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Transcript

Rugby Direct: Episode 219 · Rugby Direct

• 0:09
  Speaker 1: You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: this and our Wide Ranger podcasts now on iHeartRadio, Straight
• 0:19
  Speaker 1: down the Middle, try 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.
• 0:38
  Speaker 2: Welcome into Rugby Direct powered by habit Helphysio. Book today
• 0:41
  Speaker 2: and stay in the game. Back for another week of
• 0:45
  Speaker 2: rugby discussion and Super Rugby in the books for another
• 0:49
  Speaker 2: week has always joining me, Liam Napier, Welcome in. Nate's
• 0:53
  Speaker 2: good to have you back on the pods. And look,
• 0:55
  Speaker 2: maybe this was the round that Super Rugby needed, a
• 0:57
  Speaker 2: few upsets along the way, a few twists in the
• 1:00
  Speaker 2: tail after a week of turmoil with Mawada Pacifica last
• 1:04
  Speaker 2: week perhaps, as I say, just the tonic for Super Rugby.
• 1:09
  Speaker 3: Yeah, it was much needed, wasn't Ali. We were bemoaning
• 1:11
  Speaker 3: the lack of jeopardy, the lack of upsets, the lack
• 1:14
  Speaker 3: of intrigue, and look, I think last weekend had had
• 1:18
  Speaker 3: all that, didn't it? A few surprise results, one match
• 1:21
  Speaker 3: in particular that was very engrossing. So yeah, good to
• 1:25
  Speaker 3: see it's come to the fore and deliver what we've
• 1:29
  Speaker 3: been asking for and hopefully a lot more of it
• 1:32
  Speaker 3: to come.
• 1:33
  Speaker 2: You were talking obviously about the Brumbies and Drawer, which
• 1:35
  Speaker 2: we'll get to in a moment, but first and foremost,
• 1:37
  Speaker 2: as we always do, work our way backwards and the
• 1:40
  Speaker 2: Force beating the Crusaders in Perth to start the round.
• 1:44
  Speaker 2: The Crusaders were nineteen nil up at one stage in
• 1:49
  Speaker 2: this game. They had a young team over their very experience.
• 1:52
  Speaker 2: They were missing a lot of players. They debuted two
• 1:54
  Speaker 2: players off the bench. But at nineteen nil up, regardless
• 1:59
  Speaker 2: of who you've got in your team, you should do
• 2:02
  Speaker 2: better than what they did and only scoring seven points
• 2:05
  Speaker 2: for the rest of the facture, they just went off
• 2:07
  Speaker 2: the boil in this game. And it's hard to figure
• 2:09
  Speaker 2: out why. You look at a lot of the stats
• 2:11
  Speaker 2: and they bossed the Force in those stats, but they
• 2:13
  Speaker 2: just went cold. And occasionally see teams do that, but
• 2:17
  Speaker 2: it's something that Crusaders could ill afford. And this tour
• 2:20
  Speaker 2: of Australia at now oh and two as they come
• 2:22
  Speaker 2: back with their tail between the legs to open this
• 2:25
  Speaker 2: new stadium on Friday night. But they're a better strife,
• 2:28
  Speaker 2: aren't they? What did you make of it?
• 2:31
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I hate to bring this up, Elliott, but I
• 2:33
  Speaker 3: did tip the Force. It's not just out of spite.
• 2:36
  Speaker 3: I didn't like the look of that Crusaders team. You
• 2:39
  Speaker 3: mentioned they were young, but I thought they took a
• 2:42
  Speaker 3: few unnecessary risks with Noah Hopeam on the bench and
• 2:45
  Speaker 3: you know a couple of others. I know they've been
• 2:47
  Speaker 3: hit really hard by injury and perhaps trying to keep
• 2:50
  Speaker 3: a bit and reserve, as you say, for opening weekends
• 2:53
  Speaker 3: in christ Church. But yeah, like you point out as well,
• 2:57
  Speaker 3: nineteen a lup. No team should lose from there. And look,
• 3:01
  Speaker 3: I think we need to give a bit of credit
• 3:02
  Speaker 3: to the Force. They are much more competitive this year.
• 3:05
  Speaker 3: Is that Glomax has made a real impression. He was
• 3:07
  Speaker 3: great in the year, and credit to them for the
• 3:11
  Speaker 3: way they came back. But yeah, the Crusaders are in
• 3:14
  Speaker 3: a bit of a hole. I think they're five and
• 3:16
  Speaker 3: four only had one result of note this year being
• 3:20
  Speaker 3: the Chiefs and Hamilton very patchy and a bit of
• 3:22
  Speaker 3: pressure building and you know they need they need the
• 3:27
  Speaker 3: cavalry to come back pretty quickly.
• 3:28
  Speaker 2: They do. And yeah, oh and two on this tour
• 3:31
  Speaker 2: of Australia, look some some good performances, but again not
• 3:34
  Speaker 2: good enough, and you did tip them. You mentioned this
• 3:37
  Speaker 2: could be a game that the Crusaders lose, and indeed
• 3:40
  Speaker 2: they did, and it's so interesting for Rob Penny. Now,
• 3:43
  Speaker 2: obviously they've got some players to come back, but Will
• 3:45
  Speaker 2: Jordan is still around a month away, maybe slightly shorter
• 3:49
  Speaker 2: than that. But we saw in Durosa that Scott Robertson's
• 3:52
  Speaker 2: regime that when players are all out of this Crusader's side,
• 3:56
  Speaker 2: you know, be next man up. And they blooded a
• 3:58
  Speaker 2: whole lot of players. I think one of the titles
• 4:00
  Speaker 2: they won, they'd used about fifty players, including John R. Foller.
• 4:03
  Speaker 2: In the calendar year. That doesn't seem the case anymore.
• 4:05
  Speaker 2: When the Crusaders lose a couple of players, they're in
• 4:08
  Speaker 2: real strife. So it's a lot for them to contemplate
• 4:11
  Speaker 2: on a tricky plane or long plane ride back to
• 4:14
  Speaker 2: New Zealand to open this new stadium with their top
• 4:18
  Speaker 2: six hopes really in the balance. And we'll get to
• 4:20
  Speaker 2: this on you know, later in the week, but Crusaders
• 4:22
  Speaker 2: Wartars this week under the roof takes on extra significance
• 4:25
  Speaker 2: in terms of six playing seven.
• 4:29
  Speaker 3: A does indeeds, Yeah, the top six looks to be
• 4:33
  Speaker 3: achievable to a degree, but it's a tough run home
• 4:35
  Speaker 3: for the Crusaders. They've got to play the Hurricanes twice
• 4:38
  Speaker 3: and yeah, the Wartars are no pushovers. They'll go to
• 4:42
  Speaker 3: a cross church with a wee bit of confidence. The Crusaders.
• 4:46
  Speaker 3: They do have some guys standing up for them. I
• 4:48
  Speaker 3: thought lesterfying A Nooku was strong in the midfields, and
• 4:52
  Speaker 3: Dominic Gardner and a couple of others. But just inconsistent,
• 4:56
  Speaker 3: isn't it, both within matches and week to week. So
• 4:59
  Speaker 3: I think there's some real concerns there. And yeah, some
• 5:03
  Speaker 3: big concerns Elliott that they'll need a big local presence
• 5:06
  Speaker 3: this weekend to right the ship.
• 5:09
  Speaker 2: Well, the good news a Scribe is playing at halftime,
• 5:11
  Speaker 2: so all is all is okay in the world and
• 5:15
  Speaker 2: it will be reset seven thirty five on Friday night.
• 5:18
  Speaker 2: We don't touch too much on the games that don't
• 5:20
  Speaker 2: involve New Zealand teams, but it is probably worth mentioning
• 5:22
  Speaker 2: the Drewer beating the Brumbies first away win in three
• 5:25
  Speaker 2: and a half years for the Fiji and Drewer. You know,
• 5:29
  Speaker 2: we've often talked on this podcast about how they don't
• 5:31
  Speaker 2: travel particularly well. Well, they travel beautifully to Canberra and
• 5:36
  Speaker 2: one at one of the hardest places to win in
• 5:38
  Speaker 2: Super Rugby. Excellent performance from the drawer and again just
• 5:42
  Speaker 2: squeezes that you spot for the final playoff spots too.
• 5:46
  Speaker 3: Yeah it was a massive shock, wasn't it. Really bizarre
• 5:49
  Speaker 3: season for the Brumbies beaten a host of New Zealand teams,
• 5:52
  Speaker 3: losing at home to the Waratas and the Durer So
• 5:55
  Speaker 3: not too sure what's happening there, but credit to the Duror.
• 5:58
  Speaker 3: Yeah they're away recorded is terrible, but that's got to
• 6:02
  Speaker 3: be right up there with one of the most significant
• 6:04
  Speaker 3: wins in their history. I saw at a commentary from
• 6:08
  Speaker 3: them post match about you know how the Brumbies have
• 6:12
  Speaker 3: former champions, so to go to their home patch and
• 6:15
  Speaker 3: knock them over there as massive scale.
• 6:17
  Speaker 2: Former champ I mean, that's going back a very long way.
• 6:19
  Speaker 2: But yes, so I taped points. Speaking of former champions,
• 6:23
  Speaker 2: both the Chiefs and Hurricanes have won titles, but not
• 6:26
  Speaker 2: for many a year. But they met seven oh five
• 6:28
  Speaker 2: in Hamilton on Saturday night and we got treated to
• 6:31
  Speaker 2: a super point thriller between these two sides. Chiefs winning
• 6:35
  Speaker 2: in extra time twenty two to seventeen. This lived up
• 6:39
  Speaker 2: to the billing. It wasn't, you know, one of the
• 6:41
  Speaker 2: greatest games of rugby. But it was tight, it was tense,
• 6:44
  Speaker 2: and the Chiefs came out on top and just put
• 6:46
  Speaker 2: a little bit of a blow on the Hurricanes who
• 6:48
  Speaker 2: have been on that streak and only dropping one game
• 6:50
  Speaker 2: this season. Big win for the Chiefs and the Hurricanes
• 6:54
  Speaker 2: just take a little bit of a step backwards in
• 6:56
  Speaker 2: their run towards the top seeding. And obviously the Chiefs
• 6:59
  Speaker 2: have taken top spot, although they played an extra game
• 7:02
  Speaker 2: than the Hurricanes. But this was battle of two New
• 7:05
  Speaker 2: Zealand super rugby heavyweights, not much between them, and it
• 7:08
  Speaker 2: took a little bit of moment of magic from Wallace
• 7:11
  Speaker 2: a Titi to get the game done, and often that's
• 7:13
  Speaker 2: what it takes, you know, a moment of brilliance, and
• 7:16
  Speaker 2: the Chiefs managed to find one in extra time.
• 7:20
  Speaker 3: I thoroughly enjoyed this match, Elliot. I thought, like you say,
• 7:22
  Speaker 3: it wasn't necessarily the most spectacular spectacle of flee, free
• 7:27
  Speaker 3: flowing tries and whatnot, but I think it's the closest
• 7:31
  Speaker 3: we've seen this year to test match rugby to Finals rugby,
• 7:34
  Speaker 3: and we'll see more of this as the competition progresses.
• 7:37
  Speaker 3: Ferocious physicality, particularly at the breakdown, both teams going hammer
• 7:42
  Speaker 3: and tong at each other. I thought the Hurricanes largely
• 7:45
  Speaker 3: bossed the game, particularly their loose for trio you head
• 7:50
  Speaker 3: Peter Luckeye to see Carefi and some of their front
• 7:53
  Speaker 3: rowers even exam Via new Maya more standing up. But
• 7:57
  Speaker 3: the second half I think they kicked away too much,
• 8:01
  Speaker 3: balled Hurricanes with the wind at their back, and then
• 8:04
  Speaker 3: just a bit of a moment of madness from Joe Rover.
• 8:08
  Speaker 3: That's offloads. I'll advise you up by seven points, pretty
• 8:14
  Speaker 3: much in control at that point in the Chiefs twenty
• 8:17
  Speaker 3: two didn't need to throw that pass. The Chiefs go
• 8:20
  Speaker 3: the length, brilliance offload from Leroy Carter and then it's
• 8:25
  Speaker 3: all locked up and a bit of luck, I think
• 8:27
  Speaker 3: for the Chiefs. So I don't think there's much between
• 8:31
  Speaker 3: those two teams, but a thoroughly enjoyable match. Simon Parker
• 8:35
  Speaker 3: was huge for the Chiefs. Luke Jacobson gets to celebrate
• 8:38
  Speaker 3: his hundredth games, so there's a favorite emotion around that
• 8:41
  Speaker 3: for the Chiefs, and I really do think that was
• 8:44
  Speaker 3: a preview of what we'll see later in the year
• 8:46
  Speaker 3: in terms of a Grand Final.
• 8:47
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I think so as well, on the basis of
• 8:50
  Speaker 2: what we saw there, and I think, you know, the
• 8:52
  Speaker 2: Hurricanes won't be too disheartened necessarily, but I do have
• 8:56
  Speaker 2: a couple of questions about, you know, the way that
• 8:59
  Speaker 2: they played in that performance. It felt like they kind
• 9:02
  Speaker 2: of went away from their strengths a little bit. And look,
• 9:06
  Speaker 2: I know there'd been full carts rain and it didn't
• 9:08
  Speaker 2: really arrive until later in the contest, but it felt
• 9:11
  Speaker 2: like they were maybe playing a style of game that
• 9:14
  Speaker 2: they played for the forecast and not adapted to it necessarily.
• 9:18
  Speaker 2: And that's been something we've seen from the Hurricanes in
• 9:20
  Speaker 2: the past that maybe they haven't quite adapted to different
• 9:24
  Speaker 2: styles of rugby or the conditions that have been presented
• 9:27
  Speaker 2: to them. You look at the way they played against
• 9:29
  Speaker 2: the Blues the previous week, and perhaps the Blues allowed
• 9:32
  Speaker 2: them to do so and perhaps the Chiefs didn't, but
• 9:35
  Speaker 2: it was a lot more expansive, you know, when the
• 9:38
  Speaker 2: Blues were playing against the Blues rather than what we
• 9:41
  Speaker 2: saw against the Chiefs. Thought the Hurricanes struggled for post
• 9:45
  Speaker 2: contact meters against the Chiefs, and again that's because the
• 9:48
  Speaker 2: Chiefs were able to tighten things up a little bit.
• 9:50
  Speaker 2: But it didn't feel like they played to their strengths.
• 9:52
  Speaker 2: And we've seen finnhing A northfol have some great games
• 9:55
  Speaker 2: this season and the Hurricanes be able to use their
• 9:57
  Speaker 2: edges really really well. Didn't feel like maybe they were
• 10:00
  Speaker 2: able to unlock those players as well as we've seen
• 10:03
  Speaker 2: in previous weeks.
• 10:05
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I'd agree with that. I think they checked down
• 10:07
  Speaker 3: that second half. It was like they had been instructed
• 10:11
  Speaker 3: to play territory, to kick deep whenever the opportunity was
• 10:14
  Speaker 3: on and probably went into their shelves a wee bit
• 10:18
  Speaker 3: too much and saying that it was that laid offloads
• 10:20
  Speaker 3: that really did turn the tides. But there were some
• 10:24
  Speaker 3: big moments in that match. When they Damien McKenzie. I
• 10:28
  Speaker 3: thought the Hurricanes probably potentially a bit hard done by
• 10:31
  Speaker 3: not to get a late penalty. You don't want the
• 10:34
  Speaker 3: game to swing on that, but that was one moment.
• 10:36
  Speaker 3: Then there was the charge down and wallaceon TC, credit
• 10:39
  Speaker 3: to him for racing onto that perhaps a wee bit
• 10:41
  Speaker 3: of luck. And then tell me, Eliott, what the hell
• 10:44
  Speaker 3: were the Hurricanes doing replacing Cam Rougat an extra time.
• 10:46
  Speaker 2: That's a very good point. I find that incredibly baffling.
• 10:49
  Speaker 2: And look, the one knock I'd probably have on Clark
• 10:52
  Speaker 2: laid Law at this point in his coaching tenure is
• 10:55
  Speaker 2: that his selections sometimes are a little bizarre and sometimes
• 10:59
  Speaker 2: his tactical replacements aren't quite right. Now we'll get into
• 11:02
  Speaker 2: this ladder in the pod, but he's plumped for Johnny
• 11:05
  Speaker 2: Rover on a number of occasions this year. Riley Higgins
• 11:08
  Speaker 2: was the talk of the town eighteen months ago and
• 11:11
  Speaker 2: he's now leaving to go to Scotland. Can't get a
• 11:12
  Speaker 2: game for the Hurricanes. I think is a better player
• 11:15
  Speaker 2: than john Ay Rover, doesn't cover as many positions, but
• 11:18
  Speaker 2: he's been out on the cold so far this year.
• 11:20
  Speaker 2: But to go back to your point, the Hurricanes had
• 11:23
  Speaker 2: just had five or six minutes of a pause between
• 11:28
  Speaker 2: full time in the match and restarting. Now you don't
• 11:31
  Speaker 2: know how long Golden Point is going to go for,
• 11:33
  Speaker 2: but it's a maximum of ten minutes. Now. Surely camroy
• 11:36
  Speaker 2: Guard in his fitless levels and his quality of player
• 11:39
  Speaker 2: is a player that you need out there for that
• 11:40
  Speaker 2: final ten minutes. He can make things happen he's capable
• 11:44
  Speaker 2: for his boot of turning games on a head, is
• 11:46
  Speaker 2: sniping runs around the base of the ruck edieotata and Ari.
• 11:49
  Speaker 2: The drop off is huge to him, and I thought
• 11:53
  Speaker 2: it wasn't necessarily the winning and losing of the game.
• 11:55
  Speaker 2: But Boyd didn't help the Hurricanes subbing him off at
• 11:57
  Speaker 2: that point in time.
• 11:59
  Speaker 3: No, completely baffling substitution for me, Alet. I can't work
• 12:03
  Speaker 3: out or fathom the logic behind that. As you say
• 12:06
  Speaker 3: that he had a rest, and you only have to look
• 12:08
  Speaker 3: at Ken Roygard's reaction when he's walking off the field.
• 12:11
  Speaker 3: He was pissed off. He did not want to leave
• 12:13
  Speaker 3: the field. And look, you're taking, perhaps barring McKenzie, the
• 12:19
  Speaker 3: most influential player off the park at the most important
• 12:21
  Speaker 3: time in the game. So I really struggled to grasp
• 12:25
  Speaker 3: what the logic was around there.
• 12:27
  Speaker 2: Yeah, look, I'm sure Clark Ladler is maybe looking at
• 12:29
  Speaker 2: stats or whatever, all the GPS numbers that have got
• 12:31
  Speaker 2: access to in the coach's box, and maybe there was
• 12:33
  Speaker 2: a drop But again, you back roy Guard to come
• 12:36
  Speaker 2: up with a big play in a moment like that.
• 12:38
  Speaker 2: His combination with love is really growing nicely. I thought
• 12:42
  Speaker 2: McKinsey probably outplayed Love on the night, but Love had
• 12:45
  Speaker 2: probably played out well definitely had outplayed Boden Barrett the
• 12:48
  Speaker 2: week prior in the Capitol, so that combination there. Look,
• 12:52
  Speaker 2: Royguard is such a quality player. And again if we
• 12:55
  Speaker 2: extrapolate this out a little bit in terms of Test
• 12:57
  Speaker 2: matches this year, if he's out there and got the
• 12:59
  Speaker 2: game in his hand at seventy eight seventy nine minutes,
• 13:02
  Speaker 2: you know he's capable of playing eighty minutes. Can rogard?
• 13:04
  Speaker 2: It's fitness levels are exceptional. Don't sub players for the
• 13:09
  Speaker 2: sake of it?
• 13:10
  Speaker 3: No, exactly right. And look, yeah, the Hurricanes have got
• 13:13
  Speaker 3: a tough run and they're going to have to rotate
• 13:15
  Speaker 3: a bit in the coming weeks and that'll compromise performance.
• 13:19
  Speaker 3: But you're that deep in a match, just leave them
• 13:22
  Speaker 3: out there to finish the job. I don't know if
• 13:24
  Speaker 3: that's the winning and the losing of the game, but
• 13:27
  Speaker 3: he could have come up with a play, and particularly
• 13:29
  Speaker 3: his boots in those situations with time ticking down, his
• 13:34
  Speaker 3: ability to alleviate pressure and put the ball on a spot,
• 13:37
  Speaker 3: his running game, who knows what he could have come
• 13:39
  Speaker 3: up with.
• 13:40
  Speaker 2: That's right, If we touch on the Chiefs. Really good
• 13:42
  Speaker 2: win for them in the context of the overall season.
• 13:46
  Speaker 2: They come up with a big result that you know,
• 13:48
  Speaker 2: they lost the Crusaders at home, that had a couple
• 13:51
  Speaker 2: of results where they you know, in Australia where they
• 13:53
  Speaker 2: didn't look at their best, but they seem to be
• 13:56
  Speaker 2: finding their mojo this season and that was a really
• 14:00
  Speaker 2: good win, big win in the context of their season,
• 14:03
  Speaker 2: and with some bodies back now you're looking go they
• 14:07
  Speaker 2: could be building into you know, championship contenders, which they
• 14:09
  Speaker 2: always were of course, but we hadn't probably seen their best.
• 14:12
  Speaker 2: But that's a performance that'll they'll carry in their pocket
• 14:15
  Speaker 2: for the rest of the campaign. They've got such depth obviously.
• 14:18
  Speaker 2: While the Ted comes off the bench and has that
• 14:21
  Speaker 2: winning moment, you know he'll be back on the starting side,
• 14:24
  Speaker 2: I'm sure as well in the coming weeks. But to
• 14:26
  Speaker 2: provide to do it without him on the weekend, you know,
• 14:30
  Speaker 2: I think John A. Gibbs can have a big smile
• 14:33
  Speaker 2: on his face with what they've been able to do.
• 14:35
  Speaker 3: There absolutely the most significant win of John O's short tenure.
• 14:41
  Speaker 3: And look, I think the Chiefs were on the rack
• 14:43
  Speaker 3: at times in that game and their ability to hang,
• 14:45
  Speaker 3: tough defense, scramble and then counter punch ultimately at the
• 14:50
  Speaker 3: death and score that try says a lot about that team.
• 14:54
  Speaker 3: You mentioned their depth there and they can do it
• 14:58
  Speaker 3: all over the park and in the midfield as well.
• 15:00
  Speaker 3: They've still got a couple of bodies to come back,
• 15:02
  Speaker 3: so yeah, they've they've been there or there about seventh
• 15:05
  Speaker 3: there for the best part of four or five years, mads,
• 15:09
  Speaker 3: so maybe there are timing their run a little bit
• 15:11
  Speaker 3: better this year. I think home advantage does make a difference.
• 15:14
  Speaker 3: Luke Jacobson as a very influential respective figure within that
• 15:18
  Speaker 3: Chief side, so I've got no doubt that that played
• 15:20
  Speaker 3: a factor, and then their resilience in their spirit in
• 15:23
  Speaker 3: that game. But I do think we will see those
• 15:26
  Speaker 3: two teams come the business end of the year. Lockcorn's again.
• 15:30
  Speaker 2: Yeah, Look, the Chiefs have the drawer this week in
• 15:32
  Speaker 2: christ Church, then the Reds away, Highlanders at home, Crusaders
• 15:36
  Speaker 2: away and Blues at home to finish. So similar to
• 15:39
  Speaker 2: the Holanders, they've got tricky drawers, especially the last couple
• 15:43
  Speaker 2: of weeks potentially if the Crusaders are fighting for a
• 15:45
  Speaker 2: playoff spot in the context of their season. But again
• 15:49
  Speaker 2: I think there's another twist in the tail in terms
• 15:51
  Speaker 2: of who finishes top this year in Super Rugby. Let's
• 15:55
  Speaker 2: go back to Friday Night, War Tars twenty nine, Mowana
• 15:57
  Speaker 2: Pacific at fourteen. You know, Mowana had their moments in
• 16:01
  Speaker 2: this game, but the war Retar is just a fraction
• 16:04
  Speaker 2: too good. Obviously, Mauana playing a little bit of a
• 16:06
  Speaker 2: motion given their news last week, but you know, the
• 16:10
  Speaker 2: Wartar is just able to find a couple of moments
• 16:13
  Speaker 2: that would you give them the victory. I didn't think
• 16:16
  Speaker 2: it was a vintage war Tars performance, but they just
• 16:18
  Speaker 2: did enough in the end.
• 16:20
  Speaker 3: Yeah, that's right. Miana. Pretty spirited, weren't they, But ultimately
• 16:26
  Speaker 3: spirit only carries you so far, and you needed that
• 16:28
  Speaker 3: execution difficult conditions at times. I don't think the war
• 16:33
  Speaker 3: Tars were overly special, but an important home win for them. Yeah.
• 16:38
  Speaker 3: A big challenge from Wana, isn't it, given the context
• 16:41
  Speaker 3: of their existence and everything that had happened in that week.
• 16:46
  Speaker 3: They've got five more matches this year, so they're going
• 16:49
  Speaker 3: to have to stick tight and try and salvage what
• 16:52
  Speaker 3: they can.
• 16:53
  Speaker 2: Have you heard anything in the last few days since
• 16:55
  Speaker 2: we recorded last week around their future if you sort
• 16:57
  Speaker 2: of checked your own bank balance and contemplated whether you
• 17:00
  Speaker 2: could afford taking them on or.
• 17:03
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I thought about selling, you know, one of my
• 17:05
  Speaker 3: five properties in the Aukland market. Just the bail and
• 17:10
  Speaker 3: bail them out. But I'm going to take a trip
• 17:13
  Speaker 3: to Hawaiian steads. There's there are ongoing whispers about that
• 17:19
  Speaker 3: potential Melbourne consortium Melbourne option with the lack of rugby
• 17:23
  Speaker 3: in with the rebels, but I can't see it coming
• 17:28
  Speaker 3: to fruition at this point. There's potential of the Australian
• 17:32
  Speaker 3: government getting involved at some points, but at this point
• 17:37
  Speaker 3: it just seems highly unlikely, doesn't it.
• 17:39
  Speaker 2: It does. Yeah, It's just it's going to take a
• 17:41
  Speaker 2: miracle for more one or to remain existing at least
• 17:44
  Speaker 2: in the current form. But interesting super Rugby being very
• 17:48
  Speaker 2: very signed around it, although they're going to have to
• 17:49
  Speaker 2: face some questions later in the week once super run
• 17:52
  Speaker 2: does roll around and the opening game of the round
• 17:55
  Speaker 2: forty seven forty the Blues beating the Highlanders. Now the
• 17:58
  Speaker 2: Blues are on track for comfortable when at one point
• 18:02
  Speaker 2: they just couldn't quite the jam. The door closed on
• 18:04
  Speaker 2: the Highlanders, they just left it open for a fraction
• 18:07
  Speaker 2: too long. I think, well, at times this was a
• 18:09
  Speaker 2: very good Blues performance and at times it was probably
• 18:13
  Speaker 2: symbolic of the areas they need to improve if they're
• 18:16
  Speaker 2: going to be a contender this year. Ultimately, they did win,
• 18:19
  Speaker 2: but they were lucky not to take it or be
• 18:21
  Speaker 2: taken too Golden point, extra time or super point as
• 18:25
  Speaker 2: it is known these days. A bounce back when following
• 18:30
  Speaker 2: the defeat to the Hurricanes last week, but there's some
• 18:32
  Speaker 2: gaping issues for this team in terms of the defense
• 18:35
  Speaker 2: and a few other things. What did you make of
• 18:37
  Speaker 2: that game?
• 18:38
  Speaker 3: It's quite symptomatic of the Blue season, I think on
• 18:41
  Speaker 3: the whole quite Jeko and hides good and patches limited
• 18:44
  Speaker 3: in others. And then you'd have to say some real
• 18:48
  Speaker 3: major concerns around the mentality, the ruthlessness, the ability to
• 18:52
  Speaker 3: close out games. They really left the door open for
• 18:55
  Speaker 3: the Hounds and clocked off, and I think Dalden Papoli
• 18:58
  Speaker 3: said as much postmatch, saying that they clocked off, gave
• 19:01
  Speaker 3: up almost towards the death and lot credit to the Highlanders.
• 19:05
  Speaker 3: I thought they were, you know, shod a lot of
• 19:08
  Speaker 3: spirit and fight and had a number of standout performances
• 19:13
  Speaker 3: Adam Lennox halfback, shifting out to the wing and showcasing
• 19:16
  Speaker 3: his versatility, and you know, they were really good for it.
• 19:19
  Speaker 3: But from a Blues perspective, what they did initially, they
• 19:23
  Speaker 3: did really well going up the middle. They made it
• 19:26
  Speaker 3: look easy with Hoskins, Tutu, Patrick, Tuo, Polo too in Dalton,
• 19:29
  Speaker 3: Papolle coming back really bolted that four pack that got
• 19:33
  Speaker 3: dominated the week before by the hurricane. So three massive
• 19:37
  Speaker 3: inns and they really did go through the front door
• 19:39
  Speaker 3: of the Hondas and built that comfortable lead, and then
• 19:42
  Speaker 3: they just became really erratic, really sloppy, even Boden Barrett
• 19:46
  Speaker 3: throwing some wild passes that led to tries. So I
• 19:49
  Speaker 3: think Vern Cotdda would be steaming one. He doesn't suffer
• 19:54
  Speaker 3: fools and he doesn't mince's words, so I think there
• 19:57
  Speaker 3: would be a few harsh lessons and some pretty telling
• 20:02
  Speaker 3: comments from Vern come this week for the Blues Yees Stern.
• 20:05
  Speaker 2: Vern won't be entirely pleased with the way they played
• 20:09
  Speaker 2: that game. Yeah, forty seven forty they should never have
• 20:12
  Speaker 2: got that close to the fact that Hoylanders could have
• 20:15
  Speaker 2: tried force golden point extra time. The game looked over
• 20:18
  Speaker 2: a couple of times. Some discipline big issues for them.
• 20:22
  Speaker 2: Aj Lamb goes off yellow carded Zan Sullivan with the
• 20:27
  Speaker 2: high shot, which incidentally has not been followed up by
• 20:30
  Speaker 2: the judiciary. Over the last couple of days, Jamie Joseph
• 20:34
  Speaker 2: had a few issues. He didn't say it was a
• 20:37
  Speaker 2: red card, but said if it's not a red card,
• 20:39
  Speaker 2: then what is was his wording in the most postmaged
• 20:41
  Speaker 2: media conference. So that hasn't been picked up by the judiciary.
• 20:45
  Speaker 2: But they're probably going to have to be without Caleb
• 20:47
  Speaker 2: Tonguey tow for obviously this week, but maybe a little
• 20:50
  Speaker 2: bit longer if there's further damage on the Hinders are
• 20:53
  Speaker 2: hoping for an update in the next week. While about that,
• 20:56
  Speaker 2: that's a sol performance from the Highlanders and you know
• 20:59
  Speaker 2: they're right in the mix for this top six, especially
• 21:02
  Speaker 2: with the Crusaders losing on the weekend. They have the
• 21:06
  Speaker 2: Miner Pacifica in christ Hretch this week, they're away to
• 21:08
  Speaker 2: the Drill the following week, then they had the Waratahs,
• 21:10
  Speaker 2: Chiefs and Hurricanes to finish. Now the Prota needs to
• 21:13
  Speaker 2: win at least one of their last two, but if
• 21:14
  Speaker 2: they can pick up a couple more wins that they're
• 21:16
  Speaker 2: definitely not out of the conversation for the playoffs, and
• 21:20
  Speaker 2: if they can keep some bodies fit, you know, maybe
• 21:22
  Speaker 2: they're not out of the question. One player I was
• 21:24
  Speaker 2: impressed with and he might come into the reckoning for
• 21:26
  Speaker 2: my three two ones. But later Anton Signa for the
• 21:29
  Speaker 2: Blues I thought had a storming game, a couple of tries,
• 21:32
  Speaker 2: but he picked off a couple of lineouts as well turnovers. Again, look,
• 21:37
  Speaker 2: he's been around the traps for a few seasons now,
• 21:40
  Speaker 2: but again I think he's really coming of age now,
• 21:43
  Speaker 2: especially this season for the Blues, and is playing a
• 21:45
  Speaker 2: key hand for them.
• 21:47
  Speaker 3: It was a real standout performance, wasn't it from Anton Signa?
• 21:50
  Speaker 3: And you mentioned there has been around a while as
• 21:52
  Speaker 3: he had to bide his time playing out of position
• 21:55
  Speaker 3: off the bench, and he has just resigned with the
• 21:58
  Speaker 3: Blues through to the end of next year. And I
• 22:00
  Speaker 3: had a few conversations last week around you know, the
• 22:04
  Speaker 3: Blues potential of looking to pick up Artie Severe and
• 22:08
  Speaker 3: the point was made to me that, you know, Anton
• 22:10
  Speaker 3: Seigna has been has been airmarked as a future captain
• 22:13
  Speaker 3: in the Blues, and so you know, there are intricacies
• 22:17
  Speaker 3: around in different dynamics around potentially bringing Ardi and all
• 22:21
  Speaker 3: those sort of spin offs as well. So ans On
• 22:24
  Speaker 3: in a week of that speculation, really standing up and
• 22:27
  Speaker 3: doing it all as you say, line outs, tries, carries, turnovers,
• 22:31
  Speaker 3: and you'd think that he's only going to continue to
• 22:34
  Speaker 3: mature as well.
• 22:35
  Speaker 2: Do you think he's in the conversation for the All Blacks?
• 22:38
  Speaker 2: And I mentioned you know they're going to take this
• 22:39
  Speaker 2: big squad to South Africa later in the year. We
• 22:43
  Speaker 2: don't know what Devin Flanders has been excellent as well
• 22:45
  Speaker 2: for the Hurricanes is doing. Is he in that mix
• 22:47
  Speaker 2: for the All Blacks?
• 22:49
  Speaker 3: I would say probably not just yet. You have to
• 22:52
  Speaker 3: maybe all Blacks fifteen But the loose forwards is just
• 22:57
  Speaker 3: such a stacked area, isn't it. And he's probably going
• 23:01
  Speaker 3: head to head with someone like a do see Carifi
• 23:04
  Speaker 3: from an open sub perspective, I don't think he's big
• 23:06
  Speaker 3: enough to play blindside at Test rugby or number eight,
• 23:10
  Speaker 3: which he has shown his versatility for the Blues, but
• 23:13
  Speaker 3: look that performance. If he can continue to deliver that form,
• 23:16
  Speaker 3: he's certainly right in the conversation.
• 23:18
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I think the Blues are named him three Man
• 23:20
  Speaker 2: of the Match awards in a row Anton signa, so
• 23:23
  Speaker 2: he's been pretty impressive. That will do us for our
• 23:26
  Speaker 2: wrap of the round here and Super Rugby back with
• 23:28
  Speaker 2: more after this on Rugby Direct. Final four time on
• 23:33
  Speaker 2: Rugby Directs. For Rugby Topics, myself and Liam debates them
• 23:38
  Speaker 2: topic number one. The Black Ferns Starne Canada. Are they
• 23:41
  Speaker 2: back at the top table? Napes? I commentated this one
• 23:44
  Speaker 2: for Gold Sport and iHeartRadio on Saturday. There was a
• 23:47
  Speaker 2: bit of waiting around to kick off was delayed two
• 23:49
  Speaker 2: hours fifty five minutes to be exact, but boy it
• 23:53
  Speaker 2: was worth the wait. This was I failed a statement
• 23:55
  Speaker 2: performance from the Black Ferns. We obviously talked about them
• 23:58
  Speaker 2: playing USA last week and you know, again the USA
• 24:02
  Speaker 2: aren't strong in terms of women's fifteens. Canada certainly are,
• 24:05
  Speaker 2: having beaten them at the World Cup semi final last year,
• 24:08
  Speaker 2: and to go out and win in the nature that
• 24:10
  Speaker 2: the Black Friends did, I thought was a very very
• 24:13
  Speaker 2: good performance, especially given they were down at halftime, had
• 24:16
  Speaker 2: to come back all the delays that had gone into it.
• 24:19
  Speaker 2: But there's a little bit to like about the Black
• 24:22
  Speaker 2: Fans as early days. But Whitney Hansen Stampa cer Mark
• 24:26
  Speaker 2: on this team quickly.
• 24:28
  Speaker 3: She is, yeah, and like you say, early days. And
• 24:30
  Speaker 3: we talked about the rush that was evidence in week
• 24:33
  Speaker 3: one against the USA, and perhaps those delays had an
• 24:37
  Speaker 3: effect on their first half performance, but boy, they came
• 24:40
  Speaker 3: out and really put it to Canada in that second half,
• 24:44
  Speaker 3: and you'd have to think there was a bit of
• 24:46
  Speaker 3: feeling in that given what transpired at the World Cup.
• 24:49
  Speaker 3: And it's important to remember the context that this Black
• 24:52
  Speaker 3: Fern's team still significantly down on star power. They were
• 24:55
  Speaker 3: Georgia Miller and a host of others out of action
• 24:58
  Speaker 3: with the sevens team as well, so plenty of five
• 25:01
  Speaker 3: powers to come back, and you'd have to say, even
• 25:04
  Speaker 3: at this early stage that they are back.
• 25:05
  Speaker 2: Yeah. I'm really liking the direct style that they're playing with.
• 25:09
  Speaker 2: We saw it last week. They last year at the
• 25:11
  Speaker 2: World Cup that kind of waited on some of their
• 25:14
  Speaker 2: senior players to do things. Hate Demant carrying a lot
• 25:16
  Speaker 2: on her shoulders, but we're looking for you know, Woodman
• 25:20
  Speaker 2: or Sorenson McGee to spark things and Vakula and look,
• 25:24
  Speaker 2: those are quality players and you can expect them to
• 25:25
  Speaker 2: do things in a game but it felt like that
• 25:27
  Speaker 2: was their game plan was basically hope that one of
• 25:31
  Speaker 2: their stars would turn up and have a moment of brilliance.
• 25:33
  Speaker 2: Now it looks like they're playing to a style that
• 25:36
  Speaker 2: they can all work with, and you know, it feels
• 25:38
  Speaker 2: more detail oriented. So promising signs ahead for the Black
• 25:42
  Speaker 2: Friends who played the US player Australia on the Sunshine
• 25:45
  Speaker 2: Coast this week, and incidentally mentioned the Black Friends sevens
• 25:47
  Speaker 2: who have claimed another title in Hong Kong with some
• 25:50
  Speaker 2: of those key players, they are on fire. Topic number two,
• 25:53
  Speaker 2: What are the stories of the weekends, not just in
• 25:56
  Speaker 2: rugby but in football as well. We had a lightning
• 25:58
  Speaker 2: delay in Sydney on Friday night and the Muna game
• 26:02
  Speaker 2: we had the lightning delay two hours fifty five minutes
• 26:06
  Speaker 2: for tornadoes and lightning Kansas City, Missouri on Saturday. Now
• 26:10
  Speaker 2: my question to you, Liam is this the right caller
• 26:13
  Speaker 2: is over bearing to delay these games because it feels
• 26:16
  Speaker 2: like a relatively new thing that we're pausing or delaying
• 26:20
  Speaker 2: games because of the atmospheric conditions.
• 26:25
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I was thinking that myself that I don't remember
• 26:27
  Speaker 3: this happening previously. The first time in recent memory was
• 26:30
  Speaker 3: the Line series certainly from a big profile point of view.
• 26:33
  Speaker 3: So you know what, why is it such a new issue.
• 26:36
  Speaker 3: I guess there's conservatism around the water. If somebody does
• 26:42
  Speaker 3: get struck, then organizers are liable. But it does feel
• 26:47
  Speaker 3: a bit over zealous the length of the delays, the
• 26:52
  Speaker 3: disruption that has been caused. And I'd love to know
• 26:56
  Speaker 3: why it's just coming in the past, what five years
• 26:58
  Speaker 3: or so, because plenty of games would have been played
• 27:01
  Speaker 3: in those conditions throughout history.
• 27:03
  Speaker 2: Yeah, it feels like, obviously no one wants to see,
• 27:06
  Speaker 2: you know, anyone struck by lightning, spectators is people work
• 27:09
  Speaker 2: at the ground, players, whatever it might be. But I
• 27:11
  Speaker 2: do wonder if it is slightly too conservative, and you know,
• 27:16
  Speaker 2: you can plan the rain obviously, but it feels like,
• 27:18
  Speaker 2: you know, lightning, yep, that's unsafe and everyone's told to
• 27:21
  Speaker 2: hunker down. But it does feel like we're verging on
• 27:25
  Speaker 2: a little bit too conservative in terms of not playing
• 27:28
  Speaker 2: some of these games and then pausing them, especially for
• 27:30
  Speaker 2: the long delays, like I can understand initially, but get
• 27:32
  Speaker 2: it back out there as soon as it's passed, not
• 27:34
  Speaker 2: wadding half an hour. Topic number three Riley Higgins. We
• 27:38
  Speaker 2: touched on this earlier to leave New Zealand Rugby for Scotland.
• 27:41
  Speaker 2: He's only twenty three years of age. He is eligible
• 27:43
  Speaker 2: for Scotland, so I can slot straight in. Although they've
• 27:46
  Speaker 2: got a very good midfield, don't they at the moment
• 27:48
  Speaker 2: with that combination with Hui Pelottu. But big loss I
• 27:53
  Speaker 2: think for New Zealand rugby, and it kind of feels
• 27:55
  Speaker 2: like he didn't get really a start as chance after
• 27:58
  Speaker 2: a couple of injuries at the Hurricanes. How disappointed are
• 28:01
  Speaker 2: you by this?
• 28:02
  Speaker 3: Yeah? Massive blow. I think, look, Ridley Higgins, he's not
• 28:05
  Speaker 3: the biggest guy going around from him, but feel perspective,
• 28:07
  Speaker 3: but he is very very skillful, great feet, good passing repertoire,
• 28:13
  Speaker 3: and I think he was rarely starting to come on
• 28:18
  Speaker 3: the national radar in the last couple of years, not
• 28:20
  Speaker 3: helped by those injuries. And I'm very surprised at the
• 28:22
  Speaker 3: lack of game time he has received in the Hurricanes.
• 28:26
  Speaker 3: And the other point to note here earlier is he's
• 28:29
  Speaker 3: going to be one of potentially up to ten players
• 28:31
  Speaker 3: I think that will leave the Hurricanes this year, which
• 28:35
  Speaker 3: heightens the pressure I think on them to break that
• 28:38
  Speaker 3: championship drought. The decade long championship drout that. You've also
• 28:42
  Speaker 3: got Devin Flanders, who's there's a lot of talk about
• 28:47
  Speaker 3: big money coming for him in Japan. Both Locks are
• 28:50
  Speaker 3: leaving Isaya Walker lea Werde is going to Italy. Warner
• 28:54
  Speaker 3: Durns only on a one year contract, so he goes
• 28:56
  Speaker 3: back to Japan. I think there's others potentially Xavier new Mair.
• 29:00
  Speaker 3: You've got Jason Hollins leaving from the coach coaching crew
• 29:03
  Speaker 3: going to the Blues.
• 29:05
  Speaker 2: And.
• 29:07
  Speaker 3: Of course Finn Enough for Ken in a Holo. There's
• 29:10
  Speaker 3: been talking about him as well. So there's when you
• 29:13
  Speaker 3: start putting those pieces together. Some of them aren't necessarily
• 29:16
  Speaker 3: the big headline names, but super rugby is often about
• 29:20
  Speaker 3: how deep your squad is and if you're losing that
• 29:23
  Speaker 3: many players, it is going to have an effect at
• 29:26
  Speaker 3: some point. Because it's a long season, you need to rotate.
• 29:28
  Speaker 3: So Riley Higgins big loss and he could potentially be
• 29:31
  Speaker 3: one of many.
• 29:32
  Speaker 2: Might you have to make account this year? Liam, to
• 29:35
  Speaker 2: make account?
• 29:36
  Speaker 3: Luck you've got you on the train mate, Wow, something
• 29:38
  Speaker 3: like that.
• 29:39
  Speaker 2: Although let's think back twenty fifteen. You know you made
• 29:41
  Speaker 2: the final, lost it that year with non news Smith.
• 29:44
  Speaker 2: A few others that left after that campaign. A year later,
• 29:47
  Speaker 2: you and Theory come back and win it without those guys,
• 29:49
  Speaker 2: so maybe all hopes is not lost for twenty twenty seven.
• 29:52
  Speaker 3: That's right. I think Willis, Hulor Hollow and others were
• 29:56
  Speaker 3: right in the mix there. So yeah, great to have
• 29:58
  Speaker 3: your positivity on board the cane train.
• 30:01
  Speaker 2: Always positive. Topic number four in the final four. Is
• 30:05
  Speaker 2: it time to draw a line through the Crusaders for
• 30:08
  Speaker 2: this season?
• 30:10
  Speaker 3: Absolutely yeah, I'm happy to look. I think they'll sneak it.
• 30:16
  Speaker 3: I think they'll sneak into the playoffs and you put
• 30:19
  Speaker 3: those big names back in there, Will Jordan and Cody Taylor,
• 30:21
  Speaker 3: Scott Barrett, They're going to have a massive influence. So
• 30:25
  Speaker 3: if they're in the playoff mix, you're not going to
• 30:27
  Speaker 3: write them off. But they're going to have to do
• 30:29
  Speaker 3: it the hard way. So I'm happy at this point
• 30:32
  Speaker 3: to say the Crusaders do not win the title this year.
• 30:34
  Speaker 2: Okay, we'll mark that down twenty th of April. I
• 30:36
  Speaker 2: don't think they'll win it, but again, it's interesting if
• 30:39
  Speaker 2: they make the playoffs and it's a one v six
• 30:41
  Speaker 2: an hour ago against the Hurricanes, look Out on Restadium,
• 30:45
  Speaker 2: look Out on the stadium because they're on.
• 30:47
  Speaker 3: The train now, mate, No, welcome on board.
• 30:49
  Speaker 2: I'm on the Crusaders horses. We'll be trotting our way
• 30:52
  Speaker 2: down to the Capitol for that one.
• 30:54
  Speaker 3: You're going, you're going to the butchers or where the
• 30:58
  Speaker 3: horses glor rotting free in the in the yard or something.
• 31:03
  Speaker 2: Yeah, exactly, Yeah. After the devastatingly taken away from us,
• 31:07
  Speaker 2: let's get into MVP voting for the week for Young
• 31:12
  Speaker 2: and Alpho leads our MVP standings and the Rugby Derick
• 31:14
  Speaker 2: Medal on eleven, Camroy guards on ten. Quinter Pie has seven.
• 31:20
  Speaker 2: Who gets your MVP votes? Liam? Do you have space
• 31:24
  Speaker 2: for Eddie and Aari or you left him out this week?
• 31:26
  Speaker 3: No, he's a surprising admission, actually stock ad mission. I'm
• 31:31
  Speaker 3: going to go Simon Parker. I've been quite critical of
• 31:34
  Speaker 3: him at times, but I thought this was a huge
• 31:37
  Speaker 3: performance right across the park, at the line outs, at
• 31:41
  Speaker 3: the breakdown, ball in hands, he was a real physical presence,
• 31:45
  Speaker 3: really stood up for the Chiefs. So I'm giving him
• 31:46
  Speaker 3: my three. I'm going to go two Tanton Signa and
• 31:49
  Speaker 3: I'm going to go one to more. I thought that
• 31:52
  Speaker 3: was his best performance of the year really damaging with
• 31:55
  Speaker 3: ball in hand and certainly looked like he enjoyed scoring
• 31:58
  Speaker 3: that try to Yeah, he did absolutely.
• 32:00
  Speaker 2: I'm going to go Anton's signa for three. I thought
• 32:02
  Speaker 2: he was excellent. Peter Lucky gets my two and what
• 32:06
  Speaker 2: was the td on virtue of, you know, big gameplay
• 32:10
  Speaker 2: standing up and converting it gets my one. So there
• 32:13
  Speaker 2: you go, three two ones for another week. We'll throw
• 32:15
  Speaker 2: that in the melting pot and see where it all lands.
• 32:17
  Speaker 2: But it's a tight race in the Rugby Direct metal.
• 32:21
  Speaker 2: You can of course get in touch with the pod
• 32:22
  Speaker 2: on Rugby Direct at News Talk, ZB dot co, do
• 32:25
  Speaker 2: and Z. We're back later in the week. Thanks again, Nates,
• 32:28
  Speaker 2: so look forward to catching up again in a couple
• 32:30
  Speaker 2: of days time.
• 32:31
  Speaker 3: In the Thursday.
• 32:32
  Speaker 2: Mate, We'll do Rugby Direct powered by habit hel Physio.
• 32:35
  Speaker 2: Book today and stay in the game.
• 32:41
  Speaker 1: For more from News Talks EDB. Listen live on air
• 32:44
  Speaker 1: or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
• 32:47
  Speaker 1: go with our podcast on iHeartRadio.