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Speaker 3: Welcome in to Rugby Direct.
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Speaker 5: in for Liam Napier this week? Welcome on and again,
Speaker 5: Oh what.
Speaker 4: An introduction Smith here, Thanks for that. I'm sure I'm
Speaker 4: not sure if that NS and me listeners across the
Speaker 4: podcast stable are enjoying me jumping between codes week to
Speaker 4: week from the Big League Podcast back to Rugby Direct,
Speaker 4: but I'm happy to be here and speaking of habit, health,
Speaker 4: aches and pains from sport and work, probably leisure as well.
Speaker 4: For Liam Napier, I hope he's doing okay after Nral's Magic.
Speaker 5: Ground from him for a good twenty four plus hours.
Speaker 5: So hopefully we'll report back for Judy at some point
Speaker 5: this week and be on deck for the podcast next week.
Speaker 3: I'm sure he had a great week.
Speaker 5: It looked like a great weekend over there, and I suppose,
Speaker 5: you know, if you're Super Rugby, you're trying to figure
Speaker 5: out the lessons of how you apply that to Super Round,
Speaker 5: which is obviously taking a break this year. I just
Speaker 5: don't know that you can replicate that across Super Rugby.
Speaker 5: I think they're trying to find something that's just not
Speaker 5: going to quite work.
Speaker 2: It'll be interesting to see.
Speaker 4: I heard some comments from Super Rugby chair Kevin malloy
Speaker 4: on Weekend Sport with Jason Pine just yes, they certainly
Speaker 4: is in the thinking, whether that be down my way
Speaker 4: Smith at christ Church to help open Tokaha next year.
Speaker 4: I feel like there's a lot that makes a fair
Speaker 4: amount of sense for mine or fig where they absolutely
Speaker 4: adore their rugby. Of course there's some logistical challenges here,
Speaker 4: but the NRL is certainly onto a winner there with
Speaker 4: major round.
Speaker 3: Has to be said, they certainly are.
Speaker 5: Well, let's get into the round that was in Super
Speaker 5: Rugby Pacific and the most recent game that rounded out
Speaker 5: the round, but a Sunday afternoon footy which is always
Speaker 5: a treat under the roof in Dunedam probably the best
Speaker 5: game of the round, to be honest with you, Mina
Speaker 5: Pacific at beating the Highland is thirty four twenty nine. Look,
Speaker 5: I think you look at this Muana side and they
Speaker 5: are continuing to upset the apple cart. Now, whether it's
Speaker 5: good enough to make the playoffs, we'll get onto that
Speaker 5: in a week while on the podcast. But what they're
Speaker 5: doing is showing up every week, which is what we've
Speaker 5: asked for them in recent years. And they've going down
Speaker 5: to the need in which they haven't done, you know,
Speaker 5: particularly well in previous years, and kept at it and
Speaker 5: got the win. And I thought they were the better
Speaker 5: team yesterday afternoon and deserving of that win. You've got
Speaker 5: to give a lot of credit to Artie sa Via
Speaker 5: wonderful try, you know, the double grubber, Regather scoring in
Speaker 5: the corner, but everything else that he did across the game.
Speaker 5: He has been so influential on this team this year
Speaker 5: and kept talking about it, but it's hard to understate
Speaker 5: just how valuable his presence has been to the side.
Speaker 5: What did you make of that game.
Speaker 2: Nick, eh? The South Island Slayers.
Speaker 4: Aren't they Minor Pacifica or was it last month beating
Speaker 4: the Crusaders down my way and now down a bit
Speaker 4: further down Stie High One and getting the job done
Speaker 4: over Jamie Joseph's side.
Speaker 2: Look, I thought they were deserved.
Speaker 4: Victors, and you summed it up brilliantly around the impact
Speaker 4: that Ardie sav has and I know on this podcast
Speaker 4: when Leans usually in this seat, you guys are waxing
Speaker 4: lyrical about his influence both on and off the field.
Speaker 2: But the way his body at work on both sides
Speaker 2: of the ball.
Speaker 4: He is in another stratosphere at the moment, and it
Speaker 4: was almost as if I know a lot of the
Speaker 4: headlines in the highlight moment with the Chip and Chase.
Speaker 4: You know, it's obviously he wanted that that Chip and
Speaker 4: Chase Trice somewhere on his resume after the one that
Speaker 4: got scrubbed out the week before. But that's just I
Speaker 4: guess a footnote really on his full performance, like, well,
Speaker 4: what have we got here? Eighty one meters for nineteen carries,
Speaker 4: three defenders, beat in three clean breaks are just an
Speaker 4: all round inspiration and the way he's able to then
Speaker 4: exert more out of the rest of the team just
Speaker 4: can't be understated. And I think that loose forward trio
Speaker 4: as a three with Miracle Fire, Lungey and Tupo Thayoloa,
Speaker 4: who could have easily been in a Highlands juty this
Speaker 4: season given he was playing for the Seat Up and
Speaker 4: Stags and NPC last year. They're right up there in
Speaker 4: terms of a loose forward trail in Super Rugby Pacific
Speaker 4: full stop. So look, we'll get to the Highlanders in
Speaker 4: a sec. But Moana give them a ton of credit.
Speaker 4: I love the way they go about their player. I
Speaker 4: love seeing some of their outside backs like Kyra and
Speaker 4: Thomoyflau and open space. They're just their box office appointment viewing.
Speaker 4: And they're very much now in the playoff picture. They've
Speaker 4: got a terribly difficult run home with the last three games,
Speaker 4: which we'll get to, but the fact that they're just
Speaker 4: there in the top six at the minute, in that
Speaker 4: sixth position, it's a success story for the season for sure.
Speaker 3: That's right.
Speaker 5: And they lose yesterday, they're probably out of the playoff mix,
Speaker 5: aren't they, because it's just too much work to do
Speaker 5: over the closing rounds of the competition. And you know,
Speaker 5: Jack Taylor scores with seven eight minutes to go, converted
Speaker 5: by robins and you go, yeah, this is maybe not
Speaker 5: going to be their day. But then Milani Matavel who
Speaker 5: came off for the bench and had a real impact.
Speaker 5: I thought with that charge down. Now I've gone back
Speaker 5: and watched it a couple of times, I think Robinson
Speaker 5: that time to pull out probably should have seen Mazavel
Speaker 5: in his eye line of vision and maybe pulled out
Speaker 5: of it and not kicked it or just taken the tackle.
Speaker 5: He's probably going to rue that. But great vision from
Speaker 5: the replacement half back from one just to see that
Speaker 5: opportunity coming through, got the balance and then the dive
Speaker 5: in the corner was pretty special as well, and they
Speaker 5: closed it up from there. And just that they have
Speaker 5: a sense that of a never say die attitude and
Speaker 5: it hasn't always turned into victories the seats in Mauana Pacifica,
Speaker 5: but you look back at some of the performances they
Speaker 5: probably should have been in the hound as earlier on
Speaker 5: in the comp when they were twenty one points down
Speaker 5: at halftime, they came back and stormed back against the Hurricanes.
Speaker 5: From memory, the Chiefs they are forty three seven down
Speaker 5: and maybe should have ended that game with, you know,
Speaker 5: actually a losing bonus point. They didn't get it on
Speaker 5: that occasion, but they've been the masters of the second spell,
Speaker 5: but they also just don't know when they're beaten. That's
Speaker 5: a really strong quality to have for Mowana given in
Speaker 5: recent seasons the cops and pastings and the heads have
Speaker 5: gone down completely agree.
Speaker 4: And on the other side of the the equation the
Speaker 4: Highlander is they're sort of finding ways to lose at
Speaker 4: the moment, or finding ways where they're not icing the
Speaker 4: big moments like the Tane Robinson clearance Kirk which ends
Speaker 4: up a charge down trying the corner to the replacement
Speaker 4: half back, and you've got to feel a little bit
Speaker 4: for Jamie Joseph sid They're already up against it in
Speaker 4: terms of attracting players down south to the southernmost franchise
Speaker 4: in the country. They're investing a lot in youth and
Speaker 4: trying to surround some young players with some veterans, but
Speaker 4: it just isn't quite working for them at the moment,
Speaker 4: and now they're very much a danger with their run
Speaker 4: home Hurricanes Crusaders' chiefs after the bye this week of
Speaker 4: being wooden Spooners, which when you reflect back a couple
Speaker 4: of months ago, there was all this conversation and chatter
Speaker 4: run oh the Highlanders have they turned a corner.
Speaker 2: How good's Tamathya.
Speaker 4: Tabatavanaha going at second five eighth's that's sort of forgotten
Speaker 4: about now and some real conversations to be had about
Speaker 4: the Highlanders and where they track moving forward into twenty
Speaker 4: twenty six.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 5: Absolutely, And they seem to be falling off a cliff
Speaker 5: a little bit. I don't know what that is necessarily
Speaker 5: down to it, but they're not playing as a team.
Speaker 5: They look really clunky. You know that the bright spot
Speaker 5: in recent weeks has been the return of Jackie running
Speaker 5: away to Vockie Nepkins for them, but they just look
Speaker 5: really clunky whatever they do, whether it's a line out,
Speaker 5: set piece and just across the park, they're not playing
Speaker 5: in rhythm with each other. And they're missing, you know,
Speaker 5: a partner for Fabian hond at Locke. They seem to
Speaker 5: specialize in not picking back up locks on the bench.
Speaker 5: I'm just not sure if some of the strategy around
Speaker 5: that obviously had injuries, but they don't look like a
Speaker 5: cohesive unit at the moment, and things just seem to
Speaker 5: be unraveling a little bit for the Highlanders, and it's that.
Speaker 2: First five eighth position ultimately too. Elliott isn't it.
Speaker 4: I know they've put a fair bit of faith and
Speaker 4: the young fella the names just escaping the top of
Speaker 4: the head, Cam Miller obviously, Tane Robinson. They've kind of
Speaker 4: gone back and forth there. They've got a lot of
Speaker 4: depth all of a sudden at halfback. Have really been
Speaker 4: impressed by the emerge. It's a hasty as well as
Speaker 4: fuck a tava. They've got young Dylan Pledger over the
Speaker 4: New Zealand under twenties at the moment, but ultimately in
Speaker 4: this competition to be successful or be competitive, you really
Speaker 4: need a game driver in that ten jersey and they
Speaker 4: yet to find one at the minute.
Speaker 5: They are, but the Hurricanes back to Saturday night, seem
Speaker 5: to have found one thirty five seventeen over the Chiefs
Speaker 5: and it's not all down to Ruben Love, but boy
Speaker 5: here is making an impact in that ten jersey. And
Speaker 5: conversely for the Chiefs, I think Jacob has been playing well,
Speaker 5: but they're really missing McKenzie as that second playmaker option
Speaker 5: in that back line, whether he's playing fifteen or ten.
Speaker 5: We've just seen in the last week or two even
Speaker 5: against the Force, but especially against the Hurricanes, boy them
Speaker 5: as Damien McKenzie and the Hurricanes took full advantage. That
Speaker 5: was clearly the Hurricanes' best effort of the season. And
Speaker 5: you know we talked about leaving maybe before being on
Speaker 5: this podcast, and then what he would say, the cane
Speaker 5: train is just beginning to gather a little bit of steam.
Speaker 4: Nick Oh, is it what all of a sudden the
Speaker 4: Hurricanes are looking like that team that you don't want
Speaker 4: to face first round and the playoffs, And I know
Speaker 4: the Rugby Direct drums were beating for Ruben Love to
Speaker 4: be instored at first five eighth for quite some time.
Speaker 2: Clark laidlaw.
Speaker 4: In fact, I think the last time I came on
Speaker 4: the podcast as well, we were chatting about it too,
Speaker 4: and that was not dismissing anything that Riley Hohap is
Speaker 4: capable of.
Speaker 2: It was just looking for a bit more butt X factor.
Speaker 4: They needed to chance they're um given their ladder position,
Speaker 4: and what a master stroke it's proven to be so far.
Speaker 4: Not only that from Ruben Love and the goalkicking was
Speaker 4: really slick to but I think the emergence or the
Speaker 4: faith being put in Callum Harken at fullback speaking of
Speaker 4: those dual playmakers, has then just taken the Hurricanes attack
Speaker 4: to another level. Yes, I've also got camroy guard sniping
Speaker 4: in and around the ruck. I really like their midfield
Speaker 4: combination as well with Riley Higgins and Billy Proctor. But
Speaker 4: that ten to fifteen axis, you know, we saw the
Speaker 4: hark in fifty twenty two which was a real momentum
Speaker 4: swinger as well, just kept the foot on for the Canes.
Speaker 2: They've found something there.
Speaker 4: I know they've got Brett Cameron coming back from a
Speaker 4: set is knee injury, playing a bit of club rugby.
Speaker 2: But all of a sudden they've.
Speaker 4: Gone from some real issues around their game drivers to
Speaker 4: landing on a really slick ten to fifteen combination with
Speaker 4: their incumbent ten returning from injury come the business end
Speaker 4: of the season. But heck of a knight for the
Speaker 4: Canes could have easily gone the other way. You know,
Speaker 4: they lose their X factor player on the flanks and
Speaker 4: Kenny in the hollow to what appears to be a
Speaker 4: serious knee injury. They had a couple of moments there,
Speaker 4: you know, Billy Proctor intercept that Daniel Rohner gets his
Speaker 4: second try the night seventeen nine at half time.
Speaker 2: It's just the credits I know we're speaking a.
Speaker 4: Lot about the attack, but to hold a Chiefs team
Speaker 4: like that, irrespective of being without Damien McKenzie, but to
Speaker 4: hold them scoreless in the second half, I think that's
Speaker 4: what will impress Clark Laidlaw the most. You know, that's
Speaker 4: a that's a real sign of encouragement there for the
Speaker 4: Hurricanes as they build towards the playoffs, and they are, if.
Speaker 2: Not the hot team at the moment, certainly right up there.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 5: I thought what was smart in that first spell is
Speaker 5: they didn't get too worried. Obviously they can see that
Speaker 5: just on half time again to set, but they keep
Speaker 5: the school board tacking over and we don't often see
Speaker 5: that in super rugby that you know, they were happy
Speaker 5: to set all for keeping the school board going up
Speaker 5: in threes. Reuben Love knocking over that early penalty goal,
Speaker 5: then they considered the first of the road to tries
Speaker 5: and then they just you know, tapped over another penalty
Speaker 5: goal a couple in quick succession, and had that nine
Speaker 5: to seven lead before that Jacob penalty and then the
Speaker 5: converted try on halftime. But what they did was just
Speaker 5: kept that pressure going on the Chiefs and we haven't
Speaker 5: often seen that in Super rugby this season. There's just
Speaker 5: a little bit of school board pressure and you know,
Speaker 5: taking your shots at goal. It's very very rare we
Speaker 5: see that and I really actually liked it from the Hurricanes.
Speaker 2: Yeah, it was very discipline, wasn't it.
Speaker 4: And as you say, just applying that school board pressure
Speaker 4: and not letting it get beyond arms reached that all
Speaker 4: of a sudden you're chancing your arm and you're chasing
Speaker 4: the game.
Speaker 2: And I thought just.
Speaker 4: Their ability to keep the ball alive as well, like
Speaker 4: they're so often they'd bend the defensive line of the Chiefs,
Speaker 4: but then it was just a late offload when a
Speaker 4: player was going down in the contact to just keep
Speaker 4: putting applying that pressure. Yeah, that back line is just
Speaker 4: full of some serious talent. And how about Baal and
Speaker 4: Sullivan A he's probably thinking I might come on for
Speaker 4: half an hour in the midfield or something like that,
Speaker 4: gets his boarding passer up very early in the piece
Speaker 4: after that Naholo injury, and look, I know he's just
Speaker 4: on the end of the chain for a couple of them.
Speaker 4: I've thought the second trol is a really strong finish,
Speaker 4: but for him to get over for all four tries.
Speaker 2: He'd be pretty happy with that too.
Speaker 3: Yeah.
Speaker 5: Look, I think he's a quality player ballin Suarvan and
Speaker 5: he obviously he's been the midfield Billy Proclet comes back,
Speaker 5: he loses that spot, but he's such a versatile player
Speaker 5: that I think he can really add to this Hurricane siding.
Speaker 5: You mentioned the top when we was talking about this game.
Speaker 5: We'll get to the Plaff makes a wee bit later
Speaker 5: in the pod. But you just do not want to
Speaker 5: play this Hurricanes team at the moment. They're going to
Speaker 5: buy They're going to freshen up over the next week
Speaker 5: or so. They've got a couple of tricky games to
Speaker 5: come before the season closes out, but they just you know,
Speaker 5: the Highlanders obviously to welcome to the Capitol, they've got
Speaker 5: to go visit the Reds in Brisbane, which should be
Speaker 5: an interesting game in the context of the clubs. And
Speaker 5: they close out against Milana. But with the momentum they're
Speaker 5: beginning to get in this competition when we get to playoffs,
Speaker 5: you don't want to be playing this Hurricanes team.
Speaker 2: Certainly don't.
Speaker 4: And you look at maybe where we project them to
Speaker 4: finish at the moment. I actually personally have them winning
Speaker 4: those three games. Certainly the Highlanders game the Reds one
Speaker 4: will be tricky, as will Mowana. It'll be interesting to
Speaker 4: see by that point final round the regular season if
Speaker 4: Moana is run is done, or if they've managed to
Speaker 4: win another one of these New Zealand Derby's on the
Speaker 4: road home. But look there at this point in time
Speaker 4: could be facing a Chiefs or a Crusaders round one
Speaker 4: of the competition. You think all the work those two
Speaker 4: teams are put in to get up there at the top,
Speaker 4: and you look down and all g whiz arguably playing
Speaker 4: the form team and the competition at the moment, which
Speaker 4: you know they're always capable on paper, aren't they. Ali
Speaker 4: At the Hurricanes, you know those players. It was just
Speaker 4: about finding that right blend, that right mix, having that confidence,
Speaker 4: and we need to give credit to it. We're talking
Speaker 4: a lot about the backs and Roy Guard and love
Speaker 4: and hearken that there loose Ford trio very impactful. I
Speaker 4: thought Tyrel Lomax was really strong again as well. So look,
Speaker 4: there's a lot of encouraging signs if you're a Hurricane.
Speaker 5: Supporter, I certainly and a bit more encouraging for the
Speaker 5: Blues forty nineteen over the Force on Friday night at
Speaker 5: Eden Park. Look, I don't think this was a vintage
Speaker 5: Blues performance by any stretch of the imagination, but they
Speaker 5: got what they needed out of it. They needed the
Speaker 5: bonus point. They got that and just got some confidence
Speaker 5: back in the in the mix after what had been
Speaker 5: a tricky few weeks, especially that poor performance against the
Speaker 5: Reds at sun Corpse Stadium the week prior, largely case
Speaker 5: of job done for the Blues. They almost threw away
Speaker 5: that bonus point at the end when Angus had the
Speaker 5: old topoken to touch and missed wild swing and the
Speaker 5: Force get the ball back and get a penery thought on,
Speaker 5: is this going to cost the Blues a bonus point?
Speaker 5: And look, in the context of that season, that could
Speaker 5: have been huge, And speaking to Simon Cron, the Force
Speaker 5: coach after the game, he's like, that would I did
Speaker 5: see it on wanting to deny the Blues the bonus
Speaker 5: point because in the race for playoff spots, every point,
Speaker 5: every competition point, is so big. But it just wasn't
Speaker 5: to be in the end. Yeah, not vintage Blues by
Speaker 5: any stretch of the imagination, but a game that could
Speaker 5: have gone Ryan again.
Speaker 3: They were leading.
Speaker 5: At halftime fourteen twelve seven. I think it was scored
Speaker 5: just after the break the Force they struggled to shut
Speaker 5: them down, but it was really the last twenty twenty
Speaker 5: five minutes where they just took charge and put the
Speaker 5: game beyond reach for the Western Force.
Speaker 4: That Angus Tart of our moment was when you look
Speaker 4: at when you look at the ladder, there is nothing
Speaker 4: separating the Blues in the Force, so that could have
Speaker 4: easily been a swing the other way if the Force
Speaker 4: had gone on to deny the Blues a bonus point there.
Speaker 4: So yeah, a huge sigh of relief for Angus Tarl.
Speaker 4: Just before we get into the Blues. I just want
Speaker 4: to mention Harry Potter. Over the last couple of weeks
Speaker 4: he is I used to just think maybe it was
Speaker 4: because of his name that his name would just be
Speaker 4: constantly brought up in commentaries, and you know, obviously it's
Speaker 4: a pretty unique name given the book and movie series.
Speaker 4: But like every time he touches the ball, something happens
Speaker 4: and around him, and they need to give him more opportunities.
Speaker 4: So just a quick shout out to Harry Potter.
Speaker 5: Completely agree he's been outstanding and he makes something happen.
Speaker 5: So he does to pop up everywhere on the park
Speaker 5: and that tray screens achieves the previous week from the restart.
Speaker 5: Incredible to show that pace. So I think he has
Speaker 5: to be in the Australian mix for the line series.
Speaker 5: The form that he's in, they could do a lot
Speaker 5: worse than selecting him on one of those wings.
Speaker 2: Spiders on at the moment. He's a serious talent.
Speaker 4: But yeah, on the Blues, it was quite interesting smoothly
Speaker 4: looking at the deepest statistics in this game, and it
Speaker 4: was almost as if the Blues maybe took a look
Speaker 4: at what the Crusaders did last week against the Highlanders
Speaker 4: in terms of backing themselves without the ball, backing their defense,
Speaker 4: backing their kicking game, and said we might try that too.
Speaker 4: You know, the Force had was it sixty one percent
Speaker 4: of possession, sixty percent of territory. Blues ended up making
Speaker 4: one hundred and ninety ten tackles to the Forces ninety three.
Speaker 4: So as you say it wasn't vintage from the Blues,
Speaker 4: they did what was required.
Speaker 2: They turned the screws late.
Speaker 4: They went back to what has been successful for them
Speaker 4: over the last eighteen or so months in terms of
Speaker 4: that direct style of play in and around the ruck
Speaker 4: and just I guess sort of constantly applying that pressure
Speaker 4: until the defense wilts and they got the bonus point ultimately,
Speaker 4: so that they've given themselves a chance. Look, they've got
Speaker 4: an interesting run home with a trip now to face
Speaker 4: the Drawer over there in Fiji, who of course beat
Speaker 4: the Reds and the Weekend Read's a pretty handy team
Speaker 4: at the minute as well. So the draw very much
Speaker 4: have an opportunity to continue their spoiling run given they're.
Speaker 2: Out of the playoff picture.
Speaker 4: But yeah, if you're a Blues fan, I don't think
Speaker 4: you can be crowing that we're back or anything like that,
Speaker 4: but a step in the right direction. It's just whether
Speaker 4: now they can build on that momentum. Because for me, anyway,
Speaker 4: I thought when they only would just be in by
Speaker 4: James O'Connor penalty down my way against the Crusaders a
Speaker 4: few weeks ago, I thought, well, there was a lot
Speaker 4: to like actually about that Blues performance. They should have
Speaker 4: actually beaten the Crusaders down here in christ which yet
Speaker 4: they go over to Brisbane the next week and the
Speaker 4: wheels fell off, so for Vern Cotter, it's now about stability,
Speaker 4: looking at the reviews, seeing what worked well and trying
Speaker 4: to apply that and build some pressure as they go through.
Speaker 2: With Drewer mowana Ge.
Speaker 4: That's going to be a cracking game in a couple
Speaker 4: of weeks, then a bye and then the Wireta's at.
Speaker 5: Home absolutely, and look, we mentioned to see where they
Speaker 5: get Caleb Clark maybe back this week for the trip
Speaker 5: to Fiji. They obviously one have Mark Dalaire for a
Speaker 5: couple more weeks yet, but if they can get Caleb
Speaker 5: Clarke back in that changes the back line a little bit.
Speaker 5: They can move Aj Lamb probably back to midfield, which
Speaker 5: I think is a stronger mix in him. In twelve
Speaker 5: he came off the bench shot on the weekend. Vancotta
Speaker 5: reluctant to give too many details. They made a switch
Speaker 5: at training on Thursday, so whether it was a off
Speaker 5: field matter, I'm not entirely sure. He came off the
Speaker 5: bench when he was originally listed to starter on the
Speaker 5: left wing. If you gets some consistency going build some momentum. Again,
Speaker 5: we talk about the Hurricanes and they've got more momentum
Speaker 5: in the Blues habit at this point, but not aside
Speaker 5: you'd want to face in week one, especially if you've
Speaker 5: got that one or two home seating in the playoffs.
Speaker 5: You wouldn't want to welcome the Blues to town.
Speaker 2: No, you wouldn't.
Speaker 4: They've got enough playoff experience within that mix to after
Speaker 4: last year. So yeah, they're a dangerous prospect. I'm still
Speaker 4: far from convinced, and certainly I'm sure there's even some
Speaker 4: up your way, Ali who would agree that they're not
Speaker 4: in the position obviously that they would have thought they
Speaker 4: would have been in after the success they had last year.
Speaker 4: But they're in with a chance, as are many teams.
Speaker 4: But yeah, they'd have to be one, maybe just one
Speaker 4: pig below the Hurricanes I want want to face, and
Speaker 4: they're opening run in the playoffs, all.
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Speaker 5: now for our Final four for Rugby Top Berks, myself
Speaker 5: and Nick debate them. Topic number one, Nick must if
Speaker 5: you saw this last week, but changes to the World
Speaker 5: seven Series from next season now. There's been some financial
Speaker 5: issues plaguing the series since they went to this new
Speaker 5: format a couple of years ago. Trimmed it down, but
Speaker 5: what it hasn't done is trim the costs, which was
Speaker 5: largely sort of why they did. It's become a more
Speaker 5: streamlined sort of model. I think they had up to
Speaker 5: twelve thirteen World Series tournaments at one stage. Obviously New
Speaker 5: Zealand used to be on the calendar. They've gone back
Speaker 5: to seven teams sorry seven series, so six plus a
Speaker 5: World Championship, which is ongoing at the moment in Los Angeles.
Speaker 5: They've decided that's not enough and they're going to go
Speaker 5: to the top eight teams in the world play the
Speaker 5: top tier, and teams eight downwards going to a second
Speaker 5: tier that feeds potentially into the top tier in a
Speaker 5: World Championship. Bit convoluted, but ultimately one of the other
Speaker 5: changes is two day events, and we're going to see
Speaker 5: more of the top teams play each other because there's
Speaker 5: only going to be eight teams at every of the
Speaker 5: top tier World Series events. There's all sorts of flow
Speaker 5: charts and diagrams if you want to dive a little
Speaker 5: bit more deeply into this. But what do you make
Speaker 5: of these changes?
Speaker 4: N'tick still no valelves for Sevens in their marketing, so
Speaker 4: a bit concerned that that wasn't top of the list
Speaker 4: in terms of changes, but no, look at it does
Speaker 4: very much feel like last chance saloon for the Sevens.
Speaker 4: I know they're obviously part of the Olympic program and
Speaker 4: have been since Rio in twenty sixteen, but yeah, it
Speaker 4: was interesting, but perhaps massaging of this announcement because ultimately
Speaker 4: you still have your six tournaments so this year for examples,
Speaker 4: do buy Cape Town, Perth, Vancouver, Hong Kong, Singapoint and
Speaker 4: at the moment as we record this podcast, the Los
Speaker 4: Angeles Final. So it's very much that X plus one
Speaker 4: for the top tier, and then there's going to be
Speaker 4: another six tournaments for tiers two and three.
Speaker 2: I guess my biggest question is who.
Speaker 4: Outside of you know, the real hardcore fans of those
Speaker 4: teams ranked nine to sixteen is tuning into those tournaments
Speaker 4: both at venue and on the broadcast, and maybe it's
Speaker 4: just me and the fact that my interest has dimmed
Speaker 4: a little bit following on from I guess the halcyon
Speaker 4: days of Wellington and to Hamilton are now no longer
Speaker 4: a presence here. And look, I don't want to take
Speaker 4: anything away from the Black Fans seven success as well.
Speaker 4: They're probably the main reason that i'd tune in and
Speaker 4: see how they're going because some of the rugby seven's
Speaker 4: rugby they play is top tier, you know, arguably better
Speaker 4: than watching some of the men's games. So it's an
Speaker 4: interesting conundrum. I wonder I'll send it back to you, Elliott,
Speaker 4: but if they weren't in the Olympics cycle, they're coming
Speaker 4: up Olympic cycle twenty twenty eight, would they just run
Speaker 4: a line through sevens and go It's been a great run,
Speaker 4: but something has to give and we're not a bottomless
Speaker 4: pit of money.
Speaker 5: Well, I think that's a very very good question, and yeah,
Speaker 5: I think they might, honestly, and World Rugby has tried
Speaker 5: to make sevens work, tried to make this World Series
Speaker 5: work for a number of years, and you're right, they're
Speaker 5: not a bottomless pit of cash. The Olympics was supposedly
Speaker 5: going to be the start of something for sevens and
Speaker 5: it was all sorts of talk about how players are
Speaker 5: going to cross codes and go and play the chase
Speaker 5: of Olympic medal.
Speaker 2: Look.
Speaker 5: I can remember being on the Sports Tesk and Sean
Speaker 5: Johnson was asked about it, would he want to make
Speaker 5: an Olympic middle That's never happened. None of those players
Speaker 5: have crossed over and it's still been seen there as
Speaker 5: rather niche when we had Antone de Pont make it,
Speaker 5: but that was for a home World sorry home Olympics
Speaker 5: and Paris in twenty twenty four, and that was huge
Speaker 5: and it was great.
Speaker 3: But it's not going.
Speaker 5: To see more all blacks crossover and play sevens at
Speaker 5: LA twenty eight. So the World Series, they just do
Speaker 5: not quite know what to do with it. And as
Speaker 5: long as there's in the sevens and I think the
Speaker 5: World Series survives, But I think the Olympic spot is
Speaker 5: the question. You know, there's flag football potentially coming in
Speaker 5: or for the next Olympics and all sorts of challenges
Speaker 5: for it that I just don't know they can necessarily
Speaker 5: guarantee that sevens will be at the Olympics. I think
Speaker 5: wild rugby obviously love to keep it there, but they
Speaker 5: just can't quite figure it out. And maybe if it
Speaker 5: wasn't at the Olympics, you'd be reduced to maybe just
Speaker 5: keeping say a Hong Kong event or a Dubai and
Speaker 5: maybe two or three events a year, and that wouldn't
Speaker 5: be great for the blackfan sevens program, which has been
Speaker 5: so so good in recent times. But I just get
Speaker 5: the feeling that world rugby don't know what to do
Speaker 5: with it.
Speaker 4: Yeah, completely agree, and I as you made me think
Speaker 4: around whether franchising sevens is the way to go. But
Speaker 4: like what we're having with Tea twenty cricket at the moment,
Speaker 4: you know, you get all these bilateral international series that
Speaker 4: don't really shift the needle, But then you've got an
Speaker 4: Indian Premier League or a competitions over in the UK.
Speaker 4: Could a franchise again, who's funding that?
Speaker 2: I don't know?
Speaker 4: But could that sort of create some interest? And then
Speaker 4: you're one and only international sevens is the Olympics and
Speaker 4: if it still exists the Commonwealth Games. I'm not so sure,
Speaker 4: but I think some big decisions that have been made,
Speaker 4: it feels like a real fork in the road moment
Speaker 4: for sevens.
Speaker 5: It certainly does topic two. The Black Ferns announced their
Speaker 5: squad for the Pack four, which she gets underway well
Speaker 5: this weekend from a New Zealand perspective, at least when
Speaker 5: they play Australia at in Newcastle on Saturday afternoon. No
Speaker 5: Renee Homes, no Ruby Towey, no Chelsea Bremner, all filling
Speaker 5: the axe from Allen Bunting. What do you make of
Speaker 5: these selections? Look, I looked at it and thought, I
Speaker 5: don't know if Ruby Tooey is in the top mix
Speaker 5: of outside backs in New Zealand at the moment. Didn't
Speaker 5: think she had a great or picky campaign. Renee Holmes,
Speaker 5: I don't think I had a great or peacky campaign.
Speaker 5: But she's been there, done that for the Black Ferns
Speaker 5: and offers the goalkicking as well, so I was a
Speaker 5: little bit more surprised to see her there. But I
Speaker 5: genuinely didn't know if Bunting would be brave enough to
Speaker 5: cut Toey, but he has been and now it's a
Speaker 5: long way back for her to get a spot at
Speaker 5: the World Cut. What have you made of these selections?
Speaker 4: Yeah, it is a long way back because you look
Speaker 4: at it, well, I guess it's far aparmer Carp, isn't it.
Speaker 4: That's the only way you can really shift the needle.
Speaker 4: And then how much can you gain from their compared
Speaker 4: to how many inroads can be made by the current
Speaker 4: Black Ferns mix in the in the pack four before
Speaker 4: the World Cup. But I feel they had to pick Braxton,
Speaker 4: Sirence and McGhee, so you had to make room a
Speaker 4: concession there for at least one player. And then the
Speaker 4: fact that Porsche Woodman Wickliffe was listed as an outside
Speaker 4: back as opposed to a midfielder.
Speaker 2: Again, you had to make room.
Speaker 4: For Porscha Woodman Wickcliffe in your mix if you plan
Speaker 4: on playing her on the wing. And as you say,
Speaker 4: based on the ope key form alone, I feel like
Speaker 4: that was the right call to bring Sirence and McGhee
Speaker 4: and Woodman and Wickcliffe in and Tilley and Holmes out.
Speaker 4: It will be interesting to see the point you made
Speaker 4: the elliot around Renee Holmes at fullback. I just looked
Speaker 4: at again looking through that list, and that's probably where
Speaker 4: I wonder, outside of Sorrence and McGee, who are they
Speaker 4: thinking as back up fullback? So of any of them,
Speaker 4: I feel like Renee Holmes has the greater chance of
Speaker 4: maybe getting back in over Toy, which is a pretty
Speaker 4: big cool given Ruby Toy standing in the women's game.
Speaker 2: It is.
Speaker 5: Yeah, I'm intrigued. I if Braxton's sign and McGee is injured,
Speaker 5: where that Mex goes for fullback is really interesting. I
Speaker 5: wonder whether Callie brazy It might be asked to play fullback.
Speaker 5: Potentially she's a traveling reserved to Newcastle. Intrigued to see
Speaker 5: where they go to with that.
Speaker 4: I think I heard Alan Barling story say Rissy pory Lane,
Speaker 4: who's obviously away with the Sevens, is sort of a
Speaker 4: hybrid nine fifteen option in his mind. So that's where
Speaker 4: this versatility of these sevens players come. Obviously we're waiting
Speaker 4: to see how Georgia Miller slots back and listed there
Speaker 4: is a loose forward, but yeah, still some decisions to
Speaker 4: be made or I'm fascinated by how it all unfolds
Speaker 4: over the coming weeks.
Speaker 5: Yes, indeed, so am I and topic at number three,
Speaker 5: let's after round twelve give us your super Rugby top
Speaker 5: six and finishing order. Nick, I want to hear how
Speaker 5: you're thinking with just a few rounds to go.
Speaker 4: Well, look if Jack Mesley or Kevin Malowy is listening
Speaker 4: to this edition of the Rugby Direct podcast. Just have
Speaker 4: a look on the NRL dot com website. They've got
Speaker 4: this thing called a ladder predictor that would be great
Speaker 4: to do.
Speaker 2: Rather than my notes here where I was manually.
Speaker 4: Trying to figure out how many points each team is
Speaker 4: going to win in the next three or four weeks.
Speaker 4: But I've done my best look, I think, and probably
Speaker 4: maybe call me bys whatever being based down here in Christs,
Speaker 4: but I think the Crusaders are going to finish top.
Speaker 4: It's level at the moment with the Chiefs, but they
Speaker 4: do have the.
Speaker 2: Benefit of a game in hand.
Speaker 4: I do see them dropping one of those four, whether
Speaker 4: that's the Chiefs this weekend, whether that's the Waretas has
Speaker 4: been an unhappy hunting ground in Sydney, or even the Brumbies.
Speaker 4: It isn't the easiest run home, but I back them
Speaker 4: to finish top and then I've got the Chiefs second.
Speaker 4: They either lose this weekend or even if they do win,
Speaker 4: as I say, toss of a coin, maybe points differential.
Speaker 4: It does come down to between the Crusader and the Chiefs.
Speaker 4: But I'm backing them to beat Mowana and the Highlanders.
Speaker 4: The Brumbies of course have beat them tars at the weekend.
Speaker 4: I'm backing them to to win at least two of
Speaker 4: the three and again wouldn't shock me if they beat
Speaker 4: the Crusaders and Cameras. I've got them third. The big
Speaker 4: mover of the last fortnight is the cane train. Hopefullyam
Speaker 4: Napier's enjoying this on the flight back home. But look,
Speaker 4: I've got them beating the Highlanders, I've got them beat
Speaker 4: even beating the Reds in Brisbane, and I've got them
Speaker 4: beating Maana. So they're fourth for mine. The Reds dropped
Speaker 4: to fifth. They've got enough points in the bag though
Speaker 4: to hold on. I think they'll win one of their
Speaker 4: last four and in sixth position at the moment.
Speaker 2: Hold on to your hats the Blues.
Speaker 3: I'm one.
Speaker 2: Yeah, tough scene.
Speaker 4: Apologies for all our faithful fans, listeners and supporters of Majana.
Speaker 4: I think they'll do enough even if they drop a
Speaker 4: game from here, so the Blues run home. They got
Speaker 4: the drawer that crucial game against Moana and the Waratas,
Speaker 4: who can't win anywhere outside of New South Wales.
Speaker 2: So that's my sex. Unfortunately for Milana.
Speaker 4: I just feel, you know, when we reflect back to
Speaker 4: earlier in the podcast and we were talking about some
Speaker 4: of those games against the Highlanders for example, the Hurricanes,
Speaker 4: or even that Chiefs won and Poker Co they shouldn't
Speaker 4: have won.
Speaker 2: They should have won.
Speaker 4: Perhaps they did so much poor work in that first
Speaker 4: forty to make it an insurmountable task. But it's just
Speaker 4: that that run home Blues at home, Chiefs away, Hurricanes away.
Speaker 4: For me, they're just going to fall short, but it's
Speaker 4: gonna be a fantastic finish and that's what we want
Speaker 4: in this competition. There's going to be a lot of
Speaker 4: interest in these next three weeks because nothing is guarantee.
Speaker 2: That's just one man's prediction about you.
Speaker 3: We've got.
Speaker 5: I've got the same top six as you, just in
Speaker 5: a slightly different order. I've gone Chiefs to round out top.
Speaker 5: I think the Crusaders will drop points, whether it's this week,
Speaker 5: Similar to you, I think they've got at least one
Speaker 5: game or a loss coming up in that last four games.
Speaker 5: It's a tricky ish run home for them, whether it
Speaker 5: comes this week or against the Brumbies or Wartas away.
Speaker 5: So I got the Chiefs top the Crusaders, second the
Speaker 5: Brumbies and third Hurricanes. Fourth Blues I've got making it
Speaker 5: in fifth and the Reds to come home in sixth
Speaker 5: at the end.
Speaker 3: So no Mowana.
Speaker 5: But boy, if they can beat the Blues at home
Speaker 5: in a couple of weeks time, the seventeenth, I believe
Speaker 5: it is at North Harbor Stadium, which has turned into
Speaker 5: a little bit of a fortress for them, then that
Speaker 5: shakes up the whole race in itself, so there is
Speaker 5: more water to go under the bridge. But as it stands,
Speaker 5: I think the Blues will make it and Mawana with
Speaker 5: that Chiefs, Hurricanes Blues run in just a little bit
Speaker 5: too much ground to make up unfortunately.
Speaker 4: And look, don't rule out the drawer beating the Blues
Speaker 4: this week. I'm just going to say that here, and
Speaker 4: I'm either going to look like a genius or an
Speaker 4: idiot in seven days time. But they're on their day
Speaker 4: and better in Laotoka, but still equally pretty handy and suver.
Speaker 4: That's no gimmy for the Blues, so just watch out
Speaker 4: for that one this week.
Speaker 5: Nd he was a cracking win. They got over the
Speaker 5: Reds as well. Last minute try to get the job
Speaker 5: done over the weekend, which has them in fifteenth in
Speaker 5: the latter and so that is remarkable to be bottom
Speaker 5: and have fifteen points on the board. Final topic in
Speaker 5: the Final four, Jordy Barrett stint at Leinster won't win
Speaker 5: the Champigins cut but hasn't been worth it. So Len's
Speaker 5: obviously losing to Northampton, which is I've seen some people
Speaker 5: call it one of the biggest shocks in European Champions
Speaker 5: Cup history. I think Leinster were twenty point favorites according
Speaker 5: to some of the stats and the bookies. They dropped
Speaker 5: that game and a little bit of a chatter that
Speaker 5: maybe ended and the conditioning program meant that Jordy Barrett
Speaker 5: couldn't start. He came off the bench played the last
Speaker 5: half hour from a couple of commentators suggested that maybe
Speaker 5: he was still mad at the match despite any coming
Speaker 5: on for half an hour, But would you classify the
Speaker 5: stint has been worth it for Jordy Barrett.
Speaker 4: Like I listened to Jordy again Weekend Sport with Jason
Speaker 4: Pine a few weeks ago and look, I'll take his
Speaker 4: comments at face value. He feels like he wanted to
Speaker 4: go over there test himself in a new environment, grow
Speaker 4: his game.
Speaker 2: And come back a better player.
Speaker 4: And as of a few weeks ago, his comments were, Yep,
Speaker 4: I've ticked those boxes. And by all accounts of those
Speaker 4: who follow the game closer in the Northern Hemisphere, he's
Speaker 4: been a sensation. Has been quite interesting though, hasn't it
Speaker 4: Smithy around? There's been a little bit of commentary and
Speaker 4: maybe misguided commentary around. You know, he's been playing week in,
Speaker 4: week out and he's going to be a bit naked
Speaker 4: or spent by the time he gets back for a
Speaker 4: potential All Blacks series against France in July. But if
Speaker 4: you look a bit closer, he had the best part
Speaker 4: of eight weeks off during the Six Nations, so it
Speaker 4: will be interesting. I guess the proof will ultimately be
Speaker 4: when he comes back and what is a real stacked
Speaker 4: midfield picture to see what type of form Jordi Barrett is.
Speaker 4: But look, I'm all for these experiences if it helps
Speaker 4: keeping our top tier talent in New Zealand long term,
Speaker 4: and look, I personally wouldn't mind. Where were actually chatting
Speaker 4: to a couple of Crusaders senior Crusaders players at a
Speaker 4: media session a couple of weeks ago. I won't name names,
Speaker 4: but they were saying I'd love to see it go
Speaker 4: the other way, where they get a you know, a
Speaker 4: Sam Prendergas for example, comes down and plays for the
Speaker 4: Highlanders for a season, you know, Like I think that
Speaker 4: would spark even greater interest and transfer movement and rugby,
Speaker 4: and it doesn't necessarily have to just be a one
Speaker 4: way strict well.
Speaker 5: One of the most successful has been Publo Meteta, who
Speaker 5: came in twenty twenty two and did that season with
Speaker 5: the Crusaders because he wanted experience, you know, the New
Speaker 5: Zealand style of rugby, and I thought it was great
Speaker 5: for the comp there. Yes, they're only coming for one
Speaker 5: season and it's the short term attachment, but I think
Speaker 5: ultimately creates interest in the comp interest in everything. Henry
Speaker 5: Pollock's been a real staff for an English rugby on
Speaker 5: the rise. If you want to come and improve his
Speaker 5: game and go to the Hurricanes or go to the
Speaker 5: Crusade wherever it might be, that's going to create interest.
Speaker 5: So but I think ultimately we might see more of
Speaker 5: it in world rugby, which can only be a good thing.
Speaker 5: Let's get into our being. Liam had a good week.
Speaker 5: He picked four of five, got the Reds drew a
Speaker 5: game wrong, but else where he was correct with the Blues, Canes,
Speaker 5: Brumbies and Mowana. I picked the Chiefs and the Highlanders
Speaker 5: to get victories and they did not. So he's closed
Speaker 5: the gap to five points, thirty nine and a half
Speaker 5: to thirty four and a half. So pressure's on you
Speaker 5: here this week, Nick, to see how whether you can
Speaker 5: keep some of the He's on me.
Speaker 4: Only only the four games, so yeah, I got much
Speaker 4: much runway here, but I'll do my best.
Speaker 2: Lamb.
Speaker 5: Well, you picked earlier a couple of moments ago drew
Speaker 5: a Blues You suggested look out for a drawer up.
Speaker 5: See any willing to lock that in?
Speaker 4: Yeah?
Speaker 2: I lock it in, you know, So I'll stay true
Speaker 2: to my word. I think.
Speaker 4: The nature of the Blues season being a little bit
Speaker 4: up and down. I just get I'm still unconvinced, and
Speaker 4: I haven't really been convinced in them all year. And
Speaker 4: I don't think the force, you know, despite their their improvement,
Speaker 4: are a real line in the sand. You know, when
Speaker 4: if you beat them by X amount of points, all
Speaker 4: of a sudden, you're a good team.
Speaker 5: So toss d I'm going the Blues to get it
Speaker 5: done in a close one live on Godsport and my
Speaker 5: Heart Radio. Warritars and Reds stat against state made against
Speaker 5: mate Sydney the venue for this one. The war retar
Speaker 5: is very disappointing on the weekend against the Brumbies. But
Speaker 5: do they bounce back against their old rivals.
Speaker 4: This is a tough one for mine, given both teams
Speaker 4: were a little bit disappointing and the Reds sets a
Speaker 4: long road trip home from Suva back to Brisbane, back
Speaker 4: to Brisbane and then down to Sydney, and just given
Speaker 4: the home record of the Waratars, I think that may
Speaker 4: give them the edge if I had.
Speaker 2: To make a pick, which I do, That's why I'm here.
Speaker 5: So yeah, Tars, I'm going to visit as the Reds
Speaker 5: to win that one. Looking forward to this one. Crusaders
Speaker 5: cheap seven o five on Saturday night at Apollo Project
Speaker 5: stating a hum in christ Church. Or check the forecast,
Speaker 5: it's going to be three degrees Saturday nights.
Speaker 3: Nick, what do you reckon?
Speaker 4: Well, look, just firstly as a recommendation, because you are
Speaker 4: calling this one, Elliott while you're down here and I'm
Speaker 4: hopefully going to be sunning myself on the Sunshine coast.
Speaker 2: M yeah, pack up all your layers electric.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I was about to say for our listeners radio
Speaker 4: sport listeners. Back in the day Corey Flynn used to
Speaker 4: pack an electric blanket on occasion might be required. Just
Speaker 4: the nature of that window as it just gets through
Speaker 4: in the corner of the standard there up into our
Speaker 4: commentary position.
Speaker 2: But you'll love it.
Speaker 3: How excited if next year it's going to be unreal?
Speaker 2: Absolutely unreal? Cannot wait?
Speaker 4: But yeah on this one fascinating contest, isn't it, and
Speaker 4: probably will determine who finishes top spots. We haven't really
Speaker 4: got to it, but you know, Takim a confirmation season
Speaker 4: ending knee knee injury and subsequent surgery coming up to
Speaker 4: repair his acl Like I thought Rivers Rayhanna was steady
Speaker 4: enough against the Highlanders.
Speaker 2: But the Highland aren't the chiefs.
Speaker 4: And I'm really intrigued come Wednesday afternoon when we see
Speaker 4: all the teams. Do they stick with Ray Harner as
Speaker 4: a starter and O'Connor as a closer or do they
Speaker 4: look to reverse that? But I will keep my faith
Speaker 4: in the Crusaders at home.
Speaker 3: Just I think the Chiefs.
Speaker 5: Look, the Crusaders got beaten by them, what almost fifty
Speaker 5: points earlier in the comp They've improved obviously since then.
Speaker 5: But I think the Chiefs with Damie McKenzie back, Wallace
Speaker 5: a teed might start this week after a couple of
Speaker 5: weeks off the bench.
Speaker 3: I think the Chiefs in a close one. I'm looking
Speaker 3: forward to it.
Speaker 4: Gee, this is a real swing week all of a sudden,
Speaker 4: isn't it is? In competition?
Speaker 5: It could be dangerous for my lead and the Force
Speaker 5: and the Brumbies to round out a shortened week of
Speaker 5: Super rugby this one in Perth on Saturday night. Now
Speaker 5: the Force now on the outside looking in of the playoffs.
Speaker 5: But if they win that, look it's all go again.
Speaker 5: So what do you reckon to The Force went at home?
Speaker 4: Well, just based on the final four before, I've got
Speaker 4: the Brumbies winning out.
Speaker 2: So that includes this one.
Speaker 4: I thought after the loss they had against Hurricans, they
Speaker 4: were very impressive against the Tars and I expect that
Speaker 4: momentum to extend this week through in this game in Perth.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I'm with you. I'm going to give you the
Speaker 3: same one. That one. I think the Brumby's to win
Speaker 3: that one.
Speaker 5: In Perth Rugby Deric Metal voting time, Artie Savier out
Speaker 5: on top on thirteen vote and Barrett on twelve. Will
Speaker 5: Jordan in third on nine points. Nick, your three two
Speaker 5: ones if you'd be so kind.
Speaker 4: Yeah, three two ones for mine, and look, rugby direct
Speaker 4: medal leader is going to push a bit clear via
Speaker 4: me because I've got three points for Artie Savia. We
Speaker 4: wax lyrical at the top, but he was sensational again
Speaker 4: and the miner's position and.
Speaker 2: Sixth on the ladder at the moment. A large part
Speaker 2: of that.
Speaker 4: Is through his influence. So three points for Artie Savia.
Speaker 4: I got two for Ruben Love, who looks very much
Speaker 4: at home as a ten and I'm I think it's
Speaker 4: going to do his all blacks credentials or selection potential
Speaker 4: all the world of good his versatility, but he is
Speaker 4: riding a waiver of confidence at the moment, goal kicking
Speaker 4: very slick, Love that crossfield kick and just the confidence
Speaker 4: of him at ten. So he gets my two with
Speaker 4: a big win over the Chiefs and that was the
Speaker 4: big statement win for me of the week. So my
Speaker 4: one I start tossing up between a number of hurricanes players,
Speaker 4: but I've ended up landing on Callum Harkin just because
Speaker 4: I think it's a real story of perseverance. Didn't get
Speaker 4: a super rugby contract at the beginning of the year.
Speaker 4: I thought he was actually very impressive in NPC. Has
Speaker 4: fought his way back in through circumstance and injury, and
Speaker 4: again he looks very slick at fifteen and a real
Speaker 4: point of difference from his kicking game and running game.
Speaker 4: And yeah he gets my one point might be the
Speaker 4: first point for him or the Rugby Direct medal, but
Speaker 4: he's on the board.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I thought he was excellent.
Speaker 5: Again. It was great hearing the clip from him this
Speaker 5: week that last week rather than Collie Adam Cooper when
Speaker 5: he spoke to him after all those wins in Wellington
Speaker 5: last week and he said he probably still would have
Speaker 5: been out on the building site because that's his trade
Speaker 5: and his old boss wasn't favorable to calling it a
Speaker 5: day too early, so if it wasn't rugby, he was
Speaker 5: doing here. But he's probably on the building site, still
Speaker 5: out in the wins, so he's quite grateful to be
Speaker 5: chucking the ball around.
Speaker 3: I thought that was great.
Speaker 5: Our threes and twos are exactly the same, Artie Savia,
Speaker 5: What more can you say? I think he's the best
Speaker 5: player in the world at the moment, probably alongside Antilino
Speaker 5: point obviously injured, but just the whole array of skills
Speaker 5: we saw from him in that Moana game. He was exceptional.
Speaker 5: So he is going to extend out with two three
Speaker 5: pointers this week. Rubin Love gets my two as well,
Speaker 5: and I'm giving one to Boden. Barrett pulled the strings
Speaker 5: in that game against the Force for the Blues and
Speaker 5: we'll keep them really alive in the playoff mix and
Speaker 5: did what they needed to do, So Boden gets my one.
Speaker 3: Well update you next week, I can tell you.
Speaker 5: Artie Savia is right out in front of this rugby
Speaker 5: director MVP medal vote. That about does us for rank
Speaker 5: be direct for a week? Nick, thanks for stopping by.
Speaker 5: I appreciate your time as always, and you enjoy a
Speaker 5: well deserved break across the ditch.
Speaker 4: Thank you very much, Elliott, and enjoy the comforts of
Speaker 4: Apollo Orange Theory projects, Ami, whatever it's called these days,
Speaker 4: You're in for a treat.
Speaker 2: Saturday Night Night shall be a cracking game. Can't wait
Speaker 2: to churn it.
Speaker 3: Looking forward to that on gold Sport on iHeartRadio. Just
Speaker 3: a quick programming note.
Speaker 5: We'll be back next Wednesday. Slightly delay podcast next week,
Speaker 5: but we look forward.
Speaker 3: To joining you again. Then.
Speaker 5: Thanks to Last and Bars English and I thanks it
Speaker 5: as always to Habit Health, tackling all your aches and
Speaker 5: pains from sports and work.
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