Speaker 1: You're listening to a podcast from News Talks at B.
Speaker 1: Follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2: Straight down the Middle.
Speaker 1: Try to get inside the game from every goal. It's
Speaker 1: Rugby Direct with Elliott Smith and Leam Navier powered by
Speaker 1: News Talks ed B.
Speaker 2: Welcome into Rugby Directs powered by Habit Heath Buysio book
Speaker 2: today and stay in the game. We are back for
Speaker 2: our MIDWEK edition of Rugby Direct. Elligant Smith with me
Speaker 2: as always Liam Napier. Greetings Liam, Rugby world never slows down.
Speaker 2: Welcome back to the pod.
Speaker 3: Great to be helliotts and no, it doesn't, particularly when
Speaker 3: you're in the midst of appointing a new All Blacks
Speaker 3: coaching team. There's always going to be sparks and flurries
Speaker 3: and news of points in. It's what we're having over
Speaker 3: the last few weeks, isn't it.
Speaker 2: Yeah, there certainly. Well, there was a couple of media
Speaker 2: autlet's yesterday reporting that tana Umanga is in line to
Speaker 2: become an assistant coach with the All Blacks. We did
Speaker 2: bring up his name, I think on the Monday Pod
Speaker 2: potentially and know he's been mentioned elsewhere on the breakdown,
Speaker 2: et cetera. Too. What's the latest. What are you hearing
Speaker 2: around the potential of tana umang A joining that day
Speaker 2: for Renny coaching stuff?
Speaker 3: Well, I think there where they smoked this fire Elliott
Speaker 3: with these things. But at this stage, no assistants have
Speaker 3: been offered coaching contracts, so it's certainly not a dune
Speaker 3: deal with anyone. No firm decisions have been made. I
Speaker 3: think Rennie's still doing his due diligence about because it's
Speaker 3: not just technically and tactically, is it. It's about an
Speaker 3: any coaching team who can work with whom, what personalities
Speaker 3: are involved, What New Zealand Rugby wants, what Rennie wants.
Speaker 3: So there's a lot of moving parts involved in this.
Speaker 3: But look, in regards to tana umager, I did have
Speaker 3: a bit of correspondence with them, just back and forth
Speaker 3: over a text message, and he was civically nonchalant, saying,
Speaker 3: you know, he doesn't comment on speculation, but he's slated
Speaker 3: to be considered. So look, he's firmly in the mix
Speaker 3: and Dave Rennie wants him to be his defense coach,
Speaker 3: which would effectively replace Tamody Ellison.
Speaker 4: So if we just there.
Speaker 3: With that in isolation, how do you think tana Umonger
Speaker 3: would go as an all black defense coach.
Speaker 2: Well, I think that would be the role for him
Speaker 2: his sister. Sorry, his head coaching time at the Blues
Speaker 2: didn't really work out. He was shuffled out of the
Speaker 2: early Remember Leo McDonald came on board back end of
Speaker 2: twenty eighteen and took over for twenty nineteen when tana
Speaker 2: Umanga was supposed to be head coaching. But it was
Speaker 2: then over the next couple of years that they he
Speaker 2: sort of found his niche with the Blues for a
Speaker 2: couple of seasons. Their defense is pretty strong. He developed
Speaker 2: some good systems and then left I think was at
Speaker 2: twenty twenty one. Ended up becoming Mawana coach down the track,
Speaker 2: but it felt like maybe as an assistant that was
Speaker 2: a role he was perhaps better suited to than being
Speaker 2: an out and out head coach, and he wouldn't be
Speaker 2: alone in that. There's been a number of coaches that
Speaker 2: are better place to narrow their focus down on one
Speaker 2: element of the game and not have to worry about
Speaker 2: the full package and essentially being the CEO of the team,
Speaker 2: but really zero in on one thing. I think that's
Speaker 2: where tana Umonger's strength has ultimately been found. So Dave
Speaker 2: Rennie of course coached tana umung a way back win
Speaker 2: for Wellington and the early two thousands, so there is
Speaker 2: a history between those two as well. But I think
Speaker 2: ultimately you can't judge t Umo on his head coaching
Speaker 2: role necessarily. I think his defense is, you know, something
Speaker 2: that the Blues prided themselves on when they were at
Speaker 2: when he was at the team as the defense coach.
Speaker 2: So look, I think it's a if it happens, a
Speaker 2: fairly astute appointment.
Speaker 4: Yeah, I agree, I think it's a great way to
Speaker 4: put it.
Speaker 3: I think there's a couple of elements to explore with
Speaker 3: tana and you mentioned as Blues coaching tenure there, but
Speaker 3: he's also had He's vastly experienced as a coach and
Speaker 3: maybe it's because of what he achieved as a player
Speaker 3: that that gets a wee bit lost. But he's been
Speaker 3: coaching for fifteen years now. He did five years in
Speaker 3: France or Toulon, he did some time at the Chiefs
Speaker 3: and he did really well with Connie's Monaco. They won
Speaker 3: the Roan Fallly Shield. Obviously, the Blues and then Mouana
Speaker 3: and obviously Arti had a massive impact and influence on
Speaker 3: that team, but Tana was a huge factor in Ardi
Speaker 3: going to Moana in the first place, but also Moana
Speaker 3: last year. Remember, outside of Arti, I'll challenge you to
Speaker 3: name many players in that team that any Super Ragby
Speaker 3: team would have been chasing. And yet they knocked over
Speaker 3: every New Zealand Super Ragby team I think by the
Speaker 3: Chiefs when were one when within the playoffs. So from
Speaker 3: a head coaching perspective of a team that had a
Speaker 3: real lack of star power and depth, did bloody well
Speaker 3: on that occasion. And then of course there's this Pacifica
Speaker 3: element that's forming around the All Blacks, isn't there. Dave Renny,
Speaker 3: the first All Blacks head coach of Pacifica Heritage, his
Speaker 3: mother from Raratonga tana Umaga, the first All Blacks captain
Speaker 3: of Pacifica heritage in history, has a great way of
Speaker 3: connecting and bringing through that culture and I think that's
Speaker 3: probably something that was lacking within that All Black camp
Speaker 3: under Raiser. And if you look at the demographic of
Speaker 3: not just the All Blacks but Super rugby teams NRL teams.
Speaker 3: Increasingly those are populated by players with Pacifica and Maldi heritage.
Speaker 3: So I think it is in a stoote move and
Speaker 3: I think it is probably nigh on time that we
Speaker 3: see more representation from Pacifica and Maldi in an All
Speaker 3: Blacks coaching team, and I think that could only only
Speaker 3: help the team, particularly when you're looking at effectively a
Speaker 3: cultural rebuild for this team.
Speaker 2: Isn't it is? And among A former captain, brings a
Speaker 2: lot of Mana, but it can't just be about Mana alone.
Speaker 2: It can't just be about what he's going to bring
Speaker 2: to the culture. It's got to be on the defense.
Speaker 2: And to be honest, that's probably an area that they
Speaker 2: haven't really solidified the All Blacks in the last few years,
Speaker 2: is that that defensive role. There's been a lot of
Speaker 2: weak tries conceded. You know, Timothy Allison maybe was a
Speaker 2: bit too far early in his coaching career for him
Speaker 2: to take on that role and bring the changes in
Speaker 2: the All Blacks environment. Scott McLeod did it until twenty
Speaker 2: twenty three as well, but he took over from Wayne Smith.
Speaker 2: So the bandon has been passed around and no one's
Speaker 2: really sort of taken it and charged toward it. Towards it,
Speaker 2: so there's, you know, the possibility that he might be
Speaker 2: able to make some quick shifts in this department if
Speaker 2: he is appointed.
Speaker 3: Yeah, and like you say, there needs to be because
Speaker 3: I think somebody Elson we've discussed will be a good
Speaker 3: coach in time. But as you say, I think was
Speaker 3: probably promoted to a position of influence too, So I
Speaker 3: think he started as a contact coach within the All
Speaker 3: Blacks but was quickly elevated to the defense brief when
Speaker 3: Scott Hansen assumed a switch from defense to attack and look,
Speaker 3: defense is so prevalent in modern day rugby, whether it
Speaker 3: be rush defense or umbrella style, you know, shutting down
Speaker 3: time and space and playmakers. That's evolved massively in recent times.
Speaker 3: You've seen the league influence coming with David Kidwell and
Speaker 3: Shawn Edwards going to France and others, so it's a
Speaker 3: very important brief. There are others that have done well
Speaker 3: within New Zealand rugby. I think Craig McGrath and the
Speaker 3: Blues is quite highly regarded and abroad other keywis like
Speaker 3: Jared Payne in Australia, Laurie Fisher is as.
Speaker 4: Well regarded as well.
Speaker 3: So it's an important area that the All Blacks need
Speaker 3: to get right. And maybe Tanna's the guy, maybe he's not,
Speaker 3: but I think he would be an upgrade on somebody Allison.
Speaker 2: So there's tracks with what we sort of put out
Speaker 2: there on Monday in the podcast that Jason Ryan would
Speaker 2: be the only survivor of the previous coaching raging to
Speaker 2: retain a job. Assuming that goes ahead and anything changes
Speaker 2: from this.
Speaker 3: Point potentially, Yeah, I think there's a bit of a
Speaker 3: standoff brewing between an early standoff between he's on on
Speaker 3: rugby and Dave Rennie around the attack. Brief now, I
Speaker 3: expect Dave Rennie to take on a large role with
Speaker 3: that attack.
Speaker 4: That's his.
Speaker 3: Trademark, is I guess from it from a coaching perspective,
Speaker 3: He's very strong an attack and I think that was
Speaker 3: a reason he was preferred over Joseph. But Scott Hansen
Speaker 3: is on a four year contract and we know he
Speaker 3: held quite strong influence and responsibilities within Scott Robinson's team.
Speaker 3: He was his two IC, he did a lot of
Speaker 3: the on ground coaching. Him and Jason Ryan are both
Speaker 3: on four year contracts, so having paid out Scott Robertson.
Speaker 3: I think New Zealand Rugby is potentially keen for Scott
Speaker 3: Hansen to be tained because then that would avoid them
Speaker 3: having to pay him out.
Speaker 4: And of course.
Speaker 3: Rennie wants Mike Blair, who's done a great job with
Speaker 3: Kobe in recent years, the former Scotland halfback, to help
Speaker 3: come in and run the attack, but he's one on.
Speaker 3: Rugby have traditionally not hired or recruited foreign coach for
Speaker 3: the All Blacks, so I think there's a bit of
Speaker 3: a standoff browing there. It's gonna be interesting to see
Speaker 3: how that transplires hate Daisen.
Speaker 2: We've already got a standoff napes.
Speaker 3: Yeah, these things never go quite so smoothly. But if
Speaker 3: you think back to Razor, how do you think it
Speaker 3: should play out? Raizorhead car Blanche that that didn't really
Speaker 3: unfolds too well?
Speaker 4: How do you think this should play out?
Speaker 2: Yeah? I think it's an interesting one, isn't it. Dave
Speaker 2: Rennie should have his say on who he wants to
Speaker 2: be his assistants, and I don't know that putting to
Speaker 2: people together in an arranged marriage like potentially they may
Speaker 2: have de forced to work with Scott Hansen is going
Speaker 2: to be for the betterment of the All Blacks. I
Speaker 2: think if they want this team to be set up
Speaker 2: for winning the World Cup, they mentioned trajectory, Well, if
Speaker 2: Dave Rennie doesn't believe that Scott Hanson is part of
Speaker 2: that trajectory to get through to the World Cup, then
Speaker 2: I think ultimately he's got to walk the plank. And
Speaker 2: if they've got to pay him out then then so
Speaker 2: be it. I think this is a special case here,
Speaker 2: and look, you don't want the head coach to have
Speaker 2: the ultimate savior needs to be some element of New
Speaker 2: Zealand rugby giving sign off and agreeing with who he
Speaker 2: puts forward. But also you know he's been thrust and
Speaker 2: potentially made to work with someone that may not gel together.
Speaker 2: So it's a tricky one. But I've got a sign
Speaker 2: with probably Dave Rennie on this one.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think you should be able to work people
Speaker 3: he knows and trusts, and I think we saw last
Speaker 3: year of the All Black's attack struggle consistently struggle with
Speaker 3: Scott Hanson in that role.
Speaker 4: So for me, it's a pretty black and white choice.
Speaker 3: Yeah, stump up the cash, you pay him out, but
Speaker 3: you know it is a business, but also the all
Speaker 3: black springing that revenue. So you've got to give Dave
Speaker 3: Rennie the beer chance to get that right. There's pros
Speaker 3: and cons to every situation. Scott Hansen would be in
Speaker 3: New Zealand, so he would be around to go around
Speaker 3: the Super Rugby teams and deliver messages and whatnot. But
Speaker 3: Mike Blair and Dave Renny are together in Japan, so
Speaker 3: while they would be coaching Kobe, I'm sure they'd find
Speaker 3: time outside of that to discuss where they'd go with
Speaker 3: your Blacks attack. They'd be living and breathing with each
Speaker 3: other on a daily weekly basis, so I think that's
Speaker 3: certainly the preference.
Speaker 2: Indeed, let's move on news. A couple of days ago,
Speaker 2: Crusaders quote unquote scrap at training between a couple of
Speaker 2: players Will Tucker one of their locks and Proprecersial Psychs
Speaker 2: Martin a little bit captured on iPhone camera footage. Has
Speaker 2: this been blown up all out of proportion? Liam rob
Speaker 2: Penny didn't seem to really give a shit, And I
Speaker 2: know there's been a bit of consternation out of the
Speaker 2: Crusaders around the way it's been reported, But ultimately this
Speaker 2: seems to like a storm and a tea cup. They
Speaker 2: show probably more aggression at training on Tuesday, though, than
Speaker 2: they showed in the entire eighty minutes on Saturday night
Speaker 2: at Eden Park.
Speaker 3: That's nothing that Rugby Direct hasn't seen before. There's bricks
Speaker 3: of broken limbs, of broken arms.
Speaker 2: Yes, that's right. This just comes when you're in a
Speaker 2: closed space together.
Speaker 4: Oh look, I think yes, you had it coming.
Speaker 3: To be fair, it's been brewing for a while, all
Speaker 3: that Crusader's rubbish you spout had to get something in.
Speaker 2: Yeah. I'm still nursing back from that broken arm, thank
Speaker 2: you very much.
Speaker 4: Yeah, no, look, I'm all for it.
Speaker 3: I think there's nothing wrong with a bit of heat
Speaker 3: at training, particularly after a loss. There should be a
Speaker 3: bit of tension, but a frustration. If that boils over,
Speaker 3: then so be it. Rugby is a contact sport. You
Speaker 3: live on the edge sometimes and I don't have a
Speaker 3: problem with it at all. I thought Rob Penny actually
Speaker 3: spoke to it quite well. We said nothing to see here,
Speaker 3: just a couple of men fired up, and they should
Speaker 3: be after what happened to Eden Park. So maybe you'll
Speaker 3: get a reaction from the Crusaders. This week and maybe
Speaker 3: that's a reflection of what's going on in their camp.
Speaker 3: And we saw this with the Wartars and pre season,
Speaker 3: didn't we And that was a much more serious situation
Speaker 3: because there was injuries and I think a fine or
Speaker 3: a suspension handed out in the.
Speaker 2: End, Yeah there was. Yeah, that was a pretty ugly
Speaker 2: one and the end nothing like that down at Ruggy
Speaker 2: Park in christ Church. I can assure you quick look
Speaker 2: at the team news before we get into the mail bag.
Speaker 2: Not a lot to report this week, necessarily, but good
Speaker 2: to see Ruben Love on the Hurricanes bench for the
Speaker 2: game against the Force in Napier Friday night.
Speaker 4: It is indeed.
Speaker 3: And look, Callum Hawkins done a great job certainly against
Speaker 3: the Waratars last week. He stepped up a nice crossfield
Speaker 3: kick and various other moments. But Ruben Loved be good
Speaker 3: to see him back at ten because he actually did
Speaker 3: have quite a profound influence to the back end of
Speaker 3: last year for the Hurricanes at ten. We haven't seen
Speaker 3: enough of them at ten or in any capacity really.
Speaker 3: He's been put on ice from a test rugby perspective,
Speaker 3: so he's a young man who needs game time, needs consistency,
Speaker 3: needs to be in the shop window for Dave Renni
Speaker 3: and to build some momentum and confidence. So good to
Speaker 3: see him back. And I think throughout that Hurricanes team
Speaker 3: and some of the other sides that the Chiefs, there's
Speaker 3: been a bit of rotation and that you can see
Speaker 3: the depth coming through for some teams and not for others.
Speaker 2: Indeed, you can, yep looking forward to that match and
Speaker 2: seeing Reubin Love trot out over on Friday nights in
Speaker 2: Napier Quick break come Back mail Bag after this, you're
Speaker 2: back with Rugby Director, powered by a habit Heath Hysio.
Speaker 2: Book today and stay in the game. Time now to
Speaker 2: check the Rugby Director mail Bag. You can get in
Speaker 2: touch with us at Rugby Director and us talk zb
Speaker 2: dot co dot NZ. Producer Mark is the overseer of
Speaker 2: the mail bag and he's got a come bule of
Speaker 2: male messages that he wants to read today and we'll
Speaker 2: react to them.
Speaker 5: Take it away, Killer, Yes, thank you earlier, hopefully see
Speaker 5: you soon. Liam. Just don't at the same one zoom
Speaker 5: we miss yet but this one comes all the way
Speaker 5: from Australia. Floyd. He says he's enjoying the podcast, particularly
Speaker 5: now he gets two episodes a week, and what a
Speaker 5: truth that is. He's very happy about the Reny decision,
Speaker 5: looking forward to seeing the makeup of his assistants, and
Speaker 5: he doesn't really he's got no problem with Mike Blair
Speaker 5: being a part of the team. But this one his question,
Speaker 5: he said, it may be stupid to ask in the
Speaker 5: content on the context of context, but why do we
Speaker 5: keep seeing so many injuries, particularly in pregame warmups this
Speaker 5: week with a hamstring as a case in point. These
Speaker 5: guys sees, These guys are professional athletes. I would have
Speaker 5: thought their physical conditioning it would be so easily and
Speaker 5: frequently compromised. What is he missing?
Speaker 2: It's an interesting one, isn't it. Here? We see a
Speaker 2: lot of and sometimes you see teams, certain teams have
Speaker 2: a number of sort of tissue damage, soft tissue damage.
Speaker 2: In a year, there'll be a number of those sort
Speaker 2: of injuries, calf strains, et cetera. And that occasionally points
Speaker 2: to being overtrained during the week and you get to
Speaker 2: game down you're not quite ready to go. We've seen
Speaker 2: teams go through horror runs. Try thing off the top
Speaker 2: of my head, but you know, acls and various other
Speaker 2: things that are just almost pure dumb luck in a way.
Speaker 2: So I don't know what's initially down to it. They'll
Speaker 2: probably go back and go maybe because there's everything so
Speaker 2: data driven these days, isn't it, Lee, And they could
Speaker 2: probably go back and go. Jeez, on Thursday, we probably
Speaker 2: maxed them out to one hundred and ten percent when
Speaker 2: maybe we could have gone a little bit lighter and
Speaker 2: maybe that injury doesn't happen. Sometimes it is down to,
Speaker 2: you know, you slip over and you roll an ankle
Speaker 2: or you do your hamstring in. But sometimes it is
Speaker 2: down to a little bit of overtraining and naps. I'm
Speaker 2: sure we know coaches that have overtrained their charges from
Speaker 2: time to time.
Speaker 4: Yeah.
Speaker 3: I think there's a lot more rugby these days increasingly,
Speaker 3: so that's part of it. But the more rugby you play,
Speaker 3: the more training you have to go through, the more
Speaker 3: strain you put on your body. They're probably a bit
Speaker 3: more precautionary these days. And then you've got some athletes
Speaker 3: that are more prone to injuries than others. Stephen Peterifetter
Speaker 3: one example. He was pulled late from the Blues game
Speaker 3: last week with that calf injury that kept them out
Speaker 3: for most of last year coming back, and we've seen
Speaker 3: Nathan Blackheader and the like.
Speaker 4: There's some players that are just really prone to it.
Speaker 3: But I think we are seeing movement in that area
Speaker 3: as well, because I think it was the English Premiership
Speaker 3: or somewhere up north are actually looking to put restrictions
Speaker 3: on the amount of contact that teams can put players
Speaker 3: through any given week, but also during the preseason, allowing
Speaker 3: them to have proper breaks and certain conditioning before they
Speaker 3: can actually return to contact. So I think that's something
Speaker 3: that the NFL and the like you have brought in
Speaker 3: in recent years, and I think it's something we're going
Speaker 3: to see in rugby increasingly as well.
Speaker 2: Indeed, Floyd, thank you very much for your message. Next
Speaker 2: one Killer.
Speaker 5: Yes, this is from Tim. I found the messaging out
Speaker 5: from at Rennie's opening press conference really interesting and he
Speaker 5: wanted to throw a question our way in that same
Speaker 5: press so he mentioned that players will have to earn
Speaker 5: the right to wear the jersey and he will have
Speaker 5: no loyalties. Yet he openly raised the idea of bringing
Speaker 5: back Brody Rettallic from Japan. Brittallic. Obviously, he was coached
Speaker 5: multiple stages of his career by Rennie, coming through before
Speaker 5: the All Blacks at the Chiefs now A game in Japan.
Speaker 5: Also interesting when you look at the other overlaps. Rennie
Speaker 5: currently coaches Artie Severe, who looks to be sort of
Speaker 5: the favorite to be the next captain, and his comments
Speaker 5: on Scott Barrett were notably lukewarm. Also, Anton Lena Brown
Speaker 5: is in that Japanese team, a player who's form had
Speaker 5: seen him drifting a bit out of All Blacks contention.
Speaker 5: So with the no loyalties lines sounds strong. There are
Speaker 5: clearly players he already knows very well. His bigger question
Speaker 5: this one, though, is about the criticism we heard from
Speaker 5: last year around players not earning the jersey in the
Speaker 5: idea of Crusader's bias in selection, we exactly were those
Speaker 5: players that people felt hadn't earned their spots in that team.
Speaker 2: Liam, you want to take this one first from Tim?
Speaker 4: Yeah?
Speaker 3: Sure, I think the obvious one that springs to mind
Speaker 3: is savy Reese. There's a real feeling that Bill Black
Speaker 3: should have moved on from him a lot earlier and
Speaker 3: invested in guys like Caleb Toungueytow and others should have
Speaker 3: been given a crack sooner, I think. But look as
Speaker 3: far as the Crusader's bias goes, I don't know if
Speaker 3: I buy into that. You look at guys like David
Speaker 3: Hevili and Ethan Blackheader, they were prominent figures and that
Speaker 3: Crusaders set up when when Razor was there and he
Speaker 3: went away from them, So I think you have to
Speaker 3: give him credit for he was very clear in his
Speaker 3: mind about distancing himself from those ties to the Crusaders.
Speaker 3: When it came to selection, I think you had a
Speaker 3: number of Blues players that were had umbradge with their
Speaker 3: non selections Dalton, Papa Lee, Riquwani slopping down the ranks
Speaker 3: and Hoskins, Attutu and others. So I think that's probably
Speaker 3: where a lot a lot of that potential bias or
Speaker 3: perception of bias stems from.
Speaker 2: Yeah, by the end of it, there were probably more
Speaker 2: Chiefs and the All Blacks set up than there were Crusaders.
Speaker 2: Every member of the loose Ford tree, I think, apart
Speaker 2: from Kayleb Boshier got a goonsig at some point, you know,
Speaker 2: Leroy Carter came in and we're not saying that they
Speaker 2: went worthy, but there was certainly a lot more, probably
Speaker 2: Chiefs in that second year and he went away from Paveli,
Speaker 2: especially after he had a strong Super Rugby season the
Speaker 2: year prior. I think ultimately for Dave Rennie coming in
Speaker 2: with you, you can say that you're not coming in
Speaker 2: with any bias, but everyone's got inherent biases, just you know,
Speaker 2: whether you're a fan of a certain team or whatever
Speaker 2: it might be. He would have watched plenty of take
Speaker 2: while he's in Japan, of Super rugby games back home,
Speaker 2: and and whether he was consciously doing it or not,
Speaker 2: he would have been analyzing it and going how does
Speaker 2: this player maybe fit into an international setup or could
Speaker 2: they go to higher honors. So I think there's going
Speaker 2: to be, you know, some inherent bias there, which is
Speaker 2: natural as a human being and being a rugby person.
Speaker 2: But you know, I do like the idea of a
Speaker 2: clean slate to bring up Brodie Rettelic though, which to
Speaker 2: suggest that he has been thinking about this for quite
Speaker 2: some time. It was Yes, it was off the cuff remark,
Speaker 2: but to me it sounded like he had been thinking
Speaker 2: that maybe Brodie Rettelig is ready to return to international
Speaker 2: rugby anymore. In the mailbag, mark.
Speaker 5: Yeah two more, this one from camp from the Napier
Speaker 5: Hastings area. This is more of a fun one.
Speaker 2: But I don't know.
Speaker 5: If you saw the Hurricanes Warrantars game on Friday, Clark
Speaker 5: laidlaw in the coaching box, he is wearing one of
Speaker 5: those new retro juzies that the classic sports where have
Speaker 5: brought out cam asks? Is this going to be a
Speaker 5: bit of a movement now for rugby coaches? And you
Speaker 5: might see them sort of a dressed as baseball coaches.
Speaker 5: They wear the full kick sort of thing. Could you
Speaker 5: see that or would you rather than the polos or
Speaker 5: the baser or whatever.
Speaker 2: Well, I don't. I don't know how you feel, napes,
Speaker 2: but I quite liked the idea of each coach just
Speaker 2: having their own vibe. We see it in English football.
Speaker 2: You know. Some some coaches wear the full suits it up.
Speaker 2: Some are more comfortable in a sort of puffer jacket,
Speaker 2: sideline or whatever it might be. Rop Any, I think,
Speaker 2: often wears the dress shirt for his games. But you know,
Speaker 2: Van Cott is more of a polo man. So's Jamie Joseph.
Speaker 2: As long as it's got a bit of team team logo,
Speaker 2: team merch on. I don't have a huge deal with it.
Speaker 2: I was more against the idea of I'm wearing a
Speaker 2: cap indoors. You know I'm old school in that regard.
Speaker 2: Hats off inside please. I feel like that was very personal.
Speaker 4: Like me.
Speaker 2: Directly.
Speaker 3: Look, I think the more Canes merch the better, isn't it?
Speaker 3: Everyone should be donning it. I've ordered one of those
Speaker 3: classic jerseys for Super Round, so wear loud and prouds
Speaker 3: display its on the weekend in which the Canes continue
Speaker 3: their their magic rides. I think that their message is
Speaker 3: from good made of mine. Actually is going pretty well
Speaker 3: on the tips this year, so been giving me a
Speaker 3: bit of stick. So maybe if if he goes well
Speaker 3: on fantasy or win himself some Canes merchant that'll keep
Speaker 3: them happy. Is a high on his man at heart,
Speaker 3: but we might be able to convert them.
Speaker 2: I'll make sure that that has stopped at the border
Speaker 2: when you get to christ Church and that is confiscated
Speaker 2: off you. Thank you, Liam. Final email from the Malo please,
Speaker 2: and this one's on Matt.
Speaker 5: We alluded to this a couple of weeks ago on
Speaker 5: the podcast when it was a Nick Bewley Elliott Smith.
Speaker 5: Is you like to call it crusaders direct, but just
Speaker 5: he's happy. Matt is very happy that Liam Napier is back,
Speaker 5: but more not just Hurricanes chat. I actually would like
Speaker 5: to hear some more chief chat. We got to buy
Speaker 5: this week, chiefs man. Yeah, but how are we looking?
Speaker 5: We're looking like this is a question from me now,
Speaker 5: like are we favorites?
Speaker 2: Are you favorites? You lost to the Crusaders, you know,
Speaker 2: ten days ago. Oh, but that was an all time game.
Speaker 2: If it wasn't for the third quarter there, that game was.
Speaker 2: It wasn't for the forty three points you conceded, you
Speaker 2: would be right up there.
Speaker 5: This season, miss tackles and the bad reefing calls it
Speaker 5: throw them out there.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I enjoyed. I enjoy getting Matt's email A couple
Speaker 2: of weeks back. Crusaders Direct was a It was a
Speaker 2: sticking blow, and by popular demand, we have managed to
Speaker 2: bring Liam back to the podcast. So there you go, Lim,
Speaker 2: we got your message. AKA Matt.
Speaker 3: Yes, yes, but my pseudo's been blown out of the water.
Speaker 3: It's good to have some balance and look other than
Speaker 3: the Canes mark. I think it is the Chief's title
Speaker 3: to lose. So you know, don't don't mess it up.
Speaker 2: You just od. They don't play in the rain, the
Speaker 2: Hurricanes the night playoff game and Canberra or suber coming.
Speaker 2: Oh sorry, Lartoka coming right up for the Hurricanes. That'll
Speaker 2: just the mail bag this week, but keep them coming
Speaker 2: in Rugby direct at Newstalk ZB dot co dot nz
Speaker 2: to get in touch with the podcast. We'll read a
Speaker 2: few every Thursday on the podcast. Let's get into some
Speaker 2: tipping for this week. Lim You're ahead of me by
Speaker 2: one point twelve out of twenty, which is di bollicle.
Speaker 2: You know, out of twenty games, only twelve correc or
Speaker 2: maybe it speaks to the quality of the competition, the
Speaker 2: unpredictable nature. I have a leven out of twenty, which
Speaker 2: is even worse. You alls did some good tipping for
Speaker 2: you while you're away and we exchanged some tips last week.
Speaker 2: You did pretty well. You picked up the Blues, were
Speaker 2: going to beat the Crusaders, among others Hurricanes Force on
Speaker 2: Friday night in Napier. Surely the Force, buoyed by the
Speaker 2: news that Zach Lomax is about to join them when
Speaker 2: they get back to Australia, they'll be good to tip
Speaker 2: up the Hurricanes, weren't they.
Speaker 3: Hopefully the Hurricanes do what they did to the Dura
Speaker 3: last year and make them have a basically make them
Speaker 3: sit outside their hotel and they'll all make them take
Speaker 3: the long way from Auckland and all those sorts of
Speaker 3: dirty tricks.
Speaker 4: But no, I don't think they'll need so.
Speaker 3: I think they should roll over the top of the
Speaker 3: force and continue that cane train right towards the station.
Speaker 2: Elliott, Okay, that's enough. I'll got the Hurricanes as well,
Speaker 2: drew a brou on Saturday afternoon in Figi and Bar.
Speaker 2: I think, for the first time new ground being used
Speaker 2: in Fiji. Interesting one here. I think the Brumbies will
Speaker 2: go over and win, but I suspect it might be
Speaker 2: quite close.
Speaker 3: Yeah, Figi that you're always more competitive at home, but
Speaker 3: you beg them Bumbies to get that done.
Speaker 2: Yeah. Crusaders Islanders the Southern Classic cut the Cord Classic
Speaker 2: on Saturday night, seven o'clock in christ Church. Did the
Speaker 2: Crusaders bounce back? Liam? I think they do, but I
Speaker 2: think the Honders will give them a real run for
Speaker 2: their money after beating them in round one, but I
Speaker 2: don't think they'll do it again.
Speaker 3: Well, New Zealand's behind the Landers Elliotts, but unfortunately for
Speaker 3: the sake of my tipping, I am going to go
Speaker 3: your boys to sneak home.
Speaker 2: Crusader on Baby Red's wartar is really interesting one. We've
Speaker 2: already seen this game already in round one, just the
Speaker 2: Crusaders and Holand is in round one this time though
Speaker 2: it is in Brisbane nine point thirty five on Saturday night.
Speaker 2: Red's with that big one over the Brumbies last week.
Speaker 2: The war retars being humiligated by your Hurricanes. I find
Speaker 2: this really hard to tip, but I'm going to go
Speaker 2: the home team.
Speaker 3: Yeah, I think the Wartas bubble might have burst of
Speaker 3: it and confidence rocked. Dan mckeller a no doubt fire
Speaker 3: a few shots, but Read's back at home to get
Speaker 3: the business done.
Speaker 2: There and Blues mawana a rear. Sunday afternoon game at
Speaker 2: Eden Park three thirty five. The Blues with a couple
Speaker 2: of changes here and there, but they are rolling out
Speaker 2: Boat and Barrett to start again. More one. I think
Speaker 2: have dropped Nanni La Marpe to the bench for this one.
Speaker 2: I think the Blues at home should be too good.
Speaker 4: They should.
Speaker 3: Yeah, good to see the Blues Sunday afternoon, as you mentioned,
Speaker 3: but also kids go free, so if you've got some
Speaker 3: wheet terras running around and looking for something to do
Speaker 3: on Sunday afternoon, I think the weather is meant to
Speaker 3: be good. Go along to the Pacifica Festival it's Western
Speaker 3: Springs and then duck into Eden Park.
Speaker 4: Indeed two three events.
Speaker 2: Yeah, not bad at all, not bad at all. You
Speaker 2: can catch that game on Goldsport and Nightheart Radio. Incidentally,
Speaker 2: if you don't make it, along to the Ground with
Speaker 2: Mel Jordan. Also Crusaders, Highlanders and Cane's Force throughout the
Speaker 2: weekend on gold Sport and iHeartRadio as well. We can
Speaker 2: get in touch with us on the Tip and comp
Speaker 2: sorry in the Fantasy as well Rugby Direct podcast as
Speaker 2: we can find us, which reminds me I need to
Speaker 2: make some changes this week. But that'll do us for
Speaker 2: Rugby Direct for this week. We'll be back sometime next week,
Speaker 2: probably only for one episode. Next week. I have other
Speaker 2: business to attend to this weekend and I'm probably not
Speaker 2: going to see too much rugby so I need to
Speaker 2: catch up, So probably back with one at some point
Speaker 2: next week Liam and look forward to that. And I
Speaker 2: have some news on some All Blacks assistants by then too.
Speaker 4: Yep.
Speaker 3: That should all go down next week, so I have
Speaker 3: plenty of the two over at some point.
Speaker 2: Look forward to it now thanks to Mark Kelly producing
Speaker 2: and monitoring the Mailbag and to have it held Physio.
Speaker 2: Book today and stay in the game.
Speaker 1: For more from News Talks B Listen live on air
Speaker 1: or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
Speaker 1: go with our podcast on iHeartRadio.