The All Sport Breakfast

The Breakers have had a rough start to the year, two defeats starting off the 2025/26 NBL season. They're aiming to get back on track tonight and claim their first victory in their clash with the Perth Wildcats. Breakers shooting guard Reuben Te Rangi joined D'Arcy Waldegrave for a chat about how the team's faring in camp, and preview tonight's game. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Wallabies look like a different team in 2025, currently leading the Rugby Championship following split results against the Springboks and Argentina. They'll be looking to put on a dominant showing against the All Blacks and breach the Fortress, ending a 31-year unbeaten run in the process. Stephen Larkin, a former Wallabies Five, was part of the last Australian side to claim the Bledisloe Cup back in 2002. He joined D'Arcy to give an Australian perspective ahead of tonight's clash at Eden Park, offering some insights into what they may do to try defeat the All Blacks. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Warriors may have been taken out of the NRL playoff picture, but their NSW Cup side has made the final after a dominant season. They take on the Dragons in the Grand Final – the team they lost their Major Semi Final clash to just two weeks ago. The team is littered with talent, with several of the named players having spent time in the first grade side this year. One of those players is Sam Healey, and he joined D'Arcy to preview the final clash. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Silver Ferns have put on two good performances in the Taini Jamison series so far, beating South Africa 77-51 in Auckland and 70-58 in Napier. However, there is still one match to go, and the team will be looking to cap off the series with another strong win in Invercargill as the Constellation Cup looms. D'Arcy caught up with Silver Ferns defender Kelly Jackson to touch on the series and discuss how the team is looking heading into the third game. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's test day – the All Blacks are set to take on the Wallabies in the first Bledisloe Cup test tonight at Eden Park. Our Eden Park record is on the line yet again and with the Rugby Championship open for the taking, this is a crucial test for the All Blacks as they look to get back on track. D'Arcy was joined by All Blacks replacement halfback Cortez Ratima to preview the game and get a feel for what went down in the All Blacks camp off the back of the devastating Springboks loss two weeks ago. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Few people would revel in All Black defeat this evening – New Zealanders that is. Joe Schmidt, Mike Cron, and Tom Donnelly are three Kiwis that would. Two of those three are as good as the best in their trade. Two of those guys should really have their colours tied to All Black masts. Two of those fine men are living proof of the cumbersome nature of the NZR. The last few years has seen the most powerful brought to their knees, the collapse of an empire if you will, not unlike the implosion of the American dream under the iron —albeit tiny— fist of Trump. The clumsy approach of the union, particularly the maladroit power transition in the coach's box, has seen the best talent they've had access to flip the bird and set up shop in Australia. Schmidt, a reluctant international coach and great friend of Ian Foster, would rather reanimate the Wallabies than lend his talent to the Robertson-lead All Blacks. Mike Cron, the scrum coach guru, has shot the gap too, his ‘exit' interview with me on ZB was telling, his frustration over handling of the Foster/Robertson turmoil was palpable. He even swore on-air. Sheesh. With their trophy cabinet ransacked, their CEO exiting stage left and a mercurial AB side, a loss at the last bastion of All Black dominance would further erode the mystique of the jersey – if it hasn't dissipated already. Not freaked out by now, how you like these apples. In the Rugby Championship to date, the All Blacks lead the missed tackle count, lost the most turnovers, have scored the fewest points, the fewest clean breaks, meters made, and defenders beaten. I take no joy from these words, I've been a huge fan of Razor and quite possibly he may well be redeemed as the season unfolds, possibly a world cup in a couple of years, but it's difficult to watch what's unfolding and not feel the cold hand of creeping death choking the positivity out of you. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The second most prestigious bowls event is taking place in Auckland this weekend – the Molecheck Women's Open Singles. The event is sold out, with 96 entries being played across 6 clubs in Auckland. Headlining the event is a first appearance in the competition for Tayla Bruce. She's a world champion lawn bowler, and she caught up with D'Arcy ahead of the event to preview what's going down on the green this weekend. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The South Island Endurance Series is a circuit-based Motor Racing Series that kicks off this weekend, with the first round at Ruapuna Park in Christchurch. D'Arcy caught up with Ronan Murphy, a driver who competes in the series to preview the weekends action. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Junior Rugby is taking over Taupo this weekend. 120 teams and over 10,000 supporters are flocking to Owen Delany Park for the New Zealand Junior Rugby Festival by Global Games. The teams feature from almost all provinces in New Zealand, as well as two teams from Australia. D'Arcy spoke with event founder Tyrone Campbell to learn all about it. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Heartbreak for the Black Ferns as their reign as world champions comes to an end. They've been beaten 34-19 by Canada in their semi-final in Bristol – Canada surging to a 24-7 advantage at half-time with four first half tries. It's the first time New Zealand have been beaten in a knockout game since 1991. D'Arcy spoke with NZ Herald's Alice Soper live from the ground in the aftermath of the loss, to get her reaction to how it all played out. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Silver Ferns will need to set all distractions aside as they take on the South African Proteas in the first Taini Jamison Trophy clash. All eyes will be on the team to see how they perform with all the noise that's surrounded them over the last few weeks. Ahead of the first clash, D'Arcy caught up with Silver Ferns defender Karin Burger to preview the game and discuss her efforts to remain focused on winning the series. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a sluggish start to the season Auckland have now won two on the bounce and will look to make it a third when they take on South Auckland rivals Counties Manukau later today. Counties Manukau are on the same streak, and will be bolstered by returning All Black halfback Cam Roigard who comes off the bench. Ahead of the pivotal clash, D'Arcy spoke with Auckland and All Blacks winger Caleb Clarke to preview the game and find out if he has any messages from the All Blacks coaching staff ahead of the first Bledisloe Cup test next weekend. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hamish Kerr and Geordie Beamish gave sports fans a reason to grin from ear-to-ear this week – two great New Zealanders making their mark on the global stage. In the 3000m steeplechase Geordie shook up the athletics world by mowing down double Olympic winner Soufiane El Bakkali, who was chasing his third consecutive global title. Hamish ladled cherries on his high jump cake, adding the World title to his Olympic title, the Diamond League title, Commonwealth title, and the World Indoor title. With the likes of Walsh, Tanner, Hobbs, Wesche, McTaggart, etc, up with the best in athletics world, a golden age may well be blossoming. John Stewart, former CEO of Athletics NZ told me over 20 years ago that the biggest issue the sport had wasn't lack of talent, it was lack of athletes. He said that they taught the kids how to run, jump and throw, but as they matured, they left for other sports that benefitted enormously from the base that athletics had given them. Olympic and World Championship success is the harbinger of continued participation in track and field. The thought of Kiwi athletes dominating the world stage was a pipe dream, aside the middle-distance glory days and the outrageous success of Val Adams, victory was a rare occurrence. These unicorns hardly stimulated the youth. Now though, the narrative isn't how competing as a junior will set the youth up for careers in other sports, it's about setting up the next generation for triumph at Olympic and World Championship level. Athletes like Kerr and Beamish have proven that we can compete with, and beat, the very best in truly global pursuits. Running, jumping and throwing doesn't cost a heap, and there's not a concussion in sight.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Arsenal-X hits Eventfinda stadium in Auckland this weekend. It is the only hybrid combat sport event in the country where fighters from MMA and Kickboxing meet. Each round the skillset changes with rounds being contested in boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, and MMA. D'Arcy spoke with New Zealand heavyweight and one half of the main event, Dhcamad Armstrong, to discuss what a hybrid combat sport event actually is and preview his upcoming matchup. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's bid for promotion in tennis' Davis Cup begins in their World Group II tie against Georgia in Palmerston North this afternoon. The winning nation will progress to the Group I playoffs. Non-playing captain Artem Sitak joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to preview the event. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can the All Blacks claim victory at the capital? On the back of the 24-17 victory at Eden Park they'll will be wanting to follow that up with another strong performance at Sky Stadium tonight, sweeping the Springboks on home soil. Ahead of the test match D'Arcy caught up with All Blacks assistant coach Tamati Ellison to see how things are in the All Blacks camp. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Warriors have qualified for finals football for the second time in the last three seasons. Finishing 6th on the ladder has resulted in a home elimination final, the team facing the four-time defending champions, the Penrith Panthers. D'Arcy caught up with the Warriors' assistant coach Slade Griffin ahead of the clash to see how the team's looking heading into their biggest game of the season thus far. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been quite the week for Netball New Zealand. The walls came crashing in on Wednesday when it was announced that super coach Noeline Taurua was stood down in the shadow of an investigation into the Silver Ferns high performance programme and environment. The statement was as abrupt as it was unexpected. Netball went into a tailspin as the whole sport, from deep inside to the exterior, flailed about trying to make sense of what had just happened. And we couldn't. It was a mess. It was clumsy at best, although negligent would be a better description of the handling of the situation. I will give them this though, the lid was well and truly sealed on this chaos. Short of those deep in the interior of this schism, no one knew, or at least no one leaked anything. Then the can sprang open, and the snake popped out to everyone's shock. I understand that at the heart of this issue is an employment tussle, making it difficult to share details of the rupture, but the lack of any detail surrounding the slow collapse of the relationship between the coach, the players, and the administration, leaves huge holes in the narrative. The executive team should've done better. They've given themselves a black eye. What happens in a vacuum such this? People build their own story. They take loose ends and string them together, creating a macramé mess that ties the sport in knots. There are reckons everywhere. Outrage in some quarters, confusion in others. That the CEO Jenny Wylie was on leave and the chair Matt Whinery was left to face the music created more angst. The whole process was, and still is, being poorly managed. Netball NZ has taken a number of body blows over the past few months, is this the one that will floor the organisation, leaving them prone on the canvas? Only time will tell. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a 3-0 pool play, the Black Ferns are back in action tonight. They're taking on South Africa in a quarter-final match up at the Women's Rugby World Cup. Coming off a 40-0 shutout of the Irish last weekend, the Black Ferns will look to put on a strong performance and progress through to the semifinals next weekend. D'Arcy caught up with Black Fern hooker Georgia Ponsonby ahead of the quarter final to preview the match. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's Game Day, the All Blacks set to take on the Springboks for a second time tonight at Wellington's Sky Stadium. To get the South African perspective, former Springbok and the man who kicked the winning drop goal in the 1995 Rugby World Cup final, Joel Stransky, caught up with D'Arcy for a chat ahead of another massive test match. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The underdogs claimed the victory last week. Southland has won the Ranfurly Shield for the first in in 14 years with their defeat of Waikato, 25-10, but their first challenger may be the fiercest test of the season as Canterbury aims to take the Shield back. D'Arcy Waldegrave was joined by Southland Stags Captain Sean Withy ahead of the game to discuss what bringing the Shield home means to the region. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Black Sticks women are looking to create more goalscoring chances in this afternoon's second Oceania Cup hockey fixture against Australia in Darwin. New Zealand striker Olivia Shannon says they want to back up their 1-nil win in the opener. Shannon joined D'Arcy Waldegrave for a chat ahead of the second match to discuss scoring the winning goal, and their relationship with the men's side. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Springboks are confident despite the All Blacks' undefeated streak at Eden Park. The Rugby Championship clash is hotly anticipated, both rugby heavyweights having shown vulnerability with a loss apiece. Matt Pearce, Super Sport Commentator and voice of South African Rugby, joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to give his perspective ahead of the showdown. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After defeating Nelson Suburbs 3-0, Auckland United have clinched their spot in the Chatham Cup final against Wellington Olympic. It all goes down at 1pm this Sunday afternoon at North Harbour Stadium in a double header with the Women's Kate Sheppard Cup Final – in which Auckland United has also claimed a spot. D'Arcy caught up with Auckland United Captain Ross Haviland to preview the match and highlight what it means to the club having both teams in the pinnacle finals of club football in New Zealand. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

History is weighing heavily on the All Blacks, as they seek to defend their over 30 year long undefeated streak at Eden Park. They're facing the Springboks tonight in what's likely the biggest test of the 2025 calendar. Newstalk ZB's voice of rugby Elliott Smith caught up with starting first five Beauden Barrett at the team naming press conference on Thursday to get his thoughts on the upcoming clash and the learnings to come from the Argentina loss. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The biggest test of the 2025 calendar has come, with the All Blacks taking on South Africa tonight at Eden Park. Regardless of the result, history will be made, either by the All Blacks continuing their undefeated streak at Eden Park, or by the Springboks breaking the record and cementing their dominance on the world stage. D'Arcy spoke with All Blacks replacement hooker Samisoni Taukei'aho about the magnitude of this test match, his selection, and the expectations of the coaching staff. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are we watching the most spectacular slow motion sports team collapse of the ages? The protracted spiral of the Warriors has been stunning. Last night's stumble against the Sea Eagles wasn't surprising, or frankly that upsetting, as this team has made fluffing their lines an art form. The myriad of ways the Penrose Mud Dogs have managed to soil their bed sheets is impressive, the mercurial manner in which they play is rollercoaster exciting, sadly the car always seems to part ways with the track, leaving a smouldering wreck for the coaching staff to pick through. Cruel? Sure. Not as cruel as having your hopes slowly eroded throughout the back end of the season. Death by a thousand cuts. Spectacular one moment, spectacularly bad the next. The only comfort here is that this is not an outlier. This is not unusual. This is life as a Warriors fan. If you expect anything else, you're new to the bandwagon and you'd better get used to it. To be fair, the NRL is an incredibly tough comp to win. It took Cronulla 50 years to win a title. 50. And they're based in Sydney. The Wahs must deal with many a hurdle, the endless trans-Tasman flights being one. They've had a pretty rude casualty list. They tend to be rhubarbed by the officials. They're used as a stepping stone back to Australia for promising young talent. The list, like the team, staggers on. The beauty here is the Forrest Gump in them. At any given time, their box of chocolates might produce a gem, this is why we keep watching. Oh, and they're our team. That's why we follow them. We don't follow them because we know they'll win; we follow them because they're ours. As distressing as it can be, it's part of being fan. It's looking sad AF right now, but hey, dum spiro spero. While I breath, I hope. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A controversial knock-on call has left the Warriors' NRL top four hopes hanging by a thread as they fell 26-22 to the Eels at Mt Smart. The Warriors —who at one stage faced a 16-point deficit— stormed back in the contest, only to have a late Adam Pompey try that would've seen them take the lead denied by the bunker due to a knock-on in the kick chase. D'Arcy Waldegrave was joined by NZ Herald Sports Journalist Ben Francis to break down the action. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The women's Rugby World Cup is well and truly underway, with the second round of action beginning later on tonight. The Black Ferns had a strong showing in their opener, beating Spain 54-8, but understandably had a little rust with it being their first match in 7 weeks. They'll be looking for an improved performance to pick up their second win against Japan on Monday morning. Ahead of their round two fixture, D'Arcy caught up with forwards coach to Dan Cron to discuss what he liked and disliked about their first game, how their younger players are adapting, and how this World Cup is different to ones he has experienced in the past. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tauranga is gearing up to host 14 thousand junior athletes in Australasia's biggest junior sporting event. The Zespri AIMS Games have grown every year since 2004 – with 431 schools now competing in 27 sports throughout the week. Tournament director Kelly Schischka joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to run through what we can expect throughout the week. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The NRLW Warriors are looking to snap a 2 match skid as they come up against the Dragons. They're currently sitting 7th on the table, and a win is crucial in keeping their playoff hopes alive. D'Arcy talked to Patricia Maliepo, ex Black Fern and current NRLW Warriors five eighth, to preview this weekend's match up, and discuss how she found the transition between Rugby Union and Rugby League. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Auckland are looking to pick up their first win of the season. They're sitting on 0-4, and are set to face Wellington – a side who's title defence has gotten off to a shaky start, sitting at 1-3. Caleb Clarke joined D'Arcy Waldegrave ahead of the match for a chat about what Auckland needs to do to turn their season around. Plus, they touch on the messages Clarke's received from the All Blacks staff around his return to rugby, having not played since the Blues' semifinal loss to the Crusaders earlier in the year. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The famous All Blacks collector cards have been a staple of children's breakfast routine for generations. Hopefully the infamous ability of the All Blacks to collect cards won't be as ingrained as the cereal freebees. This is getting beyond an inconvenient truth of international rugby for the nation's male first 15. When recidivist action becomes a predictable part of behaviour, it becomes a habit. We know how difficult habits can be to break. Those indiscretions have cost the team dearly, last week's sloppy defeat at the hands of Los Pumas underlined and emphasized it in bold italics. Granted, the Argentines played well, but I can't accept that as a primary driver for their unlikely victory, although their consistent pressure and more disciplined play was impressive. Los Pumas didn't win that game, the All Blacks lost it. They were clumsy, out of phase with each other, and showed ill-discipline bordering on recklessness, which is essentially just stupidity pretending to be bravery. The iconic 1971 film Vanishing Point had this memorable line, “This radio station was named Kowalski, in honour of the last American hero to whom speed means freedom of the soul. The question is not when's he gonna stop, but who is gonna stop him”. I feel the same about the All Blacks' questionable red card/yellow card spiral. The question is not when it's going to stop, but who's going to stop it? The malaise they are, and we are, experiencing could be explained many ways. Is it the overly judicious refereeing phalanx? The apparent inability of the players to switch from the perilous red head space to the measured blue head zone? The coaching staff not providing the foundations for a stoic and immovable state which will not, cannot be shaken even under duress? You choose. Like most disasters though, this card chaos is not a result of one action, it's a combined effort across numerous areas. Calling it a disaster may seem heavy handed, but when this rapidly evolving habit costs the team a world cup, it will be seen as such. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Northern League sees Auckland City and Auckland United face off in an all-important match this weekend. The two teams are level in points as they battle for a spot in the national league. D'Arcy caught up with Auckland City captain Mario Ilich ahead of the clash to preview what to expect from his side and what they need to do for the win. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The New Zealand Rally Championships continue this weekend with the fourth round taking place in the Coromandel. Featuring iconic Coromandel routes, it's an exciting weekend for both racers and spectators. D'Arcy spoke with NZ Rally Championship racer Jack Stokes to preview the event and discuss his career as a rally driver. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks opened their Rugby Championship campaign with a dominant win, but they'll be aiming to keep the ball rolling as the Springboks clash looms. With the rematch against Argentina set for tomorrow, All Blacks forwards coach Jason Ryan joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to discuss the key messages going into the second test, the selections, and the need for consistency. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Women's Rugby World Cup has officially kicked off, with England's clash against the USA. D'Arcy Waldegrave caught up with NZ Herald columnist Alice Soper as she waited in line to enter the stadium. She broke down the event and touched on some of the key Black Ferns players as they seek to defend their title. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The NRLW Warriors slipped up last weekend, falling to the Raiders 20-16. Despite their numbers being reduced to 11 partway through the first half, they kept in the fight and remain in the Top 6. Sunday sees them face off against the Sharks, and D'Arcy Waldegrave caught up with 2nd Row player Shakira Baker to discuss the matchup and her transition from rugby union. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Warriors have got their season back on track and broken their three-match losing streak, however, their race to the Top 4 is heating up. They're facing off against the Gold Coast Titans this weekend, a team they haven't beaten since Round 23 in 2023. D'Arcy spoke with Warriors assistant coach Richard Agar ahead of tonight's clash to break down what the team needs to do to pick up a win over our rivals on the Gold Coast. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Is the devil in the detail? Yesterday NZR proudly released the news that they have finally got their long-negotiated broadcast deal with Sky TV across the line. On the face of it, the deal looks good for all concerned. The All Blacks, Super Rugby, and the Black Ferns are all tied up for five years, driving subscription numbers for the pay TV behemoth. Those products are what Sky, and realistically the subscribers, really desire. The free-to-air deal provides those unwilling or unable to pay for satellite TV a taste of domestic rugby through the exploits of the teams in the NPC, with some Farah Palmer Cup and Heartland Championship games thrown in. The vehicle for this is TVNZ, which in lieu of Sky TV's recent purchase of the Three network, appears out of alignment with the pay TV monster's trajectory. The Three deal not only arrived too late for consideration (I presume), and in eyeball terms, TVNZ has a greater reach, with a larger and less complex method for New Zealanders who aren't tech savvy or have no interest in multiple platforms. The ointment fly is the additional All Black matches that fall outside of the World Rugby test requirements. As yet unscheduled but more than likely to occur, these ‘extra' matches involve the revenue generating fixtures such as the American-based games. This is where more ‘fat' for NZR lives. These matches will likely be sold off to the highest bidder, think DAZN or Netflix, so if we want to watch, we'll be paying. Again. I will. I have to. I want to. But is this the thin end of the future pay wedge for AB fans? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The grand final series in the New Zealand Ice Hockey League gets underway this afternoon, with the Sky City Stampede taking on the Botany Swarm in Auckland. D'Arcy Waldegrave spoke with Sky City Stampede coach Cam Frear, previewing the upcoming series and discussing how the competition has risen to a new level of competitiveness in 2025. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Chatham Cup, New Zealand footballs premier knockout tournament has reached the semi-finals. Auckland United are taking on Nelson Suburbs and Eastern Suburbs are playing Wellington Olympic. Auckland United captain Ross Haviland caught up with D'Arcy hours before taking the field to preview their clash against Nelson Suburbs. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.