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Transcript

Rugby Direct - Episode 160 · Rugby Direct

• 0:09
  Speaker 1: You're listening to a podcast from News Talks ed B.
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: Follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
• 0:19
  Speaker 2: Straight down the middle.
• 0:20
  Speaker 3: Of dry Dick score by try.
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: Get inside the game from every angle. It's Rugby Direct
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: with Elliot Smith and Leam Napier powered by News Talks EDB.
• 0:37
  Speaker 4: Welcome into Rugby Direct, powered by Habit Health, tackling all
• 0:40
  Speaker 4: your aches and pains from sport and work. Elligant Smith
• 0:43
  Speaker 4: and Liam Napier back for another week to dissect Super
• 0:46
  Speaker 4: Rugby Pacific Round eleven and a number of other rugby
• 0:49
  Speaker 4: related matters from the world of the game. Liam, Greetings
• 0:53
  Speaker 4: and welcome back to the podcast.
• 0:54
  Speaker 5: Cheer, good to see Elliott's in. Isn't it great to
• 0:58
  Speaker 5: be back on the Cane train?
• 1:00
  Speaker 2: Back baby?
• 1:01
  Speaker 4: Would you say that? Would you say that? Let's get
• 1:04
  Speaker 4: into that first thing. Are the Canes back?
• 1:05
  Speaker 2: They are? They are in a big way.
• 1:08
  Speaker 5: Look, I've got a tough draw, tough run home, but
• 1:11
  Speaker 5: the cavalry has arrived. Billy propped a massive performance. Riley
• 1:15
  Speaker 5: Higgins back in the midfield as well. Came Royguard, playing
• 1:20
  Speaker 5: exceptionally well, kinning a Hola on the wing.
• 1:23
  Speaker 2: Carefe.
• 1:26
  Speaker 4: Most of these players have been there for most of
• 1:27
  Speaker 4: the season. Billy Propped is the one that hasn't and
• 1:29
  Speaker 4: Riley Higgins. It's a big upgrade in the midfield. But
• 1:32
  Speaker 4: you mentioned he's been playing well, don't be wrong, but
• 1:35
  Speaker 4: his number of players you mentioned there have been playing
• 1:36
  Speaker 4: for the So what's been going wrong to this point?
• 1:39
  Speaker 5: Well, look, sometimes there's just a couple of pieces of
• 1:41
  Speaker 5: puzzle missing Elliott and they've come back the winning. Canberra
• 1:44
  Speaker 5: very very tough place to win. See Carefree mentioned postmatch
• 1:48
  Speaker 5: he's never he had never won there in his career,
• 1:52
  Speaker 5: so I think that's a real stake in the ground
• 1:54
  Speaker 5: performance from the Hurricanes going away on tour, coming together
• 1:57
  Speaker 5: and they did a lot of stuff around the ANZACs
• 2:01
  Speaker 5: and Canberra went to a service and laid some reefs.
• 2:04
  Speaker 5: Maybe that's brought them together being away. I've got the
• 2:07
  Speaker 5: Chiefs this so big ask, but they're back.
• 2:11
  Speaker 4: Well. If they can win this week, it certainly shakes
• 2:13
  Speaker 4: up the competition, doesn't it. If they can get a
• 2:16
  Speaker 4: bit of a roll on heading into the ploffs, and
• 2:18
  Speaker 4: you know, the Cane train could be quite hard to stop,
• 2:20
  Speaker 4: but it's been so stop start this season. You know,
• 2:23
  Speaker 4: the drawer against the Force the week prior the two
• 2:26
  Speaker 4: losses to the Blues inexplicably really, you know, the losses
• 2:31
  Speaker 4: to the Crusaders. So it's been a stop start season.
• 2:34
  Speaker 4: But you know they if they do get a Billy
• 2:36
  Speaker 4: propped back, rebon Love looks more comfortable in ten second
• 2:39
  Speaker 4: game into that run, they look like they could do
• 2:44
  Speaker 4: something in the back end of this season.
• 2:46
  Speaker 5: Yeah, I think it's not make or break for them
• 2:50
  Speaker 5: as it is for the Blues. They're not completely a
• 2:52
  Speaker 5: must win territory yet. And look, the Chiefs looked pretty
• 2:57
  Speaker 5: formidable and dispatching the force. They get Wallace, a tz
• 3:01
  Speaker 5: back who comes off the bench for nine minute was
• 3:03
  Speaker 5: it nine minute? Roughly nine carries sixty meters what are
• 3:08
  Speaker 5: a turn? So not a must win, but it would
• 3:12
  Speaker 5: be if they were to beat the Chiefs. They put
• 3:15
  Speaker 5: the competition on notice. But isn't it I'm not putting
• 3:19
  Speaker 5: it totally down to Billy Proctor, but it is amazing
• 3:22
  Speaker 5: how one person can have a massive influence on the team,
• 3:26
  Speaker 5: whether it was whether it's Artie Severe or Moyana or.
• 3:32
  Speaker 2: Will Jordan for the Crusaders.
• 3:34
  Speaker 5: You know, Billy Proctor is that sort of talesman and
• 3:38
  Speaker 5: that the Hurricans. He came off the bench last week,
• 3:40
  Speaker 5: but the Hurricanes have clearly really missed him this season,
• 3:43
  Speaker 5: both his leadership and just a special touches. And it
• 3:47
  Speaker 5: did remind me and frustrate me about last year the
• 3:51
  Speaker 5: lack of opportunities that the All Blacks gave Billy Proctor.
• 3:55
  Speaker 5: Didn't see him for the whole of the Rugby Championship
• 3:58
  Speaker 5: and then he returned or he didn't became.
• 4:01
  Speaker 3: He didn't go on the end of your tour, essentially.
• 4:03
  Speaker 5: Because he had his first him and his partner welcome's
• 4:06
  Speaker 5: first child, which is you know fair enough, absolutely you
• 4:09
  Speaker 5: prioritize that. But yeah, it was a wasted opportunity for
• 4:13
  Speaker 5: the All Blacks and the weekend was a reminder of
• 4:17
  Speaker 5: just how classy he can be.
• 4:19
  Speaker 4: Absolutely, and I thought painted a pretty good picture in
• 4:22
  Speaker 4: terms of his distribution but also his running game. And
• 4:25
  Speaker 4: you know, the question being asked clack laid law and
• 4:28
  Speaker 4: they didn't really know about this Archilles injury to Billy Procer.
• 4:31
  Speaker 4: It could have been a lot longer and they're getting
• 4:33
  Speaker 4: different opinions on it. And he is back now and
• 4:35
  Speaker 4: he forms a really pervotful part of what they can
• 4:38
  Speaker 4: do this season and you already saw it. I thought
• 4:41
  Speaker 4: with nai Pu playing probably the best he's looked in
• 4:45
  Speaker 4: a Can's jersey for quite some time, just having Billy
• 4:48
  Speaker 4: Procter inside him on the weekend, it's.
• 4:50
  Speaker 5: A very good point because not all centers make their
• 4:53
  Speaker 5: outsides look that good, and it's a criticism of Rico
• 4:57
  Speaker 5: his thro This.
• 4:59
  Speaker 4: Was a game as well where it felt like it
• 5:01
  Speaker 4: was in the balance for a lot of Perier and
• 5:03
  Speaker 4: it could have swung the way of the Brumbies, and
• 5:05
  Speaker 4: it kind of I don't know, I felt watching it
• 5:07
  Speaker 4: that the Brumbies going to get a couple of consecutive
• 5:09
  Speaker 4: scores and take charge of the game. It never quite happened,
• 5:12
  Speaker 4: but that's what's happened previously in Canberra, whereas the Brumbies, sorry,
• 5:15
  Speaker 4: the Hurricanes have looked good to a point and then
• 5:17
  Speaker 4: the Brumbies have taken charge of the game, kept waiting
• 5:19
  Speaker 4: for that to happen. Just didn't happen on the weekend,
• 5:22
  Speaker 4: and that's credit to the way that the Hurricanes played.
• 5:24
  Speaker 5: I thought it is and it's a big shift because
• 5:27
  Speaker 5: you mentioned those Blues performances and I think that Hurricanes
• 5:31
  Speaker 5: team doesn't lose to the Blues, but the two close
• 5:34
  Speaker 5: losses could haunt them this year. They were games they
• 5:38
  Speaker 5: could have should have won. But this was different. They
• 5:41
  Speaker 5: actually came home over the top of the Brumbies. The
• 5:44
  Speaker 5: Brumbies scored I think in a seventy second minute to
• 5:48
  Speaker 5: get within six points, but the Hurricanes were well clear
• 5:52
  Speaker 5: by that point.
• 5:53
  Speaker 2: So the second half.
• 5:55
  Speaker 5: Rather than fading off as they did in those Blues
• 5:57
  Speaker 5: performances and blowing the chance to ice the game, this
• 6:00
  Speaker 5: time they stepped up and to winning Canberra. You'd hope
• 6:05
  Speaker 5: that would give them a lot of confidence in a
• 6:06
  Speaker 5: season that has been very underwhelming.
• 6:09
  Speaker 4: It has been Saturday night earlier than that full South
• 6:12
  Speaker 4: Bar Stadium, the Crusader's forty three over the Highlanders ten.
• 6:16
  Speaker 4: Second week in a row the Honders have been torched
• 6:18
  Speaker 4: by the tune or forty ish to ten. But unlike
• 6:21
  Speaker 4: Glass we fell out. This game was done and dusted.
• 6:25
  Speaker 4: Earlier last week they went in at halftime thirteen ten down.
• 6:29
  Speaker 4: This time they went in what twenty one nil down
• 6:31
  Speaker 4: and just not really at the races. I know they
• 6:33
  Speaker 4: had a lot of position before halftime, but things aren't
• 6:35
  Speaker 4: clicking for the Holanders. They had injuries of course and
• 6:39
  Speaker 4: lost to a couple of their locks, but Crusaders, even
• 6:42
  Speaker 4: without Taha Kimitta, were able to get a bit of
• 6:45
  Speaker 4: a roll on, put some pressure on and the homeland
• 6:47
  Speaker 4: is wilted. And from the Highlanders team that beat the
• 6:50
  Speaker 4: Blues early in the season, they have gone backwards and
• 6:54
  Speaker 4: it's hard to make a convincing case for them to
• 6:56
  Speaker 4: make the playoffs, even though they are only five points
• 6:58
  Speaker 4: outside of the moment.
• 7:00
  Speaker 2: No, I think.
• 7:02
  Speaker 5: As long as a month ago said the Landers are done,
• 7:06
  Speaker 5: and they've got worse since then. And yeah they've had
• 7:10
  Speaker 5: some injury challenges, but you would expect more, particularly at
• 7:13
  Speaker 5: home against your local rivals. This is a traditional fixture
• 7:19
  Speaker 5: that if you're going to get up for any game,
• 7:22
  Speaker 5: it is this game. We've seen hard as teams of
• 7:25
  Speaker 5: previous iterations be down and out and struggling, and yet
• 7:30
  Speaker 5: rise for the Crusaders, not always knock them off, but
• 7:33
  Speaker 5: be very competitive. But as you said, they weren't even
• 7:36
  Speaker 5: there from twenty one zeril down. The game's gone and
• 7:41
  Speaker 5: it has been a stark reminder of where they're at
• 7:46
  Speaker 5: the past two weeks. Pump by the Chiefs, Pumped by
• 7:48
  Speaker 5: the Crusaders. The two best teams on in the competition.
• 7:53
  Speaker 5: So while this was a real statement performance from the Crusaders,
• 7:57
  Speaker 5: it was a real reality check for Hardness fans.
• 8:02
  Speaker 4: Yeah, what have we learned from a Crusader's perspective, I
• 8:04
  Speaker 4: guess that they are in the top two in the
• 8:06
  Speaker 4: competition swept them. As I guess from a Crusader specific
• 8:10
  Speaker 4: you've probably learned a little bit more about rivers Raehanna,
• 8:12
  Speaker 4: who was on the bench and had to play seventy
• 8:14
  Speaker 4: five minutes with Taha Kimita suffering what appeared to be
• 8:16
  Speaker 4: a relatively serious knee injury. So in the context of
• 8:20
  Speaker 4: the whole competition, you get what is your third string
• 8:23
  Speaker 4: first five out there for some minutes. Will Jordan played well,
• 8:27
  Speaker 4: Taylor and Moore and on who's forming into a really
• 8:29
  Speaker 4: nice one two punch in terms of hookers. But it
• 8:33
  Speaker 4: was just a case of job done for the Crusaders.
• 8:35
  Speaker 4: I don't know we learned too much more about them
• 8:37
  Speaker 4: from that performance on the.
• 8:38
  Speaker 2: Weekend, not necessarily.
• 8:40
  Speaker 5: I think we learned or it was reconfirmed that their
• 8:44
  Speaker 5: attack is very lethal this year. The way that their
• 8:48
  Speaker 5: back door plays, the way they're moving the ball to
• 8:50
  Speaker 5: space and executing has been exceptional this season and that's
• 8:54
  Speaker 5: been the massive shift for me. Whether it's James Marshall
• 8:59
  Speaker 5: or Brad Moore, whoever has taken charge of that attack
• 9:03
  Speaker 5: has done a great job and empowering those players to
• 9:06
  Speaker 5: play what they are seeing and taking the opportunities. And yeah,
• 9:10
  Speaker 5: just the accuracy of the passing, the timing, the execution
• 9:14
  Speaker 5: has been really good. The conditions were there for it
• 9:17
  Speaker 5: when you play under the roof, So they are going
• 9:20
  Speaker 5: to have to play a different style of rugby coming
• 9:22
  Speaker 5: into winter, but.
• 9:24
  Speaker 2: That's right. The set piece is strong.
• 9:27
  Speaker 5: So look, this is completely different Crusader's side this year,
• 9:30
  Speaker 5: isn't it? They are on form. That was another real
• 9:34
  Speaker 5: statement performance just on tame Let's He was almost certainly
• 9:40
  Speaker 5: out this week and potentially longer term. What do you
• 9:45
  Speaker 5: want to do there? Do you go Rivers Rayhanna and
• 9:47
  Speaker 5: back Caam after last week or do you promote James
• 9:50
  Speaker 5: O'Connor or the experience?
• 9:51
  Speaker 4: Well I think you go and this the next game
• 9:54
  Speaker 4: is against the Chiefs. They've got to buy this week
• 9:55
  Speaker 4: and they've got the Chiefs so top of the table
• 9:57
  Speaker 4: clash could have big implications in terms of home top
• 10:00
  Speaker 4: seeding for the playoffs as it stands anyway, but I
• 10:04
  Speaker 4: think I'll probably go Rayhanna and then Connor to close
• 10:07
  Speaker 4: out the last many minutes of the game. We saw
• 10:10
  Speaker 4: I kind of start against my wad of PACIFICA. That's
• 10:12
  Speaker 4: the one start he's head. They lost that game, Not
• 10:14
  Speaker 4: saying it was solely that, but I like the finishing
• 10:16
  Speaker 4: role that he's had on the park. It was crucial
• 10:19
  Speaker 4: a couple of weeks ago with that late penalty against
• 10:21
  Speaker 4: the Blues. When he came on against the Chiefs a
• 10:24
  Speaker 4: few weeks back when they got belted, the game was
• 10:27
  Speaker 4: kind of gone ready by that point and O'Connor didn't
• 10:30
  Speaker 4: have a great night. But I still think Rayhunter, you
• 10:32
  Speaker 4: probably comes straight into the starting lineup and you keep
• 10:35
  Speaker 4: O'Connor in that role which has become accustomed to as
• 10:37
  Speaker 4: a finisher.
• 10:39
  Speaker 5: Yeah, I agree, but it is I think it's a
• 10:42
  Speaker 5: bit of a backflip from you, isn't it, Because and
• 10:44
  Speaker 5: there has been a clamoring among Crusader supporters to start
• 10:48
  Speaker 5: O'Connor over Ta Kimera. Ha's quelled a little bit, and
• 10:54
  Speaker 5: some of that's down to Taha's goal kicking. But yeah,
• 10:58
  Speaker 5: it's interesting how that dynamic can shift and It probably
• 11:02
  Speaker 5: would be different as well, had the Crusade has not
• 11:04
  Speaker 5: been so dominant, had that front foot platform wasn't under
• 11:09
  Speaker 5: a great deal of pressure. He played well, but certainly
• 11:12
  Speaker 5: everything was flowing for the Crusaders, right, So on a
• 11:16
  Speaker 5: wet night against the Chiefs, you're not necessarily getting all
• 11:19
  Speaker 5: the forward parody that you want. Difficult conditions, you've got
• 11:23
  Speaker 5: to take control. There's probably still some questions about his
• 11:27
  Speaker 5: ability to command and direct a game that's tight, intense, right.
• 11:32
  Speaker 4: Absolutely, But I still think you learn a bit more
• 11:36
  Speaker 4: about him by putting him in that ten jersey against
• 11:38
  Speaker 4: a team like the Chiefs than by him coming off
• 11:41
  Speaker 4: the bench of last twenty minutes when the game might
• 11:43
  Speaker 4: be in the balance. So it's an interesting dynamic for
• 11:47
  Speaker 4: Rob Penny to consider James O'Connor.
• 11:50
  Speaker 5: A bit of talk about him this season, isn't there,
• 11:53
  Speaker 5: you know, in terms of his goal kicking, his influence
• 11:56
  Speaker 5: off the bench with the Crusaders, the match winning penalty.
• 12:02
  Speaker 5: What about his future do you? I guess first and
• 12:07
  Speaker 5: foremost you expect them to be named in the Wallabies
• 12:10
  Speaker 5: squad for the Lions tour.
• 12:11
  Speaker 4: If I'm Joe Schmid, I'm naming him I'm not saying
• 12:12
  Speaker 4: he's playing every Test match, but I think he can
• 12:16
  Speaker 4: add a real role in this setup. And we don't
• 12:19
  Speaker 4: know whether I know a lot of CEO's going to
• 12:21
  Speaker 4: play givenees now off to Japan. Tom Liner I thought
• 12:23
  Speaker 4: was really good on the weekend. Ben Donaldson's another player
• 12:26
  Speaker 4: knocking on the door for the Force. They do have
• 12:29
  Speaker 4: some options at ten, but to me, I think you
• 12:33
  Speaker 4: look at James O'Connor and the experience that he can
• 12:35
  Speaker 4: add in a Lion series and go, why wouldn't we
• 12:39
  Speaker 4: want this part of our setup? Why wouldn't we select
• 12:41
  Speaker 4: this bloke? And you know, he's a different player to
• 12:45
  Speaker 4: the one that was in the Wallabies, you know what,
• 12:47
  Speaker 4: fifteen years ago now and he's playing some smart rugby
• 12:51
  Speaker 4: and I think a few of the Wallabies. You take
• 12:54
  Speaker 4: all of that and put it into the mix with
• 12:57
  Speaker 4: you know, line series and what he's learned from the
• 12:58
  Speaker 4: Crusaders and put him in there.
• 13:00
  Speaker 2: Absolutely, I'd have him in that squad.
• 13:02
  Speaker 5: Yeah, and it's not just you're not solely picking them
• 13:06
  Speaker 5: as a ten. You could have him on the bench
• 13:08
  Speaker 5: covering wing fallback and yeah, exactly. He's a guy that
• 13:13
  Speaker 5: will come on and make sound decisions. I think you've
• 13:17
  Speaker 5: got to draw a line through comparisons to his personality
• 13:23
  Speaker 5: and character earlier in his career.
• 13:25
  Speaker 2: All men.
• 13:29
  Speaker 5: Go through changes, mature, grow up, and he did that
• 13:33
  Speaker 5: in the Spotlight, right, And there was a long time ago.
• 13:36
  Speaker 5: You're talking eight odd years. He's a completely different person now.
• 13:40
  Speaker 5: So I would one hundred percent have him in that squad.
• 13:43
  Speaker 5: And what you could do is put him out in
• 13:46
  Speaker 5: the Anzact team as well that they combines, not Inzact team,
• 13:49
  Speaker 5: that combine what is an Anzact team. Yeah, put him
• 13:54
  Speaker 5: out even you know, whether he's behind mye or starting
• 13:58
  Speaker 5: or whatever, whatever it may be, give a taste of
• 14:00
  Speaker 5: it and then bring him into the lines Tour squad.
• 14:02
  Speaker 4: Yeah, I think he has to be. That's the way
• 14:03
  Speaker 4: that he's playing at the moment. Mawana Pacific a beating
• 14:06
  Speaker 4: the draw of thirty four fifteen. Mauana started really strongly,
• 14:10
  Speaker 4: sort of switched off for a period in the second spell.
• 14:13
  Speaker 4: Artie Savia was denied probably the try of the season
• 14:16
  Speaker 4: with his kick and chase, but Wana back to winning
• 14:20
  Speaker 4: ways after a couple of weeks off and back to
• 14:23
  Speaker 4: North Harbor Stadium, and they are a really tough team
• 14:25
  Speaker 4: to play at that grounds the drawer learned they are.
• 14:31
  Speaker 5: Isn't it great to see the turnout there for that
• 14:33
  Speaker 5: game when you think back to Moana playing at Mount
• 14:38
  Speaker 5: Smart with literally barely one hundred people, And this was
• 14:42
  Speaker 5: I think they called it the Carver Bowl bat or
• 14:46
  Speaker 5: something like that. I saw some vision of Arti being
• 14:49
  Speaker 5: handed some Carver post match. So very special and yeah,
• 14:54
  Speaker 5: great performance from Winer to get back to winning ways.
• 14:58
  Speaker 2: What a chip and chase it was from Artie.
• 15:01
  Speaker 5: I don't know if you take too much out of it,
• 15:02
  Speaker 5: because the dru have been very poor this year and
• 15:06
  Speaker 5: not a great traveling team. Again, we were inconsistent within
• 15:10
  Speaker 5: the match, but it was an important match for them
• 15:13
  Speaker 5: to win for their self confidence to get you know, yeah,
• 15:18
  Speaker 5: just restore a bit of belief in that team after
• 15:22
  Speaker 5: a tough couple of weeks when they knocked over the Crusaders.
• 15:26
  Speaker 5: So yeah, important and let's hope that they can just
• 15:31
  Speaker 5: stay at North Harbor.
• 15:32
  Speaker 4: Really yeah, I know that, you know, they had to
• 15:34
  Speaker 4: move a game from Toma to Pokakoi, but if you
• 15:38
  Speaker 4: want to build a home stadium, you need to play
• 15:40
  Speaker 4: there as much as possible. And I think the traveling
• 15:44
  Speaker 4: scenario of them has ended. You know, it was frustrating
• 15:47
  Speaker 4: for them. I'm sure they played in Hamilton home game
• 15:49
  Speaker 4: last year, they played elsewhere. Sure, let's take one game
• 15:52
  Speaker 4: a year to the Islands. But I think if you're
• 15:54
  Speaker 4: going to make North Harbor Stadium your home, then you
• 15:57
  Speaker 4: play there as much as possible.
• 15:58
  Speaker 3: And it's become a wee bit of a fortress for them.
• 16:02
  Speaker 4: And they're now what two points outside the top six
• 16:05
  Speaker 4: as it stands, Blues thirty five to twenty one users
• 16:08
  Speaker 4: to the Reds on the weekend. You know, they grinted
• 16:12
  Speaker 4: it out against the Crusaders and lost that one obviously,
• 16:20
  Speaker 4: but they are just hot and cold at the moment.
• 16:23
  Speaker 4: The Blues and Friday night they were particularly cold. I
• 16:26
  Speaker 4: thought that was really poor from them.
• 16:28
  Speaker 5: This is a dire performance, Elliott. I know they had
• 16:33
  Speaker 5: in the first half. They got over the line four
• 16:35
  Speaker 5: or five times and when denied, and there was one
• 16:38
  Speaker 5: instance in particular where the TMO came in and it
• 16:41
  Speaker 5: went well back. This might have been in the second
• 16:43
  Speaker 5: half year host constitution knock on the TMO should not
• 16:47
  Speaker 5: be coming in and going that far back.
• 16:49
  Speaker 4: I thought we got rid of the team. Ot We'll
• 16:50
  Speaker 4: not got rid but I thought we got to the
• 16:51
  Speaker 4: point where it's two phases. Now they've extended out who
• 16:55
  Speaker 4: is making these decisions.
• 16:56
  Speaker 2: Yeah, it was ridiculous.
• 16:58
  Speaker 5: You literally had five minutes of rugby yah to go
• 17:01
  Speaker 5: back for that unnecessary.
• 17:04
  Speaker 4: But yeah, look, I think there needs to be lined.
• 17:07
  Speaker 4: It needs to be two faces. The only way I'd
• 17:11
  Speaker 4: have a TMO interference in the game is try no try.
• 17:13
  Speaker 4: You can still have the bunker, but it has to
• 17:15
  Speaker 4: be spotted on field by the on field referee and
• 17:17
  Speaker 4: there it's got too much power. It's got ridiculous, and
• 17:20
  Speaker 4: we're seeing in a rugby league now as well the
• 17:22
  Speaker 4: bunker's tracking things from two sets ago and sending players
• 17:26
  Speaker 4: off for ten minutes. We've allowed technology to take too
• 17:29
  Speaker 4: much control of the game and it needs to be
• 17:31
  Speaker 4: pulled right right back.
• 17:34
  Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I agree.
• 17:35
  Speaker 5: I think there's a place for it for foul play
• 17:38
  Speaker 5: and for deciding tries at the time, but you have
• 17:41
  Speaker 5: to have a hard and faster all about how many
• 17:43
  Speaker 5: phases you can go back, because it just becomes fascical
• 17:47
  Speaker 5: to let teams play on to have all this other
• 17:50
  Speaker 5: action that's meaning meaningless.
• 17:52
  Speaker 4: Where the adsav try ruled out one of the tries
• 17:55
  Speaker 4: of the season. I'm not saying you should allow a
• 17:57
  Speaker 4: try just because it looks spectacular, but a knock on
• 18:00
  Speaker 4: you prior to that on the other side of the field.
• 18:03
  Speaker 5: Yeah, And there's just got to be some culpability with
• 18:05
  Speaker 5: the officials at the time. You know that Hoskins two
• 18:08
  Speaker 5: to knock on should have been picked up in real
• 18:10
  Speaker 5: time and it wasn't. Well, then that's picked up in
• 18:13
  Speaker 5: the referee review and I said, you should have spotted that.
• 18:16
  Speaker 5: You know, the human era is part of part of
• 18:20
  Speaker 5: teams individuals when it's at the try line. Sure have
• 18:25
  Speaker 5: let the TMO look at it there, but don't go
• 18:28
  Speaker 5: back five minutes or twenty phases.
• 18:31
  Speaker 2: It just gets you.
• 18:33
  Speaker 4: Bruing the contest in the pursuit of perfection, which you
• 18:36
  Speaker 4: were never going to get. Support needs to be at
• 18:38
  Speaker 4: the contest of entertainment product, not the legalities of knock ons.
• 18:42
  Speaker 4: Was to try perfect in the lead up? You know,
• 18:45
  Speaker 4: I just think we're searching for something that we're never
• 18:47
  Speaker 4: going to get in the sport, the Blues are searching
• 18:49
  Speaker 4: for something that they don't seem to be close to
• 18:51
  Speaker 4: be getting at the moment. And where do you think
• 18:54
  Speaker 4: is going wrong? In particular, I don't think they're getting
• 18:58
  Speaker 4: enough out of their forwards at the moment in terms
• 19:01
  Speaker 4: of set peace. I think they're lacking a bit in
• 19:04
  Speaker 4: terms of having a real enforcer or a ball carrier,
• 19:07
  Speaker 4: likes of a kid Yuanni, who copped a fair bit
• 19:10
  Speaker 4: of stick while he was here. But I think Angel's
• 19:12
  Speaker 4: Signa tries hard and I think you never get a
• 19:14
  Speaker 4: bad performance out of Anton's Signa. But you're missing something there.
• 19:17
  Speaker 4: Tolden Papaliti was missing on the weekend as well. Hoskinstitute
• 19:20
  Speaker 4: is finally a little bit of form, but it just
• 19:23
  Speaker 4: feels like they're not getting enough out of numbers six,
• 19:25
  Speaker 4: seven and eight at the moment.
• 19:27
  Speaker 5: Yeah, the Blues have got a lot to address because,
• 19:29
  Speaker 5: as you mentioned, the hot cold and could have easily
• 19:33
  Speaker 5: come away with much more in christ Church.
• 19:35
  Speaker 2: The previous week they had.
• 19:36
  Speaker 5: Another performance, another loss, close loss to the Chiefs and Hamilton.
• 19:40
  Speaker 5: So look, on their day they can very easily beat
• 19:44
  Speaker 5: the best teams in this competition, and that they're with
• 19:46
  Speaker 5: the roster that they have, they should be. But what
• 19:49
  Speaker 5: a fall from grace this has been. Because this is
• 19:52
  Speaker 5: a team that won the championship last year, have the
• 19:56
  Speaker 5: same coaching team arguably a better squad with Boden Barrett
• 20:00
  Speaker 5: coming back, and yet they've fallen off cliff.
• 20:04
  Speaker 2: This performance was die that.
• 20:07
  Speaker 5: Yes, they got over the line four or five times
• 20:09
  Speaker 5: in that first half, couldn't convert, but the line out capitulated.
• 20:14
  Speaker 5: They lost four shambles, four throws and there's just no
• 20:17
  Speaker 5: real excuse for that. There was indecision under the high ball,
• 20:24
  Speaker 5: so many turnovers, ill discipline. Mark t Leah, what was
• 20:28
  Speaker 5: he thinking with that tackle? Sure, like by all means,
• 20:31
  Speaker 5: put a great hat on, but don't lift him. Well
• 20:33
  Speaker 5: he's gonna go for three weeks now you have to shift.
• 20:35
  Speaker 5: That could be the end of his Blues career. Yeah,
• 20:38
  Speaker 5: it probably won't, but yeah, that really cost the Blues,
• 20:43
  Speaker 5: I think, and fatigue as much as anything else. Down
• 20:45
  Speaker 5: to one man short for twenty minutes. Look, I think
• 20:49
  Speaker 5: the score line flattered them in the end to a degree.
• 20:52
  Speaker 5: They got a couple of late tries. I think the
• 20:54
  Speaker 5: red scored five tries to three. And this is a
• 20:58
  Speaker 5: Reds team that's down on troops. Yeah, they're coming off
• 21:01
  Speaker 5: the Buyer, so they're fresh, but they prior to that
• 21:03
  Speaker 5: they lost to the Brumbies and the Chiefs, so not
• 21:09
  Speaker 5: Reds team that's at their peak and form. So really
• 21:13
  Speaker 5: bad loss for the Blues in the context of this
• 21:16
  Speaker 5: season being on the line as well. So how much
• 21:21
  Speaker 5: are the heads really in this Well.
• 21:23
  Speaker 4: I don't seem to be there mentally. They seem to
• 21:25
  Speaker 4: be very fragile, which was last year though winning games
• 21:28
  Speaker 4: you know late on. I think it was a game
• 21:30
  Speaker 4: against the Warrators they came back and won quite late.
• 21:32
  Speaker 3: There were other.
• 21:33
  Speaker 4: Fixtures as well where they were sort of the mentality
• 21:36
  Speaker 4: monsters of the competition. They would win games late, the
• 21:38
  Speaker 4: wood games win maybe they shouldn't, and then they could
• 21:41
  Speaker 4: also steamroll you. And we've just seen none of that
• 21:43
  Speaker 4: from the Blues this year. And yes, while they've got
• 21:46
  Speaker 4: a softish run a home and that would have probably
• 21:48
  Speaker 4: included the Reds pride of the weekend, there's no guarantees that. Yeah,
• 21:52
  Speaker 4: you probably said the bet the Force next week, but
• 21:53
  Speaker 4: then they're over to the drawer and that games at night. Yes,
• 21:56
  Speaker 4: they probably favorites here, but tough place to play Mwana Pacifica.
• 22:00
  Speaker 4: They'll have their towels up at albany. I know they've
• 22:01
  Speaker 4: got Bell beat in a few weeks ago, but they
• 22:04
  Speaker 4: are going to have to probably run the table here.
• 22:07
  Speaker 4: I know they're only five points outside the playoffs, but
• 22:10
  Speaker 4: they're probably gonna have to win every game from here
• 22:12
  Speaker 4: on inwards to make a dend in this competition.
• 22:15
  Speaker 5: Yep, they do, and they're probably gonna they're gonna have
• 22:19
  Speaker 5: to do a bit more than they've done, I think,
• 22:21
  Speaker 5: because this limited game plan worked really well for them
• 22:25
  Speaker 5: last year and they've gone back to it and it
• 22:27
  Speaker 5: worked for them against Mouana and they got out of
• 22:31
  Speaker 5: jail against the Hurricanes, and they were worked in christ
• 22:35
  Speaker 5: Church where it was bucketing down with rain, so the
• 22:39
  Speaker 5: conditions suited that sort of up the guts, you know,
• 22:43
  Speaker 5: very rolling more one off carries very limited game plan,
• 22:48
  Speaker 5: but it was it's not gonna be enough, No it's not.
• 22:52
  Speaker 4: And it was incredibly limited, I thought on the weekend
• 22:54
  Speaker 4: fim like Christie starting at half back, I think had
• 22:56
  Speaker 4: one run for no meters. Just ponderous at times, I thought.
• 23:01
  Speaker 4: And then when Sam Not comes on, you're tiring defenses
• 23:04
  Speaker 4: everything like that. But he makes a few snipes around
• 23:07
  Speaker 4: the edges, scores a try. I think he beat a
• 23:10
  Speaker 4: couple of defenders, ran for twenty five odd meters. He
• 23:14
  Speaker 4: added a spark. Tolfa Funaki did that last year. I
• 23:17
  Speaker 4: think they need to make a change at half back.
• 23:19
  Speaker 4: They should have Boden Barrett back starting this week after
• 23:21
  Speaker 4: illness last week, but they're not. I mean, I criticized
• 23:26
  Speaker 4: the loose Fortrair before, but again they need quick ball
• 23:29
  Speaker 4: and they're just not getting it either out to their
• 23:31
  Speaker 4: back line.
• 23:32
  Speaker 5: Yeah, I mean, you put Boden Barrett back in that team.
• 23:35
  Speaker 5: You bring back Dalton Papale and Caleb Clark from injury.
• 23:39
  Speaker 5: But you know, Harry Plumber won took the Blues to
• 23:43
  Speaker 5: a championship last year and all teams suffer injury, So yeah,
• 23:47
  Speaker 5: you can clutch for excuses, but the Blues should be
• 23:50
  Speaker 5: much better than that. That was one of the worst
• 23:52
  Speaker 5: performances of the year with their season on the line,
• 23:55
  Speaker 5: and yeah, it's just been that sort of season.
• 23:59
  Speaker 3: It has been.
• 23:59
  Speaker 4: The Chiefs continue to be top of the table, fifty
• 24:02
  Speaker 4: six to twenty two over the Force. Look, the Force
• 24:05
  Speaker 4: were fifteen all at one stage, but similar to the
• 24:08
  Speaker 4: Highlands previous week, once the Chiefs warm up very very
• 24:11
  Speaker 4: hard to stop, they went with six or two bench.
• 24:13
  Speaker 4: We saw Cecidi come on for ten minutes at the
• 24:16
  Speaker 4: end court is Rantom and moved to the wing. Antonine
• 24:19
  Speaker 4: Brown suffered a hand or alm injury, so that's a
• 24:23
  Speaker 4: worry for the Chiefs. But when they got into their
• 24:26
  Speaker 4: work they were hard to stop and the fourth squad
• 24:29
  Speaker 4: had a couple of nice tries, but ultimately they don't
• 24:32
  Speaker 4: have it what it takes to match it.
• 24:34
  Speaker 3: With the Chiefs.
• 24:35
  Speaker 5: No, they don't, And it's sort of going to script,
• 24:38
  Speaker 5: isn't it. It felt like, always felt like that would
• 24:41
  Speaker 5: be a blowout. First of all, great to see the
• 24:45
  Speaker 5: Chiefs take a game to Mount Monganui bay Oval. I
• 24:48
  Speaker 5: thought the whole set up around that in terms of
• 24:51
  Speaker 5: the temporary stands. It's not an easy thing to do
• 24:55
  Speaker 5: to make a rugby ground at a cricket oval, so
• 24:58
  Speaker 5: you traditionally a long way from the ground, and I
• 25:01
  Speaker 5: think I would like to see that more, whether that
• 25:03
  Speaker 5: be the Blues going to I don't know Northlands that
• 25:08
  Speaker 5: they do once a year, but the Hurricanes could go
• 25:10
  Speaker 5: to Napier more often. You know these big stadiums are empty.
• 25:16
  Speaker 4: Well, the Crusaders haven't played in Nelson for years, and
• 25:20
  Speaker 4: think about how big Tasman's been as part of their success.
• 25:22
  Speaker 2: In recent massive yeah, the players.
• 25:25
  Speaker 5: Yeah yeah, maybe maybe they should deflect like the like Taranaki.
• 25:30
  Speaker 4: We'll keep them, thank you very much. Hard to know,
• 25:33
  Speaker 4: read too much into that. Chiefs just too good, but
• 25:35
  Speaker 4: great to see washed the TV back out there ahead
• 25:37
  Speaker 4: of schedule. I heard a few whispers last week that
• 25:39
  Speaker 4: he was this is before the team was named, that
• 25:41
  Speaker 4: it was maybe three weeks away, and then all of
• 25:42
  Speaker 4: a sudden he gets named in the team. You know,
• 25:44
  Speaker 4: picks up the ball and runs with it essentially with
• 25:46
  Speaker 4: that ten minutes on the park and I'm sure it'll
• 25:48
  Speaker 4: probably come off the bench again against the Hurricanes this week.
• 25:51
  Speaker 4: But boy, you know, he's back and it's great to
• 25:54
  Speaker 4: see him out there.
• 25:54
  Speaker 2: It is.
• 25:55
  Speaker 5: He is an absolute weapon for his own rugby. He
• 25:58
  Speaker 5: was one of the best, if not the best players
• 26:01
  Speaker 5: in the world last year and still very much in
• 26:04
  Speaker 5: the infancy of his career. But his power, his pace
• 26:08
  Speaker 5: for a big man is footwork just exceptional.
• 26:11
  Speaker 2: Also, Ammonia Nadaua.
• 26:13
  Speaker 5: Has hit some real form for the Chiefs and really
• 26:15
  Speaker 5: staking our claim I think for that All Blacks right
• 26:18
  Speaker 5: wing spot. Samasoni Takyaho and his one hundredth game for
• 26:23
  Speaker 5: the Chiefs I thought was impressive.
• 26:24
  Speaker 2: Olin Norris huge.
• 26:26
  Speaker 3: Yeah, wasn't he a magnificent.
• 26:27
  Speaker 5: Off the bench? Was that after five ten minutes he
• 26:31
  Speaker 5: was everywhere. Quinta Pia was good as well. And Antonina
• 26:35
  Speaker 5: Brown's absence so yes, Josh Jacobs.
• 26:38
  Speaker 3: I thought it was Josh j Adens performs at ten
• 26:39
  Speaker 3: as well.
• 26:40
  Speaker 5: Yeah, and Damien mckinn's's absence easier to look good and
• 26:44
  Speaker 5: that match than I think his last start was in
• 26:48
  Speaker 5: Laotoka or in Fiji when it was driving rain and
• 26:51
  Speaker 5: the Chiefs lose that game.
• 26:52
  Speaker 2: So yeah.
• 26:53
  Speaker 5: Good to see a very very promising young ten comeback
• 26:56
  Speaker 5: and stamp is authority there as well.
• 26:58
  Speaker 4: Certainly is let's sacer break. Here on Rugby Direct, powered
• 27:01
  Speaker 4: by our friends that habit, health, tackling or your aches
• 27:03
  Speaker 4: and pains from sport and work.
• 27:06
  Speaker 1: This is Rugby Direct podcast for real rugby fans. Every
• 27:13
  Speaker 1: try drive.
• 27:14
  Speaker 4: Had sixty six, every tackle tack tackles, get up again,
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• 27:21
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• 27:21
  Speaker 2: It's Rugby Direct.
• 27:24
  Speaker 4: Time now for our final four on Rugby Direct. Four
• 27:27
  Speaker 4: rugby topics Liam and myself to bake them. Topic number one,
• 27:31
  Speaker 4: will you draw a line under the blues or through
• 27:34
  Speaker 4: the blues?
• 27:35
  Speaker 3: I should say.
• 27:38
  Speaker 5: I'm going to preface this, so the Blues will make
• 27:41
  Speaker 5: the playoffs, okay, but they will not win the title.
• 27:45
  Speaker 3: You reckon They'll sneak in.
• 27:46
  Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, it is a very winnable run home.
• 27:50
  Speaker 5: So I think they will make the playoffs, but they
• 27:54
  Speaker 5: don't have what it takes to win the title this year.
• 27:56
  Speaker 4: If they played the Chief Sal Crusaders in the opening week,
• 27:59
  Speaker 4: could you see them winning that?
• 28:01
  Speaker 5: Yeah, I wouldn't rule them out of that, but I
• 28:03
  Speaker 5: don't think they have the capacity to win back to
• 28:06
  Speaker 5: back big games, big five final schemes.
• 28:10
  Speaker 4: I don't think they do either. I think I'll make
• 28:11
  Speaker 4: the plant. I'm similar to you. I think I'll make
• 28:13
  Speaker 4: the playoffs, but I can't see them winning this title.
• 28:15
  Speaker 4: I think the Tottle defense is done. They run their race.
• 28:18
  Speaker 4: Topic Number two is it time to re sign Rob
• 28:20
  Speaker 4: Henney at the Crusaders. Now, I know a bit of
• 28:24
  Speaker 4: reporting last week, so you said they put it back
• 28:25
  Speaker 4: to the end of the season, but boys some time
• 28:28
  Speaker 4: for Rock and Rob to be given a couple more years.
• 28:32
  Speaker 2: Rob the great.
• 28:32
  Speaker 5: Yeah, Well, let's dive into this a bit because you
• 28:37
  Speaker 5: and I were highly critical of Rob last year and
• 28:40
  Speaker 5: we said that the Crusaders should have punted him. That's,
• 28:45
  Speaker 5: you know, a lot of what happened last year, and
• 28:47
  Speaker 5: there were in terms of what flowed out of that,
• 28:50
  Speaker 5: there was a lot of criticism about his selections and
• 28:54
  Speaker 5: his coaching, and I know things didn't go right, but
• 28:57
  Speaker 5: there were clearly a lot of issues that they have addressed.
• 29:00
  Speaker 5: So expand this question out. Did the Crusaders do the
• 29:04
  Speaker 5: right thing by not punting him?
• 29:07
  Speaker 4: I think that did. Yeah, I think they did that.
• 29:12
  Speaker 4: They've clearly learned from their lessons and I think that's
• 29:15
  Speaker 4: ultimately all you could possibly ask is that they did
• 29:18
  Speaker 4: some things wrong last year. The coaching perhaps was not
• 29:21
  Speaker 4: what the team needed, and this year, whether it results
• 29:25
  Speaker 4: in a title, whether it results in an early playoffecks
• 29:28
  Speaker 4: or whatever might have been, seem to have learned that
• 29:29
  Speaker 4: lessons and they've gone back to what they know as
• 29:32
  Speaker 4: Crusades players have found a rhythm there. And I thought
• 29:36
  Speaker 4: it was an interesting point piece from Gregor Paul on
• 29:38
  Speaker 4: The Hero on the Weekend talking about the difference between
• 29:40
  Speaker 4: the Blues and this Crusaders team, and the Blues winning
• 29:43
  Speaker 4: that title but not knowing how to kick on with it.
• 29:45
  Speaker 4: The Crusaders obviously being very poor last year, but finding
• 29:49
  Speaker 4: a way back into it. And that's the difference between
• 29:51
  Speaker 4: a championship winning club and a dynasty winning club. And
• 29:56
  Speaker 4: I think they made the right decision in the end
• 29:58
  Speaker 4: to keep him. Credit to them, and he's probably earned
• 30:01
  Speaker 4: a renewal of some sort, whether it results in a
• 30:03
  Speaker 4: title this year. I think he's worthy of at least
• 30:05
  Speaker 4: another season at the Helm.
• 30:07
  Speaker 5: Yeah, it's interesting America, isn't I think they've clearly learned
• 30:12
  Speaker 5: from their lessons. I think Brad Moore coming back has
• 30:15
  Speaker 5: brought quite a bit of coaching experience. You know, Bradmore
• 30:19
  Speaker 5: had a really tough time with the All Blacks. He
• 30:21
  Speaker 5: was punted from there, but he has been around, He
• 30:25
  Speaker 5: went to Scotland and I think he has helped their
• 30:29
  Speaker 5: attack coming back. Look, are we very surprised if the
• 30:32
  Speaker 5: Crusaders don't keep them for some length of time. I'm
• 30:37
  Speaker 5: still on the fence about whether he's a brilliant coach,
• 30:41
  Speaker 5: but look on the basis of what they've done this year,
• 30:46
  Speaker 5: I think you'd have to probably extend them for another year.
• 30:48
  Speaker 5: It gives you a bit of time and they need
• 30:51
  Speaker 5: a succession plane He's not They're not going to sign
• 30:54
  Speaker 5: them for another four years, but you could give him
• 30:57
  Speaker 5: another year and start working through what that looks like.
• 31:01
  Speaker 4: Beyond that, well, Tomody Alison was the succession plan that
• 31:04
  Speaker 4: seems like a feely open secret and never quite came
• 31:05
  Speaker 4: to pass. Because now he's permanent member of the All Blacks.
• 31:10
  Speaker 4: There are coaches out there. Maybe you can tempt someone
• 31:13
  Speaker 4: to come home again. It wasn't that long ago that
• 31:16
  Speaker 4: you know, you're talking about maybe Leo maczagle back to
• 31:18
  Speaker 4: the Crusaders or you know, someone like that and so
• 31:21
  Speaker 4: worthy of an extension, but maybe not a long term one.
• 31:24
  Speaker 5: Yeah, and it is hard to sit here now and
• 31:27
  Speaker 5: say who would take over from him. You've got guys
• 31:29
  Speaker 5: like Ross Philippo and the Wings. Maybe Brad Moore has
• 31:32
  Speaker 5: designs on that. Joe Schmitt's going to be potentially out
• 31:37
  Speaker 5: of a gig but maybe still involved with the Wallabies.
• 31:39
  Speaker 5: We've led less Kiss expected to be announced as their
• 31:44
  Speaker 5: head coach of this week, so there's no really made
• 31:49
  Speaker 5: guy to just slot in there. And the way they
• 31:51
  Speaker 5: performed this year, he deserves an extension. And yeah, I'm
• 31:56
  Speaker 5: sure you run outside of christ which will be hoping
• 31:58
  Speaker 5: that twenty twenty four revives itself.
• 32:02
  Speaker 4: Nope, well maybe outside of you know, the promised lamb.
• 32:06
  Speaker 4: Sure and to bot number three women wicklif back for
• 32:09
  Speaker 4: the Black Ferns backflipping. I suppose on her retirement, is
• 32:14
  Speaker 4: she capable of leading them to the World Cup title
• 32:17
  Speaker 4: single handedly?
• 32:18
  Speaker 2: Not single handedly?
• 32:19
  Speaker 5: No, no, but it is a Phillip massive coup to
• 32:24
  Speaker 5: get her back. She's an inspirational figure on and off
• 32:29
  Speaker 5: the fields, but no, she can't do it alone. And
• 32:33
  Speaker 5: one of the big things with this World Cup will
• 32:36
  Speaker 5: be obviously the forward play of England.
• 32:38
  Speaker 2: So they've gone on it.
• 32:39
  Speaker 5: They are on another massive unbeaten run and the kicking
• 32:43
  Speaker 5: game in particular. And it is interesting when you think
• 32:46
  Speaker 5: back to the way the Black Ferns won their title
• 32:48
  Speaker 5: last time. It was really attack, it's all costs at
• 32:55
  Speaker 5: gay Eband and it was just offloads pace. You know,
• 32:58
  Speaker 5: that was Wayne Smith's blueprints. So can do the Black
• 33:03
  Speaker 5: Ferns have the ability to find because they're not going
• 33:06
  Speaker 5: to have that same blueprint with one and Smith not involved,
• 33:09
  Speaker 5: and they.
• 33:12
  Speaker 3: Do.
• 33:12
  Speaker 5: They have the ability to play England, not at their
• 33:16
  Speaker 5: own game, but to find that balance between getting enough
• 33:20
  Speaker 5: Ford parody, stopping England's more and then having the ability
• 33:24
  Speaker 5: to kick and then bring in your attack.
• 33:27
  Speaker 3: That is the question.
• 33:28
  Speaker 4: Look, I wasn't all that impressed from what I saw
• 33:30
  Speaker 4: from England during the Women's six Nations. They beat France
• 33:34
  Speaker 4: by a point on the weekend to win the crown.
• 33:36
  Speaker 4: John Mitchell making a few changes to basically try and
• 33:39
  Speaker 4: build some depth as well, So hard to read too
• 33:42
  Speaker 4: much into it from a World Cup perspective. There was
• 33:44
  Speaker 4: a bit of chopping and changing, but I wasn't really
• 33:46
  Speaker 4: overly impressed by England during that campaign. Having said that
• 33:49
  Speaker 4: they go on as the heavy gust to favorites, but
• 33:51
  Speaker 4: Portia Willi and Wickliff her ultimate power with ball in hand,
• 33:55
  Speaker 4: the lines that she runs. You add in Georgia Miller
• 33:58
  Speaker 4: to that forward pack. You added you know, Sacy Waker,
• 34:02
  Speaker 4: Racy Poldy Lane, You add in some of these new
• 34:04
  Speaker 4: players that are impressed and all picky, like Brax and
• 34:06
  Speaker 4: Sorrens and McGee Tolp for basin. It changes the complexion
• 34:09
  Speaker 4: of what was a fairly pedestrian black Ferns seen last year.
• 34:13
  Speaker 4: I mean, it shouldn't necessarily take these players coming in
• 34:15
  Speaker 4: to do that, but you can elevate it there and
• 34:19
  Speaker 4: I think they can make a difference. You're right, pusha
• 34:21
  Speaker 4: wooden will Cliff isn't going to do it alone. But
• 34:23
  Speaker 4: if you were able to pick one player to make
• 34:25
  Speaker 4: a difference, it would be her.
• 34:27
  Speaker 5: Oh shit, yeah, and she's a phenomenal athlete. Yeah, she's
• 34:31
  Speaker 5: at the back end of her career, but she is
• 34:35
  Speaker 5: a Lomu esque type player in terms of her individual
• 34:39
  Speaker 5: ability to run through or around or get a turnover
• 34:44
  Speaker 5: to lift her teammates. And yeah, I really do hope
• 34:48
  Speaker 5: the Black Ferns still retain the essence of what they
• 34:51
  Speaker 5: had for three years ago in terms of their basic
• 34:56
  Speaker 5: skill sets because I still think that that is superior
• 34:59
  Speaker 5: to what other nations have to offer, the ability to
• 35:04
  Speaker 5: offload and keep the ball alive. But yeah, they will
• 35:07
  Speaker 5: need to strike that balance.
• 35:08
  Speaker 4: Topic done before Chiefs Crusaders final. Are you prepared to
• 35:11
  Speaker 4: say and lock that in or can you say there's
• 35:17
  Speaker 4: the cane train.
• 35:18
  Speaker 2: Main trains coming out of.
• 35:19
  Speaker 4: Fifth mate, they're fifteen points off of the top two.
• 35:22
  Speaker 4: Sure they can't make an impact in the playoffs.
• 35:25
  Speaker 2: Look, no, I am going to lock that in.
• 35:27
  Speaker 4: I thought the Brumbies before the weekend, if they've beating
• 35:30
  Speaker 4: the Hurricanes, they're knocking right on the door of that
• 35:32
  Speaker 4: top three. They have the Crusaders at home still to come.
• 35:36
  Speaker 4: But the Brumbies were Look, they played the part on
• 35:38
  Speaker 4: the weekend, but losing that game just you know, it
• 35:41
  Speaker 4: opens the door to those other teams and probably makes
• 35:44
  Speaker 4: me less confident that the Brumbies can play a role
• 35:46
  Speaker 4: in stopping one of those two teams in their march
• 35:49
  Speaker 4: to the final.
• 35:50
  Speaker 2: Yeah. I can't see the Brumbies doing that.
• 35:52
  Speaker 5: The Chiefs and Crusaders do look by far and away
• 35:54
  Speaker 5: the two best teams in the comp. I do think
• 35:58
  Speaker 5: on their day the Blues and the Hurricanes in a
• 36:00
  Speaker 5: one off finals match have the potential to upset their
• 36:04
  Speaker 5: apple carts. But at this point I would say and
• 36:08
  Speaker 5: Crusaders final.
• 36:09
  Speaker 4: The Reads potentially as well, but I if they're at home.
• 36:12
  Speaker 3: Yes, A weighed not so much against the New Zealand side.
• 36:16
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I still think on the balance of power.
• 36:20
  Speaker 5: For all that we've seen this year in terms of
• 36:24
  Speaker 5: the Kiwi teams prior to the Hurricanes win, struggling not
• 36:27
  Speaker 5: getting a win in Australia, what was that? This was
• 36:30
  Speaker 5: it the sixth attempt, so we had five four losses
• 36:36
  Speaker 5: I think it was, and one draw from New Zealand
• 36:38
  Speaker 5: teams in Australia, so it has been a graveyard this
• 36:42
  Speaker 5: season prior to the Hurricanes. So yeah, you don't want
• 36:44
  Speaker 5: to be going to Australia, particularly because then you've got
• 36:46
  Speaker 5: to come home the following week if you wine. But
• 36:49
  Speaker 5: on the balance of power, I think the Australian teams
• 36:52
  Speaker 5: are a couple of rings are rung down, so Chiefs
• 36:56
  Speaker 5: and Crusaders for me. But yeah, don't discount the Cane
• 36:59
  Speaker 5: train or all the Blues in a one off finals match.
• 37:04
  Speaker 4: Right tipping time, we both had four correct tips of
• 37:07
  Speaker 4: five on the weekend. Difference was I picked the Reds,
• 37:10
  Speaker 4: you picked the Blues. I picked the Brumbies, you picked
• 37:13
  Speaker 4: the Canes. So other than that we were on the
• 37:15
  Speaker 4: same But I still lead by six points and that's
• 37:17
  Speaker 4: great news. Blues force Friday night footy at Eden Park,
• 37:21
  Speaker 4: May the force be with you.
• 37:23
  Speaker 5: May the force be with those trying to get punters.
• 37:27
  Speaker 5: So to be diabolic on Friday could be challenging. Moana
• 37:31
  Speaker 5: It's Mount Smash. Yeah, look the Blues won that, but
• 37:35
  Speaker 5: there will be very few people where to witness.
• 37:38
  Speaker 4: I don't think it's gonna be one of those ones
• 37:39
  Speaker 4: that you tell your grandkids about that. You're in the
• 37:40
  Speaker 4: stands for Drew It against the Reds two way five
• 37:44
  Speaker 4: Saturday afternoon Drew at home.
• 37:47
  Speaker 3: Interesting one, isn't it?
• 37:48
  Speaker 2: Yes? Is it Lowa Tokyo.
• 37:52
  Speaker 3: Pass?
• 37:53
  Speaker 2: I guess I think the Reds win the.
• 37:55
  Speaker 3: HTFC Bank Stadium. That's some super reads.
• 38:00
  Speaker 4: Uh Drew hurricanes cheaps the time for the cane train
• 38:06
  Speaker 4: back on supposedly on the tracks.
• 38:07
  Speaker 3: Does it get derailed this week at skyt Stadium.
• 38:10
  Speaker 5: Too, Elliott, That's all you need to get on the case.
• 38:13
  Speaker 4: I'm going to the Chiefs Brumbi's Wartas interesting game for
• 38:17
  Speaker 4: the both of these teams. The Wartars now on the
• 38:19
  Speaker 4: outside looking in of the top six. They need to win,
• 38:22
  Speaker 4: but they're heading to Canberra.
• 38:25
  Speaker 5: I'm going to go with the Brumbies. I think being
• 38:27
  Speaker 5: humbled at home will hurt and they'll bounce back.
• 38:30
  Speaker 2: Yeah.
• 38:30
  Speaker 4: I think the Brumbies as well. Highland is Mowana pacifica.
• 38:33
  Speaker 4: This one under the roof in Dunedin on a Sunday
• 38:36
  Speaker 4: afternoon at three thirty five.
• 38:38
  Speaker 2: It's great see Sunday afternoon foot, isn't it is? This
• 38:42
  Speaker 2: is a really relime game. You know what I'm going minor.
• 38:48
  Speaker 4: I'm going to get the Highlanders at home to bounce back,
• 38:51
  Speaker 4: but not with a lot of confidence. Rugby Derek Meddal
• 38:56
  Speaker 4: voting time three two ones. Aardie Saviller out on top
• 38:59
  Speaker 4: with thirteen, Boden Barrett twelve and a three way tie
• 39:02
  Speaker 4: for third to more Dove, Niway, Patrick Palegrini in quinte
• 39:07
  Speaker 4: pie limb you three two ones.
• 39:09
  Speaker 5: Yes, Elliott, Well with the cane train back, there will
• 39:12
  Speaker 5: be no shock to you that Billy Proctor takes my
• 39:14
  Speaker 5: three exceptional performance from a future all Black center Kenning
• 39:19
  Speaker 5: a holo of two his best performance for the best
• 39:23
  Speaker 5: performance here bumping, thumping.
• 39:25
  Speaker 3: Hear to go the queen sweep here Hurrican.
• 39:27
  Speaker 5: I was very tempted to put Cam Morrigan in there,
• 39:30
  Speaker 5: but look props to the prop Olin Norris, absolute weapon
• 39:34
  Speaker 5: off the bench for the Chiefs.
• 39:35
  Speaker 2: So he gets my one right.
• 39:38
  Speaker 4: Some ballots required to this conversation will Jordan's three points.
• 39:43
  Speaker 4: Billy propped at two points. He was very good as
• 39:45
  Speaker 4: we're discussed, and one to look Jacobson, who I thought
• 39:49
  Speaker 4: played exceptionally well. He seems to be developing a bit
• 39:52
  Speaker 4: more of his carrying game as well. We've seen that
• 39:54
  Speaker 4: on the weekend. I yeah, really liking the way that
• 39:57
  Speaker 4: he's playing and leading this Chiefs team as well. So
• 40:00
  Speaker 4: he gets my one point this week.
• 40:02
  Speaker 5: Yeah, your Crusader's hookers. Both of them were very good too.
• 40:05
  Speaker 5: Cody Taylor was exceptional.
• 40:07
  Speaker 4: Quick question then before we wrap up, three All Black
• 40:10
  Speaker 4: sookers in the All Black squad?
• 40:11
  Speaker 3: Who are they?
• 40:13
  Speaker 2: Well, mine's a wee bit boring.
• 40:15
  Speaker 5: I'm going Taylor, SAMASONI, Takyajo, and us for Armore, even
• 40:19
  Speaker 5: though our Moore has been really off his game this
• 40:22
  Speaker 5: year and struggle with injuries and hasn't played a lot.
• 40:24
  Speaker 2: But those are my three still.
• 40:28
  Speaker 4: Taylor, Takyaho, Why not two the Bolt the boulta twenty
• 40:34
  Speaker 4: one year old by I think I really liked what
• 40:36
  Speaker 4: Armor did for the All Blacks this year, but he
• 40:37
  Speaker 4: hasn't got the form at the moment for the Hurricanes.
• 40:40
  Speaker 4: He may find that over the closing stages once his
• 40:42
  Speaker 4: team gets a bit more confidence. If this Cane train
• 40:45
  Speaker 4: is rolling as you seem to think it will be,
• 40:48
  Speaker 4: but as it stands, I think that's those are the
• 40:51
  Speaker 4: three that I go with. I think Takio is coming
• 40:53
  Speaker 4: back into it after a long time out of the game,
• 40:58
  Speaker 4: finding his Form now played his one hundredth on the
• 41:00
  Speaker 4: weekend and so I'd give him the not over um more.
• 41:04
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean on Form, that's a fair call.
• 41:08
  Speaker 5: Who has been exceptional for the Crusaders this year and
• 41:11
  Speaker 5: had a lot more game time than what he would
• 41:14
  Speaker 5: have expected to and taken that and run with it.
• 41:16
  Speaker 5: He is another in that mold of a dynamic, destructive
• 41:21
  Speaker 5: ball carrier and I think more he did step up
• 41:27
  Speaker 5: in a big way for the All Black Slash year.
• 41:28
  Speaker 5: But there probably are still concerns around his line out
• 41:32
  Speaker 5: throwing under pressure. But I would be surprised if they
• 41:35
  Speaker 5: went away from those three.
• 41:37
  Speaker 3: Indeed. Well that wraps it up for Rugby Direct for
• 41:39
  Speaker 3: another week, Limb, you're away.
• 41:40
  Speaker 5: Next week I am going to check on the rival
• 41:43
  Speaker 5: code a little bit of five tackle kick in Brisbane.
• 41:46
  Speaker 5: So yes, I'll be soaking up the what they call
• 41:51
  Speaker 5: it the brown Snake in Brisbane.
• 41:53
  Speaker 2: That's the river, oh right.
• 41:56
  Speaker 5: Somewhere else floating up there to sun Corp four x
• 42:00
  Speaker 5: something like that.
• 42:01
  Speaker 4: Yeah, all right, Well we'll catch you in a couple
• 42:03
  Speaker 4: of weeks on Rugby Director, Liam And thanks to Lars
• 42:06
  Speaker 4: and Bars English for time that's sort together. Thanks as
• 42:08
  Speaker 4: well to habit heath, tackling all your aches and pains from.
• 42:11
  Speaker 3: Support and work.
• 42:16
  Speaker 1: For more from News Talks at b Listen live on
• 42:18
  Speaker 1: air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
• 42:21
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