Latest / Rugby Direct / Rugby Direct - Episode 164

Transcript

Rugby Direct - Episode 164 · Rugby Direct

• 0:09
  Speaker 1: You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
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• 0:19
  Speaker 2: Straight down the middle of.
• 0:20
  Speaker 3: Drum Dicky Score.
• 0:23
  Speaker 2: Try these get inside the game from every angle.
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: It's Rugby Direct with Elliot Smith and Liam Napier, powered
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: by News Talks EDB.
• 0:37
  Speaker 3: Welcome into Rugby Direct, piloted by Habit Hell, tackling all
• 0:39
  Speaker 3: your aches and pains from sports and work. Back again
• 0:44
  Speaker 3: another week down in Super Rugby Elliott Smith with me
• 0:47
  Speaker 3: as always Liam Napier and Liam It's been an interesting
• 0:52
  Speaker 3: old weekend of rugby right around the globe, hasn't it.
• 0:54
  Speaker 3: And you know we're all set for eight teams to
• 0:57
  Speaker 3: go into six in the final round of Super Rugby.
• 1:00
  Speaker 4: Well indeed, Elliott, the pointy end of Super Rugby is here.
• 1:04
  Speaker 4: Playoff spots to be determined this weekend. It's all on
• 1:07
  Speaker 4: the line. We had the Black Ferns routing the USA
• 1:12
  Speaker 4: and Bordeaux claiming the European title, so plenty to get
• 1:16
  Speaker 4: our tea stuck into.
• 1:17
  Speaker 3: How many bottles of wine do you think the good
• 1:19
  Speaker 3: people at Bordeaux have gone through in the last twenty
• 1:22
  Speaker 3: four to forty eight hours.
• 1:23
  Speaker 4: It looked like Ben tummy Funa made a dent in
• 1:25
  Speaker 4: a fair fair so props to him and the fellow
• 1:30
  Speaker 4: Kiwi and boys from down Under that savor that success.
• 1:33
  Speaker 3: Well, let's get into the weekend of Super Rugby that
• 1:36
  Speaker 3: was and the chief speaking Mwana pacifica eighty five points
• 1:41
  Speaker 3: to seven. I don't think anyone saw this score line
• 1:47
  Speaker 3: coming after how good Mawana were the week before against
• 1:52
  Speaker 3: the Blues. This was a performance that saw the crashed
• 1:56
  Speaker 3: back down to earth in rather spectacular fashion. A loss
• 2:00
  Speaker 3: is one thing, A loss of this magnitude is an
• 2:02
  Speaker 3: entirely different thing. And used they still in the playoff mix.
• 2:07
  Speaker 3: But I just wonder how much com frience has been
• 2:09
  Speaker 3: dented as a result of that performance on Saturday night.
• 2:13
  Speaker 3: But the Chiefs were just just too good week off
• 2:16
  Speaker 3: after the bye, they came out, they were visiting and
• 2:18
  Speaker 3: they just dispatched Mawana with relative ease.
• 2:20
  Speaker 5: To be honest, Yeah, lest they were minor first.
• 2:23
  Speaker 4: I think this year they have look that they had
• 2:27
  Speaker 4: won three in a row, but within that they have
• 2:30
  Speaker 4: struggled at time for consistency, coming off big HighRes like
• 2:33
  Speaker 4: the Crusaders and christ Church and battling to get back
• 2:38
  Speaker 4: to that level. We've seen them within games be good
• 2:41
  Speaker 4: one half not the next. But look, this was an
• 2:46
  Speaker 4: ugly result for them, wasn't it. Humbling is the word
• 2:49
  Speaker 4: that springs to mind, going down and taking on the
• 2:53
  Speaker 4: title favorites. I think there was seventeen thousand fans in Hamilton,
• 2:56
  Speaker 4: so look, that's a testament to Miner's improvement because last
• 3:01
  Speaker 4: year you wouldn't get that sort of turnout for a
• 3:05
  Speaker 4: team that was struggling. Yeah, I think it does sort
• 3:09
  Speaker 4: of set the bar for where Moana want to get
• 3:11
  Speaker 4: to and how far they still have to go. Ardie
• 3:16
  Speaker 4: Severe was taken off about fifty minutes into that match.
• 3:18
  Speaker 4: The game's done by halftime, and the Chiefs really did
• 3:23
  Speaker 4: That was a hell of a statement, wasn't it. Right
• 3:25
  Speaker 4: across the park from their physicality front football, they ran
• 3:29
  Speaker 4: rampant lee Roy Carter.
• 3:31
  Speaker 5: On the edge.
• 3:31
  Speaker 4: They lost a money in at an hour and it
• 3:34
  Speaker 4: didn't matter. Damien McKenzie, I think as long as he's
• 3:37
  Speaker 4: at ten, the Chiefs won the title.
• 3:40
  Speaker 3: It's hard to see any team going to Hamilton and
• 3:43
  Speaker 3: winning and taking them because the Chief's going to play
• 3:47
  Speaker 3: at home right throughout the Playoffs' still going to have
• 3:49
  Speaker 3: some tricky games because you know, the Blues could be
• 3:51
  Speaker 3: their opponent of Week one, they may to face the
• 3:53
  Speaker 3: Hurricanes or the Crusaders. But on the basis of what
• 3:57
  Speaker 3: we saw on the weekend, very very hard to see
• 3:59
  Speaker 3: any team being able to stop them on that surface.
• 4:03
  Speaker 3: And it reminded me of you'll give me some sticky
• 4:07
  Speaker 3: but some of those Rusaders teams when they flicked the
• 4:10
  Speaker 3: switch and just buried teams, and we haven't probably seen
• 4:12
  Speaker 3: the Chiefs do it this season. Well they did it
• 4:15
  Speaker 3: on Saturday night and they just bury Mawana and it
• 4:18
  Speaker 3: was thirty one mil a halftime. Sometimes those games in
• 4:20
  Speaker 3: the second half can become scrappy. We saw them have
• 4:22
  Speaker 3: a big advantage at halftime in the reverse game and
• 4:25
  Speaker 3: Pucacola earlier in the season. They lead forty three to
• 4:27
  Speaker 3: seven I think it was, and nearly for a moment
• 4:30
  Speaker 3: looked like potentially drawing or losing that game. Well, they
• 4:33
  Speaker 3: put the foot on the throat and as I say,
• 4:35
  Speaker 3: buried Mauana Pacifica on Saturday night, and it was a
• 4:38
  Speaker 3: statement performance in many ways. They draw a line in
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  Speaker 3: the sand and said this is how good we are.
• 4:43
  Speaker 3: If you want to bet us, this is how good
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  Speaker 3: you're going to have to be on the night, and
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  Speaker 3: Mawana couldn't stick with them.
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  Speaker 4: There's so many facets to the Chiefs game. They can
• 4:51
  Speaker 4: play so many different ways. Their full pack, their squad
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  Speaker 4: is by far and away the best, the deepest throughout
• 5:00
  Speaker 4: this competition. And let's not forget their experiences are previous
• 5:04
  Speaker 4: years fueling them, haunting them, having lost to previous final
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  Speaker 4: and what that teaches you about what it takes to
• 5:12
  Speaker 4: win at this time of year and when it matters
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  Speaker 4: most to turn up. So much of that performance of
• 5:19
  Speaker 4: getting it right at this level is attitude and mentality.
• 5:24
  Speaker 4: And the Chiefs full pack they have the ability to
• 5:27
  Speaker 4: go up the guts and through you and take you on. Physically,
• 5:30
  Speaker 4: they're set pieces strong. I think George Steyer was their
• 5:33
  Speaker 4: player of the Year, which speaks to where the strength
• 5:36
  Speaker 4: has been this season. Their forwards have great soft skills
• 5:39
  Speaker 4: when you look at some of Sony Takyajo to provide
• 5:43
  Speaker 4: look Jacobson, they've all got the ability to create space
• 5:46
  Speaker 4: out the back for McKenzie and that back line's has
• 5:48
  Speaker 4: got such struck even without Antonina Brown, they haven't really
• 5:52
  Speaker 4: missed a beat, So that speaks to their depth and
• 5:55
  Speaker 4: as you mentioned, they are going to be highly likely
• 5:58
  Speaker 4: in Hamilton right throughout the playoffs. For me, Elliott, and
• 6:00
  Speaker 4: this may surprise you, I feel like the only team
• 6:04
  Speaker 4: that can really stop the Chiefs is the Blues and
• 6:08
  Speaker 4: that's because of the they're on their day. If the
• 6:11
  Speaker 4: Blues get it right from with their forward pack, the
• 6:14
  Speaker 4: Crusaders to a certain degree as well, but you have
• 6:17
  Speaker 4: to stop that power from the Chiefs and you can't
• 6:20
  Speaker 4: give them that when they get on a roll and
• 6:22
  Speaker 4: we saw it in christ Church and that second half
• 6:25
  Speaker 4: performance when they get those power runners going and they
• 6:28
  Speaker 4: start rumbling forward, are incredibly difficult to stop. You give
• 6:31
  Speaker 4: Mackenzie that time and space and so for me, the
• 6:35
  Speaker 4: Blues are incredibly one dimensional. But when they get that
• 6:38
  Speaker 4: one dimensional aspect right, I think they can match the
• 6:40
  Speaker 4: Chiefs up front and the Crusaders to a degree. But yeah,
• 6:45
  Speaker 4: it just it is really hard to see someone stopping
• 6:49
  Speaker 4: the Chiefs. And yes, they won't play that well. Opposition
• 6:53
  Speaker 4: will be better. So we do have to contextualize that
• 6:56
  Speaker 4: a weave it. But you have to stop them up front.
• 6:59
  Speaker 3: I yes, so I guess to an extent, you're right
• 7:02
  Speaker 3: the Blues, but we haven't seen it this year and
• 7:05
  Speaker 3: so we're going back to last year and what they
• 7:07
  Speaker 3: did on that.
• 7:08
  Speaker 5: Yes and no.
• 7:09
  Speaker 4: If you look at the Blues performance two losses against
• 7:12
  Speaker 4: the Chiefs and Hamilton and the Crusades and krushit that
• 7:17
  Speaker 4: those are the up there with their best performances this year.
• 7:19
  Speaker 4: They stare losses, but there I think are only a
• 7:21
  Speaker 4: couple of points in it, and that's when they're four
• 7:24
  Speaker 4: pack actually fronted. So playoff footy, bit of rain. Yeah,
• 7:28
  Speaker 4: I just feel like if the Blues can front in
• 7:30
  Speaker 4: a one off match, they have the ability to knock
• 7:33
  Speaker 4: the Chiefs off.
• 7:35
  Speaker 3: What about the Hurricanes, We can probably discuss that game now.
• 7:37
  Speaker 3: Thirty one to twenty seven. Did that give you basis
• 7:40
  Speaker 3: for hope that they could go to Hamilton and beat
• 7:43
  Speaker 3: the Chiefs potentially.
• 7:44
  Speaker 4: Well, they did it earlier this year in Wellington. I
• 7:49
  Speaker 4: felt like the Chiefs were off that night. The Hurricanes
• 7:52
  Speaker 4: were certainly on. Hurricanes have the potential, But if I
• 7:58
  Speaker 4: was tipping a playoff match in Hamilton, I would definitely
• 8:03
  Speaker 4: go the Chiefs. I think the Hurricanes have struggled for consistency.
• 8:07
  Speaker 4: Are still a few big guns and physically in the
• 8:14
  Speaker 4: forward pack. I feel like the Chiefs when they're on
• 8:17
  Speaker 4: would have their number.
• 8:19
  Speaker 3: What did you make of that game against the Reds
• 8:21
  Speaker 3: on Friday night? Good win thirty one to twenty seven.
• 8:23
  Speaker 3: Brisbane's a tough place to go and play. The Reds
• 8:26
  Speaker 3: certainly through a lot at them, but the Hurricanes just
• 8:30
  Speaker 3: a fraction too good on the night.
• 8:32
  Speaker 4: Is a good win for the Canes away from home
• 8:35
  Speaker 4: a lot on the line because when you extrapolate out
• 8:39
  Speaker 4: the context of the top six and how this convoluted
• 8:45
  Speaker 4: finals format works, finishing in the top four is important
• 8:48
  Speaker 4: because it potentially does give you that second life the
• 8:52
  Speaker 4: what is it, the highest ranked losing team gets a
• 8:54
  Speaker 4: second life, right?
• 8:56
  Speaker 3: Correct?
• 8:57
  Speaker 5: Yeah?
• 9:00
  Speaker 3: Thing to do that they could have done with simple way,
• 9:04
  Speaker 3: but it's one.
• 9:05
  Speaker 5: That's all right.
• 9:06
  Speaker 4: The Canes had to come from behind, they had to
• 9:08
  Speaker 4: hold on, they'd score lates. So I was overly overall
• 9:14
  Speaker 4: relatively impressed. The Chiefs have that The Reds have been
• 9:18
  Speaker 4: a bit hot cold this year, but they are hard
• 9:20
  Speaker 4: to beat at some corp Some big performances from Billy
• 9:24
  Speaker 4: Proctor rarely state in this case for their All Blacks
• 9:26
  Speaker 4: thirteen Jersey cam roy Gard was really good as well.
• 9:30
  Speaker 4: Do see Carrife, So the Canes are potentially coming good
• 9:35
  Speaker 4: at the right time. Looked like Ruben Love broken his
• 9:37
  Speaker 4: arm and then he got taped up and finished the game,
• 9:39
  Speaker 4: so that was a bit of a sigh of relief.
• 9:40
  Speaker 4: But yeah, if they can sneak into to fourth and
• 9:44
  Speaker 4: hold on to that position, that's where they want to be.
• 9:47
  Speaker 5: What do you make of the Kenes.
• 9:49
  Speaker 3: I think they're building really nicely, because at the start
• 9:51
  Speaker 3: of the season it felt like they'd faded a little
• 9:53
  Speaker 3: bit just when I would have string performances together. I mean,
• 9:55
  Speaker 3: they had a bundle of injuries around the start and
• 9:58
  Speaker 3: had to switch their tens a number of times and
• 10:02
  Speaker 3: refuse to play Reuben Love at ten, and O'd come
• 10:05
  Speaker 3: back from an injury himself, but they were sticking with
• 10:07
  Speaker 3: Riley Halhepper, who's never going to when you were championship
• 10:10
  Speaker 3: finally have gone with Rubin Love. They've got some players back,
• 10:13
  Speaker 3: Brick Cameron's there in the mix as well now, and
• 10:16
  Speaker 3: I think they're building. There's still I think probably definitely
• 10:21
  Speaker 3: below the Chiefs, but I'd say in terms of the
• 10:23
  Speaker 3: New Zealand team, there are thereabouts With the Crusaders as
• 10:25
  Speaker 3: we get into the closing stages of the season and
• 10:30
  Speaker 3: if they can continue to build Rubin Love hopefully that
• 10:33
  Speaker 3: is all right and he can play out the rest
• 10:35
  Speaker 3: of the Super Rugby campaign. Obviously played out the game
• 10:37
  Speaker 3: on Friday night. They are a different team with him
• 10:41
  Speaker 3: at ten than they were with Riley Holheap and with
• 10:44
  Speaker 3: other players that have played at ten this season, so
• 10:46
  Speaker 3: they can keep players fit. I know Nahola is gone,
• 10:48
  Speaker 3: but finning on NORTHWL is looking really really good. Reilly
• 10:51
  Speaker 3: propped her back in the mix is looking outstanding as
• 10:54
  Speaker 3: you said at seem to So for me, they're building
• 10:56
  Speaker 3: really really nicely and are becoming harder to beat by
• 10:59
  Speaker 3: the week.
• 11:00
  Speaker 4: I think gen guys like Tyra A Lomax back is
• 11:02
  Speaker 4: massive as well. He's right up there with one of
• 11:05
  Speaker 4: the world's best tight hair props. Haven't seen a lot
• 11:08
  Speaker 4: of him this year or arm more so to have
• 11:12
  Speaker 4: that platform, I think it's really important for the Canes.
• 11:16
  Speaker 5: So Tyra Lomax big, big for the Canes.
• 11:19
  Speaker 3: He certainly is. Crusaders Highlanders fifteen twelve on Friday night,
• 11:24
  Speaker 3: the first game of this round. A dreadful game of
• 11:28
  Speaker 3: rugby in all honesty, the Highlanders were a better team.
• 11:32
  Speaker 3: Crusaders somehow sneak out on top. And this is the
• 11:36
  Speaker 3: kind of performance that makes your question whether the Crusaders
• 11:38
  Speaker 3: are contenders or pretenders. And on the basis all we
• 11:42
  Speaker 3: saw on Friday night, they are pretenders and we saw
• 11:45
  Speaker 3: the real team that other contenders play the following night
• 11:48
  Speaker 3: in terms of the Chiefs. So ultimately, very disappointing point
• 11:52
  Speaker 3: for performance from the Crusaders. They were tender up at
• 11:54
  Speaker 3: one stage felt like they were going to kick on.
• 11:56
  Speaker 3: Highland has got back into the contest. I mean, the
• 11:58
  Speaker 3: Higland has played so much rugby in that game, or
• 12:01
  Speaker 3: had so much ball, but the Crusaders came up with
• 12:04
  Speaker 3: the steel or the turnover or the defensive play in
• 12:08
  Speaker 3: the twenty two How many times during that game felt like,
• 12:11
  Speaker 3: you know, probably a dozen times the Highlanders came close
• 12:14
  Speaker 3: and the Crusaders repelled them and the Crusaders just sneak
• 12:17
  Speaker 3: home with the win. But sometimes those close games you go, yep,
• 12:20
  Speaker 3: that's what championship teams are built on, winning those close encounters. Well,
• 12:24
  Speaker 3: the Crusader's more got out of jail than anything on
• 12:26
  Speaker 3: the weekend. I thought it was a really poor performance.
• 12:28
  Speaker 3: From the Crusaders the Highlanders a couple of weeks in
• 12:30
  Speaker 3: a row that went. They were leading after eighty minutes
• 12:32
  Speaker 3: against the Hurricanes. They should have beaten the Crusaders on
• 12:36
  Speaker 3: the Friday night, ultimately didn't. They're going to finish close to,
• 12:39
  Speaker 3: if not bottom of the table. But I think you
• 12:43
  Speaker 3: can take a bit if you, Jamie Joseph out of
• 12:46
  Speaker 3: these two performances as you head into twenty twenty six.
• 12:49
  Speaker 4: The story of the highlanded season. They've lost seven games
• 12:51
  Speaker 4: by seven points or less and I thought they would
• 12:56
  Speaker 4: hit the wall. It's a really tough run against Kiwi opposition.
• 12:59
  Speaker 4: But they've played their best rugby in the past two weeks.
• 13:03
  Speaker 4: Really really fronted against the Hurricanes and absolutely should have
• 13:08
  Speaker 4: been the Crusaders team. They must five shots at goal
• 13:11
  Speaker 4: and you know you hate to put it on the kickers,
• 13:14
  Speaker 4: but there are a couple of those were really kickable
• 13:17
  Speaker 4: penalties and that would have, you know, pushed the game
• 13:21
  Speaker 4: into extra time. You've got to kick those goals in
• 13:26
  Speaker 4: a tight game like that. So extremely disappointing for the Holands.
• 13:30
  Speaker 4: Some big performances Tavatavanawa, Fabian Hollands really pushing his case
• 13:36
  Speaker 4: if the ol Blacks take four locks. I think he's
• 13:39
  Speaker 4: a must inclusion.
• 13:40
  Speaker 2: Young guy.
• 13:41
  Speaker 4: Get him in there now playing great rugby and the
• 13:44
  Speaker 4: Crusaders I agree with you, I think really really underwhelming.
• 13:49
  Speaker 4: This is the time of year they should be building,
• 13:51
  Speaker 4: they should be starting to hum and it is a
• 13:53
  Speaker 4: tale of two distinct aspects. Their defense has been brilliant
• 13:58
  Speaker 4: and their attack without Will Jordan has gone to the pack.
• 14:01
  Speaker 4: They had three line breaks in that game. I know
• 14:04
  Speaker 4: that they have as much ball. The Hunters made something
• 14:06
  Speaker 4: like six hundred and twenty meters to the Crusaders two
• 14:09
  Speaker 4: fifty odd, so massive disparity there. But the attack from
• 14:14
  Speaker 4: the Crusaders is being blunted without Will Jordan, and it
• 14:18
  Speaker 4: was a massive concern immediately when they lost Will Jordan,
• 14:22
  Speaker 4: and they have yet to rectify it, so they cannot
• 14:24
  Speaker 4: get him back soon enough. It also sounds like he's
• 14:27
  Speaker 4: ethan Blackheader close to coming back. But he's not the
• 14:30
  Speaker 4: type of guy that's going to change your attack either,
• 14:33
  Speaker 4: So big job for Brad Moore, James Marshall and Rob
• 14:39
  Speaker 4: Penny to reignite that attack.
• 14:42
  Speaker 5: And camera's not necessarily the place to do it either.
• 14:44
  Speaker 3: No, three wise men will come up with a plan.
• 14:46
  Speaker 3: I'm sure, but you're right. You look at those stats
• 14:49
  Speaker 3: and the position in territory second half. I mean the
• 14:53
  Speaker 3: Highland has had seventy territory and position in the second spell.
• 14:57
  Speaker 3: And yeah, we can talk about the defense, but the attack,
• 15:00
  Speaker 3: the Crusaders are just kicking it to touch and then
• 15:02
  Speaker 3: it all start over again. And Johnaymannic was playing full back,
• 15:06
  Speaker 3: but he's band aid solution. He's not going to strike
• 15:09
  Speaker 3: and when you you know, line breaks and when you
• 15:12
  Speaker 3: get you over the advantage line like it, Will Jordan
• 15:14
  Speaker 3: is able to do and make things happen from inside
• 15:17
  Speaker 3: his own half. So Crusaders definitely need Will Jordan back.
• 15:20
  Speaker 3: I've heard caught a final weekend, maybe possibly semi finals
• 15:24
  Speaker 3: if they get through to that second week. So they
• 15:27
  Speaker 3: need him back because as we saw last year when
• 15:31
  Speaker 3: he wasn't there, and what we've seen this year, he
• 15:33
  Speaker 3: is a difference maker in that Crusader's team. And we
• 15:35
  Speaker 3: know how world class Will Jordan is, but it's just
• 15:37
  Speaker 3: been spelled out by his absence over the last few weeks.
• 15:41
  Speaker 4: Yeah, it'd go as far to say as Will Jordan
• 15:44
  Speaker 4: is as influential as and inspiring to the Crusaders as
• 15:49
  Speaker 4: Artie Severe as Winer Pacifica, because when you look at
• 15:53
  Speaker 4: like you say, when he wasn't there last year, there
• 15:56
  Speaker 4: wasn't him alone, but it was a big factor and
• 15:59
  Speaker 4: their attack was their strength. Earlier this year they were
• 16:02
  Speaker 4: running from everywhere offloading and yes there was a different
• 16:05
  Speaker 4: climate in terms of you know, coming into winter and
• 16:08
  Speaker 4: now it's always going to be a different style of footy,
• 16:11
  Speaker 4: But just his ability to mentor those young tens as well.
• 16:15
  Speaker 4: I think the Crusaders have really missed Takimita. But Will
• 16:19
  Speaker 4: Jordan's influence I think can't be understated on helping guide
• 16:23
  Speaker 4: those guys around to come into first receiver, take a
• 16:26
  Speaker 4: bit of pressure off and just run the right angles,
• 16:30
  Speaker 4: pop up at the right moments.
• 16:31
  Speaker 5: He was outstanding.
• 16:33
  Speaker 4: So yeah, they really need him back because they look
• 16:37
  Speaker 4: impotent without him.
• 16:38
  Speaker 3: Well, and they looked a little ponderous with Mitch strumand
• 16:40
  Speaker 3: I know it was his one hundred and fiftieth, but
• 16:42
  Speaker 3: they looked a little ponderous with him at half back
• 16:43
  Speaker 3: and it's probably a sign of Carle Preston and not
• 16:46
  Speaker 3: hope them what they can add it half back other
• 16:49
  Speaker 3: than now right, Yeah, that they know there's a sentimental thing.
• 16:52
  Speaker 3: They started him obviously, but Preston with his ability to
• 16:55
  Speaker 3: kick off both feet and hope them with his strikeability,
• 16:59
  Speaker 3: they needed to have a bit more on the park.
• 17:02
  Speaker 4: I felt sevy rees breaks TJ Peinar is super rugby
• 17:05
  Speaker 4: all time try screwing record.
• 17:07
  Speaker 5: Very bizarre that they apparently stop the game.
• 17:09
  Speaker 3: Ypri midgame Hype Briel to celebrate, sure in a very
• 17:13
  Speaker 3: dubious try, Well, what happens if Julian Sarvia takes it
• 17:17
  Speaker 3: over mid game?
• 17:19
  Speaker 5: Hype Bril, I did not award that that was fair, right, shock,
• 17:24
  Speaker 5: while we.
• 17:24
  Speaker 3: Spent like fifteen minutes looking at it, So glad they
• 17:27
  Speaker 3: came up all it out, just just to water as
• 17:30
  Speaker 3: to try and figure it out later. Yes, that was
• 17:33
  Speaker 3: a little.
• 17:33
  Speaker 5: Enery draft than the TMO box.
• 17:35
  Speaker 3: If only they still made the finest drop that has
• 17:38
  Speaker 3: ever been made, gets the record. Before we take a break, though,
• 17:44
  Speaker 3: let's let's sort of break this down a little bit.
• 17:46
  Speaker 3: We'll get into our jupping a bit later. But the
• 17:47
  Speaker 3: Chiefs out on top forty six, they win against the Hondas,
• 17:51
  Speaker 3: they'll take home advantage right through the playoffs. Crusaders and
• 17:54
  Speaker 3: second on forty five Brumbies and forty three in third,
• 17:58
  Speaker 3: Hurricanes thirty four, Reads in fifth on thirty three, Mowana
• 18:02
  Speaker 3: in the top six on twenty eights with a negative
• 18:05
  Speaker 3: points differential of eighty seven. Now it comes down to
• 18:08
  Speaker 3: wins first and foremost in terms of the tiebreaker. They
• 18:11
  Speaker 3: have six wins at the moment, so a win against
• 18:14
  Speaker 3: the Hurricanes will be enough.
• 18:16
  Speaker 2: The Blues.
• 18:18
  Speaker 3: Are on twenty eight outside looking in. The Wartas are
• 18:21
  Speaker 3: on twenty six, and that is the possibilities that can
• 18:25
  Speaker 3: happen at the moment. Who makes the top six to
• 18:27
  Speaker 3: the Blues given.
• 18:28
  Speaker 4: Yes, the Blues come in to sixth and on form,
• 18:33
  Speaker 4: the Brumbies go to second.
• 18:36
  Speaker 3: So the Brumbies. But the Crusaders yeap, and the Chiefs
• 18:39
  Speaker 3: beat the hind.
• 18:40
  Speaker 5: Us correct and the Hurricanes maintain fourth.
• 18:45
  Speaker 3: Yeah, they can't do any better than that. They can
• 18:48
  Speaker 3: do worse.
• 18:48
  Speaker 4: Yeah, they could slip out a fourth, but they stand
• 18:51
  Speaker 4: fourth and the Blues come in. There's your top six.
• 18:55
  Speaker 3: So Chiefs play the Blues week one is what you're saying.
• 19:00
  Speaker 3: Brumbies would play the Reds and the Crusaders would play
• 19:05
  Speaker 3: the Hurricanes.
• 19:07
  Speaker 5: You don't want that cane come in to town, mate.
• 19:10
  Speaker 3: Yeah, on the basis of what so okay, this is Yeah,
• 19:16
  Speaker 3: this is interesting, isn't it. I guess it's probably last
• 19:19
  Speaker 3: chance to talk about hard We probably won't next week.
• 19:22
  Speaker 3: There is some promising signs there from what we've seen
• 19:24
  Speaker 3: over the last couple of weeks and also the start
• 19:26
  Speaker 3: of the season. They started quite strongly beat the Blues
• 19:28
  Speaker 3: at home. There are some young players in that mix
• 19:32
  Speaker 3: with the is one of them, Holland Obviously that'll be
• 19:36
  Speaker 3: best for the season of decent halfbacks half backs, and
• 19:39
  Speaker 3: they've got young Dylan Pledger who I think is in
• 19:42
  Speaker 3: the home this mix next year. The under twenty half
• 19:44
  Speaker 3: back looks very, very promising. They have some framework there.
• 19:49
  Speaker 3: What they're desperately missing is a ten and if they
• 19:54
  Speaker 3: can find a ten, you know, Cambilla is obviously pretty
• 19:57
  Speaker 3: young and promising, hasn't always had the trust of Jamie Joseph.
• 20:00
  Speaker 3: This year. Tane Robinson's been starting a lot of those
• 20:02
  Speaker 3: games at ten. But if they can find a ten
• 20:05
  Speaker 3: to steer them around the park, that solves a few
• 20:07
  Speaker 3: issues for them.
• 20:08
  Speaker 5: Yeah, short on locks, but it is a green pack.
• 20:11
  Speaker 4: I think Ethan de Groot's the oldest in that pack
• 20:13
  Speaker 4: and he's what like twenty eight twenty something like that,
• 20:17
  Speaker 4: So yeah, but look, I think they do need a
• 20:22
  Speaker 4: ten and the chopping and changing probably has to stop.
• 20:25
  Speaker 4: I think you it's hard because you give a guy
• 20:28
  Speaker 4: like cam Miller the keys and maybe he doesn't kick
• 20:31
  Speaker 4: on as you want, so you're backed into a corner
• 20:33
  Speaker 4: and where you go to from there. Losing Caleb Tongueytowel
• 20:37
  Speaker 4: tour injury at times this year has been a big blow.
• 20:40
  Speaker 4: He was a real spark for them, some brilliant individual
• 20:43
  Speaker 4: tries at times. So yeah, and I think Rosamavuki Nikkins
• 20:51
  Speaker 4: has been impressive largely since coming back and missed him
• 20:54
  Speaker 4: for a big chunk of the year. So the Highlands
• 20:57
  Speaker 4: when they get injuries to key players, it hurts them
• 20:59
  Speaker 4: more than others. If the fucker Tava hasn't been there
• 21:02
  Speaker 4: for most of the year.
• 21:04
  Speaker 3: And it's a depth game, isn't super Rugby, the bear
• 21:08
  Speaker 3: of the get the more likely to weather thiss title.
• 21:10
  Speaker 4: And it is more challenging now with an effective sixth
• 21:14
  Speaker 4: New Zealand franchise with Winea Pacifica, they are competing for
• 21:19
  Speaker 4: talent out of the NPC and recruitment drive. But I
• 21:22
  Speaker 4: think if we talk to Jamie Joseph and with him
• 21:25
  Speaker 4: coming back this year, there were hopes that he would
• 21:28
  Speaker 4: improve the Hondas and on the basis of where they sit,
• 21:32
  Speaker 4: they've gone backwards and playoffs last year. Yeah, exactly the
• 21:36
  Speaker 4: eighteen format. So a lot of work ahead of Jamie,
• 21:39
  Speaker 4: Joe and the Hondas, but there's enough in their performances,
• 21:44
  Speaker 4: particularly in the past two weeks, to say that they
• 21:46
  Speaker 4: should be a lot better than where they sit. Seven
• 21:50
  Speaker 4: losses by seven points or less. You've got to start
• 21:52
  Speaker 4: converting some of those.
• 21:53
  Speaker 3: Indeed, we'll take a break, come back with more on
• 21:55
  Speaker 3: Rugby Direct, including our look at the Black Ferns and
• 21:58
  Speaker 3: the Pack four series after this with their friends that
• 22:00
  Speaker 3: Habit Help.
• 22:01
  Speaker 2: This is Rugby Direct, a podcast for real rugby fans.
• 22:09
  Speaker 3: Every try try ten sixty sec, every tackle to tack,
• 22:12
  Speaker 3: the tackles, get up agaya moment, Well I take him before.
• 22:17
  Speaker 2: Our times Rugby Directed.
• 22:20
  Speaker 3: You're back with Rugby Direct powered by Habit Health, second
• 22:23
  Speaker 3: half of our podcast, and we kicked things off with
• 22:26
  Speaker 3: the final four to four Rugby topics topic number one
• 22:28
  Speaker 3: Ligum the Black Fans Packed full series. They smashed the
• 22:32
  Speaker 3: United States to the tune of seventy nine fourteen. We
• 22:34
  Speaker 3: didn't probably learn a lot from that game other than
• 22:38
  Speaker 3: the Sevens and the players coming in. Georgia Miller I
• 22:42
  Speaker 3: thought was very good, reci Palty Lane excellent a half back,
• 22:45
  Speaker 3: and then they had the center combination of Teresa's definal
• 22:49
  Speaker 3: and Stacy Waker come in in midfield as well. And
• 22:52
  Speaker 3: it felt that those SEVENS players, and again you've got
• 22:55
  Speaker 3: temperate with the fact that the United States weren't really
• 22:57
  Speaker 3: the races apart from the opening fifteen minutes, those SEVENS
• 23:00
  Speaker 3: players made a huge immediate difference on this Black Fans team.
• 23:04
  Speaker 4: They did, and I wonder what that's like to manage
• 23:07
  Speaker 4: from relationship dynamic point of view, right, because you've got
• 23:12
  Speaker 4: players that have come through Alpaqui, the fifteen specialists, they're
• 23:15
  Speaker 4: in the squad, and then you get half a dozen
• 23:18
  Speaker 4: players come in from outside who are very close as
• 23:22
  Speaker 4: a group as well. So I'd love to be a
• 23:24
  Speaker 4: fly on the wall and sort of see how that's managed.
• 23:26
  Speaker 4: But you're right, those SEVENS players made a massive impact.
• 23:30
  Speaker 4: Stacy Walker in particularly particularly. You mentioned the week before
• 23:33
  Speaker 4: about Amy Dupless in the midfield, and we talked about
• 23:37
  Speaker 4: pusha Woodman potentially coming in and being closer to the action.
• 23:42
  Speaker 5: But Stacy Waker, she was not the heart and soul,
• 23:45
  Speaker 5: but her ability.
• 23:48
  Speaker 4: The wingers scored eleven tries, and that's when you know
• 23:53
  Speaker 4: your center's playing well as well. Because the distribution of
• 23:56
  Speaker 4: Stacy Woker is hugely underrated. Her ability to throw skip
• 24:00
  Speaker 4: balls to create space, to make players around her look good.
• 24:05
  Speaker 4: She was a big part of that World Cup victory
• 24:08
  Speaker 4: three years ago and she made an immediate impact there.
• 24:11
  Speaker 4: Georgia Miller some nice touches, nice breaks. There's an element
• 24:16
  Speaker 4: of surprise for me that she's an open side just
• 24:18
  Speaker 4: to look at her physical she's.
• 24:19
  Speaker 3: Quite small for an open side Flanka or for a Ford,
• 24:22
  Speaker 3: to be honest, But I don't know where else she
• 24:24
  Speaker 3: put her. She kind of plays that prop role in
• 24:26
  Speaker 3: vite coomas and sevens, but there's so much competition in
• 24:30
  Speaker 3: the back line. Maybe she's more suited there. But in
• 24:34
  Speaker 3: the four pack, you know they've got Kennedy Takawafu, who's
• 24:37
  Speaker 3: the co captain of the team at openside. Flanka had
• 24:39
  Speaker 3: to make way for Georgia Miller, So I'm not quite
• 24:42
  Speaker 3: sure you need to have her in the mix because
• 24:43
  Speaker 3: we saw how devastating she can be with a couple
• 24:46
  Speaker 3: of those breaks that she made, But it feels like
• 24:48
  Speaker 3: they've sort of tagged her as a seven I don't
• 24:51
  Speaker 3: know that it's necessarily her best position on the park.
• 24:53
  Speaker 4: Maybe she's a bit of a hybrid player on the
• 24:55
  Speaker 4: bench that can come on and play all loose four positions.
• 24:59
  Speaker 4: She roams, doesn't she She is very good on the edge,
• 25:04
  Speaker 4: using her skills, having a bit more space rather than
• 25:07
  Speaker 4: being confined. But I have heard her speaking about enjoying
• 25:11
  Speaker 4: being close to the action, enjoying targeting the ruck and
• 25:15
  Speaker 4: those sorts of things. So she could be a game
• 25:18
  Speaker 4: breaker to bring on with twenty minutes to go. There's
• 25:21
  Speaker 4: a bit of fatigue in the game, a bit more
• 25:23
  Speaker 4: space it targets and weak shoulders, and let her have
• 25:27
  Speaker 4: a bit of a roaming commission, and the way that
• 25:29
  Speaker 4: Black Ferns play with their intent to offload, I think
• 25:33
  Speaker 4: will suit her.
• 25:35
  Speaker 5: It is hard to take too much out of that game.
• 25:37
  Speaker 4: The USA ranked ninth in the world, and the Black
• 25:39
  Speaker 4: Ferns have clearly experimented throughout this tournament, particularly in that match,
• 25:43
  Speaker 4: made a number of changes to give those sevens players time.
• 25:46
  Speaker 5: If there's one concern. I do still have.
• 25:50
  Speaker 4: Their kicking game and the length of it, being able
• 25:54
  Speaker 4: to get in the right positions, because that's the strength
• 25:57
  Speaker 4: of England in particular. They're going to pinion the corners,
• 26:00
  Speaker 4: They're going to go to their mall, so you're not
• 26:03
  Speaker 4: always going to be able to run your way out
• 26:04
  Speaker 4: of trouble. So you can't take on England at their
• 26:07
  Speaker 4: own game or Canada and the like. But I think
• 26:13
  Speaker 4: that is somewhere where the Black fans will feel the pressure.
• 26:17
  Speaker 3: Even the set piece scrumbet well, the line out was
• 26:21
  Speaker 3: chambalock at times. A lot of miss ball on line
• 26:23
  Speaker 3: out and against better teams you're going to have to
• 26:25
  Speaker 3: be a lot better getting all to A player have
• 26:27
  Speaker 3: felt I was not straight, there was miscommunication between the
• 26:32
  Speaker 3: it was the call, but the hooker and the jumper.
• 26:34
  Speaker 3: It all just felt out of sync at line out time,
• 26:36
  Speaker 3: so that's something they need to fix as well. They've
• 26:38
  Speaker 3: got an internal trial game of sorts in early July
• 26:42
  Speaker 3: Black Fans with Black Fans fifteen, and then they have
• 26:45
  Speaker 3: a Test against Australia the following week in Wellington, so
• 26:48
  Speaker 3: two more games won a test match before they head
• 26:51
  Speaker 3: to the World Cup. So still a little bit of
• 26:53
  Speaker 3: time to figure out some of these combinations, but time
• 26:56
  Speaker 3: taking away a little.
• 26:57
  Speaker 4: Bit, Yes, not a lot, is it. You'd love to
• 26:59
  Speaker 4: play Canada again just to have that sort of level
• 27:02
  Speaker 4: of opposition. Again, I don't know how much you get
• 27:04
  Speaker 4: out of playing Australia, but I guess you run your
• 27:08
  Speaker 4: best team, but some difficult choices as well. To finalize
• 27:14
  Speaker 4: that World Cup squads, there's going to be a number
• 27:16
  Speaker 4: of disappointed players and that's what you want leading into
• 27:19
  Speaker 4: a World Cup.
• 27:20
  Speaker 3: Certainly. There's topic two in the Final four communication last week.
• 27:24
  Speaker 3: The All Black squad will be named the Monday after
• 27:26
  Speaker 3: the Super Rugby Final. Interestingly, it's a thirty five man
• 27:32
  Speaker 3: squad now I'd heard it was only going to be
• 27:34
  Speaker 3: thirty players also heard thirty two at one point. I guess,
• 27:38
  Speaker 3: in just the context of naming a wider squad, what
• 27:42
  Speaker 3: does this tell us about maybe what they are going
• 27:45
  Speaker 3: to do. We've seen bigger squads go for obviously end
• 27:46
  Speaker 3: of year tours and things like that, but the wisdom
• 27:48
  Speaker 3: has always been when you're in New Zealand, you can
• 27:51
  Speaker 3: just whistle a player on a domestic flight and getting
• 27:53
  Speaker 3: there in a couple of hours. So interestingly, they're going
• 27:56
  Speaker 3: through the thirty five man squad. Does that tell us
• 27:58
  Speaker 3: something about the way that they're going to pick and
• 28:00
  Speaker 3: the players that they're going to pick.
• 28:02
  Speaker 5: I think it's bloated.
• 28:04
  Speaker 4: I don't think you need thirty five players for a
• 28:06
  Speaker 4: three match series again France. But obviously Raises got on
• 28:11
  Speaker 4: Mark Robinson's ear and said, just give me a bit
• 28:14
  Speaker 4: more cash, mate.
• 28:16
  Speaker 5: What's another it? How's your math?
• 28:19
  Speaker 4: Three times seven five hundred is what each all Black
• 28:24
  Speaker 4: earns when they're in camp each week, So twenty two
• 28:26
  Speaker 4: and a half thousand dollars per week, so time's three yep. Yeah, yeah,
• 28:31
  Speaker 4: it's a bit of extra cash there. But it does
• 28:34
  Speaker 4: give you more fleix. It does give you more flexibility.
• 28:39
  Speaker 4: I think it means they'll select four locks. It gives
• 28:41
  Speaker 4: you an extra prop, probably an extra Lucy, maybe an
• 28:46
  Speaker 4: extra outside back, so you get three extra players. So
• 28:51
  Speaker 4: we will have a new luc Head prop with offer
• 28:55
  Speaker 4: toing a fussy out of that mix. So interesting to
• 28:58
  Speaker 4: see who fills that void. I think I hope it
• 29:02
  Speaker 4: paves away for someone like Fabian Holland. I'd be selecting
• 29:04
  Speaker 4: him over Josh Lord at this point. And the Lucy's
• 29:09
  Speaker 4: is where the pinchers is rarely going to come. And
• 29:12
  Speaker 4: I think in the thirty two man Squaddy could probably
• 29:14
  Speaker 4: only slept four max outside backs because you've got that
• 29:18
  Speaker 4: flexibility with McKenzie and Boden, Barrett, Stephen Peterfetzter if he's
• 29:22
  Speaker 4: in that mix, so it probably gives you. It allows
• 29:25
  Speaker 4: you to go deeper in some positions which you know
• 29:28
  Speaker 4: Razor and the Orbicks will want this year and beyond.
• 29:31
  Speaker 3: Yeah, that Lucy props interesting, isn't it. The drums beating
• 29:34
  Speaker 3: a little bit for Josh Fuzzy Tour. I've seen his
• 29:36
  Speaker 3: name mentioned a fair better around the place. Olie Norris
• 29:40
  Speaker 3: has been very good for the Chiefs, so there's some
• 29:42
  Speaker 3: competition for that jersey there is.
• 29:44
  Speaker 4: George Boar's been there, Xavier new Mere I think the
• 29:48
  Speaker 4: All Blacks like him. I know Jason Ryan has spent
• 29:50
  Speaker 4: some time in Wellington working with him this year. Those
• 29:54
  Speaker 4: All Blacks coaches get around all the franchises, but I
• 29:57
  Speaker 4: think Xavier new Mia. He was on the cusp last
• 30:00
  Speaker 4: year and what was it a calf or an ankle,
• 30:03
  Speaker 4: something very untimely injury at the back end of last year.
• 30:07
  Speaker 4: So It is interesting because those three players for situr
• 30:13
  Speaker 4: Olie Norris who heard a massive performance off the bench,
• 30:16
  Speaker 4: and Bay plenty against who was it against the Force
• 30:20
  Speaker 4: played seventy odd minutes and Numea are that all court
• 30:25
  Speaker 4: modern day prop that bring you so much more around
• 30:28
  Speaker 4: the field than say Ethan de Groot. But the Groot
• 30:32
  Speaker 4: scrummaging is probably at another level to those guys at
• 30:35
  Speaker 4: this point. So it is an interesting dynamic about where
• 30:37
  Speaker 4: the All Blacks want to go there.
• 30:38
  Speaker 3: It is indeed we'll pick out All Black squad probably
• 30:41
  Speaker 3: in the week, letting up to that team announcement as well.
• 30:44
  Speaker 3: Probably a good chance to flow into another question in
• 30:46
  Speaker 3: the final four who plus Savia and Satiti. Let's assume
• 30:50
  Speaker 3: that their locks are will their loose fords actually, but
• 30:52
  Speaker 3: their locks for this team are going to be the
• 30:54
  Speaker 3: All Blacks loose ford trio for that opening Test of
• 30:56
  Speaker 3: twenty twenty five. So you can move things around it,
• 30:59
  Speaker 3: but I guess you in theory save is your open
• 31:02
  Speaker 3: side Flanka and Satiti's the number eight, but Saditi could
• 31:06
  Speaker 3: play six, Artie could play eight. You can move things
• 31:08
  Speaker 3: around a little bit, but who are you adding to
• 31:10
  Speaker 3: that loose ford Trigo.
• 31:11
  Speaker 4: Yeah, I think we will see Sititi at eight and
• 31:14
  Speaker 4: Save at seven this year. It slowly progressed that way
• 31:18
  Speaker 4: towards the back end of last year, and that dynamic
• 31:21
  Speaker 4: does seem to work well.
• 31:23
  Speaker 5: I think.
• 31:25
  Speaker 4: The All Blacks are still take guys of invested time,
• 31:29
  Speaker 4: and so you're looking at a female Black Header Jacobson.
• 31:32
  Speaker 4: It's hard to see them going beyond that realm. And yes,
• 31:35
  Speaker 4: female is coming off the bench for the Chiefs, currently
• 31:38
  Speaker 4: behind Simon Parker, who's been great for them in recent weeks,
• 31:43
  Speaker 4: performing exactly what they want from him.
• 31:46
  Speaker 3: We'll see you contender. I don't maybe not start this,
• 31:49
  Speaker 3: but maybe for that squad.
• 31:51
  Speaker 4: I can't see it that there's so much talent the
• 31:53
  Speaker 4: loose Fords, Peter Larkeye and then you go the open
• 31:56
  Speaker 4: sides Papaal to see CARREFI.
• 31:59
  Speaker 5: You know, the list goes on.
• 32:00
  Speaker 4: So I just I can't see a guy like Parker
• 32:02
  Speaker 4: forcing his way in. It's very interesting. Black Header hasn't
• 32:07
  Speaker 4: played most of this year. Jacobson has been good for me.
• 32:13
  Speaker 4: It's probably still female.
• 32:14
  Speaker 5: I think.
• 32:16
  Speaker 4: The upside in him where he can get to with
• 32:19
  Speaker 4: his ball carrying. He is a strong line out option,
• 32:23
  Speaker 4: but he's been used sparingly this year, so it's whether
• 32:26
  Speaker 4: the All Blacks and he hasn't really taken his chance.
• 32:30
  Speaker 3: He hasn't gone in Stamford's authority on a Test match
• 32:32
  Speaker 3: like you would want. You know, Shan Frazel, you did
• 32:36
  Speaker 3: that game against Sartifragar in twenty three, but it feels
• 32:40
  Speaker 3: like Jerome Kano left eight years ago and they're still
• 32:44
  Speaker 3: searching for that blind. They've been through a lot since then,
• 32:46
  Speaker 3: Liam Squire, Scott Barrett's gone and any number of players,
• 32:50
  Speaker 3: but they're still searching for that number six.
• 32:52
  Speaker 5: Well, Frazel was that guy.
• 32:54
  Speaker 4: He got to that level or pretty close to it,
• 32:58
  Speaker 4: and then he's gone to Japan for a couple of years.
• 33:00
  Speaker 4: As we would have whispers that maybe he'd entertained coming back,
• 33:03
  Speaker 4: but we haven't heard anything more about that. But since
• 33:07
  Speaker 4: he's left, Orsa Titi became the guy in an unfamiliar
• 33:14
  Speaker 4: largely positioned but you'd think his long term home is
• 33:17
  Speaker 4: number eight. So that six jersey is still very much
• 33:20
  Speaker 4: up for grabs.
• 33:21
  Speaker 3: It certainly is final topic in the final four Club
• 33:23
  Speaker 3: World Cup got the go ahead from twenty twenty eight,
• 33:26
  Speaker 3: so you're popping balloons and celebrating about that when you
• 33:29
  Speaker 3: heard the news, I'm sure.
• 33:31
  Speaker 4: Well it's going to be pretty magic time to see
• 33:33
  Speaker 4: the Canes crown champions of the world.
• 33:35
  Speaker 3: Isn't it going to make the top seven and twenty
• 33:38
  Speaker 3: seven first? So just hold your horses.
• 33:39
  Speaker 4: Actually sip a bit of consternation on Twitter or x
• 33:43
  Speaker 4: or whatever it's called now about if if the draw
• 33:47
  Speaker 4: was made now, Moana would be included and they've just
• 33:51
  Speaker 4: been pumped by eighty points, So well, let's look at
• 33:54
  Speaker 4: the entirety of the season. They beat the Crusades and
• 33:56
  Speaker 4: krash Chitts knocked over four of the five New Zealand teams.
• 34:00
  Speaker 4: You know, if you want to look at it that way,
• 34:02
  Speaker 4: was it Glasgow got pumped by fifty points and the
• 34:07
  Speaker 4: Champions Cup or the final by Leinster.
• 34:09
  Speaker 5: So you can pick out one off results.
• 34:11
  Speaker 4: But look, the concept of a Club World Cup does
• 34:14
  Speaker 4: excite me and I think it will engage fans because
• 34:16
  Speaker 4: there's long been talk about the Crusaders and their pump
• 34:19
  Speaker 4: going up against Leinster or Laraschelle or whoever it is.
• 34:23
  Speaker 4: And I think that narrative will, you know, spark some
• 34:29
  Speaker 4: banter and interest and I think rugby needs that it
• 34:33
  Speaker 4: lacks it.
• 34:34
  Speaker 3: It is a competition that rugby needs. I agree the
• 34:36
  Speaker 3: club book ups never quite worked in football, They've never
• 34:40
  Speaker 3: quite known what to do with it. In fact, the
• 34:41
  Speaker 3: football ones in a month or two's time with a
• 34:44
  Speaker 3: thirty two team format, which is the first time they've
• 34:47
  Speaker 3: done that. Cricket's tried it, They've tried it around the
• 34:51
  Speaker 3: Rugby League Club Challenge and various things, because it's very
• 34:54
  Speaker 3: very hard to get the calendar's right the best players
• 34:56
  Speaker 3: or playing at the one time. Sounds like the calendar
• 34:59
  Speaker 3: is going to be just after the end of the
• 35:01
  Speaker 3: French A story season, so maybe June July, so you're
• 35:05
  Speaker 3: going to come straight out of Super if you're in
• 35:07
  Speaker 3: New Zealand or Australian specific team and head into that
• 35:10
  Speaker 3: Club World Cup. So they've probably done the best possible
• 35:12
  Speaker 3: sort of window they can for this one.
• 35:15
  Speaker 4: Yeah, I think the league one's a bit of a
• 35:16
  Speaker 4: joke to be honest, because it's preseason the following year
• 35:20
  Speaker 4: and I've heard even I think Nathan Clary talk about
• 35:23
  Speaker 4: it's basically like a pissed trip for those guys go
• 35:26
  Speaker 4: up there and have a joint a jaunts.
• 35:29
  Speaker 5: So maybe they do that.
• 35:31
  Speaker 4: It wouldn't be advisable of drug testing. Probably Stier clear
• 35:36
  Speaker 4: of that. But Rugby does need it. But it has
• 35:42
  Speaker 4: to be authentic, right, you can't. You can't pull the
• 35:46
  Speaker 4: wall over fans eyes and do it half fast pool
• 35:50
  Speaker 4: players out have non internationals not playing. But it also
• 35:53
  Speaker 4: doesn't need to be every year.
• 35:55
  Speaker 3: That's right. Actually adds some context, some you know, some
• 36:01
  Speaker 3: value to it by not playing every year. Whether it's
• 36:04
  Speaker 3: every if it's every four years, great, that is a
• 36:05
  Speaker 3: World Cup. You're playing once every four years. Teams have change,
• 36:08
  Speaker 3: cycles of change, players have gone through and you have
• 36:12
  Speaker 3: a legitimate claim to being the club World Cup when
• 36:14
  Speaker 3: it's not over you Yeah, just.
• 36:16
  Speaker 5: On their faux pas.
• 36:17
  Speaker 4: Maybe if we have another referendum, you know, Rugby direct
• 36:19
  Speaker 4: could have having that bring a sponsor on board.
• 36:22
  Speaker 3: Yeah, feel free might make for a more interesting pot
• 36:26
  Speaker 3: back for a very interesting pot that is for certain. Right,
• 36:29
  Speaker 3: let's move on and get into tipping limb. Congratulations, you
• 36:33
  Speaker 3: had four correct all four corrects on the weekend.
• 36:37
  Speaker 5: They say, you know, big players step up at the
• 36:40
  Speaker 5: point the end of the air.
• 36:40
  Speaker 3: Yeah they do, they do say that. Yeah, you hit
• 36:44
  Speaker 3: all four right. I had the Crusaders correctly, but read's
• 36:47
  Speaker 3: Mawana and the four so I only get one point.
• 36:49
  Speaker 3: I'm now leaving by five.
• 36:50
  Speaker 5: It's feeling with precious coming.
• 36:53
  Speaker 3: Yeah, and it's gonna be a big final weekend of
• 36:55
  Speaker 3: Super Rugby. Highlanders and Chiefs Friday nights under the roof.
• 37:03
  Speaker 5: Chiefs. Chiefs. Look, lenders have come, you know, put up
• 37:07
  Speaker 5: a good fight, but you can't not to the Chiefs.
• 37:09
  Speaker 3: So yeah, I'm going to have the Chiefs as well.
• 37:11
  Speaker 3: Brumbies Crusaders saying Canberra nine to thirty five Friday night,
• 37:14
  Speaker 3: looking forward to calling this one on gold Sport on iHeartRadio. Well,
• 37:17
  Speaker 3: you've knowed your flags the mast earlier in the.
• 37:19
  Speaker 5: Pod always been a Brumbies fan elit.
• 37:21
  Speaker 2: You know that.
• 37:22
  Speaker 3: Crusaders will win that and finished second on the letter.
• 37:25
  Speaker 3: I think Blues war Atars. I was slayn soon last
• 37:28
  Speaker 3: week that you know this is going to be interesting
• 37:30
  Speaker 3: because the Blues are playing at Eden Park. There was
• 37:32
  Speaker 3: going to be the Auckland f C final potentially at
• 37:35
  Speaker 3: Mounts Mounts standing. Well, they don't have to worry about
• 37:36
  Speaker 3: that because Auckland f C collapse in a heap, so
• 37:40
  Speaker 3: the Blues will get the Saturday afternoon sports crowd to
• 37:42
  Speaker 3: themselves and do they get the win.
• 37:46
  Speaker 4: They do, but there's a lot on the line, isn't
• 37:48
  Speaker 4: there Because the Tars have keep this season alive with
• 37:50
  Speaker 4: the golden point or whatever you want to call it,
• 37:53
  Speaker 4: super point over the Force. So yeah, they'll come with
• 37:56
  Speaker 4: a bit of sting.
• 37:57
  Speaker 3: But I think the Blues, yeah, I can't see the
• 38:01
  Speaker 3: Warriors they wanted Eden Parks in two thousand and nine.
• 38:03
  Speaker 5: I think it is a bonus point would be desirable
• 38:06
  Speaker 5: for the Blues, but I think.
• 38:08
  Speaker 3: Enough Hurricanes, more Ona pacifica seven oh five. Now mawana
• 38:12
  Speaker 3: Adi going back to his old team looking to clinch
• 38:15
  Speaker 3: our playoff spot. It's written in the stars, isn't it
• 38:18
  Speaker 3: that Mowana gone derail the Cane train the week before
• 38:21
  Speaker 3: the playoffs.
• 38:23
  Speaker 4: Oh look, there are chants if they perform how they
• 38:26
  Speaker 4: have and those four victories, but I think they might
• 38:29
  Speaker 4: run out a bit of steam and there's enough on
• 38:31
  Speaker 4: the line for the Canes to lock up that full
• 38:34
  Speaker 4: spot and potentially have a second chance.
• 38:36
  Speaker 3: It feels like that lost psychologically. I mean, it's gonna
• 38:39
  Speaker 3: be fascinated to see how they respond, but feels like
• 38:41
  Speaker 3: that eighty five points conceded, it might have done a
• 38:43
  Speaker 3: little bit of psychological damage to Mowana, but they are
• 38:46
  Speaker 3: going to know what they need once they head into
• 38:50
  Speaker 3: that game because the Blues war tars Well a little
• 38:52
  Speaker 3: bit earlier reads Fiji and drud to round out the
• 38:55
  Speaker 3: regular season in Brisbane nine thirty five Saturday nights.
• 38:59
  Speaker 4: Yes, the drew of one what the odd game in
• 39:01
  Speaker 4: lawel Toka this year, but it's been fairly underwhelming otherwise,
• 39:04
  Speaker 4: So the Reds bounce back to one that.
• 39:06
  Speaker 3: They do at sun Corps State.
• 39:08
  Speaker 2: I agree.
• 39:09
  Speaker 3: Regular MVP Medal voting time, Ali Saviga has a twelve
• 39:12
  Speaker 3: point lead twenty five points to Bowden Barrett's thirteen three
• 39:16
  Speaker 3: way time for third. Will Jordan Quintepi to Liham your
• 39:21
  Speaker 3: three two once please?
• 39:22
  Speaker 5: Well, I'm going Damien McKenzie.
• 39:24
  Speaker 4: I thought he, you know, other players probably shone Moore,
• 39:27
  Speaker 4: but I thought he orchestrated a lot of that for
• 39:29
  Speaker 4: the Chiefs. Billy Proctor superb for the Canes. Just give
• 39:35
  Speaker 4: him a crack razor. What more does a man have
• 39:37
  Speaker 4: to do? And I thought he's been really good for
• 39:41
  Speaker 4: the Honda's past two weeks and Vasi and pro performance.
• 39:45
  Speaker 3: Leroy Carter gets my three points hat track. He was
• 39:47
  Speaker 3: very very good. He seems to make things happen when
• 39:49
  Speaker 3: he gets the ball, and he reminds you a little
• 39:50
  Speaker 3: bit of those Australian wingers. Quite nuggety. Doesn't look that
• 39:54
  Speaker 3: there's a lot to him, no, but he just his
• 39:56
  Speaker 3: ability to get over the advantage line and score tries.
• 40:01
  Speaker 3: Very interesting prospect with the All BLACKSI but later this
• 40:03
  Speaker 3: season Billy Proctor gets my two as well, and Fabian
• 40:06
  Speaker 3: hond and that losing calls for the Honders gets my one.
• 40:09
  Speaker 3: I thought out point to the crusader's locks. He was,
• 40:10
  Speaker 3: he was good and the losing efforts. So they'll go
• 40:13
  Speaker 3: our three two ones and that'll do us for another
• 40:15
  Speaker 3: week with Rugby directlim.
• 40:17
  Speaker 5: Well straight yourselves in play our footy on the ways?
• 40:21
  Speaker 3: Yeah, will the cane train be rolling through? I don't
• 40:24
  Speaker 3: know if I could do three weeks of hurricanes plus beautiful?
• 40:27
  Speaker 3: Isn't it bring back keptain Hurricanes still flighting around. I
• 40:29
  Speaker 3: don't know if he's still got you guys are taken
• 40:30
  Speaker 3: in America now. Don't know if he's got his plane.
• 40:33
  Speaker 3: The plane might have needs a change seorage. Yeah, okay,
• 40:36
  Speaker 3: all right, that'll do Rugby directs Wouldbit Health tackling all
• 40:39
  Speaker 3: your aches and pains from sport and work out, thanks
• 40:41
  Speaker 3: to Larst and bars English. See you next week.
• 40:47
  Speaker 2: For more from News Talks the'd be.
• 40:49
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• 40:52
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