1 00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,547 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine 2 00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:13,547 Speaker 1: from news Talk ZEDB over. 3 00:00:13,427 --> 00:00:15,547 Speaker 2: This weekend and next to catch up with some of 4 00:00:15,587 --> 00:00:19,947 Speaker 2: the CEOs from Super Rugby franchises around New Zealand. Highland 5 00:00:19,987 --> 00:00:23,147 Speaker 2: Is CEO Roger Clark joins us on Weekend Sport. Roger, 6 00:00:23,387 --> 00:00:25,627 Speaker 2: let's start on the field as we speak your seventh 7 00:00:26,187 --> 00:00:29,187 Speaker 2: I went over the drool last weekend snapping a four 8 00:00:29,267 --> 00:00:31,507 Speaker 2: game losing streak. So how do you evaluate where the 9 00:00:31,547 --> 00:00:34,747 Speaker 2: team is on the field? First of all, with six 10 00:00:34,787 --> 00:00:35,387 Speaker 2: games to go? 11 00:00:37,387 --> 00:00:39,267 Speaker 3: Oh, I think that's a bit of a tough one, Jason. 12 00:00:40,027 --> 00:00:43,707 Speaker 4: At the moment, as you know, all teams that I 13 00:00:43,707 --> 00:00:48,227 Speaker 4: think third to tenth, there's only eight points difference, So 14 00:00:48,787 --> 00:00:51,387 Speaker 4: I think I don't think there's a lot in it. 15 00:00:51,547 --> 00:00:53,907 Speaker 4: All the games we've played this year, we've been pretty close. 16 00:00:54,027 --> 00:00:56,587 Speaker 4: We just haven't finished the big moment. So if we 17 00:00:56,627 --> 00:00:59,667 Speaker 4: want to be part of the playoff contention, we're going 18 00:00:59,747 --> 00:01:02,067 Speaker 4: to need to start finishing those big moments. 19 00:01:02,267 --> 00:01:04,467 Speaker 3: And you know, we've got some big challenges of the. 20 00:01:04,467 --> 00:01:07,227 Speaker 4: Next couple of weeks with some local derbies, and then 21 00:01:07,227 --> 00:01:08,787 Speaker 4: it'll be a good test for this young group. 22 00:01:09,347 --> 00:01:11,587 Speaker 2: The new Zealand Derby's have always been tough, but have 23 00:01:11,707 --> 00:01:16,067 Speaker 2: you noticed a lift and competitiveness in games against the 24 00:01:16,067 --> 00:01:20,707 Speaker 2: Pacific Island sides and the Australian sides this year as well? 25 00:01:20,827 --> 00:01:22,027 Speaker 3: Well, I think we all have. 26 00:01:22,187 --> 00:01:26,027 Speaker 4: I think it depending an awesome competition really because the jeopardy 27 00:01:26,067 --> 00:01:31,347 Speaker 4: and the competition has been so high. As I said, 28 00:01:31,827 --> 00:01:34,267 Speaker 4: we know the Australian teams were taking the rebels out. 29 00:01:34,307 --> 00:01:38,427 Speaker 4: The Australian teams have through tremendously. They've all got very 30 00:01:38,427 --> 00:01:42,507 Speaker 4: good coaches. And yeah, we're known in the difference, the difference, 31 00:01:42,747 --> 00:01:45,787 Speaker 4: as I said, we've we've lost every game against an 32 00:01:45,787 --> 00:01:50,347 Speaker 4: Australian team, not by March, but and all you look 33 00:01:50,387 --> 00:01:52,267 Speaker 4: at them and all say, all winnable. But I mean 34 00:01:52,547 --> 00:01:54,387 Speaker 4: that's great for them because they were the games they 35 00:01:54,427 --> 00:01:55,427 Speaker 4: were losing in the past. 36 00:01:56,587 --> 00:01:58,947 Speaker 2: Are you happy with your decision to move Jamie Joseph 37 00:01:58,987 --> 00:02:00,467 Speaker 2: into the head coaching role this season? 38 00:02:02,587 --> 00:02:02,787 Speaker 3: Ah? 39 00:02:02,867 --> 00:02:05,907 Speaker 4: You look, I think you don't leave a great coach 40 00:02:06,027 --> 00:02:08,547 Speaker 4: like me on the sidelines. And he is a head 41 00:02:08,587 --> 00:02:15,267 Speaker 4: coach and Clart Germany's flourishing under his leadership. It would 42 00:02:15,267 --> 00:02:16,987 Speaker 4: be good for Clark and it's good for Jamie and 43 00:02:16,987 --> 00:02:19,307 Speaker 4: it's really good for the club and we will see 44 00:02:19,347 --> 00:02:22,067 Speaker 4: the impact of that over the next couple of years. 45 00:02:22,507 --> 00:02:25,787 Speaker 2: I guess they could have been a slightly challenging conversation 46 00:02:25,867 --> 00:02:29,307 Speaker 2: to have with Clark Deermody. Did he respond to it 47 00:02:29,347 --> 00:02:30,067 Speaker 2: pretty well. 48 00:02:31,747 --> 00:02:31,907 Speaker 3: Well? 49 00:02:31,947 --> 00:02:36,347 Speaker 4: I think if we put it in context, when Tony 50 00:02:36,347 --> 00:02:41,347 Speaker 4: Brown left, we were keen to keep a local person involved, 51 00:02:41,387 --> 00:02:45,747 Speaker 4: and so Doom's was somebody that, you know, it was 52 00:02:45,747 --> 00:02:49,507 Speaker 4: a natural progression, but it wasn't a natural job shift, 53 00:02:49,547 --> 00:02:50,307 Speaker 4: and it wasn't. 54 00:02:50,027 --> 00:02:51,187 Speaker 3: Something that he was after. 55 00:02:51,547 --> 00:02:54,547 Speaker 4: Something he did because we asked him to as a 56 00:02:54,547 --> 00:02:56,787 Speaker 4: club and we needed him to do that at that stage. 57 00:02:56,867 --> 00:02:59,347 Speaker 3: So I think Dooms will be the first to. 58 00:02:59,387 --> 00:03:02,787 Speaker 4: Let everyone know that he did a great job. You know, 59 00:03:02,787 --> 00:03:04,547 Speaker 4: he did the best he could possibly do. But at 60 00:03:04,547 --> 00:03:07,467 Speaker 4: the end of the day, and he wasn't in a 61 00:03:07,587 --> 00:03:09,427 Speaker 4: job that he wanted to do. He was there because 62 00:03:09,427 --> 00:03:10,107 Speaker 4: we asked him. 63 00:03:10,027 --> 00:03:10,427 Speaker 3: To do it. 64 00:03:11,627 --> 00:03:15,667 Speaker 2: Rogie, I mean, let's talk about players. You have fewer 65 00:03:15,667 --> 00:03:18,667 Speaker 2: all blacks than any of the other New Zealand franchises. 66 00:03:19,267 --> 00:03:23,507 Speaker 2: How difficult is it still to attract players to the Highlanders. 67 00:03:25,707 --> 00:03:29,667 Speaker 4: I think it's always been challenged, Jason, but it's I 68 00:03:29,707 --> 00:03:32,027 Speaker 4: think in the past, it used to be through university 69 00:03:32,067 --> 00:03:35,187 Speaker 4: and that's the way it is now. We've built up 70 00:03:35,427 --> 00:03:38,147 Speaker 4: I think forty eight percent of our squad have come 71 00:03:38,187 --> 00:03:40,627 Speaker 4: through the High Perporte program we set up five years ago. 72 00:03:41,387 --> 00:03:44,107 Speaker 4: Hence why the average age of the teams so young. 73 00:03:45,067 --> 00:03:48,227 Speaker 4: But our jobs to credle blicks. You know, we had 74 00:03:48,267 --> 00:03:50,667 Speaker 4: one last year, like to think we'll have three or 75 00:03:50,667 --> 00:03:53,307 Speaker 4: four this year. In about three or four years time, 76 00:03:53,387 --> 00:03:55,307 Speaker 4: we'll have seven or eight. And if I look back 77 00:03:55,307 --> 00:03:58,467 Speaker 4: at twenty fifteen, we had nothing and then we had 78 00:03:58,507 --> 00:04:00,747 Speaker 4: seven or eight and that's what won us a championship. 79 00:04:00,827 --> 00:04:03,707 Speaker 4: So our job for New Zealand Rugby, as much as 80 00:04:03,707 --> 00:04:06,347 Speaker 4: the club is to credle blacks and the only way 81 00:04:06,467 --> 00:04:08,267 Speaker 4: to do that is to build with from him. So 82 00:04:08,667 --> 00:04:11,187 Speaker 4: you're never going to and we don't want to bring 83 00:04:11,227 --> 00:04:13,907 Speaker 4: all black down into our environment. We want to grow them. 84 00:04:14,707 --> 00:04:16,747 Speaker 2: How how happy are you and what are the key 85 00:04:17,107 --> 00:04:20,347 Speaker 2: the key planks of your of your high performance system, 86 00:04:20,387 --> 00:04:24,067 Speaker 2: your academy program that that is producing plaiyers of that caliber. 87 00:04:25,707 --> 00:04:28,547 Speaker 4: Well, it's it's looking at players that want to come 88 00:04:28,547 --> 00:04:30,707 Speaker 4: down to university. I mean, our point of difference in 89 00:04:30,707 --> 00:04:32,907 Speaker 4: our region is our university it's one of the best, 90 00:04:32,947 --> 00:04:35,067 Speaker 4: and not only the country, but one of the best 91 00:04:35,147 --> 00:04:35,987 Speaker 4: in austral Asia. 92 00:04:36,067 --> 00:04:36,427 Speaker 3: And so. 93 00:04:37,867 --> 00:04:40,387 Speaker 4: People that want to come to university then we give 94 00:04:40,427 --> 00:04:44,827 Speaker 4: them the same opportunity they get anywhere else around, you know, 95 00:04:44,987 --> 00:04:47,947 Speaker 4: like the opportunities to play. And if I look at 96 00:04:47,947 --> 00:04:51,587 Speaker 4: a young guy, you know, let's say Josh keen Blad, 97 00:04:51,587 --> 00:04:55,307 Speaker 4: who's the New Zealand twenties lot, wants to go to university, 98 00:04:55,547 --> 00:04:57,387 Speaker 4: really wanted to go to Otaga. 99 00:04:57,067 --> 00:04:59,787 Speaker 3: A little bit like the old days, Jason, when you know. 100 00:04:59,787 --> 00:05:03,907 Speaker 4: The Jamie Joseph and Jeff Wilson came down to Otaga 101 00:05:03,987 --> 00:05:05,827 Speaker 4: University all came up and you've skated. 102 00:05:06,907 --> 00:05:09,307 Speaker 3: Except these days you've got to put a rugby offer. 103 00:05:09,427 --> 00:05:11,187 Speaker 4: With it as well, to show them that they're not 104 00:05:11,187 --> 00:05:14,627 Speaker 4: only going to be able to do their degree, finish 105 00:05:14,867 --> 00:05:17,707 Speaker 4: their tertiary qualifications, but we're also going to develop them 106 00:05:17,707 --> 00:05:21,267 Speaker 4: as rugby plasing and show them that we can get them. 107 00:05:21,107 --> 00:05:22,027 Speaker 3: Into the orblis. 108 00:05:22,067 --> 00:05:26,947 Speaker 4: And if I look at at a guy like Fabian Holland, 109 00:05:27,227 --> 00:05:30,667 Speaker 4: he's probably a head of the curve and he's a. 110 00:05:30,587 --> 00:05:32,867 Speaker 3: Guy i'd like to think we'll be in the orbits shortly. 111 00:05:32,907 --> 00:05:35,747 Speaker 3: But has done that come down and he'll have finished 112 00:05:35,747 --> 00:05:38,227 Speaker 3: three years of university by the end of this year. 113 00:05:38,307 --> 00:05:41,027 Speaker 4: So that's the sort of thing we're trying to do 114 00:05:41,067 --> 00:05:42,987 Speaker 4: and that's the basis for our. 115 00:05:42,907 --> 00:05:43,787 Speaker 3: High Performance Broager. 116 00:05:44,427 --> 00:05:47,667 Speaker 2: Are there any other challenges you face as Highland as 117 00:05:47,707 --> 00:05:51,467 Speaker 2: CEO that you believe are specific to you compared to 118 00:05:51,507 --> 00:05:53,867 Speaker 2: the other New Zealand based CEOs. 119 00:05:55,867 --> 00:05:57,547 Speaker 3: No, I don't think so, Jason. 120 00:05:57,587 --> 00:06:01,147 Speaker 4: I think the model, the sports model, was a really 121 00:06:01,227 --> 00:06:04,707 Speaker 4: challenging one for everybody, and everybody has their point of 122 00:06:04,747 --> 00:06:07,307 Speaker 4: difference in their regions. I mean, I think of us now, 123 00:06:07,867 --> 00:06:10,907 Speaker 4: we talked about a high performance program being based there 124 00:06:10,947 --> 00:06:11,627 Speaker 4: in the university. 125 00:06:12,107 --> 00:06:15,867 Speaker 3: One of the biggest points of difference in and our 126 00:06:15,947 --> 00:06:19,187 Speaker 3: fan for our fans is our zoo, which is student based. 127 00:06:19,187 --> 00:06:21,987 Speaker 4: Again, so I think we all have challenges, but we 128 00:06:22,067 --> 00:06:26,907 Speaker 4: all have to create. We'll use the resources we've got 129 00:06:26,907 --> 00:06:29,787 Speaker 4: in our region the best we can. But the commercial 130 00:06:29,867 --> 00:06:33,187 Speaker 4: challenge is probably a tough one for everybody. And it's 131 00:06:33,227 --> 00:06:36,867 Speaker 4: not just like you've seen the stories right across austral 132 00:06:36,907 --> 00:06:39,427 Speaker 4: Asia and then across the world, there's not too many 133 00:06:39,467 --> 00:06:46,307 Speaker 4: sporting clubs, sporting franchises around the world that are fiscally doing. 134 00:06:46,107 --> 00:06:49,307 Speaker 2: Really well even given that, you feel optimistic about the 135 00:06:49,307 --> 00:06:52,467 Speaker 2: future of the Highlanders and of Super Rugby. 136 00:06:53,307 --> 00:06:56,187 Speaker 4: Yeah, look, I think that I do because I look 137 00:06:56,187 --> 00:06:58,827 Speaker 4: at this would be the best competition I've been involved, 138 00:06:58,827 --> 00:07:01,947 Speaker 4: and I've been involved for a long time. The audiences 139 00:07:01,947 --> 00:07:05,467 Speaker 4: are up tremendously, both at game I think twenty one percent, 140 00:07:05,547 --> 00:07:08,147 Speaker 4: up at game broadcast in Australia. 141 00:07:07,707 --> 00:07:09,867 Speaker 3: At thirty percent and in New Zealand twelve percent. 142 00:07:09,987 --> 00:07:12,987 Speaker 4: That are incredible numbers and what that does is drive 143 00:07:13,067 --> 00:07:16,147 Speaker 4: commercial growth and that's what we've seen. So from a 144 00:07:16,187 --> 00:07:19,267 Speaker 4: sponsorship perspective, it's higher than it's ever been in the 145 00:07:19,267 --> 00:07:20,627 Speaker 4: clubs and growing. 146 00:07:20,827 --> 00:07:23,787 Speaker 3: So look, I think the interest in the game and the. 147 00:07:23,747 --> 00:07:26,707 Speaker 4: Fact that the competition at the moment is awesome is 148 00:07:26,747 --> 00:07:29,187 Speaker 4: what's giving me that optimism. 149 00:07:29,387 --> 00:07:29,787 Speaker 3: Jason. 150 00:07:30,947 --> 00:07:32,587 Speaker 2: All right, well, it's great to get the chance to 151 00:07:32,627 --> 00:07:34,347 Speaker 2: chat to you over Easter weekend. Roger, thank you for 152 00:07:34,347 --> 00:07:36,387 Speaker 2: taking the time. I already do appreciate it. All the 153 00:07:36,427 --> 00:07:37,987 Speaker 2: best for the rest of the season. Tough running for 154 00:07:38,027 --> 00:07:39,787 Speaker 2: your boys with a few Derby's coming, but we look 155 00:07:39,827 --> 00:07:41,987 Speaker 2: forward to seeing how they go for the rest of 156 00:07:41,987 --> 00:07:42,747 Speaker 2: twenty twenty five. 157 00:07:44,347 --> 00:07:46,467 Speaker 3: Now, looking forward to it. Thanks very much, Jason. 158 00:07:46,547 --> 00:07:49,307 Speaker 2: Now, thanks for your time Roger Roger Clark, CEO of 159 00:07:49,347 --> 00:07:50,307 Speaker 2: the Highlanders. 160 00:07:50,667 --> 00:07:53,867 Speaker 1: For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, Listen live 161 00:07:53,947 --> 00:07:57,387 Speaker 1: to news talks b weekends from midday, or follow the 162 00:07:57,387 --> 00:07:58,907 Speaker 1: podcast on iHeartRadio