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Transcript

Rugby Direct: Episode 216 · Rugby Direct

• 0:09
  Speaker 1: You're listening to a podcast from News Talks ed B.
• 0:12
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• 0:19
  Speaker 1: Straight down the middle.
• 0:20
  Speaker 2: Of Dry Dicky Score. Try these.
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: Get inside the game from every angle. It's Rugby Direct
• 0:33
  Speaker 1: with Elliot Smith and Leam Napier powered by News Talks EDB.
• 0:37
  Speaker 2: Welcome into Rugby Direct powered by Habit Hell Physio book
• 0:40
  Speaker 2: today and stay in the game. Rugby directs back for
• 0:43
  Speaker 2: another week. Elliott Smith with me Liam Napier Napes. I
• 0:48
  Speaker 2: hope the Easter weekend was good to you, and you're
• 0:50
  Speaker 2: not too full on the joys of Whittakers and Cabri
• 0:54
  Speaker 2: and whatever other chocolate manufacturers they might be around the place.
• 0:58
  Speaker 3: That seems to be about the kids these days, Elliott.
• 1:02
  Speaker 3: So chocolate's not my jam. Really haven't got much of
• 1:05
  Speaker 3: a sweek too for much rather have a pie. So yeah,
• 1:08
  Speaker 3: lest it throws, but no praise be and I hope
• 1:12
  Speaker 3: you everyone had ahead a great easter.
• 1:14
  Speaker 2: Absolutely well. It was a very quiet weekend of Super Rugby.
• 1:17
  Speaker 2: We'll get into a bit of that shortly, but there
• 1:18
  Speaker 2: has been plenty of news on the other fronts around
• 1:22
  Speaker 2: the periphery of the game, and one of the big
• 1:24
  Speaker 2: ones earlier in the week was the return of Shannon Frizzel.
• 1:28
  Speaker 2: Now this has been rumored for well pretty much since
• 1:30
  Speaker 2: he left, you know, Irmber Jason Ryan saying in Bordeaux
• 1:33
  Speaker 2: in a media conference during the twenty three World Cup
• 1:36
  Speaker 2: that he wasn't overly happy he was leaving, that finally
• 1:39
  Speaker 2: managed to do a deal to get him to come back.
• 1:41
  Speaker 2: It's very much a mirror of the Richie Muwanga deal.
• 1:44
  Speaker 2: He comes back for eighteen months, essentially a hid and
• 1:47
  Speaker 2: run mission for the World Cup. Your reaction to Shannon
• 1:50
  Speaker 2: Brazel returning home naps.
• 1:53
  Speaker 3: You're not a great surprise, as you say, Eliot. I
• 1:55
  Speaker 3: think it had always been on the cards. But it's
• 1:58
  Speaker 3: starting a bit of a trend, isn't it that guys
• 2:01
  Speaker 3: like Muanga and Frazil will go away, make bank for
• 2:04
  Speaker 3: three years, come back for a pinnacle events. I'm not
• 2:08
  Speaker 3: too sure what sort of light that shines on us
• 2:12
  Speaker 3: rugby is eligibility laws certainly raises a few questions, but
• 2:18
  Speaker 3: from a depth perspective, great, great to have Shennon Frazel back.
• 2:22
  Speaker 3: I don't know what version of him Deil Blacks will get.
• 2:27
  Speaker 3: I know he's been injured in recent times. I have
• 2:30
  Speaker 3: seen him prior to that play some great rugby, dominating
• 2:34
  Speaker 3: physically as it expects in the League One competition up there.
• 2:39
  Speaker 3: And look, let's be honest, since his departure, nobody's really
• 2:44
  Speaker 3: nailed down that six jersey.
• 2:45
  Speaker 4: It continues to be up for grabs. We've seen Simon.
• 2:49
  Speaker 3: Parker, Wallace, the TT, Peter Luckley had a pinch, a
• 2:54
  Speaker 3: host of others, Ethan Blackheader at times, Luke Jacobson. So
• 2:59
  Speaker 3: these guys may be a bit myth if Frazelle comes
• 3:03
  Speaker 3: back and sort of walks into that team, but I
• 3:05
  Speaker 3: think he'll well have to earn his keep and Dave
• 3:09
  Speaker 3: Rennie will be be tough to have him back. But
• 3:11
  Speaker 3: at this point he's in the Muana boat, isn't then
• 3:13
  Speaker 3: he's not eligible for the Greatest Rivalry Tour, so he
• 3:16
  Speaker 3: won't be seen in a black jersey until at least October.
• 3:19
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I wonder whether Dave Rennie might be able to
• 3:22
  Speaker 2: push back on that for the tour and get some
• 3:25
  Speaker 2: sort of concessions for for Wong and Frazelle. It seems
• 3:29
  Speaker 2: ridiculous to me that if you've signed a contract with
• 3:31
  Speaker 2: New Zealand Rugby and it's underway that you can't be packed.
• 3:34
  Speaker 2: At the same time, I do understand that, you know,
• 3:37
  Speaker 2: you don't want these hidden run missions to become a
• 3:40
  Speaker 2: regularity in New Zealand rugby. You know, players going away
• 3:43
  Speaker 2: for three years coming back for eighteen months or a
• 3:46
  Speaker 2: year to basically go to a World Cup. I don't
• 3:48
  Speaker 2: think that's good for the game in New Zealand. So
• 3:51
  Speaker 2: there's a fine balance to be had there. I agree
• 3:54
  Speaker 2: with you on on Frazel though that no one has
• 3:57
  Speaker 2: been able to put their hand up and go that
• 3:59
  Speaker 2: six jersey and the All Blacks is in mine. But
• 4:01
  Speaker 2: I'd also argue that he really only did that towards
• 4:05
  Speaker 2: the back end of twenty twenty three, that game against
• 4:08
  Speaker 2: the spread box at Mount Smart where he was excellent,
• 4:10
  Speaker 2: had some solid performances at the World Cup, card in
• 4:13
  Speaker 2: the final. I just wonder whether we may be viewing
• 4:17
  Speaker 2: him through a little bit of a you know, halo
• 4:19
  Speaker 2: effect or the old roast into glasses as he comes back,
• 4:22
  Speaker 2: because I don't think he's the savior to that All
• 4:23
  Speaker 2: Blacks pack.
• 4:25
  Speaker 4: Yeah, I think that's a fair points.
• 4:27
  Speaker 3: He also has a penchant for yellow cards and you
• 4:31
  Speaker 3: know some openion female probably the closest in terms of
• 4:35
  Speaker 3: a physically dominant presence, certainly at super rugby level. Some
• 4:39
  Speaker 3: opinion hasn't been able to carry that through to the
• 4:41
  Speaker 3: test arena. But look, I think at this point you
• 4:46
  Speaker 3: would say Shannon Frazelle would be in all the version
• 4:50
  Speaker 3: that left in twenty twenty three would be in the
• 4:54
  Speaker 3: and the reckoning for the twenty three maybe he comes
• 4:58
  Speaker 3: off the bench. I think there's some real dynamic athletes
• 5:02
  Speaker 3: out there, aren't there when you look at us, the
• 5:04
  Speaker 3: tt Lackeye, Artie Severe, The balance of those three in
• 5:09
  Speaker 3: a loose for Traer. Not too sure whether that's right
• 5:12
  Speaker 3: for the All Blacks. You might want to look at
• 5:17
  Speaker 3: a different combination there. But having for a Zell back
• 5:20
  Speaker 3: in the mix is a great win for New Zealand
• 5:22
  Speaker 3: rugby and a great win for the Highlanders.
• 5:24
  Speaker 4: Let's be honest.
• 5:25
  Speaker 3: They struggle for recruitment massively and to bring former All
• 5:30
  Speaker 3: Black back like him will be a huge boost to
• 5:32
  Speaker 3: their campaign next year.
• 5:34
  Speaker 2: It will be indeed, yeah, absolutely good for the depth.
• 5:36
  Speaker 2: But I just would hold anyone suggesting that he's the
• 5:39
  Speaker 2: second coming as he returns home. More news as well
• 5:42
  Speaker 2: this week, yourself and Gregor Paul both with the male
• 5:46
  Speaker 2: that it sounds like Don Tricker is the front runner
• 5:48
  Speaker 2: at least in serious negotiations with New Zealand Rugby to
• 5:51
  Speaker 2: become the new High Performance Director of New Zealand Rugby
• 5:56
  Speaker 2: with that widened scope that we've talked about on this
• 5:58
  Speaker 2: podcast before. I guess how much of a boost would
• 6:04
  Speaker 2: he be for New Zealand Rugby is Do you think
• 6:06
  Speaker 2: he's the kind of brain they need at the helm
• 6:09
  Speaker 2: to basically be the conduit between the All Blacks coach
• 6:11
  Speaker 2: and the New Zealand Rugby CEO, whoever that might be.
• 6:15
  Speaker 4: Yeah, I think he'll be a good appointment. Elliot.
• 6:16
  Speaker 3: If you look back to his time it was a
• 6:19
  Speaker 3: bit of a golden age for New zion Rugby and
• 6:22
  Speaker 3: All Blacks twenty ten to twenty eighteen, I think it
• 6:25
  Speaker 3: was he was in a comparable role, not quite with
• 6:31
  Speaker 3: so much influence and power as this new role will
• 6:33
  Speaker 3: have effectively been Dave Rennie's boss, and so he will
• 6:38
  Speaker 3: have should he be appointed, you know, jurisdiction for going
• 6:42
  Speaker 3: in and assessing the All Blacks the Black Ferns as
• 6:44
  Speaker 3: well as coaching developments.
• 6:47
  Speaker 4: He what he lacks in.
• 6:51
  Speaker 3: International or rugby coaching experience he makes up for in
• 6:56
  Speaker 3: high performance now, so he's been over with the MLB,
• 6:59
  Speaker 3: he's at that time at he's on a rugby and
• 7:01
  Speaker 3: I think he is quite direct and confrontational with his questioning,
• 7:05
  Speaker 3: both of players and coaches. So I think I think
• 7:08
  Speaker 3: that's the type of presence you want. I think someone
• 7:11
  Speaker 3: like Joe Schmitt Wayne Smith would have been ideal for
• 7:15
  Speaker 3: that position as well, but both out of the reckoning.
• 7:19
  Speaker 3: I think Joe Schmitt finishes up with the Wallabies in
• 7:21
  Speaker 3: July and then he's going to go to Ireland and
• 7:24
  Speaker 3: sort of weighing up what's next. Wayne Smith has committed
• 7:27
  Speaker 3: to Kobe. I think Steve Hanson's been touted. I don't
• 7:31
  Speaker 3: think that dynamic would have worked well between him and
• 7:33
  Speaker 3: Dave Rennie when Hanson was All Black coach and Rennie
• 7:36
  Speaker 3: was at the Chiefs. There was a bit of tension
• 7:38
  Speaker 3: there about rest and rotation, and they're both two pretty
• 7:43
  Speaker 3: strong presents forigureheads, so I don't think that would have worked.
• 7:47
  Speaker 3: So yeah, I think the broadly speaking, the change needed
• 7:51
  Speaker 3: to happen. This position we've seen overseas and work well
• 7:54
  Speaker 3: with Irish rugby. Scotland's Australia have a high performance director
• 7:59
  Speaker 3: and Peter Horns, So I think it's high time that
• 8:02
  Speaker 3: that's that this restructure came in.
• 8:05
  Speaker 4: What do you think? What do you know about Don
• 8:07
  Speaker 4: Trickid And I guess the position generally.
• 8:11
  Speaker 2: Obviously very successful softball career and highly regarded, you know,
• 8:16
  Speaker 2: across New Zealand sport for the way that he can
• 8:20
  Speaker 2: break down high performance systems. We saw him involved in
• 8:23
  Speaker 2: the review last year and his expertise called upon there
• 8:28
  Speaker 2: is that the San Diego Padres and Baseball, major League
• 8:31
  Speaker 2: Baseball highly respected. They have been there for it for
• 8:34
  Speaker 2: a number of seasons now. But it feels like this
• 8:37
  Speaker 2: is the kind of role that could lure him home.
• 8:39
  Speaker 2: And I don't know that it necessarily needs to be
• 8:42
  Speaker 2: a rugby brainer. I think we talked about this at
• 8:44
  Speaker 2: the time that it might have been beneficial. But I
• 8:47
  Speaker 2: think also you can get lost in the weeds if
• 8:50
  Speaker 2: you're you know, if you were completely in the depths
• 8:53
  Speaker 2: of rugby and not see the wider picture, maybe not
• 8:57
  Speaker 2: know the best practices from other sporting environments. For example,
• 9:01
  Speaker 2: you know, Daryl Gibson is the high performance director at
• 9:04
  Speaker 2: New Zealand Cricket. These days early days for him. But
• 9:07
  Speaker 2: I think that's probably something we're going to see a
• 9:09
  Speaker 2: little bit more of, is that transferring of skills between sports.
• 9:13
  Speaker 2: And if Donald Truck can come back having experienced a
• 9:17
  Speaker 2: Major League baseball environment and knowing what makes them tick,
• 9:20
  Speaker 2: I think that can only be a good thing for
• 9:23
  Speaker 2: New Zealand rugby if indeed he does get ready for
• 9:25
  Speaker 2: it and look it. Maybe seems more suited at the
• 9:28
  Speaker 2: outset for a head coach to take on that role,
• 9:30
  Speaker 2: but probably needs someone with an array of skills outside
• 9:35
  Speaker 2: that he coaching domain, not just being a head coach,
• 9:38
  Speaker 2: and perhaps that's where a Hanson type might not be
• 9:41
  Speaker 2: the ideal man for the situation.
• 9:43
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I don't think you need someone coming in telling
• 9:46
  Speaker 3: Dave Rennie how to run the All Blacks right Like
• 9:48
  Speaker 3: he's been appointed head coached, he needs the autonomy to
• 9:51
  Speaker 3: run that team as he sees foot he's appointed as
• 9:53
  Speaker 3: his coaching team, and so I think it's someone to
• 9:57
  Speaker 3: come in and assess the environments, to challenge the coaches
• 10:01
  Speaker 3: on certain dynamics, rather than, as you say, having a
• 10:06
  Speaker 3: rugby brain as such coming and I think outside of
• 10:10
  Speaker 3: the All Blacks and the Black Ferns there does need
• 10:12
  Speaker 3: to be a real look at New Zealand Rugby's talent
• 10:15
  Speaker 3: pathways and development, as well as the coaching side of
• 10:19
  Speaker 3: it and whether that's right and the high performance structure.
• 10:24
  Speaker 3: We've seen some heavyweights leave in recent times of Chris Lendrum,
• 10:29
  Speaker 3: he was at New Zealand Rugby for twenty years and
• 10:32
  Speaker 3: Mike Anthony was there for fourteen years. So that's what's
• 10:35
  Speaker 3: brought about this restructure. And I think, as you say,
• 10:38
  Speaker 3: Don Tricka has not only been involved in rugby but
• 10:41
  Speaker 3: a whole hoster reviews in an array of sports within
• 10:46
  Speaker 3: the New Zealand's sphere, so he has great experience and
• 10:49
  Speaker 3: I think he'd be a great addition.
• 10:51
  Speaker 2: Watch the space for an official announcement.
• 10:54
  Speaker 1: This is Rugby Direct, a podcast for real rugby fares.
• 11:01
  Speaker 2: Tried, ten sixty six, every tackle to tackle, tackles, get
• 11:05
  Speaker 2: up again, oh ifore time.
• 11:09
  Speaker 1: It's Rugby Direct.
• 11:11
  Speaker 2: How Ladies Talk obviously had the last round of Super
• 11:14
  Speaker 2: Rugby truncated one, as we mentioned last week on the podcast,
• 11:17
  Speaker 2: just the three games, with the Crusaders beating the drawer
• 11:22
  Speaker 2: relatively comfortably, the Chiefs beating the Waratar's relatively comfortably, and
• 11:26
  Speaker 2: the Western Force beating the Queensland Reads surprisingly rather comfortably.
• 11:31
  Speaker 2: It was an interesting round in many ways given the
• 11:34
  Speaker 2: lack of rugby. What did you make of it as
• 11:37
  Speaker 2: a whole? I guess that the Force result was a
• 11:38
  Speaker 2: little bit of a surprise, but otherwise it was fairly
• 11:41
  Speaker 2: to form, wasn't it for the the krew sides?
• 11:45
  Speaker 4: From a New Zealand perspective, a very routine.
• 11:47
  Speaker 3: You probably could have predict those blowouts at the start
• 11:50
  Speaker 3: of the year to a degree. Certainly the Crusaders playing
• 11:54
  Speaker 3: their final game at Apollo Projects one hundredth when there
• 11:58
  Speaker 3: they were always going to blow away the Duror and
• 12:00
  Speaker 3: they did that in pretty spectacular fashion, probably their best
• 12:03
  Speaker 3: performance of the year.
• 12:04
  Speaker 4: But you have to keep that in perspective. Don't you
• 12:08
  Speaker 4: sweat you nourles making a habit of bursting up the middle.
• 12:12
  Speaker 3: Leicester fying Nuku put his stamp on things, Chaffe hockey bags,
• 12:16
  Speaker 3: a few tries and of course Cody Taylor were four
• 12:19
  Speaker 3: tries to celebrate his one hundred and fiftieth game. So
• 12:22
  Speaker 3: pretty special night all around for the Crusaders at home.
• 12:24
  Speaker 3: But it's much tougher tests to come in the coming
• 12:28
  Speaker 3: weeks and the Chiefs. I thought they went about their
• 12:31
  Speaker 3: business pretty well. The Waratas arrived after being the Brumbies
• 12:35
  Speaker 3: so had their tails up we bits, only to slink
• 12:38
  Speaker 3: home where their bubble burst yet again. So I think
• 12:42
  Speaker 3: the Chiefs still probably finding their best team and weave
• 12:45
  Speaker 3: it down on troops in the back line at times
• 12:48
  Speaker 3: this year.
• 12:49
  Speaker 4: But they do feel like they're done to hit a
• 12:51
  Speaker 4: bit of a groove as well.
• 12:52
  Speaker 3: And as you say that, the Force a real upset
• 12:55
  Speaker 3: result that and they really deserved it going up to
• 12:59
  Speaker 3: Brisbane and tuning up the Reds. So that was a
• 13:02
  Speaker 3: massive upset really in the context of Australian rugby very much.
• 13:06
  Speaker 4: So.
• 13:07
  Speaker 2: Look, I was impressed by the Chiefs. Had a bumpy
• 13:09
  Speaker 2: couple of weeks on the road with the loss to
• 13:11
  Speaker 2: the Brumbies and fairly scratchy went over the Force the
• 13:14
  Speaker 2: week prior, but to come home beat the warri Tars
• 13:17
  Speaker 2: who as you say, we're riding high on the back
• 13:18
  Speaker 2: of that. Went over the Brumbies the previous week in
• 13:21
  Speaker 2: Canberra I thought was an excellent performance. We haven't seen
• 13:23
  Speaker 2: the best of the Chiefs so far this season, but
• 13:26
  Speaker 2: it felt like things clicked pretty well and they did
• 13:28
  Speaker 2: it without Damien McKenzie last week too, so that will
• 13:31
  Speaker 2: give them a bit of confidence as they head into
• 13:33
  Speaker 2: this next passage of the season. I thought it was
• 13:36
  Speaker 2: a pretty a stute performance from the Chiefs. We didn't
• 13:39
  Speaker 2: learn a lot from the Crusaders. As you touched on.
• 13:42
  Speaker 2: Cody Taylor was excellent, but it was otherwise something we
• 13:45
  Speaker 2: expected from the Crusaders. They ran over the top of
• 13:48
  Speaker 2: the drawer and set themselves up. I think for this
• 13:52
  Speaker 2: next week run of games two in Australia and then
• 13:55
  Speaker 2: the war Tars back at home in that new stadium
• 13:57
  Speaker 2: in a couple of weeks. You know they probably need
• 14:00
  Speaker 2: to win all three of these games. They're not too
• 14:02
  Speaker 2: far off the pace in Super Rugby, but you know
• 14:06
  Speaker 2: the Reds could be tricky this week coming off that
• 14:08
  Speaker 2: Force defeat. Then the Force at home the following it
• 14:11
  Speaker 2: could be tricky as well. So a couple of big
• 14:12
  Speaker 2: weeks coming up for the Crusaders. I want to get
• 14:15
  Speaker 2: you three two ones for our MVP. Liam. I'll three
• 14:19
  Speaker 2: your mind, you can respond. Cody Taylor gets my three,
• 14:22
  Speaker 2: Semipenny Female gets two and Chaffi Hackey gets my one.
• 14:26
  Speaker 2: Good week to be a New Zealand team because there
• 14:28
  Speaker 2: are only three games, so a good chance to get
• 14:30
  Speaker 2: yourself some points in the MVP Metal voting.
• 14:34
  Speaker 3: Yeah, hell of a hit, wasn't it, Summer Penny for
• 14:36
  Speaker 3: now last week almost put me back on the surgeons table.
• 14:40
  Speaker 3: Just watch it watching that, so he's fully deserving of
• 14:44
  Speaker 3: your points. Look impossible to overlock Cody Taylor for three.
• 14:48
  Speaker 3: I'm going to go quint to Pie. I think he's
• 14:50
  Speaker 3: in the form of his life, real physical, dominant, dominant
• 14:54
  Speaker 3: presence for the Chiefs, and I'm going to give one
• 14:57
  Speaker 3: to fit your Fletcher Newal another standout performance in a
• 15:01
  Speaker 3: standout season.
• 15:02
  Speaker 4: Such consistency from him.
• 15:03
  Speaker 3: So nice to see a front where are roaming free
• 15:06
  Speaker 3: and doing the business upfront as well.
• 15:08
  Speaker 2: Just before we move on to this week, is there
• 15:10
  Speaker 2: any doubt in your mind as to the all Black
• 15:11
  Speaker 2: starting midfield this season? We saw Tapira but there at
• 15:15
  Speaker 2: thirteen last year. Do you have him locked in at
• 15:19
  Speaker 2: thirteen and Jordi Barrett at twelve? Is there room for
• 15:22
  Speaker 2: firing a Knooku or Rico Yuwanni who's been playing at Leinster.
• 15:26
  Speaker 2: What's your Black starting midfield at this point?
• 15:29
  Speaker 4: Yeah?
• 15:30
  Speaker 3: I think at this point you would go Jordia Ya
• 15:31
  Speaker 3: and Quinn. I'm not totally sold on Coinn at centre.
• 15:35
  Speaker 3: It's not his natural position. I think there's probably a
• 15:37
  Speaker 3: few nuances there, but pretty hard to leave him out
• 15:41
  Speaker 3: of the starting team, and he did play well there
• 15:42
  Speaker 3: last year. I think Leicester has got quite a few
• 15:46
  Speaker 3: flaws to his game defensively and handling, so he's an
• 15:50
  Speaker 3: ideal presence. I think for the bench you could bring
• 15:52
  Speaker 3: him on in the midfield or the wing Ricojane. At
• 15:55
  Speaker 3: this point I've only seen glimpse of him at Leinster.
• 16:00
  Speaker 3: He's scored a try at the weekends, but there's been
• 16:03
  Speaker 3: some pretty unflattering reviews prior to that.
• 16:05
  Speaker 4: So at this point he doesn't make my twenty three.
• 16:09
  Speaker 4: But who knows.
• 16:10
  Speaker 3: Dave Rennie could have something in his back pocket and
• 16:12
  Speaker 3: some different ideas about how he approaches things. Maybe he
• 16:15
  Speaker 3: looks to use Jordi Barrett in a different capacity and
• 16:19
  Speaker 3: use Quinn at twelve and look to bring in a
• 16:21
  Speaker 3: different thirteen. Tabatavanaha could be a bit of a surprise
• 16:26
  Speaker 3: package potentially if he wants to persist or go down
• 16:29
  Speaker 3: that route.
• 16:29
  Speaker 4: So there are a few options out there.
• 16:31
  Speaker 2: There are, indeed, Billy Procter as well for the Hurricanes.
• 16:34
  Speaker 2: Maybe his time might come again. Haven't seen the best
• 16:36
  Speaker 2: of him in the All Blacks environment over the last
• 16:38
  Speaker 2: couple of years. Does he get another opportunity in a
• 16:41
  Speaker 2: different system under Dave Rennie will be interesting And we
• 16:45
  Speaker 2: don't have the mail bag this week. I know there
• 16:46
  Speaker 2: was a question in there about our All Black squads.
• 16:48
  Speaker 2: We might look at doing that in the next couple
• 16:49
  Speaker 2: of weeks, potentially sort of a mid season All Blacks
• 16:52
  Speaker 2: draft for this competition as they head into to July.
• 16:58
  Speaker 2: But let's get into this week and what is coming
• 17:00
  Speaker 2: up Highland as Brombi's intraguing game to get us underway
• 17:04
  Speaker 2: on Friday night in denied and the Brumbies obviously coming
• 17:09
  Speaker 2: over with the bye last week and coming off the
• 17:12
  Speaker 2: loss to the Warrtors that have been boosted by Alata
• 17:16
  Speaker 2: who's back in the mix of them for the first
• 17:17
  Speaker 2: time this year. Lachland long again as well. Which way
• 17:21
  Speaker 2: do you see this game going? Naps, Yeah, it was
• 17:24
  Speaker 2: interesting the start of the week.
• 17:25
  Speaker 4: The Brumbies actually started as outsiders.
• 17:27
  Speaker 3: I think they've firmed in now, but I think the
• 17:30
  Speaker 3: Brumbies can go down there and win that game. They've
• 17:32
  Speaker 3: got the fod pack to put some pressure on the Holanders.
• 17:36
  Speaker 3: I think I'll probably target them there and look to
• 17:39
  Speaker 3: use their rolling more. And yeah, I'm probably going to
• 17:43
  Speaker 3: go the Brumbies at this point. The Holanders they knocked
• 17:47
  Speaker 3: over Moana in recent weeks, but it hasn't been a
• 17:51
  Speaker 3: great season from their perspective, so I'm going to tip
• 17:53
  Speaker 3: the Brumbies.
• 17:54
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm the same and look at the Highlanders have
• 17:57
  Speaker 2: got a couple of injuries persisting in their team, but
• 18:00
  Speaker 2: I'm also just rather uninspired by their bench this week.
• 18:05
  Speaker 2: It doesn't add a lot of impact. For Fucka Tava
• 18:10
  Speaker 2: has disappeened off the face of the earth. I'm not
• 18:12
  Speaker 2: sure what's going on there. He hasn't been playing very well,
• 18:14
  Speaker 2: but he seems to have been dropped out of the
• 18:15
  Speaker 2: twenty three entirely. Next Year, who I think was a
• 18:18
  Speaker 2: wider training group member and Lenox are now the two
• 18:22
  Speaker 2: half backs for Jamie Joseph. So you know, hopes of
• 18:25
  Speaker 2: Fucka Tava perhaps coming again to the All Black seem
• 18:27
  Speaker 2: to have faded pretty quickly. I'm going to go the
• 18:30
  Speaker 2: Brumbies for the victory there as well. Wana Pacifica hosting
• 18:33
  Speaker 2: the Chiefs and Chiefs Territory and Rods of Ruh. This
• 18:35
  Speaker 2: game was supposed to be in Tonga. Look I've got
• 18:39
  Speaker 2: the Chiefs fit for this one over Malwana. What say you?
• 18:43
  Speaker 3: Yeah? Even with the Chiefs rotating a few of their
• 18:46
  Speaker 3: starters out in No SEMMASONI Takyaho and a couple of others,
• 18:50
  Speaker 3: they get Damien McKenzie back, and I've given them the
• 18:53
  Speaker 3: big triple captain and my fantasy team, so expecting big
• 18:57
  Speaker 3: things from Damien hasn't really hit his straps this year.
• 19:00
  Speaker 3: So you'd have to expect a pretty comfortable victory for
• 19:04
  Speaker 3: the Chiefs.
• 19:04
  Speaker 2: You would think.
• 19:05
  Speaker 3: So.
• 19:05
  Speaker 2: I used my triple Captain on Will Jordan last week
• 19:07
  Speaker 2: against the against the drawer for the Crusaders, and he
• 19:11
  Speaker 2: was great distributor. Didn't get on the scores sheet, so
• 19:16
  Speaker 2: didn't quite use it as well as I probably could have.
• 19:18
  Speaker 2: But I'm going to go the Chiefs as well. The
• 19:20
  Speaker 2: drawer hosting the Force in fig This could be the
• 19:24
  Speaker 2: debut of Zach Lomax. Didn't get it last week for
• 19:26
  Speaker 2: the Western Force. He was scrubbed late. But look the
• 19:29
  Speaker 2: drawer I've got at home to beat the Force. What
• 19:31
  Speaker 2: about you?
• 19:33
  Speaker 4: A bit of a roll the dice, isn't it.
• 19:35
  Speaker 3: Two teams that have largely struggled, but the Force are
• 19:40
  Speaker 3: in decent form. But look, yeah, pretty hard to go
• 19:42
  Speaker 3: past dur at home. They've got a great record there,
• 19:44
  Speaker 3: don't tend to win too many on the road, so
• 19:46
  Speaker 3: I think they'll be targeting this.
• 19:47
  Speaker 2: One indeed, and the match of the round Hurricanes Blues
• 19:50
  Speaker 2: live on Gold Sport and iHeartRadio on Saturday Night one
• 19:54
  Speaker 2: VET two in the camp, Big acid test and away
• 19:57
  Speaker 2: for your Hurricanes, Liam. You know they've played one New
• 20:00
  Speaker 2: Zealand side so far. They've run rampant against the Australian sides.
• 20:04
  Speaker 2: But you know, now the pressure does come on a
• 20:05
  Speaker 2: bit for this cane train.
• 20:08
  Speaker 3: Absolutely yep. Time to find out. This is where the
• 20:11
  Speaker 3: rubber meets the road. Pretty tough run over the next
• 20:14
  Speaker 3: few weeks. It'll test their depths and nice to see
• 20:17
  Speaker 3: a bit a spice off the fields, you know, But
• 20:19
  Speaker 3: a bans in between. Ruben lovers saw in his press
• 20:21
  Speaker 3: Conrance and a few other barbs flying around about this match.
• 20:26
  Speaker 3: So Boden Barrett VI Jordie Barrett. There's plenty of narratives
• 20:29
  Speaker 3: in the backgrounds. I am going to tip the Canes
• 20:32
  Speaker 3: to get up, but they've actually got a pretty decent
• 20:35
  Speaker 3: record against the Blues in recent times and being at home,
• 20:40
  Speaker 3: I think they've got enough firepower to get it done,
• 20:42
  Speaker 3: and they're in pretty good health at the stage. I
• 20:44
  Speaker 3: expect them to lose a few in the coming weeks,
• 20:46
  Speaker 3: but I think it'll be a bit of a contrast
• 20:48
  Speaker 3: of styles. You expect the Blues to keep it tight
• 20:50
  Speaker 3: and try and go through the middle, be direct challenge
• 20:54
  Speaker 3: the Canes at the set piece, and the Canes be
• 20:57
  Speaker 3: looking to unleash guys like Fine and four and Ruben
• 21:01
  Speaker 3: Love in that back line.
• 21:02
  Speaker 2: I'm going to go the Blues for an upset just
• 21:03
  Speaker 2: to spice things up a little bit on the podcast
• 21:06
  Speaker 2: as well as just in general. I think can go
• 21:08
  Speaker 2: down there. And when I know it's been an emotional
• 21:11
  Speaker 2: week for the Blues, I was at training this morning
• 21:14
  Speaker 2: with them with the news around Cameron saw Far, which
• 21:17
  Speaker 2: is obviously devastating the fact that his cancer has spread
• 21:21
  Speaker 2: and is now terminal. I know he is in camp
• 21:23
  Speaker 2: on Tuesday, but just seeing that the team today, most
• 21:27
  Speaker 2: of the Fords have shaven their heads, most of the
• 21:29
  Speaker 2: backs have dyed their hair blonde, Boden Barrett is unrecognizable.
• 21:34
  Speaker 2: Saw him at training today, didn't didn't realize it was
• 21:36
  Speaker 2: him with the beach blonde here. I just think this week,
• 21:39
  Speaker 2: of all weeks, I fancy the Blues to be galvanized
• 21:43
  Speaker 2: by this and turning a performance. So I'm going to
• 21:46
  Speaker 2: go the Blues in an upset. But while we're on,
• 21:48
  Speaker 2: just an awful news about Cameron so far, isn't it?
• 21:52
  Speaker 4: Ah? Yeah, devastating, isn't it.
• 21:54
  Speaker 3: You know, he just because he'd battled back and gone
• 21:57
  Speaker 3: back to a place where he thoughts he could you know,
• 22:01
  Speaker 3: he had some goals around what he wanted to achieve
• 22:03
  Speaker 3: in a rugby space. And to have another setback and
• 22:05
  Speaker 3: to have to undergo for the chemotherapy treatments heartbreaking news
• 22:10
  Speaker 3: for anyone, and yeah, certainly wish them all the best.
• 22:15
  Speaker 4: Terrible Disease.
• 22:16
  Speaker 2: One absolutely final game with the Round Reds Crusaders nine
• 22:19
  Speaker 2: to thirty five Saturday night in Brisbane. The Reds desperate
• 22:23
  Speaker 2: to bounce back from that surprise loss to the Force
• 22:25
  Speaker 2: last week. The Crusaders going away for the next couple
• 22:28
  Speaker 2: of weeks. No Will Jordan, no Cody Taylor. Through injuries,
• 22:31
  Speaker 2: they do get back David HARVILLI their captain for this game.
• 22:34
  Speaker 2: Johnny McNichol Slotson for his first game of the year
• 22:37
  Speaker 2: at fullback. I think the Crusaders will win, but I
• 22:41
  Speaker 2: fancy the Reds might bounce back this week from a
• 22:44
  Speaker 2: pretty limp performance last week.
• 22:47
  Speaker 3: Yeah, the Crusaders have a habit in recent times have
• 22:49
  Speaker 3: been a bit Rocks and Diamonds without Will Jordan, completely
• 22:52
  Speaker 3: different team when he's involved, chiming in from the back line,
• 22:56
  Speaker 3: adding his leadership, throwing those long assists as you mentioned
• 22:59
  Speaker 3: earlier in the pods. So maybe a bit of a
• 23:02
  Speaker 3: banana skin game, but I will tip them to sneak home.
• 23:07
  Speaker 3: There we go.
• 23:07
  Speaker 2: You've got to two point lead in the tipping over
• 23:09
  Speaker 2: all twenty seven plays, twenty five through thirty eight games
• 23:13
  Speaker 2: of the season. That does us for ragby Direct this week,
• 23:16
  Speaker 2: of course, the Black Ferns playing on Sunday morning their
• 23:19
  Speaker 2: first game of the year. Their team is out tomorrow.
• 23:21
  Speaker 2: Intrigued to see what that looks like first game under
• 23:24
  Speaker 2: Whitney Hanson. We'll chat a bit about that on our
• 23:26
  Speaker 2: Monday or Tuesday pod next week, as well as bringing
• 23:30
  Speaker 2: back the mail Bag with producer Mark who was stuck
• 23:33
  Speaker 2: somewhere on the drive back from Toadong to Auckland. Hence
• 23:36
  Speaker 2: he couldn't join us for a bit of mail bag today,
• 23:38
  Speaker 2: but thank you as always, Napes. We'll look forward to
• 23:41
  Speaker 2: catching up again next week after a full slate of
• 23:44
  Speaker 2: Super Rugby games. We'll catch you early part of next week.
• 23:47
  Speaker 4: Yeah, look forward to it.
• 23:48
  Speaker 3: Nice to have as you say, full schedule was pretty
• 23:51
  Speaker 3: telling last week to tune in on a Monday night
• 23:53
  Speaker 3: and watch a bumper NRL game looked pretty close to
• 23:56
  Speaker 3: a sold out stadium in Sydney and it was hard
• 23:59
  Speaker 3: not to think that Super Rugby missed the trick there.
• 24:01
  Speaker 2: Yeah, agreed. That is Rugby Direct powered by Habit Health
• 24:04
  Speaker 2: Physio book today and stand in the game. Thanks to
• 24:06
  Speaker 2: Last and Bars English for putting this pod together. See
• 24:08
  Speaker 2: you early next week.
• 24:13
  Speaker 1: For more from Used Talk sed B. Listen live on
• 24:16
  Speaker 1: air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
• 24:19
  Speaker 1: you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio.