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Speaker 1: You're listening to a podcast from News Talks ed B.

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Speaker 1: Follow this and our Wide Ranger podcast now on iHeartRadio

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Speaker 1: straight down the middle of Drup Scot try get inside

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Speaker 1: the game from every end goal. It's Rugby Direct with

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Speaker 1: Elliot Smith and Liam Napier powered by News Talks EDB.

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Speaker 2: Welcome into Rugby Direct powered by Inns in Safety, Blackwood Shop,

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Speaker 2: King g and you could score five thousand dollars. It

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Speaker 2: is Test Week. Finally we have a built up to

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Speaker 2: talk about the All Blacks and France. Elligott Smith with me,

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Speaker 2: Liam Napiers always NPEs. Welcome to Test Week and look

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Speaker 2: you're not here as yet, you will be soon, but

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Speaker 2: welcome to the Garden City.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, I expect you to be rolling out the red

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Speaker 3: carp for Elliott's I guess great to have Test Rugby

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Speaker 3: beck in you in your home city.

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Speaker 2: It certainly is. Yeah, it's been a long time coming.

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Speaker 2: Last rob Since to twenty twenty two Foster was coach.

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Speaker 2: The anyone thought Scott Robinson was going to be the

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Speaker 2: head coach for this one not to be. Dave Rennie

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Speaker 2: is of course setting your Blacks have settled into the

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Speaker 2: media week. I guess Nate's a lot of questions. We

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Speaker 2: did the podcast obviously last week around the squad, but

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Speaker 2: a lot of questions as to the makeup of the

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Speaker 2: twenty three. What do you think the big questions are

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Speaker 2: when Dave Rennie, Neil Barnes and Sir Graham Henry get

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Speaker 2: around the selection table and try and figure this into

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Speaker 2: a twenty three.

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Speaker 3: There's a few talking points. There's always aren't there, Elliotts,

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Speaker 3: I think it sounds like Will Jordan and to Boo

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Speaker 3: vi foot and available. Certainly that was the indication that

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Speaker 3: Dave Rennie gave yesterday on when the All Blacks arrived

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Speaker 3: in christ Ships. So taken as reads, you would expect

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Speaker 3: Will Jordan to start at fallback to Boovi in the

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Speaker 3: second row. I think the big question marks are probably

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Speaker 3: inside flanker first and first five. My take around the

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Speaker 3: first five Ruben love. If not now then win. You've

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Speaker 3: got Richie Muwanga hanging in the backgrounds. He's going to

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Speaker 3: come back. He's likely to be given the keys. So

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Speaker 3: Ruben loves the hot hands. He deserves a crack now.

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Speaker 3: He's been sitting on ice for the best part of

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Speaker 3: his well, his whole test career really he couldn't have

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Speaker 3: done any more for the Hurricanes, so he deserves a

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Speaker 3: crack at at first five for me. What about you?

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I think that the main ones are the similar

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Speaker 2: ones you talk about. You can sort of zero in

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Speaker 2: a few areas of the team. But I guess we're

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Speaker 2: going into this with some assumed knowledge of how Dave

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Speaker 2: Rinnie White wants to play, and we go, well, that's

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Speaker 2: the first choice front row, that's the first choice locks.

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Speaker 2: But that may not be the case under Dave Rinnie

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Speaker 2: and so I guess if we zoom it on with you,

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Speaker 2: I think Reuben Love has to start Test match this week.

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Speaker 2: I think Cam broyguard at nine and then Jordi Barrett

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Speaker 2: in twelve, and that gives Reuben Love not necessarily a

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Speaker 2: safety blanket, but gives them the combinations from test level

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Speaker 2: that he can utilize again sorry at super level, that

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Speaker 2: he can utilize at test level. So I think that's

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Speaker 2: something that they'll potentially look at. Blind side flanker, I

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Speaker 2: guess is a really interesting one around which way they

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Speaker 2: go there. Sounds like Satiti is good to go. Savia

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Speaker 2: obviously will captain the side from open side flank, so

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Speaker 2: there's a couple of questions there. Where are you leaning

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Speaker 2: when it comes to that blind side flank is selection?

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Speaker 3: Well, personally, earlier I would start Wallace to TT at six,

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Speaker 3: and I'd actually put Peter Luckye at eight on form.

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Speaker 3: I just I don't know how you could lead Peter

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Speaker 3: Lukeye out of the starting team. I suspect they will

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Speaker 3: go the other way, and I think they will have

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Speaker 3: some worries about the height of that Looseiford trio when

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Speaker 3: it comes to the line out, and that's they might

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Speaker 3: might want a real abrasive presence and that could potentially

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Speaker 3: see Simon Parker start at six, and then that allows

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Speaker 3: you to put Lackeye on the bench and he covers

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Speaker 3: all three loose for positions. So I think that's the

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Speaker 3: way they'll go. But personally I'd be starting Lackeye, Yes.

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Speaker 2: So would I. We had Jace Ryan speak at the

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Speaker 2: media conference before and talk about how Wallace the TT

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Speaker 2: is an eight in his eyes. But they've also gone

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Speaker 2: to that subscription that they had last year around the

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Speaker 2: fact that they believe that it's really only the scrum

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Speaker 2: that these loose four positions do matter. I'm not sure

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Speaker 2: necessarily subscribe to that but that's a view that seems

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Speaker 2: to be more commonly held now in this all Black setup,

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Speaker 2: I conside him going with Parker. Look, I don't think

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Speaker 2: he hit the shot the lights out last year in

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Speaker 2: terms of the All Blacks. But whether you know Neil

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Speaker 2: Barnes and Jason Ryaning and tandem can get the best

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Speaker 2: out of him. I guess that's a live conversation, isn't it.

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Speaker 3: It is? Yeah, I think personally, I think a Luckeye

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Speaker 3: is a t t severe combination screams the style of

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Speaker 3: rugby that Dave Rennie would like to play, dynamic, offloading, pace, power.

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Speaker 3: You've pretty much got it all. Maybe not the defensive

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Speaker 3: steel that Parker. Perhaps springs and height at the line

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Speaker 3: out is the other one, but if you want to

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Speaker 3: be you know, Dave Rennie talks about optimistic and being

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Speaker 3: attacking minded, and yes, he want to bring a lot

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Speaker 3: of physicality to the breakdown and on defense as well,

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Speaker 3: because he wants to drastically improve the All Blacks counter

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Speaker 3: attack and turn over opportunities. But I thought Lucky was

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Speaker 3: the best forward in Super rugby this year. Lucas Casey

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Speaker 3: was outstanding towards the back end of the year, but Lucky.

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Speaker 3: Just look at his performance in the final, so I

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Speaker 3: think it will be really harsh call to leave him out.

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Speaker 3: And look, he's the incumbent as well. I thought he

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Speaker 3: did a really good job at the back end of

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Speaker 3: last year for the All Blacks and a team that

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Speaker 3: only put together its best and very fleeting moments, So

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Speaker 3: I don't think you could leave him out there. The

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Speaker 3: other talking points, Elliott's the midfield center, and I think

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Speaker 3: we'll see finale and off or debut on the right

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Speaker 3: wing as well with Caleb Clark.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, I think in midfield to Pire, I think is

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Speaker 2: the obvious choice. Jordy Barrett starting at twelve to Pire

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Speaker 2: at thirteen. We saw him last year play a bit

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Speaker 2: of thirteen outside Jordy Barrett, that combo began to feel

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Speaker 2: like it was developing, and then there were a couple

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Speaker 2: of injuries in the back end of last year. We

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Speaker 2: didn't really get to see them out on the field

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Speaker 2: maybe as often as we might have otherwise. So that's

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Speaker 2: where i'd go. Billy Procer, I thought had very very

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Speaker 2: good Super Rugby season. We haven't quite seen the best

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Speaker 2: of him at Test level as yet. I think with

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Speaker 2: the wings you mentioned the Caleb Clark very good exponent

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Speaker 2: of the high ball. I think the jury's out on

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Speaker 2: the him what he can do under the high ball,

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Speaker 2: not something he was overly tested with this year, but

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Speaker 2: I agree he's the full winger of the competition. And

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Speaker 2: then you go back to fall back and it sounds

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Speaker 2: like Will Jordan's going to be fit. So do you

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Speaker 2: keep him at fifteen? Do you introduce him back on

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Speaker 2: the bench given he hasn't had a lot of rugby recently,

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Speaker 2: what do you look to do there?

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Speaker 3: If Will Jordan's fitting available at stardom, I don't think

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Speaker 3: there's much points keeping him on ice, but it is

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Speaker 3: interesting to see where Dave Renny season fits, whether it

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Speaker 3: is a fullback or wing. I think it will be

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Speaker 3: full back. I think he's picked finger and off for

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Speaker 3: and now's the time to find out whether he can

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Speaker 3: translate that superrugby form into the Test arena, which, like

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Speaker 3: you mentioned, is a different beast when it comes to

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Speaker 3: kicking and strategy. So I'm sure Frants, if he does

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Speaker 3: start on TESTABU will look to test him there. But this,

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Speaker 3: as you know, is going to be played in a

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Speaker 3: pristine stadium. Under it you can have a dry ball.

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Speaker 3: It's going to be hard and fast, and so I

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Speaker 3: think it'll suit the way that the All Blacks want

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Speaker 3: to play. And look, France have some ballers as well.

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Speaker 3: There's been a lot of talk about, you know, the

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Speaker 3: team that they're going to send out, but I think

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Speaker 3: this is a vastly stronger French team than what we

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Speaker 3: saw last year, but predominantly because Bordeaux got knocked out

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Speaker 3: of the top fourteen, the back to back European finalists,

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Speaker 3: and I think there's eleven players in their squad, so

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Speaker 3: this will be a real test for the All Blacks.

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Speaker 3: First up, a couple of other questions for you who

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Speaker 3: starts on the bench just stuff for armor or Somersony Takyaho.

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Speaker 2: Well, that assumes that Cody Taylor starts at hooker, doesn't it.

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Speaker 2: And again, going back to what I said before, this

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Speaker 2: is assumed knowledge that we still believe Cody Taylor is

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Speaker 2: the first choice hooker under a new coaching regime. He

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Speaker 2: has been you know, going back to you know, last

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Speaker 2: five six, seven plus years, he's been their number one hooker.

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Speaker 2: But Oma had a very very good Super Rugby season.

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Speaker 2: Is that an option to start or do you believe

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Speaker 2: that Cody Taylor remains the number one.

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Speaker 3: I think Taylor's the top dog for now. Rennie was

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Speaker 3: fairly open about the fact that he was considered alongside

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Speaker 3: Artie Savera's captain, So I think that tells you a

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Speaker 3: lot about how Rennie views him, both from an experience

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Speaker 3: and leadership point of view. So I think you need that,

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Speaker 3: particularly in the first game of the year where the

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Speaker 3: All Black scratch you. I agree with you. I think

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Speaker 3: Alm Oiel was blockbusting, wasn't he? For the Hurricanes this year?

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Speaker 3: SOMERSONI Takyaho was devastating off the back of the Chief

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Speaker 3: small great ball carrier. So I think that's one type

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Speaker 3: call and the other one. Let's just we're on the

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Speaker 3: same page. We're saying Reuben Love starts, who knows if

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Speaker 3: he does, But that leaves a choice between Damion McKenzie

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Speaker 3: and Bowden Barrett. So which way do you go there?

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Speaker 2: On the bench, I probably leaned towards Damien McKinsey. We

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Speaker 2: saw what he could do against Scotland last year and

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Speaker 2: how he turned the game on a dime. I think

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Speaker 2: that's where he's at his best, is being able to

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Speaker 2: go across the park and find space fine time. I'm

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Speaker 2: against tiring defenses and I would probably lean towards having

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Speaker 2: him here. Biden Barrett has impacted off the bench in

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Speaker 2: his own way in the last few seasons. When Bringingst

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Speaker 2: England in twenty four he turned the course of the

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Speaker 2: game at Eden Park in the way of the All

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Speaker 2: Blacks on that night. But I just think that Damian

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Speaker 2: McKenzie offers a little bit more off the bench, and

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Speaker 2: he didn't have his best night in that Super Ruggie Final.

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Speaker 2: I think we can all agree, but I think you

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Speaker 2: give him the backup option off the bench and the

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Speaker 2: ability to look at him there what say you?

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Speaker 3: I'm probably going Boden Barrett, but from a different lens.

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Speaker 3: I think we need to find out where Boden Barrett's at,

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Speaker 3: and I don't think the Blues is a fair reflection

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Speaker 3: of his form, and I'd say the same about anyone

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Speaker 3: in that team. Given the tail spinning form of the

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Speaker 3: Blues five straight losses in the Caleb Clark heavily underutilized,

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Speaker 3: wasn't he? But he'll probably start on the left wing,

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Speaker 3: and I think we do need to find out where

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Speaker 3: Boden Barrett's at. From a rugby perspective, So I'd quite

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Speaker 3: like to see him get involved straight off the bat

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Speaker 3: and assess, you know, his ability to challenge the line,

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Speaker 3: to get involved, to be instinctive and have an impact.

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Speaker 3: So I would probably go Damien. Sorry both Boden over Damien.

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Speaker 2: I tend to se where you're coming from and the

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Speaker 2: we do need to see where Boden fits. And maybe

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Speaker 2: if you give Love the keys this week, you look

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Speaker 2: to give Boden some game time next week again steadily

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Speaker 2: and maybe change things up. I don't know, but I

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Speaker 2: agree that that Love has to start. And then that

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Speaker 2: bench is up for debate. And I can'tmember who was

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Speaker 2: reading modem and gregor potentially and maybe at colleague Paul

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Speaker 2: cully over at stuff around the bench, and traditionally in

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Speaker 2: the last few years, they'll Black to be left behind

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Speaker 2: on the bench. They've covered for all possible hypotheticals around

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Speaker 2: the injury rather than rather around injuries, rather than looking

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Speaker 2: for something that actually advances the All Blacks game plan

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Speaker 2: and keeps them ticking over in that last twenty twenty

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Speaker 2: five thirty minutes whatever it might be of a test match.

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Speaker 2: Do you expect an immediate change in philosophy? Dear. I

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Speaker 2: don't think they'll go a six or two bench this week,

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Speaker 2: although it could be proven wrong come Thursday.

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Speaker 3: No, look, I don't expect anything revolutionary. I think someone

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Speaker 3: like Angelina Brown, who has played under Dave Renni in Japan.

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Speaker 3: He's made a career out of covering second and center

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Speaker 3: basically from the bench, and so I think that probably

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Speaker 3: gives him the inside running over a Billy Proctor who

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Speaker 3: doesn't necessarily strike you as a massive impact player. You've

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Speaker 3: got to have your front row covered, you loose forwards.

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Speaker 3: So look, I don't see anything revolutionary. The All Blacks

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Speaker 3: have those type of players that can come on a

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Speaker 3: Boden bear at Damian McKenzie. I think Kyle Preston is

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Speaker 3: a bit of an ace up to sleeve. I think

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Speaker 3: what we saw from him at the Crusaders this year

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Speaker 3: has ability to lift the pace and tempo to kick

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Speaker 3: off both feet. I expect him to get the nod.

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Speaker 3: I would like to see him to get to get

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Speaker 3: the nod a head of Cortes Ratma. The only other

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Speaker 3: question for me Elliott is around tight head prop. Has

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Speaker 3: Tyrell Lomax played enough rugby this year or do they

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Speaker 3: go Fletch Newell.

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Speaker 2: You're talking the starting side or the bench.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, either way around.

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Speaker 2: Look, I would probably go Lomax off the bench again,

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Speaker 2: just the way that he closed out that Hurricane season

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Speaker 2: long time on the sidelines. His last test was the

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Speaker 2: Bleeder is low I think in Auckland's last year of

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Speaker 2: memory Serves definitently didn't gone the end of view tour.

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Speaker 2: I'd probably start Mule and give Lomax off the bench,

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Speaker 2: just because of the weight of game time that he's

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Speaker 2: had recently. I think Lomax, in terms of the actual rankings,

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Speaker 2: if you were going to rank your tight head props

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Speaker 2: in terms of the all blacks mix, is still probably

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Speaker 2: head of Fletcher and Nule. But for this weekend, I'd

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Speaker 2: probably start Newill put Lomax on the bench.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, I think there's no doubt that Tyrell is still

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Speaker 3: number one. I think he he's cancidents, a very world

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Speaker 3: class scrummager. But he's played what three four games off

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Speaker 3: the bench for the Hurricanes and their title charge, so

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Speaker 3: perhaps lacking a bit of game time it is easier

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Speaker 3: to manage I think workload off the bench. So interesting

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Speaker 3: to see which way they go there.

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Speaker 2: Just if we run this out there starting locks. Do

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Speaker 2: you stand you suggested it'll be Vian Lord and too

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Speaker 2: lots coming off the bench has done very very well

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Speaker 2: in terms of we talk about their bench and pack.

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Speaker 2: He's probably been you know, the kind of impact that

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Speaker 2: the All Blacks have wanted off the bench in the

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Speaker 2: last few years when he's been fit and had his opportunities.

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Speaker 3: Yeah. Absolutely, I don't have any question marks about that.

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Speaker 3: I think Josh Lords has been a massive mover in

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Speaker 3: the past twelve eighteen months. He really stepped up for

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Speaker 3: the All Blacks in Scott Barrett's absence last year and

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Speaker 3: was superb at times in his repeat efforts for the Chiefs,

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Speaker 3: making tackles, getting turnovers, charging down kicks. So I think

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Speaker 3: that'll really appeal to Dave, Rennie and co.

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Speaker 2: Absolutely. And so if we look at this close the

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Speaker 2: loop on it to our twenty threes, how many debutantes

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Speaker 2: do you have in your twenty three? Is it just

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Speaker 2: FINIANNGG and Oval?

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Speaker 3: I think so, Yeah. How many other potential rookies are there?

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Speaker 2: Well, you can look at a Numa, a Moreby and

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Speaker 2: the signa potentially Yeah.

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Speaker 3: I don't think so.

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Speaker 1: I mean.

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Speaker 3: Maybe maybe new mire Goes close, but I think for

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Speaker 3: a first test of the year, the Dave Rennie has

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Speaker 3: only been on board with by the time kickoff for

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Speaker 3: ten days. It's such a short runway. I think you

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Speaker 3: largely go with the tried and true. Historically, the All

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Speaker 3: Blacks are incredibly rusty first up. France have had a

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Speaker 3: head out against largely second string English sides, but they've

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Speaker 3: got combinations. I think they'll come over here as rank

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Speaker 3: underdogs and they'll like that. We saw in Scott Robinson's tenure.

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Speaker 3: You know how close those first tests were against England

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Speaker 3: and France, very very scratchy. So I don't expect to

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Speaker 3: see anything too out of the box in this first test.

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Speaker 2: Selection wise, Okay, let's take a quick break here on rugby, Dirick,

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Speaker 2: come back to the Final Four after this, you're back

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Speaker 2: with a rugby direct time Now for the Final Four.

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Speaker 2: Confirmation over the weekends that the ANZAC Day Test match

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Speaker 2: is locked in in sunny Brisbane twenty twenty seven, twenty

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Speaker 2: twenty nine, twenty thirty one. We have talked about this

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Speaker 2: previously when it was mooted on the podcast. Now we

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Speaker 2: have it set in stone. Liam, what's your reaction.

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Speaker 3: Okay, I've come around a wee bit to the concept, Eliot.

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Speaker 3: I think it will be well supported. I think Australia

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Speaker 3: needs it. I think there'll be a lot of excitement

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Speaker 3: around it, but it's it's not without a cost. It

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Speaker 3: will reap great revenue for both New Zealand and Australia,

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Speaker 3: but there's many spin offs something there. You're undermining Super

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Speaker 3: Rugby that their argument is that it will actually build interest,

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Speaker 3: but you are pulling the All Blacks and Wallabies from

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Speaker 3: at least one fixture, possibly more depending on fatigue and injuries.

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Speaker 3: You are having to move Superround, which was a great

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Speaker 3: success on that weekends earlier this year in christ Church.

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Speaker 3: So look, it'll be well supported, it'll be a great hit,

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Speaker 3: but it is also a bit strange that it's every

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Speaker 3: couple of years as well when New.

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Speaker 2: Zealand Rugby don't think it would work in New Zealand

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Speaker 2: is my understanding, and you get to be convinced of

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Speaker 2: that concept. So I suppose you building Australia for a

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Speaker 2: couple of cycles there, maybe look to bring it to

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Speaker 2: New Zealand in twenty thirty two. Seems a long way

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Speaker 2: off now, obviously, but maybe that's something you look at

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Speaker 2: I think the jury's out. I think it'd be well supported.

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Speaker 2: You put the All Blacks and Wallabies into a Test

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Speaker 2: match and by and large ninety nine percent of the

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Speaker 2: time it's going to sell out and it is going

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Speaker 2: to be you know, open the coffers and get the

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Speaker 2: revenue pumping and that sort of thing. I am less

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Speaker 2: inclined to agree with the argument that it adds more

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Speaker 2: to Super Rugby in the opening rounds because players will

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Speaker 2: need to be informed. I think tried and True is

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Speaker 2: probably going to win out here rather than blooding a

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Speaker 2: debutante in April Test window players to be removed from

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Speaker 2: Super Rugby, they won't play that weekend prior. I think

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Speaker 2: that is weakening and already a compass, you know, which

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Speaker 2: is already on shaky ground. You know, people talk about

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Speaker 2: the NRL doing it. The NRL is pretty poor to

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Speaker 2: watching those weeks. When though you take the best thirty

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Speaker 2: four forty out of players out of the comp I

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Speaker 2: don't think it's a winning argument. You know, you take

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Speaker 2: your clearies, your Yo's to this goes Welsh's out of

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Speaker 2: the NRL. It's a much much weaker product. You do

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Speaker 2: that to Super Rugby and take the best thirty odd

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Speaker 2: New Zealand players, best Dirty Ord Wallabies players. Yeah, you're

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Speaker 2: going to get players opportunity, but it is actually good

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Speaker 2: for the competition. I don't think so so for me.

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Speaker 2: I think the jury is still out very much an

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Speaker 2: Australian lead thing. I'm not sure why we're helping out

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Speaker 2: Australia so much they are. You know, haven't done much

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Speaker 2: in super rugby for a number of years now. I

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Speaker 2: haven't won the bledders Low for twenty years. New Zealand

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Speaker 2: seems to bend over backwards to help them out. I

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Speaker 2: just don't get it.

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Speaker 3: The other point, Earliert, is with those three games being

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Speaker 3: confirmed for Brisbane sun Corp prior to the Chrush Chute

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Speaker 3: Stadium build as the best rugby over bought or stadium

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Speaker 3: in the world. So I don't have a problem with

365
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Speaker 3: it being there. But if the Wallabies can't win the

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Speaker 3: bledders Low in those years, they're never going to what

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Speaker 3: it are they.

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Speaker 2: Well, that's the other thing is that in Bledderslow Cup years,

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Speaker 2: You're right they'll get two home games. So how on

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Speaker 2: earth is that fear that goes against it the balance

371
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Speaker 2: of the series. You know it should be alternating. If

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Speaker 2: you're gon name with three much series, it should be

373
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Speaker 2: New Zealand's has the two games one year in Australia,

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Speaker 2: So with New Zealand's reluctance, I guess to have a

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Speaker 2: game in their home market on Anzac Day. I think

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Speaker 2: it does weaken the credibility of the Blitterslow. So if

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Speaker 2: Australia wins it, there's going to have to be an

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Speaker 2: asterix next to it, because they've had two games and

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Speaker 2: there's no return for New Zealand And getting two in

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Speaker 2: their own backyard. Surely, surely it has to be an

381
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Speaker 2: Asterix against it. So you'd have to view it as

382
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Speaker 2: a as a hollow Blitterslow upland wouldn't.

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Speaker 3: You, Well, what's it been Nowlliot's.

384
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Speaker 2: Twenty odd years. I guess you're going to find a

385
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Speaker 2: way to get them the Blurters like up.

386
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Speaker 3: Eventually, some sort of leg up correct some interest. Yeah, look, yeah,

387
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Speaker 3: the jury's out. But it will be a cash cow

388
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Speaker 3: and money talks in the modern professional age, doesn't.

389
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Speaker 2: It It does. Indeed, the Maldi All Blacks beating Japan

390
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Speaker 2: with they come from behind win this topic two in

391
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Speaker 2: the final four, many would have given up the Ghosts

392
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Speaker 2: at thirty one fourteen down and thought game over, Japan

393
00:21:02,213 --> 00:21:04,733
Speaker 2: are going to win this, but the Mauldi All Black

394
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Speaker 2: sparked a bit of a second half revival and from

395
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Speaker 2: him to win at thirty eight thirty one. One great

396
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Speaker 2: to see the Mouldy All Blakes out there and playing

397
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Speaker 2: some rugby. But two, you know, they can be pretty

398
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Speaker 2: proud of maybe their only game of the year and

399
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Speaker 2: the performance they turned in, especially after halftime.

400
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Speaker 3: It's pretty difficult, I think, to bring a team together

401
00:21:25,493 --> 00:21:27,253
Speaker 3: like that in such a short space at time, and

402
00:21:27,813 --> 00:21:30,573
Speaker 3: that was probably a reflection of their start, very scratchy,

403
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Speaker 3: a couple of yellow cards, completely on the back foot,

404
00:21:33,493 --> 00:21:35,733
Speaker 3: but they showed a lot of spirit, didn't They somebody

405
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Speaker 3: Allison's debut as head coach, and they scored some brilliant

406
00:21:39,853 --> 00:21:42,693
Speaker 3: tries to come back and finish that game. So they

407
00:21:42,693 --> 00:21:44,253
Speaker 3: can be pretty proud of that comeback.

408
00:21:44,733 --> 00:21:47,053
Speaker 2: It's weird they're not only playing, only playing one game.

409
00:21:47,333 --> 00:21:49,933
Speaker 2: I know that the Nation's Championship obviously starts this weekend

410
00:21:49,973 --> 00:21:52,173
Speaker 2: and this has been the issue for the Maldi All Blakes.

411
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Speaker 2: Everyone wants to see them out in the park. It's

412
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Speaker 2: a question of who and they actually play, given the

413
00:21:56,973 --> 00:21:59,853
Speaker 2: way that Tess rugby is these days and how the

414
00:21:59,893 --> 00:22:03,133
Speaker 2: windows are so tight. But yeah, quite disappointing that it

415
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Speaker 2: is their only game of the season at this point.

416
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Speaker 2: I'm not sure if they get anything else in the

417
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Speaker 2: pipeline believe so, but good start for Tombody Ellison. In

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Speaker 2: the end, topic number three, farewell to Mwana Pacifica. We

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Speaker 2: knew this was coming legand confirmation came aroutes on Wednesday

420
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Speaker 2: that it was done or done for Mwana Pacifica and

421
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Speaker 2: the rescue bids weren't going to come to pass. I

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Speaker 2: guess we've talked about this a number of times on

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Speaker 2: the podcast, but where does it leave Super Rugby for

424
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Speaker 2: next year? I guess the idea of Mowana as a whole.

425
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Speaker 2: Can it be revived?

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Speaker 3: Look, I think there'll be hope, but history probably shows

427
00:22:42,533 --> 00:22:45,733
Speaker 3: that when teams like this go under, no matter what

428
00:22:45,733 --> 00:22:49,653
Speaker 3: the circumstances, it's incredibly hard to get them back. And

429
00:22:49,893 --> 00:22:53,173
Speaker 3: it was that short rue way. I think the salvage

430
00:22:53,213 --> 00:22:56,373
Speaker 3: bid from Winston Peters and the Tonguan and Sarmon governments

431
00:22:57,493 --> 00:23:01,573
Speaker 3: collectively that just didn't have enough time to build the

432
00:23:01,613 --> 00:23:05,613
Speaker 3: necessary capital to convince News Yellen Rugby that they could

433
00:23:05,693 --> 00:23:10,973
Speaker 3: be a viable financial entity because that's essentially what's required,

434
00:23:11,253 --> 00:23:14,533
Speaker 3: not just on the field but off the field. So

435
00:23:14,573 --> 00:23:19,773
Speaker 3: it's a sad maybe final nail for Wana and looks

436
00:23:19,853 --> 00:23:22,733
Speaker 3: a lot of their players are already moving on. And

437
00:23:24,253 --> 00:23:26,093
Speaker 3: what it means for Super Agua next year. We talked

438
00:23:26,093 --> 00:23:29,973
Speaker 3: a wee bit about the likely formats on the previous pot.

439
00:23:30,093 --> 00:23:34,373
Speaker 3: I expect that to probably proceed now and there will

440
00:23:34,373 --> 00:23:37,533
Speaker 3: be plenty of question marks over a ten team competition,

441
00:23:38,693 --> 00:23:41,853
Speaker 3: probably sticking with a top six finals format. And the

442
00:23:41,893 --> 00:23:45,013
Speaker 3: other big question is around Artis Severe's future and the

443
00:23:45,133 --> 00:23:47,293
Speaker 3: likelihood that he probably ends up at the Blues.

444
00:23:48,253 --> 00:23:51,013
Speaker 2: Yeah. Look, it's a one season thing for Adi. I

445
00:23:51,053 --> 00:23:53,613
Speaker 2: suspect he won't be in New Zealand rugby beyond twenty

446
00:23:53,653 --> 00:23:57,213
Speaker 2: twenty seven. Was from twenty eight twenty eight onwards. One

447
00:23:57,253 --> 00:24:00,253
Speaker 2: season the Blues probably feels about right. The Hurricanes have

448
00:24:00,453 --> 00:24:02,173
Speaker 2: openly said they won't be able to get in there.

449
00:24:02,573 --> 00:24:04,373
Speaker 2: We're going to talk back caller last week's so you're

450
00:24:04,373 --> 00:24:07,613
Speaker 2: thinking that, you know, maybe you could apply the you know,

451
00:24:07,613 --> 00:24:09,453
Speaker 2: the magic spring that he applied to more one up

452
00:24:09,453 --> 00:24:12,653
Speaker 2: PACIFICA last year and get the Highlanders into the top

453
00:24:12,693 --> 00:24:14,693
Speaker 2: six or around the top six, but I don't see

454
00:24:14,693 --> 00:24:17,773
Speaker 2: that happening. You'd love to see him in the Crusaders jersey.

455
00:24:18,853 --> 00:24:21,933
Speaker 2: You know, Crusader's lost a few midfielders, so Leicester fining

456
00:24:21,973 --> 00:24:24,053
Speaker 2: and look, he's probably have to move back into the midfield.

457
00:24:24,133 --> 00:24:26,853
Speaker 2: So maybe there is an opening there an open side,

458
00:24:26,893 --> 00:24:28,653
Speaker 2: but no, all roads point to the Blues, don't they

459
00:24:28,893 --> 00:24:32,733
Speaker 2: for Ardisa via the natural fettle though they just had

460
00:24:32,733 --> 00:24:35,733
Speaker 2: their open side flanker and Anton Segner probably going forward

461
00:24:35,733 --> 00:24:38,133
Speaker 2: and long term being named in the All Blacks, but

462
00:24:38,253 --> 00:24:42,173
Speaker 2: he obviously can play both six and eight as required.

463
00:24:42,813 --> 00:24:46,853
Speaker 2: Super rugby format ten teams doesn't work long term. I

464
00:24:46,853 --> 00:24:48,413
Speaker 2: don't think they're gonna have to figure out a way

465
00:24:48,413 --> 00:24:52,533
Speaker 2: around that, but we'll see how it unfolds over the

466
00:24:52,573 --> 00:24:56,053
Speaker 2: next week while that format jus be known soon and time. Finally,

467
00:24:56,093 --> 00:24:59,173
Speaker 2: our topic four, the nation's championship as the whole obviously

468
00:24:59,213 --> 00:25:01,893
Speaker 2: starts this weekend the All Blacks in France, but the

469
00:25:01,893 --> 00:25:05,733
Speaker 2: Wilby's in Ireland, South Africa, England some blockbuster fixtures to

470
00:25:06,253 --> 00:25:08,773
Speaker 2: open things up. But as a holy and do you

471
00:25:08,813 --> 00:25:11,053
Speaker 2: think this concept is going to work?

472
00:25:12,173 --> 00:25:15,453
Speaker 3: Well, we talked earlier about the INXEC test Elliott and

473
00:25:16,613 --> 00:25:19,133
Speaker 3: why that's going ahead, and it's because money talks, and

474
00:25:19,813 --> 00:25:22,333
Speaker 3: that's ultimately what the Nation's Championship will come down to.

475
00:25:22,453 --> 00:25:25,493
Speaker 3: I quite like the format in that I think when

476
00:25:25,533 --> 00:25:27,493
Speaker 3: you play three tests against the team. We saw this

477
00:25:27,573 --> 00:25:30,893
Speaker 3: against France when they sent out a weekend side last year,

478
00:25:31,333 --> 00:25:33,453
Speaker 3: it can become a bit stale by the third test.

479
00:25:34,053 --> 00:25:38,213
Speaker 3: Interest ways, the All Blacks are putting out their second stringers,

480
00:25:38,893 --> 00:25:41,493
Speaker 3: so the real meaning around it gets questioned. So I

481
00:25:41,653 --> 00:25:44,533
Speaker 3: like the fact that you do play three different teams

482
00:25:44,533 --> 00:25:49,413
Speaker 3: in July, but the format as a whole look, there's

483
00:25:49,453 --> 00:25:53,533
Speaker 3: big question marks about Guitar's long term sponsorship. The whole

484
00:25:53,533 --> 00:25:58,133
Speaker 3: point of this Nation's Championship concept is the builds, meaning

485
00:25:58,373 --> 00:26:03,093
Speaker 3: and revenue that can be sold collectively to broadcasters to

486
00:26:03,213 --> 00:26:08,453
Speaker 3: prop up and give national unions a big windfall so

487
00:26:08,493 --> 00:26:11,773
Speaker 3: they can find a big sponsor to come on boards.

488
00:26:12,293 --> 00:26:14,893
Speaker 3: I think there's big question marks around it, and in

489
00:26:14,973 --> 00:26:18,613
Speaker 3: terms of the interests, it sounds like the spring Box

490
00:26:18,653 --> 00:26:22,493
Speaker 3: in England's at Alice Park won't sell out, so I

491
00:26:22,493 --> 00:26:25,573
Speaker 3: think that's a bit of an indication of their ticket

492
00:26:25,573 --> 00:26:29,133
Speaker 3: prices over there be people waiting for the All Blacks arrival,

493
00:26:29,493 --> 00:26:32,853
Speaker 3: but also the fact that the Nation's Championship is definitely

494
00:26:32,933 --> 00:26:34,613
Speaker 3: yet to capture the imagination.

495
00:26:35,253 --> 00:26:38,413
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think so too. And Johannesburg is getting three

496
00:26:38,453 --> 00:26:41,493
Speaker 2: tests this year obviously Alis Park this weekend and then

497
00:26:41,533 --> 00:26:45,373
Speaker 2: two in the Greatest Rivalry Series. So there's probably too

498
00:26:45,453 --> 00:26:47,653
Speaker 2: much of a good thing when it comes to having

499
00:26:47,653 --> 00:26:50,533
Speaker 2: the spring Box on turf and everything, at least from

500
00:26:50,533 --> 00:26:52,893
Speaker 2: a South Africa and New Zealand perspective, has been pointing

501
00:26:52,933 --> 00:26:57,973
Speaker 2: towards the Greatest Rivalry Series rather than the Nation's Championship series,

502
00:26:58,013 --> 00:27:01,093
Speaker 2: and perhaps it's a little bit natural. I've got reservations about it.

503
00:27:01,093 --> 00:27:04,573
Speaker 2: You know, you've got Japan playing home games in Newcastle

504
00:27:04,653 --> 00:27:07,493
Speaker 2: next week, You've got Fiji playing home games in Liverpool.

505
00:27:08,533 --> 00:27:12,413
Speaker 2: That is probably against what this was envisioned a few

506
00:27:12,453 --> 00:27:15,933
Speaker 2: years ago. Obviously, travel is a huge barrier, especially coming

507
00:27:15,933 --> 00:27:19,253
Speaker 2: from the North, because you know, countries are so far

508
00:27:19,333 --> 00:27:22,133
Speaker 2: apart here in the Southern Hemisphere in terms of rugby nations.

509
00:27:22,293 --> 00:27:23,893
Speaker 2: When the All Blacks go north, you know that they're

510
00:27:23,973 --> 00:27:25,533
Speaker 2: jumping on a train or they're jumping on a quick

511
00:27:25,573 --> 00:27:29,173
Speaker 2: flight over to a different country. So that does change

512
00:27:29,213 --> 00:27:32,053
Speaker 2: things a little bit, but I've got reservations as to

513
00:27:32,093 --> 00:27:35,453
Speaker 2: whether this is going to work long term, so we'll

514
00:27:35,493 --> 00:27:37,453
Speaker 2: white and see, but you know, it does give a

515
00:27:37,453 --> 00:27:40,973
Speaker 2: little bit more meaning to some of these fixtures in

516
00:27:41,093 --> 00:27:44,493
Speaker 2: the July window. That'll do us for Rugby Direct to

517
00:27:44,533 --> 00:27:46,373
Speaker 2: open things up. We'll be back later in the week

518
00:27:46,613 --> 00:27:48,933
Speaker 2: once we have an All Blacks team to look at

519
00:27:48,933 --> 00:27:52,653
Speaker 2: and maybe a French team as well. In fire things

520
00:27:52,693 --> 00:27:54,933
Speaker 2: through to the Rugby Direct mail bag as well Rugby

521
00:27:54,933 --> 00:27:58,173
Speaker 2: Direct at NEWSTALKZB dot co dot in Z. I think

522
00:27:58,173 --> 00:27:59,693
Speaker 2: we've got a couple in there. We'll try and get

523
00:27:59,693 --> 00:28:03,693
Speaker 2: to on Tuesday. But that has been Rugby Director thanks

524
00:28:03,693 --> 00:28:06,173
Speaker 2: to Mark Kelly and we are powered by in Zisaky

525
00:28:06,213 --> 00:28:09,853
Speaker 2: Black Week shop King Gep and you can for five thousand.

526
00:28:09,453 --> 00:28:12,813
Speaker 1: Dollars for more from News Talk st B. Listen live

527
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528
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