Latest / Rugby Rivals - Sir John Kirwan & Victor Matfield / JJK and Victor react to Champions Cup thrashing!
Transcript
- 0:00What a performance by Bordone and the boss, I've always sought.
- 0:03I wonder if you take that whole team and play against all Black or Springbok or a Irish team.
- 0:09I think they can take on international teams.
- 0:12There are some really good super games on the weekend too, Ricardo.
- 0:15Last week you were calling for it to be ended and then we had a full house on the hell of a game.
- 0:19So, have you caught much flak?
- 0:20Everyone says other games in good spirit, the coach.
- 0:23I don't believe in it, so that's my opinion and I'll stand by.
- 0:26What about Big Ben Tamafuna?
- 0:29Shouldn't they try and get him back in New Zealand, right?
- 0:32What a impact every time he gets them to the field.
- 0:35We've got 660 players playing overseas, Victor.
- 0:39But we can't pick them, Victor, they're ruined our game down here.
- 0:42I mean, but is that the base for your national team?
- 0:44Is that the base for the players?
- 0:46Why can't they go earn the most money and still play for all Blacks?
- 0:49Right, welcome to Rivals, we've got Ceylon Kuhn and the world's biggest netball dead.
- 1:00Victor Matthew, that's a netball going, mate.
- 1:02Yes, we had a fantastic day yesterday.
- 1:06Yeah, it's so nice to sport your kids and I must have got a tough week this week.
- 1:12My little one, that is 12, he's playing two games.
- 1:16My middle one is playing two games and my oldest one is playing four games.
- 1:20So I'm all in to netball this week.
- 1:24Do you comment at all, Victor, like technically, do you do any coaching?
- 1:31I think I can.
- 1:33The amount of netball I'm watching probably shall put netball directly at the moment.
- 1:38But yeah, just love supporting the goals and my oldest one went through a bit of a tough time
- 1:45and yesterday should really bleed a wall, so I've shown up before it.
- 1:48That's good.
- 1:49That's good.
- 1:50I was brought up on netball.
- 1:51My mum was a netball coach and I had three older sisters, but I asked you whether you
- 1:55coach because I went to watch my son.
- 1:57I agree with you.
- 1:58I think watching your kids play is amazing, but I went to watch my son, you know, he's
- 2:03doing rowing and I sort of said a couple of things that he said, Dad, the best thing
- 2:07for you to do is do the barbecue for the parents and don't say anything.
- 2:11That's the base, just be there.
- 2:13That's a good point.
- 2:14It's always good.
- 2:15Well, how did you pick Skull and the Champions Cup final?
- 2:19Yeah, I think last week I said I think we'll do us a team to beat and again, we spoke
- 2:26about the way they play.
- 2:30It must be a worry for Ireland as well.
- 2:31I mean, they just got dominated physically.
- 2:35I mean, we all talk about Lukku and Jalibeer and that backline of Gordo, but I think it was
- 2:41a forward back.
- 2:43If you look at the collisions, every collision Bordeaux were going forward, even on the fence,
- 2:48they were just stopping Lentz in a track.
- 2:53So what a performance part we're doing and the pass I've always thought because I mean,
- 2:57Lentz is a national team and a national team and I was always thinking, Jake and Jodi
- 3:04with that blue team that you have, we had that blue team that really did well and super
- 3:09rugby.
- 3:10And if you take that whole team and play against all Black or Springbok or Irish team, now
- 3:17we'll let go.
- 3:18And I think Bordeaux showed last night, if you've got a proper club team, knowing each other,
- 3:24I mean, it's just there, they just understand each other.
- 3:27I think they can take on international teams.
- 3:30That's why I love the rivals tour because I think getting back to, you know, some of
- 3:36the worst games you play when you're on tour.
- 3:39I remember playing Rannwick, you remember that one, Ricardo, we played Rannwick at 988,
- 3:45it was just like horrible, you're right because they were just a really good side.
- 3:49That was a club side, you don't want to lose, but I think that, you're right, I think
- 3:52when they get those combinations, they were so superior to Lentz, they got to be worried
- 3:57about that.
- 3:58And I saw the interviews after, I know they're going to probably try and have it go at
- 4:02colour, right, and get rid of it.
- 4:06Do you think there is a difference between, because that's a great season, making the
- 4:11finals, right, that's a great season, but making the finals four times and losing or five
- 4:15times what it is, do you think there is a difference at that level between getting there
- 4:20and winning, what do you just think it's like becomes psychological, because they were
- 4:24pretty average mate in that first half, so many errors, I mean, they sort of couldn't
- 4:29get any rhythm because they just could make a dummy error.
- 4:32Yeah, but I think it's because of the pressure.
- 4:35I mean, this is probably in the, what's it, five losses that they had now, I mean, all
- 4:42the others, they were favourites going into it.
- 4:44This year they won the favourites, Bordeaux was definitely the favourites, so the, I don't
- 4:49think the pressure was on them, they also wonder, you are sea lost here, they probably
- 4:52got that baggy little bit of their back.
- 4:54I just believe they could have played completely, they couldn't compete with Bordeaux, I mean,
- 5:00like I said, physically they couldn't stand up to them, and then, like we said, I mean,
- 5:06they must be talks as well now about how far behind the point is Luca.
- 5:11I mean, Luca is playing fantastic rugby and that combination with Jalibar just works.
- 5:19Just the way they play together, Luca gets, get them in the right areas, Jalibar, sea
- 5:24this space, they just Jal together, so it will be interesting to see what they do for
- 5:30you to the French team.
- 5:32After the game, Rico's copped a bit of flak from some of the Irish fans, but you know,
- 5:39when you're a winger, you can speak from first hand experience.
- 5:43It's pretty tough if you're getting beaten up front to sort of try and turn the game
- 5:46from number 14.
- 5:48Yeah, I think what surprised me the most was, I don't know what happened, but he was
- 5:54playing, he was defending at centre a couple of times, and I don't know whether they shuffle
- 6:00it around, but he came into centre, but they were doing what I call close the gate, right,
- 6:05where you come from the outside in, and it's a high risk defensive model.
- 6:10And the only guy, the only guy that I reckon has ever been able to really, really effectively
- 6:15do it was Sean Edwards.
- 6:17Sean Edwards, when he was coaching sides, their outside in defence was amazing.
- 6:21So, Rico, only Sean Edwards, what about the boss, that's how they had a feeling.
- 6:27Yeah, but not as good as Sean Edwards coaches, right, come on.
- 6:30Come on.
- 6:31Seriously, I think Sean Edwards, you know, the other side of the defence for Lentzder.
- 6:38Jacques, me number.
- 6:42So I think Victor, he's from South Africa of course, there was a lot of talk and that's
- 6:48what I'm saying, because he's going to Sean Edwards.
- 6:50And you know, when ever Lentzder holds behind us because of Jacques, you can just, yeah,
- 6:55the defence of system, and we were actually, I was in CD on Saturday, and we were talking
- 6:59about it, and why is that a defensive system from outside in shutting down no more than
- 7:06two bosses, only working for South Africa, but Lentzder is not really getting there.
- 7:10And that we really believe is just that physicality.
- 7:13I mean, with the Springbok team, every time they make a tackle, they kill the ball,
- 7:18right there, it's slow ball, they can get into space again.
- 7:21Unfortunately, with Lentzder, although they're there, the first few phases, they don't
- 7:27slow the ball down.
- 7:28So it's quick ball, one clean out ruts and whatever it people on their feet.
- 7:35So if you wanted to fend like that, you need to physicality as well.
- 7:40But I also think everyone needs to be committed to it, and I think you've got to, you've
- 7:45got to have the, like, when the South Africans and when the French do it under Sean Edwards,
- 7:51they are all really, really aligned from a speed point of view.
- 7:55What I noticed the other day was that Rico came forward, but not everyone was with
- 8:00them, right?
- 8:01And you've really got to, they've got to be able to pass over you, and that's what South
- 8:05Africa and the French tries try to do when they close the gate.
- 8:08But these guys weren't coming fully committed to it, like you said, Victor.
- 8:13And so it's actually really, really dangerous.
- 8:16So I don't know what, I don't know what they were doing defensively, or whether there's,
- 8:20I don't know, I just thought it was really, a couple of soft tries.
- 8:24So yeah, I mean, but to get back to the Rico story, you know, like at a wedding score a
- 8:27few last week, you know, they've got dominated up front, like, Victor said, and it's really,
- 8:32really hard to try and do anything from the wing when you get dominated and going backwards.
- 8:37Yeah, so do you think the fans may be being a little bit hard on Rico and Juck?
- 8:42Yeah, I mean, look, I think that you've got to understand your football team and understand
- 8:48whether that's the defensive pattern for it.
- 8:52I think that when Warren Gatlin came down to New Zealand and he tried to do that with
- 8:56Waikato, it just didn't work, we're not great at that.
- 9:01Now, you close the gate from outside in just the winger, you can do that.
- 9:06But what we're talking about is the whole back line outside and just jamming as hard
- 9:09as they can.
- 9:11And it's not an easy defensive pattern, and I don't think it suits some football teams.
- 9:16I do want to know, you always say I talk about South African players.
- 9:20What about Big Ben Tamafuna?
- 9:22Shouldn't they try and get him back in New Zealand, right?
- 9:26What a impact every time he gets onto the field.
- 9:28I mean, he's cramming is good.
- 9:30I mean, he created two turnovers at the break down.
- 9:33There's no way of stopping him when he gets close to the line.
- 9:37Isn't there someone New Zealand must see if he can't get him back for a World Cup?
- 9:43Probably not, mate.
- 9:44No. Why not?
- 9:46Because I don't think it's the type of game that we're playing at the moment.
- 9:52I think Ben, you know, Ben was here.
- 9:55He might have changed as a player, but Ben, when he was here, you know,
- 9:59probably not as complete.
- 10:00I mean, a lot of our players aren't as complete when they go overseas,
- 10:04and he's probably got a whole lot better.
- 10:06But I think that the way we want to play the game, I don't think Ben had sued it.
- 10:10But isn't there the...
- 10:11I'm just thinking, I mean, we...
- 10:13Russia is looking at Godless audio that's starting.
- 10:15Is our alignment counts?
- 10:19I'm just, okay, he's playing overseas, so he's not allowed to play for your guys.
- 10:22But I think any...
- 10:25I mean, he's been outstanding every time he got onto the block,
- 10:28and you'll say maybe he's not mobile enough, but he got too nervous.
- 10:32I mean, every time he carries, he makes 5-10 meters.
- 10:35Why won't you pick him?
- 10:37Well, because to your point, JK, you know, are we judging him on his form
- 10:42when he was in New Zealand?
- 10:43Now have a look at him, he's left the country,
- 10:46he's gone to finishing school in France, he's got better.
- 10:49And how many of those are there?
- 10:53You know, Jamison Gibson Park.
- 10:55I coach Jamison Gibson Park.
- 10:57One of the most talented guys that I'd ever coached,
- 11:00but I don't think he was the complete footballer that he's become.
- 11:05Bundy R.K., so...
- 11:07I mean, we've got 660 players playing overseas, Victor.
- 11:11I mean, I don't know how many South Africans are playing overseas,
- 11:13but a lot of these guys get way better when they go overseas,
- 11:17because they're leaving so young.
- 11:18I mean, it's an ongoing argument,
- 11:20and no, we won't pick them, Victor, because our game would die here, mate.
- 11:25If we let them pick from overseas, no one would stay in New Zealand.
- 11:28So we've got to try and protect what we've got.
- 11:31And if we started picking guys from overseas,
- 11:33I reckon it would ruin our domestic game
- 11:35and where we're already struggling down here.
- 11:38So I think absolutely no way we can pick them.
- 11:41Are they way better players than when they're living in New Zealand?
- 11:43Yeah. I mean, I think a lot of them mature.
- 11:45They get better, they understand.
- 11:46They get different coaching, they become way more mature.
- 11:49They see a different whole way of living.
- 11:55But we can't pick them, Victor, who ruin our game down here.
- 11:59And you're bringing Chisland Chloe back, is that right?
- 12:03Yeah, it looks like Chisland is coming back to the stormers.
- 12:06It's pretty for me, he's not coming to the bulls, but, yeah,
- 12:10I think there's something we've found now
- 12:12with picking our players overseas.
- 12:14They go over, but most of them wants to come back
- 12:18and come finish South Africa, and that's great.
- 12:20I mean, they bring all that IP that they've learned
- 12:24all over the world back to our game.
- 12:25So, I mean, to have Chisland back in his stormers jersey
- 12:30will just be unbelievable.
- 12:33He's loved in Cape Town, and, yeah, I think
- 12:36the storm is going to be so much better.
- 12:40They've got to come back.
- 12:41They've got to come back.
- 12:42Can you explain, can you explain where you are
- 12:44so we can explain that announcement behind you?
- 12:47Yeah, that's my plan, leaving.
- 12:48I'm at the lounge, I'm in the lounge, really to fly back to Auckland.
- 12:57I've been in Christchurch all day.
- 12:59Yeah, but I think now that it's a good point,
- 13:05like I think we've got guys, I think there's 45 guys
- 13:07leaving New Zealand this year, and a lot of them are young.
- 13:12I mean, look at Raiassi at fullback, so good.
- 13:15I mean, he left 18 months ago, still a young man,
- 13:19and there he was in, he left New Zealand to go to pro-do or something,
- 13:25and now he's playing fullback for big land.
- 13:28Like, what a big land, like how good.
- 13:31So, I agree with you.
- 13:33I think it can be a financial thing, and then New Zealand,
- 13:36I don't know what it's like in South Africa, but if we,
- 13:39maybe we need to start sending them younger,
- 13:41so send them at 23, and then they can come back at 26 or 27,
- 13:45when they're matured, and then contribute back to New Zealand.
- 13:49But we're not doing enough, we're not thinking outside the square
- 13:53enough in this country, Victor.
- 13:55We're always saying, oh, we can't keep our players,
- 13:57so they're going on financials about it.
- 13:59There must be some other solutions,
- 14:01and I would love to have that conversation
- 14:03about what they are, partnerships with teams overseas,
- 14:06CN3 or 4 young guys, letting them to make their money,
- 14:09then bring them back, but we're losing way too many players.
- 14:12So, the good thing is, that's exactly what this shows about JK
- 14:15is to find those answers.
- 14:16So, you know, we've got two rugby geniuses in yourself and Victor.
- 14:20And what about the idea of sort of having, say,
- 14:22like an apprenticeship scheme where you have spot young talent,
- 14:25and say, you know what, go to France for three to five years,
- 14:29you know, and we'll bring you back at 25, 26, 27, or whatever,
- 14:33and we've invested in you, so, you know,
- 14:36that's when we're going to get the value.
- 14:39Well, you have to, when you say investment, Ricardo,
- 14:41what are you saying?
- 14:42What would have to do is keep them on some sort of retainer?
- 14:45Because there's a couple of things that we don't do in rugby.
- 14:49We don't have transfer fees, and we also have agents, right?
- 14:54And the agent's got to do what they think's best for the player.
- 14:57So, unless we're actually going to invest, which means,
- 14:59say, someone like RIRC, if we thought he was going to be good,
- 15:03you'd have to pay him a retainer or do something to bring him back.
- 15:06But I still think it's a conversation.
- 15:08I still think there's a better conversation around
- 15:10how we should be able to retain our players.
- 15:14Even tax, like the Irish have a tax break.
- 15:19So, if you play in Ireland, if you don't go overseas,
- 15:22you get, I think about, I don't know exactly,
- 15:25but you get a lot of your tax back when you retire.
- 15:27We could even try and do something like that.
- 15:29We could have a referendum in our country
- 15:31and try and see if we do that, but we've got to change something.
- 15:35I'm just, I still think you're missing the opportunity
- 15:39to allow your players.
- 15:41I mean, we're playing professional sport.
- 15:42It's a professional era.
- 15:45Players must earn the most they can while they play,
- 15:48and they must still be allowed to play for their country.
- 15:51I mean, when Russia started in South Africa, I was,
- 15:55Jake, I was like you, but what about our local teams?
- 15:58What about our provincial teams?
- 16:00We won't be able to compete in super rugby and years.
- 16:03Maybe we're not as strong.
- 16:04That's why we're not at a champion's cup final yet,
- 16:07because a lot of our top players are playing overseas.
- 16:10But I mean, normally 80% almost of your budget
- 16:15in a club or let's say South African rugby
- 16:19or New Zealand rugby goes to your top players.
- 16:21Now they play overseas, so you don't have to pay them.
- 16:24You can use that money for development.
- 16:26So let them go play overseas.
- 16:28Your younger players get opportunity much earlier
- 16:31in the system, so they develop quicker.
- 16:34And then you bring them back to play for your national team.
- 16:37I still don't understand why you want to protect.
- 16:40I mean, you the top four teams in super rugby.
- 16:43How much better can you do?
- 16:45I mean, but is that the best for your national team?
- 16:47Is that the best for the players?
- 16:49I mean, they only got a window of 10 years to earn money.
- 16:52Why can't they go earn the most money
- 16:54and still play for the whole place?
- 16:55Yeah, look, I don't disagree with that discussion, Bukka.
- 17:01What I'm scared of is that we don't have the base
- 17:05that you have in South Africa.
- 17:07I don't know if we have the amount of players
- 17:11that would make the competition attractive enough
- 17:14for our game to continue to thrive.
- 17:16Like the biggest problem I have
- 17:18is that some of our biggest rugby schools
- 17:20now have more football teams.
- 17:22You know, there's more young kids playing soccer.
- 17:25Our game, we need to, and people will say,
- 17:28I'll look, you know, other numbers are up
- 17:31and all that sort of stuff, but the reality is,
- 17:34you know, we're competing in a really tight market
- 17:36and we're a really, really small nation.
- 17:38We've got five million people, Bukka.
- 17:40You've got 65 million, you know?
- 17:42It's a bigger demographic.
- 17:44So I don't disagree with you.
- 17:46I think that maybe there's somewhere in between
- 17:50where if you've played 25 or 30 tests,
- 17:53matches for the whole black,
- 17:54you can then be selected if you go overseas.
- 17:57So maybe there's somewhere in the middle.
- 17:59Okay, what about the fact that, you know,
- 18:01even in Super Rugby,
- 18:03Zealand players can't go and play
- 18:05for Queensland New South Wales
- 18:07and be selected for the All Blacks?
- 18:09Yeah, I don't agree with that.
- 18:10So what I'd like to see in our game,
- 18:13I'd like to see our Super Rugby change.
- 18:16I'd like to see South Africa come back
- 18:17and bid in a European cup type game, right?
- 18:20So we play our normal competition
- 18:23and then we break into a European cup.
- 18:26We bring the Japanese and we bring the South Africans in.
- 18:28We bring possibly American side in
- 18:31and we play these round robins.
- 18:33And then if you're playing with in that competition,
- 18:36then you actually can be selected for the All Blacks.
- 18:41So if you're playing in a top team in Japan
- 18:43and that Japan team comes down and plays the blues
- 18:45in a high looking cup or European cup,
- 18:47whatever you call it, then yeah,
- 18:49I just think we need to think a little bit differently
- 18:52around our competitions.
- 18:53I'd like to bring South Africa back in.
- 18:56You can cut that out of the tape recorder
- 18:57because I don't really want people to know.
- 18:59I said that.
- 19:01But we need to do something a little bit different
- 19:03also from a professional point of view.
- 19:05We need to give some money to our clubs
- 19:07so they can stand alone rather than the All Blacks paying
- 19:10for everything.
- 19:11So if we had a European cup
- 19:13and that television rights went to the individual club,
- 19:16so let's say the Bulls are in it and let's say
- 19:18the Blues are in it and let's say the Highlanders are in it
- 19:20and let's say Toshiba are in it, Santori.
- 19:23Moana Pacifica,
- 19:26the Fiji and Taira.
- 19:28So I think if we think differently
- 19:30and create a different competition,
- 19:32the only thing that the All Blacks would have to probably
- 19:35cop is that you need to play that competition
- 19:37for most of the year and break out to then play
- 19:40for the All Blacks.
- 19:42But then I think over 30 test matches,
- 19:44maybe you get to play overseas like Victor said
- 19:46and we need to try some stuff.
- 19:48JK's just invited you back Victor.
- 19:50Thank you very much.
- 19:52Would you come back, Victor?
- 19:54Would they come back?
- 19:58I don't know.
- 19:59I see there was some talks last week of us
- 20:01pulling out of the Champions Cup.
- 20:03There was just talks.
- 20:04I don't know if there's any truth behind it.
- 20:07And the only thing if we don't play there,
- 20:10we need to play against New Zealand teams.
- 20:13But at this stage, I mean,
- 20:16just traveling everything for us is so much easier
- 20:18just to go up North.
- 20:19I mean, you fly on a Wednesday night there.
- 20:22You're there Tuesday morning, no jet lag, no nothing.
- 20:27All the games is at the same time between four
- 20:29and eight in the evening.
- 20:31So, yeah, it's at the moment it's working
- 20:34pretty nice in the year.
- 20:35Could be making your soft, though, Victor.
- 20:38Could be making your soft, though, mate,
- 20:40because you did tell me once you used to love driving,
- 20:43traveling down to New Zealand and jet lag.
- 20:45And you know the tough guard, you know,
- 20:47used to come and get the shit kicked out in,
- 20:49you know, New Zealand, and you reckon it made the bloody
- 20:51player mate.
- 20:52Yeah, that made us tough.
- 20:54That made us tough.
- 20:56New Zealand boys will tell you they really must come in
- 20:58to South Africa for those reasons on to it's time.
- 21:00How do you do?
- 21:01You know, no, I've said it so many times.
- 21:05Super every when we played it with all the top players
- 21:07was the best competition in the world.
- 21:09But, yeah, time.
- 21:10There's some really good, there's some really good
- 21:12super games on the weekend too, Ricardo.
- 21:15Yeah, last week you were calling for it to be ended
- 21:18and then we had a full house in the hell of a game.
- 21:20So, have you caught much flak?
- 21:22Yeah, of course I have.
- 21:23But I'm not saying that we need to change it.
- 21:30We need to have changed because our game is fantastic
- 21:34when it's played well, when it's reft well.
- 21:36We're just not seeing that consistency.
- 21:38And I just don't think that the tournament at the moment
- 21:41is really, really fan centric.
- 21:45So, I don't care if we carry on with Super Rugby
- 21:48but it needs to change.
- 21:49We need a Heineken Cup.
- 21:50I'd rather go back to an NPC situation.
- 21:53I just think we need to have those discussion
- 21:55and decide what we want to do strategically.
- 21:57Everyone says, oh, the game's in good spirit.
- 21:59The game's in good spirit.
- 22:00I don't believe in it.
- 22:01So, that's my opinion and I'll stand by it.
- 22:04I tell you, so, you know, I was doing some research
- 22:06which may surprise you and I was looking through
- 22:09the New Zealand hero just to see what are the top rugby
- 22:12topics of today and it was like 12 stories
- 22:16before I could find a rugby story.
- 22:19And that's quite different to what it used to be.
- 22:21Is it, what's it like in South Africa?
- 22:23Is rugby still dominating the sports headlines?
- 22:27Yeah, no.
- 22:28It also depends.
- 22:29I mean, in Africa and media,
- 22:31rugby will always be back page, front page,
- 22:35everywhere, especially if the spring box played.
- 22:38And like now, going into quarter finals,
- 22:41the playoffs with USC definitely dominates
- 22:44most of the papers.
- 22:45So, yeah, I think of Garn's papers,
- 22:49rugby is definitely dominating.
- 22:51English papers, soccer is pretty big as well,
- 22:54especially our local soccer if some of the big teams play.
- 22:57And I mean, we're going to World Cup as well now.
- 23:00So, that's also very big in the soccer.
- 23:03And cricket is also very big in South Africa.
- 23:05Tell me what's going to happen in those USC quarter finals, Victor.
- 23:09Yeah, so we're looking forward to it.
- 23:12It will be interesting.
- 23:13The Lions that had a real good run at the end.
- 23:17That's Old Transval.
- 23:20J.K., if you were worried.
- 23:24They're playing Lindster.
- 23:25And I still believe Lindster is a team to be in the USC.
- 23:29But how will they stand up after we can like this?
- 23:32Will they play the strongest team in the quarter final?
- 23:35Will they give a few of the guys a race play?
- 23:38Because they do have great depth there.
- 23:40Will they play some other players?
- 23:42So, maybe opportunity for the Lions to sneak in there.
- 23:46Then we've got the Bulls at home against Munster.
- 23:50Big game.
- 23:51I think the Bulls are probably the team in South Africa
- 23:55that should go the furthest.
- 23:58They play Munster if they get through there.
- 24:00They'll probably have to play Glasgow.
- 24:02We're away, same as in the quarter final of Champions Cup
- 24:06where they just lost with one or two points.
- 24:08I think they can go over and beat Glasgow.
- 24:11And then the Stormers.
- 24:13The Stormers have been up and down.
- 24:14I mean, they've got a magical backline
- 24:19with Sasha.
- 24:19They're leading from the front.
- 24:21They're playing Cardiff.
- 24:22Will they lost against in the last Bulls stage?
- 24:24They need to fix something there.
- 24:26But we've got two teams that can definitely compete.
- 24:28I think between the Stormers and the Bulls,
- 24:32there's opportunity to win the USC.
- 24:35I'd love to ask you as a lock for this question,
- 24:39but who's the best 10 in the USC at the moment?
- 24:43Is it Sasha?
- 24:45I think Sasha went through a rough patch a little bit
- 24:49in the middle, but in the last few games he just found his form.
- 24:53He's also playing in a team that's almost not structured enough.
- 24:58I think he loves to play in a team where they structure
- 25:01and he can just, in that structure, he can just be himself
- 25:04and play what he sees.
- 25:06I think he's playing.
- 25:08I would like to see Damian, Williamson, move back to 12
- 25:11in that Stormers team next to him.
- 25:13I think that's where he's at his base as well.
- 25:16But Sasha is in great form.
- 25:18Andres, Andre Polot, like you always,
- 25:20he's steady, consistent, leading from the front for the Bulls.
- 25:25But yeah, Sasha's special, I think, between him
- 25:29and Jellybeer, they're fighting for that best in in the world
- 25:33at the moment.
- 25:34So if you're going to answer the number 10 situation,
- 25:36Jake, who's the best number seven in Super Rugby at the moment?
- 25:40That's a really good question, mate.
- 25:44I really, I mean, he didn't start the other night,
- 25:47but I think Karifi is, you know?
- 25:51I think he's going really well.
- 25:55I just like, he's nagging, he's getting over the ball.
- 26:00There's a young guy from the Highlanders
- 26:01who's had a breakout season, too, but he's more of a six.
- 26:05Yeah.
- 26:06So I really like him.
- 26:07I like he's sort of ragged.
- 26:09And one of those sort of raw bone guys.
- 26:12But I think to Percy Karifi, I just really like him.
- 26:16I just think he's, he's come so far in sort of four years.
- 26:21You know, he had a lot of eras in him in the first few years,
- 26:24but he's just really stepped up, really physical.
- 26:27I mean, that, that hurricane side we had to be,
- 26:30they are really, really physical.
- 26:32And he leads that.
- 26:33He rested last week, but I think he's probably
- 26:35one of the best at the moment.
- 26:36See, I thought so.
- 26:37Because he's got a South Africa name, Duplici.
- 26:39Masculine.
- 26:42I thought you'd, and you ever kept in you in New Zealand?
- 26:46Have a whole black cat.
- 26:47Have a name, captain yet.
- 26:48Have a name, captain.
- 26:48I just got a coach.
- 26:49Relax.
- 26:51I thought you might come in with a, a left field call
- 26:55and say the best number seven in the competition
- 26:57is Lester Farnuchen.
- 26:59Well, Lester's actually playing the house down.
- 27:02I think he's got us all guessing.
- 27:04And, and Victor will tell you that the South Africa's,
- 27:07South African and, Russi invented the hybrid player.
- 27:11And I probably have to agree with him for once in my life.
- 27:14But, yeah, he's been amazing.
- 27:16There's, there's been an amazing, right?
- 27:18Amazing as a hybrid player.
- 27:21I don't know where they'll, they'll play it.
- 27:23I don't know whether he's, he brings so much to the game.
- 27:27But when you say a hybrid, what does that mean?
- 27:29Does that mean you start off the bench
- 27:31and you, you can cover two positions or what does that mean?
- 27:35I think hybrid is insulting to him, to be honest.
- 27:37I think, I think we've got hybrid players in the game,
- 27:40but I think Lester Farnuchen at seven is a game breaker.
- 27:44He's like one of the best players on the park playing at seven.
- 27:49And he's a very powerful player at center and wing.
- 27:51So, I don't think, I think he's actually,
- 27:54I think he could be a ace up the sleeve for the tour
- 27:59against South Africa.
- 28:01That's what though.
- 28:01So, what are you saying?
- 28:02If you don't believe in hybrids,
- 28:04you're saying pick him as a seven and not as a 13.
- 28:07Yep.
- 28:11Victor?
- 28:12It always helps, it always helps.
- 28:14Even if he starts, always on the bench, I mean,
- 28:17you can go with a six to split or even a seven, one,
- 28:22like South Africa.
- 28:24And you've got an extra guy that can play in the back line.
- 28:26So, that will always help.
- 28:29But I still believe in taste match track B.
- 28:33You want guys that's a base in a position
- 28:36that will fall that role that they need to really well.
- 28:41But it's always nice if these back up.
- 28:43And especially with your bench and how you want to play
- 28:46with it, if they can play more than one position.
- 28:49Here's a question back to you, Ricardo.
- 28:50Do you think that Super Rugby is of a level now
- 28:55where you can actually see someone play at Super Rugby
- 28:58and know they'll be good at test matches,
- 29:01like it was in the past?
- 29:02What do you think the gap is massive?
- 29:04Well, you guys know better because, you know,
- 29:06you've played better.
- 29:07I think the gap is bigger than it used to be.
- 29:10I think there's less tough games in Super Rugby
- 29:14than there used to be.
- 29:15So, you know, you have the local diabetes, you know,
- 29:19that chiefs crusader's game was outstanding.
- 29:21And that was a true test of how good you were.
- 29:24But are we seeing games like that every week?
- 29:26Probably not.
- 29:28So, you know, Super Rugby's probably not as relentless
- 29:32as it was when Victor and his crew were there.
- 29:36And, you know, so yeah, sure.
- 29:39Your point is that maybe we're getting a little bit carried away
- 29:42with some players because of what we're seeing in Super Rugby
- 29:44and is that the same as test matches?
- 29:47Probably not.
- 29:48Well, it's going to be, I mean, it's definitely going to be picked,
- 29:50but I saw Dave Renner made a comment the other day saying,
- 29:54you know, we'll wait and see.
- 29:56And I think that's wise because you wouldn't want to expose them
- 29:59at test match level in a position like that too early, right?
- 30:05But he's an amazing athlete, amazing player.
- 30:08I haven't seen him play center for a little while.
- 30:11So he's playing pretty well at seven, right?
- 30:14Yeah, I was just having that skill set like it's obviously a back
- 30:17so he can kick his unbelievably powerful close to the line.
- 30:21You know, he's quick, he's explosive.
- 30:24And you're putting him closer to the ball more often.
- 30:27So, you know, I think it's, you know,
- 30:29it's going to be interesting to see how he develops
- 30:31over the next six months, 12 months
- 30:33because I actually think he's better than just a guy
- 30:36who covers two positions on the bench,
- 30:38which is what most people think of hybrids.
- 30:40I think he's a game breaker.
- 30:42And maybe it's taking what South Africa did another step.
- 30:48It's like, let's take a player with a skill set
- 30:51that is usually utilized out wide and put them in close.
- 30:56I don't think you can just do that, Ricardo.
- 30:59I think especially with the lines of a loose forward, you know,
- 31:03I think you just can't do that.
- 31:05I think that's a real big arc.
- 31:07He's so conservative.
- 31:09No, no, I'm just saying, Lester,
- 31:11did he play in the forwards growing up?
- 31:14That wouldn't be surprised.
- 31:15Exactly.
- 31:16I don't think he can just go to loose forward
- 31:19from outside back without having played it.
- 31:21And he put, you know, like Jonah,
- 31:23Jonah played number eight all his life
- 31:24and then went to wing, you know?
- 31:26Well, I think, I mean, Victor spent most of his time
- 31:28in the back line.
- 31:30Much easier than you know.
- 31:33Can rest a bit, no contacts.
- 31:36Just love it out there.
- 31:39Catch him, boss.
- 31:40Chicken good.
- 31:41Easy life in the back line.
- 31:44Mate, just before we go, I've always wanted to ask you this.
- 31:47Take me through that try you scored with your chip in chase.
- 31:52Which one with the bulls over those spring box?
- 31:54Which one?
- 31:55Which one?
- 31:56Which one?
- 31:56Now, the bulls one I scored, actually.
- 31:59The bulls one was nice, undisclined from nine.
- 32:03Then it does Matthew Burke in front of me.
- 32:06I knew I didn't have the feet I had to chip him.
- 32:08And with a box, I actually didn't score.
- 32:11So I picked him, go through the rack
- 32:14and then I had to chip one of those training fullbacks.
- 32:17I couldn't know what that was.
- 32:18And then I scored and I gave to Jock
- 32:20for actually an eScore to try.
- 32:22But yeah, if you don't have feet to work,
- 32:24use the chip as much easier.
- 32:27And if you don't have base, yeah.
- 32:29Yeah, that's true because a chip was in your strength.
- 32:33Come on, Ricardo.
- 32:34Come on.
- 32:35I don't think you know, I didn't kick it.
- 32:38There's a lot of things that work my strength.
- 32:40Kicking, tackling, hitting rocks.
- 32:42They work my strengths.
- 32:44We'll probably...
- 32:46We should end it there, more disciples.
- 32:48Sounds like my game, it's okay.
- 32:50Pretty much the same problems.
- 32:52They're interesting that you two say that
- 32:54because my game was flawless.
- 32:57Thanks very much for joining us
- 32:58and we'll catch you next week on Rivals.