1 00:00:06,707 --> 00:00:10,467 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine 2 00:00:10,747 --> 00:00:12,587 Speaker 1: from newstalksb. 3 00:00:12,747 --> 00:00:15,267 Speaker 2: And in Paris, not the entire country of France. 4 00:00:15,667 --> 00:00:15,827 Speaker 3: One. 5 00:00:16,787 --> 00:00:20,267 Speaker 2: James mcconey's in Paris. What are you doing in Paris? 6 00:00:20,947 --> 00:00:23,307 Speaker 4: Yeah, a lot of people are asking that question, Poney, 7 00:00:23,387 --> 00:00:27,267 Speaker 4: What the hell am I doing over here? I am 8 00:00:27,427 --> 00:00:32,107 Speaker 4: here covering the Olympics for the Crowd Goes Wild and Sky. 9 00:00:32,387 --> 00:00:35,067 Speaker 4: So on any given day, I could be doing something 10 00:00:35,147 --> 00:00:40,067 Speaker 4: for Crowd Goes Wild and then you know, mightbe turn 11 00:00:40,147 --> 00:00:43,507 Speaker 4: around and do a live cross for Sky and and 12 00:00:43,987 --> 00:00:47,747 Speaker 4: interview news after at the end. You know, sometimes happy ones, 13 00:00:47,827 --> 00:00:50,827 Speaker 4: sometimes they'll be there'll be tears, but you're there to 14 00:00:50,827 --> 00:00:55,187 Speaker 4: capture the emotion and then in between times just trying 15 00:00:55,187 --> 00:00:58,907 Speaker 4: to actually sort of catch a couple of sports. 16 00:00:58,507 --> 00:00:59,827 Speaker 3: That you wouldn't normally see. 17 00:00:59,907 --> 00:01:04,027 Speaker 4: So I'm going off the beaten track hopefully to see 18 00:01:04,027 --> 00:01:06,267 Speaker 4: a bit of skateboarding and break dancing. 19 00:01:06,747 --> 00:01:09,307 Speaker 2: Looking forward to to hearing your your reports and your 20 00:01:09,347 --> 00:01:13,347 Speaker 2: analysis of that. Being in Paris while the Olympics are 21 00:01:13,427 --> 00:01:16,307 Speaker 2: on or have just started. What is it like there? 22 00:01:16,427 --> 00:01:18,027 Speaker 2: Can you can you give us an idea of the 23 00:01:18,027 --> 00:01:20,227 Speaker 2: feel of the city. 24 00:01:21,987 --> 00:01:25,067 Speaker 4: I can I can tell Paris Is, let's just say 25 00:01:25,107 --> 00:01:29,467 Speaker 4: cautiously or slowly buzzing. It really came to life tonight 26 00:01:30,067 --> 00:01:34,667 Speaker 4: when you saw Antoine DuPont leading this the French sevens 27 00:01:34,707 --> 00:01:37,747 Speaker 4: team to the gold medal victory over Fiji in the final. 28 00:01:38,427 --> 00:01:39,867 Speaker 3: And I was in. 29 00:01:39,827 --> 00:01:42,547 Speaker 4: A restaurant where you know, they were all the French 30 00:01:42,587 --> 00:01:47,147 Speaker 4: were going completely nuts loving that moment, and and it 31 00:01:47,187 --> 00:01:50,187 Speaker 4: was it was, it was really special, I guess for 32 00:01:50,347 --> 00:01:52,947 Speaker 4: DuPont because you know, he got injured, he had to 33 00:01:52,947 --> 00:01:55,587 Speaker 4: wear the mask in the Rugby World Cup and he's 34 00:01:55,707 --> 00:01:59,067 Speaker 4: he came along to the sevens team and you know 35 00:01:59,107 --> 00:02:01,147 Speaker 4: he doesn't always start games, but I'll tell you what, 36 00:02:01,187 --> 00:02:03,387 Speaker 4: he finishes them, and he was impressive. 37 00:02:03,467 --> 00:02:08,947 Speaker 3: So I'd say the mood on the street as pride. 38 00:02:09,267 --> 00:02:13,627 Speaker 4: And they're also buzzing about the opening ceremony. Did you 39 00:02:13,627 --> 00:02:15,107 Speaker 4: see it, Piney. 40 00:02:14,987 --> 00:02:17,707 Speaker 2: Yes, I saw bits of it, and I was very 41 00:02:17,787 --> 00:02:21,067 Speaker 2: keen to get your thoughts because you know, I kind 42 00:02:21,067 --> 00:02:23,667 Speaker 2: of tend to look at these things through a traditional eye, 43 00:02:23,987 --> 00:02:26,267 Speaker 2: whereas you you seem to, you know, think outside the 44 00:02:26,267 --> 00:02:28,067 Speaker 2: square a little bit, look at things from a different 45 00:02:28,107 --> 00:02:31,147 Speaker 2: angle and in a different way. What did you think 46 00:02:31,187 --> 00:02:31,467 Speaker 2: of it? 47 00:02:34,147 --> 00:02:34,547 Speaker 3: Overall? 48 00:02:34,587 --> 00:02:37,387 Speaker 4: I think it worked right, So I think you know 49 00:02:37,507 --> 00:02:40,947 Speaker 4: that the opening ceremony is about showcasing a nation and 50 00:02:40,987 --> 00:02:46,547 Speaker 4: its history, and really France have nailed that, nailed the brief. 51 00:02:46,907 --> 00:02:48,227 Speaker 4: You know, there are a couple of moments that you 52 00:02:48,227 --> 00:02:51,987 Speaker 4: could probably give, you know, take or leave. And also 53 00:02:52,067 --> 00:02:55,027 Speaker 4: I think I always felt sorry for some of the 54 00:02:55,147 --> 00:02:58,147 Speaker 4: dancers just going, you know, dancing their hearts out and 55 00:02:58,147 --> 00:03:01,347 Speaker 4: they get zero point five seconds on camera and then 56 00:03:01,387 --> 00:03:02,427 Speaker 4: they just have some. 57 00:03:02,347 --> 00:03:03,427 Speaker 3: Aerial shot. 58 00:03:04,987 --> 00:03:10,147 Speaker 4: Of the river and I like, I'm like, okay, yeah, 59 00:03:10,227 --> 00:03:13,227 Speaker 4: cut away from that person who's really giving it. They're 60 00:03:13,307 --> 00:03:16,787 Speaker 4: all But I thought the start was really special. And 61 00:03:17,027 --> 00:03:19,027 Speaker 4: my French friends, I was talking to one of them, 62 00:03:19,627 --> 00:03:23,267 Speaker 4: she said that her and her partner and her boyfriend 63 00:03:23,267 --> 00:03:26,627 Speaker 4: were in tears. They were just so emotional about it 64 00:03:26,667 --> 00:03:30,867 Speaker 4: because they really felt represented France in the most positive 65 00:03:30,867 --> 00:03:34,067 Speaker 4: way and that was I mean, I think if everyone 66 00:03:34,107 --> 00:03:37,027 Speaker 4: out there hasn't seen it, that the start was epic. 67 00:03:37,867 --> 00:03:39,347 Speaker 3: A heavy metal band. 68 00:03:41,147 --> 00:03:44,907 Speaker 4: Basically all members of the band outside of a massive palace, 69 00:03:45,427 --> 00:03:49,907 Speaker 4: out of different windows, while there's a Marie Antoinette is 70 00:03:49,947 --> 00:03:53,507 Speaker 4: carrying her own head and the head is singing, and 71 00:03:54,787 --> 00:03:58,227 Speaker 4: you just can't get a more epic start to something 72 00:03:58,267 --> 00:04:01,147 Speaker 4: than that. So I actually thought that was great, and 73 00:04:01,187 --> 00:04:04,627 Speaker 4: I actually thought the end was great. From when they 74 00:04:04,707 --> 00:04:09,187 Speaker 4: had these acrobats playing different acrobats I understand, playing the 75 00:04:09,547 --> 00:04:13,387 Speaker 4: one character that was masked and doing flips with the 76 00:04:13,427 --> 00:04:16,787 Speaker 4: Olympic flame, and once that Olympic flame was handed to 77 00:04:16,907 --> 00:04:22,307 Speaker 4: zenodinsa down onto Raphael and Ad and then the great 78 00:04:22,347 --> 00:04:26,027 Speaker 4: Olympic freech Olympic athletes and Paralympic athletes. 79 00:04:26,547 --> 00:04:27,947 Speaker 3: I thought it was really special. 80 00:04:27,987 --> 00:04:31,387 Speaker 4: It had the desired effect, which was emotion really and 81 00:04:32,747 --> 00:04:35,187 Speaker 4: now they've got a pretty cool flame with a balloon attached. 82 00:04:37,067 --> 00:04:39,467 Speaker 2: That's right. Not every city in the world can say 83 00:04:39,507 --> 00:04:43,787 Speaker 2: that just on You mentioned the highs and the lows, 84 00:04:43,827 --> 00:04:48,227 Speaker 2: the disappointment and the delight. Our men sevens team obviously 85 00:04:48,307 --> 00:04:52,387 Speaker 2: started even before the opening ceremony, and their chances of 86 00:04:52,787 --> 00:04:55,627 Speaker 2: metal were kind of extinguished before the flame was even lit. 87 00:04:55,827 --> 00:04:58,107 Speaker 2: What about our Blackfoo and sevens? Though James should be 88 00:04:58,147 --> 00:05:01,147 Speaker 2: fairly confident they'll go back to back in the women's 89 00:05:01,587 --> 00:05:03,787 Speaker 2: seven should be pretty confident about that, wouldn't. 90 00:05:03,427 --> 00:05:05,427 Speaker 3: You, Yeah, I think so. 91 00:05:05,827 --> 00:05:09,507 Speaker 4: I think the the blackfer and Sevens are just a 92 00:05:09,547 --> 00:05:17,667 Speaker 4: really great story in camaraderie in sisterhood, understanding each other 93 00:05:17,707 --> 00:05:20,867 Speaker 4: and getting the best out of each other and really 94 00:05:21,387 --> 00:05:25,907 Speaker 4: supporting one another, and that they're excellence. Yeah, Okay, they're 95 00:05:25,907 --> 00:05:28,787 Speaker 4: amazing athletes, but I think they're a really great template 96 00:05:28,867 --> 00:05:32,467 Speaker 4: for how a modern New Zealand team should be. 97 00:05:33,027 --> 00:05:36,307 Speaker 3: And that's just part of it is driven. 98 00:05:36,467 --> 00:05:38,947 Speaker 4: I think a lot of it's driven by the players 99 00:05:39,507 --> 00:05:41,547 Speaker 4: and I'm always so impressed and you can see it 100 00:05:41,587 --> 00:05:42,347 Speaker 4: on social media. 101 00:05:42,387 --> 00:05:43,627 Speaker 3: They're very, very candid. 102 00:05:43,947 --> 00:05:46,987 Speaker 4: I'm sure every time you've interviewed a Black Fern seven 103 00:05:47,027 --> 00:05:50,027 Speaker 4: they're pretty much the best interview in sport overall, you know, 104 00:05:50,187 --> 00:05:54,067 Speaker 4: playing for player and so I think that positivity just 105 00:05:54,387 --> 00:05:57,907 Speaker 4: shines on the field and they'll have to dig deep 106 00:05:57,907 --> 00:06:00,547 Speaker 4: to be a team like Australia if that's the final, 107 00:06:00,627 --> 00:06:03,947 Speaker 4: because they've sort of lifted their game in the past 108 00:06:04,147 --> 00:06:08,387 Speaker 4: six months. But yeah, I really like the Black fan 109 00:06:08,387 --> 00:06:10,627 Speaker 4: and seven. Then having someone like Stacy Why could come 110 00:06:10,667 --> 00:06:16,667 Speaker 4: back as well. They're along with you know, Porscha Woodman, 111 00:06:16,787 --> 00:06:19,107 Speaker 4: michaeleb Lyde and and all the others. 112 00:06:19,187 --> 00:06:20,147 Speaker 3: You know Tyler King. 113 00:06:21,427 --> 00:06:24,827 Speaker 2: Yep, No, I think they've look for me. They're they're 114 00:06:24,867 --> 00:06:27,267 Speaker 2: the ones. They're the ones who I think we'll get 115 00:06:27,307 --> 00:06:29,147 Speaker 2: us started over the next couple of days. Perhaps with 116 00:06:29,227 --> 00:06:31,027 Speaker 2: the gold medal, we might even get some metal before that. 117 00:06:31,387 --> 00:06:33,707 Speaker 2: Just before you go, do you reckon? Like if you 118 00:06:33,747 --> 00:06:35,947 Speaker 2: went to the break dancing and you did like a 119 00:06:35,947 --> 00:06:39,427 Speaker 2: backspin or the worm, will that get you a good point? 120 00:06:39,507 --> 00:06:40,947 Speaker 2: Do you think in break dancing? 121 00:06:42,547 --> 00:06:43,027 Speaker 3: You hope? 122 00:06:43,027 --> 00:06:44,867 Speaker 4: So I'm sort of more of a pop and locker, 123 00:06:44,947 --> 00:06:47,227 Speaker 4: you know, like I sort of can get electric pulse 124 00:06:47,267 --> 00:06:49,827 Speaker 4: and seat of go through you know, my fingers, And 125 00:06:51,227 --> 00:06:52,987 Speaker 4: I mean, I don't know what they do about the 126 00:06:53,107 --> 00:06:55,547 Speaker 4: robot now is that considered a bit parse? 127 00:06:55,867 --> 00:06:58,427 Speaker 2: But I don't know. I don't know. 128 00:06:59,867 --> 00:07:02,747 Speaker 4: Speaking of robots though, Poney, the one thing I was, 129 00:07:03,107 --> 00:07:06,267 Speaker 4: you know, the drone. The ladist of the drone say 130 00:07:06,587 --> 00:07:10,787 Speaker 4: with that Canada has been docked six points. I think 131 00:07:10,827 --> 00:07:15,667 Speaker 4: it is so they for flying two drones spying on 132 00:07:16,187 --> 00:07:19,667 Speaker 4: the football fans. But it doesn't really address and this 133 00:07:19,787 --> 00:07:22,227 Speaker 4: is what the statements come out from the endzo C. 134 00:07:22,987 --> 00:07:26,907 Speaker 4: It doesn't address the fact that the football fans lost 135 00:07:26,907 --> 00:07:29,707 Speaker 4: that game, so it hasn't actually helped them at all 136 00:07:29,827 --> 00:07:33,347 Speaker 4: in a positive way. It's really just killed off Canada's 137 00:07:33,467 --> 00:07:38,227 Speaker 4: chances of qualifying, right, So I think that is that 138 00:07:38,227 --> 00:07:40,427 Speaker 4: that's one thing that that should have been a walkover, 139 00:07:40,547 --> 00:07:44,067 Speaker 4: or that result should have been overturned in favor of 140 00:07:44,107 --> 00:07:48,227 Speaker 4: the football fans. It's it's not really the ideal punishment there. 141 00:07:48,387 --> 00:07:50,787 Speaker 2: Yeah, you mean to have a zero sum solution here, 142 00:07:50,787 --> 00:07:53,747 Speaker 2: aren't you. So if somebody loses points, somebody else should 143 00:07:53,787 --> 00:07:55,747 Speaker 2: gain them. I guess what that also means though, is 144 00:07:55,747 --> 00:07:58,627 Speaker 2: that you know, if they've docked six, then somebody else 145 00:07:58,627 --> 00:08:00,227 Speaker 2: has to get three. I don't know, but yeah, I 146 00:08:00,267 --> 00:08:04,747 Speaker 2: think I tend to agree there's been no advantage gained 147 00:08:04,787 --> 00:08:07,707 Speaker 2: at all by New Zealand and here they've been the 148 00:08:08,267 --> 00:08:11,907 Speaker 2: victims both off the field and on it unfortunately. So yeah, 149 00:08:11,907 --> 00:08:14,147 Speaker 2: it's a yeah, yeah, it's a story that keeps on giving. 150 00:08:14,187 --> 00:08:16,267 Speaker 2: I'm sure there's more to come on this, James. I've 151 00:08:16,347 --> 00:08:19,427 Speaker 2: kept you all wait long enough. You you go and 152 00:08:19,467 --> 00:08:22,347 Speaker 2: get some sleep in the in the Paris night. Enjoy 153 00:08:22,427 --> 00:08:24,747 Speaker 2: the weak ahead, mate, I can't wait to see what 154 00:08:24,987 --> 00:08:27,387 Speaker 2: content you come up with, and we'll hopefully catch up 155 00:08:27,387 --> 00:08:28,187 Speaker 2: again next Sunday. 156 00:08:29,587 --> 00:08:32,667 Speaker 4: Jeez, Piney sounds good mate. I'm always available for you, you know. 157 00:08:32,907 --> 00:08:36,747 Speaker 3: And yeah, I'll get some sleep now and bondwi from me. 158 00:08:37,387 --> 00:08:40,867 Speaker 2: Bon Wie indeed, thanks James James Maconi in Paris. 159 00:08:41,867 --> 00:08:45,027 Speaker 1: For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live 160 00:08:45,147 --> 00:08:48,427 Speaker 1: to News Talk zed B weekends from midday, or follow 161 00:08:48,467 --> 00:08:50,067 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio