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Transcript

Rugby Direct: Episode 210 · Rugby Direct

• 0:09
  Speaker 1: You're listening to a podcast from News Talks ed B.
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  Speaker 1: Straight down the Middle.
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  Speaker 1: Get inside the game from every end goal. It's Rugby
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: Direct with Elliot Smith and Leam Nabier powered by News
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  Speaker 1: Talks EDB.
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  Speaker 2: Welcome into Rugby Direct powered by Habit Health Physio book
• 0:40
  Speaker 2: today and stay in the game. You thought we were gone,
• 0:44
  Speaker 2: we are not. We're back. Just the one rugby director
• 0:47
  Speaker 2: this week Elliott Smith with me Leam Napier, New Zealand
• 0:51
  Speaker 2: Rugby and New Zealand Here were Rugby writer and correspondent
• 0:55
  Speaker 2: joins me on the pod. Nape's good to catch up again,
• 0:58
  Speaker 2: even if it's just the once this.
• 0:59
  Speaker 3: Week it is of miss Elliots. But no, you need
• 1:04
  Speaker 3: a bit of time to recoup. So here we are,
• 1:07
  Speaker 3: but later in the week to reconvene and cast the
• 1:11
  Speaker 3: heads to see what's coming this weekend.
• 1:13
  Speaker 2: Indeed, indeed, yes, I was away at a wedding of
• 1:16
  Speaker 2: a good friends over the weekend and didn't see a
• 1:19
  Speaker 2: great deal of Rugby live. To be honest, I've caught
• 1:21
  Speaker 2: up with it a little bit from it. But broad
• 1:24
  Speaker 2: strokes why is what stood out from you from the weekend.
• 1:28
  Speaker 2: Caine's a pretty scratchy win over the Western Force. Couldn't
• 1:33
  Speaker 2: really get going in that game. The Crusaders beat the
• 1:36
  Speaker 2: Highlanders and a pretty ill disciplined performance, but they came
• 1:40
  Speaker 2: from behind to do so. Blue is pretty good against
• 1:43
  Speaker 2: Mwana Pacific. Anything really stand out from last weekend's Round
• 1:47
  Speaker 2: five of Super Rugby for you, Limb.
• 1:50
  Speaker 3: I think it's a bit of a continuation large of
• 1:52
  Speaker 3: what we see have seen thus far Aliots, and that
• 1:55
  Speaker 3: the competition does really feel wide open. I don't know
• 1:59
  Speaker 3: whether you could right now pinpoint a favorite. I don't
• 2:02
  Speaker 3: think I could. I think there's a number of teams
• 2:05
  Speaker 3: that have proven they can beat each other on any
• 2:07
  Speaker 3: given day. I think the New Zealand superiority is potentially
• 2:11
  Speaker 3: coming to the four that we've seen in other years.
• 2:14
  Speaker 3: It's a big weekend for the Australian teams. I think
• 2:18
  Speaker 3: this weekend coming to lay down a bit of a marker.
• 2:21
  Speaker 3: We're starting to see a bit of rotation coming and
• 2:24
  Speaker 3: some of that bite team so. I think the Hurricanes
• 2:27
  Speaker 3: were very scratchy because of some of that rotation. The
• 2:30
  Speaker 3: Brumbies were caught out in Fiji and the Reds are
• 2:33
  Speaker 3: rotating again this week, so I worry about them in Fiji,
• 2:35
  Speaker 3: and we've seen the Hurricanes lose over there, so it's
• 2:38
  Speaker 3: interesting that teams are choosing that game to rest some
• 2:41
  Speaker 3: of their front line players. But look on the whole,
• 2:45
  Speaker 3: the competition certainly feels open. I feel like the Crusaders
• 2:49
  Speaker 3: had probably underwhelmed to this point other than that performance
• 2:52
  Speaker 3: against the Chiefs. Yellow card Is Shoes got a bit
• 2:56
  Speaker 3: of a rookie at ten this week. What do you
• 2:58
  Speaker 3: know about him?
• 2:59
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I know that he played I think once for
• 3:01
  Speaker 2: the Auckland to Atara baseball game boat baseball team before
• 3:04
  Speaker 2: that folded a bit of a baseball prodigy from down
• 3:09
  Speaker 2: I believe Nelson Way and then once that sort of
• 3:12
  Speaker 2: pathway closed to New Zealand and I had a sight
• 3:14
  Speaker 2: set on playing Major League baseball, set his sights on
• 3:18
  Speaker 2: playing rugby union instead and has made a good fist
• 3:20
  Speaker 2: of it. Played for Tasman last year. But they're down
• 3:23
  Speaker 2: to their fourth string number ten with Nokemrada again this week,
• 3:27
  Speaker 2: with his Rayhanna out and with injured with concussion and
• 3:30
  Speaker 2: James White gone for the season with concussion. You know
• 3:34
  Speaker 2: they're battling to find fifteen's have gone to the wider
• 3:37
  Speaker 2: training group. But this presents a pretty big opportunity for
• 3:40
  Speaker 2: the young man. You know, probably didn't think he was
• 3:42
  Speaker 2: going to get much super rugby time, if any, this year,
• 3:44
  Speaker 2: and now all of a sudden he's starting in round
• 3:46
  Speaker 2: six and with a little bit of a chance to
• 3:49
  Speaker 2: make a name for himself. He played at North Harbor Stadium.
• 3:52
  Speaker 2: I think with the tuatara, now he's going to return
• 3:56
  Speaker 2: and be holding a rugby ball in his hand.
• 3:59
  Speaker 4: Yeah, something of a homecoming in a roundabout way.
• 4:02
  Speaker 3: And yeah, I guess we saw last year what can
• 4:04
  Speaker 3: happen when opportunity knocks. Rayhanna wasn't an unknown character but
• 4:11
  Speaker 3: certainly hadn't stamped his market on that level and came
• 4:14
  Speaker 3: through and made a bit of a name for himself
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  Speaker 3: at the back end of the year for the Crusaders.
• 4:18
  Speaker 4: So another big opportunity there.
• 4:20
  Speaker 3: And we're seeing I guess potentially the lack of depth
• 4:24
  Speaker 3: for New Zealand tens or the stockpiling of tens in
• 4:28
  Speaker 3: some cases with the Highlanders digging deep into their ranks
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  Speaker 3: as well.
• 4:32
  Speaker 4: And I think it's a big week for Ruben Love.
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  Speaker 4: You know, this is a guy that's been much hyped.
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  Speaker 3: He's a bit of a prodigy, great sporting talents cricket, rugby,
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  Speaker 3: but we haven't seen enough of them in recent times.
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  Speaker 3: And finally he's in the number ten jersey for the Hurricanes,
• 4:47
  Speaker 3: so I would like to see a big performance out
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  Speaker 3: of him this week.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, how much of a chance to lay down a
• 4:52
  Speaker 2: bit of a marker. I know we've we've touched on
• 4:54
  Speaker 2: it a fair bit since Dave Rennie was appointed, and
• 4:56
  Speaker 2: he's talked about not having any loyalties, but he hasn't
• 4:59
  Speaker 2: played a lot of ten Ruben Love. He's been anointed,
• 5:02
  Speaker 2: as you know, maybe the next in line. But this
• 5:04
  Speaker 2: is a big opportunity, I think, assuming he gets a
• 5:07
  Speaker 2: real run at the ten usy to stake a claim
• 5:10
  Speaker 2: and show that you know, he is capable of playing
• 5:13
  Speaker 2: ten beyond super rugby level and higher honors rather than
• 5:17
  Speaker 2: just being pigeonholed into maybe a fullback at Test level.
• 5:21
  Speaker 4: Yeah, he does have that versatility, doesn't he?
• 5:23
  Speaker 3: But I think it does help to have a preferred
• 5:26
  Speaker 3: position to have time in that pososition, particularly when it
• 5:30
  Speaker 3: comes to ten.
• 5:31
  Speaker 4: You need time in the settle, you need to be
• 5:33
  Speaker 4: able to.
• 5:34
  Speaker 3: Hone your craft from a tactical point of view as
• 5:36
  Speaker 3: much as anything else, been able to control the game,
• 5:39
  Speaker 3: and we just haven't seen enough of Ruben Love to
• 5:41
  Speaker 3: know whether he can do that on a consistent basis.
• 5:43
  Speaker 3: So I think this is a big week for him.
• 5:45
  Speaker 3: It's the Hurricane's strongest squad that they put out so
• 5:49
  Speaker 3: far this year. They've got to see Carefi on the bench,
• 5:52
  Speaker 3: which speaks to their depth certainly in the loose boards.
• 5:56
  Speaker 3: So Ruben Love, you know, down the pecking order somewhat
• 6:01
  Speaker 3: when you look at Richie Muwonga coming back and Josh
• 6:04
  Speaker 3: Jacob having been on the Blacks fifteen tour actually had
• 6:08
  Speaker 3: time at number ten, but I don't think he's really
• 6:11
  Speaker 3: stamped his authority this year. And now Damien McKenzie's back.
• 6:15
  Speaker 3: How many opportunities will Josh Jaken get at ten for
• 6:18
  Speaker 3: the Chiefs. So it's a big season for Reuben Love,
• 6:21
  Speaker 3: as you mentioned, with Dave Rennie coming in, because he's
• 6:24
  Speaker 3: certainly no guarantee of featuring anymore.
• 6:27
  Speaker 4: For the All Black sent he did last year at
• 6:28
  Speaker 4: this point.
• 6:29
  Speaker 2: No, he's not, so I think he's got to stake
• 6:32
  Speaker 2: acclaim and interesting to the hinders. With Richard passitoa at
• 6:35
  Speaker 2: ten who has impressed me in glimpses this year, but
• 6:38
  Speaker 2: another barrel starting at ten altogether, they welcome Hugh Renton
• 6:43
  Speaker 2: back into the mix. Caleb Tunguy Tower and the glimpses
• 6:46
  Speaker 2: I saw of that game against the Crusaders going from
• 6:49
  Speaker 2: strength to strength in the outside channels. You know, I'm
• 6:52
  Speaker 2: not sure. I'm not completely sold on him just being
• 6:55
  Speaker 2: as a Test football at Test wing the way that
• 6:58
  Speaker 2: Test rugby is being played at the moment, but you
• 7:00
  Speaker 2: can't deny that he's got that gift of absolute speed
• 7:03
  Speaker 2: and we saw it again come to the Fall last week,
• 7:05
  Speaker 2: and he'll get another opportunity against that Hurri Canees back three.
• 7:10
  Speaker 4: Yeah, I think you're right.
• 7:11
  Speaker 3: We need to probably see the full package from Caleb,
• 7:14
  Speaker 3: particularly on defense and under the high ball, but there's
• 7:18
  Speaker 3: no doubt in his finishing prowess is out and outpace
• 7:20
  Speaker 3: on the edge. He's a lethal weapon. And I think
• 7:24
  Speaker 3: I'm sure we'll touch on it a bit later in
• 7:26
  Speaker 3: regards to the Six Nations and how that tournament involved,
• 7:28
  Speaker 3: but we are starting to see Attack finally overcome the
• 7:33
  Speaker 3: rush defense and have a lot more success at breaking
• 7:37
  Speaker 3: that down and creating space on the art side getting
• 7:40
  Speaker 3: the ball to the wingers, and someone like a Caleb
• 7:44
  Speaker 3: Tongueytowel is really well placed to utilize that space with
• 7:48
  Speaker 3: his blistering speed.
• 7:49
  Speaker 2: Absolutely, the Chiefs welcome back Luke Jacobson, but going under
• 7:53
  Speaker 2: the radar a little bit is another excuse me. Injury
• 7:56
  Speaker 2: to Wallace, to Titi, the hamstring proving troublesome ones again.
• 8:00
  Speaker 2: He missed the start of Super Rugby with a hamstring injury.
• 8:03
  Speaker 2: He missed them more on a game before the buy
• 8:04
  Speaker 2: with a hamstring Injury's out now for a few more
• 8:08
  Speaker 2: weeks potentially with his hamstring injury. You know, he's had
• 8:11
  Speaker 2: a few injuries since he's boost onto the scene and
• 8:14
  Speaker 2: another frustrating one for Wallace a TD. How much of
• 8:16
  Speaker 2: a blow do you think that is for the Chiefs
• 8:18
  Speaker 2: as they go to Canberra and play against a team
• 8:22
  Speaker 2: you know, writing a little bit of an emotional high
• 8:24
  Speaker 2: with James Slipper breaking the Super Rugby record.
• 8:28
  Speaker 3: Yeah, James Slipper, it feels like he's been around for
• 8:32
  Speaker 3: as long as you and I earlier. Yeah, look it
• 8:38
  Speaker 3: little bit of a blow for Wallace because I think
• 8:40
  Speaker 3: we saw last year he's a guy that needs consistent
• 8:43
  Speaker 3: game time. I think that's the case with most rugby players.
• 8:45
  Speaker 3: But it wasn't a vintage year. We probably only saw
• 8:48
  Speaker 3: the best of them in the final game of the
• 8:50
  Speaker 3: year in Cardiff. And look, it's a long season, but
• 8:55
  Speaker 3: the loose forwards are stacked and we are seeing some
• 8:57
  Speaker 3: real early season form from some of those guys on
• 9:01
  Speaker 3: the fringe, like a Devin Flanders is playing great rugby
• 9:04
  Speaker 3: for the Hurricanes. He's having real success on the game line,
• 9:09
  Speaker 3: heavily involved on both sides of the ball.
• 9:12
  Speaker 4: So you hope Wallace.
• 9:13
  Speaker 3: Can have a bit of an injury free run because look,
• 9:16
  Speaker 3: I think he's a.
• 9:18
  Speaker 4: Prodigious talent, isn't he.
• 9:19
  Speaker 3: There's no denying that he was breakout player of the year,
• 9:22
  Speaker 3: All Blacks Player of the Year a year and a
• 9:25
  Speaker 3: half two years ago now. But needs to stay on
• 9:27
  Speaker 3: the park and the Chiefs will be desperate to get
• 9:29
  Speaker 3: him back. It's always a tough trip to Canberra, but
• 9:32
  Speaker 3: McKenzie back at ten, Luke Jacobson returning, as you say,
• 9:37
  Speaker 3: I'm backing them to go over there and sneak that.
• 9:40
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I think they will. We'll get into some tipping
• 9:42
  Speaker 2: a little bit later on in the podcast. Blues with
• 9:44
  Speaker 2: an interesting one Peyton spencer name that's been around the
• 9:47
  Speaker 2: Traps for a few years now. Played a bit of
• 9:49
  Speaker 2: sevens obviously, sign of Carlos finally gets an opportunity off
• 9:53
  Speaker 2: the bench against the Wartar is fascinated to see how
• 9:57
  Speaker 2: he goes. The Wartars have slipped off the pace a
• 10:00
  Speaker 2: little bit in the last few weeks, but I still
• 10:03
  Speaker 2: have a feeling that they might be able to give
• 10:04
  Speaker 2: the Blues a little bit of a tickle up in
• 10:06
  Speaker 2: this game. Potentially, you think back to some of the
• 10:09
  Speaker 2: meetings that they've had in the past. The Blues won
• 10:12
  Speaker 2: comfortably last year, but I think it was the year
• 10:15
  Speaker 2: before that they could only scrape past the war Tars
• 10:19
  Speaker 2: in a close one. So I'm interested in You know,
• 10:23
  Speaker 2: this is a big game for both teams.
• 10:26
  Speaker 4: It is indeed.
• 10:27
  Speaker 3: Look, I think the Warritars had their bubble burst a
• 10:29
  Speaker 3: couple of weeks ago by the Hurricanes. But these two
• 10:32
  Speaker 3: teams have some similarities. Both have big forward packs, both
• 10:37
  Speaker 3: like to dominate the physical exchanges and be direct. I
• 10:39
  Speaker 3: think the Blues have been more adventurous this year, have
• 10:42
  Speaker 3: used the ball a lot more. I think we've seen
• 10:44
  Speaker 3: that in the ball and the form that was seen
• 10:48
  Speaker 3: from Caleb Clark and Cody Vai. He's been a real
• 10:53
  Speaker 3: big movers, taking a real claim for that right wing spots.
• 10:57
  Speaker 3: The Blues I think have named a very strong team
• 11:00
  Speaker 3: Zarne Sullivan back, Peter r Key back. I think they've
• 11:04
  Speaker 3: recalled Finley Christie after an injury there. So look, I
• 11:07
  Speaker 3: think the Blues are starting to find some form. I'm
• 11:11
  Speaker 3: not totally convinced by where they are at, but that's
• 11:13
  Speaker 3: I'm starting to build a bit of momentum, so I'll
• 11:17
  Speaker 3: back them to go over to Sydney. But I think
• 11:21
  Speaker 3: it is a really big weekend for the Australian teams.
• 11:23
  Speaker 3: If the Chiefs go over and win in Camera, if
• 11:26
  Speaker 3: the Blues go over and win in Sydney, and if
• 11:30
  Speaker 3: the Reds, who have rested I think Carter Gordon and
• 11:33
  Speaker 3: maybe even Fraser mcwright's struggle in Fiji, it's starting to
• 11:38
  Speaker 3: look like a bit of an early season hole for
• 11:40
  Speaker 3: some of those Australian teams.
• 11:41
  Speaker 2: It is indeed same old story. Potentially I will get
• 11:43
  Speaker 2: in some tipping at the ends of the podcast. Let's
• 11:46
  Speaker 2: wrap up the Six Nations, Liam and what a compelling
• 11:50
  Speaker 2: finish to the Six Nations. It was Sunday morning, nine
• 11:53
  Speaker 2: am New Zealand time a penalty goal after the siren
• 11:57
  Speaker 2: to win the game, but win the championship. This was
• 12:01
  Speaker 2: a quite incredible game of rugby union. I was delighted
• 12:05
  Speaker 2: that I woke up, rubbed the sleep out of my
• 12:08
  Speaker 2: eye the night after a wedding and you know, recuperated
• 12:13
  Speaker 2: from being on the dance laugh a little bit too much,
• 12:15
  Speaker 2: and was entertained by potentially one of the greatest test
• 12:18
  Speaker 2: matches of all time. What did you make of it?
• 12:21
  Speaker 3: Well, if you look at the Six Nations as a whole, Elliott,
• 12:24
  Speaker 3: there were so many narratives that changed.
• 12:27
  Speaker 4: Dramatically week to week.
• 12:28
  Speaker 3: You know, if you think about us talking about not
• 12:31
  Speaker 3: just us but ever on Gregor Town's been on thin
• 12:34
  Speaker 3: nice islands, hitting the wall. England's were going to go
• 12:39
  Speaker 3: and potentially win the tournaments. France lost to Edinburgh, everyone
• 12:43
  Speaker 3: bet everyone Italy giant killing and then losing to Wales
• 12:47
  Speaker 3: and then that dramatic finish on the final day. It
• 12:50
  Speaker 3: is brilliant the way they set it up, with all
• 12:51
  Speaker 3: the teams playing one after the other. You couldn't ask
• 12:55
  Speaker 3: for anything more from that tournament. It's been talked about
• 12:58
  Speaker 3: as the greatest Six Nations in history, and I think
• 13:00
  Speaker 3: the brand of rugby that was played its brilliant. It's
• 13:04
  Speaker 3: a great advertisement for the sport and hopefully we see
• 13:07
  Speaker 3: more of that from the Northern Hemissea Hemisphere and hopefully
• 13:10
  Speaker 3: they get on board with that captivating style of rugby.
• 13:14
  Speaker 3: You know, you can talk about defenses optional and what
• 13:17
  Speaker 3: have you, but from an entertainment perspective, it was magic,
• 13:20
  Speaker 3: wasn't it. And that final Test France and England's just
• 13:24
  Speaker 3: so many.
• 13:25
  Speaker 4: Ebbs and flows.
• 13:26
  Speaker 3: Henry Pollock hero to villain, was a Oli chessham with
• 13:31
  Speaker 3: the intercept and he's gone and put it in the
• 13:33
  Speaker 3: corner in England lose because of the sideline conversion and
• 13:37
  Speaker 3: just so many narratives weren't there.
• 13:38
  Speaker 2: Yeah, what was sixteen lead changes in the end thirty
• 13:41
  Speaker 2: eight to twenty seven. France led not long after halftime
• 13:44
  Speaker 2: and you thought, kay, well they'll kick on here and
• 13:47
  Speaker 2: maybe even you know, reach fifty. But for England to
• 13:50
  Speaker 2: come back and then throw it away, it had everything
• 13:54
  Speaker 2: that game. Yeah, it's a wonderful advertisement for test rugby,
• 13:58
  Speaker 2: but also the Six Nations and France probably worthy winners
• 14:02
  Speaker 2: in the end, so obviously they had lost to Scotland
• 14:05
  Speaker 2: the week prior, but over the course of the competition,
• 14:08
  Speaker 2: opening against Ireland and a very good performance with the
• 14:11
  Speaker 2: win there and then wrapping it up with the balls
• 14:15
  Speaker 2: they had to through Ramos to kick that penalty right
• 14:19
  Speaker 2: at the end. It had everything and I thought, you're
• 14:21
  Speaker 2: just a compelling advertisement for rugby and you hope that
• 14:24
  Speaker 2: more Test matches are like that. What do you think
• 14:27
  Speaker 2: it means though, for the way that Test matches might
• 14:29
  Speaker 2: be played for the rest of the year. Is that
• 14:30
  Speaker 2: just a one off or maybe you know, some of
• 14:33
  Speaker 2: these rule changes that we've seen over the last twenty
• 14:37
  Speaker 2: four months, etc. Are beginning to take effects now, you know,
• 14:41
  Speaker 2: across the globe.
• 14:44
  Speaker 3: I think we are starting to see that. And look,
• 14:47
  Speaker 3: you look at England and when they're capable of that
• 14:49
  Speaker 3: style of rugby. I know they lost, but a where's
• 14:51
  Speaker 3: that been for most of that tournament in terms of
• 14:54
  Speaker 3: the attacking endeavor, because they've been so bland and boring
• 14:58
  Speaker 3: and conservative. So it was great to see them chance
• 15:02
  Speaker 3: their arm and have a real crack. But I do
• 15:05
  Speaker 3: think we are starting to see the quest eat up
• 15:08
  Speaker 3: the game and promotes attacking rugby come into it and hopefully.
• 15:15
  Speaker 3: I think some of the rule changes and super Rugby
• 15:18
  Speaker 3: have laid the platform for that. I think there's still
• 15:20
  Speaker 3: more that we can do to go down that path.
• 15:23
  Speaker 3: And that's not so I hate this chat about depowering
• 15:27
  Speaker 3: scrums or getting rid of the scrums or going away
• 15:30
  Speaker 3: from what works for South Africa or France. Rugby needs
• 15:35
  Speaker 3: to realize it's an entertainment product and that doesn't mean
• 15:39
  Speaker 3: they can't be contrasting styles. But I think from my
• 15:42
  Speaker 3: perspective anyway, everyone needs to get on board and welcome
• 15:45
  Speaker 3: these rules that promotes ball and play up tempo attacking
• 15:50
  Speaker 3: rugby because ultimately that's what's going to bring more eyeballs
• 15:54
  Speaker 3: to the sport.
• 15:54
  Speaker 2: I think so too, and hopefully this is, as you said,
• 15:57
  Speaker 2: the way things to come. And I thought the way
• 15:59
  Speaker 2: that England attacks was clearly something that France hadn't expected.
• 16:04
  Speaker 2: Sean Edwards interviewed after the game. Obviously he's one number
• 16:08
  Speaker 2: of six nations now, but it felt like the chaos
• 16:10
  Speaker 2: that England are throwing around was something that France hadn't
• 16:12
  Speaker 2: prepared for and didn't look within their abilities to adapt
• 16:17
  Speaker 2: to the way that they were playing. I thought really
• 16:20
  Speaker 2: smart rugby from England, but can they do it every week?
• 16:23
  Speaker 2: It's going to be the fascinating thing. And with the
• 16:26
  Speaker 2: Nation's championship not too far away, you know, Steve Borthwick
• 16:29
  Speaker 2: will keep his job from you know what we're hearing
• 16:31
  Speaker 2: from our friends up north, you know, at least through July.
• 16:35
  Speaker 2: But if that July campaign goes pear shape, then it
• 16:38
  Speaker 2: could be all on again. So as we touched on
• 16:40
  Speaker 2: at the start, there's so many little we narratives that
• 16:42
  Speaker 2: have you know, come out of the you know, the
• 16:46
  Speaker 2: blocks over the tours over the course of the six Nations,
• 16:48
  Speaker 2: but then if had to go out of the back
• 16:50
  Speaker 2: into the box over the course of the six Nations
• 16:52
  Speaker 2: as well. But it doesn't mean that they're completely you know,
• 16:55
  Speaker 2: off the table. You feel like there could be more
• 16:57
  Speaker 2: to come in those regards as well. Speaking of more
• 17:00
  Speaker 2: to come, we're on Earth of the All Blacks assistant
• 17:03
  Speaker 2: coaches at Liam.
• 17:06
  Speaker 4: Good question, Eliot.
• 17:07
  Speaker 3: It was it was all signposted to happen this week,
• 17:10
  Speaker 3: but contracts take a while to get drawn up and
• 17:13
  Speaker 3: people take a while to agree to terms and to
• 17:16
  Speaker 3: shake everything down. I'm hearing that Phil Healley and Neil
• 17:20
  Speaker 3: Barnes close to signing or have signs. But and I
• 17:25
  Speaker 3: think we'll see Tanumager in that mix as well, which
• 17:27
  Speaker 3: has been pretty well signposted. But I think it's I'm
• 17:30
  Speaker 3: here and it's pretty touch and go with Mike Bleir.
• 17:33
  Speaker 3: So it's going to be very interesting to see whether
• 17:35
  Speaker 3: all blacks land from an attacking portfolio perspective.
• 17:40
  Speaker 2: So he may not get across the line and they
• 17:43
  Speaker 2: may retain Scott Hansen, is what you're hearing.
• 17:46
  Speaker 4: Potentially. I'm not definitive.
• 17:49
  Speaker 3: Either way, but I think at this point that sounds
• 17:52
  Speaker 3: like that'll be the last one to be finalized, and
• 17:56
  Speaker 3: there's certainly no guarantees that Mike Blear will be involved.
• 18:01
  Speaker 2: We touched on this a little bit last week. It's
• 18:02
  Speaker 2: not a pay issue, is it that New Zealand Rugby
• 18:06
  Speaker 2: are worried about. It's the fact was that Scott Hansen
• 18:10
  Speaker 2: was well reviewed at last year's inter view Sewer from
• 18:14
  Speaker 2: what we understand, from what you understand, and there's a
• 18:18
  Speaker 2: sense that maybe keeping him there is better than you know,
• 18:22
  Speaker 2: throwing the entire baby out with the bath order.
• 18:27
  Speaker 3: Yeah, it depends on you talk to Elliott's. Some people
• 18:30
  Speaker 3: say he reviewed well, and then I've heard stories of
• 18:34
  Speaker 3: other players and certain people involved in that group who
• 18:37
  Speaker 3: weren't a fan of certain aspects of Scott Hansen's coaching.
• 18:42
  Speaker 3: He is on a four year contract on a rugby
• 18:44
  Speaker 3: adamant that that is a non factor, that money is
• 18:48
  Speaker 3: not part of the equation, but I think that's certainly
• 18:51
  Speaker 3: he's on rugby pushing hard for Rennie to strongly consider
• 18:55
  Speaker 3: retaining Scott Hansen, where I think Rennie's preference was certainly
• 19:01
  Speaker 3: to bring in Mike Blair. So look, it's gonna be
• 19:05
  Speaker 3: interesting to see how that coaching team shakes down in
• 19:07
  Speaker 3: the coming week. So it was meant to be potentially
• 19:11
  Speaker 3: back end of this week. But here we are Thursday
• 19:15
  Speaker 3: and nothing's been finalized as yet, so it can't be
• 19:19
  Speaker 3: too far away.
• 19:20
  Speaker 2: No, you'd think not. We did sort of speculate that
• 19:24
  Speaker 2: we might have some assistants to talk about this week,
• 19:25
  Speaker 2: but not to be right, Let's do some tipping for
• 19:28
  Speaker 2: this weekend, Liam, you lead by one after getting four
• 19:32
  Speaker 2: or five last week. I got four or five last
• 19:34
  Speaker 2: week as well. We were by and large the same.
• 19:37
  Speaker 2: We both picked the Brumbies too winning Fiji, which did
• 19:40
  Speaker 2: not happen. Highlanders Hurricanes indonedan Friday night seven o five
• 19:45
  Speaker 2: live on Gold Sport and iHeartRadio. Is this the week
• 19:48
  Speaker 2: that the Cane train gets derailed by the southern Southern
• 19:52
  Speaker 2: side of the Highlanders.
• 19:55
  Speaker 3: We almost came off the tracks in Napier before Thecaine's
• 20:00
  Speaker 3: bomb squad was unleashed and then they managed to concede
• 20:03
  Speaker 3: too late trials and blow the bonus points. So it
• 20:06
  Speaker 3: was a very scratchy performance last week from the Canes.
• 20:09
  Speaker 3: But the squad this week looks really bolted on. Billy
• 20:13
  Speaker 3: propped a back, Peter Luckye back really strong, so it
• 20:17
  Speaker 3: will be a shock to you they're going to tip
• 20:18
  Speaker 3: the Canes to win that. It's also my weeknd the
• 20:21
  Speaker 3: betting Synderkit, so I do have quite a large slice
• 20:26
  Speaker 3: of my week riding on that. So if you see
• 20:30
  Speaker 3: my demeanor next week, it may be determined by how
• 20:33
  Speaker 3: the cand goes.
• 20:35
  Speaker 2: I suspect you're right. I'm going to side with you
• 20:37
  Speaker 2: and go the Hurricanes for that game. I think they've
• 20:40
  Speaker 2: got a better team this week. There's a couple of
• 20:42
  Speaker 2: injuries as we've touched on to the Highlanders, so they
• 20:46
  Speaker 2: get my tip to the Hurricanes. Brumbie's Chiefs in camber
• 20:49
  Speaker 2: A couple of losses in a row. Now for what
• 20:51
  Speaker 2: the Brumbies, the Chiefs are coming off the buy Jacobson's
• 20:54
  Speaker 2: back in the mix for them. Do they spoil James
• 20:57
  Speaker 2: Slippers party Slippers for Slips. I believe it's been called.
• 21:00
  Speaker 2: They've been told to get out the company nighttime where
• 21:03
  Speaker 2: and take them along to Jo. But do they get
• 21:06
  Speaker 2: the win? Liam?
• 21:07
  Speaker 3: I think this is probab the toughest game of the
• 21:09
  Speaker 3: round to tip Elliott's, But I am I'm going to
• 21:12
  Speaker 3: go with the Chiefs. They might not be able to
• 21:14
  Speaker 3: play the brand of rugby that they enjoyed going to
• 21:17
  Speaker 3: cambrid As you say, it's not exactly tropical at any
• 21:20
  Speaker 3: time of the year, so they could be dragged into
• 21:22
  Speaker 3: a bit of a kicking.
• 21:25
  Speaker 4: Marling duel.
• 21:26
  Speaker 3: But I'm going to tip the Chiefs to go over
• 21:27
  Speaker 3: there and get the job done.
• 21:28
  Speaker 2: I'm going to go the Brumbies on the historic occasion
• 21:32
  Speaker 2: for James Slippers to win the Drewa hosting the Reds
• 21:35
  Speaker 2: four thirty five on Saturday at Churchill Park in Lautoka.
• 21:40
  Speaker 2: They're being written off a bit this season the driw
• 21:43
  Speaker 2: but again, playing over there is proving harder and harder
• 21:46
  Speaker 2: for these teams.
• 21:48
  Speaker 3: Yeah, those thunderstorms seem to be coming on call every
• 21:52
  Speaker 3: weekend for them, don't they. So oh, look they're playing
• 21:56
  Speaker 3: well at home. Bloody tough to be over there. I'm
• 21:58
  Speaker 3: going to tip the Duror. I think the Reds resting
• 22:00
  Speaker 3: a couple of their frontline players, which has come back
• 22:02
  Speaker 3: to bites the Canes and the Brumbies.
• 22:04
  Speaker 4: So stick with the Dura there.
• 22:07
  Speaker 2: I'm going to go the Red for an upset Intoka
• 22:10
  Speaker 2: Mwana pacifica first game at Albany for the end of season,
• 22:13
  Speaker 2: facing the Crusaders seven o five Saturday night.
• 22:18
  Speaker 3: Well, I've always said Elliott miner are my third favorite team.
• 22:23
  Speaker 2: Who's your second favorite team?
• 22:26
  Speaker 3: Probably the Chiefs. Actually yeah, yeah, you'll be shocked it's
• 22:30
  Speaker 3: not the Crusaders.
• 22:31
  Speaker 2: That's what I thought. Yeah, yeah, naturally, you know, you've
• 22:34
  Speaker 2: always got a lot of love for them.
• 22:37
  Speaker 3: No, Look, I walked up the Crusaders to one that's
• 22:42
  Speaker 3: that game.
• 22:43
  Speaker 4: What about a word on your rockie Johnny Lee.
• 22:45
  Speaker 2: How impressive was he? Look, he's he's a player that's
• 22:48
  Speaker 2: been around for a couple of seasons in terms not
• 22:51
  Speaker 2: of the top level, but just his name has been
• 22:53
  Speaker 2: mentioned of you know, He's quite impressive. Keeping on this kid.
• 22:56
  Speaker 2: New Zealand under twenties was good for Tasman last year,
• 23:00
  Speaker 2: and I thought added a bit to that Crusader's pack,
• 23:02
  Speaker 2: even aside from his try is just an out and
• 23:04
  Speaker 2: out seven rather than Ethan Blackett are playing seven. Felt
• 23:08
  Speaker 2: like the balance was a lot better in that loose
• 23:11
  Speaker 2: forward trio last week. I thought, as far as deboos go,
• 23:14
  Speaker 2: couldn't have asked much more from the young men.
• 23:17
  Speaker 4: Yeah, how of a debut, wasn't it?
• 23:18
  Speaker 3: And strucking resemblance to Ethan Blackouter yep.
• 23:23
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I've given that both both Tasman boys both look
• 23:26
  Speaker 2: good and black red and black. But maybe they'll get
• 23:28
  Speaker 2: higher on us who knows, and wartars blues around us
• 23:31
  Speaker 2: out nine thirty five on Saturday.
• 23:33
  Speaker 3: Yeah, pump the brakes. One game doesn't make an all
• 23:37
  Speaker 3: Blake Boone Cotter's men to go over there and continue
• 23:43
  Speaker 3: the War Tars woes.
• 23:44
  Speaker 2: Yeah, I think I'm going to the same. I think
• 23:46
  Speaker 2: the Warriors the wheels have come off the war Tars
• 23:48
  Speaker 2: if they were ever on. I was kind of impressed
• 23:49
  Speaker 2: by them and the opening couple of weeks, but they
• 23:53
  Speaker 2: have not been flash in the last couple will update
• 23:56
  Speaker 2: those next week. We'll also bring you up to that
• 23:58
  Speaker 2: with our MVP voting as well as to how that unfolded.
• 24:01
  Speaker 2: You can follow us on the Tipping comp as well, sorry,
• 24:04
  Speaker 2: the Fantasy comp as well. Rugby Direct podcast is what
• 24:07
  Speaker 2: you search. I can completely forgot to change my team.
• 24:09
  Speaker 2: I don't know about you last week, Liam, but completely
• 24:12
  Speaker 2: forgot to make any changes. And I think half my
• 24:15
  Speaker 2: team was sitting out. So you can only go up
• 24:17
  Speaker 2: this week, is what I'm thinking.
• 24:19
  Speaker 3: Yeah, see I've gone from what one hundred to one
• 24:21
  Speaker 3: hundred and fifty.
• 24:23
  Speaker 2: Something like that. Yeah, it's just plunged on. I'm terrible
• 24:25
  Speaker 2: as it is, and I think I've got worse last week.
• 24:27
  Speaker 3: So yeah, yeah, I haven't forgot to do my team,
• 24:30
  Speaker 3: but there are I think I'm probably twenty points twenty
• 24:33
  Speaker 3: spots off the lead, so there's a few punters out
• 24:35
  Speaker 3: there gunning for that super rug Good Josey.
• 24:37
  Speaker 2: That's right. We'll get in touch with us as well
• 24:39
  Speaker 2: on the mail bag as well. We'll bring that back
• 24:40
  Speaker 2: next week Rugby Direct at Newstalk ZB dot co dot
• 24:44
  Speaker 2: nz or any questions you can flick us to them
• 24:46
  Speaker 2: on our social media on Twitter as well. Liam always
• 24:50
  Speaker 2: a pleasure to catch up. We're back to normal next
• 24:52
  Speaker 2: week Monday Thursday, barring any sort of breaking news. Look
• 24:55
  Speaker 2: forward to catching up next week.
• 24:58
  Speaker 3: Yeah, I might try to flap my one working wing
• 25:01
  Speaker 3: and come and join Gangs Studio on Monday.
• 25:04
  Speaker 2: Eliot lovely to see your face, William. A good weekend.
• 25:09
  Speaker 2: Enjoy your super Rugby. We'll catch you next week on
• 25:11
  Speaker 2: Rugby Director. Thanks to Mark Kelly for producing. And have
• 25:14
  Speaker 2: it health Fuzzy your book today and stay in again
• 25:18
  Speaker 1: For more from news Talks at b Listen live on
• 25:20
  Speaker 1: air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
• 25:23
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