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Transcript

Rugby Direct - Episode 132 · Rugby Direct

• 0:09
  Speaker 1: You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: this and our wide range of podcast now on Iheartradiot, Inside.
• 0:18
  Speaker 2: The Game from every angle.
• 0:20
  Speaker 1: It's Rugby Direct with Elliott Smith powered by News Talks EDB.
• 0:25
  Speaker 3: Welcome in to Rugby Direct, powered by Excess Solutions, elevating
• 0:28
  Speaker 3: you and your business to a higher level. My name
• 0:31
  Speaker 3: is Elligant Smith, chief rugby commentator for News Talk z'd
• 0:35
  Speaker 3: be alongside me as well is Liam Napier, chief sports
• 0:39
  Speaker 3: writer rugby correspondent for The New Zealand Herald. Liam, there
• 0:42
  Speaker 3: are some important things to dig into, but perhaps something
• 0:44
  Speaker 3: more important than a potential rift in the Rugby Direct
• 0:48
  Speaker 3: ranks around popcorn and going to the movies and shock
• 0:52
  Speaker 3: revelation from myself offline just before we hit record that
• 0:56
  Speaker 3: I'm the hugest of popcorn fans at the movies.
• 0:59
  Speaker 2: I don't have too many rules in life, Elliott.
• 1:01
  Speaker 4: For one of those is that you must say popcorn
• 1:04
  Speaker 4: when you go to the movies.
• 1:05
  Speaker 2: So yeah, you pretty much did to me.
• 1:07
  Speaker 5: Mate saw the movie.
• 1:09
  Speaker 3: We went to the Bike Riders yesterday just to inform
• 1:12
  Speaker 3: Liam I didn't take any popcorn and he was heartbroken. Anyway,
• 1:16
  Speaker 3: on to much more important matters. Let's get into the
• 1:18
  Speaker 3: week that was in rugby, and the biggest story probably
• 1:22
  Speaker 3: in Super Rugby transfer history is Ardie Savilla moving from
• 1:26
  Speaker 3: the Hurricanes to Mowana Pacifica. And the fact that's probably
• 1:29
  Speaker 3: just been brushed over a little bit is that he's
• 1:30
  Speaker 3: resigned with New Zealand Rugby through until twenty twenty seven.
• 1:33
  Speaker 3: But Liam, you broke this breakfast time on Friday morning,
• 1:38
  Speaker 3: two and a half days before it was official, and
• 1:41
  Speaker 3: look a huge story, isn't it.
• 1:44
  Speaker 2: It is?
• 1:44
  Speaker 4: Indeed, as you mentioned Earliert, I guess right up there
• 1:47
  Speaker 4: with Joan Loomu going to the Hurricanes, Boden Barrett coming
• 1:51
  Speaker 4: to the Blues, I guess you know Marlono and Andrew
• 1:55
  Speaker 4: Ware moving from Wellington to Dunedin. Hand as it didn't
• 2:00
  Speaker 4: go so well do it. But look, this is Matt Massive.
• 2:03
  Speaker 4: It's instant credibility for Moana Pacifica. It's gonna not necessarily
• 2:10
  Speaker 4: turn their fortunes around overnight, but if you think about
• 2:13
  Speaker 4: the gravitas that it brings the other potential players that
• 2:17
  Speaker 4: may be looking at going to that franchise, everything around
• 2:21
  Speaker 4: sponsorship and luring eyeballs is huge for that franchise and
• 2:29
  Speaker 4: like you say, already going through to the twenty twenty
• 2:31
  Speaker 4: seven world cover. I don't think there were ever any
• 2:33
  Speaker 4: doubts around that, but to have that cleared up, to
• 2:36
  Speaker 4: have him locked in is massive for the All Blacks
• 2:39
  Speaker 4: as well.
• 2:40
  Speaker 3: What's your understanding of why he's going to Mauna Pacifica
• 2:43
  Speaker 3: because he's been very loyal to the Hurricanes for a
• 2:45
  Speaker 3: number of years now. Obviously his brother plays at Mouna Pacifica.
• 2:50
  Speaker 3: How much did that play in his signing with Maua Pacifica.
• 2:55
  Speaker 4: Look, I think there's a number of different factors involved here.
• 2:58
  Speaker 4: Julian's presence is certainly a big one. They are an
• 3:01
  Speaker 4: extremely tight family that as they're also very proud of
• 3:06
  Speaker 4: their Polynesian heritage. Heritage, so ARTI's spoken openly over at
• 3:12
  Speaker 4: a number of different points in his career of a
• 3:14
  Speaker 4: desire to represent that heritage, and this is one way
• 3:18
  Speaker 4: where he can do that. It's fairly unlikely given he's
• 3:23
  Speaker 4: thirty years old now, you know, this next contract will
• 3:27
  Speaker 4: take him through until he's thirty three. He'd then have
• 3:30
  Speaker 4: to do a sort of three year stand down to
• 3:32
  Speaker 4: represent Snamo, So that's unlikely. So this is his chance
• 3:35
  Speaker 4: to represent that heritage, So that's a factor. I think
• 3:41
  Speaker 4: he probably also, you know, wants a new challenge. Going
• 3:45
  Speaker 4: to Japan was refreshing, going to Muana and having a
• 3:49
  Speaker 4: real influence there that that's a factor. Probably seeing what's
• 3:53
  Speaker 4: happened at the Hurricanes while he was away and the
• 3:56
  Speaker 4: way those loose forwards really stood up, what was a factor?
• 3:59
  Speaker 4: I think my understanding is that Jordi Barrett is actually
• 4:03
  Speaker 4: the highest played player at the Hurricanes, and so whether
• 4:07
  Speaker 4: that was a factor, I'm not sure could have thrown
• 4:10
  Speaker 4: a huge amount more money at Ardi, but I think
• 4:14
  Speaker 4: they probably could have to a degree, and I think, yeah,
• 4:19
  Speaker 4: at the stage of his career maybe Also I don't
• 4:24
  Speaker 4: know this for a fact, but I know Julian and
• 4:29
  Speaker 4: Ardi are very tight, and Julian wasn't happy about the
• 4:32
  Speaker 4: way that things played out at the Hurricanes with him
• 4:35
  Speaker 4: not being part of Clark Glade Law's Hurricanes future. So
• 4:39
  Speaker 4: maybe that was a potential factor as well.
• 4:42
  Speaker 5: Yeah, quite possibly for me.
• 4:44
  Speaker 3: I look at it and go, you're right, instant credibility
• 4:46
  Speaker 3: factor for more Wana pacifica and getting Ardie Savia across
• 4:50
  Speaker 3: the line and his magnetism.
• 4:52
  Speaker 5: I suppose is.
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  Speaker 3: You know, it automatically gives that franchise credibility, but his
• 4:58
  Speaker 3: signature could bring others to be involved as well. Your
• 5:02
  Speaker 3: reporter that Via Fafita is looking likely to join more
• 5:05
  Speaker 3: Ona Pacifica, but there's other players as well that maybe
• 5:09
  Speaker 3: their Artie factor between if they have to choose between franchises,
• 5:13
  Speaker 3: could well see them for more on the Pacifica and
• 5:17
  Speaker 3: especially if they got Pacific Island heritage. This all of
• 5:19
  Speaker 3: a sudden becomes do I say that no longer a
• 5:22
  Speaker 3: team of players that are not good enough for the
• 5:25
  Speaker 3: other Super Rugby franchises, but one that aspires for success
• 5:29
  Speaker 3: under Ardie Savia and with Artie Savia.
• 5:32
  Speaker 2: That's right.
• 5:33
  Speaker 4: And if you think about guys like Liva Armor and
• 5:35
  Speaker 4: Tava Tavanawa, those guys I would go as far to say,
• 5:39
  Speaker 4: don't leave Mina Pacifica if Artie severe is there. Last year,
• 5:43
  Speaker 4: those were two shining lights for Minus Pacifica and it
• 5:46
  Speaker 4: was a real kick in the guts to see them
• 5:49
  Speaker 4: go elsewhere to further their careers. Liba Armor not a
• 5:53
  Speaker 4: great success at the Crusaders, but he went there because
• 5:56
  Speaker 4: he saw his future pathway, as you know, providing a
• 6:02
  Speaker 4: pathway through to the All Backs better and the Crusaders
• 6:05
  Speaker 4: than Miana. So Artie's present could change that, he could
• 6:10
  Speaker 4: lure more people there. And the other fact that I
• 6:13
  Speaker 4: didn't mention before was tana Umanger. He was a huge
• 6:19
  Speaker 4: driving factor in Ardi going Turmnor. I know he met
• 6:22
  Speaker 4: with him at Wellington. Tana and Tom Coventry have had
• 6:26
  Speaker 4: a real positive impact in improving standards at Wana last year.
• 6:31
  Speaker 4: I know they only won four or fourteen games and
• 6:34
  Speaker 4: finished second last, but their overall competitiveness throughout that season
• 6:39
  Speaker 4: lifted dramatically, didn't it. And so tana Umanger, the first
• 6:44
  Speaker 4: Polynesian All Black captain, his great minor and I think
• 6:50
  Speaker 4: his presence was huge in luring Ardi to Auckland.
• 6:55
  Speaker 3: Let's talk about the Hurricanes, because now they've lost Ardie Sava,
• 6:58
  Speaker 3: the running wheel Player of the Year. They lost Botien
• 7:00
  Speaker 3: Barrett through different circumstances as well in twenty nineteen. For
• 7:05
  Speaker 3: twenty twenty, can we linked the two and is there
• 7:10
  Speaker 3: a sign of a bigger issue at the Hurricanes that
• 7:12
  Speaker 3: they can't retain players that have won multiple World Player
• 7:16
  Speaker 3: of the Years titles.
• 7:18
  Speaker 4: I don't think they Boden's transfer an Ardia intrinsically linked.
• 7:22
  Speaker 2: Boden moved to Auckland because.
• 7:24
  Speaker 4: His wife is from Auckland's and their family wanted to move,
• 7:30
  Speaker 4: and the Blues could offer him exponentially more money through
• 7:33
  Speaker 4: their third party sponsorships. So I think also break the
• 7:37
  Speaker 4: teams are to a degree behind the Blues and what
• 7:40
  Speaker 4: they can offer financially. But look, there's no doubt despite
• 7:44
  Speaker 4: the Hurricanes' depth in their loose forwards that losing Artie
• 7:48
  Speaker 4: severe as a body blow, they.
• 7:49
  Speaker 2: Would have wanted to retain him.
• 7:52
  Speaker 4: All the noises were that he was going back to
• 7:54
  Speaker 4: the Hurricanes, and clearly there's been a bit of a
• 7:57
  Speaker 4: breakdown there because Artie's a pin up guy, isn't he
• 8:01
  Speaker 4: spoke before about From a sponsorship perspective, you know you
• 8:05
  Speaker 4: can guarantee that at Mine and he's going to be
• 8:07
  Speaker 4: plastered all over their promotional material, their season memberships, even
• 8:11
  Speaker 4: though they don't actually have a home right now. So
• 8:14
  Speaker 4: he's a guy that you can really sell from a
• 8:16
  Speaker 4: public perspective, and he's one of your first names on
• 8:20
  Speaker 4: the team suit. So there's no doubt that the Hurricanes
• 8:23
  Speaker 4: wanted him back, expected him back, and I think they'd
• 8:27
  Speaker 4: be very disappointed to lose him, so I think internally
• 8:31
  Speaker 4: there probably are a few questions being asked about how
• 8:34
  Speaker 4: this has happened. And you know, reigning World Player of
• 8:39
  Speaker 4: the Year, there's not too many other people you'd want.
• 8:41
  Speaker 2: In your ranks.
• 8:42
  Speaker 3: No, there isn't a couple more questions, I guess on
• 8:45
  Speaker 3: this topic before we move on. I guess I've saw
• 8:49
  Speaker 3: a couple of suggestions last night that you know, Richie
• 8:52
  Speaker 3: mo Wolo could be next to join him, given he's
• 8:54
  Speaker 3: looking to come back to New Zealand. From my understanding,
• 8:58
  Speaker 3: if he comes back, it'll be with the Crusaders, and
• 9:03
  Speaker 3: I just don't see him going to Mona Pacifica. There's
• 9:05
  Speaker 3: all sorts of family reasons, et cetera, that it will
• 9:07
  Speaker 3: go back to to christ Church with family, so that
• 9:11
  Speaker 3: won't happen. But as you touched on, a major opportunity
• 9:14
  Speaker 3: now for Wuana Pacifica, who we've asked the question a
• 9:17
  Speaker 3: couple of times on this podcastle around their future and
• 9:20
  Speaker 3: where they go to there, As it always is in
• 9:23
  Speaker 3: the rugby world, there are whispers and things going on.
• 9:27
  Speaker 3: From what I heard, the financial situation at Mojuana wasn't great,
• 9:31
  Speaker 3: but that's never sort of come totally to light. So
• 9:34
  Speaker 3: you take it at you know, face value that Mourana
• 9:37
  Speaker 3: is continuing.
• 9:38
  Speaker 5: I guess with the rebels as well.
• 9:39
  Speaker 3: That was the question asked around where the Mowana could
• 9:42
  Speaker 3: survive too, But this could you know, this is as
• 9:45
  Speaker 3: you said, sponsorship wise, this is going to be a
• 9:47
  Speaker 3: major boost for a franchise that has struggled to find
• 9:49
  Speaker 3: a foothold.
• 9:51
  Speaker 4: It is a major step in the right direction. It
• 9:53
  Speaker 4: doesn't solve everything behind the scenes. About a month ago
• 9:58
  Speaker 4: Mourana were actually sold to a pacifica medical group and
• 10:04
  Speaker 4: they involved them replacing their boards, So there has been
• 10:07
  Speaker 4: major changes behind the scenes there. That does provide a
• 10:12
  Speaker 4: lot of financial security to a degree. But look, this
• 10:16
  Speaker 4: is still a team without a home base, and that's
• 10:19
  Speaker 4: such a major factor in building fans because how do
• 10:23
  Speaker 4: you sell season memberships if you're playing in fungod Aid,
• 10:26
  Speaker 4: Mount Smart, Hamilton and Tonga all over the show really,
• 10:31
  Speaker 4: so that's a big thing for them to sort out
• 10:35
  Speaker 4: in the coming weeks. Hopefully they can lock down a base.
• 10:38
  Speaker 4: I don't know if they maybe look at Pookakoe and
• 10:41
  Speaker 4: Counties somewhere like that, but look, there's no doubt that
• 10:45
  Speaker 4: getting Artie does really put them on the map instant credibility.
• 10:49
  Speaker 4: The only other question I have for you that does
• 10:51
  Speaker 4: need to be addressed is this team is meant to
• 10:54
  Speaker 4: provide a pathway for players back to Samoa and Tonga
• 10:59
  Speaker 4: in particular with the Fijian Dura providing that pathway for
• 11:04
  Speaker 4: that team. You know, there's a lot of talk about
• 11:07
  Speaker 4: signing and all black and he's not going to play
• 11:11
  Speaker 4: for some or what's your read on that? And I
• 11:14
  Speaker 4: guess in the overall context of the purpose of Wina Pacifica.
• 11:18
  Speaker 3: You know what, I think this is actually the best
• 11:19
  Speaker 3: thing to make that happen. In all honesty, I think
• 11:22
  Speaker 3: getting a player like Ardie Sava is, as we've touched on,
• 11:25
  Speaker 3: you know, is more likely to get those signatures of
• 11:27
  Speaker 3: players looking to play for some more and Tonger, especially
• 11:31
  Speaker 3: the bigger name players that are currently maybe playing in
• 11:33
  Speaker 3: Europe or abroad elsewhere, to get that signature across the line.
• 11:38
  Speaker 3: Ardie Sava is that kind of player. They're allowed what
• 11:41
  Speaker 3: three all blacks or three non some more and tong
• 11:45
  Speaker 3: and qualifying players on their books Previously, I think they
• 11:48
  Speaker 3: used a couple of English players this year, or they
• 11:50
  Speaker 3: did use a couple of English players this year. This
• 11:51
  Speaker 3: is a much better use of that spot that they're
• 11:55
  Speaker 3: allowed to use.
• 11:56
  Speaker 5: So for me, I think this is the ultimate move.
• 11:58
  Speaker 3: And if you could see players going actually I'm thinking
• 12:00
  Speaker 3: about coming back to New Zealander, I'm weighing up a
• 12:02
  Speaker 3: contract in Japan having played for some more or Tonga.
• 12:06
  Speaker 3: I think that's you know, Ardie sav Is. Prisons could
• 12:10
  Speaker 3: definitely make that happen. So for me, no issues there
• 12:13
  Speaker 3: on that front. And I think let's hope that this
• 12:17
  Speaker 3: is a stake in the ground from one to pacifica
• 12:19
  Speaker 3: that they really been business in super rugby.
• 12:22
  Speaker 2: That's right.
• 12:23
  Speaker 4: And look, every team, every startup team basically in history,
• 12:27
  Speaker 4: takes time, don't they. This is Wine has had three
• 12:30
  Speaker 4: years and this is their biggest move on or off
• 12:33
  Speaker 4: the field. You know, they've had the odd upset that
• 12:36
  Speaker 4: they're starting to improve, but it doesn't come any bigger
• 12:41
  Speaker 4: in the context of global rugby really then signing the
• 12:45
  Speaker 4: world the reigning World Rugby Player of the Year, so
• 12:48
  Speaker 4: massive move from Miana And like you, I hope it
• 12:51
  Speaker 4: really is a springboard two bigger and better things and
• 12:55
  Speaker 4: some real stability because you know, there has been a
• 12:57
  Speaker 4: lot of uncertainty, and there still is to a degree,
• 13:00
  Speaker 4: but having a player of his status go there does provide,
• 13:06
  Speaker 4: you know, a real law for players, for fans, and
• 13:10
  Speaker 4: hopefully that'll translate into on field performances as well.
• 13:14
  Speaker 3: Indeed, let's move on to the Test that was over
• 13:16
  Speaker 3: the weekend, the All Blacks beating Fiji forty in San Diego. Liam,
• 13:21
  Speaker 3: what do we learn from that eighty minutes of rugby?
• 13:26
  Speaker 4: Look, I'm not too sure. I think I was fairly
• 13:29
  Speaker 4: underwhelmed by Fiji. The All Blacks were vastly improved, weren't they.
• 13:33
  Speaker 4: But look, they didn't face the same consuming line speed,
• 13:37
  Speaker 4: they didn't have Maro Tog pressuring their line outs. You know,
• 13:43
  Speaker 4: they weren't under a huge amount of pressure throughout that match.
• 13:46
  Speaker 4: But it was a step in the right direction. It
• 13:49
  Speaker 4: was very pleasing to get six rookies introduced to the
• 13:52
  Speaker 4: Test scene and see.
• 13:54
  Speaker 2: Them perform so well.
• 13:56
  Speaker 4: You know, there was no sign of nerves or anxiousness
• 13:59
  Speaker 4: there and a lot of them really did state their cases.
• 14:02
  Speaker 4: So I think when you take a step back, what
• 14:06
  Speaker 4: it did show as there is still depth in New
• 14:09
  Speaker 4: Zealand rugby that Scott Robinson's got some big selection headaches.
• 14:14
  Speaker 4: He's probably needs to be a bit more bold and brave.
• 14:18
  Speaker 4: I think he's been very conservative to start his tenure,
• 14:22
  Speaker 4: particularly in those first two tests against England, who were
• 14:26
  Speaker 4: the big standouts for you.
• 14:28
  Speaker 3: Billy Procter I thought was excellent, had a superb performance
• 14:32
  Speaker 3: and is really putting pressure now I think on Rico
• 14:34
  Speaker 3: yu one and it's gonna be a fascinating selection battle
• 14:36
  Speaker 3: for the All Blacks. And what I thought Billy Proctor's
• 14:39
  Speaker 3: performance did was it opened up Caleb Clark a little
• 14:41
  Speaker 3: bit more. We saw Caleb Clark come into the game
• 14:46
  Speaker 3: better than he has in previous times with the All Blacks.
• 14:50
  Speaker 3: You look at his stats, see Caleb Clark for all
• 14:51
  Speaker 3: his tries at super rugby level, he struggled to score
• 14:54
  Speaker 3: at international level and that can be for any number
• 14:57
  Speaker 3: of reasons. But he was I thought excellent on the
• 15:00
  Speaker 3: weekend and that was because Billy Procter was playing some
• 15:03
  Speaker 3: superb rugby inside him.
• 15:04
  Speaker 5: Looked like it took like a duct to.
• 15:07
  Speaker 3: Water for for Test rugby, I thought Billy Procter was
• 15:11
  Speaker 3: excellent and Antony let it Brown as well.
• 15:13
  Speaker 5: I thought had a very very good game in the midfield.
• 15:15
  Speaker 3: Obviously a veteran played seventy tests now or thereabouts for
• 15:18
  Speaker 3: the All Blacks, but just a reminder of what his
• 15:21
  Speaker 3: class is and what he can do. And you know,
• 15:24
  Speaker 3: Jordy Barrett' obviously taking that twelve jersey and rightly so
• 15:27
  Speaker 3: over the last couple of seasons. But Antony let it
• 15:29
  Speaker 3: brown and his ability to distribute but also take on
• 15:33
  Speaker 3: the line shouldn't be underestimated. And I think it was
• 15:36
  Speaker 3: a real sense of haircape. We've got some real good
• 15:39
  Speaker 3: midfield options. I think the pressure now goes on Rico
• 15:42
  Speaker 3: Yowanni to respond in the Rugby Championship when he gets
• 15:46
  Speaker 3: his chance. I guess the other one that impressed me
• 15:48
  Speaker 3: was not Hotham off the bench again Slidabilly Procter didn't
• 15:53
  Speaker 3: take long to adjust to Test rugby, just came in.
• 15:56
  Speaker 3: Wasn't expecting to get as much game time as he
• 15:58
  Speaker 3: did with Quartez Ratama coming off of the park, but
• 16:00
  Speaker 3: he slotted in really, really well, didn't overplay his hand
• 16:04
  Speaker 3: and just looked ready for Test rugby. So for me,
• 16:08
  Speaker 3: the mid field and Noah Hotham with the standouts then,
• 16:11
  Speaker 3: and I don't think any one of the debuhants really
• 16:13
  Speaker 3: put a foot wrong but I think there's a lot
• 16:15
  Speaker 3: to like from what we saw in terms of the
• 16:18
  Speaker 3: individual performances over the weekend, even if we didn't learn
• 16:21
  Speaker 3: so much maybe about the team as a whole.
• 16:25
  Speaker 4: That's right, and I'm glad you mentioned anton Lena Brown
• 16:27
  Speaker 4: there because Billy Proctor certainly got the plaudits and rightly so.
• 16:31
  Speaker 4: And the big thing that he brought wasn't it was
• 16:34
  Speaker 4: the distribution, just the ability to set us outsides away
• 16:38
  Speaker 4: Chris accurate, no hesitation, and I think that's what has
• 16:43
  Speaker 4: been missing. You know, that's the big criticism of Rico
• 16:45
  Speaker 4: Iwani's game, that he does tend to go himself rather
• 16:49
  Speaker 4: than set us outsides away. So there was a bit
• 16:51
  Speaker 4: of a stark contrast there. But Anton Lena Brown, you
• 16:54
  Speaker 4: know we've spoken before about no one really in New
• 16:58
  Speaker 4: Zealand rugby been able to replace what Jordi Barrett brings.
• 17:00
  Speaker 4: But on this occasion, Antony Leaner Brown actually did that.
• 17:04
  Speaker 4: He was hard running, direct, you know, he was Barrett
• 17:09
  Speaker 4: and for all intensive purposes. So that was really pleasing
• 17:13
  Speaker 4: to see that Angelina Brown has that ability allbit against Fiji.
• 17:18
  Speaker 4: You touch on some of the other debuns for me
• 17:20
  Speaker 4: off the bench as well Wallace Tsi, Pasilio Tossi. Those
• 17:25
  Speaker 4: guys have big futures. Still question marks around Tossi's scrummaging
• 17:30
  Speaker 4: ability against you know, the likes of the spring box
• 17:34
  Speaker 4: in England and others, but just from a pure ball carrying, dynamic, youth.
• 17:42
  Speaker 2: Perspective, those two guys have massive futures.
• 17:45
  Speaker 4: And we talked previously about Wallace Citti's ability to change
• 17:49
  Speaker 4: the dynamic of that loose forward trio, and I think
• 17:52
  Speaker 4: that's a very live conversation because both those guys off
• 17:57
  Speaker 4: the bench hard, direct punch up the middle, they can offload,
• 18:01
  Speaker 4: they've got quick feet at the line. Just their their
• 18:04
  Speaker 4: pure physical dynamic. It was great to see them not
• 18:08
  Speaker 4: be overruled by the occasion and really thrive. And I
• 18:12
  Speaker 4: think there is some really tough decisions and it's going
• 18:16
  Speaker 4: to be interesting to see how the All Blacks manage
• 18:19
  Speaker 4: that throughout the Rugby Championship, because even from a squad perspective,
• 18:22
  Speaker 4: there's going to be some tough conversations, aren't they.
• 18:25
  Speaker 3: There are, and I think that's going to be fascinating
• 18:28
  Speaker 3: to see how the thirty six are put together just
• 18:31
  Speaker 3: before we leave the game and or just Before we
• 18:33
  Speaker 3: move on, I just want to say about Luke Jacobson,
• 18:36
  Speaker 3: who as a player that I've never felt has really
• 18:38
  Speaker 3: stood up at test level, but I thought was very
• 18:40
  Speaker 3: very good on the weekend. But it was a real
• 18:43
  Speaker 3: line out target for the All Blacks. They used him
• 18:44
  Speaker 3: a lot during that game. I thought he carried pretty
• 18:46
  Speaker 3: strongly on occasion. But I thought that was probably one
• 18:49
  Speaker 3: of his better tests. Luke Jacobson was so Eathian blacket
• 18:52
  Speaker 3: a return to the fold maybe look short of a
• 18:54
  Speaker 3: gallop a little bit ethan. I found his way into
• 18:56
  Speaker 3: the game rather later on and I thought that was
• 18:59
  Speaker 3: a positive sign for the All Blacks. And Sam Derry
• 19:01
  Speaker 3: off the bench too. I thought when they're looking for
• 19:03
  Speaker 3: that size and that replacement lock, he put his hand up.
• 19:06
  Speaker 3: So there's some interesting selection quandaries ahead of the Rugby Championship.
• 19:11
  Speaker 3: As we touched on just on Fiji, liam really disappointing
• 19:15
  Speaker 3: from them. They obviously were World Cup quarter finalists last year.
• 19:19
  Speaker 3: They are missing some of the key players through injury.
• 19:23
  Speaker 3: You know Levani Botti. It wasn't there a couple of
• 19:26
  Speaker 3: players to join the sevens as well? Do we solve
• 19:29
  Speaker 3: not there either, So they were missing some key players,
• 19:32
  Speaker 3: but a really limp performance from Fiji. They ran pretty
• 19:34
  Speaker 3: much their entire attack around Semur and Dradra and on
• 19:37
  Speaker 3: times it worked, but it just wasn't going to be
• 19:41
  Speaker 3: able to cause issues for the All Blacks over eighty minutes.
• 19:43
  Speaker 3: I thought defensively they were lacks at times. Yeah, just
• 19:47
  Speaker 3: not a great afternoon from Fiji.
• 19:48
  Speaker 5: I didn't think.
• 19:50
  Speaker 2: No, it was very underwhelming, wasn't it.
• 19:52
  Speaker 4: Even when they did bill phases, there was so many mistakes.
• 19:56
  Speaker 4: It was largely predictable, and they blew one try in
• 19:59
  Speaker 4: the corner but never really threatened the All Blacks. Their
• 20:03
  Speaker 4: scrums struggled, they never put any pressure on the line out.
• 20:08
  Speaker 2: Yeah, they I guess you know.
• 20:09
  Speaker 4: They come off a July campaign where they've been up
• 20:12
  Speaker 4: to London, played the Barbarians, beat Georgia and Georgia.
• 20:17
  Speaker 2: They've got a new coach and Mick Burn.
• 20:19
  Speaker 4: As you mentioned, they're missing a couple of players, but
• 20:21
  Speaker 4: certainly expected a lot more from them given what happened
• 20:24
  Speaker 4: last year. They knocked over England at Twickenham Australia in
• 20:27
  Speaker 4: the World Cup and it did really look like they'd
• 20:30
  Speaker 4: fallen away significantly since then.
• 20:32
  Speaker 2: So let's hope that's not a sign of things to come.
• 20:36
  Speaker 2: I do agree.
• 20:37
  Speaker 4: Look, Jacison, that was definitely his best test for the
• 20:39
  Speaker 4: All Blacks, and yeah, probably underwhelmed by Ethan Blackhead. He's
• 20:43
  Speaker 4: a bit of a cult figure, isn't he his first test?
• 20:46
  Speaker 4: Since I think it's November first starting tests it's November
• 20:49
  Speaker 4: twenty twenty one, so maybe just coming to grips of that.
• 20:52
  Speaker 4: He's only played five games this year, but probably expected
• 20:56
  Speaker 4: a little bit more from him.
• 20:58
  Speaker 3: Indeed, Well, the All Blacks now, of course have a
• 21:00
  Speaker 3: break for three weeks, so they'reabouts until they reconvene for
• 21:04
  Speaker 3: the side of the Rugby Championship against Argentina in Wowing
• 21:08
  Speaker 3: and Leah before we take a break on the first
• 21:10
  Speaker 3: half of that podcast. And really sad news last week
• 21:12
  Speaker 3: as well, the passing of Norm Hewett age fifty five,
• 21:16
  Speaker 3: after he was diagnosed with murder neuron disease, which is
• 21:20
  Speaker 3: worryingly now a number of players have been diagnosed with
• 21:23
  Speaker 3: that number of rugby players from that era, but normal
• 21:26
  Speaker 3: Heewitt just a wonderful presence in rugby memories of that
• 21:30
  Speaker 3: showdown with Richard Cockrell, but I also admired the way
• 21:33
  Speaker 3: that he turned himself around towards the end of his
• 21:36
  Speaker 3: rugby career, then afterwards his battle with the bottle, and
• 21:39
  Speaker 3: then turned it into just a remarkable second half. I
• 21:43
  Speaker 3: suppose you'd say with the dancing with the stars, but
• 21:46
  Speaker 3: the fundraising for various charities. The SPCA, I know is
• 21:49
  Speaker 3: involved in drugging, alcohol abuse and everything like that. He
• 21:53
  Speaker 3: fund raised to help those people involved in that as well.
• 21:56
  Speaker 3: So really really sad news and New Zealand rugby losing
• 21:59
  Speaker 3: a bit of an identity in the passing of Norm Puitt.
• 22:03
  Speaker 2: Yeah, norms a bit of.
• 22:07
  Speaker 4: It's hard to summon my Actually, Jamie Wall, one of
• 22:09
  Speaker 4: our colleagues, did a nice piece that charted I guess
• 22:13
  Speaker 4: that that transition that you mentioned there and comparing it
• 22:16
  Speaker 4: to modern rugby and its challenges and it's trying to
• 22:21
  Speaker 4: change its public face to a degree, and I think
• 22:23
  Speaker 4: Norman did that. I've got memories of them playing in
• 22:26
  Speaker 4: the two thousand final great one that you'll remember fondly
• 22:30
  Speaker 4: Wellington claiming the title of Norm charging into rucks with
• 22:34
  Speaker 4: a broken arm b of Canterbury. So nice one for
• 22:37
  Speaker 4: the good guys there, and look Norm, you know he
• 22:41
  Speaker 4: came through in an era where Unfortunately, he spent the
• 22:45
  Speaker 4: vast majority of his career on the bench behind the
• 22:47
  Speaker 4: great Shaun Fazpatrick and was then quickly sort of usurped
• 22:51
  Speaker 4: by Antonine Oliver, but in an era where substitutions aren't
• 22:55
  Speaker 4: what they are today. So had he been born and
• 22:59
  Speaker 4: come through in a different era, would have played a
• 23:01
  Speaker 4: lot more tests for the All Blacks. But I think,
• 23:04
  Speaker 4: like you say, what he did off the field is
• 23:06
  Speaker 4: probably almost more meaningful and in later life. And yeah,
• 23:09
  Speaker 4: it is a worry that players of his generation are
• 23:13
  Speaker 4: disproportionately affected by modern neuron disease and I think there's
• 23:17
  Speaker 4: a lot to be said for that, and there's a
• 23:18
  Speaker 4: lot of research going into that.
• 23:20
  Speaker 2: So your thoughts with the Hewitt family.
• 23:24
  Speaker 4: But I guess great to see a guy like that
• 23:28
  Speaker 4: turn things around and it's a bit of a lesson
• 23:30
  Speaker 4: to us all.
• 23:31
  Speaker 5: Yeah, an impressive legacy he leaves.
• 23:34
  Speaker 3: There's a certain will take a break here on Rugby Direct,
• 23:36
  Speaker 3: come back with the second half after this.
• 23:38
  Speaker 1: This is Rugby Direct, a podcast for real rugby fans.
• 23:48
  Speaker 5: Rugby Direct.
• 23:49
  Speaker 3: How You're back with Rugby Direct, power By Access Solutions,
• 23:53
  Speaker 3: get to get into our final four for rugby topics
• 23:57
  Speaker 3: that Ligham and I will debate, let's rank the All
• 23:59
  Speaker 3: Blacks halfbacks who have played this year if they were
• 24:03
  Speaker 3: all fully fit now I actually probaly need to add
• 24:05
  Speaker 3: a caveat there that I think we both agree that
• 24:07
  Speaker 3: Cam Roy is in theory the number one, but he
• 24:10
  Speaker 3: hasn't been able to play. But the All Blacks have
• 24:12
  Speaker 3: now used four half backs this year, Liam, having seen
• 24:16
  Speaker 3: three tests, how would you rank the half backs as
• 24:20
  Speaker 3: they stand? The ones that are fit or close to being.
• 24:22
  Speaker 3: Fitzel include TJ Pedanar right in this conversation.
• 24:26
  Speaker 4: It was probably one of the most interesting selection debates,
• 24:30
  Speaker 4: isn't it. And it's very much a futuristic type conversation
• 24:35
  Speaker 4: with a lot of youth coming through. So I've been
• 24:38
  Speaker 4: extremely impressed by Cortez Ratimar. He made an immediate impact
• 24:42
  Speaker 4: at Eden Park coming off the bench, and while he
• 24:45
  Speaker 4: went off what was it thirty five minutes into that
• 24:48
  Speaker 4: Test in San Diego with an hia that will keep
• 24:52
  Speaker 4: him out for ten days or so. He's by far
• 24:55
  Speaker 4: and away made the biggest impact this year, so he's
• 24:58
  Speaker 4: won for me. I was impressed by t J Petinara
• 25:01
  Speaker 4: as well. I think in his limited time he did
• 25:05
  Speaker 4: show his experience. He's got a great left foot composure,
• 25:08
  Speaker 4: brings size and experience from the base, So he's two
• 25:11
  Speaker 4: for me, no hope them.
• 25:14
  Speaker 2: I was impressed by him.
• 25:15
  Speaker 4: I think he does still have elements of his game
• 25:18
  Speaker 4: that can improve, but extremely dynamic and another one who
• 25:23
  Speaker 4: took to test regular conduct Towater, so he's three infinite.
• 25:26
  Speaker 2: Christie is very much number four for me. I think
• 25:29
  Speaker 2: he's in danger of falling.
• 25:32
  Speaker 6: Out of the pack, and I think his selection was
• 25:36
  Speaker 6: probably more a nod to the previous regime and he's
• 25:39
  Speaker 6: not wanting to leave a guy out who was in
• 25:42
  Speaker 6: a World Cup squad and perhaps have too much youth
• 25:46
  Speaker 6: within your half back rank.
• 25:47
  Speaker 2: So he's number four for me.
• 25:48
  Speaker 3: Are it I would go the same order, although I
• 25:51
  Speaker 3: think I'd flip TJ Peninara and Nah Hotham around just
• 25:56
  Speaker 3: on the basis of I think you don't lose.
• 25:59
  Speaker 5: I mean TJ.
• 25:59
  Speaker 3: I thought we had a good first half in duned him,
• 26:02
  Speaker 3: but I think with Hotham you've got that future.
• 26:04
  Speaker 5: I look to the future there.
• 26:05
  Speaker 3: I don't know that TJ, at sort of thirty five
• 26:08
  Speaker 3: thirty six is going to be around to the next
• 26:10
  Speaker 3: Rugby World Cup, so I think you look to the
• 26:12
  Speaker 3: future with Hotham. I think with Finlay Christie, you're right
• 26:15
  Speaker 3: and I'm really intrigued when the squad comes out for
• 26:18
  Speaker 3: the Rugby Championship as to what Scott Robertson and perhaps
• 26:22
  Speaker 3: more specifically Scott Hansen does around it. There was footage
• 26:26
  Speaker 3: of him in the ins of R Plus documentary talking
• 26:29
  Speaker 3: about how they've potentially got the you know, one of
• 26:31
  Speaker 3: the greatest or the greatest group of halfbacks in the
• 26:33
  Speaker 3: world heading into this World Cup cycle. We know Roy
• 26:36
  Speaker 3: Guard's on the sidelines, champion at the bit to get
• 26:38
  Speaker 3: his opportunity when he can. But it's going to be
• 26:41
  Speaker 3: fascinating to see how they weigh it up and where
• 26:43
  Speaker 3: the Hotham has done enough to crack into that three
• 26:45
  Speaker 3: and where the Finlay Christie retains his spot. I think
• 26:48
  Speaker 3: he's the one and the most jupity, isn't he?
• 26:50
  Speaker 4: He is indeed, and if you cast the head, let's
• 26:53
  Speaker 4: win Royguards for how enticing dynamic prospect as a Roy
• 27:00
  Speaker 4: Guard Ratama one two punch, you know that that can
• 27:04
  Speaker 4: completely change the dynamic of your attacking game. Both strong defensively,
• 27:10
  Speaker 4: they bring great support lines. The only thing they're missing
• 27:15
  Speaker 4: is experience in big matches. But if you get them
• 27:17
  Speaker 4: and now build them for the next four years, that
• 27:21
  Speaker 4: is an absolutely lightning prospect.
• 27:26
  Speaker 3: Indeed, it is topic number two on our Rugby Direct
• 27:29
  Speaker 3: Final four. Joe Schmidt and start as Wallaby's coach, give
• 27:32
  Speaker 3: us a mic out of ten. Two wins over Wales,
• 27:36
  Speaker 3: one over Georgia. What do you give them out of ten?
• 27:39
  Speaker 2: Well, look, my harsh mark Earliot, we know this. I'm
• 27:43
  Speaker 2: only going to go five to be honest.
• 27:45
  Speaker 4: I was really underwhelmed by the Wallabies performance against Georgia.
• 27:49
  Speaker 4: I know they made a number of changes and take
• 27:53
  Speaker 4: nothing away from Georgia. Look they scored try from the
• 27:56
  Speaker 4: end of the Earth, a lot more enterprising than we
• 28:01
  Speaker 4: expect from them. They traditionally cast as a bit of
• 28:03
  Speaker 4: a scrummaging set piece, played territory type scene, but they
• 28:08
  Speaker 4: really brought a lot more than that.
• 28:09
  Speaker 2: Against the Wallabies. But I think the Wallabies still had
• 28:13
  Speaker 2: big issues with depth. I think they need.
• 28:16
  Speaker 4: Some overseas players back Ben Donaldson. I don't rate as
• 28:21
  Speaker 4: the first five. Lola Coo was criticized for some of
• 28:24
  Speaker 4: his work against Wales as well, so still some big
• 28:27
  Speaker 4: question marks at ten. I think Joe Schmitt will improve
• 28:31
  Speaker 4: them over time, but it's still very much baby steps
• 28:34
  Speaker 4: for me at the stage.
• 28:35
  Speaker 3: Yeah, hush, Marker, Liam, you own up to it, but
• 28:39
  Speaker 3: that is harsh that we three and zero first time,
• 28:41
  Speaker 3: and I think about a decade that they've managed to
• 28:43
  Speaker 3: do that. The Wallabies, they're on the up. I give
• 28:45
  Speaker 3: them a six and a half out of ten. With
• 28:48
  Speaker 3: the players that he's got, the injuries that they've had,
• 28:51
  Speaker 3: I'm giving Joe Schmitt, you know, perhaps on my soft hand,
• 28:55
  Speaker 3: but I'm giving Joshmitt six and a half out of ten.
• 28:58
  Speaker 3: But there are some improvements that need to be made
• 29:00
  Speaker 3: from the Wallabies. Defensive Wise, I don't think they're quite
• 29:03
  Speaker 3: where they need to be. They ship twenty eight against
• 29:05
  Speaker 3: Wales in the second Test, twenty nine Georgia on the weekend.
• 29:11
  Speaker 5: Defensively there are some real question marks.
• 29:13
  Speaker 3: But what we have seen is they can score points
• 29:16
  Speaker 3: forty against Australia, story against the Jordan the week in
• 29:18
  Speaker 3: thirty six against Well, they've got points in them. It's
• 29:20
  Speaker 3: the conceding of it that really worries me. And I'm
• 29:23
  Speaker 3: fascinated to see whether he brings back some of those
• 29:25
  Speaker 3: overseas players for the Rugby Championship Topic three. The New
• 29:29
  Speaker 3: Zealand under twenties finished third at the Under twenty World
• 29:32
  Speaker 3: Cup in South Africa. They beat France in group play
• 29:36
  Speaker 3: but couldn't match it in the semi finals and then
• 29:39
  Speaker 3: bet Ireland in the third place playoff. Liam, I guess,
• 29:42
  Speaker 3: after a barren few years, do you consider third a
• 29:45
  Speaker 3: success for the New Zealand under twenties.
• 29:49
  Speaker 4: Just before I dive into that, I think, you know,
• 29:51
  Speaker 4: we've had some singing on the podcast before and I
• 29:53
  Speaker 4: think next time giving your marking, maybe you can come
• 29:55
  Speaker 4: out with, you know, always look on the bright side
• 29:57
  Speaker 4: of life. I think I think our listeners would.
• 30:00
  Speaker 2: Really enjoy that.
• 30:02
  Speaker 5: We'll see, Yeah, okay.
• 30:04
  Speaker 4: I'll start the campaign for that look on the under twenty.
• 30:08
  Speaker 4: It is a positive step in the right direction, isn't it.
• 30:11
  Speaker 4: I think it has been a real concern this development piece,
• 30:15
  Speaker 4: and I think it still is to a degree. But
• 30:18
  Speaker 4: John O Gibbs has come in there and he's importantly
• 30:21
  Speaker 4: had a lot of support from the All Blacks. I
• 30:24
  Speaker 4: think Leo McDonald and Jason Holland went over to visit
• 30:27
  Speaker 4: their squads when they were on the Gold Coast, so
• 30:30
  Speaker 4: to see that that level of connection is important.
• 30:33
  Speaker 2: Third is an improvement.
• 30:35
  Speaker 4: They were well off the pace against France, but France
• 30:38
  Speaker 4: had been a domineering presence in this area of the
• 30:43
  Speaker 4: game and to get one up on Sorry Ireland in particular,
• 30:48
  Speaker 4: does show progress. So I think if they can retain
• 30:51
  Speaker 4: john O Gibbs, that's an important piece of the puzzle there,
• 30:55
  Speaker 4: and yet to shine a bit of a spotlight on
• 30:58
  Speaker 4: the under twenties and the importance it does have to
• 31:00
  Speaker 4: providing that pathway to the national team. So positive steps there, Eliot,
• 31:05
  Speaker 4: I'm with you. I'm seeing the glass half a side
• 31:08
  Speaker 4: of the equation here.
• 31:10
  Speaker 5: It's a better way to do it.
• 31:11
  Speaker 3: Unfortunately, Johnny Gibbs his sign with Leon I believe, so
• 31:14
  Speaker 3: that's him done. I think from a New Zealand under
• 31:17
  Speaker 3: twenties perspective, at least of this season. For me, I
• 31:20
  Speaker 3: think there's almost too much put on results at the
• 31:23
  Speaker 3: Under twenty World Championship and titles. I think you obviously
• 31:27
  Speaker 3: need to see the quality players coming through, but I
• 31:29
  Speaker 3: think there's a little bit too much weight put on Oh,
• 31:31
  Speaker 3: they haven't mad a final in seven years, because this
• 31:33
  Speaker 3: is the only point in time where you are capped
• 31:35
  Speaker 3: by an age limit. At test level or at international level.
• 31:40
  Speaker 3: So me it's important to see those players coming through.
• 31:43
  Speaker 3: But you look at through some of the years, yep,
• 31:44
  Speaker 3: there's been heaps of Super Rugby and All Blacks players
• 31:47
  Speaker 3: that have come through the grade and made their way there.
• 31:49
  Speaker 3: Some years not so much. But when you combine it
• 31:51
  Speaker 3: to one team from an open age limit, then you
• 31:56
  Speaker 3: may have as many problems. So I think there's almost
• 31:57
  Speaker 3: a little bit too much waiting, especially maybe up North
• 32:00
  Speaker 3: around what an under twenty championship means. But a good
• 32:05
  Speaker 3: progress from New Zealand none the least. Topic four in
• 32:09
  Speaker 3: the Final four sevens at the Olympics starts Thursday morning,
• 32:14
  Speaker 3: live commentary on Gold Sport and iHeartRadio looking forward to
• 32:17
  Speaker 3: bring this to you that All Black sevens have two
• 32:20
  Speaker 3: days of competition before a break for the day of
• 32:22
  Speaker 3: the opening ceremony, them back into it for finals date
• 32:26
  Speaker 3: Len What chance of a double gold for New Zealand
• 32:28
  Speaker 3: at these games?
• 32:30
  Speaker 4: I think there's a strong chance to a degree. But
• 32:34
  Speaker 4: sevens is so hit and miss, isn't it. He only
• 32:37
  Speaker 4: needs one drop ball, one penalty, a yellow card and
• 32:41
  Speaker 4: the momentum completely swings and it's so hard to get
• 32:44
  Speaker 4: it back a bit like twenty twenty cricket. So look,
• 32:47
  Speaker 4: I think I would back our woman to go there
• 32:51
  Speaker 4: and get gold.
• 32:52
  Speaker 2: But the men have improved significantly in recent years and
• 32:57
  Speaker 2: are a strong.
• 32:57
  Speaker 4: Chance, but I wouldn't be putting the house on them
• 33:01
  Speaker 4: to go and get gold. Double goal would be a
• 33:04
  Speaker 4: fantastic achievement. Both those teams that are fairly settled that
• 33:08
  Speaker 4: have been building to this as their pinnacle events, and
• 33:12
  Speaker 4: they do look like they're on track. But seven is
• 33:15
  Speaker 4: just so unpredictable. You never know what's coming. So it's
• 33:19
  Speaker 4: going to be fascinating to see as part of that
• 33:21
  Speaker 4: wider coverage and certainly looked forward to hearing your doulcet
• 33:24
  Speaker 4: turns in the early hours of the morning.
• 33:26
  Speaker 3: Yeah, put the radio under the beat or the the
• 33:29
  Speaker 3: iPad iPhone or whatever, chuck it on iHeartRadio. I think think
• 33:32
  Speaker 3: for the Blackfoo Sevens or the Women sevens as they
• 33:35
  Speaker 3: call it, this competition, I think for not getting gold
• 33:39
  Speaker 3: is probably a bit of a failure for them, even
• 33:41
  Speaker 3: though Australia is really on the improve. I think New
• 33:43
  Speaker 3: Zealand going as favorites to that competition, they should win it.
• 33:46
  Speaker 3: But as you say, anything could happen on the day.
• 33:49
  Speaker 3: But I think getting Sierra Hiddney back from that jury
• 33:52
  Speaker 3: that threatened to rule around the Olympics is a major
• 33:54
  Speaker 3: boost with them. They've been doing really really well in
• 33:56
  Speaker 3: her absence. They lost the Madrid World Championship final to Australia,
• 34:01
  Speaker 3: but they do in general have had their number for
• 34:04
  Speaker 3: a couple of years now, so let's hope that continues
• 34:07
  Speaker 3: at the Olympic game. And for the men's sevens, I
• 34:09
  Speaker 3: think it's so wide open. You've got France with Antonine
• 34:13
  Speaker 3: du Pont, the Argentina had a really really good season.
• 34:16
  Speaker 3: New Zealand's right, the Figi haven't had the greatest a
• 34:19
  Speaker 3: couple of years, but you know they'll turn up and
• 34:21
  Speaker 3: they've got a couple of players that have switched over there.
• 34:23
  Speaker 3: South Africa barely qualified, but they're a real contenter. So
• 34:26
  Speaker 3: there's any number I think in the men's where five, six,
• 34:28
  Speaker 3: seven teams actually could win it. So I promises to
• 34:31
  Speaker 3: be a fascinating Olympic sevens competition. Let's wrap up the
• 34:36
  Speaker 3: final four and wrap up the podcast with a quick
• 34:39
  Speaker 3: one on Eddie Jones defeated at the weekend comfortably by
• 34:43
  Speaker 3: Italy after losing to Georgia the previous week. Liam, do
• 34:46
  Speaker 3: you put it down to just trialing a few new
• 34:48
  Speaker 3: combinations and players, or has Eddie Jones gone a bit
• 34:52
  Speaker 3: Joe Biden and all the momentum's gone.
• 34:56
  Speaker 4: Yeah, I think we need to start an Eddy out campaign, Eliott,
• 34:59
  Speaker 4: because it hasn't been a great what two years for him,
• 35:03
  Speaker 4: has it? I'd love to do a deep dive into
• 35:07
  Speaker 4: his record, but from to Australia to Japan, he's rode
• 35:12
  Speaker 4: the wave of reputation and it's tanking at the moment
• 35:16
  Speaker 4: because his only recent victories came with Japan, a over
• 35:22
  Speaker 4: the Mauldy All Blacks a few weeks ago, and some
• 35:25
  Speaker 4: really bad losses in recent times. Georgia, you know, that
• 35:29
  Speaker 4: was a shock home loss, and so I think there's
• 35:33
  Speaker 4: big questions mounting around whether Eddie will you know, I'm
• 35:38
  Speaker 4: sure he'd want to stick it out, and Japan known
• 35:40
  Speaker 4: for firing coaches, and he does have a lot of
• 35:43
  Speaker 4: goodwill in Japan given what he did in twenty nineteen,
• 35:48
  Speaker 4: but I think there's serious questions about whether he's the
• 35:51
  Speaker 4: right man for that job.
• 35:52
  Speaker 3: Indeed, and Liam, before we go, you wanted to give
• 35:54
  Speaker 3: a special shout out on the pod to a victorious club.
• 36:00
  Speaker 4: So Elliott, it was a big weekend club Lands with
• 36:03
  Speaker 4: the grassroots that the heartbeat of the game around the country.
• 36:06
  Speaker 4: I know there's Club Final Needen and across the country
• 36:11
  Speaker 4: and club close to my heart Fox and We're the
• 36:14
  Speaker 4: won the hoop Carperty Championship defending Rahui thirty points to
• 36:21
  Speaker 4: twenty seven. That was only Rahui's second loss in three years.
• 36:25
  Speaker 4: So very proud day for my hometown. And it's fair
• 36:29
  Speaker 4: to say the fox and fizz was flowing for days.
• 36:32
  Speaker 3: I'm sure it still is now. Congratulations to the Foxton lads.
• 36:35
  Speaker 3: I'm sure there's been plenty of celebrations down that way.
• 36:39
  Speaker 5: Liam.
• 36:40
  Speaker 3: Thank you as always for your presence on Rugby Directs.
• 36:43
  Speaker 3: Good catch up as always.
• 36:45
  Speaker 2: That's so you warm up those vocal tones for next week.
• 36:47
  Speaker 5: Elliott, Yes, indeed, not sure if we'll be back next week.
• 36:50
  Speaker 3: We'll be back certainly the week of the Test match
• 36:52
  Speaker 3: leading into Argentina and your podcast feeds.
• 36:55
  Speaker 5: We will catch you then.
• 36:57
  Speaker 3: I thanks to the last and bars English that has
• 36:58
  Speaker 3: been Rugby Direct powered by Excess Solutions, elevating you and
• 37:01
  Speaker 3: your business to a higher level.
• 37:07
  Speaker 1: For more from New Talk Sat b listen live on
• 37:10
  Speaker 1: air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
• 37:13
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