Speaker 1: You're listening to a podcast from News Talks ed B.
Speaker 1: Follow this and our Wide Ranger podcasts now on iHeartRadio,
Speaker 1: Straight down the Middle.
Speaker 2: Try.
Speaker 1: Get inside the game from every end goal. It's Rugby
Speaker 1: Direct with Elliot Smith and Leam Nabier powered by News
Speaker 1: Talks EDB.
Speaker 2: Welcome into Rugby Direct powered by Habit Health Physio book
Speaker 2: today and stay in the game. You thought we were gone,
Speaker 2: we are not. We're back. Just the one rugby director
Speaker 2: this week Elliott Smith with me Leam Napier, New Zealand
Speaker 2: Rugby and New Zealand Here were Rugby writer and correspondent
Speaker 2: joins me on the pod. Nape's good to catch up again,
Speaker 2: even if it's just the once this.
Speaker 3: Week it is of miss Elliots. But no, you need
Speaker 3: a bit of time to recoup. So here we are,
Speaker 3: but later in the week to reconvene and cast the
Speaker 3: heads to see what's coming this weekend.
Speaker 2: Indeed, indeed, yes, I was away at a wedding of
Speaker 2: a good friends over the weekend and didn't see a
Speaker 2: great deal of Rugby live. To be honest, I've caught
Speaker 2: up with it a little bit from it. But broad
Speaker 2: strokes why is what stood out from you from the weekend.
Speaker 2: Caine's a pretty scratchy win over the Western Force. Couldn't
Speaker 2: really get going in that game. The Crusaders beat the
Speaker 2: Highlanders and a pretty ill disciplined performance, but they came
Speaker 2: from behind to do so. Blue is pretty good against
Speaker 2: Mwana Pacific. Anything really stand out from last weekend's Round
Speaker 2: five of Super Rugby for you, Limb.
Speaker 3: I think it's a bit of a continuation large of
Speaker 3: what we see have seen thus far Aliots, and that
Speaker 3: the competition does really feel wide open. I don't know
Speaker 3: whether you could right now pinpoint a favorite. I don't
Speaker 3: think I could. I think there's a number of teams
Speaker 3: that have proven they can beat each other on any
Speaker 3: given day. I think the New Zealand superiority is potentially
Speaker 3: coming to the four that we've seen in other years.
Speaker 3: It's a big weekend for the Australian teams. I think
Speaker 3: this weekend coming to lay down a bit of a marker.
Speaker 3: We're starting to see a bit of rotation coming and
Speaker 3: some of that bite team so. I think the Hurricanes
Speaker 3: were very scratchy because of some of that rotation. The
Speaker 3: Brumbies were caught out in Fiji and the Reds are
Speaker 3: rotating again this week, so I worry about them in Fiji,
Speaker 3: and we've seen the Hurricanes lose over there, so it's
Speaker 3: interesting that teams are choosing that game to rest some
Speaker 3: of their front line players. But look on the whole,
Speaker 3: the competition certainly feels open. I feel like the Crusaders
Speaker 3: had probably underwhelmed to this point other than that performance
Speaker 3: against the Chiefs. Yellow card Is Shoes got a bit
Speaker 3: of a rookie at ten this week. What do you
Speaker 3: know about him?
Speaker 2: Yeah, I know that he played I think once for
Speaker 2: the Auckland to Atara baseball game boat baseball team before
Speaker 2: that folded a bit of a baseball prodigy from down
Speaker 2: I believe Nelson Way and then once that sort of
Speaker 2: pathway closed to New Zealand and I had a sight
Speaker 2: set on playing Major League baseball, set his sights on
Speaker 2: playing rugby union instead and has made a good fist
Speaker 2: of it. Played for Tasman last year. But they're down
Speaker 2: to their fourth string number ten with Nokemrada again this week,
Speaker 2: with his Rayhanna out and with injured with concussion and
Speaker 2: James White gone for the season with concussion. You know
Speaker 2: they're battling to find fifteen's have gone to the wider
Speaker 2: training group. But this presents a pretty big opportunity for
Speaker 2: the young man. You know, probably didn't think he was
Speaker 2: going to get much super rugby time, if any, this year,
Speaker 2: and now all of a sudden he's starting in round
Speaker 2: six and with a little bit of a chance to
Speaker 2: make a name for himself. He played at North Harbor Stadium.
Speaker 2: I think with the tuatara, now he's going to return
Speaker 2: and be holding a rugby ball in his hand.
Speaker 4: Yeah, something of a homecoming in a roundabout way.
Speaker 3: And yeah, I guess we saw last year what can
Speaker 3: happen when opportunity knocks. Rayhanna wasn't an unknown character but
Speaker 3: certainly hadn't stamped his market on that level and came
Speaker 3: through and made a bit of a name for himself
Speaker 3: at the back end of the year for the Crusaders.
Speaker 4: So another big opportunity there.
Speaker 3: And we're seeing I guess potentially the lack of depth
Speaker 3: for New Zealand tens or the stockpiling of tens in
Speaker 3: some cases with the Highlanders digging deep into their ranks
Speaker 3: as well.
Speaker 4: And I think it's a big week for Ruben Love.
Speaker 4: You know, this is a guy that's been much hyped.
Speaker 3: He's a bit of a prodigy, great sporting talents cricket, rugby,
Speaker 3: but we haven't seen enough of them in recent times.
Speaker 3: And finally he's in the number ten jersey for the Hurricanes,
Speaker 3: so I would like to see a big performance out
Speaker 3: of him this week.
Speaker 2: Yeah, how much of a chance to lay down a
Speaker 2: bit of a marker. I know we've we've touched on
Speaker 2: it a fair bit since Dave Rennie was appointed, and
Speaker 2: he's talked about not having any loyalties, but he hasn't
Speaker 2: played a lot of ten Ruben Love. He's been anointed,
Speaker 2: as you know, maybe the next in line. But this
Speaker 2: is a big opportunity, I think, assuming he gets a
Speaker 2: real run at the ten usy to stake a claim
Speaker 2: and show that you know, he is capable of playing
Speaker 2: ten beyond super rugby level and higher honors rather than
Speaker 2: just being pigeonholed into maybe a fullback at Test level.
Speaker 4: Yeah, he does have that versatility, doesn't he?
Speaker 3: But I think it does help to have a preferred
Speaker 3: position to have time in that pososition, particularly when it
Speaker 3: comes to ten.
Speaker 4: You need time in the settle, you need to be
Speaker 4: able to.
Speaker 3: Hone your craft from a tactical point of view as
Speaker 3: much as anything else, been able to control the game,
Speaker 3: and we just haven't seen enough of Ruben Love to
Speaker 3: know whether he can do that on a consistent basis.
Speaker 3: So I think this is a big week for him.
Speaker 3: It's the Hurricane's strongest squad that they put out so
Speaker 3: far this year. They've got to see Carefi on the bench,
Speaker 3: which speaks to their depth certainly in the loose boards.
Speaker 3: So Ruben Love, you know, down the pecking order somewhat
Speaker 3: when you look at Richie Muwonga coming back and Josh
Speaker 3: Jacob having been on the Blacks fifteen tour actually had
Speaker 3: time at number ten, but I don't think he's really
Speaker 3: stamped his authority this year. And now Damien McKenzie's back.
Speaker 3: How many opportunities will Josh Jaken get at ten for
Speaker 3: the Chiefs. So it's a big season for Reuben Love,
Speaker 3: as you mentioned, with Dave Rennie coming in, because he's
Speaker 3: certainly no guarantee of featuring anymore.
Speaker 4: For the All Black sent he did last year at
Speaker 4: this point.
Speaker 2: No, he's not, so I think he's got to stake
Speaker 2: acclaim and interesting to the hinders. With Richard passitoa at
Speaker 2: ten who has impressed me in glimpses this year, but
Speaker 2: another barrel starting at ten altogether, they welcome Hugh Renton
Speaker 2: back into the mix. Caleb Tunguy Tower and the glimpses
Speaker 2: I saw of that game against the Crusaders going from
Speaker 2: strength to strength in the outside channels. You know, I'm
Speaker 2: not sure. I'm not completely sold on him just being
Speaker 2: as a Test football at Test wing the way that
Speaker 2: Test rugby is being played at the moment, but you
Speaker 2: can't deny that he's got that gift of absolute speed
Speaker 2: and we saw it again come to the Fall last week,
Speaker 2: and he'll get another opportunity against that Hurri Canees back three.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I think you're right.
Speaker 3: We need to probably see the full package from Caleb,
Speaker 3: particularly on defense and under the high ball, but there's
Speaker 3: no doubt in his finishing prowess is out and outpace
Speaker 3: on the edge. He's a lethal weapon. And I think
Speaker 3: I'm sure we'll touch on it a bit later in
Speaker 3: regards to the Six Nations and how that tournament involved,
Speaker 3: but we are starting to see Attack finally overcome the
Speaker 3: rush defense and have a lot more success at breaking
Speaker 3: that down and creating space on the art side getting
Speaker 3: the ball to the wingers, and someone like a Caleb
Speaker 3: Tongueytowel is really well placed to utilize that space with
Speaker 3: his blistering speed.
Speaker 2: Absolutely, the Chiefs welcome back Luke Jacobson, but going under
Speaker 2: the radar a little bit is another excuse me. Injury
Speaker 2: to Wallace, to Titi, the hamstring proving troublesome ones again.
Speaker 2: He missed the start of Super Rugby with a hamstring injury.
Speaker 2: He missed them more on a game before the buy
Speaker 2: with a hamstring Injury's out now for a few more
Speaker 2: weeks potentially with his hamstring injury. You know, he's had
Speaker 2: a few injuries since he's boost onto the scene and
Speaker 2: another frustrating one for Wallace a TD. How much of
Speaker 2: a blow do you think that is for the Chiefs
Speaker 2: as they go to Canberra and play against a team
Speaker 2: you know, writing a little bit of an emotional high
Speaker 2: with James Slipper breaking the Super Rugby record.
Speaker 3: Yeah, James Slipper, it feels like he's been around for
Speaker 3: as long as you and I earlier. Yeah, look it
Speaker 3: little bit of a blow for Wallace because I think
Speaker 3: we saw last year he's a guy that needs consistent
Speaker 3: game time. I think that's the case with most rugby players.
Speaker 3: But it wasn't a vintage year. We probably only saw
Speaker 3: the best of them in the final game of the
Speaker 3: year in Cardiff. And look, it's a long season, but
Speaker 3: the loose forwards are stacked and we are seeing some
Speaker 3: real early season form from some of those guys on
Speaker 3: the fringe, like a Devin Flanders is playing great rugby
Speaker 3: for the Hurricanes. He's having real success on the game line,
Speaker 3: heavily involved on both sides of the ball.
Speaker 4: So you hope Wallace.
Speaker 3: Can have a bit of an injury free run because look,
Speaker 3: I think he's a.
Speaker 4: Prodigious talent, isn't he.
Speaker 3: There's no denying that he was breakout player of the year,
Speaker 3: All Blacks Player of the Year a year and a
Speaker 3: half two years ago now. But needs to stay on
Speaker 3: the park and the Chiefs will be desperate to get
Speaker 3: him back. It's always a tough trip to Canberra, but
Speaker 3: McKenzie back at ten, Luke Jacobson returning, as you say,
Speaker 3: I'm backing them to go over there and sneak that.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think they will. We'll get into some tipping
Speaker 2: a little bit later on in the podcast. Blues with
Speaker 2: an interesting one Peyton spencer name that's been around the
Speaker 2: Traps for a few years now. Played a bit of
Speaker 2: sevens obviously, sign of Carlos finally gets an opportunity off
Speaker 2: the bench against the Wartar is fascinated to see how
Speaker 2: he goes. The Wartars have slipped off the pace a
Speaker 2: little bit in the last few weeks, but I still
Speaker 2: have a feeling that they might be able to give
Speaker 2: the Blues a little bit of a tickle up in
Speaker 2: this game. Potentially, you think back to some of the
Speaker 2: meetings that they've had in the past. The Blues won
Speaker 2: comfortably last year, but I think it was the year
Speaker 2: before that they could only scrape past the war Tars
Speaker 2: in a close one. So I'm interested in You know,
Speaker 2: this is a big game for both teams.
Speaker 4: It is indeed.
Speaker 3: Look, I think the Warritars had their bubble burst a
Speaker 3: couple of weeks ago by the Hurricanes. But these two
Speaker 3: teams have some similarities. Both have big forward packs, both
Speaker 3: like to dominate the physical exchanges and be direct. I
Speaker 3: think the Blues have been more adventurous this year, have
Speaker 3: used the ball a lot more. I think we've seen
Speaker 3: that in the ball and the form that was seen
Speaker 3: from Caleb Clark and Cody Vai. He's been a real
Speaker 3: big movers, taking a real claim for that right wing spots.
Speaker 3: The Blues I think have named a very strong team
Speaker 3: Zarne Sullivan back, Peter r Key back. I think they've
Speaker 3: recalled Finley Christie after an injury there. So look, I
Speaker 3: think the Blues are starting to find some form. I'm
Speaker 3: not totally convinced by where they are at, but that's
Speaker 3: I'm starting to build a bit of momentum, so I'll
Speaker 3: back them to go over to Sydney. But I think
Speaker 3: it is a really big weekend for the Australian teams.
Speaker 3: If the Chiefs go over and win in Camera, if
Speaker 3: the Blues go over and win in Sydney, and if
Speaker 3: the Reds, who have rested I think Carter Gordon and
Speaker 3: maybe even Fraser mcwright's struggle in Fiji, it's starting to
Speaker 3: look like a bit of an early season hole for
Speaker 3: some of those Australian teams.
Speaker 2: It is indeed same old story. Potentially I will get
Speaker 2: in some tipping at the ends of the podcast. Let's
Speaker 2: wrap up the Six Nations, Liam and what a compelling
Speaker 2: finish to the Six Nations. It was Sunday morning, nine
Speaker 2: am New Zealand time a penalty goal after the siren
Speaker 2: to win the game, but win the championship. This was
Speaker 2: a quite incredible game of rugby union. I was delighted
Speaker 2: that I woke up, rubbed the sleep out of my
Speaker 2: eye the night after a wedding and you know, recuperated
Speaker 2: from being on the dance laugh a little bit too much,
Speaker 2: and was entertained by potentially one of the greatest test
Speaker 2: matches of all time. What did you make of it?
Speaker 3: Well, if you look at the Six Nations as a whole, Elliott,
Speaker 3: there were so many narratives that changed.
Speaker 4: Dramatically week to week.
Speaker 3: You know, if you think about us talking about not
Speaker 3: just us but ever on Gregor Town's been on thin
Speaker 3: nice islands, hitting the wall. England's were going to go
Speaker 3: and potentially win the tournaments. France lost to Edinburgh, everyone
Speaker 3: bet everyone Italy giant killing and then losing to Wales
Speaker 3: and then that dramatic finish on the final day. It
Speaker 3: is brilliant the way they set it up, with all
Speaker 3: the teams playing one after the other. You couldn't ask
Speaker 3: for anything more from that tournament. It's been talked about
Speaker 3: as the greatest Six Nations in history, and I think
Speaker 3: the brand of rugby that was played its brilliant. It's
Speaker 3: a great advertisement for the sport and hopefully we see
Speaker 3: more of that from the Northern Hemissea Hemisphere and hopefully
Speaker 3: they get on board with that captivating style of rugby.
Speaker 3: You know, you can talk about defenses optional and what
Speaker 3: have you, but from an entertainment perspective, it was magic,
Speaker 3: wasn't it. And that final Test France and England's just
Speaker 3: so many.
Speaker 4: Ebbs and flows.
Speaker 3: Henry Pollock hero to villain, was a Oli chessham with
Speaker 3: the intercept and he's gone and put it in the
Speaker 3: corner in England lose because of the sideline conversion and
Speaker 3: just so many narratives weren't there.
Speaker 2: Yeah, what was sixteen lead changes in the end thirty
Speaker 2: eight to twenty seven. France led not long after halftime
Speaker 2: and you thought, kay, well they'll kick on here and
Speaker 2: maybe even you know, reach fifty. But for England to
Speaker 2: come back and then throw it away, it had everything
Speaker 2: that game. Yeah, it's a wonderful advertisement for test rugby,
Speaker 2: but also the Six Nations and France probably worthy winners
Speaker 2: in the end, so obviously they had lost to Scotland
Speaker 2: the week prior, but over the course of the competition,
Speaker 2: opening against Ireland and a very good performance with the
Speaker 2: win there and then wrapping it up with the balls
Speaker 2: they had to through Ramos to kick that penalty right
Speaker 2: at the end. It had everything and I thought, you're
Speaker 2: just a compelling advertisement for rugby and you hope that
Speaker 2: more Test matches are like that. What do you think
Speaker 2: it means though, for the way that Test matches might
Speaker 2: be played for the rest of the year. Is that
Speaker 2: just a one off or maybe you know, some of
Speaker 2: these rule changes that we've seen over the last twenty
Speaker 2: four months, etc. Are beginning to take effects now, you know,
Speaker 2: across the globe.
Speaker 3: I think we are starting to see that. And look,
Speaker 3: you look at England and when they're capable of that
Speaker 3: style of rugby. I know they lost, but a where's
Speaker 3: that been for most of that tournament in terms of
Speaker 3: the attacking endeavor, because they've been so bland and boring
Speaker 3: and conservative. So it was great to see them chance
Speaker 3: their arm and have a real crack. But I do
Speaker 3: think we are starting to see the quest eat up
Speaker 3: the game and promotes attacking rugby come into it and hopefully.
Speaker 3: I think some of the rule changes and super Rugby
Speaker 3: have laid the platform for that. I think there's still
Speaker 3: more that we can do to go down that path.
Speaker 3: And that's not so I hate this chat about depowering
Speaker 3: scrums or getting rid of the scrums or going away
Speaker 3: from what works for South Africa or France. Rugby needs
Speaker 3: to realize it's an entertainment product and that doesn't mean
Speaker 3: they can't be contrasting styles. But I think from my
Speaker 3: perspective anyway, everyone needs to get on board and welcome
Speaker 3: these rules that promotes ball and play up tempo attacking
Speaker 3: rugby because ultimately that's what's going to bring more eyeballs
Speaker 3: to the sport.
Speaker 2: I think so too, and hopefully this is, as you said,
Speaker 2: the way things to come. And I thought the way
Speaker 2: that England attacks was clearly something that France hadn't expected.
Speaker 2: Sean Edwards interviewed after the game. Obviously he's one number
Speaker 2: of six nations now, but it felt like the chaos
Speaker 2: that England are throwing around was something that France hadn't
Speaker 2: prepared for and didn't look within their abilities to adapt
Speaker 2: to the way that they were playing. I thought really
Speaker 2: smart rugby from England, but can they do it every week?
Speaker 2: It's going to be the fascinating thing. And with the
Speaker 2: Nation's championship not too far away, you know, Steve Borthwick
Speaker 2: will keep his job from you know what we're hearing
Speaker 2: from our friends up north, you know, at least through July.
Speaker 2: But if that July campaign goes pear shape, then it
Speaker 2: could be all on again. So as we touched on
Speaker 2: at the start, there's so many little we narratives that
Speaker 2: have you know, come out of the you know, the
Speaker 2: blocks over the tours over the course of the six Nations,
Speaker 2: but then if had to go out of the back
Speaker 2: into the box over the course of the six Nations
Speaker 2: as well. But it doesn't mean that they're completely you know,
Speaker 2: off the table. You feel like there could be more
Speaker 2: to come in those regards as well. Speaking of more
Speaker 2: to come, we're on Earth of the All Blacks assistant
Speaker 2: coaches at Liam.
Speaker 4: Good question, Eliot.
Speaker 3: It was it was all signposted to happen this week,
Speaker 3: but contracts take a while to get drawn up and
Speaker 3: people take a while to agree to terms and to
Speaker 3: shake everything down. I'm hearing that Phil Healley and Neil
Speaker 3: Barnes close to signing or have signs. But and I
Speaker 3: think we'll see Tanumager in that mix as well, which
Speaker 3: has been pretty well signposted. But I think it's I'm
Speaker 3: here and it's pretty touch and go with Mike Bleir.
Speaker 3: So it's going to be very interesting to see whether
Speaker 3: all blacks land from an attacking portfolio perspective.
Speaker 2: So he may not get across the line and they
Speaker 2: may retain Scott Hansen, is what you're hearing.
Speaker 4: Potentially. I'm not definitive.
Speaker 3: Either way, but I think at this point that sounds
Speaker 3: like that'll be the last one to be finalized, and
Speaker 3: there's certainly no guarantees that Mike Blear will be involved.
Speaker 2: We touched on this a little bit last week. It's
Speaker 2: not a pay issue, is it that New Zealand Rugby
Speaker 2: are worried about. It's the fact was that Scott Hansen
Speaker 2: was well reviewed at last year's inter view Sewer from
Speaker 2: what we understand, from what you understand, and there's a
Speaker 2: sense that maybe keeping him there is better than you know,
Speaker 2: throwing the entire baby out with the bath order.
Speaker 3: Yeah, it depends on you talk to Elliott's. Some people
Speaker 3: say he reviewed well, and then I've heard stories of
Speaker 3: other players and certain people involved in that group who
Speaker 3: weren't a fan of certain aspects of Scott Hansen's coaching.
Speaker 3: He is on a four year contract on a rugby
Speaker 3: adamant that that is a non factor, that money is
Speaker 3: not part of the equation, but I think that's certainly
Speaker 3: he's on rugby pushing hard for Rennie to strongly consider
Speaker 3: retaining Scott Hansen, where I think Rennie's preference was certainly
Speaker 3: to bring in Mike Blair. So look, it's gonna be
Speaker 3: interesting to see how that coaching team shakes down in
Speaker 3: the coming week. So it was meant to be potentially
Speaker 3: back end of this week. But here we are Thursday
Speaker 3: and nothing's been finalized as yet, so it can't be
Speaker 3: too far away.
Speaker 2: No, you'd think not. We did sort of speculate that
Speaker 2: we might have some assistants to talk about this week,
Speaker 2: but not to be right, Let's do some tipping for
Speaker 2: this weekend, Liam, you lead by one after getting four
Speaker 2: or five last week. I got four or five last
Speaker 2: week as well. We were by and large the same.
Speaker 2: We both picked the Brumbies too winning Fiji, which did
Speaker 2: not happen. Highlanders Hurricanes indonedan Friday night seven o five
Speaker 2: live on Gold Sport and iHeartRadio. Is this the week
Speaker 2: that the Cane train gets derailed by the southern Southern
Speaker 2: side of the Highlanders.
Speaker 3: We almost came off the tracks in Napier before Thecaine's
Speaker 3: bomb squad was unleashed and then they managed to concede
Speaker 3: too late trials and blow the bonus points. So it
Speaker 3: was a very scratchy performance last week from the Canes.
Speaker 3: But the squad this week looks really bolted on. Billy
Speaker 3: propped a back, Peter Luckye back really strong, so it
Speaker 3: will be a shock to you they're going to tip
Speaker 3: the Canes to win that. It's also my weeknd the
Speaker 3: betting Synderkit, so I do have quite a large slice
Speaker 3: of my week riding on that. So if you see
Speaker 3: my demeanor next week, it may be determined by how
Speaker 3: the cand goes.
Speaker 2: I suspect you're right. I'm going to side with you
Speaker 2: and go the Hurricanes for that game. I think they've
Speaker 2: got a better team this week. There's a couple of
Speaker 2: injuries as we've touched on to the Highlanders, so they
Speaker 2: get my tip to the Hurricanes. Brumbie's Chiefs in camber
Speaker 2: A couple of losses in a row. Now for what
Speaker 2: the Brumbies, the Chiefs are coming off the buy Jacobson's
Speaker 2: back in the mix for them. Do they spoil James
Speaker 2: Slippers party Slippers for Slips. I believe it's been called.
Speaker 2: They've been told to get out the company nighttime where
Speaker 2: and take them along to Jo. But do they get
Speaker 2: the win? Liam?
Speaker 3: I think this is probab the toughest game of the
Speaker 3: round to tip Elliott's, But I am I'm going to
Speaker 3: go with the Chiefs. They might not be able to
Speaker 3: play the brand of rugby that they enjoyed going to
Speaker 3: cambrid As you say, it's not exactly tropical at any
Speaker 3: time of the year, so they could be dragged into
Speaker 3: a bit of a kicking.
Speaker 4: Marling duel.
Speaker 3: But I'm going to tip the Chiefs to go over
Speaker 3: there and get the job done.
Speaker 2: I'm going to go the Brumbies on the historic occasion
Speaker 2: for James Slippers to win the Drewa hosting the Reds
Speaker 2: four thirty five on Saturday at Churchill Park in Lautoka.
Speaker 2: They're being written off a bit this season the driw
Speaker 2: but again, playing over there is proving harder and harder
Speaker 2: for these teams.
Speaker 3: Yeah, those thunderstorms seem to be coming on call every
Speaker 3: weekend for them, don't they. So oh, look they're playing
Speaker 3: well at home. Bloody tough to be over there. I'm
Speaker 3: going to tip the Duror. I think the Reds resting
Speaker 3: a couple of their frontline players, which has come back
Speaker 3: to bites the Canes and the Brumbies.
Speaker 4: So stick with the Dura there.
Speaker 2: I'm going to go the Red for an upset Intoka
Speaker 2: Mwana pacifica first game at Albany for the end of season,
Speaker 2: facing the Crusaders seven o five Saturday night.
Speaker 3: Well, I've always said Elliott miner are my third favorite team.
Speaker 2: Who's your second favorite team?
Speaker 3: Probably the Chiefs. Actually yeah, yeah, you'll be shocked it's
Speaker 3: not the Crusaders.
Speaker 2: That's what I thought. Yeah, yeah, naturally, you know, you've
Speaker 2: always got a lot of love for them.
Speaker 3: No, Look, I walked up the Crusaders to one that's
Speaker 3: that game.
Speaker 4: What about a word on your rockie Johnny Lee.
Speaker 2: How impressive was he? Look, he's he's a player that's
Speaker 2: been around for a couple of seasons in terms not
Speaker 2: of the top level, but just his name has been
Speaker 2: mentioned of you know, He's quite impressive. Keeping on this kid.
Speaker 2: New Zealand under twenties was good for Tasman last year,
Speaker 2: and I thought added a bit to that Crusader's pack,
Speaker 2: even aside from his try is just an out and
Speaker 2: out seven rather than Ethan Blackett are playing seven. Felt
Speaker 2: like the balance was a lot better in that loose
Speaker 2: forward trio last week. I thought, as far as deboos go,
Speaker 2: couldn't have asked much more from the young men.
Speaker 4: Yeah, how of a debut, wasn't it?
Speaker 3: And strucking resemblance to Ethan Blackouter yep.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I've given that both both Tasman boys both look
Speaker 2: good and black red and black. But maybe they'll get
Speaker 2: higher on us who knows, and wartars blues around us
Speaker 2: out nine thirty five on Saturday.
Speaker 3: Yeah, pump the brakes. One game doesn't make an all
Speaker 3: Blake Boone Cotter's men to go over there and continue
Speaker 3: the War Tars woes.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I think I'm going to the same. I think
Speaker 2: the Warriors the wheels have come off the war Tars
Speaker 2: if they were ever on. I was kind of impressed
Speaker 2: by them and the opening couple of weeks, but they
Speaker 2: have not been flash in the last couple will update
Speaker 2: those next week. We'll also bring you up to that
Speaker 2: with our MVP voting as well as to how that unfolded.
Speaker 2: You can follow us on the Tipping comp as well, sorry,
Speaker 2: the Fantasy comp as well. Rugby Direct podcast is what
Speaker 2: you search. I can completely forgot to change my team.
Speaker 2: I don't know about you last week, Liam, but completely
Speaker 2: forgot to make any changes. And I think half my
Speaker 2: team was sitting out. So you can only go up
Speaker 2: this week, is what I'm thinking.
Speaker 3: Yeah, see I've gone from what one hundred to one
Speaker 3: hundred and fifty.
Speaker 2: Something like that. Yeah, it's just plunged on. I'm terrible
Speaker 2: as it is, and I think I've got worse last week.
Speaker 3: So yeah, yeah, I haven't forgot to do my team,
Speaker 3: but there are I think I'm probably twenty points twenty
Speaker 3: spots off the lead, so there's a few punters out
Speaker 3: there gunning for that super rug Good Josey.
Speaker 2: That's right. We'll get in touch with us as well
Speaker 2: on the mail bag as well. We'll bring that back
Speaker 2: next week Rugby Direct at Newstalk ZB dot co dot
Speaker 2: nz or any questions you can flick us to them
Speaker 2: on our social media on Twitter as well. Liam always
Speaker 2: a pleasure to catch up. We're back to normal next
Speaker 2: week Monday Thursday, barring any sort of breaking news. Look
Speaker 2: forward to catching up next week.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I might try to flap my one working wing
Speaker 3: and come and join Gangs Studio on Monday.
Speaker 2: Eliot lovely to see your face, William. A good weekend.
Speaker 2: Enjoy your super Rugby. We'll catch you next week on
Speaker 2: Rugby Director. Thanks to Mark Kelly for producing. And have
Speaker 2: it health Fuzzy your book today and stay in again
Speaker 1: For more from news Talks at b Listen live on
Speaker 1: air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
Speaker 1: you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio