1 00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,387 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine 2 00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:11,747 Speaker 1: from News Talks ed B. 3 00:00:12,747 --> 00:00:15,787 Speaker 2: In this one, it is an extra special night tonight 4 00:00:15,827 --> 00:00:18,747 Speaker 2: of course for one player in particular. 5 00:00:18,467 --> 00:00:21,547 Speaker 3: Fifteen in fine Irish territory. Artie Savea is brucking through 6 00:00:21,747 --> 00:00:26,387 Speaker 3: Parti Savia, Paddick checks Paddick u Ardy Savia another one 7 00:00:26,427 --> 00:00:29,107 Speaker 3: for the All Blacks that was too easy for RIDI 8 00:00:29,507 --> 00:00:31,867 Speaker 3: and the All Blacks are haven't fun at eden Park tonight? 9 00:00:32,667 --> 00:00:34,827 Speaker 4: Heah, let's say Bartie has fun at eden Park tonight. 10 00:00:34,907 --> 00:00:37,467 Speaker 2: Artie Savier will become the fifteenth man to bring up 11 00:00:37,507 --> 00:00:39,507 Speaker 2: one hundred Test matches for the All Blacks. He will 12 00:00:39,507 --> 00:00:42,307 Speaker 2: be the fourth loose forward to reach that mark Richie 13 00:00:42,347 --> 00:00:44,987 Speaker 2: McCourt one hundred and forty eight, Karen Read one hundred 14 00:00:44,987 --> 00:00:47,627 Speaker 2: and twenty seven and Sam Kine one hundred and four 15 00:00:47,707 --> 00:00:51,547 Speaker 2: test matches. Artie Savier is also the highest try scoring 16 00:00:51,707 --> 00:00:53,547 Speaker 2: forward in All Blacks. 17 00:00:53,227 --> 00:00:54,507 Speaker 4: Test history with thirty. 18 00:00:55,067 --> 00:00:58,067 Speaker 2: He debuted in June of twenty sixteen, coming off the 19 00:00:58,067 --> 00:01:00,467 Speaker 2: bench in a thirty nine twenty one win over. 20 00:01:00,267 --> 00:01:01,867 Speaker 4: Wales at Eden Park. 21 00:01:02,427 --> 00:01:07,227 Speaker 2: Chris Boyd gave Ardie Savier his Wellington debut twenty twelve 22 00:01:07,267 --> 00:01:10,387 Speaker 2: and coached him there until twenty fourteen, and then coached 23 00:01:10,427 --> 00:01:14,187 Speaker 2: him as head coach of the Hurricanes between twenty fifteen 24 00:01:14,627 --> 00:01:17,027 Speaker 2: and twenty eighteen. Chris bord is with us on weekends 25 00:01:17,027 --> 00:01:20,747 Speaker 2: for Chris, When did you first become aware of Ardie 26 00:01:20,787 --> 00:01:23,547 Speaker 2: Savia around the Wellington club scene? 27 00:01:24,747 --> 00:01:31,467 Speaker 5: I think he was about seven and he was already 28 00:01:31,507 --> 00:01:33,347 Speaker 5: standing out, you know, I think he was seven years 29 00:01:33,387 --> 00:01:37,067 Speaker 5: old playing in an under thirteen competition and he already 30 00:01:37,067 --> 00:01:42,467 Speaker 5: stood out. Say, you know, some some players, you know, 31 00:01:42,587 --> 00:01:45,227 Speaker 5: have to work hard. I'm not saying he doesn't work hard, 32 00:01:45,227 --> 00:01:47,227 Speaker 5: because it's one of us hormatches. He is a hard worker. 33 00:01:47,307 --> 00:01:53,867 Speaker 5: But you know he he had physical and mental prowess 34 00:01:54,427 --> 00:01:56,867 Speaker 5: as a very young man. Particularly you know, I remember 35 00:01:56,907 --> 00:02:00,387 Speaker 5: at Wrongtai College seeing him and thinking, you know, you 36 00:02:00,507 --> 00:02:02,627 Speaker 5: look at a kid and you think, well, I think 37 00:02:02,667 --> 00:02:05,067 Speaker 5: he's good enough to be an all black. But if you, 38 00:02:05,067 --> 00:02:07,827 Speaker 5: you know, say those things public and people think you're 39 00:02:07,827 --> 00:02:10,307 Speaker 5: getting carried away. But he certainly stood out as a 40 00:02:10,347 --> 00:02:11,147 Speaker 5: very young man. 41 00:02:11,667 --> 00:02:14,587 Speaker 2: When he first came into the representative environment with Wellington 42 00:02:14,627 --> 00:02:17,747 Speaker 2: and then on towards the Hurricanes. Where did you see 43 00:02:17,787 --> 00:02:20,907 Speaker 2: him grow during that time? As he became a professional 44 00:02:21,027 --> 00:02:21,707 Speaker 2: rugby player. 45 00:02:23,507 --> 00:02:26,307 Speaker 5: I think the interesting thing the year before when he 46 00:02:26,347 --> 00:02:28,747 Speaker 5: was it WRONGATAI. You know, he was in a New 47 00:02:28,827 --> 00:02:32,227 Speaker 5: Zealand schools team that, funny enough had I think Patrick 48 00:02:32,387 --> 00:02:35,307 Speaker 5: Turpilotto was in it, Roger turvashi Check was in it. 49 00:02:36,507 --> 00:02:38,347 Speaker 5: Namely Lamarki was on that side. But he was a 50 00:02:38,347 --> 00:02:41,227 Speaker 5: golden boot in that period of time, so you know, 51 00:02:41,307 --> 00:02:45,507 Speaker 5: he already stood out. But he's the thing that I 52 00:02:45,587 --> 00:02:49,467 Speaker 5: admired him the most for in a lot of ways. 53 00:02:49,507 --> 00:02:51,027 Speaker 5: And it was a bit of a struggle for him 54 00:02:51,027 --> 00:02:55,307 Speaker 5: as well. As he climbed the ranks from you know 55 00:02:55,507 --> 00:02:59,347 Speaker 5: NPC to Super Rugby to all Blacks. There was always 56 00:03:00,027 --> 00:03:02,707 Speaker 5: there was always pressure on him to get heavier, to 57 00:03:02,787 --> 00:03:07,067 Speaker 5: be bigger, and I did feel particularly sorry for him. 58 00:03:07,107 --> 00:03:10,107 Speaker 5: He was you know, he got to a point where 59 00:03:10,147 --> 00:03:15,027 Speaker 5: he didn't actually really enjoy eating because it was not 60 00:03:15,147 --> 00:03:17,227 Speaker 5: something that was pleasurable. It's something that he had to 61 00:03:17,267 --> 00:03:19,907 Speaker 5: do to try and get his weight up. And he 62 00:03:20,067 --> 00:03:24,347 Speaker 5: was always fairly bloody minded about it. Is that, yes, 63 00:03:24,427 --> 00:03:26,587 Speaker 5: he knew he could do with a few extra kegs, 64 00:03:26,627 --> 00:03:30,187 Speaker 5: but he just worked incredibly hard at the things that 65 00:03:30,187 --> 00:03:32,667 Speaker 5: he was really good at, and you know, It's carried 66 00:03:32,747 --> 00:03:33,267 Speaker 5: him a long way. 67 00:03:33,787 --> 00:03:37,227 Speaker 2: Hindsight's always twenty twenty, of course, Chris. But but could 68 00:03:37,307 --> 00:03:39,547 Speaker 2: you tell that he was not only going to be 69 00:03:39,827 --> 00:03:42,467 Speaker 2: an All Black but a great All Black? 70 00:03:44,707 --> 00:03:46,627 Speaker 5: I think he had the potential to be. And again, 71 00:03:47,187 --> 00:03:49,667 Speaker 5: you know, he was in the two thousand and thirteen 72 00:03:50,907 --> 00:03:56,307 Speaker 5: on the twenty side in France, and Scott Barrett It's 73 00:03:57,747 --> 00:04:01,947 Speaker 5: Patrick were both on that side. But in that side, 74 00:04:02,267 --> 00:04:07,747 Speaker 5: Ardie was absolutely clearly the best player for New Zealand. 75 00:04:08,147 --> 00:04:11,547 Speaker 5: It wasn't a terribly successful campaign, but he stood out 76 00:04:11,587 --> 00:04:18,587 Speaker 5: completely And I always thought he had the potential to 77 00:04:18,667 --> 00:04:25,787 Speaker 5: be great because Ardie marches to the beat of his 78 00:04:25,867 --> 00:04:29,747 Speaker 5: own drum. He's not conventional in his thinking, but he's very, 79 00:04:30,907 --> 00:04:34,467 Speaker 5: very committed to what he thinks is right and wrong 80 00:04:34,787 --> 00:04:41,067 Speaker 5: and and he's a great teamman. And you know, he 81 00:04:41,427 --> 00:04:43,667 Speaker 5: puts a lot of effort, a lot of effort into 82 00:04:43,707 --> 00:04:46,147 Speaker 5: doing the best for a team. And so he was. 83 00:04:46,347 --> 00:04:49,107 Speaker 5: He was a gifted athlete in some ways. Although on 84 00:04:49,147 --> 00:04:51,227 Speaker 5: a Sunday morning when you saw him at recovery, had 85 00:04:51,587 --> 00:04:53,867 Speaker 5: you know the way he hobbled around, you'd think, you know, 86 00:04:54,347 --> 00:04:59,827 Speaker 5: he wasn't. But you know, he's physically capable. He's mentally 87 00:04:59,987 --> 00:05:03,787 Speaker 5: very tough and very determined, very resilient, and he's open 88 00:05:03,827 --> 00:05:07,387 Speaker 5: minded and a learner, and so that combination is, you know, 89 00:05:07,507 --> 00:05:09,427 Speaker 5: carries you a long way, and he's a good bloat. 90 00:05:10,147 --> 00:05:12,507 Speaker 2: In many ways, he's redefined the role of the all 91 00:05:12,547 --> 00:05:14,587 Speaker 2: purpose lose forward as well. It doesn't really seem to 92 00:05:14,627 --> 00:05:17,507 Speaker 2: matter which number he's wearing on his back. What did 93 00:05:17,587 --> 00:05:21,747 Speaker 2: you ask of him when he was in your sides? 94 00:05:23,307 --> 00:05:27,627 Speaker 5: I don't think, like anybody really, all you can ask 95 00:05:27,827 --> 00:05:30,307 Speaker 5: from people is to do their best and make sure 96 00:05:30,307 --> 00:05:33,347 Speaker 5: they'd give you everything. And so that was pretty easy 97 00:05:33,387 --> 00:05:37,907 Speaker 5: for Ardia. You know, he was probably being one of 98 00:05:37,947 --> 00:05:40,907 Speaker 5: the most consistent performers. You know, he doesn't very often 99 00:05:40,947 --> 00:05:44,747 Speaker 5: have a bad game. He's very capable of a great game, 100 00:05:44,987 --> 00:05:47,707 Speaker 5: but he doesn't very often have a bad game either. 101 00:05:47,747 --> 00:05:54,347 Speaker 5: So his consistency is really high, and that's based around 102 00:05:55,147 --> 00:05:57,867 Speaker 5: mentally and physical preparation, which he's very good at both. 103 00:05:59,027 --> 00:06:04,467 Speaker 2: How deep is his influence on the players he plays alongside. 104 00:06:06,187 --> 00:06:09,067 Speaker 5: I think it's well documented at Artie's not a huge 105 00:06:09,187 --> 00:06:14,787 Speaker 5: talker in that respect. He's you know, he's he's not 106 00:06:14,827 --> 00:06:19,507 Speaker 5: an orator or a conventional leader in respect of he's 107 00:06:19,547 --> 00:06:22,907 Speaker 5: a bit of a I'll do my talking on the field, 108 00:06:22,987 --> 00:06:26,307 Speaker 5: follow me. So he's got some fairly strong views about 109 00:06:26,347 --> 00:06:29,467 Speaker 5: different things off the field, but on the field and 110 00:06:29,467 --> 00:06:33,987 Speaker 5: in the rugby environment, you know, it's all about just 111 00:06:34,147 --> 00:06:36,147 Speaker 5: working out what his role is, what he needs to do, 112 00:06:36,307 --> 00:06:40,947 Speaker 5: preparing himself the best he can and delivering, you know, 113 00:06:41,507 --> 00:06:44,947 Speaker 5: for you. So he is a great person to have 114 00:06:45,027 --> 00:06:46,027 Speaker 5: in a team environment. 115 00:06:46,867 --> 00:06:50,227 Speaker 4: Did the two of you ever disagree as player and coach? 116 00:06:52,467 --> 00:06:56,467 Speaker 5: I don't remember ever having a disagreement with Artie. I 117 00:06:56,467 --> 00:07:02,747 Speaker 5: think we were reasonably aligned. I just wanted him to 118 00:07:02,787 --> 00:07:04,787 Speaker 5: go out and express himself and be the best he 119 00:07:04,827 --> 00:07:11,107 Speaker 5: could be and if if, if that meant whatever it meant, 120 00:07:11,147 --> 00:07:14,787 Speaker 5: it meant. And so you didn't need to be hard 121 00:07:14,827 --> 00:07:19,187 Speaker 5: on those boys around around around some of the decisions 122 00:07:19,227 --> 00:07:22,467 Speaker 5: and mistakes, because invariably they were harder on themselves than 123 00:07:22,987 --> 00:07:26,147 Speaker 5: probably I would have been anyway. So it's pretty easy 124 00:07:26,187 --> 00:07:31,547 Speaker 5: to coach, very open minded, very keen to be the 125 00:07:31,587 --> 00:07:35,267 Speaker 5: best it can be, and you know, gave himself to 126 00:07:35,307 --> 00:07:36,667 Speaker 5: the team. 127 00:07:36,867 --> 00:07:39,627 Speaker 2: Yep, special occasion for a special plataut. How do you 128 00:07:39,667 --> 00:07:41,627 Speaker 2: reckon the all blacks will go against? However, get a night. 129 00:07:42,907 --> 00:07:47,227 Speaker 5: Well, clearly my hearts says the All Blacks. I think 130 00:07:47,267 --> 00:07:54,347 Speaker 5: it's been very interesting that South Africa have picked Laruette, 131 00:07:54,347 --> 00:08:01,107 Speaker 5: Fallback and Pilart at ten and they've been quite conservative 132 00:08:01,187 --> 00:08:06,507 Speaker 5: around their forward selections and the respect of you know, 133 00:08:07,027 --> 00:08:10,347 Speaker 5: they they're very good at the South African type of role. 134 00:08:10,507 --> 00:08:14,147 Speaker 5: So I think the interesting thing for South Africa and 135 00:08:15,147 --> 00:08:18,707 Speaker 5: interesting for Tony Brown as well when he's if South 136 00:08:18,747 --> 00:08:22,867 Speaker 5: Africa want to play a more expensive and a higher 137 00:08:22,947 --> 00:08:25,787 Speaker 5: risk game, it's not in the nature of their culture, 138 00:08:25,867 --> 00:08:29,027 Speaker 5: and I think by that selection, what we've seen here 139 00:08:29,267 --> 00:08:31,587 Speaker 5: is that they're going to I'd be surprised if they 140 00:08:31,627 --> 00:08:35,187 Speaker 5: don't go back to type. So they're going to go physicality, 141 00:08:35,667 --> 00:08:41,227 Speaker 5: set piece, aerial game territory and try and try and 142 00:08:41,347 --> 00:08:44,547 Speaker 5: go back to their to their DNA, which is their grind. 143 00:08:45,667 --> 00:08:48,947 Speaker 5: That's what the selection tells me. Can we stand up 144 00:08:48,987 --> 00:08:52,147 Speaker 5: to their grind? I think we probably can, but I 145 00:08:52,187 --> 00:08:53,067 Speaker 5: think it's going to be close. 146 00:08:53,587 --> 00:08:55,707 Speaker 2: All right, Chris, got to leave it there, mate, But 147 00:08:55,827 --> 00:08:58,947 Speaker 2: thanks for your recollections, and I guess thank you for 148 00:08:59,027 --> 00:09:01,347 Speaker 2: picking Ardie Savia, although who by the sounds of it, 149 00:09:01,787 --> 00:09:04,267 Speaker 2: he was turning not just your head but everybody's head 150 00:09:04,947 --> 00:09:07,867 Speaker 2: around Wellington rugby circles at the back end of the 151 00:09:07,907 --> 00:09:11,027 Speaker 2: two thousands and into the twenty tenths, Wellington debut in 152 00:09:11,107 --> 00:09:14,507 Speaker 2: twenty twelve, Hurricanes debut the following year, and then of 153 00:09:14,587 --> 00:09:16,307 Speaker 2: course he went on that end of season two of 154 00:09:16,387 --> 00:09:16,667 Speaker 2: the All. 155 00:09:16,587 --> 00:09:19,907 Speaker 4: Blacks as the very first apprentice All Black. 156 00:09:19,987 --> 00:09:21,947 Speaker 2: That was a new innovation at the time where they 157 00:09:21,987 --> 00:09:24,507 Speaker 2: would take a player like Ardie Savia just to get 158 00:09:24,587 --> 00:09:26,387 Speaker 2: him into the environment, to show on what it might 159 00:09:26,467 --> 00:09:29,947 Speaker 2: be like and maybe fire in him a desire to 160 00:09:30,707 --> 00:09:32,867 Speaker 2: become a proper All Black. Well he did that and 161 00:09:32,987 --> 00:09:37,467 Speaker 2: he came an absolutely proper All Black in every single 162 00:09:37,587 --> 00:09:41,147 Speaker 2: sense of the word when he made his debut against 163 00:09:41,187 --> 00:09:44,747 Speaker 2: Wales off the bench in twenty sixteen at Eden Park 164 00:09:44,827 --> 00:09:47,467 Speaker 2: and then went on to become one. 165 00:09:47,427 --> 00:09:49,507 Speaker 4: Of our greats, still as one of our greats, and. 166 00:09:49,507 --> 00:09:53,907 Speaker 2: Tonight will become our fifteenth Test Centurion when he runs 167 00:09:53,947 --> 00:09:57,947 Speaker 2: out on Eden Park in the number seven Jersey Tonight 168 00:09:58,107 --> 00:09:58,947 Speaker 2: for the All Blacks. 169 00:09:59,787 --> 00:10:02,947 Speaker 1: For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Faine, listen live 170 00:10:03,067 --> 00:10:06,987 Speaker 1: to Newstalk ZEDB weekends from midday or follow the podcast 171 00:10:07,067 --> 00:10:07,947 Speaker 1: on iHeartRadio.