WEBVTT - Michael Hooper Returns, Captain's Challenge & a Rebel League? 0:00:02.600 --> 0:00:06.320 Welcome to a massive episode of Insideline. Justin Harrison in 0:00:06.360 --> 0:00:09.760 the hot seed as usual, Jamie Panduram is back. Good 0:00:09.760 --> 0:00:12.280 to see you Pandem for the first time this year. 0:00:12.400 --> 0:00:15.880 Knichi Michael Hooper, are we clapping? 0:00:17.200 --> 0:00:18.040 I would put. 0:00:17.920 --> 0:00:22.639 Myself I encouraged on this show. Hook made great to 0:00:22.640 --> 0:00:25.320 have you back. A little update. How was Japan? I 0:00:25.480 --> 0:00:27.080 was getting back on the field. 0:00:27.600 --> 0:00:29.080 Well, if you want to start with getting back on 0:00:29.080 --> 0:00:31.960 the field, I was so rusty, so I didn't play 0:00:31.960 --> 0:00:35.120 a game since started November twenty twenty three. Now I 0:00:35.200 --> 0:00:38.479 played some sevens, but what I learned is, well, when 0:00:38.479 --> 0:00:40.440 I was playing sevens and going back to fifteen's, how 0:00:40.520 --> 0:00:42.440 much of a different game that is, Like it is 0:00:42.520 --> 0:00:46.120 just worlds apart. And my latest touch in rugby was seven. 0:00:46.280 --> 0:00:49.320 So I knew I was going to play for about 0:00:49.320 --> 0:00:52.040 a month, so I was in reasonable condition, got back 0:00:52.080 --> 0:00:54.600 in shape, trained up in Toyota for a week and 0:00:54.640 --> 0:00:56.120 then played a B game and then the week later 0:00:56.120 --> 0:01:00.240 I played against Kobe Renses now team up in up 0:01:00.280 --> 0:01:04.759 in Japan, and I was very underwhelming in my first 0:01:05.319 --> 0:01:08.679 first outing in eighteen months, like just stuff like you know, 0:01:09.360 --> 0:01:11.920 ceiling and getting penalized for ceiling over the ball because 0:01:11.920 --> 0:01:13.720 I'd been in that sevenths role not trying to kill 0:01:13.760 --> 0:01:17.200 around the breakdown and take out players, you know, rusty 0:01:17.200 --> 0:01:18.800 in my timing everything like that. 0:01:18.880 --> 0:01:21.560 So I warmed up and got some decent performances. 0:01:21.840 --> 0:01:23.840 We struggled as a team up there in Toyota, but 0:01:23.880 --> 0:01:26.119 in terms of I was really proud of getting back 0:01:26.160 --> 0:01:29.200 on the field, being competitive, playing you know, and playing 0:01:29.240 --> 0:01:32.319 around some great players. It was awesome, but more importantly 0:01:32.760 --> 0:01:35.200 for us as a family in the stage of my career, like, 0:01:35.240 --> 0:01:37.600 it was so much fun to be up in Japan 0:01:38.520 --> 0:01:41.120 with the family, two young kids doing something you know 0:01:41.200 --> 0:01:43.240 that I've never done like that. I mean, last time 0:01:43.280 --> 0:01:46.720 I went to Japan was was COVID. So yeah, it 0:01:46.760 --> 0:01:48.800 was a great experience for the family off the field, 0:01:48.840 --> 0:01:52.240 and yeah, very thankful for that four months now. 0:01:53.200 --> 0:01:56.280 When I say we, that's a very much universal and 0:01:56.320 --> 0:01:58.560 I don't mean to include everyone, but we discussed at 0:01:58.640 --> 0:02:03.800 length whether you're return to fifteen's in the Japanese League 0:02:03.800 --> 0:02:07.160 would lead to maybe a fairy tale farewell. 0:02:07.640 --> 0:02:08.720 Fairy tale farewell. 0:02:08.800 --> 0:02:10.799 I got there in the end in that os en 0:02:10.960 --> 0:02:14.679 Z side against the Lions in Adelaide on July twelveth 0:02:15.520 --> 0:02:18.640 Timmy Horne in particular, big fan of the notion. He 0:02:18.680 --> 0:02:21.239 wanted you to be captain, didn't want anyone else picked 0:02:21.280 --> 0:02:23.160 who wasn't already playing in Australia, but he was happy 0:02:23.200 --> 0:02:27.640 to go against his own advice there. But is it 0:02:28.080 --> 0:02:30.160 done and dusted? You won't be featuring in that game? 0:02:30.480 --> 0:02:30.679 Yeah? 0:02:30.720 --> 0:02:32.679 Well you know I paid a bit for Tim to 0:02:33.120 --> 0:02:36.560 give me a so no, I won't be playing in 0:02:36.560 --> 0:02:37.080 that fixture. 0:02:38.160 --> 0:02:38.400 Yeah. 0:02:38.440 --> 0:02:41.200 It sounds like a great game. It is going to 0:02:41.200 --> 0:02:43.040 be a great game, really intriguing on a lot of 0:02:43.040 --> 0:02:45.040 different fronts. We just had a great discussion with it 0:02:45.280 --> 0:02:47.440 beforehand around how it can look and who's going to 0:02:47.480 --> 0:02:48.519 play and everything like that. 0:02:49.639 --> 0:02:51.640 What do I know, I've played the lines before. 0:02:51.880 --> 0:02:54.240 I know that they're a week out from a three 0:02:54.280 --> 0:02:57.079 game test series and it's getting pointy on that tour, 0:02:57.520 --> 0:03:01.360 and you've got probably a fully fit starting team who's 0:03:01.360 --> 0:03:03.000 going to play against the wallaby Is a week later, 0:03:03.480 --> 0:03:06.080 chomping at the bit, battle hardened. And I looked at 0:03:06.120 --> 0:03:08.519 myself and I thought, well, I've had a good time 0:03:08.560 --> 0:03:11.320 in Japan. They pour a good assay, they make a 0:03:11.400 --> 0:03:15.000 nice rice ball at the local convenie I'm about eight 0:03:15.040 --> 0:03:19.640 weeks ten weeks out of being battle hardened in not 0:03:19.720 --> 0:03:23.000 a test environment, so I'd have to come home now, train, 0:03:23.120 --> 0:03:25.400 train by myself, maybe try and get a run for Manly, 0:03:25.400 --> 0:03:28.240 which would have been cool as well, But come up 0:03:28.240 --> 0:03:30.960 against those guys in a team that you pulled together 0:03:31.000 --> 0:03:33.320 for a week and as a young guy. 0:03:33.880 --> 0:03:36.240 Perhaps two years, four years, five years. 0:03:36.080 --> 0:03:39.280 Six years ago, Oh my god, how good as almost 0:03:39.360 --> 0:03:42.840 thirty four year old who made a fleeting comeback. No, 0:03:43.000 --> 0:03:46.240 it didn't sound like a game that would be a 0:03:46.280 --> 0:03:48.960 fairy tale ending for me. Not that I was ever 0:03:49.000 --> 0:03:51.680 after a fairy tale ending, but a game that wouldn't 0:03:51.680 --> 0:03:54.920 give me any different. I've had so lucky with my 0:03:55.000 --> 0:03:57.080 career and everything like that that I didn't need this 0:03:57.600 --> 0:03:59.000 to be that type of a moment. 0:03:59.200 --> 0:04:00.440 So it was an eat decision. 0:04:00.480 --> 0:04:02.640 I think it'd be great to see, you know, an 0:04:02.720 --> 0:04:04.600 up and coming player who could come up and play, 0:04:04.800 --> 0:04:08.320 or you know, someone else who doesn't missus out on 0:04:08.320 --> 0:04:11.520 the Wallaby squad, or a great New Zealand player to 0:04:11.560 --> 0:04:14.400 fill that role. I think that's something really exciting for 0:04:14.440 --> 0:04:19.080 that game. But yeah, no, it wasn't going to be Unfortunately. 0:04:19.040 --> 0:04:21.120 What do you think the focus should be on that game, mate, 0:04:21.120 --> 0:04:23.719 because we were talking and you know, now we're on Caral, 0:04:23.760 --> 0:04:26.719 we'll talk about you know, it seemed to me and 0:04:26.800 --> 0:04:29.440 both of us agreed that it's a great opportunity to 0:04:29.480 --> 0:04:32.600 have a marquee game in amongst some high powered provincial 0:04:32.640 --> 0:04:34.960 games and some high powered test matches, to have a 0:04:35.040 --> 0:04:38.000 marquee celebratory game about this thing called rugby and the 0:04:38.040 --> 0:04:42.800 global attraction. Therefore, getting the biggest names possible was one 0:04:42.800 --> 0:04:46.080 of the discussions, right and then also having a performance 0:04:46.160 --> 0:04:49.520 factor for player attention or say Pete Sarmono playing in 0:04:49.520 --> 0:04:51.640 those sorts of games that ad merit, didn't it well. 0:04:51.640 --> 0:04:54.520 I think Pete Samo's probably in both categories. Yet a 0:04:54.640 --> 0:04:57.240 guy coming back in Australia but also a household name, 0:04:57.320 --> 0:04:59.480 has played a lot of Wallaby games and you know, 0:04:59.640 --> 0:05:01.479 just been a part of a winning team. So even 0:05:01.520 --> 0:05:03.760 if he wasn't coming back to Australia, can you include him? 0:05:04.240 --> 0:05:07.000 I would have liked to have seen the absolute and 0:05:07.040 --> 0:05:09.719 this is the discussion over what best is, but I'd 0:05:09.760 --> 0:05:11.480 like to see the biggest names who are available be 0:05:11.560 --> 0:05:13.400 able to play. And I think that's what this game 0:05:13.480 --> 0:05:14.960 suits should lend itself. 0:05:15.000 --> 0:05:15.080 To. 0:05:15.160 --> 0:05:17.200 I think, you know, i'd like to see that it'd 0:05:17.200 --> 0:05:19.599 be you know, we're going to try and get everyone 0:05:19.640 --> 0:05:23.440 we possibly can, the biggest names who are currently available 0:05:23.480 --> 0:05:27.560 to come and play, or let's utilize this as Australia 0:05:27.680 --> 0:05:30.240 a game essentially with a sprinkling of Kiwi. So just 0:05:30.279 --> 0:05:33.560 to have real clear direction on what this game is, 0:05:33.640 --> 0:05:35.800 so you know the team's probably going to get released. 0:05:35.800 --> 0:05:38.320 It's great. I mean, the coaching staff's rock solid. I 0:05:38.360 --> 0:05:41.920 was up with Ian Foster up in Japan and he's 0:05:42.320 --> 0:05:44.960 amazing coach, really good Feller, and I think you know, 0:05:45.040 --> 0:05:47.040 ever's involved in that, it's going to get a really 0:05:47.160 --> 0:05:48.960 nice touch of you know, a bit of Australian and 0:05:49.000 --> 0:05:53.240 Kiwi flavor that so no, I would have loved to 0:05:53.279 --> 0:05:58.480 have seen it be Australian New Zealand Barbarians team who's available. 0:05:59.040 --> 0:06:00.840 The trouble is is trying to make it all work 0:06:00.880 --> 0:06:04.040 for people in the calendar how far Like I mentioned 0:06:04.080 --> 0:06:07.760 around the length and the layover between games for some people, 0:06:09.200 --> 0:06:10.880 some guys are coming the back end the season. Maybe 0:06:10.880 --> 0:06:13.360 they don't want to just keep training for another eight 0:06:13.400 --> 0:06:15.760 weeks because it's going to be it's a daunting task 0:06:15.880 --> 0:06:19.840 like I say so, yeah, very interesting. I mean you 0:06:19.920 --> 0:06:21.600 had a bit of a different take on it around the. 0:06:22.440 --> 0:06:26.279 It's just it's well, I guess that notion of best 0:06:26.320 --> 0:06:29.640 player rights because the other thing is New Zealand. New 0:06:29.720 --> 0:06:33.360 Zealand all Blacks have a tour that they're engaged in, 0:06:33.400 --> 0:06:35.359 and also the Maoris. So you sort of down a 0:06:35.360 --> 0:06:39.840 few rungs on the notion of who decides best and 0:06:40.160 --> 0:06:43.120 how you do that or is it or not a development? 0:06:43.160 --> 0:06:46.520 But is it a best of Super Rugby Pacific for instance, 0:06:46.600 --> 0:06:49.080 who are just out of those test squads? And so 0:06:49.160 --> 0:06:51.800 a lot of will hinge on who Joe Schmidt releases 0:06:51.839 --> 0:06:54.480 too is how big is his squad, how much cotton 0:06:54.520 --> 0:06:57.440 waters you put them in? Is that team actually given 0:06:57.480 --> 0:06:59.520 a bit of a prerogative to maybe have a red 0:06:59.600 --> 0:07:01.479 hot crack at the British and Irish lines to soften 0:07:01.520 --> 0:07:04.080 them up as well tactically for a strat I mean, 0:07:04.160 --> 0:07:06.720 let's not forget is three Test series, the biggest three 0:07:06.760 --> 0:07:09.039 Test series that we're going to have outside the World 0:07:09.040 --> 0:07:11.840 Cups landing in twenty twenty seven. We want to win. 0:07:12.000 --> 0:07:13.480 We want to win that, right, so we want to 0:07:13.520 --> 0:07:15.720 sort of climb into this British ice line squad every 0:07:15.720 --> 0:07:17.720 time we get a chance to as well. 0:07:17.840 --> 0:07:20.880 Yeah, of course, I think invitational teams lend itself to 0:07:20.920 --> 0:07:23.960 some superstar status, Like you've got to have those names 0:07:23.960 --> 0:07:26.800 to want to make people everyone's excited about the Lion 0:07:26.880 --> 0:07:29.680 series anyway, you've got these two standalone games that you're 0:07:29.720 --> 0:07:32.920 trying to engage the public in. They need superstars like you, 0:07:32.960 --> 0:07:35.640 to be honest, hoops, And I'm surprised that you didn't. 0:07:35.760 --> 0:07:38.360 Did it make a difference that they took so long 0:07:38.400 --> 0:07:40.920 to announce the coaches and we still got uncertainty over 0:07:41.160 --> 0:07:43.280 who's playing for each team. If they had come to 0:07:43.320 --> 0:07:45.360 you earlier and said this is the coaching team, we 0:07:45.440 --> 0:07:46.280 want you to be involved. 0:07:46.280 --> 0:07:47.000 Could that have suaded you? 0:07:47.560 --> 0:07:52.160 No, simply no, because the common sense of knowing what 0:07:52.240 --> 0:07:55.120 it takes to perform at that level, it's a personal 0:07:55.200 --> 0:07:56.920 decision that goes up, well, I don't think I could 0:07:56.920 --> 0:08:01.280 have performed how I want to perform at that level 0:08:01.280 --> 0:08:03.600 at that time, with the layover, with everything considered at 0:08:03.600 --> 0:08:05.440 this point in my career, it just didn't seem like 0:08:05.440 --> 0:08:07.280 a good decision, you. 0:08:07.200 --> 0:08:08.160 Know, for other players. 0:08:08.720 --> 0:08:10.960 Could it have garnered or snowboard a bit you go, 0:08:11.000 --> 0:08:12.680 oh my god, that guy's playing, that guy's playing, that 0:08:12.680 --> 0:08:14.360 guy's playing. How can I miss out on this? This 0:08:14.480 --> 0:08:16.840 is And that's kind of what happens with Barbarians, you know, 0:08:16.920 --> 0:08:18.800 with the Barbarians matches, you like start to get a 0:08:18.800 --> 0:08:21.040 bit of a snowball on who's putting their hand up 0:08:21.080 --> 0:08:22.440 and you go, geez, I, that's got to be a 0:08:22.480 --> 0:08:24.560 team I've got to be a part of. So, you know, 0:08:25.440 --> 0:08:27.840 maybe that could have been a thing it done earlier, 0:08:27.920 --> 0:08:30.640 but as we know, there's three tests that they got 0:08:30.680 --> 0:08:32.960 to get right, which creates a lot of work. Then 0:08:33.000 --> 0:08:34.880 you've got to try and max out the super games 0:08:34.880 --> 0:08:37.280 and these ones are probably tagged on the end and 0:08:37.280 --> 0:08:38.880 maybe thought of a bit last minute. 0:08:39.840 --> 0:08:44.120 What's the atmosphere or the appetite for it? From your 0:08:44.200 --> 0:08:49.080 experience playing with training with conversing with the Kiwi guys 0:08:49.080 --> 0:08:51.200 that are in Japan, like Richie Muwanga is a name 0:08:51.240 --> 0:08:53.679 that has been mentioned plenty of times. He's got an 0:08:53.720 --> 0:08:56.680 injury which he carried into the final of the Japanese League. 0:08:56.679 --> 0:08:59.439 On the weekend, Peto was on the show and mentioned 0:08:59.440 --> 0:09:02.560 TJ pir N Arashed and Frazell Sewan Stevenson. You know 0:09:02.679 --> 0:09:04.839 three of those guys are all playing in Japan? Is 0:09:04.880 --> 0:09:07.680 there real Is the appetite still there that we've heard 0:09:07.679 --> 0:09:08.280 throughout the year. 0:09:08.320 --> 0:09:10.200 I think the appetites there when you start hearing other 0:09:10.240 --> 0:09:13.320 people are king and when you start hearing other people 0:09:13.360 --> 0:09:17.040 are pulling out, what happens there? Oh he's pulling out. Yeah, Actually, 0:09:17.040 --> 0:09:18.800 I don't want to train faith. We still only get 0:09:18.800 --> 0:09:19.520 myself injured. 0:09:20.040 --> 0:09:25.040 Aaron Smith has reportedly withdrawn himself. That is that going 0:09:25.040 --> 0:09:27.800 to affect someone like a Mwanga? Do you think putting 0:09:27.840 --> 0:09:29.760 his hand up if he's if he's injury free. 0:09:29.800 --> 0:09:31.559 Look, I think all these guys are their own men 0:09:31.720 --> 0:09:34.240 and they'll make the decision that. But can you get 0:09:34.240 --> 0:09:37.040 influenced and is there an element of peer pressure? Yeah, 0:09:37.280 --> 0:09:40.400 like that's what That's what it's about, and particularly those 0:09:40.400 --> 0:09:42.960 type of invitational games, there's got to be an element 0:09:42.960 --> 0:09:45.080 of fun for a player to want. 0:09:44.960 --> 0:09:47.160 To want to come and come and play that. Yeah. 0:09:47.160 --> 0:09:48.800 Aaron Smith and I, you know, we're in the same 0:09:48.840 --> 0:09:51.520 team and got along really well, and you know you 0:09:51.600 --> 0:09:54.120 get a chance to play alongside like yeah, hearing a 0:09:54.200 --> 0:09:57.000 Richie mungus Key, Well, yeah, okay, that could be really 0:09:57.000 --> 0:09:59.880 great to play in and then you know some other 0:10:00.000 --> 0:10:02.120 players and you go, I can't miss this game, but 0:10:03.000 --> 0:10:05.320 you know, I don't know where that lands right now. 0:10:05.400 --> 0:10:07.680 Panda, do you reckon? Rugby Australia is getting a little 0:10:07.679 --> 0:10:11.560 nervous because man is injured, Aaron Smith supposedly withdrawn himself 0:10:11.559 --> 0:10:14.760 and that might that might affect other players wanting to 0:10:14.760 --> 0:10:16.840 be involved. And of course also there's the business side 0:10:16.880 --> 0:10:19.480 of it, sorting out insurance, match payments, that sort of stuff. 0:10:19.520 --> 0:10:21.520 Insurance is going to be a big one at cocause 0:10:21.920 --> 0:10:25.360 we're talking about big salaries that the Japanese clubs want 0:10:25.360 --> 0:10:28.800 to be safe from. So essentially the process is going 0:10:28.880 --> 0:10:33.280 to be that RA will approach players, those players will 0:10:33.280 --> 0:10:36.400 have to show interest, and then they've got to go 0:10:36.440 --> 0:10:38.800 to the insurance company to figure out what the value 0:10:39.200 --> 0:10:41.559 is going to be insured for. And you know, Moung 0:10:41.720 --> 0:10:44.000 is highly paid, a lot of these guys are highly paid. 0:10:44.240 --> 0:10:45.439 Then they've got to come back in. 0:10:45.600 --> 0:10:49.679 RA has to agree to pay that insurance some and 0:10:49.720 --> 0:10:52.200 it's like risk verse reward and what's worth it and 0:10:52.240 --> 0:10:54.600 what's not. Now, if you're not getting those guys, as say, 0:10:54.679 --> 0:10:58.319 these games need star power, you've got to be luring 0:10:58.400 --> 0:11:01.960 guys through the gates who not necessarily want to watch 0:11:01.960 --> 0:11:05.360 Australia A. You know, we've still got the franchise games, 0:11:05.640 --> 0:11:07.440 the Super Abia games where you'll get to see that. 0:11:07.920 --> 0:11:10.800 And I think the appealing thing about au n Z 0:11:11.120 --> 0:11:15.360 and the First Nation SPECIFICA game is the prospect of 0:11:15.640 --> 0:11:18.440 some of these greats going around again and giving it 0:11:18.480 --> 0:11:21.199 to the Lions second chances for some of these guys 0:11:21.200 --> 0:11:23.120 you know who would have played in the thirteen series. 0:11:24.000 --> 0:11:24.920 I love that idea. 0:11:25.120 --> 0:11:28.520 And if they're not getting some of those guys coming through, 0:11:28.880 --> 0:11:31.560 we might have this hotch potch game where you know, 0:11:31.720 --> 0:11:35.800 you're essentially just seeing the offcuts of the Wallabies playing, 0:11:35.840 --> 0:11:38.520 which you know you could have run that as an 0:11:38.559 --> 0:11:40.719 Australia A game, And I think that takes away from 0:11:40.760 --> 0:11:43.560 what they initially were trying to do and selling this 0:11:43.920 --> 0:11:46.679 incredible barbarian style of trans Tasman team. 0:11:46.920 --> 0:11:47.800 What are your thoughts on that? 0:11:47.840 --> 0:11:51.440 Good because you've played obviously for Australia A against the 0:11:51.480 --> 0:11:53.280 lines when they're out here in two thousand and one, 0:11:53.320 --> 0:11:56.800 and if that's where this fixture ended up being, have 0:11:56.840 --> 0:12:01.360 we missed an opportunity, A promotional opportunity, A sales opportunity, 0:12:01.400 --> 0:12:03.080 a ticket revenue opportunity. 0:12:03.240 --> 0:12:05.640 I don't think it's been missed. Yeah, I think the 0:12:05.679 --> 0:12:08.040 concept is sound. I think it's got a lot of attention, 0:12:08.160 --> 0:12:09.760 got a lot of people talking, a lot of people 0:12:09.800 --> 0:12:14.240 leaning into possible team selections and eligibility. And there are 0:12:14.280 --> 0:12:17.280 some there will be some great names and great players 0:12:17.280 --> 0:12:19.520 that play play. You know, we've had to win knocked 0:12:19.559 --> 0:12:22.480 out of us a bit with with Heops respectfully not 0:12:22.679 --> 0:12:25.600 playing and got to say what a decision. Right to 0:12:25.640 --> 0:12:28.480 know yourself as well as that mate. But you know, 0:12:28.559 --> 0:12:31.000 so how do we how do we make sure that 0:12:31.040 --> 0:12:33.560 this this game makes sense. It still makes sense. It's 0:12:33.559 --> 0:12:36.920 also the Australia New Zealand relationship is very important in 0:12:36.960 --> 0:12:39.960 amongst us as well. We are strong rugby partners and 0:12:40.080 --> 0:12:43.400 that needs to be got right for this match because 0:12:43.520 --> 0:12:46.200 that hopefully lays the foundation we mentioned it as well. 0:12:46.440 --> 0:12:48.840 I'll tell you what we're looking into the New Zealand 0:12:48.920 --> 0:12:51.600 environment when they've got the British and Ice lines on 0:12:51.679 --> 0:12:54.760 tour in New Zealand to have the reciprocity for this 0:12:54.840 --> 0:12:57.480 match as well. So let's lean in and make sure 0:12:57.480 --> 0:13:00.000 that we get these players across the line from news 0:13:00.000 --> 0:13:04.840 Iland perspective. Who are in Japan. You know, insurances, that's 0:13:04.880 --> 0:13:07.160 just a number. They'll reach it, they'll cover it. It'll 0:13:07.160 --> 0:13:09.720 be no problem. They're going into a very professional environment. 0:13:09.720 --> 0:13:12.400 They're going to well coached environment. To Hoops's point, they'll 0:13:12.440 --> 0:13:15.480 be managed very well. They're going into a world supervised, 0:13:15.480 --> 0:13:20.199 wall thought out environment. Now it's the names. It's the 0:13:20.320 --> 0:13:23.040 names that we're keen to hear. It's not a missed opportunity. 0:13:23.120 --> 0:13:25.959 It's a great opportunity to see what this Australians Zealand 0:13:25.960 --> 0:13:28.480 concept two thousand and one is a long time ago Australia. 0:13:28.480 --> 0:13:30.839 A concept in a Bridge and ice Lines tour is 0:13:31.600 --> 0:13:35.680 not today. Fans consume rugby differently. They want to see 0:13:35.720 --> 0:13:38.040 different types of athletes, they want to have different types 0:13:38.040 --> 0:13:39.840 of access. They want names that they can put on 0:13:39.880 --> 0:13:42.600 social media and feel like they're running on with. And 0:13:42.640 --> 0:13:44.719 that's very different to the environment in two thousand and one. 0:13:46.640 --> 0:13:48.880 Yeah, let's not forget some of the provincial games in 0:13:49.000 --> 0:13:51.680 years ago. I have been some of the best, like 0:13:51.800 --> 0:13:53.959 because it's just a bunch of guys wanting to absolutely 0:13:54.000 --> 0:13:55.480 tear some heads off Brombi. 0:13:57.520 --> 0:13:59.679 McRae and potentially. 0:13:59.200 --> 0:14:01.240 Like Lines, guys go do I need to just save 0:14:01.320 --> 0:14:04.440 myself to get to that first Test match, and so 0:14:04.559 --> 0:14:06.440 there is going I think to your point, this is 0:14:06.440 --> 0:14:09.200 a week out from game one, Game one number three, 0:14:09.280 --> 0:14:12.600 so it's it is huge and there's huge repercussions for 0:14:12.679 --> 0:14:17.000 teams and players in this the British team's team more 0:14:17.040 --> 0:14:20.480 so than the A and Z and AU and Z 0:14:20.680 --> 0:14:23.360 team rather because I think they're just going to be 0:14:23.400 --> 0:14:27.280 having an enjoyable Saturday night regardless. But point being that, 0:14:27.360 --> 0:14:30.240 it's some big things happening for the Lions team and 0:14:30.240 --> 0:14:32.000 that's just going to create so much story. Imagine if 0:14:32.040 --> 0:14:34.320 they're playing someone they've never heard of, and that's not 0:14:34.360 --> 0:14:36.360 a bad thing because that guy that they've never heard 0:14:36.400 --> 0:14:39.520 of is probably going to have a barnstorm. So's it 0:14:39.600 --> 0:14:42.360 creates all these different stories. Yes, yeah, there's got to 0:14:42.360 --> 0:14:45.000 be names that would be great, but you know, whoever 0:14:45.000 --> 0:14:46.160 they get is going to be interesting. 0:14:46.280 --> 0:14:48.600 It's a bigger deal if the Lions lose that match 0:14:48.680 --> 0:14:50.920 or any of the other tour matches than one of 0:14:50.920 --> 0:14:56.200 those tour sides or provincial sides losing the glow Torch's 0:14:56.280 --> 0:14:59.520 turned on the lines, the coaching, the environment, everything they 0:14:59.640 --> 0:15:01.320 ab the cop it they copped it in two thousand 0:15:01.320 --> 0:15:03.480 and one when they lost to Australia A. They copped 0:15:03.520 --> 0:15:05.480 it in twenty thirteen when they lost to the Brumbies. 0:15:05.560 --> 0:15:09.320 So that's enough impetus, isn't it for like the ozite edside. 0:15:09.880 --> 0:15:12.640 Well, in terms of psyche, you know the squad, you know, 0:15:13.240 --> 0:15:15.320 sort of know that you know. I can only speak 0:15:15.360 --> 0:15:17.400 to my experience when I was lucky enough to be 0:15:17.480 --> 0:15:21.360 in the squad one aware of the results and the 0:15:21.400 --> 0:15:26.080 things happening around the squad itself quarantined in Cops Harbor, 0:15:26.480 --> 0:15:30.640 but really watching every game blowout scores, absolutely, but watching 0:15:31.080 --> 0:15:34.080 players coming together for the first time. British and Ice 0:15:34.160 --> 0:15:36.840 lines squad that are trying to gel and work cohesion. 0:15:36.920 --> 0:15:39.560 They don't have time to have strategy. They were playing 0:15:39.600 --> 0:15:41.520 everything that they were going to play leading into test 0:15:41.560 --> 0:15:43.920 matches on those fields because they need to see them 0:15:43.960 --> 0:15:48.160 working in game conditions. That's the difference Australia. We talked 0:15:48.200 --> 0:15:50.720 about Brits Lstein's got six games leading into it. Is 0:15:50.760 --> 0:15:53.040 that underdoing the Wallerby's I think it's actually giving the 0:15:53.080 --> 0:15:57.400 Willerbies an advantage. They've played whole Super Roguy specific seasons together. 0:15:57.600 --> 0:15:59.800 The majority of that's nucleus. That squad been together for 0:15:59.800 --> 0:16:03.360 two which is what cohesions so important. British nice Lions 0:16:03.400 --> 0:16:05.640 are going to show the wall of is what they're 0:16:05.640 --> 0:16:08.040 trying to get right right up until the first test, 0:16:08.040 --> 0:16:12.040 and they'll have a big library of knowledge to implement. 0:16:12.280 --> 0:16:14.880 You know. I think it's I think it's great. It's great. 0:16:14.960 --> 0:16:17.640 Right You've got these two everyone, and it's so close 0:16:17.720 --> 0:16:20.640 now too, you know, absolutely super specific. We're leaning into 0:16:20.680 --> 0:16:23.240 the finals. But come on the lines, you know, we 0:16:23.240 --> 0:16:23.720 can't wait. 0:16:23.640 --> 0:16:25.720 About the first game three weeks away this Saturday. 0:16:25.760 --> 0:16:26.640 So can I. 0:16:26.640 --> 0:16:28.440 Just can I just say, Hoops? Have I heard that 0:16:28.480 --> 0:16:30.920 you might be available for Classic Waders? 0:16:31.200 --> 0:16:35.520 Well mate, as I said. 0:16:35.640 --> 0:16:39.480 On that point, what did what did playing in Japan 0:16:39.600 --> 0:16:43.320 do for appetite to keep playing well? 0:16:43.920 --> 0:16:44.920 Full transparency. 0:16:45.000 --> 0:16:48.720 I had this moment back end of last year where 0:16:48.720 --> 0:16:52.200 I'm like, could I push through to twenty seven? Give 0:16:52.240 --> 0:16:55.080 my shot itself a shot at well cut at home? 0:16:55.640 --> 0:16:58.520 And the answer was no, pretty quick, like I started 0:16:58.520 --> 0:17:00.520 putting my head back in the darks. Is that you've 0:17:00.520 --> 0:17:04.760 got to put him in, put more weight on, you know, 0:17:04.880 --> 0:17:07.040 and come up against guys who are chomping at the 0:17:07.040 --> 0:17:09.600 bit and I'm not chomping at the bit anymore. And 0:17:09.720 --> 0:17:13.399 the game for someone who you know, ringing wets not 0:17:13.480 --> 0:17:16.280 get making one hundred kilos is hard. And when you're 0:17:16.320 --> 0:17:19.240 all in, that's that's awesome. Like I loved it, loved 0:17:19.240 --> 0:17:20.840 every minute of it. I'm not it's hard to be 0:17:20.880 --> 0:17:23.840 all in. I get a different priorities, my life, all 0:17:23.880 --> 0:17:26.119 those things. So you know, that made the decision for me, 0:17:26.240 --> 0:17:29.159 even though you know, sometimes goog and I was speaking 0:17:29.200 --> 0:17:33.120 on the sideline one game and I'm like, you still 0:17:33.160 --> 0:17:35.560 miss it, and like, obviously Justin's been out of the 0:17:35.560 --> 0:17:37.159 game for a while, and he goes, yeah, you know, 0:17:37.240 --> 0:17:38.240 sometimes I just think. 0:17:38.119 --> 0:17:39.960 What what if all the second rollers went down? 0:17:41.560 --> 0:17:47.639 You know, there's no one else And I get it 0:17:47.720 --> 0:17:49.520 because I know that this am Z game is going 0:17:49.560 --> 0:17:51.879 to be on and you're going to have those same feelings. 0:17:52.560 --> 0:17:54.520 And I think that's the great thing about being a 0:17:54.560 --> 0:17:58.080 rugby player, and you know, particularly being close you know. 0:17:58.000 --> 0:17:59.920 To it, you always go what if? What if? 0:18:00.040 --> 0:18:00.400 What if? 0:18:00.480 --> 0:18:03.240 But when you really break it down, and the guys 0:18:03.280 --> 0:18:06.360 that I've spoken to that I've finished, the juice isn't 0:18:06.400 --> 0:18:09.479 worth the squeeze after because the squeeze is hard like, 0:18:09.720 --> 0:18:11.640 you know, it's a hard game and at one point 0:18:11.680 --> 0:18:13.359 you don't even think about that because it's all about 0:18:13.359 --> 0:18:13.680 the goal. 0:18:13.800 --> 0:18:16.640 You know, we don't often hear athletes talk about that 0:18:16.720 --> 0:18:21.280 moment as a competitor. What was the moment you knew 0:18:21.520 --> 0:18:23.600 that you just wasn't in you anymore? 0:18:24.560 --> 0:18:25.320 What was the moment? 0:18:26.640 --> 0:18:30.920 Probably like a Tuesday training just recently and you saw 0:18:31.000 --> 0:18:33.879 from the weekend and you're still saw whereas you know, 0:18:33.920 --> 0:18:36.560 when you're a young young guy, that's Tuesday's your day again, 0:18:36.600 --> 0:18:39.040 You're into it, Monday, you're even feeling good after a 0:18:39.040 --> 0:18:41.920