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Transcript

Rugby Direct - Episode 167 · 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.
• 0:20
  Speaker 2: Of dry Diny Scot.
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: Try these get inside the game from every angle. It's
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: Rugby direct with Elliot Smith and Liam Napier, powered by
• 0:36
  Speaker 1: News Talks EDB.
• 0:37
  Speaker 2: Welcome into Rugby Directs, powered by Habit Health, tackling all
• 0:40
  Speaker 2: your aches and pains from sports and work. Elliott Smith
• 0:44
  Speaker 2: with me Liam napi a big old podcast for you today.
• 0:48
  Speaker 2: Super Rugby Finalists are set, but later on we will
• 0:52
  Speaker 2: dig in and reveal our all Black squads for the
• 0:55
  Speaker 2: July series against France ahead of the official naming next week,
• 0:59
  Speaker 2: and plenty else otherwise to get stuck into as well.
• 1:03
  Speaker 2: But Liam, welcome in. We have our Super Rugby finalists
• 1:06
  Speaker 2: and look at the start of the clubs. You said,
• 1:08
  Speaker 2: that's the Crusaders the Chiefs. In the final you would
• 1:10
  Speaker 2: have gone, yep, that's about what I expected. Doesn't tell
• 1:13
  Speaker 2: the false tale after what happened in the first round,
• 1:15
  Speaker 2: but the semifinals going to script by and large in
• 1:19
  Speaker 2: terms of who he expected to be the winners, they did.
• 1:22
  Speaker 3: And I mean there was a fair bit of drama
• 1:25
  Speaker 3: in christ Church at least. But yeah, at the start
• 1:27
  Speaker 3: of the year, the Crusades and Chiefs certainly were among
• 1:31
  Speaker 3: the best teams in the competition. I would say the
• 1:34
  Speaker 3: Chiefs have the best roster, the deepest roster in Super rugby.
• 1:38
  Speaker 3: But I think most people would have expected the Blues
• 1:41
  Speaker 3: to be in the final given what they did last year,
• 1:46
  Speaker 3: their dominance in that final, the way they beat the Chiefs.
• 1:50
  Speaker 3: They had an amazing season and all the talk around
• 1:53
  Speaker 3: the Blues was that they were going to try and
• 1:56
  Speaker 3: back it up and have a dynasty and you know
• 1:59
  Speaker 3: who could stop them.
• 2:00
  Speaker 4: Well, it certainly didn't pan out that way.
• 2:03
  Speaker 3: They came good in the playoffs, but on the whole,
• 2:07
  Speaker 3: you'd have to say fairly under whelming season from the
• 2:09
  Speaker 3: Blues given their roster. They only really lost a kid
• 2:12
  Speaker 3: Awana a couple of others, but they got Boden Barrett back.
• 2:16
  Speaker 4: So disappointing year for them.
• 2:18
  Speaker 3: But when you look at the complexion of the finalists,
• 2:22
  Speaker 3: I think it's fair to say we got the two
• 2:24
  Speaker 3: best teams in the competition and what.
• 2:27
  Speaker 4: A final it should be. Yeah, it should be absolutely.
• 2:29
  Speaker 2: Let's dig into the two games, and the Chiefs just
• 2:32
  Speaker 2: too good for the Brumbies in the end. The Brumbies
• 2:35
  Speaker 2: hung about and had their moments in this contest, but
• 2:39
  Speaker 2: the Chiefs always felt like, you know, obviously they considered earlier,
• 2:42
  Speaker 2: but they felt like the Chiefs were always sort of
• 2:45
  Speaker 2: poised and ready to take charge of the game. And
• 2:47
  Speaker 2: that's sort of how it eventuated. Eventuated some big penal
• 2:50
  Speaker 2: easy the side of halftime. They took their moments really well,
• 2:54
  Speaker 2: I thought, and just when the big moments came into
• 2:57
  Speaker 2: matter in the last twenty thirty minutes or so, they
• 3:00
  Speaker 2: began to extend out. It's probably how we saw this
• 3:03
  Speaker 2: game going it is, and.
• 3:07
  Speaker 3: It was interesting to see the two out in Hamilton.
• 3:10
  Speaker 3: At least one of the stands was sort of half full,
• 3:12
  Speaker 3: and and given that the Chiefs did not have home
• 3:16
  Speaker 3: advanced secured, I was surprised by that. But it probably
• 3:19
  Speaker 3: does speak to Australia's record and coming to New Zealand
• 3:25
  Speaker 3: for Superraby finals. Never won one here and that continues.
• 3:29
  Speaker 3: So maybe there's a bit of apathy, or.
• 3:32
  Speaker 2: I think there is. Until Australian teams start beating New
• 3:35
  Speaker 2: Zealanders at home on a regular basis, the crowds will
• 3:39
  Speaker 2: stay away. Well sort of last week against the Reds
• 3:41
  Speaker 2: in Christy. You know there were just that's that's I
• 3:45
  Speaker 2: was going to say, a lack of respect from New
• 3:47
  Speaker 2: Zealand crowds, but a deserve lack of respect. Australia have
• 3:49
  Speaker 2: not shown that they deserve to be respected by getting
• 3:51
  Speaker 2: the punters through the gates at knockout time. Yeah, and there.
• 3:54
  Speaker 3: Look, Australia has improved as a collective this year with
• 3:58
  Speaker 3: the Melbourne Rebels demise and the spreading of that talents.
• 4:01
  Speaker 3: But when Bush comes to shove, you know, the Brumbies
• 4:06
  Speaker 3: have been their best team for a number of years
• 4:08
  Speaker 3: and it was the same script. Really, Yeah, the Reds
• 4:11
  Speaker 3: were easily cast aside in christ Church the Brumbies, as
• 4:14
  Speaker 3: you say, we're in that fight for fifty odd minutes
• 4:19
  Speaker 3: and then a bit of a predictable procession really from
• 4:22
  Speaker 3: the Chiefs.
• 4:23
  Speaker 4: They did what they had to do.
• 4:25
  Speaker 3: Standout Portmans performance from Damien McKenzie after being shown up
• 4:29
  Speaker 3: the week before by Boden Barrett really came to the
• 4:32
  Speaker 3: fore there kicked very well both tactically and for gold
• 4:38
  Speaker 3: twenty odd points. Hugely influential performance standing up at the
• 4:41
  Speaker 3: right time of the year. So that's what you expect
• 4:45
  Speaker 3: from a playmaker at this time. And yeah, I guess
• 4:48
  Speaker 3: the Chiefs showing that they can bounce back from a defeat,
• 4:52
  Speaker 3: But how do they then try and maintain that momentum
• 4:55
  Speaker 3: and go to christ Church where the Crusaders are obviously
• 5:00
  Speaker 3: thirty one and zero and not wanting to let go
• 5:03
  Speaker 3: of their beloved Apollo Project stadium.
• 5:06
  Speaker 2: Yeah, it's beloved, that is that is for certain. Look,
• 5:08
  Speaker 2: Danie McKinsey was excellent. That try saving Tackley made on
• 5:11
  Speaker 2: Tom Bright was big, especially after he'd been run over
• 5:14
  Speaker 2: by Corey Tool earlier in the game, which is probably
• 5:17
  Speaker 2: the only blimish really on his night. But I thought
• 5:20
  Speaker 2: an excellent performance, pulled the strings really really well. I
• 5:23
  Speaker 2: thought simmer Penny female actually stood up as well. I
• 5:25
  Speaker 2: thought he was pretty poor the week before against the Blues,
• 5:29
  Speaker 2: conceded four or five penalties, especially in the closing stages
• 5:32
  Speaker 2: of that, But I thought he was very, very good
• 5:34
  Speaker 2: for the Chiefs on that night and just had the
• 5:39
  Speaker 2: ability to roll their sleeves up and get to work
• 5:41
  Speaker 2: and keep the Brumbies at bay. I thought it was
• 5:44
  Speaker 2: a kind of performance that you wanted if you were
• 5:46
  Speaker 2: Clay McMillan after the week that had been previously and
• 5:50
  Speaker 2: with a week to come. That was a good semi
• 5:52
  Speaker 2: final performance.
• 5:53
  Speaker 3: It was, and you know, you just know behind the
• 5:57
  Speaker 3: scenes they would have been not thrashed at training, but
• 6:01
  Speaker 3: they certainly would have had the message rammed home.
• 6:04
  Speaker 2: CLAYT.
• 6:05
  Speaker 3: McMillan is not a standoffish guy. When he wants to
• 6:09
  Speaker 3: tell you something, he'll give it, hit you between the
• 6:13
  Speaker 3: eyes and that's what you need this time of years.
• 6:15
  Speaker 3: So well, it's such a fascinating final, isn't it.
• 6:20
  Speaker 4: The Chiefs.
• 6:22
  Speaker 3: For me, it's a redemption story, a redemption arc over
• 6:27
  Speaker 3: the whole final. You think of what the Crusaders went
• 6:29
  Speaker 3: through last year, missed the playoffs for the first time
• 6:32
  Speaker 3: since twenty fifteen. Yes, they had injuries, but it was
• 6:36
  Speaker 3: a dire season for a proud franchise that's won fourteen
• 6:41
  Speaker 3: supertitles and the Chiefs three failed finals a McMillan two
• 6:51
  Speaker 3: in the past two years. And you know it would
• 6:57
  Speaker 3: be a real fairy tale for the Chiefs to send
• 6:59
  Speaker 3: him off to Munster. And conversely, if they don't, then
• 7:05
  Speaker 3: he sort of brushed with the nearly man.
• 7:08
  Speaker 2: Yeah, and there've been probably the pace setters across Super
• 7:13
  Speaker 2: roy regular season.
• 7:15
  Speaker 4: The most consistent team for the past three years.
• 7:17
  Speaker 2: They held the final in twenty three and then got
• 7:22
  Speaker 2: beaten that night last year. You know, the Hurricanes were
• 7:26
  Speaker 2: there are thereabouts, but the Chiefs have always been there
• 7:28
  Speaker 2: or thereabouts over the last three years. And that's great,
• 7:31
  Speaker 2: But there are thereabouts doesn't win your titles. You've actually
• 7:34
  Speaker 2: got to go and take it. And I've you know,
• 7:35
  Speaker 2: we'll get into the Crusader's blues game shortly, but they
• 7:37
  Speaker 2: can go down to christ Church and winner. The Crusaders
• 7:40
  Speaker 2: aren't the infallible team that maybe there were in previous years.
• 7:44
  Speaker 2: This is going to be a tight final. I suspect,
• 7:46
  Speaker 2: but there's no reason to produce the Chiefs can't win it.
• 7:48
  Speaker 2: They went down and did it earlier in the year.
• 7:50
  Speaker 2: They beat them in Hamilton almost put fifty on them.
• 7:53
  Speaker 2: But finals foot is different and there's a lot of
• 7:56
  Speaker 2: Crusaders players that have that experience of being there and
• 7:59
  Speaker 2: being on the right side of the ledger. Not many
• 8:01
  Speaker 2: of those Chiefs players have been there and again been
• 8:04
  Speaker 2: on the right side of ledger. They've been there, but
• 8:05
  Speaker 2: they don't know that winning. You know, the way to
• 8:07
  Speaker 2: the finish line the way the championship look.
• 8:09
  Speaker 3: If you look at the two rosters, I would say
• 8:13
  Speaker 3: in most positions, the Chiefs are stronger man for man
• 8:18
  Speaker 3: purely on paper and their bench, their depth. We've seen
• 8:23
  Speaker 3: that throughout the year the way they've McMillan has rotated
• 8:26
  Speaker 3: his squad.
• 8:27
  Speaker 4: But yeah, home advantage does matter.
• 8:31
  Speaker 2: That that.
• 8:33
  Speaker 3: Clearly creates a lot of confidence and composure for the Crusaders.
• 8:39
  Speaker 3: But you're already seeing the messages coming out of Hamilton
• 8:43
  Speaker 3: that there's no fear for the Chiefs going to christ Church.
• 8:46
  Speaker 3: As you mentioned, they've been there this year and actually
• 8:49
  Speaker 3: had a comfortable victory. I think it was fifteen sixteen points.
• 8:53
  Speaker 3: Even looking at what the Blues did on Friday night,
• 8:56
  Speaker 3: could have, would have, should have the way they started,
• 8:58
  Speaker 3: the way they couldn't finish, but they had the Crusaders
• 9:02
  Speaker 3: raid all at times. So it is a formidable record.
• 9:05
  Speaker 3: Thirty one to zero at home. There's a lot of
• 9:08
  Speaker 3: motive and that Crusaders team to bounce back from what
• 9:12
  Speaker 3: happened last year, and it was quite notable to see
• 9:17
  Speaker 3: that the passion from certain players guys like Will Jordan,
• 9:19
  Speaker 3: who's normally quite conservative. I think that speaks to the
• 9:23
  Speaker 3: rivalry and the tension that's that's been built by the
• 9:26
  Speaker 3: likes of Rikowane. But yeah, just from a chief's perspective,
• 9:29
  Speaker 3: I think they go down there to croast this week
• 9:32
  Speaker 3: with genuine confidence. They're not missing too many frontline guys.
• 9:38
  Speaker 3: Antonina Brown, Simon Parker not too sure where he's at.
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I've heard possibly around six to eight weeks for him.
• 9:47
  Speaker 3: Right, But of a big blow then, because he has
• 9:50
  Speaker 3: been a big mover, very influential, a big man, and
• 9:56
  Speaker 3: the Crusaders that's where their game almost starts and finishes
• 10:00
  Speaker 3: up fronts.
• 10:02
  Speaker 4: Yeah, very interesting dynamic.
• 10:03
  Speaker 3: The other one here is there's always been this belief
• 10:06
  Speaker 3: that you have to have a wor class playmakers to
• 10:09
  Speaker 3: win the Super Rugby title or any title.
• 10:11
  Speaker 2: Right.
• 10:12
  Speaker 4: If the Crusaders do it this year, they really banish
• 10:15
  Speaker 4: that theory, don't you.
• 10:16
  Speaker 2: Well, they do essentially with their third choice depending on
• 10:20
  Speaker 2: which way you want to view second or third choice.
• 10:22
  Speaker 2: First five Rivers Rayhannah didn't play really for the first
• 10:25
  Speaker 2: half of the season. Ta Kima gets injured and Rayhunnah
• 10:28
  Speaker 2: comes in, I mean Rivers. Rayhanna is the kind of
• 10:30
  Speaker 2: player that's been mentioned around the Traps as a promising
• 10:32
  Speaker 2: player for a number of years, but has never really
• 10:34
  Speaker 2: had a extended crack at Super rugby level. He's been
• 10:38
  Speaker 2: solid in n PC, but I thought he did a
• 10:41
  Speaker 2: very good job on the weekend. You know, there was
• 10:43
  Speaker 2: a couple of errant kicks here in the air, but
• 10:45
  Speaker 2: played his team in the right areas of the part.
• 10:48
  Speaker 2: But you're right, it is absolutely rare that a team
• 10:51
  Speaker 2: would win Super Rugby without having an international quality first
• 10:54
  Speaker 2: five that is either capped by the time they win
• 10:56
  Speaker 2: Super Rugby or is about to be captain Super Rugby.
• 11:01
  Speaker 3: There's a couple of points there that the technical kicking
• 11:04
  Speaker 3: can be a bit off from Rivers. But what I
• 11:06
  Speaker 3: like about him is he's he's brave and he is
• 11:09
  Speaker 3: increasingly challenging the line and having a crack And what
• 11:12
  Speaker 3: that does is it just holds the defenses. If you're
• 11:15
  Speaker 3: just shoveling, defenders can drift off. And so the ability
• 11:20
  Speaker 3: for him to actually stand and go has made a
• 11:24
  Speaker 3: big difference to the Crusader's attack and one of the
• 11:28
  Speaker 3: massive shifts for the Crusaders this year is having faith
• 11:32
  Speaker 3: in those young guys at ten Rob Penny last year,
• 11:35
  Speaker 3: how many times did it was a revolving door.
• 11:37
  Speaker 2: Most weekly, the change, Roley, hoil Heaper, Rayhanna, Kimmitta, who
• 11:42
  Speaker 2: else you know, I think someone else had to go,
• 11:44
  Speaker 2: David I really had to go for a week. It was,
• 11:46
  Speaker 2: as you say, a revolving door. This year, the picked
• 11:48
  Speaker 2: and sticked where they can. Obviously, Kimda got injured, but
• 11:51
  Speaker 2: Rayhann has been their guy for the back half of
• 11:53
  Speaker 2: this campaign.
• 11:53
  Speaker 4: Yeah, and they also could have easily.
• 11:55
  Speaker 3: There's a bit of conjecture about whether, particularly with Kimmitta's
• 12:00
  Speaker 3: kicking in, a lot of discussion about whether James O'Connor
• 12:03
  Speaker 3: should be promoted there and then when he was injured,
• 12:06
  Speaker 3: the same discussion. But Penny, to his credit, his instilled
• 12:10
  Speaker 3: faith in Rayhuna, and I think by and large he
• 12:13
  Speaker 3: is repaying that.
• 12:15
  Speaker 2: He certainly is. Let's take a little deeper into that
• 12:16
  Speaker 2: game on Friday Night, Crusaders twenty one to fourteen over
• 12:19
  Speaker 2: the Blues. Forty phases. The Blues threw at the Crusaders
• 12:24
  Speaker 2: right at the very end of the game. Couldn't get
• 12:26
  Speaker 2: over the line. That's not the full tail of the game,
• 12:28
  Speaker 2: but it probably sums it up because the Blues threw
• 12:31
  Speaker 2: everything at it and they just came up short in
• 12:33
  Speaker 2: the end.
• 12:35
  Speaker 3: Well, what a start from the Blues, the fourteen nil up.
• 12:38
  Speaker 3: They could not have asked to start that game any better,
• 12:42
  Speaker 3: and they actually had the Crusaders raddled. They were putting
• 12:45
  Speaker 3: pressure on with their tactical kicking defensively though really good,
• 12:50
  Speaker 3: very aggressive in their line speed and their physical contact
• 12:54
  Speaker 3: the Crusaders, you know, Cody Taylor dropping a couple and
• 12:58
  Speaker 3: there was another instance they were under pressure. But the
• 13:03
  Speaker 3: game sort of swung a wee bit on those yellow
• 13:05
  Speaker 3: cards for head contact. It's unfortunate, but that's part of
• 13:11
  Speaker 3: the modern game, whether it's accidental or not.
• 13:15
  Speaker 4: The Crusaders got back into the grind.
• 13:18
  Speaker 3: Personally, I didn't think James Dolman had a great game,
• 13:22
  Speaker 3: but I also don't believe that that costs the Blues.
• 13:25
  Speaker 3: There was some ill discipline on their behalf. Hoskinstitutu, one
• 13:29
  Speaker 3: player who in recent weeks had played really, really well,
• 13:34
  Speaker 3: was well contained and then had had a brain explosion
• 13:38
  Speaker 3: when he was Ethan Blackharry came in and shouldered really
• 13:41
  Speaker 3: unnecessary momentum swinging penalty in that regard, unfortunate late yellow cards.
• 13:48
  Speaker 4: Hoskins, Tutuo but that's the whistle.
• 13:52
  Speaker 3: I think it was eight to three in the first
• 13:55
  Speaker 3: half and the Crusaders favor and sixteen to nine by
• 13:57
  Speaker 3: the end of the match. If the Blues, if that
• 14:00
  Speaker 3: penalty account is even and the Blues tighten up some
• 14:04
  Speaker 3: of the ill discipline, I think they possibly win that
• 14:07
  Speaker 3: game because the Crusaders it just allowed them to come
• 14:09
  Speaker 3: back into the match, to get into the grind, to
• 14:11
  Speaker 3: work their way downfield to erode the Blues lead, and
• 14:17
  Speaker 3: the Crusaders scored twenty one oncer points in the end.
• 14:19
  Speaker 3: So while the Blues had that crack at the end,
• 14:23
  Speaker 3: the Crusaders really just went about their work and strangled, suffocated.
• 14:28
  Speaker 3: The Blues forced them into errors. So the Blues will
• 14:33
  Speaker 3: rue that one because from that start it was in
• 14:38
  Speaker 3: the palm of their hand.
• 14:39
  Speaker 2: I was sent some stats last week from neck Bulu,
• 14:41
  Speaker 2: who's got the call for us this week on gold
• 14:43
  Speaker 2: Sport of the final. The Crusaders have a thirteen and
• 14:45
  Speaker 2: two record with James Domen that was heading into the weekend.
• 14:48
  Speaker 2: The Blues are five and seven record, So that to
• 14:51
  Speaker 2: me seduced that. Yeah, maybe the Blues didn't get the
• 14:56
  Speaker 2: rub of the green necessarily, but they haven't adapted over
• 14:59
  Speaker 2: time to Doman. You know the record in Super rugby
• 15:02
  Speaker 2: the last few years, you know they wonder title. You
• 15:04
  Speaker 2: should have a five and seven record against the New
• 15:06
  Speaker 2: Zealand referee, regardless of who it is, you should be,
• 15:08
  Speaker 2: you know, having a better record than that. So that
• 15:11
  Speaker 2: to me, So you're say, for a longer period of time,
• 15:13
  Speaker 2: they haven't adapted to whatever James Domand's idiosyncrasies are around
• 15:17
  Speaker 2: the way that he interprets the game.
• 15:19
  Speaker 4: Yeah, one hundred percent.
• 15:20
  Speaker 3: All referees are different, whether it's North South or Australia
• 15:23
  Speaker 3: or New Zealand's and you're up.
• 15:25
  Speaker 4: You have to adapt.
• 15:26
  Speaker 3: And when you look at the actual stats from that game,
• 15:29
  Speaker 3: the Blues had more line breaks, more carries, more post
• 15:33
  Speaker 3: contact meters, so they dominated a lot of it. I
• 15:37
  Speaker 3: think the Crusaders put pressure on at the set piece.
• 15:40
  Speaker 3: The Blues weren't helped by some injuries to their props.
• 15:44
  Speaker 3: Ricky Ricky Tully actually had to go to LuSE head
• 15:47
  Speaker 3: at one point for at least one scrum when they
• 15:49
  Speaker 3: were penalized, so that saw them pinned on their own line.
• 15:53
  Speaker 3: Then James Lay came back and sort of shored up
• 15:57
  Speaker 3: that area but yeah, look the Blues.
• 16:03
  Speaker 4: You felt.
• 16:03
  Speaker 3: I almost felt like they were going to steal out
• 16:05
  Speaker 3: of the death as you mentioned forty phases just and
• 16:08
  Speaker 3: that was while host Constitute is in the bin, so
• 16:11
  Speaker 3: they had no right to really be in that position.
• 16:14
  Speaker 3: They'd been on the rack. You know, I'm writting up
• 16:17
  Speaker 3: that game. I'm like, shit, I'm gonna have to rewrite
• 16:20
  Speaker 3: this whole thing. They're going to do it again that
• 16:24
  Speaker 3: having done it the week before. The eighty fourth minutes,
• 16:27
  Speaker 3: but it pops out the back of the rock Christian
• 16:29
  Speaker 3: Leo where he springs over and dives on the ball.
• 16:32
  Speaker 3: Another fantastic performance from him, and the Crusaders get out
• 16:37
  Speaker 3: of jail to a degree silvery shushes the crowds. And
• 16:42
  Speaker 3: one thing I will say is I love the social
• 16:44
  Speaker 3: media banter and even the Crusaders getting into it with
• 16:49
  Speaker 3: I can't remember the exact nature of their post. But
• 16:53
  Speaker 3: and that off field stuff is actually spilling over on
• 16:58
  Speaker 3: the field because there was some real tension, some real heat,
• 17:00
  Speaker 3: a few flare ups, and that all adds to the
• 17:04
  Speaker 3: to the atmosphere of it all, doesn't it.
• 17:05
  Speaker 2: What is about rivalry and hard you know, and that's
• 17:09
  Speaker 2: what drives you know Premier League, it drives infol NBA, Nral.
• 17:14
  Speaker 2: Rivalries are key to it and we haven't had enough
• 17:18
  Speaker 2: of that. I don't think in super abian recent times
• 17:20
  Speaker 2: of teams not liking each other, whether it's in their
• 17:23
  Speaker 2: own heads, whether it's actual you know out in reality
• 17:26
  Speaker 2: that they do not get on as people or teams
• 17:29
  Speaker 2: as by the bye. If it's a manufactured rivalry, you
• 17:33
  Speaker 2: can sometimes sniff it, but it feels like there's some
• 17:36
  Speaker 2: real tension out on the park between those two teams,
• 17:38
  Speaker 2: and the more of that the better. And for the Blues,
• 17:41
  Speaker 2: you know, it's another game. I think it's twenty odd
• 17:43
  Speaker 2: years really since they've beaten the Crusaders in a game
• 17:45
  Speaker 2: that actually matters, actually matters. And yeah they haven't didn't
• 17:49
  Speaker 2: meet for in the playoffs for a number of years,
• 17:50
  Speaker 2: but think back to three at Eden Park. They've been
• 17:54
  Speaker 2: in the regular season when it's come to the crunch,
• 17:58
  Speaker 2: they have not been able to get the better of
• 17:59
  Speaker 2: them at home or away.
• 18:00
  Speaker 4: We have been last year.
• 18:03
  Speaker 2: Well, they're lost in the regular season, but in a
• 18:05
  Speaker 2: game like a knockout game that matters, the Crusades have
• 18:08
  Speaker 2: risen to the occasional every time. And I think that's
• 18:10
  Speaker 2: we'll live in the crawl for the Blues is that, Yes,
• 18:13
  Speaker 2: they won the title in twenty twenty four, but the
• 18:14
  Speaker 2: Crusaders went at their best. This is their old rivals,
• 18:17
  Speaker 2: the old foes, and they would know that the Crusaders
• 18:19
  Speaker 2: went at the best. They didn't have to beat them
• 18:21
  Speaker 2: on the way to the title in the playoffs.
• 18:23
  Speaker 4: Yeah, it's fair.
• 18:24
  Speaker 3: And the Crusaders i think have won the last four
• 18:26
  Speaker 3: yep as well, so beaten them twice this year and
• 18:30
  Speaker 3: must have beaten them at least as you mentioned once
• 18:33
  Speaker 3: last year. So yeah, even when the Blues were at
• 18:37
  Speaker 3: their dominant best last year, the Crusaders still had their number.
• 18:41
  Speaker 4: And but that's not the case of the Chiefs like that.
• 18:47
  Speaker 2: It's not, No, it's not and that will probably almost
• 18:49
  Speaker 2: hurt the Blues. And A Robot's in the Herald on
• 18:51
  Speaker 2: Friday is that over the last ten to fifteen years,
• 18:54
  Speaker 2: it's probably the Chiefs have been the Crusader's chief rival.
• 18:58
  Speaker 4: The greatest rival. Yes, because they beat them.
• 19:00
  Speaker 2: Yeah, because they beat them. The Blues that you know,
• 19:02
  Speaker 2: got that Auckland Canterbury rivalry of old. But really it's
• 19:06
  Speaker 2: the Crusaders who have been tested the most by the
• 19:08
  Speaker 2: Chiefs over that period.
• 19:09
  Speaker 3: Of time and that probably goes back to the Dave
• 19:11
  Speaker 3: Renni era as well, where there was genuine animosity there
• 19:15
  Speaker 3: and again that that stems from the chief success. And
• 19:20
  Speaker 3: you talked about that twenty twenty three final in Hamilton
• 19:24
  Speaker 3: that and I think there was the Super Rugby Autro Final.
• 19:29
  Speaker 3: Was that in Christian Yeah twenty one, Yeah, the Crusaders
• 19:33
  Speaker 3: won that McKenzie scored early, another type game. But twenty
• 19:37
  Speaker 3: twenty three is when you talk about those the Chiefs finals,
• 19:40
  Speaker 3: that they're blonde, that stands out, doesn't it. Well, not
• 19:43
  Speaker 3: last year when they were white. The Blues absolutely blew
• 19:47
  Speaker 3: them away that twenty twenty three final because.
• 19:50
  Speaker 2: Well, our favorites for that it was the last days
• 19:52
  Speaker 2: of the Crusaders didn't see everyone was moving on. Scott
• 19:55
  Speaker 2: Robinson was moving on, Richie Wong was moving on and
• 19:57
  Speaker 2: they hadn't.
• 19:57
  Speaker 4: Played Sam Whitelotte came back from the Achilles, It's right.
• 20:01
  Speaker 2: And the Crusaders hadn't played their best periods that year
• 20:05
  Speaker 2: and it felt like it was I think we talked
• 20:06
  Speaker 2: about on the podcast at the time, it felt like
• 20:08
  Speaker 2: they were teetering a little bit. But they knew their
• 20:11
  Speaker 2: way to the finish line when it mattered one last time,
• 20:14
  Speaker 2: and that's the one that will hurt the Chiefs the
• 20:15
  Speaker 2: most out of this run, depending if they get across
• 20:18
  Speaker 2: the line preps on the weekend, but they will feel
• 20:21
  Speaker 2: that that was one that definitely got out of way
• 20:23
  Speaker 2: of the last last few.
• 20:25
  Speaker 3: In all those little matches or moments in time build
• 20:29
  Speaker 3: the narrative for this week, don't they. And that twenty
• 20:31
  Speaker 3: twenty three finals swung on the line outs that I
• 20:36
  Speaker 3: can't remember who scored it, but McKenzie was ruled to
• 20:38
  Speaker 3: be offside. Yeah, and they score that try. I think
• 20:42
  Speaker 3: the Chief's gone to win that match, but yeah, I
• 20:46
  Speaker 3: think he moved before the.
• 20:47
  Speaker 2: Line something of the Crusaders had mentioned to Ben O'Keeffe previously,
• 20:51
  Speaker 2: and they got the message down to check it and
• 20:53
  Speaker 2: sure enough he was offside. And then the Chiefs gave
• 20:55
  Speaker 2: way some silly penalties in the last ten to fifteen minutes.
• 20:58
  Speaker 2: I think Sam Kaine got yellow carter for going in
• 21:00
  Speaker 2: from the side, and you know, the Crusaders just knew
• 21:03
  Speaker 2: their way to the finish line.
• 21:06
  Speaker 3: Yeah, Well, we do it all again on Saturday nights.
• 21:10
  Speaker 3: So there's so many different battlegrounds within this as well,
• 21:14
  Speaker 3: isn't there when you look at you know, it's not
• 21:16
  Speaker 3: just Clay McMillan, but Shawn Stevenson. Moving on, Rob Penny's
• 21:21
  Speaker 3: probably done enough to bank at least a one year extension.
• 21:25
  Speaker 3: You'd think he wants it, But if you bank a title,
• 21:31
  Speaker 3: well then your cases potentially to stay there longer if.
• 21:35
  Speaker 2: He wants to. Yeah, I mean it's been interesting that
• 21:38
  Speaker 2: he and the Crusader's staff, you know, Colem Mansbridge CEO,
• 21:41
  Speaker 2: parked it until after the season and have a really
• 21:44
  Speaker 2: good an idea of what Rob Penny wants to do
• 21:45
  Speaker 2: long term. He sort of mentioned initially when he came
• 21:47
  Speaker 2: in that maybe it was an interim deal. That's changed
• 21:50
  Speaker 2: now with Tomody arsen Ow full member of the All
• 21:52
  Speaker 2: Black staff, because he was very much seen as the
• 21:54
  Speaker 2: your apparents taking it over. So if he wants it,
• 21:58
  Speaker 2: he's probably going to start at to stick around for
• 21:59
  Speaker 2: a bit longer, I would suggest.
• 22:01
  Speaker 4: Yeah, And there's no obvious next cab off the rink
• 22:04
  Speaker 4: right now?
• 22:05
  Speaker 3: Is there? Maybe Brad More, maybe a a Ross Philipo
• 22:09
  Speaker 3: type character. But look, given what the Crusaders have done
• 22:15
  Speaker 3: this year, the way they've bounced back the lessons I've learned,
• 22:18
  Speaker 3: it'd be very hard to.
• 22:22
  Speaker 4: Push them out the door.
• 22:23
  Speaker 2: You don't make it, you don't make a final way
• 22:24
  Speaker 2: acident in super rugby, the number of weeks that you
• 22:27
  Speaker 2: have to go through. We will give our tips on
• 22:28
  Speaker 2: that shortly. But I think this has the potential to
• 22:32
  Speaker 2: be a classic final. I think the Chiefs who goes
• 22:36
  Speaker 2: on his favorites.
• 22:37
  Speaker 3: Oh, Crusaders absolutely home advantage, Yeah, thirty one to zero,
• 22:42
  Speaker 3: twenty seven years since they lost the playoff game in
• 22:44
  Speaker 3: christ Church and they absolutely start favorites. But yeah, the
• 22:51
  Speaker 3: Chiefs for me, have the stronger roster, and I think
• 22:54
  Speaker 3: they have the ability to play more rugby as well.
• 22:58
  Speaker 3: That's a wee bit more higher risk, but I think
• 23:01
  Speaker 3: they have more points in them and you know the
• 23:04
  Speaker 3: way the Crusaders are going to play, and I think
• 23:07
  Speaker 3: there is the Chiefs have more variety to their game.
• 23:11
  Speaker 3: So I think it swings on home advantage. If this
• 23:15
  Speaker 3: was in Hamilton, the Chiefs would be favorites.
• 23:18
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I think it's gonna be tight final. I really do.
• 23:20
  Speaker 2: I agree that the Chiefs have probably been that will
• 23:22
  Speaker 2: definitely been the better team across the course of the season.
• 23:25
  Speaker 2: But the Crusaders with that ability to play knockout footy
• 23:28
  Speaker 2: and put the squeeze on teams. It's a coin flip
• 23:31
  Speaker 2: game for me honestly, with probably as you say, Crusaders
• 23:33
  Speaker 2: just slightly in front and let's hope the final lives
• 23:35
  Speaker 2: up to that occasion. Live on Gold Sport and iHeartRadio,
• 23:38
  Speaker 2: Nick Buley, John Haggitt and Craig Kerr will have the
• 23:40
  Speaker 2: call for that one seven and five on Saturday night.
• 23:42
  Speaker 2: You can fid as I said, live on gold Sport
• 23:44
  Speaker 2: or your iHeart Radio will take a break, come back.
• 23:47
  Speaker 2: We've got some All Black squads to pick after this.
• 23:50
  Speaker 1: This is Rugby Direct, a podcast for real rugby fans.
• 23:57
  Speaker 2: Every try try tends sixty take every tackle, tackle, get
• 24:01
  Speaker 2: up again? We all I take him afore ave times.
• 24:05
  Speaker 4: It's Rugby Direct Talks.
• 24:08
  Speaker 2: You're back with Rugby Direct. Time now for our Final four.
• 24:11
  Speaker 2: And the first topic in the Final four is it's
• 24:14
  Speaker 2: going to be a long one because it's time to
• 24:16
  Speaker 2: pick out All Black squads Liam to play France in
• 24:19
  Speaker 2: the three Test series. It's going to be announced next Monday,
• 24:24
  Speaker 2: two days after the Super Rugby Final by chairm and
• 24:27
  Speaker 2: David Kirk. We sent you some homework. I did the same.
• 24:34
  Speaker 2: How have you gone about slicking your square before we
• 24:35
  Speaker 2: get into it.
• 24:39
  Speaker 3: Well, it's interesting, isn't it, Because I think injuries are
• 24:41
  Speaker 3: going to play a part where if we talk about
• 24:45
  Speaker 3: offer toing a fussy. He's had neck surgery, not expected
• 24:50
  Speaker 3: to be available for July. I've heard that he will
• 24:53
  Speaker 3: be back this year for the All Blacks, and I
• 24:55
  Speaker 3: know they value him. He played a big role with
• 24:57
  Speaker 3: his experience off the bench last year, so expect him
• 25:00
  Speaker 3: to come back into the picture later in the air.
• 25:02
  Speaker 2: But he was wearing one of the old Brent Todd
• 25:05
  Speaker 2: Nick braces who was that Blues training maybe a month
• 25:07
  Speaker 2: or so ago. Yeah, so hopefully he's back on the park.
• 25:09
  Speaker 2: He was optimistic at that point.
• 25:11
  Speaker 3: It's mighty Williams. Sounds like he's probably out for the
• 25:15
  Speaker 3: July series as well.
• 25:17
  Speaker 2: So Rock Penny interesting postgame on on Friday Nights, just
• 25:21
  Speaker 2: that he wasn't all out of the final just yet.
• 25:22
  Speaker 2: So maybe there's a Sam white Lock type resurrection the
• 25:28
  Speaker 2: old tree leaves, perhaps in some good Greek food or something.
• 25:33
  Speaker 1: You know.
• 25:34
  Speaker 2: Get down to Costas and Dmitries, did we so lucky? Yeah?
• 25:40
  Speaker 3: Anything, I suspect that's mine games from what I've did,
• 25:43
  Speaker 3: so look that sounds like to to you, Lucia, props
• 25:48
  Speaker 3: gone if we go through further injuries, Antonine A.
• 25:52
  Speaker 2: Brown? What was that?
• 25:54
  Speaker 3: There was Colarbonel So I think he's touch and go.
• 25:59
  Speaker 3: Maybe they name him with a view to a third test.
• 26:02
  Speaker 3: Maybe maybe maybe you don't not too sure, you know
• 26:06
  Speaker 3: the major.
• 26:07
  Speaker 2: Sam Doury's been out for also Bagby with that shoulder injury.
• 26:11
  Speaker 2: I noted down Simon Parker, a player we touched on
• 26:13
  Speaker 2: earlier in the podcast, as one of mine not considered
• 26:16
  Speaker 2: due to injury because I think he's been in a
• 26:18
  Speaker 2: very good form this year and worthy of consideration at
• 26:22
  Speaker 2: the very least. And that lot name I had. I'm
• 26:24
  Speaker 2: missing some others as Kennina holder As are not considered
• 26:27
  Speaker 2: because the way that he was finding form before he
• 26:29
  Speaker 2: took that injury would have been worthy of at least
• 26:31
  Speaker 2: consideration in their outside bag mix.
• 26:33
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I've heard whispers that Peter Lucky might be carrying
• 26:37
  Speaker 3: an injury. And the other one is Mark Tala of
• 26:41
  Speaker 3: course incumbent all black swing hidden off shore. So yeah,
• 26:47
  Speaker 3: interesting to see where that goes.
• 26:49
  Speaker 2: But I picked thirty five names I went with a
• 26:52
  Speaker 2: twenty to fifteen split. How do you solve it?
• 26:56
  Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm not sure. I quite got to thirty five.
• 26:58
  Speaker 3: A few whispers about the flexibility around that squad where
• 27:01
  Speaker 3: they actually named thirty five. We saw last July that
• 27:04
  Speaker 3: the All Blacks used all of their squad members in
• 27:09
  Speaker 3: two tests against England and Fiji. Obviously a lot of
• 27:12
  Speaker 3: changes for the third Test against Fiji. Interesting dynamic this
• 27:16
  Speaker 3: time with France potentially bringing out some squad, some frontline
• 27:20
  Speaker 3: players from their top fourteen final potentially for that third test,
• 27:24
  Speaker 3: so you would expect that to be a tougher test,
• 27:28
  Speaker 3: much tougher test than what Fiji would be. If we
• 27:33
  Speaker 3: goes to playing, you'd expect Gilbecks to be up to Neil,
• 27:35
  Speaker 3: maybe make some changes for the third So interesting dynamic there.
• 27:37
  Speaker 3: But I think they will have the same selection philosophy,
• 27:41
  Speaker 3: wanting to use all the players they named for July
• 27:44
  Speaker 3: throughout this series. So I think there is some flexibility
• 27:48
  Speaker 3: about where they nam thirty five, thirty four, whatever it is.
• 27:50
  Speaker 4: But do you want to give us your squad? And
• 27:52
  Speaker 4: what I'll do is pick out the difference.
• 27:56
  Speaker 2: Is you want to go py position? Is it probably
• 27:58
  Speaker 2: easiest Okay, let's go with positions, so props. I've gone
• 28:02
  Speaker 2: Ethan de Grouz, Olie Norris and George Bauer, tight heads,
• 28:10
  Speaker 2: Fletch and Yule Troll, Lomax, Pussily or Tossy, noting that
• 28:13
  Speaker 2: to Mighty Williams is possibly out injured, otherwise Tomighty would
• 28:16
  Speaker 2: come in for George Bell.
• 28:19
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I think it's a straight shootout between for the
• 28:21
  Speaker 3: tour and Norris. I agree, I would pick Norris. I
• 28:26
  Speaker 3: think they'll I think they'll go for the tour, you
• 28:28
  Speaker 3: reckon the I heard some whispers that Xavier nu Me
• 28:33
  Speaker 3: is the other one, and apparently he's been heavily penalized
• 28:36
  Speaker 3: compared to those guys and so breakby this year, so
• 28:39
  Speaker 3: I don't expect him to be in the mix. And
• 28:41
  Speaker 3: it sounds like from the stats I heard that that
• 28:44
  Speaker 3: for the tour's scrum percentage record and how many times
• 28:48
  Speaker 3: he's penalized reflects very well. So straight shootout I would
• 28:53
  Speaker 3: suggest between those two fors and Olie Norris with offer
• 28:58
  Speaker 3: and to Mighty missing.
• 28:58
  Speaker 2: Would have been nice to see you have a bit
• 29:01
  Speaker 2: more of a game on on Friday night. Obviously got
• 29:03
  Speaker 2: yellow carded and didn't really see him up against Fletch
• 29:06
  Speaker 2: and Neuwele, because that would have been a good contest
• 29:07
  Speaker 2: if we've seen it for the duration, but ultimately ultimately not.
• 29:11
  Speaker 2: So that's our difference there. You've got for tour and locks,
• 29:16
  Speaker 2: four of them by hookers. Oh yeah, let's go hookers.
• 29:18
  Speaker 2: That's probably a good idea, isn't it. I think we're
• 29:20
  Speaker 2: on the same page there. But well more is the
• 29:23
  Speaker 2: question mark around that ankle injury. We haven't heard much
• 29:26
  Speaker 2: out of the Hurricanes camp.
• 29:27
  Speaker 3: He's hamstring, wasn't it. Yeah, yeah, he pulled up lame
• 29:31
  Speaker 3: before that semi final was carted off in a midicab.
• 29:35
  Speaker 4: So yeah, let's say he's in.
• 29:38
  Speaker 2: I've included him in and I've gone Cody Taylor more
• 29:41
  Speaker 2: SEMASONI type. If he's not, George Bell comes in for
• 29:44
  Speaker 2: were fairly straightforward. I think they want sorry locks Scott Barrett, Tupo, VI,
• 29:49
  Speaker 2: Patrick Tybalt and debutant and Fabin Horned.
• 29:52
  Speaker 3: Yeah, it'd be great to see him and the max
• 29:54
  Speaker 3: huge raps on the way he came into He obviously
• 29:57
  Speaker 3: played for the or Blacks fifteen, but joined the All
• 30:00
  Speaker 3: Blacks as a training partner. Yeah, injury cover at the
• 30:05
  Speaker 3: back end of last year on that you're being to
• 30:08
  Speaker 3: you'd when he came in.
• 30:09
  Speaker 2: I think it was for the French Test in Paris.
• 30:10
  Speaker 2: Remember seeing him training there and you look across the
• 30:14
  Speaker 2: park He's like, this is a huge human. It's not
• 30:16
  Speaker 2: that any of the other blocks are small, but he
• 30:17
  Speaker 2: just stood out physically and seemed to be right in
• 30:21
  Speaker 2: the mix, assertive and exactly what you want to be.
• 30:24
  Speaker 2: You could hear his Dutch accent across the training park
• 30:27
  Speaker 2: when he was yelling, and you know, that's what you want.
• 30:29
  Speaker 2: He came in confident from what I saw in Paris
• 30:32
  Speaker 2: and Turin. So look, he's him playing some good rugby
• 30:36
  Speaker 2: this year. I think he's still got room to grow
• 30:37
  Speaker 2: as a rugby player. But with Sam Dowry out injured
• 30:41
  Speaker 2: and Josh Lord not just knocking enough rugby under the
• 30:46
  Speaker 2: belt to impress, I think you go, Fabian Hond.
• 30:49
  Speaker 4: Yeah, I agree.
• 30:50
  Speaker 3: It sounds like you did really come in and pick
• 30:52
  Speaker 3: up the line out calls be assertive. As you said,
• 30:55
  Speaker 3: a lot of rookies can come and be shy, take
• 30:56
  Speaker 3: a while to find their feet. I think it was
• 30:59
  Speaker 3: Sam Kine glowing in his praise for Holland, so I
• 31:04
  Speaker 3: think you bank on him been their next cab off
• 31:07
  Speaker 3: the rank I think would probably be KOI. I think
• 31:09
  Speaker 3: he's had a pretty good year for the Chiefs, But yeah,
• 31:12
  Speaker 3: I agree Fabian Holland, so.
• 31:14
  Speaker 2: Pretty similar to thus far loose forward is going to
• 31:15
  Speaker 2: be an interesting area. I have got seven in a
• 31:18
  Speaker 2: squad of thirty five. Should I go all right, Ardie Savia,
• 31:24
  Speaker 2: I'll be surprised if you don't have him, Wallace Satiti,
• 31:28
  Speaker 2: Ethan Blacketdter, Luke Jacobson, Christian Leo, Willie du plus.
• 31:36
  Speaker 4: Kaifi, Okay, yeah, I don't mind it.
• 31:42
  Speaker 3: I think it's worth noting that Samon Parker would have
• 31:45
  Speaker 3: been very close to this because he is a big
• 31:48
  Speaker 3: lump of a lad. He's quite dynamic, probably you know,
• 31:54
  Speaker 3: still unrefined, but I think he would have been in
• 31:56
  Speaker 3: that conversation had it not been for that injury.
• 31:58
  Speaker 2: He was all fifteen last year, clearly a player on
• 32:01
  Speaker 2: the radar.
• 32:02
  Speaker 3: I think you've probably got enough number eight cover there.
• 32:07
  Speaker 3: When you look at severe cit t, blackheaded Jacobson, I
• 32:13
  Speaker 3: think they'll probably pick even though some Openia I agree
• 32:16
  Speaker 3: with you was a penalty magnet, and that is a
• 32:20
  Speaker 3: real concern because Scott Robinson is hot on discipline and
• 32:24
  Speaker 3: the semi the quarterfinal against the Blues that was not
• 32:28
  Speaker 3: a good match. For some opinion, I think he has
• 32:30
  Speaker 3: been below his best this year. I think they've invested
• 32:34
  Speaker 3: a lot in him and so probably more likely to
• 32:37
  Speaker 3: go him over Alio were but on form I agree
• 32:41
  Speaker 3: with you, So I've gone some Opennie the only other
• 32:44
  Speaker 3: one to consider there, Well, there's a few, isn't there
• 32:47
  Speaker 3: any number? So Tutu has performance at the weekend already
• 32:50
  Speaker 3: heard him. I don't know if he was really in
• 32:52
  Speaker 3: the frame conversation. No, Papali was the heir apparent at seven,
• 32:58
  Speaker 3: but I think Doe Carief is blowing him out of
• 33:00
  Speaker 3: the water this year. And Kriefe is not the biggest
• 33:05
  Speaker 3: guy and probably not as good from a ball carrying
• 33:11
  Speaker 3: perspective either. But turnovers it's incredibly hard to come by,
• 33:16
  Speaker 3: so valuable the all flexibility to strike off turnover position.
• 33:20
  Speaker 3: I think I think Scott Robertson will rarely value that.
• 33:24
  Speaker 3: Peter Luckeye is very much the future, but I think
• 33:27
  Speaker 3: had a quiet year hasn't kicked on from that performance
• 33:32
  Speaker 3: off the bench in Paris, played seventy eight odd minutes.
• 33:36
  Speaker 4: I think you've replaced some of Penny.
• 33:38
  Speaker 3: He was excellent that yeah, but hasn't come back and
• 33:40
  Speaker 3: continued that form, So I think that will hurt him
• 33:42
  Speaker 3: and potentially caring an injury as well. So yeah, I
• 33:47
  Speaker 3: think we're largely on the same page as the loose Wars.
• 33:49
  Speaker 3: That's easily the most contestable area is that there's going
• 33:52
  Speaker 3: to be some you think leaving Papalia.
• 33:55
  Speaker 4: He's the guy that was groomed as far back as it.
• 34:01
  Speaker 2: Was twenty eighteen. He got put in the mix. He
• 34:04
  Speaker 2: had a very good season for Auckland and was playing
• 34:08
  Speaker 2: some some incredible footing. I remember Alama at a beer
• 34:10
  Speaker 2: at the time. I remember asking him, you know, sort
• 34:13
  Speaker 2: of about him. He's like, well, you know, if my
• 34:17
  Speaker 2: mail is right, and clearly he knew he'd be on
• 34:19
  Speaker 2: the All Blacks. He'd be on the plane with the
• 34:21
  Speaker 2: All Blacks in the til Sure enough he was, and
• 34:25
  Speaker 2: you're right. The here apparent to sam Kin, but just
• 34:30
  Speaker 2: kind of has gone off the boil a little bit.
• 34:32
  Speaker 2: I think he was good for the Blues this year
• 34:34
  Speaker 2: buy and large, but sort of drifted out of the
• 34:36
  Speaker 2: All Blacks a little bit last year, didn't go on
• 34:38
  Speaker 2: the end of your tour through injury, and I don't
• 34:40
  Speaker 2: think he has been good enough this year to go, hey,
• 34:42
  Speaker 2: I'm back. Put me in that squad and maybe a
• 34:45
  Speaker 2: bit of NPC might be the best thing with an
• 34:47
  Speaker 2: eye to perhaps the end of your tour to get
• 34:49
  Speaker 2: him back into some real form.
• 34:53
  Speaker 4: Yeah, it'll be interesting to see how he takes some potential.
• 34:57
  Speaker 2: If he does' miss up with mode completely wrong.
• 34:58
  Speaker 3: Yeah, exactly. Let's say he does miss out. There's one
• 35:01
  Speaker 3: or two ways that can go right. He might see
• 35:04
  Speaker 3: the end of his contract and leave, or he might
• 35:07
  Speaker 3: dig in and say I'm going to make a real
• 35:09
  Speaker 3: crack of this.
• 35:09
  Speaker 4: He's just about to become a father.
• 35:13
  Speaker 3: I don't know whether the Blue style potentially has affected
• 35:16
  Speaker 3: his game, because it's fair to say that Vern Cotter's
• 35:19
  Speaker 3: arrival and that style of rugby hasn't brought ours best
• 35:23
  Speaker 3: for me. He is a guy that looks good when
• 35:25
  Speaker 3: he's in the wide channels, has a bit more room
• 35:28
  Speaker 3: to move when the Blues are playing a bit more expensively,
• 35:31
  Speaker 3: probably allows him to attack the breakdown a wee bit more.
• 35:35
  Speaker 3: He's very tight in his remit now and it was
• 35:40
  Speaker 3: last year where he really got usurped by the All
• 35:45
  Speaker 3: Blacks favoring Sam Kain's experience, and I think there was
• 35:49
  Speaker 3: a bit of grievance because do you remember the back
• 35:53
  Speaker 3: end of last year when him and Jacobsen and Blackhead
• 35:57
  Speaker 3: are injured and initially it was, oh, yeah, we're going
• 36:01
  Speaker 3: to bring one of them over when they get up
• 36:03
  Speaker 3: to speed. I think probably had a thumb injury or
• 36:05
  Speaker 3: something like that. I think that they were certainly populi
• 36:09
  Speaker 3: from what I can gather, was a bit miff that
• 36:11
  Speaker 3: that didn't transpire and actually got left behind and others
• 36:13
  Speaker 3: were given opportunities. So yeah, that you would have thought
• 36:19
  Speaker 3: that would put a chip on his shoulder. This year,
• 36:20
  Speaker 3: he's been good at times, but maybe that style of
• 36:23
  Speaker 3: rugby doesn't bring out his best.
• 36:25
  Speaker 2: It's quite possible because it is. He was a key
• 36:28
  Speaker 2: part in that Leo McDonald era of the Blues, captain
• 36:32
  Speaker 2: for a full season with Patrick three Beloto away a
• 36:35
  Speaker 2: real leader, and yes, since Vnquad has come in, it
• 36:39
  Speaker 2: has felt like he hasn't been able to get to
• 36:41
  Speaker 2: his best. So I mean, certainly is the most contestable position.
• 36:44
  Speaker 2: You mentioned people secret for you had him as well,
• 36:45
  Speaker 2: didn't you. He we saw about penalty magnets with Sma
• 36:49
  Speaker 2: Penny Feene now he was a penalty magnet. His discipline
• 36:52
  Speaker 2: this year has been very, very good. He spected his
• 36:54
  Speaker 2: moments better, that's what you want. And Test rugby is
• 36:58
  Speaker 2: another step up in terms of that discipline, meaning to
• 37:00
  Speaker 2: be you know, right on the on the button.
• 37:02
  Speaker 3: Yeah, and leaderships brought out the best in him. He
• 37:05
  Speaker 3: was co captain for the Hurricanes, but he was the
• 37:08
  Speaker 3: front man for the Keynes this year, very passionate, whereas
• 37:13
  Speaker 3: his hard on his sleeve and yeah, I just think
• 37:17
  Speaker 3: he's a point of difference. If you look at Blackheader,
• 37:20
  Speaker 3: Jacobson Populi, very similar players. Careefy does bring you that
• 37:24
  Speaker 3: genuine turnover exponent and I think that in Test rugby
• 37:29
  Speaker 3: is going to be incredibly valuable.
• 37:30
  Speaker 2: Right, let's move on to the back line. I have
• 37:32
  Speaker 2: fifteen backs, three half backs, Royguard, Hotham Rutima.
• 37:36
  Speaker 3: Yeah, yeah, I think Christy's probably your number four. But
• 37:44
  Speaker 3: the other one Preston purely almost purely because he can
• 37:49
  Speaker 3: kick off both feet and that's a real weapon. I
• 37:52
  Speaker 3: think defensively there's a few concerns about Preston, but yeah,
• 37:57
  Speaker 3: I think I don't think there's any disputing that those
• 37:59
  Speaker 3: will be the three half think it injury.
• 38:00
  Speaker 2: It's going to be fascinating to see what happens. Do
• 38:02
  Speaker 2: you go back to a Finlay Christie who's been there,
• 38:05
  Speaker 2: done that, or do you look for another young half
• 38:07
  Speaker 2: becking top of Funaki don't know exactly what he's done
• 38:10
  Speaker 2: wrong at the Blues. You know he came in who's
• 38:15
  Speaker 2: playing some good rugby, became their first choice for a
• 38:17
  Speaker 2: period last season with Krista out. Every time he plays,
• 38:21
  Speaker 2: he gives that quick ball for me. He would be
• 38:25
  Speaker 2: if he was playing consistent rugby, he'd be right in
• 38:27
  Speaker 2: that number four mix. But he's just not.
• 38:30
  Speaker 3: Yeah, limited chances I guess this year. As you mentioned,
• 38:35
  Speaker 3: he was the starting half back when the Blues won
• 38:37
  Speaker 3: the title last year and clearly he's been injured, but
• 38:40
  Speaker 3: they clearly lost a bit of faith in him. The
• 38:45
  Speaker 3: Kropper nines, there's what four or five there, but that
• 38:51
  Speaker 3: would be deemed to be ready now is actually quite limited.
• 38:54
  Speaker 3: I know the Hurricanes and others were scratching around to
• 38:57
  Speaker 3: potentially look for replacements, but there are some coming in
• 39:02
  Speaker 3: the form of pledgre Pleedger looks really promising at the Highlanders,
• 39:05
  Speaker 3: but a guy like that you'd think at least two
• 39:09
  Speaker 3: years off being in that sort of frame.
• 39:11
  Speaker 2: Fucka Tava played some good rugby at times this year,
• 39:14
  Speaker 2: but I just I think the moment might have passed
• 39:18
  Speaker 2: for Fuckatava. Feels like he, as I said, was good distribution,
• 39:23
  Speaker 2: but he's still are prone Fuckatava, and I think what
• 39:25
  Speaker 2: you get out of Fakatava you probably get out of
• 39:27
  Speaker 2: a roy Guard and to a lesser extent to hope
• 39:29
  Speaker 2: them in terms of the way that they play. So
• 39:31
  Speaker 2: I just don't know that he provides enough to get
• 39:34
  Speaker 2: into an All Black Smax at the moment.
• 39:36
  Speaker 3: Yeah, he's a guy that's got that experience, and he
• 39:39
  Speaker 3: has a point of difference. He's a bigger halfback, he's
• 39:42
  Speaker 3: got a real variety of passing game, lethal around the fringes.
• 39:46
  Speaker 3: But yeah, hasn't really been in this conversation, certainly from
• 39:50
  Speaker 3: the robertsonario and you have to go back to that
• 39:54
  Speaker 3: or was it twenty twenty two really when he played
• 39:56
  Speaker 3: the irs series, hasn't really been in the mixed sense.
• 40:01
  Speaker 4: Injuries.
• 40:02
  Speaker 2: Yeah, he has had injuries. Means eligible for Tonga from
• 40:05
  Speaker 2: July presumably, so whether he takes up that option will
• 40:08
  Speaker 2: still wants to play full Blacks. I know he's resigned
• 40:10
  Speaker 2: with New Zealand Rugby and apparently has had some good
• 40:14
  Speaker 2: conversations about where he's headed. So maybe his time will
• 40:17
  Speaker 2: come again, but doesn't feel like it's probably going to
• 40:19
  Speaker 2: be this year. First five's Boden Barrett, Damien McKenzie, Ruben Love.
• 40:26
  Speaker 2: I've included him in his first five.
• 40:28
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I think you're right. It would be very hard
• 40:31
  Speaker 3: to select Stephen Parrient Pedifectter. He's still for me is
• 40:35
  Speaker 3: the next guy, but successive all Black regimes have largely
• 40:42
  Speaker 3: played him at fullback and had minimal faith in or
• 40:46
  Speaker 3: giving him chances as a ten, and he basically hasn't
• 40:49
  Speaker 3: played for the Blues this year because of a debilitating
• 40:53
  Speaker 3: calf injury. So I think he's still ahead of Love
• 40:58
  Speaker 3: in the first five picking order, but Love probably with
• 41:01
  Speaker 3: his versatility in a squad, whether it's wing, fallback, first five,
• 41:07
  Speaker 3: he will be there.
• 41:08
  Speaker 4: It's just a matter of what he's considered as.
• 41:10
  Speaker 3: Yeah.
• 41:11
  Speaker 2: For Paraphetter, you're right, just Tom on the park is
• 41:13
  Speaker 2: the issue, and he's almost one of those guys that
• 41:16
  Speaker 2: has been pigeonholed as a utility, even though he's been
• 41:22
  Speaker 2: a regular starter for the Blues. It feels like all
• 41:24
  Speaker 2: Blacks level has been pegged as a utility, and I
• 41:28
  Speaker 2: just don't know that it's ever going to happen for him,
• 41:30
  Speaker 2: to be honest, I think he's what twenty eight this year.
• 41:34
  Speaker 2: Ribben Love's five years younger than him. Time's probably not
• 41:37
  Speaker 2: on Pedifiti's side anymore in terms of being inexperienced player
• 41:42
  Speaker 2: at his age. Do you go with a younger player
• 41:44
  Speaker 2: who is also an experience and get more out of
• 41:46
  Speaker 2: them over a longer period of time.
• 41:48
  Speaker 3: The other thing I'd say is Zee Black's a one
• 41:50
  Speaker 3: injury away from serious concerns at ten because the next
• 41:56
  Speaker 3: crop attends the gap between McKenzie and Barrett and the
• 42:03
  Speaker 3: rest is significant.
• 42:05
  Speaker 2: Okay, so both of those players are injured, who do
• 42:07
  Speaker 2: you start a chest it ten? Is it rubenin Love?
• 42:10
  Speaker 2: Is it Stephen Fetter as Josh Sha.
• 42:12
  Speaker 4: It's Peter Fetter for me?
• 42:13
  Speaker 3: But wow, like, yeah, even if you lose, you lose
• 42:20
  Speaker 3: one of Barrett and McKenzie, and it really does shine
• 42:23
  Speaker 3: a spotlight on the next crop of tens in New
• 42:25
  Speaker 3: Zealand's and you don't have to look at like, yeah,
• 42:28
  Speaker 3: Jacob is promising. I don't think he's had the opportunities
• 42:31
  Speaker 3: or kicked on as people would have hoped this year.
• 42:35
  Speaker 4: The Hrland is scratching around for tens.
• 42:37
  Speaker 3: The Hurricanes head issues this year because of you know,
• 42:41
  Speaker 3: the stockpiled nature that the Crusaders have stuck with some
• 42:45
  Speaker 3: young guys. But they're certainly not in the test conversation.
• 42:48
  Speaker 3: So depth of ten New Zealand is not in a
• 42:52
  Speaker 3: great healthy state. And I think when you look at
• 42:56
  Speaker 3: the balance of the squad Ten and Locke to a
• 42:59
  Speaker 3: degree where the real focus from a depth point of
• 43:04
  Speaker 3: view should be.
• 43:05
  Speaker 2: Okay, So I assume you had the same group of tens.
• 43:07
  Speaker 2: He didn't have a Yeah, I did have Love but
• 43:11
  Speaker 2: bracketed with Peter Fetter. But yes, not in a great
• 43:15
  Speaker 2: space midfield wise, I have five names Jordy Barrettrico, Juannie,
• 43:19
  Speaker 2: Billy Proctor, David Harvelli, Quinn to Pie.
• 43:23
  Speaker 4: Yeah, I agree.
• 43:25
  Speaker 3: I guess it swings on until Lenna Brown yep available,
• 43:29
  Speaker 3: So yeah, yeah, And whether they take five is probably
• 43:33
  Speaker 3: a question. I think four is enough, but because you've
• 43:37
  Speaker 3: effectively got three second five's there and two and two centers.
• 43:45
  Speaker 3: If it's four, I would take to pire but I
• 43:49
  Speaker 3: think they will take heavily.
• 43:51
  Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, I mean this is I've named thirty five
• 43:54
  Speaker 2: names and they may not go that that far. Outside
• 43:57
  Speaker 2: backs Caleb Clark, despite not scoring a single try during
• 44:02
  Speaker 2: Super Rugby, which is, when's the last time a starting
• 44:05
  Speaker 2: wing would have not had to try for an all
• 44:10
  Speaker 2: blacks for you know, an all blacks wing in a
• 44:11
  Speaker 2: super routine not was tryph you know, playing that sort
• 44:14
  Speaker 2: of rugby anyway.
• 44:16
  Speaker 3: Probably it does speak to the Blue style to a degree.
• 44:18
  Speaker 3: But yeah, I mean Mark de Liz caut a few
• 44:24
  Speaker 3: Cole Forbes, others.
• 44:27
  Speaker 2: Yeah, is it a Yeah, it's hard to figure out
• 44:30
  Speaker 2: whether it's just a weird statistical quirk or whether it's
• 44:32
  Speaker 2: something to be concerned about.
• 44:34
  Speaker 3: The one thing about Caleb great in the air, great
• 44:37
  Speaker 3: with ball in hands. At times I feel like he
• 44:40
  Speaker 3: he goes looking for contact rather than running around people,
• 44:45
  Speaker 3: but he also has a week brain explosion in him
• 44:48
  Speaker 3: at times. It was the quick line out in Hamilton,
• 44:51
  Speaker 3: it was real, one real dusty pass to Boden Bearra
• 44:55
  Speaker 3: at the weekend that went beyond him. So he just
• 44:59
  Speaker 3: needs to minimize or reader's game of those instances because
• 45:03
  Speaker 3: they can be incredibly costly if they go wrong.
• 45:05
  Speaker 2: He has resigned with New Zealand Rugby as well. Last
• 45:08
  Speaker 2: week's it puts to be the rabbit oz chat for
• 45:09
  Speaker 2: another couple of years. I think it was a whisper
• 45:12
  Speaker 2: going around. He's going to wide up Pacifica. So he's
• 45:14
  Speaker 2: resigned with the Blues for a couple more years. My
• 45:16
  Speaker 2: others in the back three will Jordan No, Ammoni Nadawa
• 45:23
  Speaker 2: and Leroy Carter No No Severus. Well, I toss this
• 45:31
  Speaker 2: up yesterday as I was writing these down, and I
• 45:35
  Speaker 2: think for the here and now, Sivrees has had a
• 45:37
  Speaker 2: pretty good Super Rugby season. I think for the Crusaders
• 45:40
  Speaker 2: obviously broke the record for most tries, but I think
• 45:46
  Speaker 2: with a night towards twenty twenty seven, I'm not sure
• 45:49
  Speaker 2: that he can get that distance, get to that distance.
• 45:52
  Speaker 2: So I'm going Leroy Carter ahead him. I like it.
• 45:55
  Speaker 3: I don't think that's the way they'll go. I think
• 45:58
  Speaker 3: the Razors showed a lot of faith in Sevu last year,
• 46:02
  Speaker 3: way too much. And he was exposed at times in
• 46:05
  Speaker 3: the French Test for his pace and he's a wee
• 46:09
  Speaker 3: here brainers time at times as I was. And he
• 46:11
  Speaker 3: goes He's like a fly in a wine bottle. You
• 46:16
  Speaker 3: never know quite what he's going to do, and sometimes
• 46:18
  Speaker 3: it works, sometimes it doesn't. There was a tap back
• 46:23
  Speaker 3: instance in the South African game, which proves costly.
• 46:26
  Speaker 4: I mean, these are little instances, but I.
• 46:28
  Speaker 2: Think he's improved under the high ball big time. That's
• 46:31
  Speaker 2: been noticeable in Super Ragy this year. He's worked on that.
• 46:34
  Speaker 4: He's good over the ball.
• 46:35
  Speaker 2: Yeah, And for me, I don't think he's had a
• 46:36
  Speaker 2: bad SUPERB. I think he's had a good Super Ravy season.
• 46:38
  Speaker 2: But someone had to be squeezed out of that for
• 46:41
  Speaker 2: and he was down for a second, but I yeah,
• 46:44
  Speaker 2: changed it. Who are your our sobacks?
• 46:47
  Speaker 3: I had rece just because I think they will pick him,
• 46:49
  Speaker 3: and I've got Lee Ricarda, so I didn't select him
• 46:51
  Speaker 3: on in an hour, but I would like to see
• 46:54
  Speaker 3: hit a Rees. I just want to touch on Lea Riccarda.
• 46:57
  Speaker 3: He's a guy that has just taken this competition by
• 47:01
  Speaker 3: storm this year, and some of it's in ways that
• 47:05
  Speaker 3: you wouldn't necessarily notice. So defensively, he is brave. He
• 47:12
  Speaker 3: is you know, tackles low. Very few people get past them,
• 47:16
  Speaker 3: and I think that comes from the seventh scene because
• 47:19
  Speaker 3: there's so much less space you have to make your tackles.
• 47:22
  Speaker 3: If you don't, you get you know, it's glaringly obvious.
• 47:25
  Speaker 3: And the other thing he brings which we don't have
• 47:28
  Speaker 3: a lot of, surprisingly and new Zello Rabia's out and
• 47:31
  Speaker 3: outpace and you look at the French wing who came
• 47:35
  Speaker 3: from SEVENS as well, and the real point of difference
• 47:43
  Speaker 3: dynamic pace that he brings.
• 47:48
  Speaker 4: Our wings generally aren't that rapid.
• 47:51
  Speaker 2: No, they're not. No. It's one of the weird things
• 47:53
  Speaker 2: when Will Jordan's a fast player, but he's not out
• 47:56
  Speaker 2: and out pace. He usually beats you before you know
• 47:58
  Speaker 2: he's gone. And that's the trick with Will Jordan, how
• 48:01
  Speaker 2: good he is that you can see things happening before
• 48:02
  Speaker 2: it's actually happened. Lero Kara does bring out and it
• 48:06
  Speaker 2: reminds me a lot of Australian style of wing Corey
• 48:09
  Speaker 2: tool almost you know, smaller but punchier. We don't tend
• 48:15
  Speaker 2: to produce a lot of those players and I think
• 48:16
  Speaker 2: his SEVENS background has helped big time in that regard.
• 48:20
  Speaker 3: Yeah, and I think there will be elements of his
• 48:22
  Speaker 3: game that will be really tested, you know, under the
• 48:24
  Speaker 3: high ball. How does he go with a barrage of
• 48:28
  Speaker 3: big South Africans bearing down on him, you know, just
• 48:33
  Speaker 3: high hoists all day. Test rugby can be very different
• 48:35
  Speaker 3: to Super rugby.
• 48:36
  Speaker 2: But it looks something like Cheoslan Colby and how you know,
• 48:40
  Speaker 2: maybe felt like he might have been prepared too small
• 48:43
  Speaker 2: for Test rugby, but boy, he's been one of those
• 48:44
  Speaker 2: players Test rugby for years now.
• 48:46
  Speaker 3: Yeah, and I think wings you pick on form part
• 48:50
  Speaker 3: you can have an element of faith, sure, but there
• 48:53
  Speaker 3: has to be a place in the game for smaller
• 48:56
  Speaker 3: players and particularly on the edge. So yeah, I think
• 49:00
  Speaker 3: Lea Ricarter is a great show. I'd love to see
• 49:02
  Speaker 3: him included.
• 49:02
  Speaker 2: So our squad was relatively similar. Couple of differences here
• 49:05
  Speaker 2: and there, But for me, I mean, how many debutants
• 49:08
  Speaker 2: that I pick one and one prop one, two, three
• 49:13
  Speaker 2: Holland or five Leo, Willie Kreifi, Holland, Norris and Leroy Carter.
• 49:21
  Speaker 3: Yes, I didn't have Leo Weddis, So I think we've
• 49:23
  Speaker 3: got I had four. Gil Black said ten rookies last year,
• 49:27
  Speaker 3: and I think we are going to see that titan
• 49:32
  Speaker 3: four or five. I'd say it's probably at the upper end.
• 49:37
  Speaker 3: There will be a bigger squad for the end of
• 49:39
  Speaker 3: their tour. But the closer you get to the World Cup,
• 49:41
  Speaker 3: the more it's going to be about building cohesion combinations.
• 49:45
  Speaker 3: There will be room for the odd person breaking in,
• 49:49
  Speaker 3: but you certainly at the start of a cycle have
• 49:51
  Speaker 3: a lot more room to expand your squads bring through
• 49:55
  Speaker 3: fresh players than you do closer to that pinnacle tournament.
• 49:58
  Speaker 2: Yeah, and I would also say that I don't know
• 50:00
  Speaker 2: that enough players outside of the All Blacksmiths have put
• 50:03
  Speaker 2: their hands up regularly enough this year to warrant selection.
• 50:06
  Speaker 2: I mean the ones we've named there that I you have,
• 50:09
  Speaker 2: But there's a lot of pecking stick with this squad,
• 50:13
  Speaker 2: and I think there's players certainly around the traps that
• 50:18
  Speaker 2: you know, maybe could have been in the All Blacks
• 50:20
  Speaker 2: if they put together more consistent performances. I think of
• 50:23
  Speaker 2: a tough Tather Nahwai. His name was mentioned at the
• 50:25
  Speaker 2: start of the year. He was good for periods, but
• 50:27
  Speaker 2: wasn't consistent enough. Yeah. I know people like the vat
• 50:31
  Speaker 2: Can Jackal, but I don't think he does his core
• 50:33
  Speaker 2: skills any better than the midfielders that we've selected. I've
• 50:37
  Speaker 2: selected and you're selected there today there's been others as well,
• 50:39
  Speaker 2: but I think there probably hasn't been enough names knocking
• 50:42
  Speaker 2: down the door of Scott Robson and co. To justify
• 50:46
  Speaker 2: pushing out some of those more experienced players that maybe
• 50:48
  Speaker 2: didn't have the best of twenty twenty fours.
• 50:50
  Speaker 4: Yeah, and two other points.
• 50:53
  Speaker 3: If you listen to the consistent messages coming out of
• 50:56
  Speaker 3: the All Blacks, it's that they felt like they created
• 50:59
  Speaker 3: more than everyone else last year and they didn't finish.
• 51:02
  Speaker 3: So that's where it comes back to your pick and
• 51:05
  Speaker 3: stick and just refining a lot of those finishing moments
• 51:09
  Speaker 3: the players that they already have. And there's also a
• 51:12
  Speaker 3: number of players in a thirty four to thirty five
• 51:15
  Speaker 3: man squad that didn't see enough time last year that
• 51:17
  Speaker 3: were in the squad last year, Billy Procter prime example.
• 51:21
  Speaker 3: So giving those guys perhaps more opportunities, you can have
• 51:25
  Speaker 3: changes within your starting team, not necessarily within your squad.
• 51:29
  Speaker 3: So I don't think we'll see a spate of rookies,
• 51:32
  Speaker 3: certainly not ten this year, right those are.
• 51:34
  Speaker 2: At All Black squads. The real thing will be announced
• 51:37
  Speaker 2: midday Monday, the twenty third of June. You can follow
• 51:41
  Speaker 2: that on inzi Herol dot cot inzed Or on gold Sport,
• 51:43
  Speaker 2: newstalksb and iHeartRadio Time Awter the rest of the final
• 51:46
  Speaker 2: four Totic number two Olie Mathis. This is an interesting situation.
• 51:51
  Speaker 2: A player that our listeners I'm sure will be aware
• 51:54
  Speaker 2: of most recently been playing for the New Zealand Sevens.
• 51:58
  Speaker 2: Played NPC for Wakato last year. A hugely promising player.
• 52:02
  Speaker 2: His ability to play on the wing and also in
• 52:04
  Speaker 2: flink maybe off the cheers on overtime. Maybe what didn't
• 52:08
  Speaker 2: get a Super Raby contract this year obviously went down
• 52:11
  Speaker 2: the sevens path. He's been popping up playing club rugby
• 52:15
  Speaker 2: in Christch. I know he's played a few games of
• 52:17
  Speaker 2: high school boys at flanker, blindside, open side and on
• 52:21
  Speaker 2: the wing. Is a player of interest Liam, what's going on? Yeah?
• 52:28
  Speaker 4: Age grade star Oli Methos.
• 52:30
  Speaker 3: I think he scored four tries in one game maybe
• 52:33
  Speaker 3: against Ossie and yeah the schools on the twenties, something
• 52:36
  Speaker 3: like that. So a player of real interest and promise
• 52:41
  Speaker 3: is wa Wakato born and Breds. But sounds like classic
• 52:45
  Speaker 3: case of shady crusaders dealings here earlier you told.
• 52:50
  Speaker 2: Me the story off here. Just sounds like a professional
• 52:52
  Speaker 2: rugby environment.
• 52:53
  Speaker 3: Yees, so well, the story goes apparently the Chiefs requested
• 52:58
  Speaker 3: to bring him into their their squad this year as
• 53:00
  Speaker 3: as injury cover and they got denied, and the Crusaders
• 53:05
  Speaker 3: did the same request and it was approved. And I've
• 53:11
  Speaker 3: heard that they overlooked an under twenties flanker from Tasman
• 53:15
  Speaker 3: to do that. So Oli Mathis has been training with
• 53:18
  Speaker 3: the Crusaders this year and I'm sure they've got Scott
• 53:23
  Speaker 3: Barrett and Is here and whoever else sold him the
• 53:24
  Speaker 3: dream of playing for the Crusaders. Obviously the Chiefs want
• 53:27
  Speaker 3: to keep him homegrown talent, so I've heard the Chiefs
• 53:31
  Speaker 3: are very aggrieved about the process, but clearly there's a
• 53:35
  Speaker 3: fight for his future. So interesting to see where that
• 53:40
  Speaker 3: ends up, because he is someone that's in demand.
• 53:43
  Speaker 2: He certainly is, and the ability to play multiple positions,
• 53:46
  Speaker 2: I mean obviously going off with the New Zealand under
• 53:48
  Speaker 2: twenties in a few weeks to their World championship. So
• 53:52
  Speaker 2: this is probably something that's going to be sorted in
• 53:53
  Speaker 2: the coming months as to where he ends up for
• 53:56
  Speaker 2: twenty twenty six and beyond. I'm sure the Crusaders are interested,
• 54:00
  Speaker 2: I mean from their perspective. Ethan Blackadder hasn't resigned beyond
• 54:04
  Speaker 2: this year as yet, Tom Christi is perhaps coming towards
• 54:08
  Speaker 2: the close of his career. I know they've got a
• 54:10
  Speaker 2: promising player now, whether it was when you mentioned or not,
• 54:12
  Speaker 2: was Johnny Lee. He's been in the other he was
• 54:15
  Speaker 2: injured as well, so maybe that's allowed Methods to come
• 54:18
  Speaker 2: in at that point because I know the Crusaders were
• 54:21
  Speaker 2: listing him as an injured player, so maybe that was
• 54:23
  Speaker 2: part of it. Is if we list him as an
• 54:24
  Speaker 2: injured player, we might be able to get Methis down.
• 54:27
  Speaker 2: So yeah, watch the Space I guess. Yeah.
• 54:30
  Speaker 3: I think it's worth noting that it's not uncommon for
• 54:33
  Speaker 3: someone to Sam Darry play for Canterbury and the Blues. Yeah,
• 54:37
  Speaker 3: so in a modern professional world this is not unprecedented.
• 54:41
  Speaker 3: But clearly the Chiefs the desperate to keep them and
• 54:44
  Speaker 3: the Crusader's doing all they can to lure them.
• 54:46
  Speaker 4: So an interesting fight for his future.
• 54:49
  Speaker 2: It was mentioned to me that he's obviously very loyal
• 54:52
  Speaker 2: to Wakato, but whether that extends to the Chiefs I'm
• 54:54
  Speaker 2: not sure, but I think he's a Moodler man through
• 54:56
  Speaker 2: and through. So watch the Space top at number three.
• 54:59
  Speaker 2: You're busy over the weekend Liam catching up on the
• 55:01
  Speaker 2: European finals. What did you make of it?
• 55:04
  Speaker 4: Oh, it's plenty happening.
• 55:05
  Speaker 3: Bath won the Premiership title, their first title and I
• 55:09
  Speaker 3: think it was ninety ninety six.
• 55:11
  Speaker 2: So yeah, the prem for next season. You see that
• 55:16
  Speaker 2: brand rebrandship well, Galliga Premiership to the Preme.
• 55:19
  Speaker 3: Well, don't get too creative, yes and yeah, big celebrations
• 55:26
  Speaker 3: in Bath. They had an impromptu one in the car
• 55:29
  Speaker 3: parket Twickers and then a bus parades and Bath and
• 55:32
  Speaker 3: then across the channel Leinster broke their title droughts. I
• 55:39
  Speaker 3: think was it four years?
• 55:41
  Speaker 2: Someone longer than you think.
• 55:42
  Speaker 3: Yeah, which is staggering really for the the incredible depth
• 55:48
  Speaker 3: of their roster. So Jordi Barrett will return home as
• 55:51
  Speaker 3: a u RC champion. Scored a brilliant tries a chip
• 55:54
  Speaker 3: over the top from the half back. Jordi Barrack comes
• 55:57
  Speaker 3: flying through and then puts a bit of a fly
• 55:59
  Speaker 3: kick in, chases the ball down and scored. So if
• 56:01
  Speaker 3: you haven't seen that, seek out the highlights. So I'm
• 56:04
  Speaker 3: sure Jordie tucked into a few Guinness and signed off
• 56:07
  Speaker 3: his time in Ireland before joining us in Coastal for
• 56:11
  Speaker 3: the All Black squad naming next week.
• 56:13
  Speaker 2: Next week, Yeah, look forward to hearing from Jordian about
• 56:15
  Speaker 2: how is the time in the USC went. I must
• 56:17
  Speaker 2: have didn't see a lot of the USC throughout the season.
• 56:20
  Speaker 2: It's very hard to access here in New Zealand. I
• 56:21
  Speaker 2: know a lot of European rugby. Scribe has watched a
• 56:24
  Speaker 2: lot of Super Rugby, but the same just Nott applying reverse.
• 56:27
  Speaker 2: I'm afraid tough to say. Yeah, I'm sure it's a
• 56:31
  Speaker 2: good comp As always, the USC taking along nicely And
• 56:34
  Speaker 2: this is a story you broke on Friday. Brine Evans
• 56:36
  Speaker 2: Topic four and the final four. Brane Evens, former two
• 56:39
  Speaker 2: Tests All Black slock and owned nine has joined the
• 56:42
  Speaker 2: All Blacks coaching staff as line out coach for this year.
• 56:47
  Speaker 3: Interesting development I think we've discussed and I was always
• 56:51
  Speaker 3: of the view that Jason Ryan's briefest forward coach, well,
• 56:54
  Speaker 3: there's too much, too broad when you think about the breakdown,
• 56:57
  Speaker 3: the line out, the scrum Kerry Cleans, there's so much
• 57:01
  Speaker 3: that goes into that, and not only most international teams,
• 57:04
  Speaker 3: most professional teams, Super Rugby or whatever it is have
• 57:07
  Speaker 3: multiple four coaches right scrum coach, line out coach, you
• 57:11
  Speaker 3: know the Blues, Greg Fek, Paul.
• 57:12
  Speaker 4: Tito, it goes on.
• 57:14
  Speaker 3: So it was always a bit bizarre to me that
• 57:17
  Speaker 3: the All Blacks had their coaching groups so heavily weighted
• 57:21
  Speaker 3: towards the backs, with Jason holland Scott Hansen, somebody Ellison
• 57:27
  Speaker 3: to a degree, they're all Backsdonald Liam McDonald was there,
• 57:31
  Speaker 3: so it does make sense that bringing in someone else.
• 57:35
  Speaker 3: I think it's a surprise. It's fair to say it's
• 57:37
  Speaker 3: Brent Evans. He's not the biggest name. He's only been
• 57:40
  Speaker 3: coaching for since twenty twenty three. He does have vast
• 57:44
  Speaker 3: experience in the Northern Hemisphere, played up there for twelve years,
• 57:49
  Speaker 3: and from what I can gather in conversations spoke to
• 57:53
  Speaker 3: Jason Ryan and web it to Scott Robertson, that's his
• 57:59
  Speaker 3: recall of lineouts. Apparently he can just talk about some
• 58:02
  Speaker 3: lineout from five years ago. So I think that that yeah,
• 58:09
  Speaker 3: very niche, isn't it.
• 58:10
  Speaker 2: Yeah. I think right move for the All Blacks in
• 58:13
  Speaker 2: terms of appointing someone there, because there was a lot
• 58:15
  Speaker 2: to be on jas Ryan's plate for the season, and
• 58:19
  Speaker 2: I wonder whether it was a matter of waiting until
• 58:21
  Speaker 2: I found the right person rather than jumping in and
• 58:23
  Speaker 2: appointing someone until the end. Rhyme is going to look
• 58:25
  Speaker 2: after everything, and so clearly sounds like they found the
• 58:30
  Speaker 2: right guy.
• 58:31
  Speaker 3: Yeah, the only thing I would say is wouldn't they
• 58:34
  Speaker 3: love to have Sam white Lock in their mix?
• 58:36
  Speaker 2: Yep, yep. But from what I say, Sam Whitelock's sort
• 58:41
  Speaker 2: of inching towards beginning of coaching career. I think he's
• 58:43
  Speaker 2: doing some work in Argentina in the next week while
• 58:47
  Speaker 2: around some coaching camps over the year, very early days.
• 58:51
  Speaker 2: And no one's doubting that the class of Sam white
• 58:54
  Speaker 2: Lock and is the rugby ability. But it's also a
• 58:57
  Speaker 2: different matter coaching to being a great player versus a
• 59:01
  Speaker 2: great coach. And yeah, Sam white Locke called the All Blacks,
• 59:03
  Speaker 2: lineouts and various things for a number of years. But
• 59:05
  Speaker 2: you know, Brene Evans was a two test All Black.
• 59:07
  Speaker 2: But doesn't mean it wasn't a great rugby mind. And
• 59:09
  Speaker 2: sometimes you've got players that are better rugby mines and
• 59:12
  Speaker 2: their bodies will actually allow them to be on the park.
• 59:15
  Speaker 2: You know, they can see everything happening, they can do it,
• 59:16
  Speaker 2: they just can't quite physically do it, so that may
• 59:20
  Speaker 2: be one of those cases here and Brilliants was a
• 59:22
  Speaker 2: very very good Super Rugby player, very good you know,
• 59:24
  Speaker 2: domestic player up north as well.
• 59:26
  Speaker 3: Johnny sixth didn't waste any time mate, straight into island
• 59:30
  Speaker 3: the British and Irish Lions.
• 59:32
  Speaker 2: Yeah, but what did Johnny sixthon actually win? It's one
• 59:36
  Speaker 2: for our all right, that's probably a good night to
• 59:39
  Speaker 2: move into the tipping and let's tip the Super Rugby Final,
• 59:43
  Speaker 2: last tip of the season. I lead by seven points.
• 59:46
  Speaker 4: Is it all or nothing?
• 59:47
  Speaker 2: It's not quit it sure fucking anything else? I lead
• 59:52
  Speaker 2: by seven points, fifty seven point five to fifty point five.
• 59:55
  Speaker 2: You picked the Blues Chiefs Final. I picked Crusaders Chiefs
• 59:57
  Speaker 2: Liam who will win Super Rugby?
• 1:00:00
  Speaker 4: It's got two words for you, Elliott Chiefs Mina, I've.
• 1:00:04
  Speaker 2: Got two words back for your crusade on out a
• 1:00:07
  Speaker 2: third Crusader on b I'm going to Crusaders. You're going
• 1:00:10
  Speaker 2: to cheat. I don't think there's anything I'm never any
• 1:00:13
  Speaker 2: doubt about that was there? No. I'll best luck and
• 1:00:17
  Speaker 2: your three two ones in the Rugby Direct MVP Middle
• 1:00:22
  Speaker 2: the weekend confirmed actually by the way that Artie Savia
• 1:00:25
  Speaker 2: is the winner of our MVP medal, the most important
• 1:00:27
  Speaker 2: MVP medal going around. He is going to be on
• 1:00:30
  Speaker 2: cloud nine. He can't, he will be. He can't be
• 1:00:32
  Speaker 2: overtaken now because Boden Barrett's one isn't playing the final
• 1:00:37
  Speaker 2: and well two isn't getting any points from me for
• 1:00:40
  Speaker 2: this week, so he can't make up the eleven point
• 1:00:43
  Speaker 2: gap over the couple of weeks. So congratulations Artie savi
• 1:00:46
  Speaker 2: a on twenty five from Boden Baron on fourteen. Hoskins
• 1:00:48
  Speaker 2: so two too on twelve. I don't think Hoskins is
• 1:00:50
  Speaker 2: going to get any points this week either somehow. But
• 1:00:53
  Speaker 2: my three two ones I'll go first. Will Jordan three,
• 1:00:56
  Speaker 2: Damian McKinzie two, Ethan Blackhead are one. I don't thinkre's
• 1:00:59
  Speaker 2: any explanation needed for any of those. They were the
• 1:01:00
  Speaker 2: standout players from those games.
• 1:01:02
  Speaker 3: Yeah, no, fair enough, I'm going McKinsey three, Blackhead. I
• 1:01:06
  Speaker 3: think it didn't make twenty.
• 1:01:07
  Speaker 2: Thirty or ten sackles thing was in the India and
• 1:01:11
  Speaker 2: I was going.
• 1:01:11
  Speaker 3: To give it to Heavily or Jordan, but I'm actually
• 1:01:14
  Speaker 3: going to give one to James Dolman just for helping
• 1:01:16
  Speaker 3: your crusaders to the final.
• 1:01:18
  Speaker 2: No, I won't accept that down.
• 1:01:21
  Speaker 4: All right, we'll go heavily.
• 1:01:22
  Speaker 2: Then it's great news. Did you have a villion you're
• 1:01:26
  Speaker 2: All Black squad? You did?
• 1:01:27
  Speaker 4: I didn't know. I went to play. Okay, Well, so
• 1:01:29
  Speaker 4: big big heads to hit this week.
• 1:01:31
  Speaker 2: There's a consolation point there for you in the relationship.
• 1:01:35
  Speaker 2: I just try to find the number of tackles that
• 1:01:36
  Speaker 2: black Headed to make because it was a hell of
• 1:01:37
  Speaker 2: a shift. Thirty one thirty one Yeah at a rugby
• 1:01:41
  Speaker 2: union game. So it's a good one.
• 1:01:42
  Speaker 4: Beaten and bloodied. What do you have four or five
• 1:01:44
  Speaker 4: stitches in his eye?
• 1:01:46
  Speaker 2: So yeah, beg effort, big old go for Ethan blackadded,
• 1:01:50
  Speaker 2: they'll do us for rugby Derick for another week through
• 1:01:52
  Speaker 2: to our friends that have it health techling, will your
• 1:01:54
  Speaker 2: aches and pains for sporting will be back next week.
• 1:01:56
  Speaker 2: It's going to be a busy old Monday for us
• 1:01:58
  Speaker 2: with the All Black Squad naming, also a super Rugby
• 1:02:00
  Speaker 2: final to wrap up as well, hopefully Monday on your feeds.
• 1:02:04
  Speaker 2: If not, then we'll be back with you on at
• 1:02:06
  Speaker 2: some point Tuesday to wrap up the All Black Squad
• 1:02:08
  Speaker 2: and a busy weekend of rugby.
• 1:02:10
  Speaker 4: Yeah, look forward to that.
• 1:02:11
  Speaker 3: Hopefully Smiley Barrett's should be an open Barret coast to
• 1:02:14
  Speaker 3: us to speak.
• 1:02:15
  Speaker 2: What's the local drop down there? I was actually asking
• 1:02:17
  Speaker 2: Scott Robinson that the other day and we couldn't quite
• 1:02:19
  Speaker 2: place it. So have to teach us the way, Smiley
• 1:02:21
  Speaker 2: of what the tuna mucky local droppers look forward to that.
• 1:02:25
  Speaker 4: Yeah, I can't imagine he's brought a beer in.
• 1:02:27
  Speaker 2: Must be Yarrow's beer or something like that right there,
• 1:02:29
  Speaker 2: or do us? Thanks to last and bars English. As always,
• 1:02:31
  Speaker 2: we will catch you.
• 1:02:32
  Speaker 1: Next week for more from News talks'd be listen live
• 1:02:39
  Speaker 1: on air or online and keep our shows with you
• 1:02:42
  Speaker 1: wherever you go with our podcast on iHeartRadio