1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:02,000 Speaker 1: Right, we've got the first All Blacks test of the year. 2 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:03,880 Speaker 1: Tomorrow night they will be taking on the French at 3 00:00:03,920 --> 00:00:06,160 Speaker 1: Forsyth Bar Stadium. And to Needing, what a game it's 4 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:07,680 Speaker 1: going to be. What a place to be, but a 5 00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:09,399 Speaker 1: very cold one. By the sounds of it. News talks, 6 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:11,160 Speaker 1: they'd be Voice of Rugby Elliot Smith is there for 7 00:00:11,200 --> 00:00:16,279 Speaker 1: us this morning? Hey Elliott, Elliott? Can you hear me? 8 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:17,759 Speaker 2: Mate? I've got your right on? 9 00:00:18,720 --> 00:00:19,880 Speaker 1: How cold is it? Exactly? 10 00:00:20,840 --> 00:00:23,160 Speaker 2: Bit Shelly? Look it was two degrees the other morning. 11 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:24,960 Speaker 2: It's a bit warmer this morning, but it is raining. 12 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:26,840 Speaker 2: But the fortunate thing about Toneden, of course, is that 13 00:00:26,880 --> 00:00:29,319 Speaker 2: they've got the probably the country's best stadium as it 14 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 2: stands in terms of having a roof, So once we 15 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:34,600 Speaker 2: get to tomorrow night, conditions no barrier to what we 16 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:37,000 Speaker 2: might expect from from both of these two teams. They 17 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 2: both love it. I mean the All Blacks certainly love 18 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:40,600 Speaker 2: it when they come to town knowing that they can 19 00:00:40,640 --> 00:00:42,760 Speaker 2: just play whatever rugby they want, or try to play 20 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:46,960 Speaker 2: whatever rugby they want, given the roof at Fullsyth bar Stadium. 21 00:00:47,479 --> 00:00:49,519 Speaker 1: And how important, how big of a deal is this 22 00:00:49,560 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: first one? 23 00:00:51,159 --> 00:00:53,280 Speaker 2: I think it's a chance of the All Blacks to 24 00:00:53,320 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 2: sort of draw a line in the sands. The season 25 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:58,160 Speaker 2: last year was a few ups and downs, the first 26 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:03,120 Speaker 2: year under Scott Robinson regime. Putting things into place this year, 27 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 2: you know, Scott Robinson's made plenty of changes to the 28 00:01:05,560 --> 00:01:08,959 Speaker 2: all Black side. He's blooding four debutantes tomorrow night two, 29 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:12,880 Speaker 2: starting two coming off the bench. He admitted that perhaps 30 00:01:12,920 --> 00:01:14,679 Speaker 2: he was a little bit too conservative with some of 31 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:18,120 Speaker 2: his selections last year. This time he swung the pendul 32 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 2: in the other way and is rolling the dice on 33 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:23,840 Speaker 2: some inexperience and changing some combinations around not only those 34 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:27,399 Speaker 2: four debutants, but changes elsewhere, moving to po Via to 35 00:01:27,400 --> 00:01:30,600 Speaker 2: to the blindside, Rico Yoani back to the left wing, 36 00:01:30,920 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 2: bringing a couple of flankers off the bench, which is 37 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:36,679 Speaker 2: unusual as well. So this feels like more of an 38 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:40,440 Speaker 2: All Blacks team that Scott Robertson, you know, wants to 39 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:43,000 Speaker 2: perk and and and wants to sort of unleash on 40 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 2: the world rather than trying to win. And it feels 41 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 2: like a little bit of it, as I say, a 42 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:50,560 Speaker 2: little bit of a sea change to this all Black 43 00:01:50,600 --> 00:01:54,000 Speaker 2: selection philosophy, which can only be a good thing depicting 44 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 2: on of course how it goes Tomorrow Night. 45 00:01:55,680 --> 00:01:57,160 Speaker 1: It's going to stay as long as it works. 46 00:01:58,160 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 2: Hey, that's exactly right. 47 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:02,080 Speaker 1: Fabia Holland making his debut a lot. This is going 48 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 1: to be quite the story to watch, doesn't it. I 49 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:07,240 Speaker 1: mean he's obviously from Holland originally but has been playing 50 00:02:07,320 --> 00:02:09,760 Speaker 1: for the Highlanders down there and now he's going to 51 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:11,040 Speaker 1: debut it lot for the All Blacks. 52 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:13,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, real especial night Tomorrow Nights of Sabian Holland two 53 00:02:13,919 --> 00:02:16,280 Speaker 2: hundred and four centimeters tool. He is a big unit 54 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:18,520 Speaker 2: and he's a kind of player All Blacks have been 55 00:02:18,560 --> 00:02:20,840 Speaker 2: looking for for for a few years now. That's that 56 00:02:20,919 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 2: big body that they can produce tall players, but that 57 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:25,639 Speaker 2: big frame they just haven't had for it for a 58 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:28,720 Speaker 2: number of years. Remarkable story. Come over from the Netherlands 59 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:31,560 Speaker 2: at sixteen on a school scholarship and christ Church and 60 00:02:31,600 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 2: then comes down to the need and toils away at 61 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 2: the NPC, gets to Highland his contract and now a 62 00:02:36,600 --> 00:02:38,560 Speaker 2: couple of years later is in the All Blacks. That 63 00:02:38,720 --> 00:02:41,680 Speaker 2: is quite remarkable the sort of six years that Fabian 64 00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:44,520 Speaker 2: Holland has had and debuting Tomorrow Night on has adopted 65 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 2: home soil of Forsyth bar Stadium. And there's a couple 66 00:02:47,080 --> 00:02:50,120 Speaker 2: other players, you know, Christian Leo, Willie du CANEFI have 67 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 2: gone the other way about it. They're been toiling away 68 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:54,920 Speaker 2: in club rugby or Super rugby for a number of 69 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 2: years and didn't know that they necessarily get their chance 70 00:02:57,520 --> 00:02:59,640 Speaker 2: and there sort of towards the end of their twenties 71 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:02,400 Speaker 2: and get their opportunity tonight. So a couple of different 72 00:03:02,440 --> 00:03:04,760 Speaker 2: paths that some of these debutants are taken to the 73 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:06,920 Speaker 2: All Blacks tomorrow night and fascinated to see how they go. 74 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:09,800 Speaker 1: Absolutely, Eli, finally, what's your points pick? 75 00:03:10,919 --> 00:03:13,960 Speaker 2: Oh look, I my colleague lean Navi went by all 76 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:16,200 Speaker 2: Blacks by twenty. I went all Blacks by twelve yesterday 77 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 2: when we were doing some predictions. Always a little bit 78 00:03:18,360 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 2: rusty as they start the season, but I think they'll 79 00:03:21,000 --> 00:03:21,880 Speaker 2: win and win by twelve. 80 00:03:21,919 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 1: All right, we will hold you to that. On Monday, Elliott, 81 00:03:24,880 --> 00:03:27,280 Speaker 1: thank you, Allen Smith and News Talks, he'd be Voice 82 00:03:27,280 --> 00:03:28,640 Speaker 1: of Rugby Endneed. 83 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:32,120 Speaker 2: For More from early edition with Ryan Bridge. Listen live 84 00:03:32,240 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 2: to News Talks. It'd be from five am weekdays, or 85 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:37,240 Speaker 2: follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.