the
• 27:43
  Speaker 5: title at this point, but they've still got a lot
• 27:45
  Speaker 5: of improvement in them as well.
• 27:46
  Speaker 2: Indeed Brumby's as well. We did touch on this briefly,
• 27:49
  Speaker 2: but they blew it against the Reds. Bit of controversy
• 27:51
  Speaker 2: at the end, but a couple of late tries Reds
• 27:54
  Speaker 2: get home in a game that was delayed by ninety minutes.
• 27:57
  Speaker 2: And now everyone's had at least one defeat so far
• 28:01
  Speaker 2: in Super Rugby and that'll be a tough one for
• 28:04
  Speaker 2: the Brumbies to take this loss to the Reds.
• 28:08
  Speaker 5: It will look they probably got away with one of
• 28:11
  Speaker 5: the week previously against the Blues and then cut one
• 28:13
  Speaker 5: on the chin this week.
• 28:14
  Speaker 4: And as you say, the Dangunu.
• 28:17
  Speaker 5: Non call on the knock on should have been called
• 28:21
  Speaker 5: I think in my view, so the reads perhaps fortunate,
• 28:24
  Speaker 5: but you take your luck and you run with it.
• 28:26
  Speaker 5: I think it's been great to see Carter Gordon come back.
• 28:29
  Speaker 5: He would be I think my starting ten for the Wallabies.
• 28:33
  Speaker 5: Not too sure where less Kiss will go when he
• 28:35
  Speaker 5: takes the rains later in the year for the Wallabies,
• 28:37
  Speaker 5: but I just think he's such a big presence. He's
• 28:40
  Speaker 5: got a great running game. I think his goal kicking
• 28:43
  Speaker 5: will improve over time. He'll build confidence as he builds
• 28:47
  Speaker 5: some consistency back in the fifteen man game after his
• 28:49
  Speaker 5: time in the league. So I think that's a real
• 28:53
  Speaker 5: win for Australian rugby getting him back.
• 28:55
  Speaker 2: Indeed, yet very impressed by what he's offered so far.
• 28:57
  Speaker 2: Let's take a quick break here on rugby. Come back
• 28:59
  Speaker 2: with the Final four MVP voting as well. After this
• 29:04
  Speaker 2: you're back with Rugby direct time. Now for the Final four.
• 29:07
  Speaker 2: Let's ten our attention to the Six Nations. First and
• 29:09
  Speaker 2: foremost bit of chaos over the weekend. Very impressive performance
• 29:14
  Speaker 2: from Scotland to beat France forty seven fourteen. It was
• 29:18
  Speaker 2: at one point final score fifty forty. You know, was
• 29:22
  Speaker 2: what three or four weeks ago that Gregor Townsend was
• 29:25
  Speaker 2: walking the plank potentially and may not even see out
• 29:27
  Speaker 2: the Six Nations in charge of Scotland. Well, now they've
• 29:30
  Speaker 2: got a chance potentially to win it. On the final
• 29:33
  Speaker 2: day we had Italy's greatest day in their rugby history
• 29:37
  Speaker 2: potentially beating England. And now these questions over Steve Borthwick.
• 29:42
  Speaker 2: This has been a mad Bonker's Six Nations? What did
• 29:46
  Speaker 2: you make of all the action over the weekend? Limb.
• 29:49
  Speaker 5: It's brilliant, isn't it, Elliott? I think this is what
• 29:52
  Speaker 5: every rugby fan wants to see. Maybe not the English,
• 29:55
  Speaker 5: but incidentally upsets Galore and yeah, it's been a wild
• 29:59
  Speaker 5: old tournament. I think Scotland's great one, great performance, great turnarounds,
• 30:03
  Speaker 5: but in the context of the tournament, they could rue
• 30:08
  Speaker 5: letting France come back at the Deaf there and Jagger
• 30:11
  Speaker 5: bonus point because that puts some well ahead on points differential.
• 30:17
  Speaker 5: So they only need, I think, to beat England's at
• 30:19
  Speaker 5: home in Paris this weekend, which is no given necessarily,
• 30:23
  Speaker 5: while Scotland have to go to Dublin and they don't
• 30:26
  Speaker 5: have a great recent record against the Irish. The Irish
• 30:29
  Speaker 5: in great form themselves, but look, it sets up the
• 30:32
  Speaker 5: tournament and a magic result for Italy. I didn't think
• 30:35
  Speaker 5: it was their best performance of the tournament either, but
• 30:39
  Speaker 5: hugely significant result be in England for the first time.
• 30:42
  Speaker 5: The All Blacks are the only team in the top
• 30:45
  Speaker 5: ten that they are yet to defeat Elliott's, so I
• 30:47
  Speaker 5: think that's a real marker for Gonzalo Cosada and what
• 30:51
  Speaker 5: he's done with that team. Menon Cello is a real
• 30:55
  Speaker 5: talent in the midfields, had a couple of brilliant breaks
• 31:00
  Speaker 5: to set up that famous win over England's a real
• 31:05
  Speaker 5: middling lost performance from England's They were up lates, they
• 31:10
  Speaker 5: had advantages, they kept away so much possession. They seem
• 31:14
  Speaker 5: to have lost all ability to attack. Maro Tojo given
• 31:18
  Speaker 5: away a late headless yellow card, very unnecessary. So I
• 31:23
  Speaker 5: think there are deep, real questions around Steve Borthwick's rain.
• 31:28
  Speaker 5: I don't expect there to be a rash change, but
• 31:31
  Speaker 5: he's certainly under massive pressure and in back home.
• 31:35
  Speaker 2: He is big time and it's unraveled. You know, they
• 31:37
  Speaker 2: were will beaters. They were, you know, closing in on
• 31:40
  Speaker 2: the World Cup two or three weeks back, and now
• 31:43
  Speaker 2: they look a shadow of themselves. And I think it's
• 31:45
  Speaker 2: going to invite some questions about some of the players
• 31:48
  Speaker 2: in that team all of a sudden, and this can
• 31:50
  Speaker 2: happen very very quickly in rugby, is that this team
• 31:52
  Speaker 2: now looks old. They look a shadow of themselves. You know,
• 31:56
  Speaker 2: the players like Jamie George have given great service for England,
• 32:00
  Speaker 2: but and he's had to play some big minutes. They
• 32:02
  Speaker 2: have a lot of depth at hooker. Marotogi doesn't look
• 32:06
  Speaker 2: himself and obviously he's had, you know, the loss of
• 32:08
  Speaker 2: his mum not so long ago, and that's understandable, but
• 32:11
  Speaker 2: he doesn't look like the maru Atoji that we know
• 32:15
  Speaker 2: they have blundered big time. Marcus Smith, I don't know
• 32:18
  Speaker 2: what's going on there. They now seem really rattled and
• 32:22
  Speaker 2: it's gonna be interesting to see what happens. I was
• 32:23
  Speaker 2: listening to our colleagues from The Times the Rock podcast
• 32:27
  Speaker 2: Will collor Her and co. Last night, and you know
• 32:32
  Speaker 2: they think that maybe there's a change coming potentially, but
• 32:34
  Speaker 2: they'll see out the campaign and maybe get July as well.
• 32:37
  Speaker 2: But a lot hinges now on this we ken cam Borthwick,
• 32:41
  Speaker 2: rally the troops and get them up for this trip
• 32:44
  Speaker 2: to Paris. If they do that then maybe you say
• 32:47
  Speaker 2: it wasn't the best campaign, but they finish on the
• 32:49
  Speaker 2: high If not, if France is able to do a
• 32:51
  Speaker 2: number on them, then it's basically inquisition time at Twickenham, isn't.
• 32:56
  Speaker 4: It It is?
• 32:58
  Speaker 5: And look, when things start to unravel, it can be
• 33:00
  Speaker 5: really hard to get it back together. So and Paris
• 33:04
  Speaker 5: is one of the harder places to go and world rugby.
• 33:06
  Speaker 5: France aren't a great traveling team. They don't do so
• 33:10
  Speaker 5: well away from home, whether it be in Edinburgh or
• 33:13
  Speaker 5: South Africa, or they don't bring their best talent.
• 33:16
  Speaker 4: Out to New Zealand and they won't again in July
• 33:18
  Speaker 4: because of their.
• 33:19
  Speaker 5: Top fourteen, so they basically never went out here but
• 33:22
  Speaker 5: back in Paris at the Start de France where everyone
• 33:26
  Speaker 5: gets whipped into a bit of a frenzy. It is
• 33:28
  Speaker 5: a really hard place to go and win. And yeah, look,
• 33:33
  Speaker 5: Steve Worthwick, not only that match, but then in July.
• 33:36
  Speaker 4: They have to go out to South Africa.
• 33:37
  Speaker 5: So yeah, I think there'll be a fair bit of
• 33:42
  Speaker 5: panic behind the scenes and those among the England ranks well.
• 33:46
  Speaker 2: Indeed, topic number two. It's been a few days. Obviously,
• 33:49
  Speaker 2: we recorded a couple of podcasts on the Wednesday when
• 33:52
  Speaker 2: it was announced at Dave Rennie is the new coach
• 33:54
  Speaker 2: of the All Blacks There's obviously been reaction, but by
• 33:57
  Speaker 2: and large has seemed pretty universally approved. Obviously there was
• 34:02
  Speaker 2: some Jamie Joseph supporters out there, but it doesn't feel like,
• 34:06
  Speaker 2: you know, there's a split in the All Black space
• 34:08
  Speaker 2: as there has been in the past when they've appointed
• 34:10
  Speaker 2: a coach, tension moves to the assistance. Now you gave
• 34:13
  Speaker 2: us some intel when we spoke last week. There's a
• 34:16
  Speaker 2: few more names that have been thrown about on various
• 34:19
  Speaker 2: podcasts and articles and other things kind of among his
• 34:22
  Speaker 2: name has been mentioned, Tom Coventry, etc. But the tea leaves, etc.
• 34:28
  Speaker 2: Seem to be pointing that Jason Ryan might be the
• 34:31
  Speaker 2: only current assistant that retains a role in this new setup. Limb,
• 34:35
  Speaker 2: Is that what you're hearing?
• 34:37
  Speaker 4: Yep, That's what I'm hearing.
• 34:37
  Speaker 5: And probably an appeared back capacity with more of a
• 34:40
  Speaker 5: focus on the scrum, which is his area of strength,
• 34:44
  Speaker 5: and I think that's probably a good move. We saw
• 34:47
  Speaker 5: Britan Evan's broaden last year and I thought he had
• 34:50
  Speaker 5: quite a big impact on the line out. But if
• 34:51
  Speaker 5: you bring in a Neil Barnes who's a line out
• 34:55
  Speaker 5: and breakdown sort of specialist, then you can allow Ryan
• 35:00
  Speaker 5: to focus more on the scrum. And if you think
• 35:02
  Speaker 5: back to Ian Foster's regime when he had Jason Ryan
• 35:08
  Speaker 5: in there, Greg Feak was the specialist scrum coach. So
• 35:12
  Speaker 5: in most international teams that Ford's role is broken up
• 35:15
  Speaker 5: and too scrum, line out, breakdown. And I think that
• 35:18
  Speaker 5: there has been a point in Scott Robertson's tenure where
• 35:20
  Speaker 5: Jason Ryan had too much on his plates.
• 35:23
  Speaker 4: So and then in terms of the other assistants.
• 35:26
  Speaker 5: I think Scott Hansen was under massive pressure given the
• 35:30
  Speaker 5: way that the All Black stuttering attack was going. Someone
• 35:33
  Speaker 5: to say Allison will be a good coach in time
• 35:36
  Speaker 5: and has done good things, but I think had struggled
• 35:40
  Speaker 5: to necessarily grasp that defensive brief and then Brent Evans
• 35:45
  Speaker 5: is probably just a victim of being surplus to requirements
• 35:49
  Speaker 5: when you bring in an experience figure like Neil Barnes,
• 35:52
  Speaker 5: so big changes of foots and I guess the big
• 35:55
  Speaker 5: question is around Mike Blair, the former Scottish international halfback
• 36:01
  Speaker 5: and weather New Zealand Rugby are ready and open to
• 36:05
  Speaker 5: bringing in a foreign assistant coach.
• 36:07
  Speaker 2: Well, I think they've got to be ready. While you
• 36:09
  Speaker 2: were converalcing with your wrist injury, Stephen Larkin was linked
• 36:13
  Speaker 2: with a role in the All Black set up. Obviously
• 36:16
  Speaker 2: didn't come to anything and he's resigned with the Brumbies
• 36:18
  Speaker 2: as of last week. But I think he would have
• 36:20
  Speaker 2: been a great addition to the lineup. I've been banging
• 36:22
  Speaker 2: the drum for a while. A different voice in there,
• 36:24
  Speaker 2: whether it's running the attack or the defense of whatever,
• 36:27
  Speaker 2: just a different voice I think is valuable in that
• 36:30
  Speaker 2: All Black setup. From what I understand might Belee are
• 36:33
  Speaker 2: highly regarded obviously by Dave Rennie, but also the players
• 36:36
  Speaker 2: that he's worked with in the various teams and capacities
• 36:41
  Speaker 2: he's had, so you know, he's probably not a name
• 36:44
  Speaker 2: that New Zealanders will be overly familiar with, but I
• 36:46
  Speaker 2: think you trust Dave Rennie to put that person in place.
• 36:50
  Speaker 2: So I guess the question though, is should Dave Rennie
• 36:53
  Speaker 2: get cart Blanche or what kind of process will New
• 36:56
  Speaker 2: Zealand Rugby go through here because we've seen around the
• 36:59
  Speaker 2: assistance before. It can be a source of issues in
• 37:02
  Speaker 2: a team environment and there needs to be some sort
• 37:05
  Speaker 2: of balance between Reny getting his men but also in
• 37:08
  Speaker 2: New Zealand Rugby knowing they're putting the right plea people
• 37:11
  Speaker 2: in place and employing the right people.
• 37:14
  Speaker 4: That's right, And money's also a factor.
• 37:16
  Speaker 5: My understanding is Scott Hanson and Jason Ryan are both
• 37:19
  Speaker 5: on four year contracts, so if Scott Hanson is to
• 37:23
  Speaker 5: be moved on, then that that will be another significant
• 37:25
  Speaker 5: payout on top of what they've already paid out for
• 37:28
  Speaker 5: Scott Robertson, So that would be a factor. But look,
• 37:31
  Speaker 5: I think the if you put your faith in trust
• 37:35
  Speaker 5: in a head coach, you have to give him all
• 37:38
  Speaker 5: her the rights to surround themselves with people that they
• 37:41
  Speaker 5: know and trust and let them build that environment largely
• 37:45
  Speaker 5: as they see fits. Other than Jason Ryan, I don't
• 37:48
  Speaker 5: think there's really a need to put massive stake in
• 37:52
  Speaker 5: the ground or push the wagon from New Zealand Rugby's
• 37:56
  Speaker 5: perspective to say you must take on these assistants because
• 37:59
  Speaker 5: that could destabilize or compromise what when he's trying to
• 38:03
  Speaker 5: trying to achieve from the outset. So I don't see
• 38:06
  Speaker 5: that playing outs. Yeah, and just on Mike Blair, I
• 38:10
  Speaker 5: think from what I've heard spoken to a few people
• 38:12
  Speaker 5: who have worked alongside him and know him well, he's quite.
• 38:15
  Speaker 4: A structured, stats based coach.
• 38:18
  Speaker 5: And I also think that Dave Rennie is an attack
• 38:21
  Speaker 5: coach by trade, so I expect him to have quite
• 38:24
  Speaker 5: a large degree of influence over the All Blacks attack
• 38:28
  Speaker 5: and look, I think that was a factor in him
• 38:30
  Speaker 5: getting the job in the first place. I saw Jamie
• 38:32
  Speaker 5: Joseph actually refer to that when he did his press
• 38:36
  Speaker 5: conference at the Highlands after missing out on the job,
• 38:39
  Speaker 5: and that's a clear area of improvement for the All
• 38:41
  Speaker 5: Blacks and I think Dave will take a lot of
• 38:44
  Speaker 5: ownership over that area.
• 38:46
  Speaker 2: Topic Number three in the final four a return for
• 38:48
  Speaker 2: Brody Retellit to New Zealand rugby. This was sort of
• 38:52
  Speaker 2: a sidebar to the announcement the other day, and we
• 38:55
  Speaker 2: did touch on it last week around selecting overseas players.
• 38:58
  Speaker 2: But Brodie Wuck was then on News Talk ZB with
• 39:01
  Speaker 2: Darcy Watergrave and said his mum had been in touch.
• 39:03
  Speaker 2: This was sort of the first head heard of it.
• 39:05
  Speaker 2: But from my understanding, he's off contract with COPE. Would
• 39:09
  Speaker 2: you like to see him back in New Zealand rugby
• 39:10
  Speaker 2: and fight for an All Blacks jersey?
• 39:12
  Speaker 5: Absolutely? Yeah, I would. I think that Japanese competition provides
• 39:19
  Speaker 5: longevity for these sort of players. That probably puts an
• 39:22
  Speaker 5: extra year or two on players' careers. Look, I saw
• 39:27
  Speaker 5: some footage of brodi Attic. He's a top tri scorer
• 39:30
  Speaker 5: in that competition, but there was one effort where he's
• 39:33
  Speaker 5: ranging back making a tri saving tackle, So the efforts
• 39:37
  Speaker 5: is there. Dave Rennie reckons that he's the fittest and
• 39:41
  Speaker 5: the strongest he's ever been, and he would know he's
• 39:43
  Speaker 5: coaching up there for the past three years, but I
• 39:47
  Speaker 5: think that's his only avenue to the All Blacks is
• 39:50
  Speaker 5: coming home. I don't see New Zealand rugby bending the
• 39:52
  Speaker 5: rules as much as Dave's potentially going to push that wagon.
• 39:57
  Speaker 5: Maybe there has been a change of regime since Scott
• 40:01
  Speaker 5: Robinson's era and with Mark Robertson at the helm there that.
• 40:06
  Speaker 4: That was never going to change. But it's just such
• 40:10
  Speaker 4: a vexed issue.
• 40:11
  Speaker 5: I don't see it happening overnight, certainly not before the
• 40:13
  Speaker 5: next World Cup. So if Renie does want to see
• 40:18
  Speaker 5: Rottelic back in the Black jersey, I think potentially he
• 40:21
  Speaker 5: comes home for one year at the Chiefs.
• 40:23
  Speaker 2: Yeah. Topic number four is it time for the All
• 40:27
  Speaker 2: Black Sevens to ditch the All Blacks name in front
• 40:31
  Speaker 2: of them? As we spect they're playing off in a
• 40:34
  Speaker 2: playoff for seventh and eighth at the Vancouver Sevens. I mean,
• 40:39
  Speaker 2: our third on the late the ladder and did win
• 40:41
  Speaker 2: in Dubai at the start of it. But I just
• 40:45
  Speaker 2: it's just not that comfortably with me for a few
• 40:48
  Speaker 2: years now that they're called the All Black Sevens, and
• 40:52
  Speaker 2: because I suppose their record hasn't been that great in
• 40:55
  Speaker 2: terms of Olympic medals and various other things. I just
• 41:00
  Speaker 2: wonder whether it's time to remove the All Black Sevens
• 41:02
  Speaker 2: now whether you'd have to do it for the Black
• 41:04
  Speaker 2: Ferns as well, who do live up to that Black
• 41:06
  Speaker 2: fans monika a little bit higher than well, a lot
• 41:09
  Speaker 2: higher than their male counterparts. I don't know, but to me,
• 41:12
  Speaker 2: you know they've talked to a lot about the trajectory
• 41:14
  Speaker 2: around the All Blacks and putting pride back in the
• 41:17
  Speaker 2: All Blacks jersey, et cetera, et cetera. Well, you've got
• 41:20
  Speaker 2: the sort of side show with the All Black Sevens
• 41:22
  Speaker 2: jersey and team at the moment that I don't think
• 41:26
  Speaker 2: has the same you know, standards potentially and same manner
• 41:32
  Speaker 2: that the All Blacks do get their leveraging off the name,
• 41:35
  Speaker 2: and you know they're lost to Spain the other day.
• 41:38
  Speaker 2: I do wonder whether it's time just to revert back
• 41:40
  Speaker 2: to New Zealand for the Sevens teams.
• 41:43
  Speaker 4: Look, I've never been a fan of this, Elliott.
• 41:45
  Speaker 5: It's a branding exercise and as you say, it's probably
• 41:48
  Speaker 5: hurting the brand currently. I've got the All Black Sevens,
• 41:51
  Speaker 5: we've got the Moldy All Blacks, we've got the All
• 41:54
  Speaker 5: Blacks fifteen, and it's about parading the brand around the
• 41:58
  Speaker 5: world's you know, marketing the All Blacks. But when results
• 42:05
  Speaker 5: don't go well, you're actually diminishing that brand. There's only
• 42:08
  Speaker 5: one All Blacks, there will will only ever be one
• 42:11
  Speaker 5: All Blacks. So in my view, it should be the
• 42:14
  Speaker 5: New Zealand sevens, should be the New Zealand Maori, and
• 42:18
  Speaker 5: it should be the New Zealand fifteen because the All
• 42:21
  Speaker 5: Blacks hold a certain prestige, a legacy history, and that's
• 42:27
  Speaker 5: not to be taken for granted.
• 42:28
  Speaker 2: I think we're of the same same agreements there on
• 42:31
  Speaker 2: that front. Napes MVP voting time after round three, Christian
• 42:36
  Speaker 2: Leo Willy had the lead on six points to POVI
• 42:38
  Speaker 2: and Josh Moreby both had five Your three two ones
• 42:42
  Speaker 2: this week, please Naps.
• 42:44
  Speaker 4: I'm going to be a bit biased Elliot mineral backs.
• 42:48
  Speaker 2: I think they're all Hurricanes.
• 42:49
  Speaker 5: Well they could be, yeah, but I'm not quite as
• 42:52
  Speaker 5: one eyed as some Crusader supporters. You know, I'd like
• 42:55
  Speaker 5: to see the breadth of the competition. Sure, sure, I'm
• 43:00
  Speaker 5: going to go Billy Proctor. I thought he was very
• 43:03
  Speaker 5: impressive and what he did for the Hurricanes, not just
• 43:06
  Speaker 5: as tries but as his distribution and it was just
• 43:10
  Speaker 5: great to see him running with a bit of freedom
• 43:11
  Speaker 5: after the struggles of last year. And to to Leroy Carter,
• 43:17
  Speaker 5: just his his work great, the way he gets involved,
• 43:20
  Speaker 5: the way he goes looking for work, whether it be
• 43:23
  Speaker 5: at the base or in close with the carries, and
• 43:26
  Speaker 5: then his acceptive strength.
• 43:28
  Speaker 4: For ball in hand as well.
• 43:30
  Speaker 5: And I'm going to go one to Cody Vai late
• 43:33
  Speaker 5: change for the Blues with Boden coming into ten and
• 43:37
  Speaker 5: thoughts his finish in the corner was brilliance. So a
• 43:41
  Speaker 5: bit of an unsung hero there had the Blues with
• 43:45
  Speaker 5: Mark Tala moving on. I thought he really stated his
• 43:48
  Speaker 5: case at the weekend.
• 43:49
  Speaker 2: Very very good. Right my three to two ones, Devin
• 43:52
  Speaker 2: Flanders gets my three. I need to get a Ford
• 43:56
  Speaker 2: in there somewhere, And I thought he was excellent in
• 43:58
  Speaker 2: that performance for the Hurricanes. He's been a name that's
• 44:00
  Speaker 2: been mentioned around the All Blacks, but never with great
• 44:04
  Speaker 2: vigor or you know, he's got to be in the
• 44:06
  Speaker 2: All Blacks. But he's been a solid player for Hawks
• 44:10
  Speaker 2: Bay and the Hurricanes now for a number of seasons,
• 44:12
  Speaker 2: played All Blacks fifteen level as well. And to me.
• 44:16
  Speaker 2: I thought there was an excellent performance from him on
• 44:20
  Speaker 2: the weekend after he played I thought probably the best
• 44:22
  Speaker 2: of the Hurricanes the week prior in Fiji as well.
• 44:26
  Speaker 2: So look, if Dave Rennie was watching on a Friday
• 44:28
  Speaker 2: night and kobait, he would have been very impressed. I
• 44:31
  Speaker 2: think what he saw from Devin Flanders, Caleb toungy Ta
• 44:34
  Speaker 2: gets my two, and Boden Barrett after coming in late
• 44:38
  Speaker 2: and steering the ship at ten and a very good performance,
• 44:41
  Speaker 2: gets my one. This week we'll add those into the
• 44:44
  Speaker 2: mix as well. Just before we wrap up on Rugby Direct,
• 44:47
  Speaker 2: we will check the mail bag. Already got a few
• 44:49
  Speaker 2: leaders and emails into the Rugby Direct mail bag over
• 44:52
  Speaker 2: last week, also that I want to get to on
• 44:55
  Speaker 2: Thursday Thursdays our dedicated spot for the mail bag. You
• 44:58
  Speaker 2: can get in touch with us Rugby Direct at news
• 45:00
  Speaker 2: Talk zb dot co dot in zed, Rugby Direct at
• 45:04
  Speaker 2: newstalk zeb dot co do in Z. We'll read a
• 45:06
  Speaker 2: few of those out on our Thursday edition on the podcast,
• 45:09
  Speaker 2: But until the end, Liam, thank you very much for
• 45:10
  Speaker 2: your time and rest up. We'll look forward to catching
• 45:13
  Speaker 2: up later in the week.
• 45:15
  Speaker 4: Yeah, I'll keep the one your eyes appreciate.
• 45:18
  Speaker 2: That that is Liam Napier, Mark Kelly, executive producer and
• 45:22
  Speaker 2: Rugby directed by Habita Physio. Book Today and stay in
• 45:25
  Speaker 2: the game.
• 45:30
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