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Transcript

Rugby Direct: Episode 204 · Rugby Direct

• 0:09
  Speaker 1: You're listening to a podcast from News Talks ed B.
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: Follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
• 0:19
  Speaker 2: Straight down the Middle, Try.
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: Get inside the game from every angle. It's Rugby Direct
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: with Elliott Smith and Liam Navier, powered by News Talks.
• 0:36
  Speaker 3: Ed B Rugby Direct powered by Habit Health Physio Book
• 0:40
  Speaker 3: Today and Stay in the Game. We are back another week,
• 0:43
  Speaker 3: Elliott Smith and I see it on Monday's episode. Keep
• 0:46
  Speaker 3: your phone on Bewley you have because welcome back to
• 0:50
  Speaker 3: Rugby Direct the midweek edition.
• 0:53
  Speaker 2: You did you warned me. I had it on loud
• 0:55
  Speaker 2: and got that call yesterday and I'm not happy to
• 0:58
  Speaker 2: fill in any time. Elliott and chat to rugby issues
• 1:02
  Speaker 2: and we've geez, look at the rugby news cycle. We
• 1:05
  Speaker 2: were what in the studio steady six seventy odd hours ago.
• 1:10
  Speaker 2: And another departure at New Zealand Rugby. Scott Robinson's got
• 1:13
  Speaker 2: a coaching gig, obviously got super games ahead.
• 1:15
  Speaker 3: It's but doing It's all go, It is all go.
• 1:19
  Speaker 3: Let's start with the news of Chris Lendrum leaving a
• 1:21
  Speaker 3: couple of days ago. It was announced by New Zealand Rugby.
• 1:24
  Speaker 3: He's been general manager of Professional Rugby and Performance most
• 1:28
  Speaker 3: recently that's his job title. He's had a few other
• 1:32
  Speaker 3: hats of similar roles at the organization, been there for
• 1:35
  Speaker 3: twenty years but now leaving, and they're going to take
• 1:38
  Speaker 3: that opportunity to reshape the High Performance program, restructure it,
• 1:42
  Speaker 3: rescope the High Performance Director role and it certainly sounds
• 1:46
  Speaker 3: like the HP director thereafter will oversee the all Blacks
• 1:50
  Speaker 3: program the head coach, the new head coach will report
• 1:53
  Speaker 3: to him, and it's certainly a bit of a change
• 1:56
  Speaker 3: from what we used to PERHPAE more off the Northern
• 1:59
  Speaker 3: Hemisphere style, maybe like just a David nusafora has overseen
• 2:04
  Speaker 3: it a couple of nations up north, you know, a
• 2:07
  Speaker 3: real director of rugby. Well, for me that it looks
• 2:09
  Speaker 3: like they're wanting any coach, at least a former coach
• 2:11
  Speaker 3: potentially to take on that role. But I guess your
• 2:14
  Speaker 3: reaction to Lindram departing bills and also the way that
• 2:18
  Speaker 3: they're going to look to rescope this role.
• 2:20
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I've always like the way Chris Lendrin's come across
• 2:23
  Speaker 2: and media. Seems a very calm presence and you know,
• 2:27
  Speaker 2: speaks very well and knows you know the ins and
• 2:31
  Speaker 2: outs of the rugby environment and landscape better than most.
• 2:35
  Speaker 2: It just felt to me, though, when we factor in
• 2:38
  Speaker 2: Mike Anthony's departure on top of Scott Robertson's departure and
• 2:42
  Speaker 2: all these changing parts. If we even look a little
• 2:45
  Speaker 2: bit further down the high performance ladder, when we look
• 2:48
  Speaker 2: at a Guy Caine Jury, who as of today's just
• 2:51
  Speaker 2: been appointed in a Men's National Pathways coaching role, that
• 2:55
  Speaker 2: there was a real changing of the guard, a real evolution.
• 2:59
  Speaker 2: And for Chris Lendrim, he probably took a look around
• 3:01
  Speaker 2: and said, I'm one of the last people left here
• 3:03
  Speaker 2: and now perhaps this is my time to vacate. I
• 3:07
  Speaker 2: still see going to help a consultancy period through until
• 3:11
  Speaker 2: the end of the year. But for me it felt
• 3:13
  Speaker 2: a little bit inevitable, and you know it must have
• 3:16
  Speaker 2: for you know, perhaps not knowing the full ins and
• 3:19
  Speaker 2: outs of the hierarchy system. It was the fact that
• 3:23
  Speaker 2: the All Blacks coach has up until now reported to
• 3:26
  Speaker 2: the CEO. I feel like for some people that would
• 3:29
  Speaker 2: really shock a few people that and now that's finally
• 3:32
  Speaker 2: going to be changed, which I think is a necessary change.
• 3:34
  Speaker 2: There's such a difference these days between the professional rugby
• 3:38
  Speaker 2: landscape and everything else the CEO needs to be dealing
• 3:41
  Speaker 2: with from a commercial and financial and logistical standpoint that
• 3:46
  Speaker 2: a rugby person needs to be overseeing the All Blacks
• 3:51
  Speaker 2: machine from an on field.
• 3:52
  Speaker 3: Perspective, that's right. I mean, the All Blacks is vitally
• 3:54
  Speaker 3: important to New Zealand rugby, so it made sense in
• 3:57
  Speaker 3: a way for them to report to a CEO. But
• 4:00
  Speaker 3: there needs to be I think that bridge in between
• 4:02
  Speaker 3: and the CEO needs to be concentrating once we've got
• 4:05
  Speaker 3: one in place. Of course, on signing, you know, the
• 4:07
  Speaker 3: sponsorship and keeping the game, taking over in various facets
• 4:11
  Speaker 3: and not being so concerned with the you know, the
• 4:14
  Speaker 3: all books. Obviously it's going to form a major part
• 4:16
  Speaker 3: of it, but there needs to be some sort of
• 4:18
  Speaker 3: bridge in between. It's going to be fascinating to see
• 4:20
  Speaker 3: the kind of person they want for this role. You know,
• 4:23
  Speaker 3: I've seen Joe Schmid's day mentioned and his names he
• 4:27
  Speaker 3: mentioned in this sort of capacity perhaps a Director of
• 4:29
  Speaker 3: Rugby role before, but you know he's contracted to Australian
• 4:33
  Speaker 3: Rugby through this year or through the middle of the year.
• 4:35
  Speaker 3: He basically has said that he's not going to entertain
• 4:38
  Speaker 3: anything until after the next World Cup. Steve Hansen might
• 4:41
  Speaker 3: be a goal potentially coming back from Toyota he fills
• 4:44
  Speaker 3: the director of rugby roll up there currently, this will
• 4:47
  Speaker 3: be a much bigger scope at this point in his
• 4:50
  Speaker 3: career or his life. Does he want to take on
• 4:52
  Speaker 3: something like that doesn't need to be a rugby person.
• 4:55
  Speaker 3: I think it's an interesting question as to where they
• 4:57
  Speaker 3: need to go and the kind of person that they
• 5:00
  Speaker 3: want sitting in that role. For me, I think it
• 5:02
  Speaker 3: needs to be a former coach, high profile coach, because
• 5:06
  Speaker 3: they know the ins and outs that walks. I had
• 5:08
  Speaker 3: to deal with the you know, the pressures of the
• 5:10
  Speaker 3: CEO and what the CEO is after and how much
• 5:12
  Speaker 3: money they're going to spend on various programs, et cetera.
• 5:14
  Speaker 3: They can fight that fight, but they can also talk
• 5:16
  Speaker 3: to the new All Blacks head coach. So for me,
• 5:18
  Speaker 3: it has to be someone that's been in a high
• 5:20
  Speaker 3: performance rugby coaching environment.
• 5:22
  Speaker 2: The one thing I'd add earlier is the timing is tricky,
• 5:25
  Speaker 2: isn't it. You know they're under time pressure. The recruitment
• 5:29
  Speaker 2: process is already underway to replace Scott Robertson and an
• 5:32
  Speaker 2: ideal circumstance, you'd want a bit more alignment around putting
• 5:38
  Speaker 2: the new high performance director in place and them actually
• 5:41
  Speaker 2: being part of the recruitment process for an All Black's
• 5:44
  Speaker 2: head coach. So you just wonder. I'm sure a Jamie
• 5:48
  Speaker 2: Joseph or a Dave Rennie in all likelihood would get
• 5:50
  Speaker 2: on with you know, the caliber of potential candidates you're
• 5:54
  Speaker 2: talking about there, you Joschmits and your Steve Hansen's. But again,
• 5:57
  Speaker 2: I would have thought, in an ideal world, from a
• 5:59
  Speaker 2: recruitment standpoint, you'd want to have your high performance director
• 6:02
  Speaker 2: in place to get an All Blacks coach. But it
• 6:04
  Speaker 2: is sort of a cart before horse in many ways.
• 6:06
  Speaker 3: Indeed, we spoke on the Monday edition of Rugby Direct
• 6:10
  Speaker 3: Stephen Larkham had been linked by The Daily Telegraph to
• 6:13
  Speaker 3: a role in the new All Blacks environment, potentially as
• 6:16
  Speaker 3: an assistant coach. Since then, Stephen Larkin has shut it down.
• 6:20
  Speaker 3: I've spoken to New Zealand rugging. My understanding is that
• 6:24
  Speaker 3: there has been no approach there. So you know, all
• 6:27
  Speaker 3: those hopes and dreams I had on Monday been crushed
• 6:29
  Speaker 3: by you know, the reality of it. Not happening. But look,
• 6:34
  Speaker 3: I can see why his name was link because he's
• 6:36
  Speaker 3: a quality coach and look, maybe it's given them pause
• 6:38
  Speaker 3: for thought that maybe this guy could be involved. But
• 6:40
  Speaker 3: it sounds like it's not going to happen.
• 6:42
  Speaker 2: Yeah, that was all of a sudden. We're a little
• 6:44
  Speaker 2: bit let down after getting a bit excited here on
• 6:46
  Speaker 2: Monday when re Elliott's But again, as you say, pause
• 6:49
  Speaker 2: for thought, I still would like to think in my
• 6:53
  Speaker 2: position hasn't changed that an international voice would be of
• 6:57
  Speaker 2: considerable value. I know, as I said on Monday, they
• 7:01
  Speaker 2: are going chips in on a Kiwi, whether that is
• 7:03
  Speaker 2: Joseph or ready for the top job. But they will
• 7:07
  Speaker 2: I'm sure, push some assistance that they would prefer, or
• 7:11
  Speaker 2: perhaps New Zealand Rugby will have some candidates in mind.
• 7:13
  Speaker 2: I just hope they again not ring fencing themselves to
• 7:16
  Speaker 2: New Zealanders, because there's a lot of rugby ip out
• 7:20
  Speaker 2: there to put the All Blacks in a better position
• 7:22
  Speaker 2: to win a World Cup.
• 7:23
  Speaker 3: It did seem slightly odd that Lucky had been linked
• 7:25
  Speaker 3: to New Zealand rugby with no head coach in charge.
• 7:28
  Speaker 3: So I mean whether the coach, the penelty gone hey,
• 7:30
  Speaker 3: can you work with Larkin? We're going to sound him out.
• 7:32
  Speaker 3: It sounded, you know a bit, you know, similar to
• 7:35
  Speaker 3: the previous one. You know, horse befu, the cark up
• 7:37
  Speaker 3: before the horse. You know, you've got to get one
• 7:39
  Speaker 3: place in place before you can get the other one
• 7:41
  Speaker 3: in place. So yeah, watch the space. But I suspect
• 7:45
  Speaker 3: that Stephen Larkin will start the Brumby's next year. Maybe
• 7:47
  Speaker 3: he'll coach them to a title this year. Moving on,
• 7:51
  Speaker 3: Scott Robertson back in charge of a rugby team. He's
• 7:54
  Speaker 3: in the coach of the bar Bars this year. He
• 7:55
  Speaker 3: will get to coach against South Africa this year after all,
• 7:58
  Speaker 3: just perhaps not in the game or serious he was
• 8:01
  Speaker 3: hoping for. They're going to play against the Brocks in
• 8:05
  Speaker 3: June and then also going coach in Wales. I guess
• 8:09
  Speaker 3: he's dipping his toe back in the water. There's a
• 8:10
  Speaker 3: few restrictions obviously on what he can do this year.
• 8:13
  Speaker 3: You'd expect maybe once this year is out, there might
• 8:16
  Speaker 3: ramp up a little bit more about Scott Robertson and
• 8:18
  Speaker 3: his coaching future.
• 8:21
  Speaker 2: I suspect so. But it has scant consolation, isn't it
• 8:24
  Speaker 2: getting a one off match against the Springboks as opposed
• 8:28
  Speaker 2: to the Greatest Rivalry Tour. But it is great from
• 8:31
  Speaker 2: just a personal perspective to see Scott Robertson get back
• 8:35
  Speaker 2: on his feet, so to speak, from a coaching perspective,
• 8:38
  Speaker 2: get a gig. He's still very well respected and I'm
• 8:41
  Speaker 2: sure those offers are already streaming through and time is
• 8:46
  Speaker 2: on his side. He very much doesn't need to rush
• 8:48
  Speaker 2: into things. The one thing I thought I'd just throw
• 8:51
  Speaker 2: it at Elliott he's partnering up with Philippe Contopomi in
• 8:56
  Speaker 2: The Barbarians. Could you see a scenario where that partnership
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: could come into the Puma's mix potentially?
• 9:03
  Speaker 3: Yeah, absolutely, look at make his sharp appointment for them
• 9:07
  Speaker 3: in a world get a different sort of intel. I
• 9:10
  Speaker 3: really like the way the Permas are building, and if
• 9:12
  Speaker 3: Contupoi thinks there's a perhaps a missing piece there or
• 9:15
  Speaker 3: something that Scott Robertson can add, and I don't think
• 9:18
  Speaker 3: it'd be the worst thing for him to maybe be
• 9:20
  Speaker 3: sort of as an advisor or as an assistant coach
• 9:23
  Speaker 3: for twelve months to get a different perspective on things
• 9:26
  Speaker 3: and view things in a different way. So look, I
• 9:29
  Speaker 3: wouldn't rule that out entirely hard to know where the
• 9:32
  Speaker 3: chips fall around international coaching. You know, three weeks ago
• 9:36
  Speaker 3: we thought Gregor Townsend might be gone from Scotland. Now
• 9:40
  Speaker 3: I suspect all State of the World Cup. So maybe
• 9:43
  Speaker 3: as an assistant coach, that might be Scott Robinson's best
• 9:46
  Speaker 3: chance of getting a ticket over to Australia as a
• 9:48
  Speaker 3: coach at next year's tournament. So yeah, watch the space.
• 9:51
  Speaker 3: I mean, as you mentioned, interesting as well, isn't it
• 9:53
  Speaker 3: to see what kind of team you can put together
• 9:54
  Speaker 3: with the Barbers? Will there be any players as coach
• 9:57
  Speaker 3: from the Crusaders or maybe even all Blacks environment before
• 10:00
  Speaker 3: non currently in New Zealand, I would think, but there'll
• 10:03
  Speaker 3: be probably a few New Zealanders smatted through the squad
• 10:06
  Speaker 3: that he'll assemble for those games. So we will see
• 10:09
  Speaker 3: who he puts together for those Barbars games. Super a
• 10:12
  Speaker 3: good teams out for the week three games and bills
• 10:17
  Speaker 3: on your patch. No Cody Taylor for the Crusaders this week.
• 10:20
  Speaker 3: Lister of Fighting Anooka comes in at center as well.
• 10:23
  Speaker 3: Brandon Enall's at a wedding. But you know, the Crusaders,
• 10:27
  Speaker 3: as we discussed on Monday, they need these changes to
• 10:30
  Speaker 3: work and work quickly, and not having Cody Taylor there
• 10:32
  Speaker 3: is a big blow it is.
• 10:34
  Speaker 2: Yeah, unfortunately it sounds like it's more on the minor side.
• 10:37
  Speaker 2: And speaking of Rob Penny on Tuesday said, you know,
• 10:40
  Speaker 2: if it was a final they probably would have risked it.
• 10:44
  Speaker 2: But particularly with the lineout wobbles that they've had on Sunday,
• 10:48
  Speaker 2: what was it seven from thirteen a little over fifty
• 10:51
  Speaker 2: percent efficiency rates and the experience of Cody Taylor usually
• 10:55
  Speaker 2: just thrives playing against the Chiefs in particular, so that
• 10:58
  Speaker 2: puts a bit of extra pressure on George bow as
• 11:01
  Speaker 2: a starter. And then young Man and moa Letto who's
• 11:05
  Speaker 2: only played a handful of first class games across Super
• 11:08
  Speaker 2: rugby and in PC. So we'll interesting to see how
• 11:12
  Speaker 2: both of those two go. I think those other changes
• 11:15
  Speaker 2: certainly were required on form. I think even if the
• 11:18
  Speaker 2: braiden in or wasn't away at a wedding, the drums
• 11:22
  Speaker 2: were beating for Leester fining Minoku to start, he seemed
• 11:25
  Speaker 2: to make a real statement after being benched. After starting
• 11:30
  Speaker 2: on the wing in round one, he made something ridiculous
• 11:33
  Speaker 2: like eleven tackle breaks across about thirty five minutes of rugby,
• 11:38
  Speaker 2: so looking forward to seeing him start at center and
• 11:40
  Speaker 2: to Mighty Williams as well. That's a significant inclusion. He
• 11:43
  Speaker 2: played about thirty five minutes on the weekend, but to
• 11:46
  Speaker 2: have him there from the start, partnering with Fletcher ywell,
• 11:50
  Speaker 2: the Crusaders will be hoping they can try and get
• 11:51
  Speaker 2: a bit of pay at the scrum. They only had
• 11:53
  Speaker 2: three scrum feeds against the Brumbies on Sunday, as mentioned
• 11:57
  Speaker 2: a lot of lineouts, but yeah, they're up against it
• 12:01
  Speaker 2: against the Chiefs team. I just look on paper Elliott
• 12:04
  Speaker 2: and particularly the strength and depth and the loose forward
• 12:08
  Speaker 2: three and their four pack in general. But to have
• 12:10
  Speaker 2: Simon Parker. I know they've got Kaylen Boshier moving over
• 12:13
  Speaker 2: to open side flanker, Luke Jacobson as a back row,
• 12:15
  Speaker 2: and then their their replacement options and none other than
• 12:18
  Speaker 2: Wallace to Titi and Sammerpeni female. So that's probably one
• 12:23
  Speaker 2: area of concern. I feel like for the Crusaders is
• 12:25
  Speaker 2: their back three with Gardener, Blackadder and Leo Willie. I
• 12:31
  Speaker 2: think it's a little bit too same same and I
• 12:33
  Speaker 2: think they really are missing the impact to Tom Christie.
• 12:36
  Speaker 2: So some inclusions for the Crusaders a bigger mission and Taylor.
• 12:42
  Speaker 2: But I think from where the Chiefs are on paper
• 12:43
  Speaker 2: and this is still without Cortez at artamis still without
• 12:46
  Speaker 2: Damien McKenzie. I think that I can see why the
• 12:51
  Speaker 2: tab of the Chiefs a dollar thirty favorite.
• 12:53
  Speaker 3: Well, it's remarkable, isn't that He courty's right to my
• 12:55
  Speaker 3: opporternity to leave. Still, I don't think he's back in camp.
• 12:58
  Speaker 3: If he is, he hasn't been there back long. Damien
• 13:01
  Speaker 3: McKenzie came in at the start of the week. They've
• 13:03
  Speaker 3: decided that don't you to risk him this week against
• 13:05
  Speaker 3: the Crusaders wild Rather, don't need to rush him in.
• 13:08
  Speaker 3: Bring him in against Mowaa Pacifica next week. He hasn't
• 13:10
  Speaker 3: played any rugby since the end of year tour. And
• 13:13
  Speaker 3: then they can bring on like a Lolakeye Forgetsie as
• 13:16
  Speaker 3: well off the bench, as well as former Wallaby players,
• 13:18
  Speaker 3: so that stacks and I think they'll very much go
• 13:23
  Speaker 3: three from three this week. We'll touch on the tipping
• 13:26
  Speaker 3: and just a moment elsewhere around the traps, no surprises.
• 13:28
  Speaker 3: Calum Harkin gets the nod at ten for the Hurricanes
• 13:31
  Speaker 3: and what is becoming a cursed juicy at ten, Rubin
• 13:35
  Speaker 3: Love obviously out already Brick Cameron as we discussed earlier
• 13:38
  Speaker 3: in the week, and Harry Godfrey already up for the season.
• 13:41
  Speaker 3: You'd be hoping that he gets through the weekends game,
• 13:44
  Speaker 3: where right also brought through Lucas Cashmore as well, back
• 13:47
  Speaker 3: from injury. Otherwise minimal changes to the Highlanders and Blues
• 13:50
  Speaker 3: for their respective games. We'll get into tipping in a moment,
• 13:53
  Speaker 3: but first let's dive into the Rugby Direct mail bag,
• 13:55
  Speaker 3: which you can get in touch with us via social
• 13:57
  Speaker 3: media or on Rugby Direct at z dot co dot
• 14:02
  Speaker 3: m z's. This is from Matthew Willoughby, who messaged myself
• 14:06
  Speaker 3: and Liam on Twitter early in the week going, Guys,
• 14:09
  Speaker 3: how is the integrity of the comp not question? When
• 14:11
  Speaker 3: wanna can rotate fourteen players into round two? We touched
• 14:15
  Speaker 3: a little bit on this on the Monday Pod Bules,
• 14:18
  Speaker 3: but Tana Umanger gave for the comp a little bit
• 14:21
  Speaker 3: of a serve for that because basically he felt like
• 14:23
  Speaker 3: there was no other answer than bringing in a whole
• 14:25
  Speaker 3: host of players given the way that their schedule started.
• 14:30
  Speaker 3: So that's probably the competition of integrity was the other
• 14:33
  Speaker 3: teams rotate big time for various games, but that was
• 14:37
  Speaker 3: a fairly drastic selection from Tana Umager.
• 14:40
  Speaker 2: It was. I think it brings the spotlight again on
• 14:45
  Speaker 2: Laotoka and games at Churchill Park, particularly this early in
• 14:49
  Speaker 2: the year when it's even hotter than usual in FGM.
• 14:51
  Speaker 2: Just saving quick look on the weather forecast, it's supposed
• 14:54
  Speaker 2: to be upwards of thirty two degrees for this Hurricanes
• 14:57
  Speaker 2: drawer game on Saturday. And it doesn't surprise me one
• 15:02
  Speaker 2: iota that teams are going to such drastic action either
• 15:07
  Speaker 2: more not the week after, if not doing some pretty
• 15:10
  Speaker 2: forward thinking the week before. Even look at the Canes
• 15:14
  Speaker 2: the way they've reintegrated cam roy Garden Billy Proctor as
• 15:18
  Speaker 2: an example. You know, both came off the bench last week,
• 15:21
  Speaker 2: so it kind of has to be done. And the
• 15:24
  Speaker 2: Hurricanes have, you know, have to go over to Sydney
• 15:27
  Speaker 2: next week to play the Waratahs. So personally, I'm guessing
• 15:31
  Speaker 2: it correat me if I'm wrong. But it's a lighting issue,
• 15:34
  Speaker 2: isn't it Laotoka. That's why these games have to be
• 15:35
  Speaker 2: played in the middle of the day. But it is
• 15:38
  Speaker 2: a real factor around the squad rotation. No, I don't
• 15:42
  Speaker 2: think from a fan perspective it is great, or probably
• 15:45
  Speaker 2: from a fantasy perspective, it's great. There's so much squad rotation,
• 15:49
  Speaker 2: but it is really tricky. Having spoken of these Crusaders
• 15:52
  Speaker 2: guys last year, coming back from Laotoka took most of
• 15:55
  Speaker 2: them at least a week if not more to recover.
• 15:58
  Speaker 2: Such was the jurists they are under in terms of
• 16:01
  Speaker 2: the heat.
• 16:01
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I don't believe that Lauotoka ground has sufficient lighting
• 16:05
  Speaker 3: to host basically games at night. I think so that's
• 16:09
  Speaker 3: an issue because they can basically only play in one
• 16:11
  Speaker 3: or two time slots each week, and for Super Rugby,
• 16:16
  Speaker 3: you know they need those night games. And then again
• 16:18
  Speaker 3: it's imbalanced if there are night games in Fiji versus
• 16:20
  Speaker 3: playing in day. You know, go to Suva play at
• 16:23
  Speaker 3: night at seven o'clock on a Saturday or Friday. That's
• 16:25
  Speaker 3: a different game rarely to playing at two thirty five
• 16:28
  Speaker 3: in Lautoka. So there's all sorts of considerations. Until that
• 16:31
  Speaker 3: is sorted, until there are facilities, there probably going to
• 16:34
  Speaker 3: be an issue ongoing for Super Rugby. I thanks to
• 16:37
  Speaker 3: your feedback in the mail bag, Matthew, and always welcome
• 16:40
  Speaker 3: to get in touch anyone into the pod. Let's get
• 16:42
  Speaker 3: in some tipping bules. All these games live on gold
• 16:45
  Speaker 3: Sport and iHeartRadio. This week, well one are Pacifica against
• 16:49
  Speaker 3: the Force from Bokakoe on Friday night, seven o five.
• 16:52
  Speaker 3: I'm calling this game and look, I'm gonna give it
• 16:54
  Speaker 3: to more onea Pacifica. But wouldn't surprise me if the
• 16:57
  Speaker 3: Force come over and take a win. They have scored
• 17:00
  Speaker 3: a lot of points last week thirty two against the Blues,
• 17:03
  Speaker 3: twenty four against the Brumbies the week prior. I mean
• 17:05
  Speaker 3: they conceded fifty six, sure, but they have points to them.
• 17:08
  Speaker 3: This Western Force team, it's just the defense that has
• 17:10
  Speaker 3: a few question marks. There might be a lot of
• 17:12
  Speaker 3: points in this one. I suspect and book goee.
• 17:14
  Speaker 2: I think you bang On took the words out of
• 17:16
  Speaker 2: my mouth there. I think it was last year, was
• 17:18
  Speaker 2: it Ben Donaldson? Eighty minutes into the game Force beat
• 17:22
  Speaker 2: Moana and it was forty eight forty five or something
• 17:25
  Speaker 2: in the most game of super Touch. I think it
• 17:27
  Speaker 2: could be that again at Pukakoi, and just to be different,
• 17:31
  Speaker 2: I will go with the Force. I thought from the
• 17:33
  Speaker 2: highlights I saw of the game against the Blues, there's
• 17:37
  Speaker 2: enough enough signs of encouragement for Mowana perhaps, you know,
• 17:42
  Speaker 2: having recovered now from that trip to Laotoka, they should
• 17:45
  Speaker 2: be better than they were against the Hurricanes. I think
• 17:48
  Speaker 2: it'll be close, but I'll go.
• 17:50
  Speaker 3: Force Indeed, Red's Highlanders. I think this is one of
• 17:53
  Speaker 3: the games that has a claim to be matched with
• 17:54
  Speaker 3: the Round. There's probably three games that have claims to
• 17:56
  Speaker 3: be matching the Round. Here Reid, Thailand is sun Corpse
• 17:58
  Speaker 3: Stadium Friday night. Big test for the Highlanders, who frustrated
• 18:02
  Speaker 3: they didn't get that win last week against the Chiefs,
• 18:04
  Speaker 3: could have been two and Z to start the season.
• 18:07
  Speaker 3: The red coming off you know, the bye last week,
• 18:10
  Speaker 3: how will they go? I suspect the Reds might be
• 18:14
  Speaker 3: able to get the job done at home.
• 18:16
  Speaker 2: What so you yeah, I'm gonna go with the Reds
• 18:18
  Speaker 2: as well. I think it would have been a bit
• 18:21
  Speaker 2: of a reality check from them in Round one losing
• 18:24
  Speaker 2: to the Warritars having to buy lez Kiss doesn't take
• 18:28
  Speaker 2: a step backwards in terms of the way he goes
• 18:30
  Speaker 2: about things. So I think they'll be much improved for
• 18:33
  Speaker 2: the Highlanders. They've been there or thereabouts. I really again
• 18:37
  Speaker 2: on stress this point that I made on Monday. I
• 18:38
  Speaker 2: would love to see more endeavor from them in terms
• 18:40
  Speaker 2: of unleashing Caleb Tonguey Tel, Jacob Rutamak, Vuki Niekins and
• 18:45
  Speaker 2: Jona Nauki. It just seems a little bit conservative in
• 18:49
  Speaker 2: terms of the they're They're attacking shape at the moment.
• 18:51
  Speaker 2: I think they lead the competition for kicks first trip
• 18:54
  Speaker 2: away and interestingly Elliott Adam Lennox starting at half back
• 18:58
  Speaker 2: Tarva to come off the bench. So I'm not not
• 19:00
  Speaker 2: sure if that's a recognition of trying to get more
• 19:03
  Speaker 2: impacts laden games or just they please with the way
• 19:07
  Speaker 2: Lennox is travel But I'm still just going to go
• 19:10
  Speaker 2: the Reds.
• 19:10
  Speaker 3: Yeah who Jamie Joseph saying he's pretty pleased with what
• 19:12
  Speaker 3: Adam Nicks has been offering and rewarded him with the start.
• 19:17
  Speaker 3: Interesting to see what fucker Tarba can do off the bench,
• 19:19
  Speaker 3: you know. Probably human diight in Brisbane and Queensland might
• 19:22
  Speaker 3: be abo to make a difference in that laster twenty
• 19:25
  Speaker 3: twenty five minutes or so. The game we just talked
• 19:27
  Speaker 3: about before, fig and Drawer against the Hurricanes four thirty
• 19:30
  Speaker 3: five on Saturday. The drawer yet to pick up when
• 19:35
  Speaker 3: the season can the Hurricanes go over to a pretty
• 19:38
  Speaker 3: tough ground and take the points.
• 19:41
  Speaker 2: This is a game. I was having a laugh with
• 19:43
  Speaker 2: my Wlington colleague Adam Cooper that after all the hype
• 19:45
  Speaker 2: around the Canes a big win in their first game,
• 19:48
  Speaker 2: this will be the sort of one they lose. But look,
• 19:52
  Speaker 2: I am going to go just on strength of the
• 19:55
  Speaker 2: team that they've named here Clark Laidlaw's named, and the
• 19:58
  Speaker 2: way that the drawer are playing, and particularly to lose
• 20:00
  Speaker 2: to Mowana at home. Usually they're so strong at home.
• 20:06
  Speaker 2: I think the Canes should get it done. Although yeah,
• 20:10
  Speaker 2: it's a tricky place to go. I feel like I
• 20:13
  Speaker 2: rarely have it home this point, and better teams or
• 20:17
  Speaker 2: just as good as teams have found it tough in Lautokas.
• 20:20
  Speaker 2: Don't be shocked. I wouldn't call it an upset by
• 20:23
  Speaker 2: any stretch. If the drawer beat the.
• 20:26
  Speaker 3: Case, I'm going to go the drawer for an upset.
• 20:27
  Speaker 3: There we go, all yeah, absolutely, grand Father rematch Chiefs
• 20:31
  Speaker 3: Crusaders seven o five on Saturday in Hamilton. I can't
• 20:37
  Speaker 3: see the Crusaders going up there and winning. I can
• 20:39
  Speaker 3: see them going up there and winning, But I find
• 20:40
  Speaker 3: it hard to see on the basis of what we
• 20:43
  Speaker 3: saw and got served up by the Crusaders on Sunday afternoon.
• 20:47
  Speaker 2: Yeah, this is tough though again I feel like if
• 20:52
  Speaker 2: we discard that last seven minutes, which no you can't,
• 20:55
  Speaker 2: but you know, thirty one twenty four, the game and
• 20:58
  Speaker 2: the balance, if the Crusaders can just tidy up the area,
• 21:02
  Speaker 2: stop giving away free position, tidy up there, ill discipline.
• 21:06
  Speaker 2: There's a quality team there. But I just think the
• 21:08
  Speaker 2: Chiefs just know what to do at this time of
• 21:11
  Speaker 2: the year in terms of accumulating points. In fact, I
• 21:13
  Speaker 2: thought it was a bit cheeky and funny that Rob
• 21:15
  Speaker 2: Penny called them the Kings of pool play in Tuesday Media.
• 21:21
  Speaker 2: Just a slide dig there, but saying that the Chiefs
• 21:23
  Speaker 2: have won five of their last six regular season games
• 21:26
  Speaker 2: against the Crusaders, and I can see that becoming six
• 21:31
  Speaker 2: from seven just on the evidence of what we're seeing
• 21:33
  Speaker 2: over the first fortnight.
• 21:34
  Speaker 3: So you going the Chiefs, Chiefs, Chiefs for you and
• 21:37
  Speaker 3: Brumbies against the Blues. Really fascinating game in Canberra nine
• 21:41
  Speaker 3: to thirty five on Saturday night again live on Gold
• 21:43
  Speaker 3: Sport and iHeartRadio. Can the Brumbies get the victory against
• 21:49
  Speaker 3: the Blues. First time at home for the Brumbies this season.
• 21:51
  Speaker 3: Blues on a two week road trip in Australia. They
• 21:54
  Speaker 3: were in Perth last week. I believe they went to
• 21:56
  Speaker 3: Sydney for a few days and have landed in Canberra.
• 22:00
  Speaker 3: We're about to land in Canberra for this game. Fascinating game.
• 22:03
  Speaker 3: Look I think the Brumbies are going to go and
• 22:06
  Speaker 3: take another one?
• 22:06
  Speaker 2: What so you yeah? I do? And chanting to Stephen
• 22:10
  Speaker 2: Larkham on Sunday postmatch after that went over the Crusaders.
• 22:13
  Speaker 2: He said, one of the great things and something I
• 22:15
  Speaker 2: don't think he thought he'd never done. Has effectively picked
• 22:18
  Speaker 2: the same twenty three no injuries and I see he's
• 22:21
  Speaker 2: unchanged again. So they've got that continuity, they've got that confidence.
• 22:24
  Speaker 2: They're back at home. They beat the Blues last year
• 22:28
  Speaker 2: at Eden Park. I think it'll be close. The Blues
• 22:33
  Speaker 2: have got reason to get up that Stalton Papali's one
• 22:35
  Speaker 2: hundredth game. I s Curtic Glynn's listed to start. He's
• 22:39
  Speaker 2: back in the mix. Sam Dowry back from concussion, so
• 22:41
  Speaker 2: they're more or less back to full strength obviously, Sands
• 22:44
  Speaker 2: Boone and Barrett. But this Brumbi's team is humming, and
• 22:48
  Speaker 2: I suspect they're going to be pretty tricky to stop.
• 22:51
  Speaker 2: And as we saw, if if they can put you
• 22:54
  Speaker 2: away late in games and make it quite the margin,
• 22:58
  Speaker 2: So Brumby's for me three and zero.
• 23:01
  Speaker 3: There we go. Yeah, I'm going the same Brumbies to
• 23:03
  Speaker 3: round out the week here. Of course, you can follow
• 23:05
  Speaker 3: us in the Rugby Direct podcast Fantasy as well as
• 23:08
  Speaker 3: if you are that way inclined. But that'll do us
• 23:11
  Speaker 3: for Rugby Direct for another week. We are back on Monday, Bules,
• 23:15
  Speaker 3: keep your phone on. I have been assured by our
• 23:18
  Speaker 3: walking wounded compatriot Liam Napier that he will be back,
• 23:22
  Speaker 3: perhaps on Zoom. He's dealing with a broken wrist, so
• 23:25
  Speaker 3: but I say keep the phone on because you've probably
• 23:27
  Speaker 3: got more chance of answering it than Liam at this
• 23:29
  Speaker 3: point in time.
• 23:31
  Speaker 2: Well, yeah, my thoughts out to Liam Napier. But no,
• 23:34
  Speaker 2: it's always good to jump in studio with your Elliott
• 23:37
  Speaker 2: and there's always plenty to digest in the world of rugby.
• 23:40
  Speaker 3: Sure as thanks to Mark Kelly for producing and thanks
• 23:43
  Speaker 3: to having help for us. Your book today and stay
• 23:45
  Speaker 3: in the game.
• 23:53
  Speaker 1: For more from news, talks, ed B Listen live on
• 23:56
  Speaker 1: air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
• 23:59
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