1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:03,040 Speaker 1: Okay, So the All Blacks Grand Slam Tour gets underway 2 00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:05,640 Speaker 1: this weekend with arguably the toughest test. They'll be back 3 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:08,960 Speaker 1: at Chicago's Soldier Field on Sunday morning, taking on Ireland. 4 00:00:09,560 --> 00:00:11,320 Speaker 1: Of course, we all remember the last time these two 5 00:00:11,320 --> 00:00:15,120 Speaker 1: met in Chicago twenty sixteen. We're famously Island recorded its 6 00:00:15,160 --> 00:00:18,440 Speaker 1: first win over the All Blacks. Our voice of Rugby, 7 00:00:18,440 --> 00:00:20,720 Speaker 1: Elliott Smith, is in Chicago and he joins me, Now. 8 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:22,680 Speaker 2: Good morning, Hi Francesca. 9 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:26,040 Speaker 1: What's the vibe like? Is everyone amped and looking forward 10 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:27,000 Speaker 1: to a game of rugby? 11 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:30,720 Speaker 2: It's quite interesting. I mean it sold out and months 12 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:34,760 Speaker 2: ago as well, sixty one thousand capacity for the game, 13 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:38,199 Speaker 2: but barring a few lampost flags, you probably wouldn't know 14 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:41,559 Speaker 2: it's on. And that's fine. Look it said, it's one 15 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:43,480 Speaker 2: of those things in a big city that sometimes these 16 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:46,280 Speaker 2: things don't break through. And it's a sport that isn't 17 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:49,920 Speaker 2: one that is widely popular in the masses. And you know, 18 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:53,479 Speaker 2: I think Chicago's probably more focused on the Chicago bullside, 19 00:00:53,479 --> 00:00:55,720 Speaker 2: which have started four and zero to start the NBA season. 20 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:58,080 Speaker 2: Then this test for having said that you don't sell 21 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:02,120 Speaker 2: sixty thousand by accident and there'll be plenty of fans 22 00:01:02,120 --> 00:01:04,040 Speaker 2: and you know a lot of Irish people in Chicago, 23 00:01:04,120 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 2: and a lot of expats coming through from both nations 24 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 2: and those also coming from the countries flying in for 25 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:11,960 Speaker 2: the game. So promises to be a special occasion, even 26 00:01:11,959 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 2: if it's not tearing the headlines off the front pages 27 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:14,959 Speaker 2: of the paper. 28 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: At the moment, considering the All Blacks Rugby Championship, are 29 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:20,039 Speaker 1: you confident that they can take Ireland? 30 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:23,920 Speaker 2: Look, I think they can take Ireland. Island coming in cold. 31 00:01:23,959 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 2: They haven't played as a group since the Six Nations. 32 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:30,039 Speaker 2: Andy Farrell, their head coach, wasn't head coach on that occasion. 33 00:01:30,080 --> 00:01:32,679 Speaker 2: He took a break to focus on his lines duty. 34 00:01:32,760 --> 00:01:34,480 Speaker 2: So it's been a while. In fact, last year's end 35 00:01:34,480 --> 00:01:37,120 Speaker 2: of year tour with the All Blacks hand success over Ireland. 36 00:01:38,120 --> 00:01:40,680 Speaker 2: Since that they were all together as a proper group, 37 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:43,200 Speaker 2: with all the management and all the players in the 38 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:45,360 Speaker 2: right place. So they come in a little bit cold 39 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 2: to this test matcher. They've had a diet of urec. 40 00:01:48,720 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 2: They played each other in a derby a lot of 41 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:53,480 Speaker 2: these players last weekend, so they've had a bit of 42 00:01:53,480 --> 00:01:56,760 Speaker 2: a hitout internally as well as my understanding, but they 43 00:01:56,760 --> 00:01:58,400 Speaker 2: come in a little bit cold. But the All Blacks, 44 00:01:58,400 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 2: you know, they're right in the middle of the season, 45 00:02:00,080 --> 00:02:02,800 Speaker 2: in the back end of their season. The Rugby Championship 46 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:05,520 Speaker 2: fills you probably with not a great deal of confidence. 47 00:02:05,560 --> 00:02:07,840 Speaker 2: They beat the Wallabies obviously to finish it off, but 48 00:02:07,920 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 2: that heavy loss to the spring Box and Tina losing 49 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:14,359 Speaker 2: in Buenos Aires as well gives you the sense that, 50 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:17,360 Speaker 2: you know, it's the old Forest Gump analogy, you know, 51 00:02:17,520 --> 00:02:18,960 Speaker 2: all backs. At the moment, you just don't know what 52 00:02:18,960 --> 00:02:21,960 Speaker 2: you're going to get. And it could be a win 53 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:25,240 Speaker 2: this weekend, they could set themselves on to a Grand Slam, 54 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 2: or it could be a defeat to you know, the 55 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:30,239 Speaker 2: Irish and the Grand Slam's gone at the first hurdle. 56 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:32,560 Speaker 2: So look, there's a lot of improvements needed by the 57 00:02:32,560 --> 00:02:34,400 Speaker 2: All Blacks and that starts this weekend. 58 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:36,959 Speaker 1: What would losing again in the US do to the 59 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:38,880 Speaker 1: All Blacks brand because we are playing there purely for 60 00:02:38,880 --> 00:02:40,400 Speaker 1: commercial reasons for the advertisers. 61 00:02:41,639 --> 00:02:44,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think they need to keep up appearances by winning, 62 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:47,280 Speaker 2: and you know that's where they drive a lot of 63 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:51,600 Speaker 2: their revenue. Is obviously their historical record and the record 64 00:02:51,639 --> 00:02:54,080 Speaker 2: over the last few seasons hasn't been good enough, So 65 00:02:54,639 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 2: you've got to deliver on that. You've got to show 66 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 2: the sponsors that are backing us. That's got you know, 67 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 2: Gallagher is the name rite sponsor on the back of 68 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:03,880 Speaker 2: their shorts, but also for the fixture itself. You know, 69 00:03:03,919 --> 00:03:07,640 Speaker 2: they expect success. So it's you know, it's contingent on it. 70 00:03:07,680 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 2: And the more you lose, the less commercially lucrative you 71 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:15,639 Speaker 2: are potentially to some of those overseas markets where you're 72 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 2: selling the success story of the All Black So I 73 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 2: think it's imperative that they do pick up these wins, 74 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:22,919 Speaker 2: especially when they are, you know, in America and trying 75 00:03:22,960 --> 00:03:25,480 Speaker 2: to tell the rugby story and and the all black story. 76 00:03:25,720 --> 00:03:28,239 Speaker 1: Elliot, thanks so much for your time. Appreciated. 77 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:32,240 Speaker 2: For more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live 78 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 2: to News Talk set Be from five am weekdays, or 79 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:37,360 Speaker 2: follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.