1 00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,547 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine 2 00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:11,907 Speaker 1: from News Talks EDB. 3 00:00:12,787 --> 00:00:15,307 Speaker 2: Talk S ed B All this week at the Akultangi 4 00:00:15,427 --> 00:00:19,747 Speaker 2: Indoor Sports Center in Wellington. The Asia Oceania Region qualified 5 00:00:19,987 --> 00:00:25,147 Speaker 2: qualification tournament for this year's Men's World Floorball Championships has 6 00:00:25,187 --> 00:00:30,027 Speaker 2: been taking place. Ten nations split initially into two groups 7 00:00:30,067 --> 00:00:32,907 Speaker 2: for paul play. The top teams advance to the playoffs. 8 00:00:33,147 --> 00:00:37,147 Speaker 2: Four teams will qualify for the Men's World Floorball Champs 9 00:00:37,187 --> 00:00:41,627 Speaker 2: in Finland in December. Tonight, New Zealand will face Japan 10 00:00:41,827 --> 00:00:45,227 Speaker 2: in a winner takes all showdown for a qualifying spot 11 00:00:45,667 --> 00:00:50,467 Speaker 2: at the World Champs. New Zealand coaches Christian Birchinger, how 12 00:00:50,467 --> 00:00:53,707 Speaker 2: confident were you going in that you'd reached this point, Christiana, 13 00:00:53,867 --> 00:00:56,067 Speaker 2: a game away, a win away from making it to 14 00:00:56,107 --> 00:00:56,867 Speaker 2: the World Champs. 15 00:00:58,107 --> 00:01:00,347 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, that's that's what they've been working for 16 00:01:00,347 --> 00:01:03,187 Speaker 3: for quite a while with the team, and that was 17 00:01:03,267 --> 00:01:07,307 Speaker 3: there were our goal to get to this deciding game. Yeah, 18 00:01:07,347 --> 00:01:09,547 Speaker 3: when it takes all tonight, which is very exciting. 19 00:01:10,067 --> 00:01:12,187 Speaker 2: Indeed. Tell us about the week you've had, the games 20 00:01:12,227 --> 00:01:14,547 Speaker 2: you've played, how happy have you been with your team's 21 00:01:14,547 --> 00:01:15,827 Speaker 2: performances up till now. 22 00:01:16,907 --> 00:01:19,347 Speaker 3: Yeah, so the team has performed really well and what 23 00:01:19,547 --> 00:01:22,707 Speaker 3: we really are sort of confident also today is that 24 00:01:23,107 --> 00:01:25,347 Speaker 3: we sort of stepped it up from game to game. 25 00:01:25,827 --> 00:01:30,427 Speaker 3: We had initial two games against China and the Solomon Islands, 26 00:01:30,427 --> 00:01:32,947 Speaker 3: we got away with two wins. Those were probably the 27 00:01:33,507 --> 00:01:36,187 Speaker 3: sort of the week teams in our group. Then we 28 00:01:36,227 --> 00:01:38,827 Speaker 3: had a very good game and the very narrow loss 29 00:01:38,827 --> 00:01:42,347 Speaker 3: against Singapore, who was one of the top teams. They've 30 00:01:42,347 --> 00:01:46,067 Speaker 3: already qualified they one hour group. And then last night 31 00:01:46,187 --> 00:01:49,907 Speaker 3: we played the Philippines, which traditionally are sort of the 32 00:01:49,987 --> 00:01:52,747 Speaker 3: top team in our part of the world, and we 33 00:01:52,827 --> 00:01:54,947 Speaker 3: managed to get a five five old draw with team. 34 00:01:55,027 --> 00:01:56,907 Speaker 3: So that has given us quite a bit of confidence. 35 00:01:57,387 --> 00:01:59,227 Speaker 3: The team is, as I said, this sort of stepped 36 00:01:59,227 --> 00:02:01,267 Speaker 3: it up from game to games, so I think we're 37 00:02:01,307 --> 00:02:02,307 Speaker 3: all ready for tonight. 38 00:02:02,907 --> 00:02:05,947 Speaker 2: I hear that there was a fairly dramatic finish to 39 00:02:06,027 --> 00:02:08,747 Speaker 2: last nights five all draw with the Philippines. 40 00:02:09,907 --> 00:02:13,467 Speaker 3: Yeah. Absolutely. We were five three down with maybe seven 41 00:02:13,507 --> 00:02:17,227 Speaker 3: minutes to go, manage to pull one back and then 42 00:02:17,827 --> 00:02:20,907 Speaker 3: in the end what you can do in floorball, you 43 00:02:20,947 --> 00:02:23,947 Speaker 3: can pull the keeper to put an extra field player on. 44 00:02:24,067 --> 00:02:28,547 Speaker 3: So with it dad six field players and then managed 45 00:02:28,587 --> 00:02:31,627 Speaker 3: to equalize with one second to go, So one second 46 00:02:31,667 --> 00:02:34,707 Speaker 3: on the clock was when we scored. The equalizers are 47 00:02:34,747 --> 00:02:37,347 Speaker 3: pretty pretty exciting finish for the crowd. 48 00:02:37,907 --> 00:02:41,507 Speaker 2: Absolutely great stuff. Before we talk about Japan tonight, not 49 00:02:41,587 --> 00:02:44,547 Speaker 2: all of our listeners will be familiar with floorball. Can 50 00:02:44,547 --> 00:02:46,267 Speaker 2: you give us a broad description of the sport. 51 00:02:47,707 --> 00:02:51,107 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's a top of indoor hockey, so it's running, 52 00:02:51,467 --> 00:02:55,067 Speaker 3: lots of running. It's very fast paced. The court has 53 00:02:55,187 --> 00:02:58,067 Speaker 3: boards around it so you can bounce the ball off 54 00:02:58,107 --> 00:03:01,187 Speaker 3: the side. The goals are set in similar to ice hockey, 55 00:03:02,067 --> 00:03:04,267 Speaker 3: and you've got a goalie and five field players on 56 00:03:04,307 --> 00:03:07,987 Speaker 3: the courts. Again, some very close similarities to ice hockey, 57 00:03:08,107 --> 00:03:10,867 Speaker 3: just without the ice and without the skating. And we 58 00:03:10,947 --> 00:03:15,907 Speaker 3: play with a ball, light white sticks. It's it's not 59 00:03:16,187 --> 00:03:18,667 Speaker 3: too physical, but there's always a bit of shoulder to 60 00:03:18,707 --> 00:03:20,787 Speaker 3: shoulder like you would see in a football game as well, 61 00:03:20,827 --> 00:03:24,587 Speaker 3: so there's there's definitely some good, good physicalities in the 62 00:03:24,667 --> 00:03:25,267 Speaker 3: game as well. 63 00:03:25,747 --> 00:03:28,027 Speaker 2: And the ball itself is it is the weight of 64 00:03:28,067 --> 00:03:30,827 Speaker 2: a tennis ball, lighter than that. How would you how 65 00:03:30,867 --> 00:03:33,507 Speaker 2: would you describe the ball that you're that you're playing with? 66 00:03:34,547 --> 00:03:37,107 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's it's a hollow plastic ball, it's got it's 67 00:03:37,107 --> 00:03:41,107 Speaker 3: got holes in it. Some listeners might remember uni hook 68 00:03:41,187 --> 00:03:46,787 Speaker 3: from gear Pree times at school, so it's a it's 69 00:03:46,827 --> 00:03:49,307 Speaker 3: a sport that is sometimes played at school. It's it's 70 00:03:49,347 --> 00:03:52,827 Speaker 3: a light white ball that can travel very fast but 71 00:03:52,907 --> 00:03:55,907 Speaker 3: doesn't have a lot of weight, so people usually use 72 00:03:55,987 --> 00:03:59,947 Speaker 3: their bodies to blog shots, which yeah, is still a 73 00:03:59,987 --> 00:04:02,947 Speaker 3: possibility years it can you feel it if you bought 74 00:04:02,987 --> 00:04:05,147 Speaker 3: a shop, but it's not going to do any any damage, 75 00:04:05,147 --> 00:04:07,147 Speaker 3: so it's not not danger us in that scense. 76 00:04:07,827 --> 00:04:09,907 Speaker 2: Do you tend to get most of the players who 77 00:04:09,987 --> 00:04:13,627 Speaker 2: come to floorball from from hockey? You know, it sounds, 78 00:04:13,627 --> 00:04:17,187 Speaker 2: as you've outlined it, similar to field hockey indoors, we 79 00:04:17,227 --> 00:04:19,907 Speaker 2: don't play as much ice hockey here. Of course, what 80 00:04:19,947 --> 00:04:22,587 Speaker 2: backgrounds do do players typically come from. 81 00:04:24,587 --> 00:04:27,867 Speaker 3: We do have some players that crossed over from hockey. 82 00:04:28,227 --> 00:04:30,627 Speaker 3: But what do we find, especially in the Wellington region, 83 00:04:31,027 --> 00:04:34,707 Speaker 3: is that use a large number who started to play 84 00:04:34,787 --> 00:04:39,427 Speaker 3: floorball at primary school have gone through through clubs and 85 00:04:39,547 --> 00:04:42,947 Speaker 3: trainings and some have made it their main sport ten 86 00:04:43,067 --> 00:04:45,427 Speaker 3: twelve years ago and have been playing for a long time. 87 00:04:45,507 --> 00:04:49,347 Speaker 3: So more and more of our players in the national 88 00:04:49,387 --> 00:04:52,827 Speaker 3: team have actually sort of just come through floorball, which 89 00:04:52,907 --> 00:04:56,787 Speaker 3: is really where we see the biggest difference that we've 90 00:04:56,867 --> 00:04:59,427 Speaker 3: got players in the team now that yeah, they've been 91 00:04:59,427 --> 00:05:01,947 Speaker 3: playing this for quite a while and put a lot 92 00:05:01,947 --> 00:05:03,587 Speaker 3: of time and if it's been to getting to the 93 00:05:03,667 --> 00:05:05,387 Speaker 3: level direct So. 94 00:05:05,467 --> 00:05:09,507 Speaker 2: Japan tonight, Christian, how confident are you about getting the 95 00:05:09,587 --> 00:05:13,547 Speaker 2: victory you need tonight to get to the World Champs. 96 00:05:13,947 --> 00:05:16,467 Speaker 3: We know that's going to be going to be a 97 00:05:16,627 --> 00:05:20,427 Speaker 3: good challenge. We're up to it. We've played Japan before 98 00:05:20,547 --> 00:05:25,227 Speaker 3: there they're always very fast here. Not the biggest athletes, 99 00:05:25,267 --> 00:05:28,387 Speaker 3: but they're very fit, very quick. They've got good stick skills, 100 00:05:29,387 --> 00:05:32,147 Speaker 3: We've got a good system. We've got a good defensive 101 00:05:32,187 --> 00:05:35,507 Speaker 3: system that worked well against some of the top teams already. 102 00:05:35,587 --> 00:05:39,187 Speaker 3: So if we stick to our plan and then can 103 00:05:39,347 --> 00:05:42,987 Speaker 3: count to them on prick counter attacks can be good, 104 00:05:43,187 --> 00:05:47,227 Speaker 3: good with our passing game, then I think we stand 105 00:05:47,227 --> 00:05:49,627 Speaker 3: a good chance. And yeah, we just need need a 106 00:05:49,667 --> 00:05:52,307 Speaker 3: good performance again from the team and the good support 107 00:05:52,347 --> 00:05:52,987 Speaker 3: from the crowd. 108 00:05:53,787 --> 00:05:55,627 Speaker 2: And would this be history making? Have you been to 109 00:05:55,667 --> 00:05:56,827 Speaker 2: the World Champs before? 110 00:05:58,587 --> 00:06:01,587 Speaker 3: Not with the means team now, we've never been to 111 00:06:01,587 --> 00:06:03,987 Speaker 3: the Wild Champs with our means or women's teams. We 112 00:06:04,107 --> 00:06:07,947 Speaker 3: have been with our under nineteen means or under nineteen women, 113 00:06:08,067 --> 00:06:11,907 Speaker 3: but yeah for the for the senior team, that would 114 00:06:11,907 --> 00:06:14,267 Speaker 3: be an absolute yeah, first time. 115 00:06:15,027 --> 00:06:19,707 Speaker 2: Brilliant history making is beckoning. So what time you underway tonight, Christian. 116 00:06:19,747 --> 00:06:21,667 Speaker 2: For those in the Wellington region you might want to 117 00:06:21,667 --> 00:06:23,187 Speaker 2: get down and lend their voice. 118 00:06:24,067 --> 00:06:27,867 Speaker 3: Yes, I'll start start of the game as at steven Usually, 119 00:06:27,987 --> 00:06:30,907 Speaker 3: I was recomming to be there maybe ten fifteen minutes earlier, 120 00:06:31,067 --> 00:06:33,147 Speaker 3: just to make sure you get in in time. We 121 00:06:33,227 --> 00:06:35,827 Speaker 3: had close to a thousand people last night and some 122 00:06:36,307 --> 00:06:40,867 Speaker 3: amazing some amazing cheering going on. So yeah, we're absolutely 123 00:06:40,947 --> 00:06:44,827 Speaker 3: looking forward to a great, great performance again tonight. And 124 00:06:45,627 --> 00:06:47,947 Speaker 3: the crowd. I think all the players on the bench 125 00:06:47,987 --> 00:06:50,627 Speaker 3: we heard the crowd the whole time. There was definitely 126 00:06:50,907 --> 00:06:52,787 Speaker 3: a big bonus for us to play in front of 127 00:06:52,747 --> 00:06:53,467 Speaker 3: a home crowd. 128 00:06:54,307 --> 00:06:56,267 Speaker 2: All the best to night, Christian. An exciting time for 129 00:06:56,307 --> 00:06:59,187 Speaker 2: you and for the team. Appreciate you taking time on 130 00:06:59,347 --> 00:07:00,467 Speaker 2: game day to have a chat to us. 131 00:07:00,467 --> 00:07:03,467 Speaker 3: All the best tonight, wonderful, Thank you so much. 132 00:07:03,627 --> 00:07:06,347 Speaker 2: Cheers no cheers to you as well, Christian. Christian, butching 133 00:07:06,507 --> 00:07:08,747 Speaker 2: there he's the coach of the men's floorball team. They 134 00:07:08,787 --> 00:07:12,107 Speaker 2: play Japan tonight at seven Akutangi Sports Center. That's the 135 00:07:12,547 --> 00:07:16,227 Speaker 2: indoor sports center out by Wellington Airport. I've been to 136 00:07:16,267 --> 00:07:20,427 Speaker 2: that sports center dozens hundreds of times watching my own 137 00:07:20,507 --> 00:07:24,347 Speaker 2: son play basketball, and there's always floorball going on down there. 138 00:07:24,587 --> 00:07:28,547 Speaker 2: As Christian outlined, it's basically field hockey or ice hockey 139 00:07:28,587 --> 00:07:33,107 Speaker 2: indoors on a gym floor very fast. They seem to 140 00:07:33,147 --> 00:07:37,787 Speaker 2: take it really seriously. As Christian outlined, there now young 141 00:07:38,307 --> 00:07:40,747 Speaker 2: players who it's their main sport, not just something they 142 00:07:40,747 --> 00:07:43,147 Speaker 2: do it's a bit of fun on the side, it's 143 00:07:43,187 --> 00:07:45,067 Speaker 2: their main sports. Of all the best of the New 144 00:07:45,147 --> 00:07:45,947 Speaker 2: Zealand team tonight. 145 00:07:47,027 --> 00:07:50,187 Speaker 1: For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, Listen live 146 00:07:50,307 --> 00:07:53,587 Speaker 1: to News Talk zed B weekends from midday, or follow 147 00:07:53,627 --> 00:07:55,227 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio.