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 --> 00:00:11,507 Speaker 1: from News Talks. 3 00:00:11,707 --> 00:00:14,267 Speaker 2: Be one for the All Blacks ahead of the start 4 00:00:14,267 --> 00:00:17,147 Speaker 2: of the Rugby Championship. Half back cam Roy Guard will 5 00:00:17,147 --> 00:00:19,627 Speaker 2: miss the start of the competition with a stress fracture 6 00:00:19,707 --> 00:00:23,627 Speaker 2: in his foot. He will not travel to Argentina. He'll 7 00:00:23,627 --> 00:00:27,467 Speaker 2: be assessed in two weeks and a decision made on 8 00:00:27,587 --> 00:00:32,187 Speaker 2: his involvement in the South African Tests. Liam Napier, lead 9 00:00:32,267 --> 00:00:34,267 Speaker 2: rugby writer with The New Zealand Herald, I'm sure you 10 00:00:34,267 --> 00:00:36,507 Speaker 2: weren't expecting to chat to me this afternoon, Liam, and 11 00:00:36,507 --> 00:00:38,747 Speaker 2: I'm sure you would have hoped to be under better circumstances. 12 00:00:38,787 --> 00:00:40,427 Speaker 2: How big a blow is this for the Your Blacks? 13 00:00:40,467 --> 00:00:41,907 Speaker 2: No Roy Guard for Argentina. 14 00:00:43,067 --> 00:00:46,267 Speaker 3: It's always a pleasure to he adults at Tones Piney. 15 00:00:46,267 --> 00:00:50,347 Speaker 3: But yeah, sad news indeed, isn't it? And a body 16 00:00:50,347 --> 00:00:53,067 Speaker 3: blow for the All Blacks for sure. I think you 17 00:00:53,107 --> 00:00:56,347 Speaker 3: can look at guys like Ardie Severe, Cody Taylor, Will 18 00:00:56,427 --> 00:01:01,507 Speaker 3: Jordan as players that the All Blacks would most least like, 19 00:01:01,747 --> 00:01:05,547 Speaker 3: you know, not want to lose most influential players in 20 00:01:05,587 --> 00:01:09,307 Speaker 3: their team. And Kmate is right up there. He has 21 00:01:09,387 --> 00:01:12,507 Speaker 3: been hugely influential since coming back. It's easy to forget 22 00:01:12,587 --> 00:01:15,547 Speaker 3: he's only played a handful of tests, but his sniping 23 00:01:15,627 --> 00:01:20,787 Speaker 3: game around the fringes, his booming boots has just been 24 00:01:20,907 --> 00:01:23,587 Speaker 3: a real fault crom for the All Blacks and even 25 00:01:23,627 --> 00:01:26,947 Speaker 3: an apatchi French series at times. He was one of 26 00:01:26,947 --> 00:01:29,067 Speaker 3: the leading lights in the two tests that he played. 27 00:01:29,147 --> 00:01:32,107 Speaker 3: So yeah, it's going to be very interesting to see 28 00:01:32,387 --> 00:01:35,347 Speaker 3: who the All Blacks turned to. I think obviously courses 29 00:01:35,347 --> 00:01:37,987 Speaker 3: of artima will come in to start, but the depth 30 00:01:38,747 --> 00:01:41,827 Speaker 3: in the New Zealand nine socks is not exactly flush 31 00:01:41,827 --> 00:01:42,347 Speaker 3: at the moment. 32 00:01:42,787 --> 00:01:46,147 Speaker 2: It certainly isn't because this is exacerbated by the fact 33 00:01:46,187 --> 00:01:49,907 Speaker 2: that Noah Hotham is currently injured with a high ankle sprains. 34 00:01:50,027 --> 00:01:52,907 Speaker 2: He probably won't play any of the Rugby Championship, so 35 00:01:53,067 --> 00:01:55,827 Speaker 2: no Roy Guard, no Hotham, So two of the three 36 00:01:55,867 --> 00:01:58,987 Speaker 2: half backs from the French series not there, artmat as 37 00:01:58,987 --> 00:02:01,987 Speaker 2: you say. So like Christy's been withdrawn from the Tasman 38 00:02:01,987 --> 00:02:04,187 Speaker 2: game this afternoon. I thought that was because of this 39 00:02:04,227 --> 00:02:06,547 Speaker 2: impending news, but by the sounds of things, he's a 40 00:02:06,547 --> 00:02:09,107 Speaker 2: shoulder injury. You're a little niggle as well. So have 41 00:02:09,147 --> 00:02:10,267 Speaker 2: we got the half backs left. 42 00:02:11,467 --> 00:02:14,867 Speaker 3: Well, I'm a half fake myself, Piney, so I could. 43 00:02:16,427 --> 00:02:19,827 Speaker 3: I'm a long long long way from the test sine though, 44 00:02:19,827 --> 00:02:24,147 Speaker 3: but yeah, it is desperate times in a relative sense. 45 00:02:24,467 --> 00:02:26,747 Speaker 3: I think I would imagine from le Christie will be 46 00:02:26,827 --> 00:02:29,307 Speaker 3: named in the squads because he's been there, done that. 47 00:02:30,027 --> 00:02:33,947 Speaker 3: There's a few whispers around Newcastle Falcons chasing his services 48 00:02:33,987 --> 00:02:38,067 Speaker 3: and perhaps maybe that ties into him, you know, going 49 00:02:38,067 --> 00:02:40,707 Speaker 3: back up north and potentially playing for Scotland where he's born. 50 00:02:40,787 --> 00:02:44,467 Speaker 3: But I expect him to be named in this Rugby 51 00:02:44,547 --> 00:02:49,107 Speaker 3: Championship squads. And then you're looking at guys like Kyle Preston. 52 00:02:49,227 --> 00:02:52,027 Speaker 3: I'm a big fan of his, you know, of course 53 00:02:52,067 --> 00:02:53,267 Speaker 3: Wellington half back. 54 00:02:53,227 --> 00:02:53,387 Speaker 2: But. 55 00:02:55,027 --> 00:02:58,027 Speaker 3: You know Traders. We went to the Crusaders and scored 56 00:02:58,587 --> 00:03:02,147 Speaker 3: four tries in the opening Super Rugby match this year 57 00:03:02,267 --> 00:03:04,587 Speaker 3: and really sort of made his mark early before Hope 58 00:03:04,587 --> 00:03:07,547 Speaker 3: and return. So I like what he offers. And then 59 00:03:07,587 --> 00:03:11,147 Speaker 3: you're looking at others like Fuckatava who has been there 60 00:03:11,147 --> 00:03:12,867 Speaker 3: but not for a couple of years and hasn't been 61 00:03:12,907 --> 00:03:16,267 Speaker 3: in the mix since Scott Robertson took over, and others 62 00:03:16,347 --> 00:03:21,227 Speaker 3: like an Xavier Rowe who brings quite a subtle passing game. 63 00:03:21,307 --> 00:03:24,387 Speaker 3: He's very creative both with his kicking game as well 64 00:03:24,427 --> 00:03:27,467 Speaker 3: around the fringes. So I think that's where the All 65 00:03:27,507 --> 00:03:30,107 Speaker 3: Blacks will be looking and very interesting to see who 66 00:03:30,427 --> 00:03:32,307 Speaker 3: makes that mix when they announce it tomorrow. 67 00:03:32,787 --> 00:03:35,307 Speaker 2: Absolutely it will be. They'll definitely take three, won't they. 68 00:03:35,387 --> 00:03:35,587 Speaker 1: They'll. 69 00:03:36,107 --> 00:03:38,227 Speaker 2: It's a it's pretty much a standard. There'll be three 70 00:03:38,307 --> 00:03:44,027 Speaker 2: half backs named tomorrow, so Roy, sorry, Ratama, probably Christy 71 00:03:44,227 --> 00:03:46,147 Speaker 2: and one another. They'll name three, won't they. 72 00:03:47,027 --> 00:03:47,347 Speaker 1: They will. 73 00:03:47,387 --> 00:03:49,347 Speaker 3: It was a thirty six man squad, so it leaves 74 00:03:49,387 --> 00:03:51,747 Speaker 3: plenty of room for three half backs, three hookers, and 75 00:03:51,787 --> 00:03:56,027 Speaker 3: it is a very specialized position. You could, you know, 76 00:03:56,107 --> 00:03:59,507 Speaker 3: look at a guy like Leroy Carter perhaps who can 77 00:03:59,547 --> 00:04:03,067 Speaker 3: play wing and halfback, or Damian McKenzie's even you know, 78 00:04:03,147 --> 00:04:07,907 Speaker 3: covered halfback off the bench in his career. But it's 79 00:04:07,947 --> 00:04:10,667 Speaker 3: getting a bit cute for Tess Rugby if you're thinking 80 00:04:10,707 --> 00:04:13,947 Speaker 3: about going back to putting guys like Jerome Kino at 81 00:04:13,947 --> 00:04:16,747 Speaker 3: Locke when the All Black's lost to Ireland in Dublin 82 00:04:17,027 --> 00:04:20,587 Speaker 3: and you know, square pegs, round holes, things that haven't 83 00:04:20,587 --> 00:04:24,427 Speaker 3: been done, haven't been tried before. It's the elite arena 84 00:04:24,947 --> 00:04:27,627 Speaker 3: you can come unstuck, so I think they will look 85 00:04:27,667 --> 00:04:29,307 Speaker 3: to include three specialists there. 86 00:04:29,747 --> 00:04:31,747 Speaker 2: All right, Hey, thanks Liam, thanks for taking our call 87 00:04:31,787 --> 00:04:34,187 Speaker 2: at short notice off the back of this breaking news. 88 00:04:34,187 --> 00:04:36,267 Speaker 2: We're wait to see tomorrow what the All Black selectors do, 89 00:04:36,347 --> 00:04:38,987 Speaker 2: but it's a conundrum for them. I always appreciate you 90 00:04:39,107 --> 00:04:39,507 Speaker 2: joining us. 91 00:04:39,507 --> 00:04:41,187 Speaker 3: Matechi's funny. 92 00:04:41,387 --> 00:04:43,707 Speaker 2: Good on your Liam Napier read him at Enzidherl dot 93 00:04:43,747 --> 00:04:45,507 Speaker 2: co dot nz. He's actually got a piece up at 94 00:04:45,507 --> 00:04:48,947 Speaker 2: the moment regarding the All Black squad to be named tomorrow. 95 00:04:48,947 --> 00:04:51,387 Speaker 2: This was before the roy Guard news, so we'll have 96 00:04:51,427 --> 00:04:54,267 Speaker 2: an update on that no doubt. But you know who 97 00:04:54,307 --> 00:04:56,187 Speaker 2: else will be named in that thirty six man squad 98 00:04:56,227 --> 00:04:58,587 Speaker 2: it has announced tomorrow. We'll have full coverage of all 99 00:04:58,587 --> 00:05:00,347 Speaker 2: of that for you on Newstalks EDB 100 00:05:00,587 --> 00:05:04,307 Speaker 1: Of course, for more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, 101 00:05:04,387 --> 00:05:08,347 Speaker 1: listen live to Newstalks EDB weekends from midday or follow 102 00:05:08,387 --> 00:05:10,027 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio.