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Transcript

Rugby Direct - Episode 143 · 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 range of podcasts now on Iheartradiot.
• 0:17
  Speaker 1: Inside the Game from Every angle. It's Rugby Direct with
• 0:22
  Speaker 1: Elliott Smith, powered by Newstalks EDB.
• 0:24
  Speaker 2: Welcome into Rugby Direct, par By fourklib Solutions lifting you
• 0:28
  Speaker 2: and your business to a higher level. Commichewa from Japan.
• 0:32
  Speaker 2: Rugby Direct back for another week. That is test week
• 0:36
  Speaker 2: for the All Blacks once again, and we are recording
• 0:40
  Speaker 2: Liam and Apre welcome into you. A couple of hours
• 0:43
  Speaker 2: after the All Blacks have named their team to play
• 0:46
  Speaker 2: Japan in Yokohama on Saturday afternoon New Zealand time or
• 0:49
  Speaker 2: Saturday evening New Zealand time, and early in the week
• 0:53
  Speaker 2: as well. So one surprise is the team was named
• 0:56
  Speaker 2: so early. Another surprise Pranctice being some of the selections
• 1:00
  Speaker 2: in the team has things and your reaction to the team.
• 1:03
  Speaker 3: Plus I come to Elliott's son, Hajimimus Matashiwa, Liam dess.
• 1:11
  Speaker 3: I hope you've settled into your Tokyo digs and had
• 1:15
  Speaker 3: some raman and maybe a bit of saki later.
• 1:18
  Speaker 4: It's to help you drift off to sleep.
• 1:20
  Speaker 5: But look first, off on the tour on a five
• 1:24
  Speaker 5: match score for the All Blacks and you'd expect them
• 1:26
  Speaker 5: to do it reasonably comfortably.
• 1:28
  Speaker 4: But yeah, there's plenty of talking points in this team.
• 1:30
  Speaker 5: I think largely expected in that it was always going
• 1:34
  Speaker 5: to be a second string team, wasn't it, with an
• 1:37
  Speaker 5: advanced party going to London for next week's Test against
• 1:41
  Speaker 5: England at Twickenham, But perhaps more experience than what you
• 1:46
  Speaker 5: would have thought, with guys like Sam Kane going starting
• 1:52
  Speaker 5: and Patrick two blow to captain. So it's not a
• 1:57
  Speaker 5: baby Black's team, is it.
• 1:59
  Speaker 2: No, it certainly isn't a lot of experience in that team,
• 2:03
  Speaker 2: alongside some players that clearly haven't had opportunities this year
• 2:08
  Speaker 2: or for one reason or another injuries or falling out
• 2:13
  Speaker 2: of favors, and a Penny Feene now falls into that category.
• 2:17
  Speaker 2: Cam Roy Garden and sim Perfetta have obviously battled injuries
• 2:21
  Speaker 2: this year as well and have been shorter on opportunities
• 2:24
  Speaker 2: in the Black jersey, and some like Billy Proctor who
• 2:28
  Speaker 2: impressed in that game against England, against Fiji and San
• 2:31
  Speaker 2: Diego but hasn't had an opportunity since it's a chance
• 2:35
  Speaker 2: for I guess players to put their best foot forward,
• 2:37
  Speaker 2: knowing that you know, perhaps they sit on the outside
• 2:40
  Speaker 2: of the first team at the moment, but just to
• 2:42
  Speaker 2: keep themselves on the selectors minds and in front of
• 2:47
  Speaker 2: the and someone like a Penny Fee Now, I don't
• 2:49
  Speaker 2: think necessarily put too much of a foot wrong. Earlier
• 2:52
  Speaker 2: in the season, perhaps wasn't necessarily what they were after
• 2:55
  Speaker 2: and didn't have the impact that he wanted. But this
• 2:58
  Speaker 2: is a chance for him to just to remind the
• 3:00
  Speaker 2: All Black selectors and remind the fans that he is
• 3:03
  Speaker 2: still there and ensure what he can do.
• 3:06
  Speaker 5: Yeah, I think as he's against you as a big opportunity,
• 3:10
  Speaker 5: isn't it. Without wanting to be just suspectful to Japan,
• 3:15
  Speaker 5: They've obviously never been the All Blacks.
• 3:16
  Speaker 4: They did push them very close in Tokyo.
• 3:20
  Speaker 5: I think it was last time out when Brodie Retallick
• 3:23
  Speaker 5: memory serves me correct, got a late red card or
• 3:26
  Speaker 5: maybe a second yellow and the All Blacks rund a
• 3:29
  Speaker 5: massive pressure. And so maybe that's in the back of
• 3:32
  Speaker 5: their minds. But in terms of this team and who
• 3:37
  Speaker 5: has the most again, I'm looking with the Hurricanes lens
• 3:41
  Speaker 5: at which will shock you. Guys like Cam Royguard coming
• 3:46
  Speaker 5: back for his first starts, Peter Luckey and Ruben Love
• 3:49
  Speaker 5: set to make their debuts off the bench. You mentioned
• 3:51
  Speaker 5: Billy Procter there not cited in the Rugby Championship, and
• 3:54
  Speaker 5: that was a real missed opportunity, I think, And as
• 3:59
  Speaker 5: much as this week's team will intrigue and give guys opportunity,
• 4:05
  Speaker 5: I'm also reading into what it means for next week.
• 4:08
  Speaker 5: I think sever Reice and Mark Tala probably contesting one
• 4:12
  Speaker 5: wing spot with Caleb Clark rested.
• 4:16
  Speaker 4: You would.
• 4:17
  Speaker 5: I'm very happy to see Wallace to Tsi get his
• 4:19
  Speaker 5: first start at number eight. I'm not entirely sure about
• 4:22
  Speaker 5: whether that points to something that we'll see more of
• 4:27
  Speaker 5: in this tour. Perhaps the All Blacks are very short,
• 4:31
  Speaker 5: aren't they in the loose forward department with Dalton, Papa Lee,
• 4:35
  Speaker 5: Ethan Blackader and who's the other one's one of the
• 4:40
  Speaker 5: injuries Jacobson. Jacobson all at home, so they don't have
• 4:44
  Speaker 5: a lot of options at blindside. So it does a
• 4:46
  Speaker 5: big chance for a guy like some of a penny
• 4:48
  Speaker 5: female to impress. But I think it also points to
• 4:52
  Speaker 5: the fact that maybe Boden may be probably likely Boden
• 4:55
  Speaker 5: Barrett has usurped Damien McKenzie and he's likely to start
• 4:59
  Speaker 5: at number ten against England and am I reading too
• 5:02
  Speaker 5: much into this?
• 5:03
  Speaker 2: No? I think it's the way I'm reading it as well.
• 5:06
  Speaker 2: Around that selection that I think Boden Barrett will probably
• 5:11
  Speaker 2: be one of those players that heads up to England's
• 5:14
  Speaker 2: early and by virtue of that, I would suggest it
• 5:17
  Speaker 2: means he is going to get a start next weekend
• 5:21
  Speaker 2: at Twickenham. Now that could change, but on the basis
• 5:24
  Speaker 2: of that, I think they're not. They're pretty much showing
• 5:28
  Speaker 2: their cards a little bit. I think about likely for
• 5:30
  Speaker 2: Damien McKenzie to play both of these first two chests.
• 5:33
  Speaker 2: It wouldn't surprise me to see mckenzy maybe start against
• 5:36
  Speaker 2: France in a couple of weeks time. But I suspect
• 5:40
  Speaker 2: that Boden Barrett will now start against England and Ireland's
• 5:44
  Speaker 2: on the basis of that blur there's like Cup performance
• 5:46
  Speaker 2: in Wellington. You know, at least we're reading too much
• 5:49
  Speaker 2: into it. It feels like there has been a sort
• 5:52
  Speaker 2: of changing between those two in terms of the picking
• 5:55
  Speaker 2: order at number ten for the All Blacks.
• 5:58
  Speaker 5: Yeah, it does indeed, and I think There's a number
• 6:00
  Speaker 5: of elements for that. You've got Boden's steady hands and
• 6:06
  Speaker 5: I think the All Blacks attack looked its best in
• 6:10
  Speaker 5: that game in Wellington. Mackenzie was very good off the bench.
• 6:14
  Speaker 5: It allows Will Jordan to play fullback. He's not in
• 6:19
  Speaker 5: this team this week, so you'd expect him to slot
• 6:21
  Speaker 5: in at fallback as well.
• 6:24
  Speaker 4: I just it's a calming presence, isn't it.
• 6:27
  Speaker 5: Boden, he didn't he wasn't sensational, he wasn't sublime, but
• 6:31
  Speaker 5: the things he did he did largely with authority, with calmness.
• 6:36
  Speaker 5: And I think Scott Robinson is a massive fan of
• 6:40
  Speaker 5: the Barrats in general. Obviously made Scott captain a big
• 6:44
  Speaker 5: fan of Boden as well. And Jordie who isn't in
• 6:48
  Speaker 5: this team, but I'm not sure where exactly he's at
• 6:52
  Speaker 5: with his injury. He was targeting this Japan games, so
• 6:56
  Speaker 5: maybe he's not quite ready to go just yet. But
• 7:01
  Speaker 5: I think you're right that Boden has usurped Mackenzie in
• 7:04
  Speaker 5: the in the pecking order. Interesting to see Stephen Peter
• 7:07
  Speaker 5: Fetter it's another go at fullback. He hasn't played for
• 7:11
  Speaker 5: the All Blacks since that England series, so an opportunity
• 7:17
  Speaker 5: for him. But in general, you could go through this
• 7:19
  Speaker 5: team and say you could pretty much pick the England
• 7:22
  Speaker 5: starting team with you know we're shooting one week your
• 7:24
  Speaker 5: heads here, but you know Ethan de Groot not there
• 7:27
  Speaker 5: at Lucy, Cody, Taylor, Tyra Lomas, Scott.
• 7:31
  Speaker 4: Barrett to Provie.
• 7:33
  Speaker 5: So there are a few contestable areas, but by and large,
• 7:36
  Speaker 5: I think you're right that the All Blacks have revealed
• 7:39
  Speaker 5: their cards to a degree with those three big tests
• 7:42
  Speaker 5: to come and keeping their their starters are ice.
• 7:45
  Speaker 2: You didn't get a chance to ask about Jordi today
• 7:48
  Speaker 2: at the media conference here in Tokyo, but never to
• 7:51
  Speaker 2: find out some details, but suspected to be one of
• 7:53
  Speaker 2: those players getting north a wee bit earlier on than
• 7:57
  Speaker 2: some of those players that are just playing on the weekend.
• 8:02
  Speaker 2: I did just want to mention August as well. In
• 8:05
  Speaker 2: terms of this All Blacks pack, it is huge. It
• 8:09
  Speaker 2: is a huge pack. To Mighty Williams and Tossi either
• 8:13
  Speaker 2: side of the scrum, that's what one hundred and fifty
• 8:15
  Speaker 2: one hundred and forty ish each, so it's a lot
• 8:19
  Speaker 2: of weight there in the middle of the stuff that
• 8:20
  Speaker 2: on Miller's you know no, you know small player himself
• 8:25
  Speaker 2: a lot too female SITSI. It's a huge pack that
• 8:29
  Speaker 2: the All Blacks have named this week, I think got
• 8:32
  Speaker 2: to be the biggest in their history, and probably a
• 8:35
  Speaker 2: statement of intent around how they expect to play against
• 8:38
  Speaker 2: Japan this week and how they want to play against
• 8:40
  Speaker 2: Japan this week.
• 8:42
  Speaker 4: Yeah, that's interesting, isn't it?
• 8:44
  Speaker 5: And it is interesting because from what I can see
• 8:48
  Speaker 5: from afar anyway, it looks extremely hot and humid, So
• 8:51
  Speaker 5: naming a big pack that will test them aerobically, you know,
• 8:56
  Speaker 5: they haven't had a lot of time to acclimatize. I
• 9:00
  Speaker 5: mean the bench is pretty stacked as well. But a
• 9:03
  Speaker 5: massive pack and a big challenge for Japan, who are
• 9:06
  Speaker 5: traditionally undersized, are they and they play the game traditionally
• 9:11
  Speaker 5: again with at a real clip, so it'd be interesting
• 9:14
  Speaker 5: to see how they come out under Adie Jones.
• 9:16
  Speaker 4: What is your expectation for Japan?
• 9:18
  Speaker 5: I know in their last match of the Pacific Nations
• 9:22
  Speaker 5: Cup they were beaten soundly by Fiji. So what is
• 9:26
  Speaker 5: your expectation for how competitive Japan are? Do you give
• 9:30
  Speaker 5: them a realistic chance of pushing the All Blacks here.
• 9:34
  Speaker 2: To note it really is, you know Fiji what them
• 9:38
  Speaker 2: that game in the Pacific Nations Cup. I thought they
• 9:40
  Speaker 2: played Japan played ratherly well against some more of the
• 9:43
  Speaker 2: week prior, so that they weren't that great. I than't
• 9:47
  Speaker 2: think against the United States in the Pacific Nations Cup.
• 9:52
  Speaker 2: So I think they're relatively shaky and up and down
• 9:56
  Speaker 2: this Japan team under Eddie Jones, and I don't think
• 9:59
  Speaker 2: we've seen quite yet how they're going to build towards
• 10:04
  Speaker 2: twenty twenty seven. And it's certainly what E Jones is
• 10:06
  Speaker 2: talking about is the build towards twenty twenty seventh. They
• 10:09
  Speaker 2: lost to Georgia earlier in the year, lost comfortable bit
• 10:12
  Speaker 2: at Italy, bounced back to beat Canada, who are a
• 10:15
  Speaker 2: bit of a basket case internationally in the men's game
• 10:18
  Speaker 2: at the moment. So they're hot and cold at the
• 10:20
  Speaker 2: moment under Eddie Jones. We do know though that Eddie
• 10:24
  Speaker 2: Jones loves playing the All Blacks, and we'll find it
• 10:29
  Speaker 2: a style to try and contest them. But I just
• 10:31
  Speaker 2: don't see this Japanese team. He's tried a few players
• 10:34
  Speaker 2: gone young, with a lot of players being able to
• 10:36
  Speaker 2: push the All Blacks as much as they did in
• 10:39
  Speaker 2: twenty twenty two, which is a really close run thing
• 10:41
  Speaker 2: on that afternoon in Tokyo. I just don't see that
• 10:44
  Speaker 2: happening again.
• 10:46
  Speaker 4: No, I think you're right.
• 10:47
  Speaker 5: I think there's a case to be made that Japan
• 10:49
  Speaker 5: has gone backwards under Eddie Jones.
• 10:51
  Speaker 4: And you know he's talking about a new era.
• 10:54
  Speaker 5: He's very good at talking, but we need to see
• 10:57
  Speaker 5: some stuff, some substance with that. I think there'll be
• 11:00
  Speaker 5: seventy old thousand people there this weekend, so it'll be
• 11:03
  Speaker 5: a great atmosphere. The All Blacks are hugely popular in Japan,
• 11:07
  Speaker 5: aren't now your picture of the large media contingents, and
• 11:12
  Speaker 5: they certainly their popularity has grown with the players going
• 11:17
  Speaker 5: over the irregularly to play in the in the top league.
• 11:20
  Speaker 5: So it'll be a great occasion. But I don't think
• 11:24
  Speaker 5: Japan realistically should push this all black team. It's you
• 11:29
  Speaker 5: know they've got this all black team has a lot
• 11:31
  Speaker 5: of points in them if they can get it right.
• 11:32
  Speaker 5: And as you mentioned that big, they're strong, the fast,
• 11:36
  Speaker 5: The style of rugby that they're trying to play will
• 11:38
  Speaker 5: really test Japan. I just want to touch people. Throw
• 11:41
  Speaker 5: one question at you here in terms of the loose forwards.
• 11:43
  Speaker 5: How contestable is that? And we've seen and Wallace at
• 11:47
  Speaker 5: TC in particular as the wild card. Here is he
• 11:50
  Speaker 5: playing for the number eight position for the remainder of
• 11:54
  Speaker 5: the tour? Or will Alardi come back in because we
• 11:58
  Speaker 5: spoke before about the lack of fit loose forwards. But
• 12:01
  Speaker 5: Wallace could potentially stay at eight, You could put Arty
• 12:05
  Speaker 5: to seven and then you could potentially use a Shupoo
• 12:08
  Speaker 5: Vai or even a Scott Barrett at six against England,
• 12:13
  Speaker 5: or you could just keep Sam Kine going at ten.
• 12:15
  Speaker 5: So how do you see the composition of that loose
• 12:17
  Speaker 5: forward trio?
• 12:18
  Speaker 4: Is our players playing for places this weekend?
• 12:22
  Speaker 2: I think so? I think, and that that has come
• 12:25
  Speaker 2: about because of some of those injuries as well. You know,
• 12:28
  Speaker 2: Ethan Blackheader would be right in the mix of being
• 12:32
  Speaker 2: a starter or a bench player if not for the
• 12:36
  Speaker 2: horrid run of injuries that he continues to have. It
• 12:40
  Speaker 2: seems that, you know, unfortunately for Ethan a week doesn't
• 12:44
  Speaker 2: send to go by with him having another injury. It's
• 12:46
  Speaker 2: sort of two steps four, one step back every time
• 12:48
  Speaker 2: he gets back on the park, because inevitably he's injured
• 12:51
  Speaker 2: it's must incredibly frustrating for a player of his talents,
• 12:55
  Speaker 2: the adult and Papa let he hadn't seen much of
• 12:57
  Speaker 2: him in the back ends of the international season to
• 13:01
  Speaker 2: this point, but he would have got an opportunity, I'm sure,
• 13:04
  Speaker 2: here in Tokyo, on a chance to stake his claim.
• 13:06
  Speaker 2: Luke jacobsonly so with those three players ripped out of
• 13:11
  Speaker 2: contention for at least this week and hearing varying things
• 13:15
  Speaker 2: as to their availability for the rest of the tour,
• 13:18
  Speaker 2: from the fact none of them might make the rest
• 13:20
  Speaker 2: of the tour, or that one of the two of
• 13:22
  Speaker 2: them might be in a position to link up with
• 13:24
  Speaker 2: the All Blacks Men in their heads to London next week,
• 13:27
  Speaker 2: I think that has created a little bit of a
• 13:30
  Speaker 2: sense of the unknown, in a sense that positions are
• 13:33
  Speaker 2: up for grabs and it could be a bit of
• 13:34
  Speaker 2: a shake up, maybe earlier than expected. I want a
• 13:37
  Speaker 2: few points to someone like Sam Caine playing this week
• 13:41
  Speaker 2: getting knowledge that yes, they are low on open side
• 13:45
  Speaker 2: options in the squad as it stands in London and
• 13:48
  Speaker 2: it's right here in Tokyo. But if potentially I could
• 13:53
  Speaker 2: see as you see the RDSRV at seven next week,
• 13:56
  Speaker 2: what was the TV of Eights Fee now on the
• 13:58
  Speaker 2: blind or maybe a two po y or Scott Barrett
• 14:02
  Speaker 2: next week with the aerial skills in the lineup, giving
• 14:06
  Speaker 2: the All Blacks an extra lineup option could be a
• 14:08
  Speaker 2: So I think with those injuries there, that's created a
• 14:12
  Speaker 2: little bit of a sense of well, now there's spots
• 14:14
  Speaker 2: up for grabs that maybe worn't and the one player
• 14:17
  Speaker 2: wouldn't rule out of this necessarily either. And I know
• 14:20
  Speaker 2: he's only coming off the bench this week for a debut,
• 14:22
  Speaker 2: is Peter Luckeye because he for me, seems like a
• 14:25
  Speaker 2: players that could rise up the ranks and that's All
• 14:28
  Speaker 2: Black's environment fairly quickly once he gets an opportunity.
• 14:32
  Speaker 5: Yeah, I totally agree. I think I would have had
• 14:34
  Speaker 5: Peter Luckeye on the squad from the get go. He's
• 14:37
  Speaker 5: only there because of those injuries, and I agree. I
• 14:41
  Speaker 5: think he's a young guy with a very mature head
• 14:46
  Speaker 5: on his shoulders.
• 14:46
  Speaker 4: Like Wallace at TT.
• 14:48
  Speaker 5: I think he could come come in and really stamp
• 14:50
  Speaker 5: his authority very quickly. He plays like he's been around
• 14:57
  Speaker 5: for a long time. He's one of the most dynamic
• 15:00
  Speaker 5: ball carriers already in New Zealand.
• 15:02
  Speaker 4: Rugby.
• 15:02
  Speaker 5: He's capable at seven and eight, so he gives you
• 15:05
  Speaker 5: versatility off the bench and I think, yeah, he could
• 15:09
  Speaker 5: really rise up the ranks quickly. Just in terms of
• 15:11
  Speaker 5: those injuries. Luke Jacobson was a broken thumb, I wouldn't
• 15:15
  Speaker 5: expect to see him on this tour, and Dalton Papole
• 15:19
  Speaker 5: and Ethan Blackheader. I really don't see those guys traveling
• 15:23
  Speaker 5: from New Zealand to London in the next week and
• 15:28
  Speaker 5: being thrust into a Test. So maybe they come into
• 15:31
  Speaker 5: contention later in the tour, but I think it is
• 15:34
  Speaker 5: very much a case of those players that are featuring
• 15:39
  Speaker 5: or are in the All Black squad right now will
• 15:41
  Speaker 5: be available for England. The only other guy I think
• 15:46
  Speaker 5: or discussion point here is cam royguards can he play
• 15:50
  Speaker 5: his way into the starting number nine Jersey. This will
• 15:53
  Speaker 5: be his first test since.
• 15:55
  Speaker 4: The World Cup.
• 15:57
  Speaker 5: He's had very little rugby, I think about one hundred
• 15:59
  Speaker 5: minutes for County's. Monaco Cortiz Ratima has stolen the march
• 16:05
  Speaker 5: in his absence. He's been very good and his starting
• 16:09
  Speaker 5: appearances for the All Blacks. How contestable? Do you see
• 16:13
  Speaker 5: that number nine Jersey, particularly just in the short term.
• 16:18
  Speaker 2: I think very contestable and I think we might see
• 16:21
  Speaker 2: a few different combinations over the course of this tour. Obviously,
• 16:25
  Speaker 2: this week your Blacks have just gone with Cambroygg because
• 16:28
  Speaker 2: he needs the game time. It was well flagged by
• 16:30
  Speaker 2: Scots and last week ow TJ pen and AA some
• 16:33
  Speaker 2: Eventually now I think Corti is an ultimate will start
• 16:36
  Speaker 2: next week at Twickenham, and I think the bench spot
• 16:39
  Speaker 2: is now open as well, whether it's Cambroyguard or TJ. Pedanara.
• 16:43
  Speaker 2: And for me, assuming Cambroygard comes through this game against Japan,
• 16:47
  Speaker 2: he's the kind of player that I would look to
• 16:49
  Speaker 2: to be starting one of those big two tests Ireland
• 16:52
  Speaker 2: in France. I don't think he'll start against England next week,
• 16:54
  Speaker 2: just with the travel factor everything else involved in that,
• 16:58
  Speaker 2: but I think, you know, Irelands could be a potential
• 17:01
  Speaker 2: for him there. I think his ability around the ruck
• 17:04
  Speaker 2: is left boot could be a real weapon against the
• 17:07
  Speaker 2: Irish and that one on one match up against DuPont
• 17:10
  Speaker 2: against France, I think he could really impress in that
• 17:14
  Speaker 2: game there as well. So for me, I think ken
• 17:18
  Speaker 2: Royguard's ascension will continue over the course of this tour.
• 17:22
  Speaker 2: I don't think you're playing against England next week, but
• 17:24
  Speaker 2: it would not surprise me to see him play at
• 17:26
  Speaker 2: least one of the two big tests after that against
• 17:30
  Speaker 2: it either Island or France. I think he's that good
• 17:32
  Speaker 2: and will continue to back up the all blacks ranks
• 17:35
  Speaker 2: as he was doing last year and as he was
• 17:37
  Speaker 2: doing in Super Rugby this year before he got that injury.
• 17:41
  Speaker 5: Yeah, I agree, I think of courses it after my
• 17:44
  Speaker 5: starts against England, but I would have can Roy guard
• 17:48
  Speaker 5: on the bench. I think a lethal prospect to bring
• 17:50
  Speaker 5: on the last half an hour twenty minutes with his
• 17:53
  Speaker 5: running game, and by the end of the tour I
• 17:55
  Speaker 5: can very much see him moving into that starting position.
• 18:00
  Speaker 5: So there is a lot to play for across the border,
• 18:03
  Speaker 5: isn't it. We've covered a lot there. This is an
• 18:06
  Speaker 5: experimental team. There's a lot of players that need game time,
• 18:09
  Speaker 5: that need opportunities. But as much as it points to
• 18:15
  Speaker 5: this weekend, it also very much points to the starting
• 18:18
  Speaker 5: team that we will see at Twickenham the following week.
• 18:22
  Speaker 2: Indeed, just on that loose spoord tree, I think they're
• 18:26
  Speaker 2: all keeping the sex worm for Oli Mephis He's going
• 18:32
  Speaker 2: to be something special. Oli mephis. I know he started
• 18:34
  Speaker 2: on the wing on the weekend, but the fact that
• 18:36
  Speaker 2: he can play flankers or depitly and win. He was
• 18:39
  Speaker 2: very good in a losing performance for wake Cards. That kid.
• 18:43
  Speaker 2: He's got a big future ahead of the first year
• 18:45
  Speaker 2: out of high school. A big fan of what he
• 18:47
  Speaker 2: might be able to do in the coming years at
• 18:49
  Speaker 2: Super and All Black sul Well.
• 18:51
  Speaker 5: Let's say he's nineteen years old, isn't he And how
• 18:54
  Speaker 5: many Well, there's probably a few to be fair, but
• 18:57
  Speaker 5: flankers you can put on the wing that can pull
• 19:00
  Speaker 5: out a chip and chase and score a trial like
• 19:02
  Speaker 5: that in a semi final context. I think from memory
• 19:06
  Speaker 5: he scored was it under twenties? He scored four tries
• 19:11
  Speaker 5: playing open side against Australia, so he's been on the radar.
• 19:16
  Speaker 4: It's interesting to see where his future does end up.
• 19:19
  Speaker 5: Because he was defending on the line against Wellington and
• 19:23
  Speaker 5: just got driven backwards. It was one of the Wellington
• 19:27
  Speaker 5: forwards that that bowled over. So if he is going
• 19:30
  Speaker 5: to be a loose forward, if he is going to
• 19:31
  Speaker 5: play open side, he needs to put on a bit
• 19:33
  Speaker 5: of size. But he's only nineteen and what a skill
• 19:36
  Speaker 5: set he's got pace, you know, skills off the boots,
• 19:41
  Speaker 5: anticipation vision, so it's really interesting to see where he
• 19:46
  Speaker 5: does end up.
• 19:47
  Speaker 4: But what a future that kid has.
• 19:50
  Speaker 2: Indeed he does. Won't be playing the NBC final this
• 19:53
  Speaker 2: weekend though, that is your Wellington against.
• 19:58
  Speaker 5: Our Wellington is very special actually that you could see
• 20:02
  Speaker 5: a title defense in your first year supporting Wellington, so
• 20:05
  Speaker 5: very special times for us on Rugby Direct for.
• 20:08
  Speaker 2: That against Plenty, who really ratcheted up the pressure on
• 20:13
  Speaker 2: the Canterbury side after halftime in that semi final on
• 20:17
  Speaker 2: the weekends. And deserving finalists, I think both of them.
• 20:20
  Speaker 2: Tacky had the elements of this season but fell away
• 20:23
  Speaker 2: after wutting the shield. Tasman similarly after giving up the shield.
• 20:28
  Speaker 2: You know. I think Wellington and Bay of Plenty deserving
• 20:31
  Speaker 2: of their spots in this Saturday afternoon society.
• 20:35
  Speaker 4: Very much so. And it will be a magnificent final.
• 20:38
  Speaker 5: I think it's Bay Plenty's first big dance and Mark
• 20:42
  Speaker 5: Kelly's making the pilgrimage the Bay mascots all the way
• 20:47
  Speaker 5: from from Auckland to Wellington via bus or overnight bus
• 20:52
  Speaker 5: or train or some some crazy methods, so it'll be
• 20:56
  Speaker 5: a very special occasion for him and Wellington.
• 20:59
  Speaker 4: Yeah, they've had to scrap and fight.
• 21:03
  Speaker 5: That was an incredibly tight, physical, tense semi final against Wakato.
• 21:09
  Speaker 4: Some real stand up performances.
• 21:10
  Speaker 5: Do see Carefi was huge in the last quarter, big turnovers,
• 21:14
  Speaker 5: big hits, really stood up as skipper for Wellington. So
• 21:20
  Speaker 5: hoping for a big turnout in the Capitol and the
• 21:23
  Speaker 5: Lions can roar and go back.
• 21:25
  Speaker 4: To back.
• 21:27
  Speaker 2: Inzeed. So you're packing the lines, I will not.
• 21:30
  Speaker 4: With a huge degree of confidence. I think they have
• 21:33
  Speaker 4: been building nicely.
• 21:34
  Speaker 5: I think they'll turn down penalty shots and really look
• 21:38
  Speaker 5: to put the lines under some heat. But yeah, the
• 21:41
  Speaker 5: head and the heart say Wellington get it done this weekend.
• 21:44
  Speaker 4: Who you got?
• 21:45
  Speaker 2: I wouldn't get paid plenty to be contrary, and I
• 21:48
  Speaker 2: was a very impressed. But the way they turned the
• 21:51
  Speaker 2: heat up on canbree in the second half of that game.
• 21:53
  Speaker 2: It was tip for tat in the first spell and
• 21:55
  Speaker 2: then they have plenty came out and absolutely just destroyed
• 22:00
  Speaker 2: the Red and Blacks in the second spell. I thought
• 22:02
  Speaker 2: they were superbly leads around the park. The loose falls
• 22:07
  Speaker 2: were I thought, shout out to Willis for the hollow
• 22:11
  Speaker 2: and a morning at hour and just on the morning
• 22:14
  Speaker 2: that our obviously missing out on the All Blacks, but
• 22:17
  Speaker 2: he's played a lot of NPC this season at center.
• 22:20
  Speaker 2: Just adding another string to his blog plates Bowie, you
• 22:22
  Speaker 2: can play center, right wing, fullback now and that's a
• 22:28
  Speaker 2: skill set that you know, if you need someone to
• 22:31
  Speaker 2: come off the bench and a tear smatch, very very
• 22:33
  Speaker 2: versatile sort of player. And I think that you know,
• 22:37
  Speaker 2: it's a you know, where he goes over the next
• 22:40
  Speaker 2: couple of years is going to be interesting in terms
• 22:41
  Speaker 2: of his you know, bid for higher honors well.
• 22:46
  Speaker 5: And also it speaks to the value of game time
• 22:48
  Speaker 5: because I'm only our heads all of maybe ten minutes.
• 22:53
  Speaker 4: In July.
• 22:54
  Speaker 5: He had a very disruptive so Brugby campaign with the Chiefs.
• 22:58
  Speaker 5: But he's gone back to Bay Plenty and really hit
• 23:00
  Speaker 5: form and like say, it's been at center. But everything
• 23:04
  Speaker 5: you've seen from him he could replicate on the wing,
• 23:06
  Speaker 5: very skillful across the board, comfortable in the wings, center,
• 23:10
  Speaker 5: fallback and making a real difference for the Plenty And
• 23:16
  Speaker 5: so yeah, I would like to see him in that
• 23:19
  Speaker 5: All Black environment again and given a better crack, But
• 23:24
  Speaker 5: I guess it just shows shows the depth there and
• 23:26
  Speaker 5: Willis Hola Hollow, former Welsh International Super Rugby champion with
• 23:30
  Speaker 5: the Hurricanes and currently without a Super Rugby gig, so
• 23:34
  Speaker 5: surely someone snaps him up as well.
• 23:37
  Speaker 2: Absolutely. Before we wrap up the first half of the podcast,
• 23:40
  Speaker 2: the pools out for next year's Women's Rugby World Cup
• 23:43
  Speaker 2: in England and by Joe, New Zealand's managed to find
• 23:47
  Speaker 2: Ireland the side that took them up and the Wigs
• 23:51
  Speaker 2: ving not so long ago in their pool along with Japan,
• 23:54
  Speaker 2: Japan and Spain. Excuse me, So that's a tricky task
• 23:58
  Speaker 2: for the Black fans as they try and emerge out
• 24:02
  Speaker 2: of there, especially as top seed. You know, the draw
• 24:05
  Speaker 2: gods haven't been too favorable to the Black funds.
• 24:08
  Speaker 5: No Ireland is something of the new giant killers of
• 24:12
  Speaker 5: the women's game out't they tipped up the Black fans
• 24:14
  Speaker 5: for the first time. And the w x V tournaments
• 24:18
  Speaker 5: and as you say, I think it's the top two
• 24:20
  Speaker 5: teams go through from the pool, but you don't want
• 24:23
  Speaker 5: to be finishing second and confronting England and the and
• 24:27
  Speaker 5: the knockouts straight off the bats. So very tricky pool
• 24:30
  Speaker 5: and as we touched on I think last week there's
• 24:33
  Speaker 5: a lot of work in front of the black ferns
• 24:36
  Speaker 5: over the next ten months to get ready for that
• 24:38
  Speaker 5: World Cup.
• 24:39
  Speaker 4: Defense certainly is right.
• 24:41
  Speaker 2: We'll take a break here and Ruki's are rigged with
• 24:43
  Speaker 2: our friends at Fourkliff Solutions. Back with the second half
• 24:46
  Speaker 2: of the podcast after this.
• 24:48
  Speaker 1: This is Rugby Direct, a podcast for real rugby fans.
• 24:56
  Speaker 2: Every try drive had sixty second, every tackle tack, tackles,
• 25:00
  Speaker 2: get up again, every well take you before times. It's
• 25:05
  Speaker 2: Rugby Direct. Ladies tal back with Rugby Direct time out
• 25:10
  Speaker 2: for the final four to four Rugby topics that Lee
• 25:13
  Speaker 2: and I chew over from the last seven days in
• 25:16
  Speaker 2: the world of Rugby. Topic number one. This is a
• 25:18
  Speaker 2: surprise logging on this want of checking the emails and
• 25:22
  Speaker 2: saying this Craig Fenton out as the boss of New
• 25:26
  Speaker 2: Zealand Rugby Commercials. Liam. Your reaction, I know you've been
• 25:32
  Speaker 2: on the story today. What's behind and what does it mean?
• 25:38
  Speaker 5: Was a surprise and also big news. I guess the
• 25:41
  Speaker 5: context for our listeners here. New Zealand Rugby Commercial Co.
• 25:45
  Speaker 5: Is a separate entity that was set up following the
• 25:49
  Speaker 5: private equity deal with US fund manager Silver Lake, basically
• 25:53
  Speaker 5: to manage all of New Zealand rugby's income and revenue
• 25:58
  Speaker 5: and to drive funding for the game. So an incredibly
• 26:05
  Speaker 5: important role, one of the most important in New Zealand rugby.
• 26:08
  Speaker 5: Crag Fenton was hired late last year. He's only been
• 26:12
  Speaker 5: in the gig nine months. He came with much fanfare,
• 26:15
  Speaker 5: had twenty five years experience overseas.
• 26:18
  Speaker 4: Worked for Google and had done the media rounds.
• 26:22
  Speaker 5: Recently, from what I gather, Elliott, it's really deteriorated over
• 26:27
  Speaker 5: the past. The riding's been on the wall for the
• 26:29
  Speaker 5: last month. Craig Fenton had a number of falling out
• 26:34
  Speaker 5: with senior New Zealand Rugby executives and now he's gone.
• 26:41
  Speaker 5: I think they apparently. I had heard that they called
• 26:44
  Speaker 5: in consultants to try and work through things and couldn't
• 26:48
  Speaker 5: couldn't do that. So a very big replacement, very big void,
• 26:53
  Speaker 5: and a very important appointment to make because this comes
• 26:58
  Speaker 5: at a time when New z ond Ruby needs to
• 27:00
  Speaker 5: renegotiate their broadcast deal with Sky and Craig Fencin would
• 27:04
  Speaker 5: have been a big part of that. And as you
• 27:06
  Speaker 5: know that that broadcast steel likely to suffer a reduction
• 27:11
  Speaker 5: on the one hundred million that's a bumper deal that
• 27:14
  Speaker 5: they had with Sky Television previously. So yeah, very precarious
• 27:19
  Speaker 5: sort of position that news on a rega now finds
• 27:21
  Speaker 5: himself in.
• 27:23
  Speaker 2: Indeed, and I think it's fair to say that INNS
• 27:25
  Speaker 2: r C hasn't quite you know, had its straps in
• 27:31
  Speaker 2: terms of what they wanted from it in New Zealand.
• 27:33
  Speaker 2: Ended r plus has been on the in the market
• 27:37
  Speaker 2: for about a year now. They've had some content and
• 27:40
  Speaker 2: they pulled away from that a little bit, went to
• 27:42
  Speaker 2: YouTube to distribute some of that, which is a model
• 27:45
  Speaker 2: in itself and you can get advertising revenue there of
• 27:49
  Speaker 2: course as well, but that marked a little bit of
• 27:52
  Speaker 2: a change from the initial viewing. It just feels like,
• 27:55
  Speaker 2: you know, they haven't quite figured out where they want
• 27:58
  Speaker 2: to go with trying to monetize and build on the
• 28:04
  Speaker 2: Silver Lake investments. I know that it's released, were trumpeting
• 28:08
  Speaker 2: about ends in r plus and the number of views
• 28:11
  Speaker 2: it had, but I just it hasn't really cemented itself,
• 28:14
  Speaker 2: I don't think in the market. And so there's some
• 28:17
  Speaker 2: big questions for whoever replaces Craig fen Tin where they
• 28:21
  Speaker 2: come on early part of next.
• 28:22
  Speaker 4: Year sure as yeah, and.
• 28:26
  Speaker 5: A big job isn't it, because that broadcast there will
• 28:30
  Speaker 5: basically make or break the game here. You know, you've
• 28:33
  Speaker 5: got so many mouths to feed, from the NPC provinces
• 28:37
  Speaker 5: to Super Rugby to the players. And there's a new
• 28:40
  Speaker 5: collective employment agreement with the players, there's a new funding
• 28:44
  Speaker 5: arrangement with the provinces to agree all coming to a
• 28:49
  Speaker 5: head in the next sort of year or so. So
• 28:53
  Speaker 5: if that pop does reduce, you're going to have a
• 28:56
  Speaker 5: lot of frustrated and people crying out for funds.
• 29:03
  Speaker 2: Indeed's topic two in the final four listenings are breaking
• 29:06
  Speaker 2: a few hours ago that SEVENS has been x from
• 29:10
  Speaker 2: the renewed peer back what if you want to call
• 29:14
  Speaker 2: it Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in twenty twenty six. This
• 29:19
  Speaker 2: is a real blow for rugby. SEVENS for mine, it
• 29:24
  Speaker 2: kind of was a bridge between the Olympics and World
• 29:29
  Speaker 2: Cup level. But you know, not much they can really
• 29:34
  Speaker 2: do about it from what I understand. No, and.
• 29:38
  Speaker 4: It's an interesting scenario, isn't it.
• 29:40
  Speaker 5: Altt Because if you broadened this conversation out, SEVENS is
• 29:43
  Speaker 5: a bit of a crossroads. It's struggling on the World
• 29:48
  Speaker 5: Series since World Rugby took it over losing a lot
• 29:52
  Speaker 5: of money. The World Cup of Sevens is a bit
• 29:55
  Speaker 5: of a non event. The pinnacle event now, of course,
• 29:58
  Speaker 5: is the Olympics that used to be the Commonwealth Games.
• 30:02
  Speaker 5: If you think historically, you go back to the early
• 30:04
  Speaker 5: nineties and some of the men's seems that news and sense,
• 30:09
  Speaker 5: you know that the biggest names in the sport, even
• 30:12
  Speaker 5: in more recent times guys like Ben Smith and Manu
• 30:15
  Speaker 5: and Liam Messim and Sonny Ball Williams going to the
• 30:21
  Speaker 5: sevens to try and you know, chase metals and the
• 30:25
  Speaker 5: women's of course have been the standard bearers across the board.
• 30:30
  Speaker 5: So from an athlete perspective, it is a major blow.
• 30:33
  Speaker 5: Just I'll run through the sports there are in the
• 30:35
  Speaker 5: Commonwealth Games this year and it's a very small, pearedback
• 30:38
  Speaker 5: event after Glasgow picked it up following Melbourne saying we
• 30:43
  Speaker 5: can't afford it, we don't want it. So there's athletics, swimming,
• 30:46
  Speaker 5: artistic gymnastics, track, cycling, netball, weightlifting, boxing, judo, bowls and
• 30:54
  Speaker 5: three on three basketball, so very small, but sevens does
• 30:58
  Speaker 5: not make the cut.
• 31:02
  Speaker 2: With all your respected judo, I'm not sure how that
• 31:07
  Speaker 2: is in the month game sports, three on three basketball,
• 31:12
  Speaker 2: don't know that's a common Wealth sport. I mean, clearly
• 31:14
  Speaker 2: they're doing it to pay back to the numbers I
• 31:16
  Speaker 2: would guess in the athletes Diligi or whatever it is
• 31:19
  Speaker 2: numbers on site, because some of those simply aren't common
• 31:22
  Speaker 2: Wealth sports and it's probably time to wind up the
• 31:27
  Speaker 2: common Wealth Games. Great that guys goes come in to
• 31:30
  Speaker 2: stave it, but if you're going to take out sevens
• 31:33
  Speaker 2: and also hockey, you know, which is an traditional Commonwealth
• 31:37
  Speaker 2: game sport, you know, nipples managed to survive the Cup
• 31:41
  Speaker 2: squash isn't there. So I just it seems more about
• 31:45
  Speaker 2: trying to make it cost effective than actually a good
• 31:47
  Speaker 2: sporting product. I agree sevens at a crossroads, and I
• 31:50
  Speaker 2: think one of the big issues is that its glow strotting,
• 31:54
  Speaker 2: and that's one of its you know, great strengths to
• 31:57
  Speaker 2: an extent, but it also means that you know players
• 32:01
  Speaker 2: just you know, you're not in the right time zone
• 32:04
  Speaker 2: for New Zealand. You know, the likes of Mikaela Blythe
• 32:06
  Speaker 2: and all those players from the New Zealand seven Sin
• 32:10
  Speaker 2: Sierrah Henny and Georgia Miller and whoever else, Rissi Poli,
• 32:15
  Speaker 2: all those players are virgin on household names, but they're
• 32:18
  Speaker 2: being seen because they play in largely European or American
• 32:23
  Speaker 2: time zones that are unfriendly to New Zealand. There's no
• 32:25
  Speaker 2: tournament in New Zealand anymore. This goes to the men
• 32:28
  Speaker 2: as well, So I just think that, you know, perhaps
• 32:33
  Speaker 2: it needs to be centralized and cut back a little
• 32:35
  Speaker 2: bit more or made to being more friendly time zones
• 32:38
  Speaker 2: as soon as that World seven circuit, because otherwise it's
• 32:41
  Speaker 2: just it's going to really struggle to continue, I think.
• 32:45
  Speaker 2: But yeah, it's an interesting topic. Topic number three as
• 32:49
  Speaker 2: wouldn't Boss signs with the Blues? Good pick up for
• 32:52
  Speaker 2: the Blues for super Rugi or Picky is it?
• 32:55
  Speaker 5: What one of the greatest women's rugby players in history.
• 32:59
  Speaker 5: She's thirty three and her father played till fifty five
• 33:02
  Speaker 5: and she reckons she'll give that a crack as well,
• 33:05
  Speaker 5: but yeah, good, great pickup. She's going to Japan for
• 33:08
  Speaker 5: three months and then coming back, so a real boost
• 33:12
  Speaker 5: for Super Ruby Alpaki for some foremost to have Porscha
• 33:16
  Speaker 5: coming back, and the motivation for that was to play
• 33:19
  Speaker 5: with her niece at the Blue.
• 33:21
  Speaker 4: She lives in Bay Plenty.
• 33:22
  Speaker 5: She's played previously for Chief's Manoi, so switching allegiance. But
• 33:27
  Speaker 5: she is a northern Northern woman, proud and very excited
• 33:32
  Speaker 5: about this sort of homecoming. Interesting to see where she plays,
• 33:37
  Speaker 5: you know, joked about a potential positional switch to open
• 33:41
  Speaker 5: side flanker. But with her niece being a winger and
• 33:46
  Speaker 5: via Coolo being there as well, superstar of the of
• 33:49
  Speaker 5: the Black Ferns, you know, who knows where we might
• 33:52
  Speaker 5: see Porscha pop up next season.
• 33:55
  Speaker 2: Yeah, very exciting. Yeah, maybe she could go again to
• 33:59
  Speaker 2: the World Cup with the fifteens in a different spot.
• 34:03
  Speaker 2: That could be a possibility. And topic number four, how
• 34:07
  Speaker 2: many of these five tests are the end of the
• 34:08
  Speaker 2: year tour will be all Blacks win liam out of five?
• 34:14
  Speaker 2: How many are they?
• 34:16
  Speaker 5: Well, they will beat Japan, they will beat England, they
• 34:21
  Speaker 5: will lose to Ireland, they will beat Italy.
• 34:26
  Speaker 4: And they will beat France.
• 34:30
  Speaker 2: There you go, so you reckon they win four or five.
• 34:34
  Speaker 5: That's very that's very optimistic now think about it. But yeah,
• 34:39
  Speaker 5: I'm going to back them to do that very tough tour.
• 34:42
  Speaker 5: I can see them potentially losing to France as well,
• 34:45
  Speaker 5: but I think they get over England at twicken them,
• 34:48
  Speaker 5: but I can't see them get past Island.
• 34:51
  Speaker 2: I think they might lose to France, but get past Ireland,
• 34:54
  Speaker 2: I don't know. Something just tells me that they might
• 34:57
  Speaker 2: be up for that game again against the Irish. I mean,
• 35:00
  Speaker 2: it's such a tough schedules in the England, Island, France
• 35:03
  Speaker 2: back to back to back in three weeks. It really
• 35:06
  Speaker 2: is difficult. I am going to go that they win
• 35:09
  Speaker 2: four or five as well, but I'm just going to
• 35:11
  Speaker 2: say that they lose to France after beating England and Ireland.
• 35:16
  Speaker 2: So if they went for a five, that's a pretty
• 35:17
  Speaker 2: good return.
• 35:19
  Speaker 4: That's a great return.
• 35:21
  Speaker 5: I think given that schedule, those three big tests in
• 35:25
  Speaker 5: fifteen days, Island did them no favors. By She's dealing
• 35:28
  Speaker 5: that on a Friday night in Dublin, six days after England.
• 35:32
  Speaker 5: So that's a brutal turnaround and there will be injuries,
• 35:37
  Speaker 5: they'll have to change their squads. So we're really going
• 35:40
  Speaker 5: to find out where this all black team is that they.
• 35:43
  Speaker 2: Sent me are well, we'll find out where they're at
• 35:45
  Speaker 2: after a big testing Instjapan in Yokohama on Saturday afternoon
• 35:50
  Speaker 2: local time ten to seven is ze on time log
• 35:53
  Speaker 2: on and you still send big old Sporttheart Radio all
• 35:55
  Speaker 2: the build up and reaction on insi hero dot co
• 35:57
  Speaker 2: lot Insied as well with Ligam. We will touch base
• 36:00
  Speaker 2: again from London next week and yourself for a good week,
• 36:03
  Speaker 2: lad and I'll try to keep off the family checking
• 36:07
  Speaker 2: on over here.
• 36:09
  Speaker 5: As get stuck into the check in the Rahman the
• 36:12
  Speaker 5: sushi and you enjoy the call, have have a great gift.
• 36:17
  Speaker 2: We'll see as soon that has been rightby direct with
• 36:19
  Speaker 2: four Cliff Solutions, lifting you and your business so higher
• 36:22
  Speaker 2: living
• 36:27
  Speaker 1: For more from News Talks ed B listen live on
• 36:29
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• 36:32
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