Latest / Rugby Direct / Rugby Direct - Episode 159

Transcript

Rugby Direct - Episode 159 · Rugby Direct

• 0:09
  Speaker 1: You're listening to a podcast from News Talks ed B.
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: Follow this and our Wide Ranger podcasts now on iHeartRadio,
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: Straight down the middle of dry.
• 0:21
  Speaker 2: Dick sc try these pocket.
• 0:29
  Speaker 1: Inside the game from every angle. It's Rugby Direct with
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: Elliot Smith and Leam Napier powered by News Talks EDB.
• 0:37
  Speaker 3: Welcome into Rugby Direct, powered by Habit Health, tackling all
• 0:40
  Speaker 3: your aches and pains from sports and work. Elliott Smith
• 0:44
  Speaker 3: back again for another week and returning this week after
• 0:47
  Speaker 3: a week sabbatical, Liam Napier, Liam, welcome back into the podcast.
• 0:51
  Speaker 4: Great to be here, Elliott, Thank you.
• 0:53
  Speaker 3: Is it true you couldn't face last week after the
• 0:55
  Speaker 3: Hurricanes loss of the Crusaders who are clearly on a roll.
• 0:59
  Speaker 5: Look I've been in hiding and lights come out and
• 1:01
  Speaker 5: firmly dispatch such rumors off the bats. No, I head
• 1:07
  Speaker 5: my sister's So I didn't see a lot of rugby
• 1:10
  Speaker 5: that weekend. There were the odd there was the odd
• 1:13
  Speaker 5: skygo floating around, but not enough to enhance our listeners.
• 1:17
  Speaker 5: So stepped out for Nick Buley and listened to the
• 1:19
  Speaker 5: part and it was probably an improvement.
• 1:23
  Speaker 3: Yes, certainly it was an interesting toss up this week
• 1:25
  Speaker 3: to consider whether next stade or you came back, but
• 1:28
  Speaker 3: we've gone with you back, welcome back. It's been a
• 1:31
  Speaker 3: busy week in rugby, hasn't it. And I think we're
• 1:33
  Speaker 3: going to flip things around from what we usually do
• 1:35
  Speaker 3: on the podcast this week and get in some of
• 1:37
  Speaker 3: the key issues around player movements. And one of those
• 1:41
  Speaker 3: key player movements is this morning before we recorded portion
• 1:46
  Speaker 3: woodwen Wickliffe now the saying that she is going to
• 1:48
  Speaker 3: play at a Rugby World Cup this year or at
• 1:51
  Speaker 3: least be available for selection. I'm sure she will be
• 1:53
  Speaker 3: selected barring injury. Big boost for the Black Fans campaign.
• 1:57
  Speaker 3: The whispers have been around for a few weeks around
• 1:59
  Speaker 3: whether she's going to make herself available. Was very very
• 2:02
  Speaker 3: impressive during Super Rugby or Picky, But to have a
• 2:06
  Speaker 3: player of her come back and play at a World
• 2:09
  Speaker 3: Cup I think is big for the Black fans.
• 2:11
  Speaker 4: It's massive, yeah.
• 2:12
  Speaker 5: And just watching her throughout Alpacky and in the crossover
• 2:19
  Speaker 5: match last weekend last Thursday night against the waratas Man,
• 2:23
  Speaker 5: she's still got it and it just seemed like such
• 2:25
  Speaker 5: a waste for her to not be available for the
• 2:29
  Speaker 5: Black Friends. She was already going over there in ambassador
• 2:32
  Speaker 5: oil role, So to have her sitting in the stands
• 2:35
  Speaker 5: when she's been so commanding for the Blues, it's great. Look,
• 2:39
  Speaker 5: maybe this wouldn't have happened if her move to the
• 2:43
  Speaker 5: n rl W the Nights I think she was joining
• 2:46
  Speaker 5: didn't get blocked. So serendipitous, Maybe fates having some role
• 2:53
  Speaker 5: in the backgrounds, but it really is a massive boost
• 2:56
  Speaker 5: to the Blackfriand's World Cup campaign.
• 2:58
  Speaker 4: It is.
• 2:58
  Speaker 3: And hearing her or seeing some quotes from her today
• 3:02
  Speaker 3: certainly sounded like, you know, she got to the middle
• 3:05
  Speaker 3: of a campaign and thought she could probably do it
• 3:07
  Speaker 3: and go to the World Cup. And I guess if
• 3:08
  Speaker 3: you're weighing that up, and also the issues that were
• 3:10
  Speaker 3: going on around the NRLW contract, which are been well documented,
• 3:14
  Speaker 3: I suppose you go, let's go with the sport. I know,
• 3:16
  Speaker 3: let's go with the one that I am beginning to
• 3:19
  Speaker 3: feel a desire to go for the World Cup again.
• 3:21
  Speaker 3: So in terms of that World Cup makes for the
• 3:23
  Speaker 3: Black fans now, I think anunity presents a real opportunity
• 3:26
  Speaker 3: to you know, put her at midfield. She was plagued
• 3:30
  Speaker 3: center there during the Opeki season. They're probably going to
• 3:34
  Speaker 3: get obviously some other players from the Sevens as well,
• 3:36
  Speaker 3: who are going to add something so on the shape
• 3:39
  Speaker 3: of it, you know, Black fans are quite disappointing last
• 3:41
  Speaker 3: year lost to Ireland of course, and that the WXV.
• 3:45
  Speaker 3: But you add in Portia, wood and Wickliffe, you add
• 3:47
  Speaker 3: in some of those Sevens players like a Georgia Miller,
• 3:49
  Speaker 3: who is the reigning Musial one Player of the Year
• 3:51
  Speaker 3: across both codes and across both genders, all of a
• 3:54
  Speaker 3: sudden changes the complexion of things a little bit. As
• 3:56
  Speaker 3: they hid into World Cup year.
• 3:58
  Speaker 5: It does I think you would love someone like said
• 4:02
  Speaker 5: Hardy still be involved. I think she was the big
• 4:05
  Speaker 5: obvious missing name. But having those seven as players crossover
• 4:09
  Speaker 5: as massive. They were huge in the success that they
• 4:12
  Speaker 5: had on New Zealand soil was it three years ago
• 4:16
  Speaker 5: now because that World Cup was shifted and yeah, Porusia
• 4:21
  Speaker 5: Woodman Whitcliffe now coming back is another massive And I agree.
• 4:25
  Speaker 5: I think I would like to see the more ball
• 4:28
  Speaker 5: you get her the better, the closer to the action
• 4:30
  Speaker 5: she is, the more influenced she can have. It's not
• 4:33
  Speaker 5: just with ball and ham, it's not just without. It's
• 4:36
  Speaker 5: her skill over the ball in the tackle to get turnovers,
• 4:40
  Speaker 5: her voice in the midfield. You know, though the playing
• 4:45
  Speaker 5: sevens really does expose your skill brief you've got to
• 4:48
  Speaker 5: be able to do it all. She's got so much experience,
• 4:50
  Speaker 5: She's been there, done that. So look, I'm sure Alan
• 4:53
  Speaker 5: Bunting would have been in her ear as soon as
• 4:56
  Speaker 5: there was a possibility that she wasn't going to go
• 4:59
  Speaker 5: to Australia, as soon as he knew that she was
• 5:02
  Speaker 5: going to be in the UK for the World Cup anyway,
• 5:04
  Speaker 5: that there would have been people working on her throughout
• 5:06
  Speaker 5: the year and clearly they've sparked her interests and why not.
• 5:11
  Speaker 5: He's a World Cup there, it's on the horizon. She's
• 5:15
  Speaker 5: your a long time retired.
• 5:16
  Speaker 3: You are indeed, and she was going to be a
• 5:18
  Speaker 3: master Card ambassador. So master Card have now got their
• 5:21
  Speaker 3: ambassador turning into an actual play at the tournament, which
• 5:24
  Speaker 3: is exciting for I think for the sport as a
• 5:27
  Speaker 3: whole to have a player of her, one of the greatest,
• 5:30
  Speaker 3: even do it back in the sport. So great news
• 5:32
  Speaker 3: for the Black fans in that World Cup. But some
• 5:34
  Speaker 3: of the news last week Rico Yowani announcing that he
• 5:37
  Speaker 3: is going on sabbatical to Leinster. I think we knew
• 5:41
  Speaker 3: that he had a contract or an element in his
• 5:44
  Speaker 3: contract that he could go and have a sabbatical overseas.
• 5:47
  Speaker 3: It had been relatively quiet. There had been mentioned of
• 5:50
  Speaker 3: Japan that he was going to go over there, obviously
• 5:53
  Speaker 3: his brother's playing over there, and a few years ago
• 5:55
  Speaker 3: there was talk of Rico black Rams potentially he was
• 5:58
  Speaker 3: going there. Didn't quite eventuate, but I don't think many
• 6:01
  Speaker 3: people would have expected Leinster, even despite Jordi Barrett being there,
• 6:04
  Speaker 3: given the history that Riko Yowanni has had with Island
• 6:08
  Speaker 3: and the people of Ireland over the last couple of years.
• 6:12
  Speaker 3: But what a move, certainly one that shocked the rugby
• 6:16
  Speaker 3: world last week when that broke.
• 6:18
  Speaker 4: Yeah, it did.
• 6:19
  Speaker 5: I guess this is a bit of an inside about
• 6:21
  Speaker 5: how some of these things play out for our listeners.
• 6:24
  Speaker 5: You and I are in my luxury vehicle mcghinni Blambo
• 6:31
  Speaker 5: the William Lamba on the way back from Blues training
• 6:35
  Speaker 5: on Wednesday, I think it was afternoon and making a
• 6:38
  Speaker 5: few calls. This had been bubbling away for a couple
• 6:41
  Speaker 5: of days about Ricco's is going to take a sabbatic
• 6:44
  Speaker 5: call and having these conversations just sitting beside me and
• 6:49
  Speaker 5: then Rico Lenster, and I saw your eyebrows race in
• 6:55
  Speaker 5: the front seat of the car as it happened. Rico,
• 6:58
  Speaker 5: he's his own man, He runs his own race and
• 7:00
  Speaker 5: head it all sort of ready to go the following
• 7:02
  Speaker 5: morning and he puts out a post on Instagram as
• 7:06
  Speaker 5: he's fully entitled to and it breaks.
• 7:09
  Speaker 4: But just taught me through your inner sure reaction.
• 7:12
  Speaker 5: We're in the car eyebrows raised when Rico and Leinster,
• 7:16
  Speaker 5: like you say, it's not something that was widely expected
• 7:19
  Speaker 5: by anyone in terms of the destination.
• 7:23
  Speaker 2: No, it certainly wasn't.
• 7:24
  Speaker 3: And when you repeated that from your contact, I was like, really,
• 7:29
  Speaker 3: like they're trying to put it all together in my
• 7:30
  Speaker 3: head and going the Rico Yuani is going to Leinster,
• 7:35
  Speaker 3: the club that Johnny Sixton played for, and I mean
• 7:38
  Speaker 3: I thought that would be the last place he would
• 7:40
  Speaker 3: want to go.
• 7:42
  Speaker 2: But I was genuinely shocked.
• 7:45
  Speaker 3: And it takes a lot to shock us sort of
• 7:47
  Speaker 3: in the business these days, but for Rico Juanna to
• 7:49
  Speaker 3: go to Ireland was a genuine shock and I admire
• 7:53
  Speaker 3: it in many ways because he's sort of going to
• 7:56
  Speaker 3: front up. He'll have to front media. You would think
• 7:58
  Speaker 3: at some point over there he's going to have to
• 7:59
  Speaker 3: talk about this. He's going to wear the Lynster jersey,
• 8:03
  Speaker 3: the colors that Johnny Sixton wore, the man that he
• 8:06
  Speaker 3: gave the send off to after the twenty twenty three
• 8:09
  Speaker 3: World Cup quarter final, the man that Johnny Sixton wrote
• 8:12
  Speaker 3: about in his book in detail, the gobfool that he
• 8:16
  Speaker 3: got from Rico u Wan. All of that element comes
• 8:20
  Speaker 3: into it. And so yeah, I gingly couldn't believe it's
• 8:22
  Speaker 3: sitting on the other side of the vehicle and going.
• 8:24
  Speaker 3: Rico Won is going to Leinster. So what do you
• 8:29
  Speaker 3: make of the moves? Look, I really like it for
• 8:31
  Speaker 3: both him as a player and also like a just
• 8:34
  Speaker 3: a getting out of the comfort zone sort of thing.
• 8:36
  Speaker 2: I suppose.
• 8:38
  Speaker 5: Yeah, I think before we touch on unpacked the move
• 8:41
  Speaker 5: as such, I just wanted to go through the announcement.
• 8:43
  Speaker 5: So Rico makes the announcements, then there's media reports, and
• 8:46
  Speaker 5: then a few hours later Lenster, you know, finally confirm
• 8:50
  Speaker 5: the move. And this is from their Twitter accounts. They say,
• 8:54
  Speaker 5: not sure if you've heard Leinster are delighted to announce
• 8:56
  Speaker 5: the signing of Rico one eighty one times kept all
• 8:59
  Speaker 5: black will join the club. I just want to read
• 9:01
  Speaker 5: a few of the replies on this, just to you know,
• 9:03
  Speaker 5: get a wee flavor. And you know, obviously this is
• 9:06
  Speaker 5: not a cross section of Irish rugby media, but I
• 9:09
  Speaker 5: did have an Irish friend get in touch and you know,
• 9:12
  Speaker 5: talking about the move, and they made the point that
• 9:16
  Speaker 5: the Irish aren't typically very forgiving people, or certainly immediately.
• 9:22
  Speaker 2: So so okay, look.
• 9:26
  Speaker 5: Ricco, this is from Jay. Ricco will be staying at
• 9:28
  Speaker 5: Johnny's house during his time at Leinster.
• 9:31
  Speaker 4: I was from Simon.
• 9:32
  Speaker 5: I want a handwritten apology before he gets a minute
• 9:36
  Speaker 5: for us. That's good, A fantastic signing. It says a
• 9:41
  Speaker 5: lot about Leinster rugby that they are these world class
• 9:43
  Speaker 5: players are happy to sign for us. If you want
• 9:45
  Speaker 5: the best, you have to train with the best. Rich
• 9:48
  Speaker 5: getting richer. I thought you had a know dickheads rule.
• 9:53
  Speaker 5: So wow, there's there's a there's a there's a real
• 9:57
  Speaker 5: blend there.
• 9:58
  Speaker 2: Isn't there There is a blend there.
• 9:59
  Speaker 3: And look, I know Leinster are the most popular with
• 10:02
  Speaker 3: the rest of the Irish rugby population. Give him the
• 10:06
  Speaker 3: players they've got at their disposal and they're bringing in
• 10:10
  Speaker 3: Jordi Barrett followed by Rico Yuandi. So there's all sorts
• 10:13
  Speaker 3: of issues there, but there are some bridges that are
• 10:15
  Speaker 3: probably going to need to be meant. Meanted at some
• 10:18
  Speaker 3: point between Rico Uanni and the Irish people, maybe sort
• 10:21
  Speaker 3: of come to Jesus moment, maybe he goes on National
• 10:23
  Speaker 3: TV or something like that. I don't know, but I
• 10:27
  Speaker 3: think ultimately it's one of those things that, you know,
• 10:32
  Speaker 3: I think is good for the sport in a way
• 10:34
  Speaker 3: like it's a it's.
• 10:35
  Speaker 2: A headline grabber.
• 10:36
  Speaker 3: People are going to want to watch Rico Yuandi's first
• 10:38
  Speaker 3: game for Linza to see how it goes. They want
• 10:41
  Speaker 3: to know who he's playing with, who's playing against, who
• 10:45
  Speaker 3: is going to be that Irish team, and in the
• 10:47
  Speaker 3: lead up to that test in Chicago in November, that's
• 10:50
  Speaker 3: another element on top of it that you know, three
• 10:52
  Speaker 3: weeks beforehand is going to be playing against some of
• 10:54
  Speaker 3: these people. So I don't think it's a great story
• 10:58
  Speaker 3: for rugby. In all honesty, it is.
• 11:00
  Speaker 5: Rugby needs these narratives, it needs characters, It needs talking
• 11:03
  Speaker 5: points and controversy. And look, whether you love or low
• 11:08
  Speaker 5: with Rico, you've got to respect him. For having the
• 11:16
  Speaker 5: confidence in himself to cultivate this sort of thing right
• 11:18
  Speaker 5: like he took on, he gave it to Johnny and
• 11:21
  Speaker 5: then was a year later the All Blacks go back
• 11:24
  Speaker 5: to Dublin. He leads the All Blacks hucker there after
• 11:28
  Speaker 5: being painted as the public enemy number one the whole week,
• 11:32
  Speaker 5: and then after the game, after the All Blacks beat
• 11:35
  Speaker 5: Irelands their first home defeat in nineteen matches, Rico goes
• 11:40
  Speaker 5: on Instagram and say he's put that in the book.
• 11:43
  Speaker 5: So just absolutely doubles down, has another crack. So this
• 11:47
  Speaker 5: really was the last place you'd expect him to go.
• 11:50
  Speaker 5: My understanding is he's completely unfazed by the reception. He
• 11:55
  Speaker 5: might get any of that stuff. I think it's a
• 12:00
  Speaker 5: great move for his rugby career because, like Jordie, it
• 12:05
  Speaker 5: will expose him to a different culture. It'll get them
• 12:10
  Speaker 5: away from home. He's been in the Auckland rugby bubble
• 12:12
  Speaker 5: for the best part of a decade. Longer he'll go
• 12:15
  Speaker 5: over there with his partner, experienced different culture, be exposed
• 12:19
  Speaker 5: to a different style of rugby, different conditions, different atmosphere.
• 12:22
  Speaker 5: He'll contest European glory. Those are very very special things
• 12:26
  Speaker 5: that not every rugby player gets to experience. And I
• 12:29
  Speaker 5: think we're seeing the benefits of Jordan now he's the
• 12:34
  Speaker 5: are enamored with him over there and they are very
• 12:37
  Speaker 5: different players. But who does benefit more from this? Is
• 12:42
  Speaker 5: it Leinster? Is it the All Blacks? Isn't usual rugby?
• 12:45
  Speaker 5: Is it the individual players here? Because there's all sorts
• 12:50
  Speaker 5: of theories you could.
• 12:51
  Speaker 4: Espouse about.
• 12:54
  Speaker 5: Ireland's tapping into these guys and storing away intellectual property
• 13:01
  Speaker 5: and using that to their benefit when Ireland play the
• 13:05
  Speaker 5: All Blacks? So who is it that benefit if it's
• 13:08
  Speaker 5: most from this move, well these moves because it's not one.
• 13:11
  Speaker 2: Off the twofold.
• 13:12
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I think rugby benefits as a whole, as we've discussed,
• 13:15
  Speaker 3: but I think the player and exposing them to different
• 13:19
  Speaker 3: styles of rugby can only be a good thing. If
• 13:21
  Speaker 3: your Rica, Yuani, you're going to play a different style
• 13:24
  Speaker 3: than you've had at club level for probably since South
• 13:27
  Speaker 3: Africa left. It's gonna be it's gonna be way more physical,
• 13:30
  Speaker 3: it's going to be a lot different to what you
• 13:32
  Speaker 3: get at blues level. They're going to be different things
• 13:34
  Speaker 3: asked of you as a center up north than perhaps
• 13:38
  Speaker 3: what you're doing in the Blues system and you come
• 13:41
  Speaker 3: back with that knowledge as a hopefully a better rugby player,
• 13:44
  Speaker 3: more well rounded rugby player. We know that Rica Yuani
• 13:47
  Speaker 3: has been criticized through his distribution skills as center since
• 13:50
  Speaker 3: he moved in from the wing. That's going to put
• 13:53
  Speaker 3: on them under the microscope. Not that it hasn't here
• 13:55
  Speaker 3: in New Zealand, but you know, lenks are going to
• 13:58
  Speaker 3: be asking different things of them than what perhaps the
• 14:01
  Speaker 3: Blues are this season and what the All Blacks have done.
• 14:04
  Speaker 3: So my hope is he comes back a more well
• 14:06
  Speaker 3: rounded play and that he on the road to twenty
• 14:09
  Speaker 3: twenty seven. If he is going to be the All
• 14:11
  Speaker 3: Blacks first choice number thirteen, then he improves as a player.
• 14:15
  Speaker 3: From then the team I don't think it benefits is
• 14:18
  Speaker 3: the Blues, and I think that's the issue here is
• 14:22
  Speaker 3: that they're going to lose Mark t Lea, which we'll
• 14:24
  Speaker 3: get to in a moment or two, and Rico Uani
• 14:26
  Speaker 3: in one season. Two of their back line stars, Harry
• 14:29
  Speaker 3: Plumber is also going on an offstal contract, so it's
• 14:32
  Speaker 3: a lot of talent the Blues are going to have
• 14:34
  Speaker 3: to replace in a short space of time. So I
• 14:40
  Speaker 3: don't think the Super rugby teams win. Yes, they might
• 14:42
  Speaker 3: get some benefit from Rico in twenty twenty seven once
• 14:45
  Speaker 3: he's back in the mix, but I think the Super
• 14:48
  Speaker 3: rugby teams don't benefit.
• 14:50
  Speaker 4: One hundred percent.
• 14:50
  Speaker 5: And that's where the sabbatical argument falls down, is that
• 14:55
  Speaker 5: you're prioritizing the All Blacks over Super Rugby. And we've
• 15:00
  Speaker 5: seen it with the Hurricanes. They lost Artie Severe and
• 15:04
  Speaker 5: then lost them for goods. They were without Jordi Barrett
• 15:07
  Speaker 5: this year and that's a a hole for a largely
• 15:11
  Speaker 5: an experienced back line, the back three. I've seen the
• 15:14
  Speaker 5: Hurricane struggle and Jordie's absence, and yeah, while the Blues
• 15:19
  Speaker 5: have a lot of depth, a lot more than most,
• 15:21
  Speaker 5: they will struggle to fill Rico's absence for that season. Yeah,
• 15:28
  Speaker 5: sabbaticals are great for keeping players long term, but they
• 15:31
  Speaker 5: don't prioritize Super rugby. Just one other question here is
• 15:36
  Speaker 5: obviously Jordi Barrett paved the way for this move. Nobody
• 15:40
  Speaker 5: since d C I think I'm right and saying, has
• 15:43
  Speaker 5: gone away on sabbatical to Europe. It had always been Japan.
• 15:48
  Speaker 5: Rico had offers to go to Japan knock those back,
• 15:52
  Speaker 5: but In an interview over the weekend with Jason Pine,
• 15:56
  Speaker 5: Geordie talked about the fact that Rico sounded him out.
• 15:59
  Speaker 5: Of course he would for advice about how it's been.
• 16:03
  Speaker 5: Jordie's clearly set in a bloody high ceiling here ken
• 16:07
  Speaker 5: ricco match and live up to that.
• 16:10
  Speaker 3: Well, they're different players, aren't they, And in a way,
• 16:14
  Speaker 3: you know he's going to have to try and live
• 16:17
  Speaker 3: up to that expectation because they've got a player that's
• 16:19
  Speaker 3: playing some great rugby at the moment and Jordie Barrett
• 16:23
  Speaker 3: playing exceptional rugby fit for Leinster, and the natural expectation
• 16:27
  Speaker 3: is that the next New Zealand bloke that comes over
• 16:29
  Speaker 3: will slott in and do that. But they're different players,
• 16:32
  Speaker 3: They're playing different positions and I think they need to
• 16:35
  Speaker 3: be realistic about what they can expect from from both
• 16:38
  Speaker 3: of those players. And so I think the pressure will
• 16:42
  Speaker 3: be on Rico Yuani because Georgie's, as you said, pave
• 16:46
  Speaker 3: the way. He's going to have to live up to
• 16:48
  Speaker 3: some of those expectations, whether their fear or not. When
• 16:51
  Speaker 3: he slots in to Leinster. Do you think that he's
• 16:53
  Speaker 3: going to be able to match what is probably going
• 16:57
  Speaker 3: to be a fairly lofty expectation from the Leinster fan base.
• 17:00
  Speaker 5: Yeah, it's going to be interesting. And he doesn't just
• 17:03
  Speaker 5: walk into that team either. Because you've got Gary Ringrose
• 17:06
  Speaker 5: and Robbie Henshaw what eighty odds capped Irish midfielders. It
• 17:13
  Speaker 5: does allow them to rotate that that midfield dynamic. Maybe
• 17:16
  Speaker 5: we see we saw Jordie Barrett has gone to fullback.
• 17:22
  Speaker 4: In the earlier part of this lens stint.
• 17:24
  Speaker 5: Maybe we see Rico start on the wing and then
• 17:27
  Speaker 5: transition into the midfield.
• 17:31
  Speaker 4: I think.
• 17:33
  Speaker 5: That lends the team to a degree would make most
• 17:38
  Speaker 5: elite level rouge players look good. You know, if you
• 17:41
  Speaker 5: think about the Great Crusaders teams or even that you know, Dave's,
• 17:45
  Speaker 5: Dave Rennie's Chiefs, when you brought someone into that team,
• 17:48
  Speaker 5: they would invariably look the part or all they have
• 17:52
  Speaker 5: to do is do their role because they've got so
• 17:54
  Speaker 5: many good players around them. Leinster this season in particular,
• 17:57
  Speaker 5: looks so far ahead of anyone else. They smashed Glasgow
• 18:00
  Speaker 5: fifty two. Now in the Champions Cup quarterfinal. You know
• 18:04
  Speaker 5: that's a quarterfinal stage, so I think in some ways
• 18:09
  Speaker 5: it's easier to slot into a really good team like that.
• 18:12
  Speaker 5: But as you mentioned, Rico and Jordie are very different players.
• 18:17
  Speaker 5: Rico's sorry, Jordie's got a big boots, you know, probably
• 18:21
  Speaker 5: more rounded skill where I hope this move for Rico
• 18:26
  Speaker 5: ignites his attacking game because I think that's where the
• 18:30
  Speaker 5: criticism in terms of where he's been the last few
• 18:32
  Speaker 5: years has You know, he doesn't make great scything breaks
• 18:38
  Speaker 5: that we used to see from him, and the distribution
• 18:41
  Speaker 5: you mentioned there. Partly that's to do with the Blues style,
• 18:45
  Speaker 5: but even for the All Blacks, I don't think we've
• 18:46
  Speaker 5: seen his best on attack, so that's where you'd want
• 18:50
  Speaker 5: to see the improvement in his game.
• 18:51
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I think so.
• 18:52
  Speaker 3: Look wouldn't be good if they could go the other way.
• 18:57
  Speaker 3: You know, how good would be to see James Low
• 18:59
  Speaker 3: play for the Chiefs for example.
• 19:01
  Speaker 2: That's a joke.
• 19:04
  Speaker 3: But no seriousness like you know he was seeing like
• 19:07
  Speaker 3: his Publima play for the Crusaders a few years ago
• 19:11
  Speaker 3: and he was in his in his prime in that season.
• 19:15
  Speaker 3: But we really haven't seen it too often. You know,
• 19:17
  Speaker 3: Joe marsh And came over from Harlequin's I think it
• 19:20
  Speaker 3: was in England to Super Rugby. But James O'Connor, James O'Connor,
• 19:25
  Speaker 3: but yeah, he's probably in the twide of his career.
• 19:27
  Speaker 5: But there was Ciprouni, yeah, Rubles, Yeah, there was a
• 19:32
  Speaker 5: couple of other It was the Welsh number ten who
• 19:37
  Speaker 5: came out for the Highlanders, Petrol Yeah.
• 19:39
  Speaker 3: Yeah, very short lived one with the Crusaders whose name
• 19:42
  Speaker 3: escapes me.
• 19:45
  Speaker 2: It'll come to me.
• 19:46
  Speaker 4: Joe Payne.
• 19:47
  Speaker 5: He didn't get a game, No, no, yeah, I think Look,
• 19:51
  Speaker 5: I think it comes down to cash, doesn't It leans
• 19:53
  Speaker 5: to very well set up and Rico is going to
• 19:58
  Speaker 5: make him. I assume he's making half a meal, at
• 20:02
  Speaker 5: least going going there half a meal?
• 20:07
  Speaker 3: You're you're halfpenny was the name I was thinking, ill
• 20:10
  Speaker 3: though I couldn't quite get to right.
• 20:13
  Speaker 5: So New Zealands of rugby clubs don't have the cash
• 20:15
  Speaker 5: to bring these guys down in their problem. The guys,
• 20:17
  Speaker 5: you do, see I generate the end of their careers,
• 20:20
  Speaker 5: or they've had a few off field issues and they
• 20:22
  Speaker 5: need another start. Public Maneterea probably the exception. He was
• 20:25
  Speaker 5: still in his prime. Essentially, Yeah, I look, I'd love
• 20:29
  Speaker 5: to see it. Obviously the cash just doesn't add up.
• 20:32
  Speaker 3: But if you're a player in an iron team that
• 20:36
  Speaker 3: is wanting to improve, that is wanting to be better.
• 20:40
  Speaker 3: Surely it works both ways and be interesting to see
• 20:43
  Speaker 3: whether you know the door has been opened one way,
• 20:46
  Speaker 3: whether potentially there'll be interest from players up on that
• 20:49
  Speaker 3: part of the world to come back, come down in
• 20:51
  Speaker 3: their prime and play in Super rugby.
• 20:53
  Speaker 5: Oh look, wouldn't you love to see it? As a
• 20:55
  Speaker 5: fan of the game, I think it would generate massive
• 20:57
  Speaker 5: interest and as a pure marketing exercise, imagine how much
• 21:02
  Speaker 5: interest there is going to be in Dublin when Lenster.
• 21:06
  Speaker 5: You know, when Reco first plays for for Alinstone. You
• 21:09
  Speaker 5: know the narrative that they you could spin the Yeah
• 21:14
  Speaker 5: it's endless, isn't it.
• 21:15
  Speaker 2: Yeah, we shry and get there for that.
• 21:17
  Speaker 3: Mark Talia news breaking last week that he is off
• 21:21
  Speaker 3: to Japan. We understand it's tword of a blitz. He's
• 21:24
  Speaker 3: joining on a three year deal. He hasn't confirmed that.
• 21:26
  Speaker 3: The club have not confirmed that, but he is off
• 21:27
  Speaker 3: to Japan after the season. A few things around that
• 21:31
  Speaker 3: one in some ways of surprise, in some ways not
• 21:34
  Speaker 3: And that sounds like me sitting on the fence. But
• 21:36
  Speaker 3: if you look at you know, his age profile in
• 21:41
  Speaker 3: terms of All Blacks wings and how they age and
• 21:43
  Speaker 3: where they get to selection wise, he is twenty eight,
• 21:46
  Speaker 3: twenty nine later this year All Blacks Wings. You've written
• 21:50
  Speaker 3: pieces on it for the Herald. Twenty seven is about
• 21:53
  Speaker 3: when they age out. So he's had a lot. Even
• 21:55
  Speaker 3: for a late bloomer, he's had probably an extra year
• 21:58
  Speaker 3: or so, but he is. He was in good form
• 22:01
  Speaker 3: on the Endia Tours, great against England, very very good
• 22:04
  Speaker 3: last year, I thought. And so in that way it
• 22:08
  Speaker 3: comes a bit of a surprise that he is a
• 22:09
  Speaker 3: first choice all Blacks play at the moment. But not
• 22:12
  Speaker 3: for a second do I blame him for taking the
• 22:15
  Speaker 3: money and departing up North. I think it's a smart
• 22:19
  Speaker 3: move for Mark t Lea, and as I said before,
• 22:23
  Speaker 3: it leaves a hole in the Blues for next season.
• 22:26
  Speaker 5: It does, yeah, and I think he's probably a bigger
• 22:28
  Speaker 5: loss than maybe some people would grasp. I think he
• 22:33
  Speaker 5: is still in good form, you know, despite the age,
• 22:35
  Speaker 5: despite everything pointing to decline and wingers as they get older.
• 22:40
  Speaker 5: And if there is one position where you can get
• 22:45
  Speaker 5: usurped overnight, it is on the wing. We've seen bolters
• 22:48
  Speaker 5: come through, particularly in World Cup years for the All BLACKSNMNA,
• 22:51
  Speaker 5: scatder Wi sucking the hole low. You know, these guys
• 22:54
  Speaker 5: are picked when they're hot, when they're on form. And
• 22:59
  Speaker 5: there's another change George Bridge as well, and Severe who
• 23:03
  Speaker 5: came through to push out Julian Severe and others. So
• 23:08
  Speaker 5: the changes, the late changes tend to happen on the edge.
• 23:11
  Speaker 5: So I agree with you that it's a smart move
• 23:13
  Speaker 5: from Tallaire to take the cash. My understanding as he's
• 23:16
  Speaker 5: doubling his New Zealand salary go to Japan, have that
• 23:20
  Speaker 5: security of a three year contract. But it does still
• 23:25
  Speaker 5: feel like he's got a lot more to give. And
• 23:28
  Speaker 5: he's an exceptional finisher. We've seen that twicking him against
• 23:31
  Speaker 5: England last year. For the Blues this season, despite very
• 23:34
  Speaker 5: limited chances, he goes roaming off his wing. He's deceptively strong,
• 23:39
  Speaker 5: great feats, good in the air. I think he's improved
• 23:42
  Speaker 5: a lot. But this is also a guy that's emerged
• 23:45
  Speaker 5: from west Auckland. He spent three years at North Harbor
• 23:49
  Speaker 5: before he even cracked the Blues. And then there's this
• 23:51
  Speaker 5: massive money contract on the table. You take the money
• 23:56
  Speaker 5: and run, don't you.
• 23:57
  Speaker 2: You have to?
• 23:57
  Speaker 3: I think, and look, as I said, late bloomer. For me,
• 24:00
  Speaker 3: he was a player. Even when he was named in
• 24:02
  Speaker 3: the All Blacks. I was like, really, and he's obviously
• 24:07
  Speaker 3: made him repost Winno since that debut in Scotland and
• 24:10
  Speaker 3: Inner twenty two, but.
• 24:11
  Speaker 5: Well yeah he was after the twenty twenty three will
• 24:13
  Speaker 5: cut well breakthrough player.
• 24:14
  Speaker 3: Yeah yeah to me, it didn't like it. Obviously been
• 24:17
  Speaker 3: a good super ruggie player, but he didn't strike me
• 24:19
  Speaker 3: as an international player. But Ian Foster and the All
• 24:23
  Speaker 3: Blacks staff saw something in him in twenty twenty two.
• 24:26
  Speaker 3: He was in the camp before that and then made
• 24:28
  Speaker 3: his debut that clearly they found an international player there
• 24:33
  Speaker 3: and so look, your one injury away, aren't you as
• 24:36
  Speaker 3: a winger in that sort of age of your career
• 24:38
  Speaker 3: from plunging down the pecking orders. So smart move for him.
• 24:43
  Speaker 3: The question being though Limb, would you select them for
• 24:46
  Speaker 3: the All Blacks this year? He's not going into November?
• 24:48
  Speaker 3: Would you select them for the All Blacks?
• 24:51
  Speaker 5: Just before I get to that last year, I think
• 24:54
  Speaker 5: another selection of failure to start the year that the
• 24:59
  Speaker 5: All Black should have picked him earlier. I thought they
• 25:00
  Speaker 5: showed too much faith in sev Reese and mark Talia
• 25:04
  Speaker 5: was is a better player, and I think that was
• 25:07
  Speaker 5: part of the between Leo McDonald and Scott Robertson as well,
• 25:11
  Speaker 5: until I should have more than nineteen tests. He finished
• 25:13
  Speaker 5: the year starting four of the five tests on that
• 25:17
  Speaker 5: Northern Tour and the one test at seven arrested play
• 25:20
  Speaker 5: got badly gassed.
• 25:22
  Speaker 3: Yeah, by Louis Bell's in Paris.
• 25:25
  Speaker 5: So look, he will be a big loss and we'll
• 25:28
  Speaker 5: talk about who is potential replacement.
• 25:31
  Speaker 4: So what was your question again?
• 25:32
  Speaker 2: Would you select him for the All Blacks this year?
• 25:34
  Speaker 5: No?
• 25:34
  Speaker 3: No, So he's notible, so he is eligible until he
• 25:37
  Speaker 3: goes and you wouldn't pick.
• 25:38
  Speaker 4: Him until, Yeah, he's eligible, No, I wouldn't. I think.
• 25:42
  Speaker 5: You've got to invest in the guys that are staying
• 25:45
  Speaker 5: now that and look that's case by case basis, but
• 25:51
  Speaker 5: I think two years out from a World Cup you've
• 25:54
  Speaker 5: got to start solidifying that back three build, combinations, cohesion. Yeah,
• 25:59
  Speaker 5: I think it's time to move on you.
• 26:05
  Speaker 3: I probably would select them up until I probably see
• 26:09
  Speaker 3: the RUGA Championship and then look to move on. I think, yes,
• 26:14
  Speaker 3: lead them until the end of the RAGA Championship, then
• 26:16
  Speaker 3: not take him on the end of year tour. I
• 26:17
  Speaker 3: think would be the way I'll go probably half and
• 26:21
  Speaker 3: half approach from me, But I honestly think that he's
• 26:23
  Speaker 3: still got something to give for the All Blacks and
• 26:27
  Speaker 3: with end of year tour coming plus two years after
• 26:30
  Speaker 3: that before a World Cup, you can build talent and
• 26:34
  Speaker 3: depth here. He is still one of the best wingers
• 26:36
  Speaker 3: in the country. He is going after the season. If
• 26:39
  Speaker 3: he happened to not announce it until later on in
• 26:41
  Speaker 3: the year, then he probably still would be selected, So
• 26:46
  Speaker 3: I'd stick with him for at least the first half
• 26:49
  Speaker 3: of the year.
• 26:51
  Speaker 5: One other question before we go onto successors or alternatives,
• 26:57
  Speaker 5: do we have any issue with Steve Hanson then Ian
• 27:01
  Speaker 5: Foster recruiting players out in New Zealand All Blacks on
• 27:05
  Speaker 5: three year contracts for more Black coaches clearly leveraging relationships
• 27:10
  Speaker 5: or is it just part and pass or professional.
• 27:12
  Speaker 3: Part and parcel of professional sport. I don't have a
• 27:14
  Speaker 3: huge issue I think with it. I think if marx
• 27:18
  Speaker 3: Ley didn't want to go, he wouldn't have gone, you know,
• 27:21
  Speaker 3: if the offer had come from another club, like clearly
• 27:25
  Speaker 3: potentially there's obviously you know, Ian Foster knows him well,
• 27:28
  Speaker 3: sleeped up.
• 27:29
  Speaker 2: First lifted him in the All Blacks, but.
• 27:32
  Speaker 3: Could have come from Suntory, Sunkle Life, could come from anyone.
• 27:36
  Speaker 3: And I don't think that plays a huge part and
• 27:38
  Speaker 3: haven't got a major issue with it, do you.
• 27:41
  Speaker 4: I don't think so.
• 27:43
  Speaker 5: Ok, maybe he wouldn't have got that kind of enticing
• 27:47
  Speaker 5: deal if it hadn't come from those guys. They know
• 27:50
  Speaker 5: his talent really well and they know what he can offer.
• 27:53
  Speaker 5: He'll rip it up.
• 27:54
  Speaker 2: In Japan totally and he's going to suit their game.
• 27:56
  Speaker 2: You know.
• 27:56
  Speaker 3: Look at Joey Mardhu who has been on the right
• 27:58
  Speaker 3: wing essentially is replaced Marxley is essentially replacing Joey Mardho
• 28:02
  Speaker 3: mart who's had a number of good finishes as a
• 28:04
  Speaker 3: player that hasn't really played much union. And the way
• 28:08
  Speaker 3: the Japanese top league game is structured, a lot of
• 28:12
  Speaker 3: the Wings get a lot of ball and we're seeking
• 28:14
  Speaker 3: to Vita League out there and had huge success. Wings
• 28:17
  Speaker 3: earned their dime up there, they scored a lot of tries.
• 28:20
  Speaker 3: So I think it was slot and.
• 28:22
  Speaker 5: Will yeah, big upgrade on joe Marno in terms of experience,
• 28:26
  Speaker 5: proven talent on the on the international scene in rugby
• 28:31
  Speaker 5: union context. Anyway, successes Sevarice is the obvious guy to
• 28:36
  Speaker 5: benefit your boys shave Fi Hackey probably moves up another
• 28:40
  Speaker 5: rung after being called in as injury cover last year.
• 28:43
  Speaker 4: You've got what you got to say.
• 28:45
  Speaker 3: I would just say he was badly left out on
• 28:48
  Speaker 3: the weekend and that a j Lamb try, which is
• 28:51
  Speaker 3: only one instance.
• 28:51
  Speaker 2: But when Hoskins are two do through that. No.
• 28:54
  Speaker 3: Look past that we'll get to in a minute. Fee
• 28:56
  Speaker 3: Hockey was no able to be seeing a j Lamb
• 28:58
  Speaker 3: schools that try. So there's a few defensive deficiencies there
• 29:01
  Speaker 3: for mister Hackey.
• 29:03
  Speaker 5: Yeah, defensively in particular. I think he has been exposed
• 29:06
  Speaker 5: a couple of times. Yeah, I remember the Fijian Durua
• 29:10
  Speaker 5: as well, had a bit of a field day there.
• 29:14
  Speaker 5: You've got Caleb Tonguey towel, guys like Kennin the Hoolo
• 29:19
  Speaker 5: Tava Tavanawa for you're looking for an out and ou empowering. Obviously,
• 29:23
  Speaker 5: Caleb Clark's the incumbent on the left given the Crusader's
• 29:27
  Speaker 5: bias and the all Blacks is as simple as seven
• 29:30
  Speaker 5: in shaefee hockey come in.
• 29:31
  Speaker 2: Yeah, it might be that simple.
• 29:32
  Speaker 3: Actually, No, I think there are actually a number of
• 29:35
  Speaker 3: wingers there that maybe aren't quite at the top of
• 29:37
  Speaker 3: the game.
• 29:38
  Speaker 2: Just ye.
• 29:38
  Speaker 3: Caleb Tungu Tow has had an excellent season for the
• 29:40
  Speaker 3: Honders and he was impressive and SEVENS continues to build
• 29:43
  Speaker 3: quite nicely. Yeah, he's another one. Another player as well
• 29:47
  Speaker 3: that I thought was quite good for the Hurricanes on
• 29:49
  Speaker 3: the weekend. Is he fineng and awful who was again
• 29:52
  Speaker 3: out of the SEVENS program, big player body presence on
• 29:56
  Speaker 3: the park. He to me seems like someone that could
• 29:59
  Speaker 3: be in the All Blacks mix before not too long
• 30:01
  Speaker 3: as well.
• 30:01
  Speaker 2: So I don't think there's any shortage of players.
• 30:03
  Speaker 3: It can be interesting to see whether they go to
• 30:05
  Speaker 3: I think if I was gonna pick one right now,
• 30:07
  Speaker 3: Caleb Tonguytown.
• 30:09
  Speaker 5: Yeah, I think it's probably between given them, you're looking
• 30:12
  Speaker 5: at thirty two players in July. Maybe in eighteen what's
• 30:17
  Speaker 5: that fourteen splits. It could come down to a Ruben
• 30:22
  Speaker 5: Love against the Shaeffie Hockey Ruben Love had spent a
• 30:26
  Speaker 5: little bit of time on the wing for the All Blacks.
• 30:28
  Speaker 5: To actually see him playing there, not too sure, but yeah,
• 30:32
  Speaker 5: I would not be shocked to see fear Hacke get
• 30:34
  Speaker 5: the call.
• 30:35
  Speaker 2: Up exciting times.
• 30:37
  Speaker 3: We will get into now the weekend that was, and
• 30:40
  Speaker 3: let's start with that Force Hurricanes game on Saturday night.
• 30:45
  Speaker 3: Where do you begin? This was not a great game
• 30:49
  Speaker 3: of rugby in all honesty. Hurricanes had chance to win
• 30:52
  Speaker 3: it in super Point with Ruben Love's drop goal. The
• 30:56
  Speaker 3: Force had a penalty goal on a drop goal and
• 30:58
  Speaker 3: at a time. To be honest, the draw seems pretty
• 31:00
  Speaker 3: fair on the basis of that ninety minutes of rugby.
• 31:04
  Speaker 5: Yeah, two teams that didn't take their chances essentially as
• 31:08
  Speaker 5: you meant, and they both had cracksit it late in
• 31:10
  Speaker 5: the match. Cullum Harkin, who I did thought does some
• 31:13
  Speaker 5: really good things from fallback, went through the line and
• 31:17
  Speaker 5: all had men inside and out. He went the inside
• 31:20
  Speaker 5: ball and completely missed cam Roy guards. So that was
• 31:22
  Speaker 5: a blown opportunity for the Hurricanes to win with twenty
• 31:26
  Speaker 5: odd minutes remaining. Yeah, it's not been a great season
• 31:30
  Speaker 5: for the Canes and that was a game they really
• 31:33
  Speaker 5: really had to win. They're still in the mix, but
• 31:36
  Speaker 5: the way they're playing, they're not I would not cast
• 31:40
  Speaker 5: them as any form of contender.
• 31:41
  Speaker 3: We've got a tricky trip to the Brumbies this weekend
• 31:43
  Speaker 3: where they do not traditionally play that well. We've lost
• 31:47
  Speaker 3: a number of quarter finals there in the last few
• 31:48
  Speaker 3: years or knockout games I probably should say not at
• 31:51
  Speaker 3: a ground they tend to play it well, and they
• 31:53
  Speaker 3: just seem to be lacking up things this season. You know,
• 31:57
  Speaker 3: they've changed ten a little bit. We saw rubin love
• 31:59
  Speaker 3: and there on the weekend. I don't think they're getting
• 32:03
  Speaker 3: enough out of their pack and all honestly, there's a
• 32:05
  Speaker 3: lot of names in that pack that are you know,
• 32:07
  Speaker 3: All Blacks contenders or have been mentioned in All Blacks contenders.
• 32:11
  Speaker 3: I don't think they're getting enough out of that. They've
• 32:13
  Speaker 3: changed the front row a number of times. And this
• 32:14
  Speaker 3: is what happens, and we saw it with the Crusaders
• 32:16
  Speaker 3: last year, is that when you're not winning, you begin
• 32:18
  Speaker 3: to tinker and you have injuries of course, which the
• 32:21
  Speaker 3: Hurricanes have had. But consistency is so key in Super
• 32:25
  Speaker 3: rugby and the Hurricanes just don't have it and haven't
• 32:27
  Speaker 3: had it with the selections I've had this year.
• 32:30
  Speaker 5: That's a good point, isn't it That selection consistency does
• 32:34
  Speaker 5: is massive in terms of building some form of cohesion.
• 32:37
  Speaker 5: And you're right, they haven't got enough from their pack.
• 32:39
  Speaker 5: They had some late starts with Tyrorolomax and are more
• 32:42
  Speaker 5: coming back that hurt them. But more is on record
• 32:45
  Speaker 5: that he's not playing the way he wants. Xavier Numa
• 32:48
  Speaker 5: is another All Black contender you'd want to be stamping
• 32:53
  Speaker 5: his authority. Guys like Peter Lukeye haven't really kicked on
• 32:58
  Speaker 5: the season as you'd expect. Having been called into the
• 33:00
  Speaker 5: All Blacks. Turuben Loves struggled to assert his authority obviously
• 33:05
  Speaker 5: thrust into the ten jersey, very different for him. You've
• 33:09
  Speaker 5: got guys like Belly Proctor making his comeback off the bench.
• 33:13
  Speaker 5: So yeah, a lot of chopping and changing and it has.
• 33:17
  Speaker 4: Effected them, affected them.
• 33:19
  Speaker 5: They've lost a couple of really close games against the
• 33:21
  Speaker 5: Blues that have tipped the season the wrong way. And yeah,
• 33:26
  Speaker 5: very close to drawing a line through the Canes at
• 33:28
  Speaker 5: this point.
• 33:29
  Speaker 2: Which is remarkable given they are three points outside the.
• 33:32
  Speaker 5: Top six and they topped the log last year, which was,
• 33:36
  Speaker 5: you know, well exceeded expectations, I think in Clark Ladler's
• 33:39
  Speaker 5: first year at the Helm.
• 33:40
  Speaker 3: Yeah, that's right. The Chiefs beating the hind Is forty
• 33:43
  Speaker 3: sixteen Earlier in that night. I can't remember. We went
• 33:45
  Speaker 3: to this a few weeks ago where you had drawn
• 33:46
  Speaker 3: a line through the Hinders, but thirteen ten they trailed.
• 33:51
  Speaker 3: I think it was at halftime and just didn't turn
• 33:53
  Speaker 3: up for the second spell. The game was done essentially
• 33:56
  Speaker 3: in a ten minute burst after halftime or fifteen minute burst.
• 34:00
  Speaker 2: It might have been.
• 34:02
  Speaker 3: If your light came back from the second half and
• 34:04
  Speaker 3: you would have flicked them TV on. God, wasn't it
• 34:06
  Speaker 3: thirteen ten at half times? Thirty fourteen? The blink of
• 34:08
  Speaker 3: an eye? I mean, that's on one side what the
• 34:10
  Speaker 3: Chiefs are capable of doing, and they can do that
• 34:12
  Speaker 3: to teams on the other side. Really poured from the Honders,
• 34:16
  Speaker 3: you know, not letting it slip necessarily because you know
• 34:19
  Speaker 3: there's no shame in losing to the Chiefs. But the
• 34:21
  Speaker 3: way they lost I thought was really disappointing from the Honders.
• 34:26
  Speaker 5: A bit of a double edged swordeers a reaction from the Chiefs,
• 34:28
  Speaker 5: and particularly they're senior players, guys like McKenzie and Luke
• 34:32
  Speaker 5: Jacobson and others who went to Sydney the previous week
• 34:36
  Speaker 5: and you know had a chakra against the Tars, So
• 34:40
  Speaker 5: part reaction from the Chiefs and they're always much better
• 34:42
  Speaker 5: in Hamilton, and they're always much better when they I
• 34:45
  Speaker 5: don't know mentally dialed in fully, but yeah, probably a
• 34:49
  Speaker 5: real stark reality check about where the Landers sit as well.
• 34:53
  Speaker 5: Has been a season of near misses for them, but
• 34:56
  Speaker 5: they weren't even close in that one.
• 34:57
  Speaker 3: No, they And they've got a tough run home as well.
• 35:00
  Speaker 3: I think they've got all Kiwi derbies to finish form
• 35:04
  Speaker 3: re member, got Moana next week and got Crusaders twice
• 35:06
  Speaker 3: still to come, so they've got a really rocky run
• 35:08
  Speaker 3: in again. Similar to the Hurricanes. There are only four
• 35:12
  Speaker 3: points outside the top six, but it's just hard to
• 35:14
  Speaker 3: see them getting enough points to crack their way in
• 35:18
  Speaker 3: there and stay there.
• 35:19
  Speaker 2: Yeah.
• 35:19
  Speaker 5: No, everyone can make can they? And there's going to
• 35:21
  Speaker 5: be a bit of cannibalization, particularly among the Kiwi teams
• 35:25
  Speaker 5: in the coming weeks.
• 35:26
  Speaker 3: There is in Deeds Brumby's beating one in Pacific at
• 35:28
  Speaker 3: twenty four nil in Bookacoe. I commentated this game for
• 35:32
  Speaker 3: gold Sport and iHeartRadio. It was a very odd game
• 35:34
  Speaker 3: of rugby nil with forty minutes up on the clock
• 35:39
  Speaker 3: at Pookacoe. Corey Tool scores for the Brumbies just four
• 35:43
  Speaker 3: half time, so it was five nil. We did have
• 35:45
  Speaker 3: some half time highlights to play at the break and
• 35:48
  Speaker 3: then the Brumbi just kicked on after halftime. Mulwana missed
• 35:52
  Speaker 3: some opportunities before halftime. They had five men line outs
• 35:56
  Speaker 3: in the first spell that were closed to the line.
• 35:58
  Speaker 3: Just couldn't take their opportunities. And for the team that
• 36:00
  Speaker 3: has scored the most points in Super Rugby this year
• 36:03
  Speaker 3: to be kept scoreless, the Brumbis again made a lot
• 36:06
  Speaker 3: of errors themselves. They were well behind on the penalty
• 36:08
  Speaker 3: count at one stage I think it was twelve to
• 36:10
  Speaker 3: three or something like that, but they just hung tough
• 36:12
  Speaker 3: and they waited for Maia essentially to lose the game
• 36:17
  Speaker 3: rather than the Brumbi's rolling over and win it, which
• 36:20
  Speaker 3: I think it probably sounds unfeair the Brumbies. I don't
• 36:22
  Speaker 3: mean that as a criticism, but they gave him one
• 36:25
  Speaker 3: to plenty of chances and White didn't take them. So
• 36:27
  Speaker 3: the Brumbies, we'll just go roll down the field and
• 36:29
  Speaker 3: do our job.
• 36:30
  Speaker 5: Yeah, Brumbies did what they had to do, tightened it up, efficient, effective,
• 36:36
  Speaker 5: uninspiring to a degree, but very challenging. Conditions, it must
• 36:40
  Speaker 5: be said. And the point you made about Mayana scoring
• 36:44
  Speaker 5: so many points, that's the concern, isn't it just rarely
• 36:47
  Speaker 5: struggled to get something going. And there's a few factors there.
• 36:50
  Speaker 5: Maybe there's a bit of a come down trying to
• 36:53
  Speaker 5: sustain that level. They are a team on the rise,
• 36:57
  Speaker 5: but they are not there yet and they don't have
• 36:59
  Speaker 5: the same quality of roster as their Kiwi capec companions.
• 37:04
  Speaker 5: And also I think they've been a lot better at Alvin.
• 37:08
  Speaker 5: I don't know the logistics around having to move these
• 37:11
  Speaker 5: home games, but having one clear home base does help,
• 37:15
  Speaker 5: and you know, rather than having to go all the
• 37:18
  Speaker 5: ads and Pokey trying to cultivate a bit of atmosphere
• 37:21
  Speaker 5: there hasn't got the same feel for them.
• 37:24
  Speaker 3: No, And this was the second game they took to
• 37:25
  Speaker 3: Pokey this year. They had to be the Chiefs game
• 37:28
  Speaker 3: which was ritally in Tonga. But I think you're right
• 37:31
  Speaker 3: that's North Harbor Stadium is a ground they like playing at.
• 37:34
  Speaker 3: It's a training base as well. It's familiar to them
• 37:37
  Speaker 3: and maybe used to listen there for some of the
• 37:39
  Speaker 3: wider staff. Just let's just make this our home and
• 37:42
  Speaker 3: make sure it's the place we play it more often
• 37:45
  Speaker 3: than not. Yeah, no Ardea either, that's right, and that
• 37:47
  Speaker 3: I mean that is becoming an issue for them to
• 37:50
  Speaker 3: an extent that when Ardie's not there, they're not.
• 37:53
  Speaker 4: There and he's not there all next year, which.
• 37:57
  Speaker 3: Is again you know, worrying for it for Moana. So
• 38:00
  Speaker 3: that's an intriguing old question. Friday Night, Crusaders and Blues
• 38:04
  Speaker 3: twenty five to twenty two. James O'Connor wins it late
• 38:06
  Speaker 3: for the Crusaders. They take the points. This was a
• 38:11
  Speaker 3: ding dong battle in many ways. What the Crusaders are
• 38:13
  Speaker 3: getting on top at nineteen seven? The Blues come back
• 38:15
  Speaker 3: a couple of moments, began to get the ascendency fella.
• 38:18
  Speaker 3: They were rolling over the Crusaders for a point. But
• 38:21
  Speaker 3: Crusaders do what they did best and just roll the
• 38:23
  Speaker 3: sleeves up, work a couple of scrum penalties and get
• 38:27
  Speaker 3: the victory.
• 38:28
  Speaker 2: What did you make of that game?
• 38:29
  Speaker 5: It's felt like a game that the Blues lost more
• 38:32
  Speaker 5: than the Crusaders won. The heads the Blues heads. Crusaders
• 38:35
  Speaker 5: had to make at least double the amount of tackles.
• 38:37
  Speaker 5: The Blues dominated territory position. They were hammering away Crusaders
• 38:42
  Speaker 5: line number of different eras. I didn't think it was
• 38:45
  Speaker 5: Nick Berry's best refereeing performance across the board. No, but
• 38:49
  Speaker 5: look the Blues ample opportunity and it was the late
• 38:54
  Speaker 5: scrum substitutions that won it for the Crusaders. James O'Connor
• 38:58
  Speaker 5: steps up to keep the match winner. And now the
• 39:01
  Speaker 5: suggestions out of cross shit he's the best recruit in
• 39:04
  Speaker 5: Super rugby history.
• 39:05
  Speaker 2: Well hard to argue, really, isn't it.
• 39:09
  Speaker 3: Look he's proving a quality finisher and I know there's been
• 39:11
  Speaker 3: a lot of calls for him to start games chrussead
• 39:14
  Speaker 3: actually lost the only game he did start this season.
• 39:18
  Speaker 3: But what a player to have, you know, kicking a
• 39:22
  Speaker 3: winning peny goal right at the end of the game.
• 39:24
  Speaker 3: Your tag is goal kicking leaves a lot to be desired.
• 39:28
  Speaker 3: Still at this point in his career, James O'Connor, you know,
• 39:31
  Speaker 3: clutch player comes in and clutch moments, and you know,
• 39:36
  Speaker 3: let's send out a bit of a facetious tweet suggesting
• 39:38
  Speaker 3: that maybe you could be in the All Blacks mix
• 39:40
  Speaker 3: come August when he's eligible. Turns out he's actually not
• 39:42
  Speaker 3: eligible for next year's played for Australia A in twenty
• 39:44
  Speaker 3: twenty three. But Whilab he's wise. He's got to be
• 39:48
  Speaker 3: in the mix of the lines, doesn't he. Yeah, there's
• 39:50
  Speaker 3: a lot of chatter about that at the moment, and
• 39:54
  Speaker 3: almost more from a squad perspective, just having a guy
• 39:56
  Speaker 3: like that who can cover so many positions. I think
• 39:59
  Speaker 3: you've you've heard the influence he's had on Takimra behind
• 40:03
  Speaker 3: the scenes, how he's been competitive, pushing for the jersey,
• 40:07
  Speaker 3: but still mature, were enough to know his role to
• 40:10
  Speaker 3: nurture those guys through. And you're right to catch twenty
• 40:13
  Speaker 3: two for the Crusaders because when O'Connor started against Moana,
• 40:18
  Speaker 3: and admittedly the whole team Crusaders team was off that day,
• 40:21
  Speaker 3: but he wasn't as effective as he has been coming
• 40:25
  Speaker 3: off the bench. And to have a guy like you
• 40:27
  Speaker 3: say to come on composed slower match when I like
• 40:31
  Speaker 3: that brilliant. So yeah, look, the Crusaders will banquet, but
• 40:37
  Speaker 3: I think.
• 40:37
  Speaker 5: They got out of jail with it there. Just on
• 40:39
  Speaker 5: the Blues, Boden Barrett very good again. Goal kick he
• 40:42
  Speaker 5: missed a couple but he was very good and hoskinstitut
• 40:46
  Speaker 5: to his best performance of the year. Not just a fleckball,
• 40:48
  Speaker 5: but just highly involved, very combative. Yeah, I thought he
• 40:53
  Speaker 5: really stood out for the Blues.
• 40:54
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I thought he was very, very good.
• 40:57
  Speaker 3: And look that pass was something you know, no advantage
• 41:00
  Speaker 3: being played, nothing like that. Just picked it up, throws
• 41:02
  Speaker 3: it out the back, saw the mismatch, trusted that a
• 41:05
  Speaker 3: j lamb was going to be there. I thought it
• 41:07
  Speaker 3: was a moment of brilliant from Hoskins to too to.
• 41:11
  Speaker 2: The Blues.
• 41:12
  Speaker 3: You know, you mentioned being close to drawing a line
• 41:14
  Speaker 3: through the Hurricanes are close to drawing a line through
• 41:16
  Speaker 3: the Blues. They are one point for the behind was
• 41:19
  Speaker 3: just three wins and six losses. They are fifteen points
• 41:22
  Speaker 3: off the top of the ladder, four points outside the playoffs.
• 41:25
  Speaker 5: No, I'm not because their roster Dalton Puppa lee is
• 41:30
  Speaker 5: you know, was a ankle in jury sides. They've got
• 41:34
  Speaker 5: depth in their loose forwards. Their roster is largely better
• 41:38
  Speaker 5: than it has been for most of the year. They
• 41:40
  Speaker 5: should should have could have won this game, and they've
• 41:44
  Speaker 5: got the game for the finals if they can sneak in.
• 41:47
  Speaker 5: They've got a very favorable draw compared to some even
• 41:50
  Speaker 5: their trip to I think it's suba that's a night game.
• 41:54
  Speaker 5: The Reds is a very difficult proposition in Brisbane, but
• 41:58
  Speaker 5: they are all winnable games on the run home for
• 42:01
  Speaker 5: the Blues. So I'm still thinking they make the top six.
• 42:05
  Speaker 3: Just on the Crusaders run home. It's actually quite tricky.
• 42:08
  Speaker 3: They've got the Highlanders twice, who again will have nothing
• 42:11
  Speaker 3: to lose. They've got them this weekend under the roof
• 42:13
  Speaker 3: in Dunedin and then the back time the Chiefs in
• 42:16
  Speaker 3: christ Church. They have the Wartas away where they lost
• 42:21
  Speaker 3: the Warhorse twice last year. The Brumbie is away to finish,
• 42:24
  Speaker 3: so it's a tricky run home for the Crusaders. And
• 42:26
  Speaker 3: I don't think suggestions of being the top two lockedow
• 42:31
  Speaker 3: in Chrestry Say is final. I think it's far too
• 42:33
  Speaker 3: premature because I think the team, like the Brumbies, is
• 42:36
  Speaker 3: going to have a lot to say about that, and
• 42:37
  Speaker 3: maybe some of those other teams that around the outside
• 42:39
  Speaker 3: looking in.
• 42:41
  Speaker 5: Yeah, I think this Crusaders still have a lot to
• 42:42
  Speaker 5: prove this year. They've been a wee bit Rocks and
• 42:46
  Speaker 5: Diamonds had some good wins, but as Rob Penny said,
• 42:51
  Speaker 5: they've been a bit schizophrenic at times as well, and
• 42:54
  Speaker 5: I agree, I don't think that top two is locked in.
• 42:56
  Speaker 5: And I also think that a team like the Blues,
• 43:00
  Speaker 5: if they sneak in that top six, you do not
• 43:02
  Speaker 5: want to be playing the Blues in the finals.
• 43:04
  Speaker 2: No you don't. So even if you do have home advantage.
• 43:07
  Speaker 5: That's a long way from a foregone conclusion. This COLMP
• 43:10
  Speaker 5: and we've seen that throughout the whole year.
• 43:12
  Speaker 3: Certainly have right Thet's take a quick break here on
• 43:14
  Speaker 3: rugby to come back and wrap up the podcast after this.
• 43:17
  Speaker 1: This is Rugby Direct, a podcast for real rugby fares.
• 43:24
  Speaker 2: Every try try tends sixty sec. Every tackle tackle Get
• 43:28
  Speaker 2: up again, I take him afore time.
• 43:32
  Speaker 4: It's Rugby Direct.
• 43:35
  Speaker 3: You're back with Rugby Direct, power by friend zad Habit
• 43:38
  Speaker 3: Health time out to get into our tipping and look,
• 43:42
  Speaker 3: you've gained a point on me Liam this week.
• 43:45
  Speaker 2: This is next Step City Man.
• 43:47
  Speaker 3: Yeah, de pick the Force, but luckily for you, half
• 43:51
  Speaker 3: a point from that one because it was a drawer.
• 43:54
  Speaker 3: He also picked the drawer Crusaders Chiefs. We both miss
• 43:57
  Speaker 3: out on Moana. I had the Crusaders, the Tars, mo
• 43:59
  Speaker 3: Wana Chiefs and Caine. So I lead thirty two and
• 44:02
  Speaker 3: a half to twenty six.
• 44:03
  Speaker 2: And a half.
• 44:04
  Speaker 5: Plenty of time left yet, mate, is there? I've always
• 44:08
  Speaker 5: been a long distance.
• 44:11
  Speaker 3: Well should us what you've got, Sam Ruth, because this
• 44:15
  Speaker 3: is the Anzac round Chiefs and Force in Mount mong
• 44:20
  Speaker 3: and Nui on Friday nights.
• 44:22
  Speaker 5: Well, I love the last post, Elliott. So this is
• 44:23
  Speaker 5: where I really come to. The four Chiefs won that.
• 44:28
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I can't see the Chiefs not winning that Red
• 44:30
  Speaker 3: toasting the Blues. The tap has them at a dol
• 44:32
  Speaker 3: already seven each looks about right. Blues Ire and the
• 44:37
  Speaker 3: Reds are gonna tip them up there and get the win.
• 44:41
  Speaker 2: Moana against the drawer.
• 44:43
  Speaker 4: Albany Rd be back for that Mona.
• 44:46
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I think ma Wana as well.
• 44:48
  Speaker 3: Highland is hosting the Crusaders in Dunedin Saturday night.
• 44:53
  Speaker 4: Lucky you have to go the Staters, don't you.
• 44:55
  Speaker 2: I think so. I think the game could be trickier
• 44:57
  Speaker 2: than it looks on paper. Yeah.
• 44:58
  Speaker 5: Southern Derby inspies typically the best Jamie Joseph will be
• 45:03
  Speaker 5: have some stirring renditions and words and tails, and I'm
• 45:06
  Speaker 5: sure they'll get a few former legends and those sorts
• 45:10
  Speaker 5: of things.
• 45:10
  Speaker 3: Hardie Tony Brown's plays like No. Nine with the Crusaders
• 45:13
  Speaker 3: beat them in the final. Bring back Mitch Hunt for
• 45:15
  Speaker 3: a game for which side? For which side? For the
• 45:19
  Speaker 3: team he put the forty one meter drop goal against.
• 45:22
  Speaker 4: Yeah, he's done it both.
• 45:24
  Speaker 2: He is.
• 45:25
  Speaker 3: Brumbies Hurricanes rounds us out in Canberra on Saturday night.
• 45:30
  Speaker 4: I think you're probably yeah Brumbies.
• 45:33
  Speaker 3: Yeah, the Brumbies as well. I think too good at
• 45:36
  Speaker 3: home behind Hurricanes have a great record there.
• 45:39
  Speaker 2: In recent times.
• 45:40
  Speaker 4: N it's a tough place to go.
• 45:41
  Speaker 3: It is indeed right time for our three two ones
• 45:44
  Speaker 3: this weekend. Christian Leo Willie gets my three points, very
• 45:48
  Speaker 3: very good for the Crusaders on Friday night and just
• 45:50
  Speaker 3: putting himself further there all that conversation, calm down, he was,
• 45:54
  Speaker 3: he trained with them last year.
• 45:56
  Speaker 5: We had enough of this Crusaders by top Reggie in
• 46:01
  Speaker 5: a minute two points quins a fire good for the
• 46:04
  Speaker 5: Chiefs again and one goes Flitch and you'll not often
• 46:08
  Speaker 5: you see prop go eighty minutes integral right at the
• 46:11
  Speaker 5: end as they smash the blue scrum.
• 46:14
  Speaker 2: He gets my one point, Liam Ews.
• 46:16
  Speaker 5: Please the point is actually I think Angus Tarval went
• 46:19
  Speaker 5: seventy five.
• 46:20
  Speaker 4: Yeah, it's a big shift for a.
• 46:22
  Speaker 3: Couple of rookie props coming on at the end and
• 46:24
  Speaker 3: need to cost them and the injuries can't help. But
• 46:26
  Speaker 3: he didn't help the Blues.
• 46:27
  Speaker 4: Yes, I'm going to give three to Hoskins.
• 46:30
  Speaker 2: Okay, just as the pass or and just.
• 46:33
  Speaker 5: No, no, no, he was highly involved and just to
• 46:37
  Speaker 5: keep Christian Leo really cancels it out right, I'll give
• 46:40
  Speaker 5: him two, but you know, just just pop down, pop down.
• 46:44
  Speaker 5: And I'm going to give one to came Roy Gaz.
• 46:47
  Speaker 5: I thought he snipe, tried hard for the Hurricanes. He's
• 46:51
  Speaker 5: still not playing as not at his best, no, but
• 46:57
  Speaker 5: doing his best in a struggling team.
• 46:59
  Speaker 3: We'll see how they get on this week in Camberley.
• 47:01
  Speaker 3: I think he was always welcome. Great to having back
• 47:02
  Speaker 3: on the podcast. We were back again next week. We're
• 47:05
  Speaker 3: our friends at Habit Health Techling well your aches and
• 47:07
  Speaker 3: pains from sport and work out.
• 47:08
  Speaker 2: Thanks to Last and Bars English, and we'll see you
• 47:10
  Speaker 2: next week.
• 47:14
  Speaker 1: For more from News Talk sed B, listen live on
• 47:17
  Speaker 1: air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
• 47:20
  Speaker 1: you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio.