WEBVTT - Rugby Direct: Episode 211 0:00:09.093 --> 0:00:11.973 You're listening to a podcast from News Talks at B. 0:00:12.373 --> 0:00:16.173 Follow this and our Wide Ranger podcasts now on iHeartRadio. 0:00:21.893 --> 0:00:23.653 Straight down the middle. 0:00:23.373 --> 0:00:24.813 Of truck this guy. 0:00:26.453 --> 0:00:34.933 Try get inside the game from every end goal. It's 0:00:35.053 --> 0:00:38.853 Rugby Direct with Elliot Smith and Liam Napier powered by 0:00:38.933 --> 0:00:39.693 News Talks B. 0:00:40.013 --> 0:00:42.693 Welcome into Rugby Direct powered by Habit Health Physio book 0:00:42.733 --> 0:00:46.013 today and stay in the game back for another week, 0:00:46.053 --> 0:00:48.933 two episodes a week now, of course of Rugby Direct. 0:00:49.333 --> 0:00:51.853 My name is Elliott Smith and someone that maybe needs 0:00:51.893 --> 0:00:53.853 to go to Habit Health. Maybe not the physio necessarily, 0:00:53.853 --> 0:00:56.173 although he has broken his wrist, but he's under the weather. 0:00:56.493 --> 0:00:59.053 This week is Liam Napier, so joining me once again. 0:00:59.293 --> 0:01:01.653 Welcome in, Nick Buley Bills, thanks for your time on 0:01:01.653 --> 0:01:02.413 that Rugby Direct. 0:01:03.133 --> 0:01:05.453 Happy to be first cab off the rank here. It's 0:01:05.493 --> 0:01:07.733 been a pretty bad run, hasn't it for Liam? What 0:01:07.733 --> 0:01:12.653 are we round six? But all the best to our 0:01:12.733 --> 0:01:17.293 favorite Cane train fan. Fan. Are we calling a fan? Well? 0:01:17.333 --> 0:01:17.853 I think we are. 0:01:17.973 --> 0:01:18.133 Yeah. 0:01:18.173 --> 0:01:21.253 I think he's fully on the bandwag and forget any 0:01:21.293 --> 0:01:24.373 sort of impartiality. He's right in the fan. And look, 0:01:24.413 --> 0:01:25.933 you know, this week we'll try and not make it 0:01:25.973 --> 0:01:28.173 as Crusader's focus, but I think it would have been 0:01:28.213 --> 0:01:32.613 more Hurricanes focused if Liam was indeed here, Let's rip 0:01:32.613 --> 0:01:35.333 into the weekend. That was round six in the books 0:01:35.333 --> 0:01:38.453 for Super Rugby Bules and the Blues beating the war 0:01:38.613 --> 0:01:42.573 Tars thirty five twenty to round out the round on 0:01:42.773 --> 0:01:45.773 Saturday night. This was a really good performance I thought 0:01:45.773 --> 0:01:48.573 from the Blues game that was slipping away from them. 0:01:48.653 --> 0:01:52.933 You felt maybe just after halftime when the Waratars had 0:01:52.973 --> 0:01:55.333 extended their lead out to twenty points to eight, but 0:01:56.013 --> 0:01:58.053 what I really liked from the Blues was there was 0:01:58.093 --> 0:02:01.613 no real panic at that point. They basically stuck to 0:02:01.653 --> 0:02:05.053 their script. They continued their game plan trusted it would work, 0:02:05.093 --> 0:02:06.613 and I know that's a bit of a cliche, but 0:02:06.933 --> 0:02:09.013 they just stuck to the process and believed that they 0:02:09.053 --> 0:02:11.613 were going to write the ship and as soon as 0:02:11.653 --> 0:02:13.573 they got one back through Cody Vais, it felt like 0:02:13.613 --> 0:02:15.853 they had fully swung the momentum and they weren't even 0:02:15.933 --> 0:02:19.413 chasing the game at that point. I thought, you know, 0:02:19.453 --> 0:02:21.173 the schooline doesn't tell the full story there, but I 0:02:21.213 --> 0:02:23.293 thought it was a pretty assured performance from the Blues, 0:02:23.773 --> 0:02:25.693 especially the last half hour of that contest. 0:02:26.253 --> 0:02:27.893 I totally agree. Yeah, what is that in the end 0:02:27.933 --> 0:02:31.973 twenty seven unanswered points? I think four tries thrown in there. 0:02:32.693 --> 0:02:34.653 They really just kicked into gear as you say, after 0:02:34.693 --> 0:02:38.493 that VI try. I thought aj Lamb was particularly strong 0:02:38.493 --> 0:02:41.333 and they got some real spark off the bench through 0:02:41.533 --> 0:02:45.973 Tofa Funaki at half back. I thought Boden Barrett pulled 0:02:46.013 --> 0:02:49.453 the strings as he always does, and as you say, 0:02:49.493 --> 0:02:53.773 it was an assured performance, no panic and commanding. Pretty 0:02:53.813 --> 0:02:56.093 concerning for the Warratar's side. They came out with a 0:02:56.093 --> 0:02:57.973 hiss and a row. What's that? Three or maybe four 0:02:58.013 --> 0:03:00.773 losses in a row now, But there is some really 0:03:01.133 --> 0:03:03.893 encouraging signs there for the Blues. They'll be a little 0:03:03.893 --> 0:03:06.613 bit miffed as to their starts, and I know they're 0:03:06.653 --> 0:03:11.093 a little bit scrappy from a starting perspective against Mawana 0:03:11.133 --> 0:03:13.293 as well, so they want to sure that up. But 0:03:14.093 --> 0:03:16.853 signs of encouragement there for ern Cotta's side, and then 0:03:16.893 --> 0:03:19.333 you look ahead at their drawer. They take on the 0:03:19.453 --> 0:03:22.013 drawer back at Eden Park, a team that we all 0:03:22.053 --> 0:03:25.453 know don't travel well. And then part of this Easter 0:03:25.533 --> 0:03:28.173 weekend by round, which we're going to get into shortly 0:03:28.293 --> 0:03:30.653 then the Hurricanes down in Wellington that will be a 0:03:30.693 --> 0:03:34.533 real litmus test. But no, I thought a place where 0:03:34.533 --> 0:03:37.893 it can be tricky, Sydney. The Warrataza is the one 0:03:37.933 --> 0:03:40.653 place that they really tend to lift and get up for. 0:03:40.773 --> 0:03:42.973 In a game that was slipping away, they really turned 0:03:43.013 --> 0:03:44.773 it on in that last half hour. 0:03:44.893 --> 0:03:47.253 They did indeed, and they did it without Golden Popolti 0:03:47.253 --> 0:03:49.773 who went off at halftime as well. They had to 0:03:49.813 --> 0:03:52.853 reshuffle their pack a little bit as a result. Tory 0:03:52.933 --> 0:03:56.093 in Barns comes on. Look he's having a storming start 0:03:56.133 --> 0:03:58.293 to the Super Rugby season. It was in the wider 0:03:58.333 --> 0:04:00.973 training group now is a Blues regularly came off the 0:04:00.973 --> 0:04:05.413 bench and had a full forty minutes performance. You know, 0:04:05.453 --> 0:04:07.253 he threw everything out. I think he had about eleven 0:04:07.293 --> 0:04:09.933 twelve runs in the end good the last try. But 0:04:10.053 --> 0:04:12.733 players like him are just slotting into roles really nicely 0:04:12.813 --> 0:04:15.333 for the Blues. They play little system sort of style 0:04:15.853 --> 0:04:18.093 of rugby union. I think that the strength of Barnes 0:04:18.133 --> 0:04:20.973 is that he has slotted in, found a real niche 0:04:21.013 --> 0:04:24.293 and he looks like a really promising player. You've seen 0:04:24.293 --> 0:04:26.173 a bit of him down you know in christ Church 0:04:26.213 --> 0:04:29.573 with Canterbury and the NBC hasn't had too many chances there, 0:04:29.613 --> 0:04:32.293 but he looks like a real comer for the Blues 0:04:32.333 --> 0:04:34.093 over the next few seasons. And last week they just 0:04:34.133 --> 0:04:35.293 resigned him for a couple more. 0:04:35.653 --> 0:04:37.253 Yeah, I was just going to say they made the 0:04:37.893 --> 0:04:41.653 core early and rightly so to promote him through to 0:04:42.413 --> 0:04:45.373 a full squad contract for twenty seven and twenty eight. Look, 0:04:45.533 --> 0:04:49.653 I must admit smothe, you know, watching him sparingly for Canterburen, 0:04:49.693 --> 0:04:51.573 you'd get the odd game, the odd start at six 0:04:51.693 --> 0:04:55.373 or eight, but primarily off the bench. I thought, look, 0:04:55.453 --> 0:04:57.213 you know, you look at the cattle that the Crusaders 0:04:57.213 --> 0:04:58.933 have in the loose forward department. You look at them 0:04:58.973 --> 0:05:01.733 going out and getting an Oli Mathis, which is a 0:05:01.813 --> 0:05:04.293 totally different type of loose forward. But you could kind 0:05:04.293 --> 0:05:07.173 of understand what the Crusaders were thinking in terms of that. 0:05:07.213 --> 0:05:09.653 They would have been to keep Tory and Barnes, but 0:05:09.693 --> 0:05:12.773 they were happy to sort of, you know, spin their luck, 0:05:13.053 --> 0:05:15.533 if you like, in the draft system late last year 0:05:15.573 --> 0:05:18.533 with these wider training group contracts. But the Blues have 0:05:18.533 --> 0:05:21.333 found a gym that whatever he's done over the preseason, 0:05:21.613 --> 0:05:24.853 he looks like he's bulked up, but he is fully yeah, 0:05:25.293 --> 0:05:27.573 buying into the way the Blues are playing. He's got 0:05:27.573 --> 0:05:30.853 that ability to range out in the wider channels and 0:05:31.213 --> 0:05:36.013 equally as effective in tight so no one to follow. 0:05:36.053 --> 0:05:37.693 The Torian buds has been one of the stories of 0:05:37.693 --> 0:05:38.093 the season. 0:05:38.293 --> 0:05:40.133 Yeah, here's indeed Dan. Look, I just want to give 0:05:40.133 --> 0:05:42.093 a shout out to to aj Lambon and look, maybe 0:05:42.093 --> 0:05:43.813 he comes into it a bit later on when we 0:05:43.813 --> 0:05:47.093 give out our three two ones, but he's going overseas 0:05:47.133 --> 0:05:49.333 after the season. But to me, it feels like he's 0:05:49.853 --> 0:05:52.933 played all blacks fifteen rugby, never really had a look 0:05:52.933 --> 0:05:56.053 in at the top level, but that try he's scored 0:05:56.613 --> 0:05:59.333 just the power that he's able to use, but also 0:05:59.373 --> 0:06:01.813 that the speed that he's got. He's so powerful, and 0:06:01.853 --> 0:06:04.053 I just don't know that he even got a proper 0:06:04.093 --> 0:06:06.813 looking at test level. And I believe we may be 0:06:06.973 --> 0:06:09.653 letting a bit of a gym go in aj Lamb 0:06:09.893 --> 0:06:12.453 at the end of the season. You know, he's versatile, 0:06:12.453 --> 0:06:15.813 he's played wing, he can play both positions in midfield. 0:06:16.613 --> 0:06:20.413 You know, strong bench option as well, given the play 0:06:20.653 --> 0:06:22.973 places that he can cover in a back line. But 0:06:23.253 --> 0:06:25.413 I think he beat six to seven defenders on the 0:06:25.453 --> 0:06:26.973 weekend and a few of those would have been in 0:06:27.013 --> 0:06:30.453 that one tribe, but just a really outstanding player that 0:06:30.773 --> 0:06:32.773 maybe just didn't get the look and he deserved it 0:06:33.053 --> 0:06:33.853 at the top table. 0:06:34.693 --> 0:06:37.093 I agree, and look, I think his best position as center. 0:06:37.253 --> 0:06:40.613 And unfortunately for aj Lamb, you know, he had Rico 0:06:40.693 --> 0:06:43.213 Juanna ahead of him for several seasons. He's now really 0:06:43.213 --> 0:06:45.893 getting a chance to show how impactful he can be, 0:06:45.973 --> 0:06:50.933 particularly in terms of that physicalness, the ball carrying. Yeah, 0:06:50.933 --> 0:06:54.293 and there's a litany of players in there around that 0:06:54.293 --> 0:06:56.493 sort of twenty six twenty seven year old age bracket 0:06:56.493 --> 0:06:58.213 who are heading overseas at the end of the season 0:06:58.253 --> 0:07:00.773 who you feel like New Zealand Rugby didn't quite tap 0:07:00.813 --> 0:07:04.253 into sort of or get the full potential out of, 0:07:04.333 --> 0:07:06.053 and a J Lamb would have to be near the 0:07:06.053 --> 0:07:06.773 top of that list. 0:07:06.933 --> 0:07:07.213 They would. 0:07:07.253 --> 0:07:09.853 Indeed, Let's move for the backwards through fr Saturday night 0:07:09.893 --> 0:07:14.373 and the Crusaders fifty Mauana Pacific at twenty one if Miwana, 0:07:14.413 --> 0:07:16.533 if games of rugby were forty minutes, Mowana would be 0:07:16.533 --> 0:07:19.653 pretty dangerous. But as it happens, there are eighty minutes 0:07:19.653 --> 0:07:23.493 and the Crusaders just too good after halftime too clinical. 0:07:24.053 --> 0:07:27.773 They weren't great for patches of that first forty minutes Bules, 0:07:27.813 --> 0:07:31.133 but I thought they were asshured after the break. And 0:07:31.173 --> 0:07:32.973 you know, this is a Crusaders team down on a 0:07:32.973 --> 0:07:37.093 few players, obviously with injuries. Cody Taylor wasn't there on 0:07:37.133 --> 0:07:39.413 the weekend. They had to go down to their fourth 0:07:39.493 --> 0:07:42.693 choice ten. But a good performance, perhaps not great from 0:07:42.733 --> 0:07:44.453 the Crusaders, but when you can turn that on the 0:07:44.533 --> 0:07:47.013 second forty you know you're not doing too bad. 0:07:47.453 --> 0:07:49.773 Yeah. Look, we'll move on quickly here because apparently the 0:07:50.133 --> 0:07:52.773 Rugby Direct listeners don't want to hear the Crusaders commentator 0:07:52.813 --> 0:07:56.133 and a proud Cantabrian talk about the Crusaders. But look, 0:07:56.413 --> 0:07:58.573 I totally agree. I thought it was pretty clunky first 0:07:58.573 --> 0:08:02.613 half and without some of those regulars, it wasn't that flash. 0:08:02.653 --> 0:08:04.813 And look, the Crusaders are trying to force things. I 0:08:04.853 --> 0:08:07.013 think that the games against Mowana you kind of lean 0:08:07.053 --> 0:08:09.213 into that, perhaps a little bit too much and try 0:08:09.293 --> 0:08:11.693 too hard. But then we saw when the like said 0:08:11.773 --> 0:08:13.333 Lester Fining, a nook who came off the bench, ow 0:08:13.373 --> 0:08:16.373 impactful he could be. And another shout out to I 0:08:16.373 --> 0:08:18.333 know I'm probably a flaw investor when it comes to 0:08:18.373 --> 0:08:20.573 Shay Fee Harckey, but I thought he was superb stepped 0:08:20.613 --> 0:08:23.493 up as a goalkicker, scored a couple of tries, showed 0:08:23.533 --> 0:08:25.773 how good he is in the air with that cross 0:08:25.773 --> 0:08:29.813 field kick from Cooper Grant. His stocks arising as far 0:08:29.813 --> 0:08:31.973 as I'm concerned. So look the Crusaders. They go into 0:08:31.973 --> 0:08:33.853 the by first time they've won back to back, so 0:08:33.853 --> 0:08:37.333 they'll be happy, but knowing that bigger tests are to come. 0:08:37.413 --> 0:08:39.653 I completely agree about fee hockey and I've banged the 0:08:39.653 --> 0:08:41.173 strum for a couple of years. But the way that 0:08:41.253 --> 0:08:44.933 Tess rugby is being played at the moment, your skill 0:08:44.933 --> 0:08:48.053 set is so important around the aerial game. He may 0:08:48.053 --> 0:08:50.253 not have the odd and out pace of others, you know, 0:08:50.413 --> 0:08:52.493 he may not have the ability to beat defenders, but 0:08:52.533 --> 0:08:54.533 what he does have is that aerial skill, and he's 0:08:54.573 --> 0:08:57.453 pretty good at the other two facets of play as well. 0:08:57.493 --> 0:08:59.893 I think he's a pretty good defensive reader. He can 0:08:59.973 --> 0:09:02.933 fall off the odd tackle, but most wing is susceptible 0:09:02.973 --> 0:09:04.253 to doing that. But I just think you've got to 0:09:04.253 --> 0:09:06.773 be a little bit pragmatic around what the strengths are 0:09:06.813 --> 0:09:08.653 and then you throw on his goal kicking massive boot 0:09:08.693 --> 0:09:11.413 on him. Handy in that facet, I think he's well 0:09:11.453 --> 0:09:13.053 worthy of a look for for Dave Rnnie and co. 0:09:13.173 --> 0:09:13.533 This year. 0:09:14.253 --> 0:09:17.813 I totally agree. No, you're preaching to the converted already here, Elliott. 0:09:18.493 --> 0:09:20.253 I think he's the full package. I know they've got 0:09:20.253 --> 0:09:23.333 big tickets on him here down in Crusaders countries. Obviously 0:09:23.333 --> 0:09:27.133 from came through the Auckland rugby system, but another that's 0:09:27.213 --> 0:09:29.813 just resigned and put pens of paper. I think another 0:09:29.853 --> 0:09:33.013 two years on his deal, so I think that we're 0:09:33.053 --> 0:09:35.133 still going to see the best at Schaeffe Hockey, certainly 0:09:35.133 --> 0:09:38.013 in a Crusaders jersey, and time will to out to 0:09:38.013 --> 0:09:39.493 see if he'll get a black one as well. 0:09:39.573 --> 0:09:44.893 Absolutely. Let's move back to the Friday Games and the 0:09:44.933 --> 0:09:47.813 Brumbies beating the Chiefs thirty three twenty four. If you 0:09:47.853 --> 0:09:50.053 switched the TV off at twenty four to seven and 0:09:50.333 --> 0:09:52.453 thought that's a chance for an early night here, the 0:09:52.493 --> 0:09:54.253 Chiefs are going to kick on with this one. Will 0:09:54.253 --> 0:09:57.053 you missed a quite manut a half hour of rugby 0:09:57.093 --> 0:10:01.253 as the Brumby stormed back and won that contest in 0:10:01.373 --> 0:10:06.173 remarkable fashion. James Slipper breaking the record slips out for slipper, 0:10:06.173 --> 0:10:09.413 I think was the catch cry last week, Well like 0:10:09.413 --> 0:10:11.973 they're going to have a pretty poor night until about 0:10:11.973 --> 0:10:15.253 the sixty minute mark when they roared back into life. 0:10:15.493 --> 0:10:18.133 Lonigan with a try Charlie Cale who has been so 0:10:18.213 --> 0:10:20.493 good this year, and Meredith gets another that all of 0:10:20.533 --> 0:10:25.653 a sudden they're in front, and just a remarkable turnative events. 0:10:25.653 --> 0:10:27.693 And then right at the end the Chiefs with a 0:10:27.773 --> 0:10:31.293 chance to win it and Corey tool goes and Burgles 0:10:31.613 --> 0:10:33.693 try down the other end and make sure they don't 0:10:33.693 --> 0:10:35.893 even get a bonus point out of it. What did 0:10:35.933 --> 0:10:36.893 you make of that contest? 0:10:37.373 --> 0:10:40.733 Yeah? I uppeoseally from a Chief's perspective, first being twenty 0:10:40.773 --> 0:10:42.333 four to seven in front with an hour to go, 0:10:42.413 --> 0:10:44.133 even on the road at a tricky place to go 0:10:44.253 --> 0:10:45.973 like Canberra, that those are the sort of ones that 0:10:46.013 --> 0:10:48.693 you've got to put away. And I don't quite know 0:10:48.733 --> 0:10:51.053 what it was, whether it was they thought that they 0:10:51.093 --> 0:10:53.933 had the game done and they just switched off for 0:10:54.773 --> 0:10:57.093 you know, ever so slightly. You can't afford to switch 0:10:57.133 --> 0:10:59.973 off in this competition, particularly against a team like the Brumbi. 0:11:00.053 --> 0:11:01.973 So we know, as we cast our minds back to 0:11:02.173 --> 0:11:04.533 was it round two when the Brumbies put fifty on 0:11:04.573 --> 0:11:08.813 the Crusaders. They do finish very well, and I just 0:11:08.853 --> 0:11:11.893 thought some of the leaders there and the Chiefs, there 0:11:11.893 --> 0:11:13.693 were a couple of moments there, of course, after those 0:11:13.693 --> 0:11:15.933 trials were scored, with you just I'm sure these conversations 0:11:15.933 --> 0:11:17.813 are happening. You know, let's get back to basics, let's 0:11:17.813 --> 0:11:19.973 get back to what we have done well in that 0:11:20.053 --> 0:11:22.613 first hour. But it just they couldn't turn the tap 0:11:22.613 --> 0:11:25.613 off once the Brumbies got going. The disappointing factor for mine, 0:11:25.613 --> 0:11:27.853 as you sort of alluded to there, Elliott, the Chiefs 0:11:27.853 --> 0:11:30.573 had the opportunity to steal the game or win it 0:11:30.653 --> 0:11:35.013 back twice. Damien McKenzie missing a seventy seventh minute penalty 0:11:35.253 --> 0:11:38.973 from what about thirty five meters outright in front, that's disappointing. 0:11:39.573 --> 0:11:42.853 But not only that's you know, where was the cool 0:11:42.933 --> 0:11:45.373 heads And that seventy ninth minute mark, you know they're 0:11:45.373 --> 0:11:48.733 a meter away from breaching the Brumbies defense. It got 0:11:48.733 --> 0:11:51.173 a bit how to scouter. All of a sudden, Simon 0:11:51.213 --> 0:11:53.973 Parker's got his head over the ball. Where's Xavier row 0:11:54.133 --> 0:11:56.853 marshaling the troops? And he sort of fumbled and bumbled 0:11:56.853 --> 0:11:59.573 it and Corey Till sort of, you know, just seizes 0:11:59.613 --> 0:12:02.453 on the opportunity from the Parker pass off the grass 0:12:02.173 --> 0:12:05.493 to run what ninety eight meters intercepted and deny the 0:12:05.573 --> 0:12:07.573 Chiefs bonus point as well. I think, yeah, John O 0:12:07.613 --> 0:12:09.933 Gibbs that that flight to Perth. I heard them with 0:12:10.773 --> 0:12:13.573 Jason Pine on Weekend in Sport yesterday on news Talks, 0:12:13.613 --> 0:12:15.653 he'd be it'll be a long flight to Perth. They'll 0:12:15.653 --> 0:12:18.853 be not necessarily soul searching, but one that got away. 0:12:18.853 --> 0:12:20.893 And I know we're going to talk about the playoff 0:12:20.933 --> 0:12:23.373 picture as things stand a little bit later in the podcast, 0:12:23.453 --> 0:12:26.253 but these are the sort of results or going away 0:12:26.253 --> 0:12:28.893 from something like that empty handed when you're up by seventeen, 0:12:29.293 --> 0:12:30.453 it really isn't excusable. 0:12:30.533 --> 0:12:33.733 Absolutely, and I think home advantage in the playoffs is 0:12:33.773 --> 0:12:36.533 so crucial. We saw that last year. You know, the 0:12:36.573 --> 0:12:38.693 Chiefs had home advantage and the Blues were able to 0:12:38.813 --> 0:12:41.293 sweep through and win that game, but they didn't have 0:12:41.373 --> 0:12:43.333 home advantage for the next two weeks as a result, 0:12:43.373 --> 0:12:45.493 and that probably threw away their chance of winning the 0:12:45.493 --> 0:12:47.333 Super Rugby title. They had to go to christ Jurch. 0:12:47.453 --> 0:12:50.053 So the high you are on the ladder the better 0:12:50.093 --> 0:12:51.413 it is at the end of the season. I think 0:12:51.493 --> 0:12:53.573 that's where the Brumbies have sort of folded in the 0:12:53.653 --> 0:12:55.573 last couple of years. That've been very, very good, but 0:12:55.573 --> 0:12:58.453 they've dropped the odd game away from home in the 0:12:58.493 --> 0:13:01.293 regular season that maybe they should have won, and that 0:13:01.373 --> 0:13:03.733 has moved them down the ladder a little bit. Games 0:13:03.773 --> 0:13:06.493 like this, when they've sawn back and managed to win, 0:13:06.613 --> 0:13:08.773 we'll get them in the right positions towards at the 0:13:08.893 --> 0:13:12.053 end of the season. I'm not sure about that game 0:13:12.093 --> 0:13:13.933 management at the end from the Chiefs. I thought it 0:13:14.013 --> 0:13:16.293 was Look, you could probably argue that a drop goal, 0:13:16.293 --> 0:13:18.053 if you miss it, it's a low percentage play, you're 0:13:18.093 --> 0:13:21.253 better off a retaining position. But they were so close 0:13:21.293 --> 0:13:23.053 to the line that surely you should be able to 0:13:23.053 --> 0:13:25.933 put Damien McKenzie into the pocket on the twenty two 0:13:26.093 --> 0:13:29.413 in front enough protection there to either give yourself the 0:13:29.413 --> 0:13:31.613 option of the drop goal or drawing the defenders so 0:13:31.653 --> 0:13:33.453 that you can create something else. I just thought it 0:13:33.493 --> 0:13:38.173 was a really poor passage of leadership and game management 0:13:38.213 --> 0:13:40.613 from the Chiefs to close out that game. Drop goal 0:13:40.653 --> 0:13:43.013 would have won it. They went for the five point truck. 0:13:43.053 --> 0:13:45.093 Can understand it. They'll bang on the line a little bit, 0:13:45.133 --> 0:13:47.573 but three is as good as five. In that situation, 0:13:47.973 --> 0:13:49.173 I would have gone for the drop goal. 0:13:49.733 --> 0:13:51.213 Yeah, we just don't see it, do we. In this 0:13:51.293 --> 0:13:53.653 part of the world. There's just a real lack of 0:13:53.693 --> 0:13:56.653 confidence and going for it. It's, for whatever reason, just 0:13:56.733 --> 0:14:00.293 considered a low percentage play, perhaps because it's just it's 0:14:00.333 --> 0:14:03.453 never really tried. But I think you look at the 0:14:03.493 --> 0:14:07.613 English Premiership or Top fourteen and six nations, they're popping 0:14:07.773 --> 0:14:11.373 drop goals most weekends. So yeah, that's a very good point. 0:14:11.653 --> 0:14:14.573 And to start the round, what a performance from the Hurricanes. 0:14:14.653 --> 0:14:19.413 Fifty points to seven to beat the Highlanders behinds drew 0:14:19.413 --> 0:14:22.693 first blood through jkb Rotami Tavuki Nepkins and that was 0:14:22.733 --> 0:14:25.733 their night done. From a scoring perspective, the Hurricanes just 0:14:25.853 --> 0:14:28.973 very very good, very assured. I know what my co 0:14:29.053 --> 0:14:31.853 host be saying. The cane train is beginning to really 0:14:31.933 --> 0:14:34.533 hit its straps at this point of the season. First Darby, 0:14:34.613 --> 0:14:37.013 that was the question mark over them, while they took 0:14:37.093 --> 0:14:41.293 that first box. Just a clinical, dominant performance from a 0:14:41.333 --> 0:14:44.453 team that looks like and knows the way it wants 0:14:44.493 --> 0:14:47.413 to play this season. We've seen Hurricanes teams in the 0:14:47.453 --> 0:14:50.373 past perhaps be a little too flashy. Well, to me, 0:14:50.493 --> 0:14:53.133 I thought on Friday night, they especially in the first 0:14:53.173 --> 0:14:55.973 forty they played a little bit like a rugby league team. 0:14:56.093 --> 0:14:59.093 And what I mean by that is that they knew 0:14:59.133 --> 0:15:01.413 where they wanted to be in a couple of phases time. 0:15:01.453 --> 0:15:03.973 They just plotted their way around the park. And you 0:15:04.013 --> 0:15:07.773 think about the Great Storm teams where Cameron Smith was 0:15:08.093 --> 0:15:10.653 direct can play out of hooker and Dammi half and 0:15:11.373 --> 0:15:13.973 he'd know where they wanted to be in two sets time, 0:15:14.133 --> 0:15:16.533 and then Cooper Kronk would trust that, and it felt 0:15:16.613 --> 0:15:19.533 like the Hurricanes zero say, we're just playing that start 0:15:19.653 --> 0:15:22.293 of play on the front foot rugby moving up the 0:15:22.293 --> 0:15:24.693 field knowing where they were going to be, and the 0:15:24.933 --> 0:15:26.813 holand has had no answer to try and stop it. 0:15:27.333 --> 0:15:29.453 Yeah, it's a very good point. And the one thing 0:15:29.493 --> 0:15:31.573 I was going to add, which was sort of similar 0:15:31.613 --> 0:15:35.813 to that around that league pattern is there's no fixation 0:15:36.173 --> 0:15:38.973 on the first five having to be at first receiver 0:15:39.333 --> 0:15:42.533 or Jordi Barrett having to be at the second man 0:15:42.573 --> 0:15:44.493 to touch the ball because he's wearing the twelve jersey. 0:15:44.533 --> 0:15:46.653 You know Barrett will jump in there at ten and 0:15:46.693 --> 0:15:48.573 then it'll be love out the back, or it can 0:15:48.613 --> 0:15:52.453 be Billy Procter or Callum Hark can sweep or you 0:15:52.453 --> 0:15:54.693 know even cam Royguard can step in there in the 0:15:54.733 --> 0:15:58.293 first five position. They're also skillful there with their ball 0:15:58.373 --> 0:16:00.693 distribution that it doesn't really matter. But as you say, 0:16:00.733 --> 0:16:04.093 it almost felt like a glorified training run there at 0:16:04.093 --> 0:16:06.213 some stages there for the Hurricanes. The way that they 0:16:06.213 --> 0:16:08.733 were able to sweep the ball from one side of 0:16:08.773 --> 0:16:10.533 the field to the other while making ground and I 0:16:10.613 --> 0:16:12.693 suppose to knock on the canes as you say, Eliot, 0:16:12.693 --> 0:16:14.653 and the past has been too flashy. But the way 0:16:14.693 --> 0:16:16.933 that they're pack fronted as well, and they're so physical 0:16:16.973 --> 0:16:18.813 with their ball carrying. I mean, just look at the 0:16:18.813 --> 0:16:21.613 way that Devin Flanders just bulldoze his way to the 0:16:21.653 --> 0:16:24.013 line to finish off that special team try early in 0:16:24.053 --> 0:16:26.533 the second half. Guy's like Peter Larkey, I thought that 0:16:26.733 --> 0:16:29.213 the scrum was dominant again as well as is still 0:16:29.213 --> 0:16:33.733 without Tyrrel Lomax. That there's a lot to like about 0:16:33.733 --> 0:16:37.173 this Hurricanes team and the way they performing. They've got depths, 0:16:38.133 --> 0:16:40.213 as you say, it was that first New Zealand Derby. 0:16:40.253 --> 0:16:42.373 There'll be tough at Derby's to come just having a 0:16:42.453 --> 0:16:45.813 quick lockdown their list and I know they've got the 0:16:45.893 --> 0:16:49.613 Reds next, but then it's Blues and Chiefs. So again 0:16:50.613 --> 0:16:52.733 I want to reserve a little bit of judgment for 0:16:53.053 --> 0:16:55.133 the Canes, but you can only play what's in front 0:16:55.173 --> 0:16:57.293 of you. The way that they're going about their work, 0:16:57.333 --> 0:17:00.253 they racked up one thy and twenty one carry meters. 0:17:00.293 --> 0:17:03.333 It was just totally and utterly dominant. I thought Cameroy 0:17:03.373 --> 0:17:06.853 guard was superb. I thought Reuben Love was superb. Yeah, 0:17:07.293 --> 0:17:09.573 there's a lot to like, but not if you're a 0:17:09.613 --> 0:17:10.213 Highland Is fan. 0:17:10.333 --> 0:17:12.213 No, let's stick into it to Ruben Love at ten. 0:17:12.333 --> 0:17:14.453 There's been cries for him to get more game time 0:17:14.493 --> 0:17:16.693 at ten. He got a little bit last year, but 0:17:16.733 --> 0:17:18.213 that was in the back end of the season after 0:17:18.253 --> 0:17:21.613 he come back from injury for the Hurricanes. Didn't really 0:17:21.653 --> 0:17:25.733 get a looking at test level last year. But I thought, 0:17:25.893 --> 0:17:28.453 you know, again, they weren't up to much the Highlanders 0:17:28.653 --> 0:17:30.613 and he could only play what was in front of them. 0:17:30.653 --> 0:17:32.933 But I just thought that's a performance that there's a 0:17:32.973 --> 0:17:36.413 lot to like about from Ruben Love. Perhaps needs to 0:17:36.413 --> 0:17:38.413 work on the game management a little bit, but again, 0:17:38.453 --> 0:17:41.013 those tougher tests will come in those games that you 0:17:41.093 --> 0:17:44.453 mentioned in the weeks that will follow, But that has 0:17:44.493 --> 0:17:47.053 to be the nineteen option for the Hurricanes the rest 0:17:47.093 --> 0:17:48.933 of the season. I know they've been short of a 0:17:48.973 --> 0:17:51.333 couple of players and you know Harkens slotted in at ten, 0:17:51.453 --> 0:17:53.093 but if you know, I think they've just got to 0:17:53.173 --> 0:17:55.733 keep rolling that out because it's a very very dangerous 0:17:56.053 --> 0:17:58.333 combo and with an at all Blacks level, you know, 0:17:58.413 --> 0:18:01.373 accommodations are important at super level as you're flow into 0:18:01.373 --> 0:18:02.093 the test side too. 0:18:02.533 --> 0:18:04.773 Oh, I certainly are then the more reps that that 0:18:05.213 --> 0:18:09.813 little triumphant with Roy Gyard, Love and Barrett can get 0:18:10.213 --> 0:18:14.093 at super Abia level. That's only going to put their 0:18:14.133 --> 0:18:17.293 cases forward for Dave, Rennie and Cove towards the back 0:18:17.333 --> 0:18:19.053 end of the season. As you said, I think that 0:18:19.093 --> 0:18:20.933 was the perfect game for Ruben Love in terms of 0:18:21.253 --> 0:18:24.893 its openness, its expansiveness. The real tests for him will 0:18:24.893 --> 0:18:28.333 be on those cooler nights when the winds rarely picking 0:18:28.373 --> 0:18:30.773 up in Wellington and he has to game manage a 0:18:30.773 --> 0:18:32.893 little bit more in perhaps with a Ford pack that 0:18:32.973 --> 0:18:37.333 isn't going as going forward as often. So look, I'm 0:18:37.453 --> 0:18:39.973 very encouraged. I've been one who's been waiting to see 0:18:40.013 --> 0:18:42.893