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Speaker 1: Inside the Game from Every angle. It's Rugby Direct with
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Speaker 2: another week of Rugby Direct. And we welcome back from
Speaker 2: the Kingdom, Liam Napier, It's a Rugby Direct.
Speaker 3: Greetings readings, Elliot, great to be here, Great to be back.
Speaker 2: Getting sponsorship while you're over there, aram Co coming on board.
Speaker 2: Will we you know, live live Rugby directsclorring to it.
Speaker 3: Yeah, it's fair to say the feelers are out a
Speaker 3: lot of interest rugby and Saudi is on the rise,
Speaker 3: and the oil tycoons are circling.
Speaker 2: Yeah, Rugby Directs are not immune to that. We're more
Speaker 2: than happy to sell our souls.
Speaker 1: Right.
Speaker 2: Let's refer to the weekend that was in Rugby Super
Speaker 2: Rugby specifically and another intriguing weekend Liam. I guess, just
Speaker 2: an overall perspective, we've had fifteen games down this comp
Speaker 2: and there's been no real blowouts, no terrible games, so far,
Speaker 2: which is a remarkable run really given where we're at
Speaker 2: have been at in this competition. Just the standard and
Speaker 2: the closeness of the games has been very very good.
Speaker 3: Once again it has, and that's what this competition needs.
Speaker 3: I think the only game at the weekend that was
Speaker 3: more than five odd points was the Chief Sprumbies. And
Speaker 3: it is early doors. You don't want to make too
Speaker 3: many sweeping generalizations, but it does seem like the Australian
Speaker 3: teams are more competitive, which is what we'd everyone had
Speaker 3: hopes with the demise of the Rebels, and I guess
Speaker 3: a real evening out of the New Zealand teams as
Speaker 3: well with the Highland has been more competitive, the Blues
Speaker 3: coming back to the pack, the Chiefs raising their standards
Speaker 3: and the Hurricanes sort of struggling a wee bit.
Speaker 4: So that's what super Bragby needs.
Speaker 3: We need to see type competitive games, upsets. The only
Speaker 3: I guess negative I would say was, you know, it's
Speaker 3: a great spectacle. This defense is a weebird option all
Speaker 3: at times, or maybe not of a certainly test standard,
Speaker 3: but it's been a great watch and the finishers in games.
Speaker 3: These games are being decided in the last couple of minutes,
Speaker 3: which is great for spectators.
Speaker 4: I do wonder if the.
Speaker 2: Scores might settle down a little bit as it gets
Speaker 2: a bit colder into March and April. I think fatigue
Speaker 2: and heat taking a role in the opening two or
Speaker 2: three weeks hot it as an Australian parts in New
Speaker 2: Zealand a for you daytime or late kickoffs sort late
Speaker 2: afternoon kickoffs that are maybe contributing to that. It's kind
Speaker 2: of interesting to see if that settles down. Let's go
Speaker 2: first to Saturday night and it was the Blues thirty
Speaker 2: three over the Hurricanes twenty nine.
Speaker 4: A game that was in.
Speaker 2: The balance for a lot of it, but you know,
Speaker 2: the stars rise to the big occasion. Mark Talia did
Speaker 2: just that right at the very end or ten minutes
Speaker 2: to go and put his side back in front. But again,
Speaker 2: this was a game that we could have seen the
Speaker 2: Blues go oh in three. They were just as smidge
Speaker 2: better on the night. What did you make of it?
Speaker 3: Yeah, look, I wouldn't be getting too carried away if
Speaker 3: I was the Blues. When you look at that Hurricanes team,
Speaker 3: they're still missing a lot of their front line stars
Speaker 3: as a team without Jordy Barrett Ardie Severez left this
Speaker 3: year and they have no Tarro lomax I suffer Armor,
Speaker 3: Billy Proctor, There's a couple of others there and they
Speaker 3: have had some performance stand up for them. Harry Godfrey
Speaker 3: has really claimed that tenders Ruben loves another one that
Speaker 3: won't come back till after the bye. But as you mentioned,
Speaker 3: stars rise and I think it was Boden Barrett that
Speaker 3: really sparked them at the back end of that match,
Speaker 3: that the counter attack, and he had two influential moments
Speaker 3: with helping get Hoskins a tutu over the line and
Speaker 3: then Mark Tala skinning Riley haul Heepper. Thanks for gifting
Speaker 3: him to the Hurricanes, by the.
Speaker 4: Way, you're welcome. Yeah, yeah, you can have them back Crusade,
Speaker 4: look at James. We don't.
Speaker 3: But look, yeah, the Hurricanes will feel like they blew
Speaker 3: that they were up. Was it twenty twenty nine to
Speaker 3: twenty one with ten minutes to go, and you know,
Speaker 3: did a lot of good things after being on the
Speaker 3: back foot with two yellow cards early. So look, there's
Speaker 3: a lot of positives to clutch up for the Hurricanes,
Speaker 3: but they're in a bit of an early season whole
Speaker 3: they are.
Speaker 2: I don't think the Blues were great, but they were
Speaker 2: good enough on the night. They had a few things
Speaker 2: go their way. There also things that go against I mean,
Speaker 2: Hoskins are two too recarded late in the match, will
Speaker 2: probably serve two to three weeks for that. They had
Speaker 2: the Hia scenario late as well, where there was a
Speaker 2: bit of confusion about whether Sam Knock was actually concussed
Speaker 2: or not. They managed to sort of navigate their way
Speaker 2: around it, but I don't think it was vintage Blues.
Speaker 2: They talked a bit about last week about going back
Speaker 2: to being boring, rolling up the sleeves, doing the Ford work.
Speaker 2: I don't think we necessarily saw that on the weekend,
Speaker 2: and it almost felt like they were reverting back to
Speaker 2: the Blues of old, where their instinct was just flinger
Speaker 2: it out wide and hope something happened. So we saw
Speaker 2: last year the success that they've had up the middle
Speaker 2: of the park and their forwards doing a lot of
Speaker 2: those work that work. I don't know that we're still
Speaker 2: seeing that, and of course game plans have to evolve.
Speaker 2: But when the Blues talked about going back to the basics,
Speaker 2: probably didn't see that on Saturday night.
Speaker 4: No, and that's their challenge this year, isn't it.
Speaker 3: They can't do exactly what they did last year because
Speaker 3: teams expect that they're going to counter that. And I
Speaker 3: think we did see them actually go away from that
Speaker 3: blueprint and it worked for them with the lakes of
Speaker 3: Barrett and Taliah. You know what a try that was
Speaker 3: a match winning try in the ends. We did see
Speaker 3: examples where they went up the middle Patrick two polos,
Speaker 3: who's big charge, Ricky Rickettelli's try. They really punched and
Speaker 3: went direct, which was their game plan last year. But
Speaker 3: it does feel like the I don't know, corp between
Speaker 3: two worlds, not jelling, not quite finding their feats.
Speaker 4: So it is interesting times for the Blues, it is.
Speaker 2: I think they're getting enough out of midfield either. I
Speaker 2: thought aj lamp had a very good end to last
Speaker 2: year's Super Rugby season when he came into second five.
Speaker 2: Ricca Juati is a test center. But I just don't
Speaker 2: know that they're getting enough out of midfield so far
Speaker 2: in the season with the players that they've selected. Wonder
Speaker 2: whether maybe moving Barrett back to ten and Plumber into
Speaker 2: second five could alleviate some of those issues.
Speaker 3: Yeah, that would still give them two genuine playmakers.
Speaker 4: A J. Lambs very versatile.
Speaker 3: You know, he could be on the bench and come
Speaker 3: on and fulfill a number of different roles.
Speaker 4: I agree with.
Speaker 3: That, but yeah, it is interesting because the Blues, we
Speaker 3: sort of externally expect them just to roll through and
Speaker 3: continue on.
Speaker 4: Everyone was chasing them.
Speaker 3: They did it, you know, reasonably easily last year when
Speaker 3: you look at what happened in the final. They spoke
Speaker 3: all through the preseason and at the start of the
Speaker 3: year about starting again. That last year accounted for nothing
Speaker 3: that they couldn't be complacent and they've got every reason
Speaker 3: not to be now. But maybe stylistically they've just been
Speaker 3: a bit court and figured out maybe teams are working
Speaker 3: out how to unpick them, and that's going to be
Speaker 3: a real challenge for their coaching stuff.
Speaker 4: Because it was fairly unconvincing.
Speaker 2: It was let's move backwards to the Chiefs and Brumbies
Speaker 2: on Saturday afternoon forty nine to thirty four the Chiefs
Speaker 2: when what was an up and down topsy turvy whatever
Speaker 2: you want to put in front of it contest against
Speaker 2: the Brumbies. For me, it was fifteen all at one point,
Speaker 2: but it just felt like the Brumbies were the ones
Speaker 2: chasing the game. The Chiefs always just sort of had
Speaker 2: their noses in front. I felt they similar to the
Speaker 2: Crusaders a week prior. Scored two quick tries after halftime
Speaker 2: and that put them on the front foot and the
Speaker 2: second spell use the Brumbies responded, but just felt like
Speaker 2: they were always sort of chasing the game. And again
Speaker 2: they win by fifteen points and beat the Brumbies. The
Speaker 2: Chiefs are clearly the best team in the co petition
Speaker 2: to this point attack wise. You know Damion McKenzie a
Speaker 2: worry there that he went off with a bit of
Speaker 2: a bang late in the game. Haven't heard anything further
Speaker 2: about that, Josh Lord going off, but they have threats
Speaker 2: all across the park and they have set up very,
Speaker 2: very nicely through three weeks in the competition.
Speaker 3: They are indeed and this is probably what I expected
Speaker 3: from the Chiefs last year.
Speaker 4: And they were really inconsistent. But you look at their roster.
Speaker 3: It's stacked, isn't it with threats as you mentioned, and
Speaker 3: they've clearly come into this year with a chip on
Speaker 3: their shoulder.
Speaker 4: It's Clayton McMillan's last year at the Helm.
Speaker 3: Whether they knew that at the start of the year,
Speaker 3: not too sure, but that adds another dynamic. And yeah,
Speaker 3: I think this game in particular is another brilliant advertisement
Speaker 3: for afternoon rugby. Both teams really had a crack. I
Speaker 3: thought the Brumbies played really well. I like the balance
Speaker 3: they've got to their game. You know, they're rolling war
Speaker 3: was really effective, but they can play as well. They
Speaker 3: tested the Chiefs, but you're right that you never really
Speaker 3: like they were going to come over the top of
Speaker 3: the Chiefs just with those threats. A real standout performance
Speaker 3: from quint to Paire. He's been a big mover going
Speaker 3: back into the midfield after you know, some stints on
Speaker 3: the wing in a tough couple of years with injury.
Speaker 3: McKenzie's playing well, Josh Jacob really staking a claim at ten.
Speaker 3: I like that dynamic of their combination. And then they've
Speaker 3: got the pack there as well with the Chiefs. So
Speaker 3: the other team to beat, aren't they Their record speaks
Speaker 3: for itself. But they can hot you all over the park,
Speaker 3: they can go through the middle, they can go wide,
Speaker 3: they can chip them behind you. They've got balanced variation,
Speaker 3: very dynamic. So great start to the year for the Chiefs.
Speaker 2: Indeed, and it's not I can see them losing a game,
Speaker 2: but it's hard to see. You know, they sit alone
Speaker 2: for me at the top of the table, and there's
Speaker 2: a whole lot of teams that are in mixed form
Speaker 2: at the moment and could slide anywhere from second to
Speaker 2: nights or tenth on the ladder. At this point in time,
Speaker 2: it feels like it's a real log jam, but everyone's
Speaker 2: chasing Chiefs and it's an interesting position for them to begin.
Speaker 2: We talked a bit about I guess that the Blues
Speaker 2: and their threats through the middle of the park not working.
Speaker 2: But you touched on Quintepie there. What a start to
Speaker 2: the seasons he's having. I know last year it kind
Speaker 2: of felt like his career could have gone two ways,
Speaker 2: and it's going the way that I think is great
Speaker 2: for him is that, you know, after that injury in
Speaker 2: twenty twenty two when he was basically had his leg
Speaker 2: you know, ripped apart by Varci Swain, to finally get back,
Speaker 2: you know, maybe it's taken a couple of years to
Speaker 2: get over that injury. The confidence back, well, he was
Speaker 2: playing with confidence at the moment and leading this Chiefs team.
Speaker 2: I say leading, but he's leading them midfield very very well.
Speaker 3: I thought he was underutilized by the Chiefs last year
Speaker 3: when he did play, it was off the bench or
Speaker 3: on the wing, and just he's a real weapon. He's
Speaker 3: always been a physical presence. He was selected in the
Speaker 3: All Blacks what was it two years ago? Now twenty two?
Speaker 3: What three? And it was for that physicality that he
Speaker 3: brought to the position ball carrying wise, defensively, but you
Speaker 3: look at the subtlety and the silky skills he brought
Speaker 3: to that performance. At the weekend he made a bust
Speaker 3: and sent that long ball wide to Matta Ali. He's
Speaker 3: falling and to have the precision to pull that off
Speaker 3: and then the chip and chase him behind and to regathero.
Speaker 3: That's a real breadth of skill to complement that physicality,
Speaker 3: and that's what you want from that position.
Speaker 4: And it's an interesting dynamic, isn't it. The twelve position.
Speaker 3: Jordie's not here at the moment, so while he will
Speaker 3: come back, it certainly shines a spotlight on that position
Speaker 3: and been a lot of attention on Ta Tavanawa with
Speaker 3: the Highlanders moving into twelve. David Heavili, the Captaincy looks
Speaker 3: really comfortable with him at the Crusaders, so interesting to
Speaker 3: see how that evolves throughout there.
Speaker 2: Certainly is Friday night the Highlanders beating mo Waa Pacific
Speaker 2: at thirty one to twenty nine in Albany.
Speaker 4: Weird old game. This one hard to judge.
Speaker 2: Look, I think Miwan are a very very good team
Speaker 2: for sixty minutes in the game. It's the last twenty
Speaker 2: or the twenty minutes when they switch off or aren't
Speaker 2: at the races that is a real concern. And on
Speaker 2: Friday night it was minutes zero to ten and minutes
Speaker 2: thirty to forty where they weren't there the rest of it.
Speaker 2: They gave the Honders as good as they got. But
Speaker 2: when you're ten or ten minutes out from half time
Speaker 2: and you go into halftime thirty one ten down, something's
Speaker 2: gone wrong. And that last ten minutes before the break
Speaker 2: they've switched off and the Highlanders took advantage. And you know,
Speaker 2: despite the fact they scored nineteen points on ans and
Speaker 2: the second spell, it still wasn't enough. So for me,
Speaker 2: the Highlanders deserve that win. But Mowana different story on
Speaker 2: the night could have been then winning and winning well,
Speaker 2: they've just got to find a way to play for
Speaker 2: the full eighty minutes. It's a cliche, but you look
Speaker 2: at their three performances so far. They've conceded fifty six
Speaker 2: against the Reds in a game that they were in
Speaker 2: for a wee bit and the first game against the
Speaker 2: Force they were neck and neique for a period of time.
Speaker 2: But just these moments of switching off or whether it's
Speaker 2: a depth, I don't know, but that's costing them at
Speaker 2: the moment.
Speaker 4: It is just a bit before we get to your
Speaker 4: point there.
Speaker 3: And the rugby love the jerseys, the throwback, the best
Speaker 3: jerseys on display all weekend, brilliant. I think mine had
Speaker 3: their biggest crowd home crowd in Albany, so you know,
Speaker 3: great occasion and there's a real sense that they're starting
Speaker 3: to establish their presence in this competition and actually getting
Speaker 3: a bit of a foothold after a lot of uncertainty
Speaker 3: around the future and their presence. But they need some wins,
Speaker 3: don't they. And you're rights they are improving. They are
Speaker 3: in the contest, in the fights. There's genuine spirit there
Speaker 3: that you can see Ardie severe. What a performance, but
Speaker 3: they should be two and one they blew it against
Speaker 3: the force. And but for those periods that you talk
Speaker 3: about when they conceded three tries, some of them unlucky,
Speaker 3: but you make your own luck. They've got to find
Speaker 3: a way to finish the job. And yeah, whether it's
Speaker 3: a mental concentration or maybe a depth, I'm not too sure.
Speaker 3: They did come back well in the second half. Artie
Speaker 3: tried to take them on their his back and do
Speaker 3: everything he can, but he's not going to be able.
Speaker 4: To do that every week.
Speaker 3: So yeah, you feel four ton umonga because they're on
Speaker 3: the cuspsp aren't they But they can't get over the line.
Speaker 3: And if they don't do that soon, then that the
Speaker 3: self doubt starts to creep in, and you know the
Speaker 3: O sitting next to you. Your team builds pressure, builds frustration.
Speaker 3: So they need to find a way, some way to
Speaker 3: get over the line soon.
Speaker 2: Maea's goalkicking as well, wasn't flash on the night. I
Speaker 2: think William Hart really missed three of his conversion attempts,
Speaker 2: two of which you would say were fairly gettable from
Speaker 2: the positions that he kicked them from. You know, they
Speaker 2: make a couple of those and they potentially win the
Speaker 2: game really liked Artie Savey, who's great on the weekend
Speaker 2: for them, talismanic performance that he's delivering. The Samisi Tupu
Speaker 2: tailor as well, who was listed at open side and
Speaker 2: then they changed things around. He is a really promising prospect.
Speaker 4: It was bizarre.
Speaker 2: He was very good for Southland last year, no one
Speaker 2: wanted him in Super Rugby. Mawana called him up for
Speaker 2: their wider training group and he's now been a part
Speaker 2: of the the opening three games of the competition. So
Speaker 2: I really like what that combination is doing. In the
Speaker 2: loose Ford trip.
Speaker 4: Yeah, what about the Highlanders?
Speaker 3: Is it? James Ascott the replacement halfback who came in
Speaker 3: late for Flower. I was really impressed by him and
Speaker 3: earlier in the year a similar sort of sniping performance.
Speaker 3: I did sort of chuck all about, you know, some
Speaker 3: references post game to the Highlanders and twenty fifteen and
Speaker 3: it being their year and Jamie's clearly pumping the brakes. Look,
Speaker 3: it is good to see the Highlanders be more competitive
Speaker 3: than they have been in recent years. And success, however,
Speaker 3: it comes, builds comp fullness, doesn't it. And this is
Speaker 3: a young team we've spoken a lot about, you know
Speaker 3: them bringing through prospects and having faith in youth and
Speaker 3: sticking with that, and maybe we're starting to see the
Speaker 3: fruits of some of that that made some good off
Speaker 3: season recruits. Cut of Tonguey Tawl on the wing has
Speaker 3: you know, really taken his chance. And that's what Jamie
Speaker 3: Joseph historically has been about, isn't it recruiting well, giving
Speaker 3: guys opportunities and them being grateful to take those. So
Speaker 3: good to see the Honders really, you know, holding their
Speaker 3: own and making a case that they're going to be
Speaker 3: playoff contenders this year.
Speaker 2: Yeah, the depth will be the issue again for the
Speaker 2: Honders when they suffer a few injuries. And on Friday night,
Speaker 2: you know, cam Miller, who's an up and coming ten
Speaker 2: knocked out. Don't know, haven't heard the latest on him.
Speaker 2: Hopefully he's obviously all right, And and Hurley ruled out
Speaker 2: with a quad injury for Lafacatava out for a few weeks.
Speaker 2: So they start adding up, you know, it can be tricky.
Speaker 2: They've got the buy this week, so chance to get
Speaker 2: a few players sort of freshened up a little bit,
Speaker 2: hopefully for them. A couple of other games of the
Speaker 2: course of the weekend involving Australian teams. WARTA has been
Speaker 2: the drawer twenty nine to twenty four. The Reds pipping
Speaker 2: the Force at the post in Perth on Saturday night
Speaker 2: twenty eight twenty four. Interesting to see Leon McDonald in
Speaker 2: the Western Force coaching box. Obviously you announced still had
Speaker 2: the scoop on that one, but still seeing him in
Speaker 2: the air the Force polo was an interesting prospect on
Speaker 2: the weekend.
Speaker 3: Yeah, maybe Twiggy's cash goes along the forthing.
Speaker 2: The Force not a bad team and that the Reds,
Speaker 2: you know, coming over the top of the weekend. Feels like,
Speaker 2: as we touched on at the start, those Australian teams
Speaker 2: have lifted up a notch this year with that talent
Speaker 2: being spread, you know, a little bit tighter across those
Speaker 2: four teams.
Speaker 3: Just on McDonald, what chance did they give the Australian
Speaker 3: Rugby Union of luring him to join the Wallabies in
Speaker 3: some capacity.
Speaker 2: And some capacity wouldn't surprise me, I said. The hot
Speaker 2: news now is that check is likely to go the
Speaker 2: Wales team by the sound of it, So second stance
Speaker 2: of the Wallabies might not be for him. Maybe mcalla
Speaker 2: McDonald combination, another mix somewhere. I'm sure we can find.
Speaker 3: Yeah, or his McDonald's relationship Will Schmidt if he's staying on,
Speaker 3: and some advisory capacity you. My understanding is McDonald just
Speaker 3: wants to go for one year to Perth and then
Speaker 3: come back. But yeah, you never know how things transpire
Speaker 3: and where the chips might fall.
Speaker 2: Rugby coaching is a funny old game. We'll take a
Speaker 2: break here on Rugby Direct. Come back with our final
Speaker 2: four if you tipping in the MVP voting as well.
Speaker 1: This is Rugby Direct, a podcast for real rugby fares.
Speaker 4: Every try try tends sixty sec. Every tackle tackle get
Speaker 4: up again afore it's Rugby Directed.
Speaker 2: You're back with Rugby Direct powered by Habit Health. Time
Speaker 2: now for our final four, four rugby topics, Liam and
Speaker 2: I debate them both. News last week from our colleague
Speaker 2: Gregor Paul and The New Zealand Herald that Dezone the
Speaker 2: British broadcaster in talks and inverted commas with NZR over
Speaker 2: the rights deal to potentially take that deal. Now no
Speaker 2: bid has been submitted as yet, but with Sky signing
Speaker 2: Cricket recently, which is still end of twenty twenty six away.
Speaker 2: I think they've just resigned Australian cricket this morning as
Speaker 2: we record this as well, rugby's on the table and
Speaker 2: it's interesting to see de Zone come into the mix
Speaker 2: around it. I guess you'll take on this news and
Speaker 2: potentially what it would mean for the New Zealand rugby
Speaker 2: market and media market.
Speaker 3: It's not surprised generally that a streaming player has come
Speaker 3: into the market. It's only been a matter of time,
Speaker 3: isn't it when you look at broadcast rights around the
Speaker 3: world EPL or others, with Amazon and Netflix now delving
Speaker 3: into that scene with boxing. Dezone seriously cashed up now
Speaker 3: owned by Saudi backers. They bought was it Fox Foxtel
Speaker 3: year in Australia, so I got a real foothold in
Speaker 3: the Australia market and no doubt looking to further expand.
Speaker 3: So they're a genuine player with serious money and money
Speaker 3: does talk. I think from what I understand their bids
Speaker 3: will could be linked with TVNZ so maybe some freedom
Speaker 3: were component which would be attractive to rugby to be
Speaker 3: have more exposure, to not be behind a paywall. Although
Speaker 3: lots of people have Sky on New Zealand. I would
Speaker 3: still be very surprised if Sky's not that don't come
Speaker 3: out on top. I've got a long standing relationship. He's
Speaker 3: going to know what they're going to get, and there
Speaker 3: would be a concern I think going with a streaming
Speaker 3: platform about accessibility in New Zealand's rugby is a trueotionally
Speaker 3: probably older population and how does that play in rural
Speaker 3: areas with connectivity. All those sorts of things are factors.
Speaker 3: But look, I would probably liken it to rugby players
Speaker 3: coming out and saying all league players and going I'm
Speaker 3: going to switch codes. Competition and any bidding process is healthy,
Speaker 3: and New Zealand Rugby is doing the right thing by
Speaker 3: engaging others and trying to bump up Sky's price to
Speaker 3: get more more heat in that market.
Speaker 4: How do you see it do? How's it going to
Speaker 4: shake down?
Speaker 2: Well, I think Sky will retain the rights, but I
Speaker 2: think you're very much right that the offer that they've
Speaker 2: submitted clearly isn't to New Zealand Rugby's liking, And so
Speaker 2: they go and have a chat with Design on the
Speaker 2: side and see whether it can be bummed up or
Speaker 2: drive up Sky's priced a little bit. I think Design
Speaker 2: have designs. I spoke with the VP of Marketing on
Speaker 2: Weekend Sport a couple of weeks ago, and they have
Speaker 2: designs on the New Zealand market and having role here.
Speaker 2: Now you know you mentioned they have bought Foxtowel. There's
Speaker 2: nothing stopping them coming in and buying Sky. Now the
Speaker 2: Foxtel deal hasn't officially gone through, has going through you know,
Speaker 2: all the regulatory sort of stuff in Australia, but once
Speaker 2: that lands, they could look over to the TASM and go,
Speaker 2: we'll snap up Sky potentially as well. And that has
Speaker 2: been speculated in the media columns as well that that
Speaker 2: could be a prospect. So it's an interesting time for
Speaker 2: sport and right steals and everything like that. But I
Speaker 2: still would say that Sky would be the most likely,
Speaker 2: remembering as well in New Zealand. Rugby have a steak
Speaker 2: in Sky as well, so that would need to be
Speaker 2: untangled be a major thing. But something else that would
Speaker 2: probably needs to be untangled if the rights were to
Speaker 2: go elsewhere. Topic number two, the Dreadful Men's seven side.
Speaker 2: I wrote about this in my column last week, but
Speaker 2: they have not made a final so far in the
Speaker 2: World Series four tournaments in the season at top of
Speaker 2: the table Argentina and Spain, which says a bit about
Speaker 2: the way that sevens has gone, But I guess from
Speaker 2: a wider perspective they missed out medals at Paris. Just
Speaker 2: this team at the moment feels like they're holding on
Speaker 2: to the players of ys to Ye. Dylan Collier has
Speaker 2: been a great suit for New Zealand rugby, still in
Speaker 2: the mix. Andrew new stubs similar. The big flashing light
Speaker 2: for me is that there aren't enough players to basically
Speaker 2: play sevens in New Zealand. Once the super rugby teams
Speaker 2: have their pack thirty eight players times five added a
Speaker 2: few more formwana that would probably be of interest in
Speaker 2: New Zealand seven team, you're looking upwards of two hundred
Speaker 2: plus players. Unless you really want to play sevens, you're
Speaker 2: going to go into that fifteen system. I think that's
Speaker 2: where we're at with the program at the moment. These
Speaker 2: super rugby sides have expanded, leaving little for sevens on
Speaker 2: the table and it's hard to see how you claw
Speaker 2: that back other than some seven specialists coming through.
Speaker 3: Yeah, it does feel like a bit of an afterthought,
Speaker 3: doesn't it.
Speaker 4: And the sevens.
Speaker 3: That sevens team's actually been used as a development pathway,
Speaker 3: which has played that role historically as well. But I
Speaker 3: think there was four players traverse over from that sevens
Speaker 3: team into the NBC and progress, the Super Rugby's Lee
Speaker 3: Ry Carter, the Hurricanes wing and a couple of others
Speaker 3: as well. So and that's your your next tier talent, right,
Speaker 3: So they're there, one mine gone, the.
Speaker 4: Next the NRL. Yeah, so the players that have departed.
Speaker 3: And then at the other end of the spectrum, you've
Speaker 3: had some generational players and that sevens team move on
Speaker 3: Scott Curry and the like who were real storarts of
Speaker 3: that team.
Speaker 4: So that team's clearly struggling to rebuild.
Speaker 3: But you're right that the talent pool, the lure of
Speaker 3: sevens isn't there outside of an Olympics year. It does
Speaker 3: feel like a bit of an afterthought and not a
Speaker 3: priority for aspiring young men really.
Speaker 2: No whereas on the women's side of things, they are
Speaker 2: absolute blockbusters and are an aspiring product aspirational team. You know,
Speaker 2: George Miller twenty years old or just turned twenty one
Speaker 2: one New Zealand Rug's raining Player of the Year, My
Speaker 2: Davis Daboos and Vancouver and has a very good tournament.
Speaker 2: But yeah, that mean sevens program, I think, isn't it
Speaker 2: in a world of hurt at the program at the moment.
Speaker 2: I just don't know how exactly you fixed it. Sevens
Speaker 2: World Cup. Don't think there is one anymore, certainly one,
Speaker 2: not one on the horizon, not at the Commonwealth Games anymore.
Speaker 2: Sevens So you're basically Olympics to Olympics. So at that
Speaker 2: point you sort of go, maybe you just pick try
Speaker 2: and get the best possible players for the Olympics and
Speaker 2: don't worry about the World Series. I know there's all
Speaker 2: sorts of concerns about the World Series as well, which
Speaker 2: you've written about. So interesting old time for sevens, isn't it?
Speaker 2: Topic number three? Does Boden Barrett need to move back
Speaker 2: to ten for the Blues?
Speaker 3: We touched on it there with Harry Plummer potentially going
Speaker 3: to twelve. I think it's a live option, isn't it.
Speaker 3: Boden was very influential at the back end of that
Speaker 3: Blues victory in Wellington when he shifted back to ten.
Speaker 3: Some of those some of that counter attick he sparked
Speaker 3: didn't necessarily come from first receiver, but look, it's his
Speaker 3: preferred position. I think if you asked him, that's where
Speaker 3: he'd want to play. I think he's also happy to
Speaker 3: fulfill the role and play fifteen and the modern player
Speaker 3: Ruben Love, Damien McKenzie, Thomas Ramos can all play switch
Speaker 3: seamlessly between ten and fifteen. But I think the Blues
Speaker 3: at some point we'll try that. Whether it's this week,
Speaker 3: not too sure. The Brumbies are a team that you
Speaker 3: probably traditionally kick more against trumpin them down there are
Speaker 3: their end of the field. Do you think Vern pulls
Speaker 3: out leave of this week.
Speaker 4: I think he might.
Speaker 2: I think injuries as well, you know obviously, and haven't
Speaker 2: had Stephen Peterfetter as yet the seasons on. Sullivan's on
Speaker 2: the sidelines, So that's taken out a couple of ten
Speaker 2: or fifteen options. But I probably would have looked at
Speaker 2: maybe a Cole Forbes at fifteen, Plumber at twelve, Barrowed
Speaker 2: at ten sort of option. Kudas said last week that
Speaker 2: they were wanted to do the first three rounds as is,
Speaker 2: barring injury, and then reassess after that. So time is
Speaker 2: now for reassessment, which will be interesting.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I like Cole Forbes.
Speaker 3: He brings a dynamic presence to the backfields, much more
Speaker 3: of a running option than a tactical kicker, so could
Speaker 3: bring some more attacking spark.
Speaker 4: Indeed, so topic number four.
Speaker 2: This was news a few days ago now, Clayton McMillan
Speaker 2: departing the Chiefs for Monster after the season, released a
Speaker 2: year early from his New Zealand rugby contract, signed through
Speaker 2: until twenty twenty eight.
Speaker 4: Good move for Clayton. Yeah, it is.
Speaker 3: I sort of always knew that Clayton Wood wouldn't stay
Speaker 3: on with the Chiefs beyond that contract, but I think
Speaker 3: it is a surprise it's coming year earlier. I guess
Speaker 3: the timing of a role like Munster was too good
Speaker 3: to turn down. And you know he's served his time
Speaker 3: and you reach a ceiling in New Zealand in Super rugby,
Speaker 3: and through no fault of the ecosystem here, he's not
Speaker 3: can't progress in any You want to be challenged, you
Speaker 3: want to evolve and grow and look going to a
Speaker 3: team like Munster will be a brilliant experience. Ireland loved
Speaker 3: their rugby. There'll be big expectation and demands on him.
Speaker 3: He's not a big name and wild rugby. But he
Speaker 3: is a proven coach here and with a great reputation
Speaker 3: for man management building a culture, but starting again in
Speaker 3: a place like Munster with a rich rugby heritage will
Speaker 3: be a great challenge. And when he returns, because he
Speaker 3: will return to news own in some capacity, he will
Speaker 3: be a better coach for that experience. And he's really
Speaker 3: setting himself up for a play at the Orblix.
Speaker 4: He coaching roll down the track.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm sure that's the job that he that he
Speaker 2: coverts and is keen on down the track and is
Speaker 2: obviously not gonna happen in this cycle, so needs to
Speaker 2: look elsewhere.
Speaker 4: Going to Monster.
Speaker 2: I think Connor Murray is leaving after the season, retired
Speaker 2: internationally and Peter Omari retiring as well, so it's a
Speaker 2: wee bit of a rebuild. So it's an interesting spot
Speaker 2: for Munster and Inclad to begin picking up that gig.
Speaker 2: I think it is a good move. You're right, you
Speaker 2: reached the ceiling in New Zealand rugby very very quickly.
Speaker 2: He's done the Mauldy All Blacks. He's ticked that box.
Speaker 2: I think he's involved with the All Blacks fifteen as well,
Speaker 2: so obviously last year, so he's coord of sort of
Speaker 2: done everything he can bar coach. The All Blacks will
Speaker 2: be part of that environment, so looking abroad is a
Speaker 2: smart move. Who takes over it?
Speaker 4: You know? And he whispers about Warren Gatlin returning to
Speaker 4: the Chiefs that surely not. No, he's no longer a
Speaker 4: beloved son, is he?
Speaker 3: I think ross Filippo probably would have been in the mix,
Speaker 3: but he was moved on this year's no longer in
Speaker 3: the ranks.
Speaker 4: Although was that.
Speaker 2: Time, I mean he's Muldy All Blacks coach, Wakato NPC coach.
Speaker 2: Was that his decision, Clayton's decision.
Speaker 3: I think from what I understand it was they wanted
Speaker 3: to change, which was surprising because ross Filippo was talked
Speaker 3: about it being about being an option for the Crusaders
Speaker 3: and it was by all accounts well liked among that
Speaker 3: playing group and brought a lot to the forward pack.
Speaker 3: So yeah, he's actually gone off with Adam Thompson and
Speaker 3: he's doing some coaching clinics, so interesting to see where
Speaker 3: he does pop up next. The one name I have
Speaker 3: heard is being groomed as John o' gibbs, vastly experienced
Speaker 3: time in France. I think he was involved with the
Speaker 3: age grade teams in New Zealand recently, so yeah, he's
Speaker 3: one name I have heard mentioned. I don't know how
Speaker 3: far down the track the Chiefs are with their succession planning.
Speaker 2: I think I heard from something Grauffis last week, the
Speaker 2: CEO who suggested that they've got good options internally, and
Speaker 2: Johnny Gibbs will clearly be one of those as an
Speaker 2: assistant coach currently of that team. Good pedigree, I mean,
Speaker 2: doesn't sound like they're going to look outside, so that
Speaker 2: might be the just you know, the natural progression there.
Speaker 2: I mean, you look at Joe Schmidt potentially based in Topel,
Speaker 2: you know, potentially whether that would be any interest to him. Unlikely.
Speaker 2: Neil Barnes has been the Chiefs coaching set up before.
Speaker 2: Maybe another name, but probably sometimes the answer is the
Speaker 2: most obvious option, which would be Johnny Gibbs.
Speaker 3: Yeah, just quickly, another big, big move and the coaching
Speaker 3: scene and world rugby. I would argue, probably the biggest
Speaker 3: news and rugby in the past week. And you know,
Speaker 3: we tend to live in a wee bit of a
Speaker 3: bubble in New Zealand. But Felix Jones who was the
Speaker 3: spring box defense coach twenty three World Cup went to England,
Speaker 3: had a profound impact. I would argue is one of
Speaker 3: the best defense coaches in world rugby currently. Has gone
Speaker 3: back to the box. Hell of a pickup for them
Speaker 3: and only strengthens the best team in world rugby currently.
Speaker 3: I saw some clips of him, incredibly intense guy. That
Speaker 3: was from the Chasing the Sun doco. Just the level
Speaker 3: of detail he's been up all night, scaring YouTube, barking
Speaker 3: orders in the changing room in the final of the
Speaker 3: twenty twenty three World Cup about the breakdown his rush
Speaker 3: defense with England causes all Blacks so many problems in
Speaker 3: July when Scott Robinson first took over, and I think
Speaker 3: England's have had to not start again. But he's been
Speaker 3: a big loss for them in the sixth Nations. So man,
Speaker 3: that box team just gets better and better.
Speaker 4: Yeah, what is he?
Speaker 2: The thing is the seventh assistant coach or something like that.
Speaker 2: And these staffs, these as are out of control. But
Speaker 2: great pack up and yeah, the whole England thing ended
Speaker 2: quite weirdly. But you're very very good coach and good
Speaker 2: pick up for as you said, already the best team
Speaker 2: in the world to get a player like that, a
Speaker 2: coach like that. Let's get into tipping now.
Speaker 4: Liam.
Speaker 2: Of course you went here last week, but Nick did
Speaker 2: right for you in the hot seat. He got four
Speaker 2: or five missed out on. He picked the Hurricanes, which
Speaker 2: is probably what you would have done as well. Otherwise
Speaker 2: you picked the Honders, war Tars, Chiefs and Reds. I
Speaker 2: picked the Blues. Missed out on the Force. I thought
Speaker 2: the boys from Western Australia are going to get it done.
Speaker 2: So four or five for both of us, nine to
Speaker 2: fifteen through the opening three rounds. Let's go through this
Speaker 2: week Blues, Brumbies.
Speaker 4: Friday Night the Blues, but could should be tight.
Speaker 2: Yeah, look on basis of what we're seeing from the
Speaker 2: Blues so far and the Brumbies, it should be tight.
Speaker 2: I think the Blues as well. The drawer welcoming the
Speaker 2: Chiefs to I think it's lat toalk. It's definitely in
Speaker 2: Fiji on four to thirty five Saturday afternoon. Now, maybe
Speaker 2: the Chiefs rest a couple of players from the trip here.
Speaker 2: McKenzie had a bang, a couple of bangs last week. Yeah,
Speaker 2: it's conning interesting what team the Chiefs roll.
Speaker 3: Out Yeah, look, they've got great depth, so I'll stick
Speaker 3: with the Chiefs. But yeah, a few dings there ends
Speaker 3: the Dura much tougher at home, aren't they?
Speaker 2: They are, and that's why I'm going to tip them
Speaker 2: this week to end the Chiefs unbeaten run well one
Speaker 2: of Pacific are hosting the Hurricanes, already playing his old team.
Speaker 2: Very interesting games Saturday night, but a feeling I'm sure
Speaker 2: around this.
Speaker 3: Yeah, a bit of jip, it's for sure, a few,
Speaker 3: a few facials in the rack and all those the
Speaker 3: antics that you probably can't get away with anymore with
Speaker 3: all the cameras. But look, the Cane is desperate for
Speaker 3: a win, so they'll bank that one.
Speaker 2: I think they will too. But as a semiwana, very
Speaker 2: very good for sixty minutes. If they can string together,
Speaker 2: they're close to seventy. Who knows, might be a different story,
Speaker 2: but I'm going to go the Hurricanes as well. War
Speaker 2: Tars Force, I think so I'll leat you still out
Speaker 2: for another week or two at least with this injury
Speaker 2: Wartors hosting the Force. What do you reckon?
Speaker 4: It's been very unconvinced by the Tars. You were pumping
Speaker 4: up their ties. It was big time.
Speaker 3: Now on the Force and their roster, they should be
Speaker 3: playing a lot better.
Speaker 4: Look, I'll tip the Tars, but yeah, would not be surprised.
Speaker 2: But upseet, I think Leon another week under Leon the Force.
Speaker 2: They'll let the win and Leon your trust. That's right,
Speaker 2: And the Crusaders and Reds wrap up the round at
Speaker 2: three point thirty five Sunday afternoon, Sunda afternoon.
Speaker 4: Footy, how good? Come on my Reds reads? Please right,
Speaker 4: we'll makey down for that? Is that right? In next
Speaker 4: to the Reds.
Speaker 3: Look, I'll punt the Crusaders, but I'll be cheering wholeheartedly
Speaker 3: for the Reds.
Speaker 4: So I'm going to transfer you to the Crusaders poems
Speaker 4: all right?
Speaker 2: Yeah, sure a Crusader three thirty five Saturday, Sunday afternoon.
Speaker 4: Perfect timing, MVP Middle raining in the gardens anyway, It.
Speaker 2: Never rains in the garden, so they and it won't
Speaker 2: matter from next year because the one New Zealand Stadium
Speaker 2: is going to be New Zealand's premiere sporting venal Edits
Speaker 2: like an absolute picture. I can't wait too to go
Speaker 2: down and visit rugby. Director Middle. This is the standings
Speaker 2: as it stands after just two rounds. Tabata Way on
Speaker 2: eight points, Damie mckinzey on five, Will Jordan and Kyle
Speaker 2: Preston on three? Will any of those players add to
Speaker 2: their numbers this week? Liam yours please?
Speaker 4: Well we spoke about Ardi three points starty.
Speaker 3: Pretty hard to go past herculean performance, wasn't it? So
Speaker 3: three to Ardi, two to Quincy Payre standouts for the Chiefs,
Speaker 3: and I'm going to give one to how God godfree,
Speaker 3: being really impressed by his work at ten for the
Speaker 3: Canes this year.
Speaker 2: I actually are threes and twos are the same this
Speaker 2: week Ardie save three for me, excellent on the weekend
Speaker 2: quinte pie two for me and Boden Barrett gets my
Speaker 2: one slotted at half back right at the end as well.
Speaker 2: Did a job there for the Blues and so the Yeah,
Speaker 2: there we go. Damien McKinzie missus out this week.
Speaker 4: Next time Boden's half Maybe you think you should give
Speaker 4: me a call some tips?
Speaker 2: No, no, something I think you should do? Yeah, no,
Speaker 2: not in the slightest Liam. Great to have you back
Speaker 2: on the podcast. We'll be back again next week on
Speaker 2: Rugby Direct. Thanks to our friends that Habit Health Techning
Speaker 2: all your aches and pains from sport and worker. Thanks
Speaker 2: to Last and Bars English, and we'll be back next week.
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