Rugby Direct: Episode 210

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Strike down the middle. Drop it down, score. Place your fighters point, try.

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Then I back it inside the game from every angle.

It's rugby direct with Elliott Smith and Liam Napier.

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Just the one rugby direct this week. Elliott Smith with me.

Liam Napier and he's doing rugby.

And he's doing he will rugby writer and correspondent joins me on the pod.

Nap's good to catch up again. Even if it's just the once this week.

It is of Miss Elliott's, but no, you needed a bit of time to recoup.

So here we are a bit later in the week to reconvene and cast the head to see what's coming this weekend.

Indeed, indeed. So you saw a way at a wedding of a good friend over the weekend and didn't see a great deal of rugby live to be honest.

I've caught up with it a little bit from it, but broad strokes. Why is what stood out from you from the weekend?

Canes are pretty scratchy when over the Western force couldn't really get going in that game.

The Crusaders beat the Highlanders and a pretty ill-disciplined performance, but they came from behind to do so.

Blues pretty good against Moana Pacific.

Anything really stand out from last weekend's round five of super ugly for you, Liam.

I think it's a bit of a continuation larger of what we see.

They have seen Miss Elliott's and that the competition does really feel wide open.

I don't know whether you could right now pinpoint a favourite.

I don't think I could.

I think there's a number of teams that have proven they can beat each other on any given day.

I think the New Zealand superiority is potentially coming to the fore that we've seen in other years.

It's a big weekend for the Australian teams.

I think this weekend coming to lay down a bit of a marker.

We're starting to see a bit of rotation coming and some of that bite teams.

I think the Hurricanes were very scratchy because of some of that rotation.

The Brumbies were caught out in Fiji and the Reds are rotating again this week.

So I worry about them in Fiji and we've seen the Hurricanes lose over there.

So it's interesting that teams are choosing that game to rest some of their front-line players.

But look on the whole, the competition certainly feels open.

I feel like the Crusaders are probably underwhelmed to this point,

other than that performance against the Chiefs, yellow card issues.

Got a bit of a rookie at 10 this week. What do you know about him?

Yeah, I don't know that he played once for the Auckland Tour Tara Baseball team before that.

Folded a bit of a baseball prodigy from down, I believe, Nelson Way.

And then once that sort of pathway closed in New Zealand,

and I had a site set on playing Major League Baseball, set a site on playing rugby union.

And Sedan has made a good fist of it, played for Tasman last year.

But they're down to their fourth string, that numbered 10 with Noakemura again this week.

River's Ray Hunter out and with Injub with Concussion.

And James White gone for the season with Concussion.

They're battling to find fit teams that gone to the wider training group.

But this presents a pretty big opportunity for the young man.

You know, he probably didn't think he was going to get much super rugby time if any this year.

And now all of a sudden, he's starting in round six and with a little bit of a chance to make a name for himself.

You know, he played at North Harbour Stadium, I think, with the Tour Tara.

Now he's going to return and be holding a rugby ball in his hand.

Yeah, something of a homecoming and a roundabout way.

And yeah, I guess we saw last year what can happen when Opportunity Knox, River's Ray Hunter,

wasn't an unknown character, but certainly hadn't stamped his mark on that level and came through and made a bit of a name for himself for the back end of the year for the Crusaders.

So another big opportunity there.

And we're seeing, I guess, potentially the lack of depth for New Zealand Tens or the stockpiling of Tens.

In some cases with the Highlanders digging deep into their ranks as well.

And I think it's a big week for Ruben Love.

You know, this is a guy that's been much hyped.

He's a bit of a prodigy, great sporting talent, cricket, rugby, but we haven't seen enough of him in recent times.

And finally, he's in the number 10 jersey for the Hurricanes.

So I would like to see a big performance out of him this week.

Yeah, how much of a chance to lay down a bit of a marker?

I know we've touched on it a fair bit since Dave Renny was appointed and he's talked about not having any loyalty.

But he hasn't played a lot of team Ruben Love.

He's been anointed as, you know, maybe the next in line.

But this is a big opportunity, I think.

Shimmy gets a real run at the 10 jersey to staker claim.

And show that, you know, he is capable of playing 10 beyond super rugby level.

And and higher on is rather than just being pigeonholed into maybe a fullback at test level.

Yeah, we does have that versatility, doesn't it?

But I think it does help to have a preferred position to have time in that position, particularly when it comes to 10.

You need time in the saddle.

You need to be able to hone your craft from a tactical point of view as much as anything else.

It's been able to control the game.

And we just haven't seen enough of Ruben Love to know whether he can do that on a consistent basis.

So I think this is a big week for him.

It's the Hurricanes strongest squad that they've put out so far this year.

They've got to see Caree Fee on the bench, which speaks to their, you know, dip certainly in the loose boards.

So Ruben Love, you know, down the pecking order somewhat when you look at Richie Moonga coming back.

And Josh Jacob haven't been on their blinks for 15 to actually had time at number 10.

But I don't think he's really stamped his authority this year.

And now Damien Mackenzie's back.

How many opportunities will Josh Jacob get it 10 for for the Chiefs?

So it's a big season for Ruben Love as you mentioned with Dave Renny coming in.

Because he's certainly no guarantee of featuring any more for the all-blakes than he did last year at this point.

No, he's not.

So I think he's got a staker claim.

I'm interesting to say the hinders with Richie on Pussy Toa at 10 who has impressed me in glimpses this year.

But another barrel starting at 10 all together.

That welcome Hugh Renton back into the mix.

Caleb Tunguita in the glimpses.

I sort of that game against the Crusaders.

Going from strength to strength in the outside channels.

You know, I'm not sure I'm not completely sold on him just being as a test footballer test wing.

The way that test rugby is being played at the moment.

But you can't deny that he's got that gift of absolute speed.

And we saw it again come to the fall last week and he'll get another opportunity against that hurricane's back three.

Yeah, I think you're right.

We need to probably see the full package from Caleb, particularly on defense and under the high ball.

But there's no doubting his finishing prowess is out and out pace on the edge.

He's a lethal weapon.

And I think I'm sure we'll touch on it a bit later in regards to the six nations and how that's won him an evolve.

But we are starting to see attack finally overcome the rush defense and have a lot more success at breaking that down and creating space on the out.

So I get in the ball to the wingers and someone like a Caleb Tunguita is really well placed to utilize.

That space with his blistering speed.

Absolutely.

The Chiefs, welcome back Luke Jacobson.

But going under the radar a little bit is another another excuse me injury to Wallace to TT.

The hamstring proving troublesome once again.

He missed the start of super rugby with a hamstring injury.

He missed the moana game before the buy with the hamstring injuries now out now for a few more weeks potentially with this hamstring injury.

He's had a few injuries since he's boost onto the scene and another frustrating one for Wallace.

TT, how much of a blow do you think that is for the Chiefs as they go to Canberra and play against a team, you know,

riding a little bit of an emotional high with James slipper breaking the super rugby record.

Yeah, James slipper.

It feels like he's been around for as long as you and I earlier.

Yeah, Logan is a bit of a blow for Wallace because I think we saw last year he's a guy that needs consistent game time.

I think that's the case with most rugby players, but it wasn't a vintage year.

We probably only saw the best of him in the final game of the year in Cardiff.

And look, it's a long season, but the loose boards are stacked and we are seeing some real early season form from some of those guys on the fringe.

Like a different Flanders is playing great rugby for the Hurricanes.

He's having real success on the game line, heavily involved on both sides of the ball.

So you hope Wallace can have a bit of an injury free run because look, I think he's a prodigious talent, isn't he?

There's no doubt denying that he was break out player of the year or black player of the year, a year and a half, two years ago now.

But needs to stay on the park and the Chiefs will be desperate to get him back.

It's always a tough trip to Canberra, but McKenzie back at 10 Luke Jacobson returning, as you say.

I'm backing them to go over there and sneak down.

Yeah, I think they will get into some tipping a little bit later on in the podcast.

Blues with an interesting one, Peyton Spencer.

Name that's been around the traps for a few years now played, but it's sevens.

Obviously son of Carlos finally gets an opportunity off the bench against the Warrata as fascinated to see how he goes.

The Warrata has slipped off the pace a little bit in the last few weeks, but I still have a feeling that they might be able to give the Blues a little bit of a tickle up in this game potentially.

You think back to some of the meetings that they've had in the past.

The Blues won comfortably last year, but I think it was the year before that they could only scrape past the Warrata's in a close one.

So I'm interested, you know, this is a big game for both teams.

It is indeed. Look, I think the Warrata's had their bubble bursts a couple of weeks ago by the Hurricanes, but these two teams have some similarities.

Both have big Ford packs, both likes to dominate the physical book changes and be direct.

So I think the Blues have been more adventurous this year, have used the ball a lot more.

I think we've seen that in the ball and the form that was seen from Caleb Clark and Cody Vi.

He's been a real big mover, staking a real claim for that right wing spots.

The Blues, I think, have named a very strong team, Zahn Sullivan back, Peter R. Keyback.

I think they've recalled finally a Christie after an injury there.

So look, I think the Blues are starting to find some form.

I'm not totally convinced by where they are at, but they're starting to build a bit of momentum.

So I'll back them to go to Sydney, but I think it is a really big weekend for the Australian teams.

If the Chiefs go over and win in Canberra, if the Blues go over and win in Sydney,

and if the Reds have rested, I think, Carter Gordon and maybe even Fraser McBride struggle in Fiji,

it's starting to look like a bit of an early season hole for some of those Australian teams.

It is indeed the same old story potentially.

I will get into some tipping at the ends of the podcast.

Let's wrap up the Six Nations Liam and what a compelling finish to the Six Nations.

It was Sunday morning, 9 a.m. New Zealand time, penalty goal after the siren to win the game,

but when the championship, this was a quite incredible game of rugby union.

I was delighted that I woke up, rubbed the sleep out of my eyes the night after a wedding

and recuperated from being on the dance floor a little bit too much,

and was entertained by potentially one of the greatest test matches of all time.

What did you make of it?

Well, if you look at the Six Nations as a whole earlier,

there were so many narratives that changed dramatically week to week.

If you think about us talking about not just us,

however ungriggy towns there had been on Thin Ice, Ireland's hit in the wall,

England's were going to go and potentially win the tournament.

France lost the Edinburgh, everyone beat everyone,

Italy, giant killing and then losing to Wales,

and then that dramatic finish on the final day.

It is brilliant the way they set it up with all the teams playing one after the other.

You couldn't ask for anything more from that tournament.

It's been talked about as the greatest Six Nations in history,

and I think the brand of rugby that was played is brilliant.

It's a great advertisement for the sport, and hopefully we see more of that

from the Northern Hemisphere.

And hopefully they get on board with that captivating style of rugby.

You can talk about defence is optional and what have you,

but from an entertainment perspective it was magic wasn't it?

And that final test France and England's just so many ebbs and flows,

Henry Pollock, hero to villain, was Oli Chesson with the intercept

and he just gone and put it in the corner and things were loose

because of the sideline conversion,

and just so many narratives weren't there.

Yeah, what was it, 16 lead changes in the 38, 27,

France led not long after half time,

and you thought, well, they'll kick on here and maybe even reach 50.

But for England to come back and then throw it away,

it had everything, that game.

Yeah, it's a wonderful advertisement for test rugby,

but also the six nations.

And France probably were the winners in the end.

Obviously they had lost to Scotland the week prior,

but over the course of the competition,

you know, opening against Ireland in a very good performance with the win there

and then wrapping it up with the balls they had through Ramos

to kick that penalty right at the end.

It had everything and I thought, yeah, just a compelling advertisement for rugby

and you hope that more test matches.

I like that.

What would you think it means, though,

for the way that test matches might be played for the rest of the year?

Is that just a one-off or maybe, you know,

some of these rule changes that we've seen over the last 24 months, et cetera,

are beginning to take a fix now, you know, across the globe?

I think we are starting to see that.

And look, you look at England and when they're capable of that style of rugby,

I know they're lost,

but where's that been for most of that tournament in terms of their attacking

indeed, but because they've been so bland and boring and conservative,

so it was great to see them chance to arm and have a real crack.

But I do think we are starting to see the quest to speed up the game

and promote attacking rugby come into it.

And hopefully, I think some of the rule changes in Super Rugby have laid the platform for that.

And I think there's still more that we can do to go down that path.

And that's not sort of, I hate this chat about the paring scrums

or getting rid of the scrums or going away from what works for South Africa or France.

Rugby needs to realise that it's an entertainment product

and that doesn't mean they can't be contrasting styles.

But I think, from my perspective, anyway,

everyone needs to get on boards and welcome these rules

that promote ball and play up tempo attacking rugby

because ultimately, that's what's going to bring more eyeballs to the sport.

I think so too.

And hopefully, this is, yeah, as you said, the way of things to come,

I thought the way that England attacks was clearly something that France hadn't expected,

sort of shorned Edwards interviewed after the game.

Obviously, he's won a number of six nations now, but it felt like the chaos

that England were throwing around was something that France hadn't prepared for

and didn't look within their abilities to adapt to the way that they were playing.

I thought, really smart rugby from England, but can they do it every week?

It's going to be the fascinating thing.

And with the nation's championship not too far away,

Steve Borthwick will keep his job from what we're hearing from our friends up north,

at least through July.

But if that July campaign goes pear-shaped, then it could be all on again.

So as you touched on at the start, there's somebody little wee narratives

that have come out of the blocks over the course of the six nations,

but then it had to go out of the, back into the box over the course of the six nations as well.

But it doesn't mean that they're completely off the table.

You feel like there could be more to come in those regards as well.

Speaking of more to come, we're on earth of the All Blacks' assistant coach, is that?

Liam?

Good question.

It was all signposted to happen this week, but contracts take a while to get drawn up

and people take a while to agree to terms and to shake everything down.

I'm hearing that Phil Healy and Neil Barnes are close to signing or have signs.

And I think we'll see Tanaumanga in that mix as well, which has been pretty well signposted.

But I think it's, I'm hearing it's pretty touch-and-go with Mike Blair.

So it's going to be very interesting to see where the All Blacks land from an attacking portfolio perspective.

So he may not get across the line and they may retain Scott Hanson as what you're hearing?

Potentially.

Not definitive either way, but I think at this point that sounds like that'll be the last one to be finalised.

And there's certainly no guarantees that Mike Blair will be involved.

We touched on this a little bit last week.

It's not a payout issue, is it that New Zealand Rugby are worried about?

The fact was that Scott Hanson was well-reviewed at last year's individual tour

from what we understand, from what you understand.

And there's a sense that maybe keeping him there is better than throwing the entire baby out with the bathwater.

Yeah, it depends who you talk to, Alex.

Some people say he reviewed well and then I've heard stories of other players

and certain people involved in that group who weren't a fan of certain aspects of Scott Hanson's coaching.

He is on a four-year contract, New Zealand Rugby are adamant that that is a non-factor.

That money is not part of the equation.

I think that's certainly New Zealand Rugby are pushing hard for Rene to strongly consider retaining Scott Hanson

where I think Rene's preference was certainly to bring in Mike Blair.

So, look, it's going to be interesting to see how that coaching team shakes down in the coming weeks.

It was meant to be potentially back end of this week, but here we are Thursday and nothing's been finalised yet.

So, it can't be too far away.

No, you'd think not.

We did sort of speculate that we might have some assistance to talk about this week, but not to be right.

Let's do some tipping for this weekend's Liam.

You lead by one after getting four or five last week.

I got four or five last week as well.

We were by and large the same.

We both picked the Brumbies too when in Fiji, which did not happen.

Highlanders Hurricanes in Dunedin Friday night, 7-0-5 live on Goldswater and I-Hart radio.

Is this the week that the cane train gets derailed by the southern side of the Highlanders?

Well, it almost came off the tracks in a night here before the cane's bomb squad was unleashed.

And then they managed to concede to late tries and blow the bonus point.

It was a very scratchy performance last week from the canes, but the squad this week looks really bolted on.

Bully propped it back, pedaluck, I back really strong.

It'll be a shock to you that I'm going to tip the canes to win that.

It's also my week in the beating syndicate, so I do have quite a large slice of my week riding on that.

So, if you see my demeanor next week, it may be determined by how the can train goes.

I suspect you're right. I'm going to side with you and go the Hurricanes for that game.

I think they've got a better team this week. There's a couple of injuries as we've touched onto the Highlanders.

So, they get my tip, the Hurricanes.

Brumbeaks Chiefs in Canberra, a couple of losses in a row now for the Brumbies, the Chiefs are coming off the buy.

Jacobson's back in the mix for them. Do they spoil?

James Slipper's party. Slippers for slips, I believe it's been called.

They've been told to get out the company night time wear and taking them along to GGO.

But do they get the win Liam?

I think this is probably the toughest game of the round to tip alias.

But I'm going to go with the Chiefs.

They might not be able to play the brand of rugby that they enjoy.

Going to Canberra is just saying he's not exactly tropical at any time of the year.

So, it could be just a bit of a kicking malling duel.

But I'm going to tip the Chiefs to go over there and get the job done.

Yeah, the Brumbies on the historic occasion for James Slipper to win.

The Drawer hosting the Reds 435 on Saturday at Churchill Park in Loutoukka.

They're being written off a bit this season to draw.

But again, playing over there is proving harder and harder for these teams.

Yeah, those thunderstorms seem to be coming on call every weekend for them, don't they?

Oh, look, they're playing well at home.

Bloody tough to beat over there.

I'm going to tip the Dura.

I think the Reds are resting a couple of their front line players,

which come back to bites, the Canes and the Brumbies.

So, stick with the Dura there.

I'm going to go the Reds 4 and Upsets in Loutoukka.

Moana Pacifica, first game at Albany for the end of the season,

facing the Crusaders 705 Saturday night.

Well, I've always set alias.

Moana are my third favorite team.

Who's your second favorite team?

Probably the Chiefs, actually.

Yeah.

Yeah.

You'll be shocked.

It's not the Crusaders.

That's what I thought.

Yeah, naturally.

You know, you've always got a lot of love for them.

No, look, I walked up the Crusaders to win that game.

What about a word on your rookie Johnny Lee?

How impressive was he?

Look, he's a player that's been around for a couple of seasons

in terms of not of the top level, but just his name has been mentioned of,

you know, he's quite impressive keeping on this kid.

New Zealand under 20s was good for Tasman last year.

And I thought that it a bit to that Crusaders pack,

even aside from his tries, just an out and out 7,

rather than Ethan Blackhead, a playing 7, felt like a balance

was a lot better in that loose forward trio last week.

I thought as far as day boo's go couldn't have asked much more

from the young man.

Yeah, hell of a day boo, wasn't it?

Struggling resemblance to Ethan Blackheader.

Yeah, yeah, given that both Tasman boys, both look good in black,

red in black, but maybe they'll get higher on it so he knows.

And War of Tars blue surround us out 935 on Saturday.

Yeah, pump the brakes.

After that one game doesn't make an all black.

Burn caught his men to go over there and continue the War of Tars wows.

Yeah, I think I'm going to the same.

I think the wheels have come off the War of Tars.

If they were ever on, I was kind of prized by them in the opening couple of weeks.

But they have not been flesh in the last couple.

I will update those.

Next week we'll also bring you up to that with our MVP voting as well as to have that unfolded.

You can follow us on the tipping comp as well.

Sorry, the fantasy comp as well.

Rugby direct podcast is what you search.

I completely forgot to change my team.

I don't know about you last week Liam, but completely forgot to make any changes

and I think half my team was sitting out.

So you can only go up this week is what I'm thinking.

So you've gone from 100 to 150.

Tell me like that.

Yeah, it's plunged.

I'm terrible as it is.

And I think I've got worse last week.

Yeah.

Yeah, I haven't forgotten to do my team, but there are I think I'm probably 20 points.

20 spots off the lead.

So there's a few punters out there gunning for that super rugby doozy.

That's right.

We'll get in touch with us as well on the mailbag as well.

We'll bring that back next week.

Rugby direct at newstalkzb.co.

.nz or any questions you can flick us to them on our social media on Twitter

as well.

Liam always a pleasure to catch up.

We're back to normal next week.

Monday, Thursday, barring any sort of breaking news.

Look forward to catching up next week.

Yeah, I might try to slap my one working week and come in and join again.

Studio on Monday earlier.

It's been too long.

Lovely to see your face.

Liam, have a good weekend.

Enjoy your super rugby.

We'll catch you next week on rugby director thanks to Mark Kelly for producing

and have a hell of a busy day.

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