Podcast appearances and mentions of shannon frizell

This week on Rugby Direct, Elliott Smith and Liam Napier review the last round of the Super Rugby Pacific regular season and assess the top 6 sides left standing. We review Moana Pasifika's breakout season and look over to Japan as Richie Mo'unga and Shannon Frizell taste further success over there.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Which players yesterday put the most pressure on for places in the All Blacks side for the Rugby Championship? If we assume the side that played against England was the first-choice 23, who put their hand up highest yesterday for a place in the 23 for the next test against Argentina in Wellington in 3 weeks' time? I think anyone would say Billy Proctor did. He made a really, really good debut at centre, good running lines, nice hands under pressure, albeit against a Fijian side that didn't get up in his face like England did to Jordie Barrett and Rieko Ioane when they were here. One of the qualities of great centres is the ability to set up their outsides, the way Joe Stanley, Frank Bunce and Conrad Smith did. Again, Billy Proctor looks like the type of player who can do that, as well as break the line himself. He's an eyes-up player and a very quick decision-maker -so he's one. I'd say Cortez Ratima is making a pretty good case for inclusion in the 23. It sounds like TJ Perenara will be back for the Rugby Championship and Noah Hotham did well on debut yesterday too. Throw in Finlay Christie and there's a bit of a logjam building at halfback. One thing I'd love to see, maybe on the end of year tour, is the Cam Roigard / Cortez Ratima halfback double punch. But even before Roigard comes back, I think Cortez Ratima is ideally suited right now to the impact role off the All Blacks bench.The scrum was good yesterday, with an almost entirely different pack in action, the lineout was certainly better than the shambles at Eden Park and they conceded just one try against a side renowned for their attacking unpredictability and strike power. So, a lot of boxes were ticked. There is, of course, the caveat of how much we can take from a game against Fiji, who, while they've improved in recent years, didn't look anything like the same side that beat England and Australia last year. But you can only play what's in front of you, and the All Blacks did that. And finally- no cards, red or yellow, in the first three tests under Razor. Compare that to last year, with Sam Cane's red and Shannon Frizell's yellow in the World Cup final, Codie Taylor and Aaron Smith's yellows against Ireland in the quarter-final, Ethan de Groot's red against Namibia in pool play, Will Jordan's yellow against France in the opening game and Sam Cane's yellow and Scott Barrett's red in the warm-up match against South Africa. 5 yellow and three red cards in the last eight test of 2023, none so far this year. That's a sign of pretty good discipline under the new regime. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Todd Blackadder - former All Blacks and Crusaders captain, and Crusaders coach from 2009-2016 - joins Martin Devlin on It's Only Sport, after guiding his side to victory in the final of the Japan Rugby League One competition. Blackadder's Toshiba Brave Lupus defeated the previously unbeaten Panasonic Wild Knights - who are coached by Robbie Deans - 24-20 in a tightly contested decider, handing Blackadder his first ever trophy as a head coach. The 52-year-old talks to Devlin about how sweet victory feels, the impact of former All Blacks Richie Mo'unga and Shannon Frizell who both joined the team ahead of the season, how Blackadder as a coach has improved over the years, other rugby coaching jobs he has his eye on, and more.

Disappointment for Kiwi rugby fans, as the All Blacks suffered an 11-12 defeat to South Africa at the World Cup final. The All Blacks battled adversity and controversy, as Shannon Frizell was hit with a yellow card- and Sam Cane's red card, reducing the team to 14 members before halftime. They were also hampered by the TMO at important junctures, including having a try to Aaron Smith ruled out. Former All Black Ian Jones says the team managed to deliver an impressive performance- but it wasn't enough. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks have completed a resounding 44-6 victory over Argentina, propelling themselves into the final to face either England or South Africa.Will Jordan had a standout game scoring three tries with both Jordie Barrett and Shannon Frizell bagging two tries each.  Newstalk ZB's rugby commentator Elliot Smith spoke to Jack Tame about the result and what happens next.   LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks have announced their line-up for the blockbuster Rugby World Cup quarter-final against Ireland. Mark Telea has been dropped for disciplinary reasons, and replaced by Leicester Fainga'anuku on the left wing. Prop Ethan de Groot returns from suspension and joins Codie Taylor and Tyrel Lomax in the front row. Sam Cane captains the side and partners Ardie Savea and Shannon Frizell in the loose forwards - their first match together since beating the Sprinboks in Auckland. RNZ rugby reporter Joe Porter spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The All Blacks have brought back four players from the injured list for this weekend's must win match against Italy at the Rugby World Cup. Captain Sam Cane returns and will be on the bench with prop Tyrel Lomax who's recovered from a bad gash in his leg. Jordie Barrett comes straight back in to the number 12 jersey and Shannon Frizell returns to the blindside. Rugby reporter Joe Porter joins Lisa Owen. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6337964449112

Damian McKenzie will come off the All Blacks bench for the first time this year as coach Ian Foster moulds his side to play Italy on Saturday morning. The run-on team is close to full strength, especially with the returns of Shannon Frizell and Jordie Barrett from injury. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave explains what we can expect from this World Cup match. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Coach Ian Foster hopes the return Shannon Frizell will toughen up the All Blacks pack and give them a better chance of dominating the breakdown in Saturday's must win World Cup match against Italy in Lyon.

Look, we can still win the Rugby World Cup.  That is probably the height of naivety, but we physically can still win it.  We were always going to face, in all likelihood, Ireland or South Africa in the quarters and that hasn't changed.   If you're looking for precedence, South Africa lost their first game in 2019 and went on to win the Rugby World Cup in the recent FIFA women's World cup.  Spain lost four-nil to Japan in pool play, they went on to win the tournament.  Our starting forward pack was without Tyrel Lomax, Brodie Retallick, Shannon Frizell and Sam Cane this morning, and on the back line, no Jordie Barrett. That's five genuine starting players not there, and yet we still went toe to toe for a long time against the tournament favorites at home with 80,000 fans in the stands.  But let's now be realistic.  Let's look at this with a cool head and in doing that, it's very, very hard to see how the All Blacks can win three test matches, like the one this morning, in consecutive weekends in October.   France were better than us this morning.  Absolutely, no doubt about it.  Nobody is saying the All Blacks should have won that game.  The only way we can play France again is in the final. But to get there, we have to beat Ireland or South Africa in a month or so, and then someone from the other side of the draw who's probably won most of, if not all their five games up till then. And then overturn this morning's result and beat France in the final.  Look at no previous World Cup have I felt less optimistic than I do today.  That was a tactical master class from France in the second half helped of course by the All Blacks errors and indiscipline, but they monstered us in the second 40.  We defended well up to a point, but repelling wave after wave after wave of French attacks takes it out of you, especially when you start giving away penalties and then the dam burst.   And then when we were behind, did it ever feel like we were going to claw it back? It just seemed so unlikely.   When we were behind, I can't remember an attack by us which looked like it might end up with us scoring.  And we also kicked away a heck of a lot of ball. It was clearly a kicking strategy, but I'm not sure it bore the fruit that we were after.  There was certainly plenty to work on for the All Blacks Brains Trust.  Look, there was no shortage of heart. No one didn't try, no one didn't tackle, no one didn't give 100%.  But that's base level stuff, right.  Wearing an All Blacks jersey means those things are not negotiable, but it's being cool under pressure, winning the big moments, coping with adversity, and being better than your opponent mentally where the difference is made.   At a Rugby World Cup everybody can play rugby.  But now lots of teams can think rugby better than us. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Huge problems in the All Blacks camp ahead of tomorrow's Rugby World Cup opener. The three-time champion All Blacks will kick off the spectacle with hosts France tomorrow morning. But Jordie Barrett, Shannon Frizell and Brodie Retallick will all miss the opener due to injury. NZ Herald rugby writer Liam Napier joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Injury concerns in the Warriors camp ahead of their first finals game since 2018. Star playmaker Shaun Johnson will sit out the first-round clash against Penrith due to a calf injury. And ticket demand for them is through the roof. Fans will be able to purchase presale access to finals tickets for $49, a perk usually reserved for those with full season memberships. But where those games will be held is up in the air. And the All Blacks have got injury concerns of their own. Jordie Barrett, Shannon Frizell and Brodie Retallick will all sit out the Rugby World Cup opener with France with injury concerns. Andrew Gourdie and Nick Bewley joined Heather du Plessis-Allan to discuss the week's sports newsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks are fielding as close to a full strength side as possible for Saturday morning's last pre-World Cup test against South Africa in London. Outside of starting hooker Dane Coles and Luke Jacobson featuring at blindside for the injured Shannon Frizell, the rest of the run-on side is close to what might meet France in the opening match of the tournament. Sportstalk host D'Arcy Waldegrave weighs in on what we can expect from this match. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Rugby Direct, Elliott Smith and Liam Napier review the All Blacks' big win over South Africa in what was somewhat of a statement performance from them ahead of the Rugby World Cup. We discuss whether the blindside flanker debate is over in the wake of Shannon Frizell's form and how the second half performance might have told more of a story than the first. We also review the Black Ferns' Pacific Four win, Johnny Sexton's three match ban and ponder what Eddie Jones meant when he said "Look out" to the All Blacks.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There's lots of talk surrounding a tackle involving All Blacks flanker Shannon Frizell, which left a Queensland Reds player with a fractured neck. Glen, gives his take on it. And the Warriors played their NRL game against Brisbane at the weekend in Napier, but the game was marred by several pitch invasions by the crowd in the second half causing disruption. Also the ANZ Premiership Grand Final is this coming Sunday, with the Mystics playing the Stars. This follows the Stars one goal win over the defending champions Pulse at the weekend.

The All Blacks have named their strongest side for the final test of the season against England, signalling Jordie Barrett will have the inside running at No 12 for next year's World Cup. Looking to end an inconsistent 2022 with an unbeaten northern tour, selectors Ian Foster, Joe Schmidt and Jason Ryan have reverted largely to the team who thumped Wales a fortnight ago. The sees Barrett move back into the midfield alongside Rieko Ioane, leaving David Havili and Anton Lienert-Brown to provide cover from the bench. Barrett has excelled at second five-eighth in limited opportunities while wearing the black jersey and another strong performance at Twickenham will give him a good chance of making the position his own. Beauden Barrett will again start at fullback, with Richie Mo'unga remaining at No 10, while Scott Barrett will shift into the blindside flanker role he occupied when England knocked out the All Blacks in the semifinals of the 2019 World Cup. He started at lock against Scotland, but Brodie Retallick has returned to the team after serving the suspension he incurred for his red card in the tour opener against Japan. This will mark Retallick's 100 All Blacks test, becoming the 12th man to reach the milestone and the second lock forward, alongside captain and locking partner Sam Whitelock. Retallick and Whitelock will also create another piece of history, setting a new world record of 64 test starts together. The previous mark was held by South Africa's Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield. Playing in his 11th international season, Retallick will share the special occasion with family who have travelled from New Zealand to celebrate. “The All Blacks congratulate Brodie and his family on what is an extremely proud moment for them,” said Foster. “He has had a massive contribution to the legacy of this team over the last decade, during which he has inspired many.” After impressing on debut against Scotland last week, winger Mark Telea has been retained, while 79-test veteran TJ Perenara will again provide halfback cover from the bench. “We feel the squad has been building nicely throughout this tour,” Foster added. “Playing England is something we don't get to do often so we are excited for the challenge. “This is an opportunity to continue our growth as a team at one of the great venues in world rugby – Twickenham.” All Blacks team to play England: Ethan de Groot, 2. Codie Taylor, 3. Tyrel Lomax, 4. Brodie Retallick, 5. Sam Whitelock (c), 6. Scott Barrett, 7. Dalton Papali'i, 8. Ardie Savea, 9. Aaron Smith, 10. Richie Mo'unga, 11. Caleb Clarke, 12. Jordie Barrett, 13. Rieko Ioane, 14. Mark Telea, 15. Beauden Barrett. Reserves: 16. Samisoni Taukei'aho, 17. George Bower, 18. Nepo Laulala, 19. Shannon Frizell, 20. Hoskins Sotutu, 21. TJ Perenara, 22. David Havili, 23. Anton Lienert-Brown.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All Blacks coach Ian Foster has made what could be the final big call of his tenure, handing the No 10 jersey to Richie Mo'unga for the second test against South Africa at Ellis Park in Johannesburg this weekend. Foster is also gambling on two of his less-experienced props, Ethan de Groot and Tyrel Lomax, to match the Springboks' monstrous men. The All Blacks props have 20 test caps between them. It is the first test start of the year for Mo'unga, who guided the Crusaders to victory in Super Rugby Pacific, and has watched on ever since as the All Blacks have made faltering starts in all their matches this year. Incumbent first five-eighths Beauden Barrett, a two-time World Player of the Year, is relegated to the substitutes bench, from where he could enter the fray as a replacement for Mo'unga or in the outside backs. Other than the change at 10, the beleaguered coach largely played it safe in his backline selections, sticking with the same players who ran on to the field in last week's 26-10 humbling in the Rugby Championship opener in Mbombela. That result from a directionless performance was the fifth defeat in six starts for Foster's men. Jordie Barrett has overcome ankle injury concerns to hold on to the No 15 jersey, with another Springbok barrage of high balls likely. Caleb Clarke and Will Jordan start on the wings, while the coach persists with Rieko Ioane in the No 13 jersey. David Havili is at second five-eighths and Aaron Smith continues at halfback. Under-pressure captain Sam Cane has retained his place as openside flanker, and takes the field alongside No 8 Ardie Savea and Shannon Frizell, who has been called up to fill the No 6 jersey after Akira Ioane, who moves to the bench, had little impact last week. Locks Scott Barrett and Sam Whitelock return to duty, as does hooker Samisoni Taukei'aho — one of the few bright performers last week. Uncapped tighthead Fletcher Newell is set to make his All Blacks debut from the bench, with Angus Ta'avao missing out after struggling in the front row last week. Codie Taylor returns to the bench after being dropped in the first test, while George Bower, Tupou Vaa'i, Finlay Christie and Quinn Tupaea make up the rest of the substitutes. "Belief and confidence remain high in our group, which is working incredibly hard this week," said Foster. "Playing at Ellis Park is always a special occasion for any All Black team, and this weekend will be no different. "Adding to that, the Freedom Cup is on the line which makes this a challenge that everyone is looking forward to." Meanwhile, Duane Vermeulen is back for the Springboks at No 8 for his first test this year as South Africa made five changes to its starting lineup, the team announced earlier this week. Two of those changes were forced, with Jaden Hendrikse at halfback in place of Faf de Klerk, who was ruled out with concussion, while Jesse Kriel replaces Kurt-Lee Arendse, who was sent off, injured and subsequently suspended for four games after a dangerous tackle on Beauden Barrett in the first test. South Africa coach Jacques Nienaber also made two tactical switches in the front row by bringing in Ox Nché for Trevor Nyakane at loosehead prop and restoring Bongi Mbonambi as starting hooker in place of Malcolm Marx. Tighthead prop Frans Malherbe is set for his 50th test. The Springboks are seeking back-to-back wins over the All Blacks for the first time since 2009 and another defeat for New Zealand is expected to see Foster lose his job. The All Blacks have slipped to an all-time low of No 5 on the world rankings. All Blacks: Jordie Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, David Havili, Caleb Clarke, Richie Mo'unga, Aaron Smith, Ardie Savea, Sam Cane (captain), Shannon Frizell, Scott Barrett, Sam Whitelock, Tyrell Lomax, Samisoni Taukei'aho, Ethan de Groot. Reserves: Codie Taylor, George Bower, Fletcher Newell*, Tupou Vaa'i, Akira Ioane, Finlay Christie, Beauden Barrett, Quinn Tupaea. South Africa: Damian Willemse, Jesse Kriel, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Makazole Mapimpi, Handré Pollard, Jaden Hendrikse, Duane Vermeulen, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (captain), Lood de Jager, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Bongi Mbonambi, Ox Nché. Reserves: Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff, Vincent Koch, Franco Mostert, Jasper Wiese, Kwagga Smith, Herschel Jantjies, Willie le Roux.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In a one-sided defeat to the Springboks where their attack failed display any form of fluency, they were dominated at the breakdown and struggled to defuse the aerial bombardment, All Blacks coach Ian Foster believes his side delivered their most improved performance of the season. A fifth loss from their last six tests revealed familiar issues for the beaten and bullied All Blacks to heap further pressure on Foster's troubled tenure. Despite losing 26-10 at Mbombela Stadium, a result in which the margin flattered the All Blacks, Foster clutched for positives in the form of new forwards coach Jason Ryan improving their maul defence. In a post-match interview on the pitch, Foster went further to claim this was the All Blacks best performance of the year following the first home series defeat in 27 years against Ireland last month. "We're bitterly disappointed but I felt it was our most improved performance this year," Foster said. "Some of the areas we really shifted our game forward. In a game dominated by defence we defended well but our timing was out a little bit in terms of the attack so we're going to have to go and have a look at that. There's a few players over here for the first time feeling the pressure that comes from this type of team. We're pretty excited about the next challenge of playing at Ellis Park for a trophy." Eben Etzebeth of South Africa and Beauden Barrett of New Zealand during the New Zealand All Blacks v South Africa Springboks rugby union match at Mbombela Stadium. Photosport.co.nz Foster, it is widely believed, must now lead a dramatic transformation next week to save his job. Addressing the many deep-seated issues in such a short timeframe appears impossible. Yet the embattled head coach projected confidence the All Blacks can achieve an upset at the home of South African rugby. "Quite easily really," Foster said when asked how he would get the team up. "We came over here for a two-game series and we always knew it was going to be tough. We felt that tonight. They get the lollies and they thoroughly deserve that. We've got to take some things that we've made big shifts in. We nullified a large part of their driving game. "We made some shifts defensively and in the last quarter we were starting to open things up. We started to snatch at a couple of balls which is frustrating but we've got to take that experience and take it into Ellis Park, walk in there and give it a crack." Springboks hooker Malcolm Marx celebrated his 50th test by having a field day with the All Blacks breakdown. This area contributed to the All Blacks attacking struggles, with captain Sam Cane admitting the support often didn't arrive quickly enough. "That was one of the keys to the test match – our inability to get enough momentum going. Malcom Marx in particular getting over the ball," Cane said. "Normally it comes down to the ball carrier winning the collision and snapping back but particularly the cleaners were half a second off and he was winning that race. Once he gets in a strong position over the ball he's probably one of the toughest in the world to move." Foster conceded mounting speculation around his future was difficult to escape and, on a personal level, taking its toll. Widespread calls for further change – after assistant coaches John Plumtree and Brad Mooar were jettisoned following the Ireland series – will now only intensify. "I'm going grey and my hair is receding pretty quickly. It's never easy. The standards we've got internally mean you want to do well but we've got a group that's still developing. I've been over here for a number of years with more established All Blacks teams than what we've got now. This one is still growing. It's not where we want it to be but I still believe it can get there." The All Blacks managed one late try to Shannon Frizell after a brilliant Caleb Clarke break but, otherwise, they never looked like scoring. Ongoing attacking issues, combined with the breakdown failings, scrum frustrations and a horror run of form leave the All Blacks seemingly in a tailspin towards their nadir. "It's not a matter of shutting it out it's there all the time," Foster said of his future. "If you spend too much time immersed in it, it doesn't do the team any good. We know we've had a couple of losses. We understand that but, in all honesty, I thought we shifted up a couple of cogs in this test. Some of the areas we wanted to focus on we made some significant improvement but didn't quite get the other ones right. "We're coming off a lost series and there's a lot of noise around this team now. When a team is working hard to get its game at a level it wants sometimes you get a little bit overeager. I thought there was a little bit of that today – almost wanting it too much and trying a little bit too hard. "It's one thing to say you want to get everything right and be perfect but it seldom happens. This team right now I know we're developing and growing. I know people are frustrated with that, and we're frustrated with results. But you don't achieve growth if you get too panicky and start making dramatic changes and putting too much pressure on players." Cane leapt to Foster's defence by insisting the team remained behind him and suggesting that, despite the string of defeats, they were not as far away as everyone believes. "One thing you may not see from the outside but you can certainly feel within the camp is the belief is really strong. Even with five minutes to go when there was the red card there was genuine belief," Cane said. "It's only something you can feel – and you can feel it when it's not there. The group's belief in themselves and what we're trying to achieve is high and when you've got that and an attitude to work hard it's a good recipe so we've got to stick at it and it'll turn. If we didn't have those things in place I'd be pretty worried but the right ingredients are there." - by Liam Napier in South AfricaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Caleb Clarke will return for the All Blacks this weekend, taking his place on the wing for the first test against the Springboks at Mbombela Stadium. For their first test in South Africa since 2018, the All Blacks have named a few surprises in the team for the clash on Sunday morning (NZ time). Samisoni Taukei'aho, in his 12th test, will make just his second start at the top level, while Angus Ta'avao takes on the starting tighthead prop role in the absense of Nepo Laulala. George Bower, the best of the team's props in the Ireland series, retains his place as the first-choice loosehead. Tyrel Lomax and Ethan de Groot - neither of whom were selected in the squad for the Ireland series - will provide cover from the bench. Scott Barrett joins Sam Whitelock in the locking department with Brodie Retallick unavailable due to injury, while Tupou Vaa'i will look to make his impact late if called upon. The back row is a predictable one, with Akira Ioane, Sam Cane and Ardie Savea retaining their roles, while Aaron Smith and Beauden Barrett hold down the No 9 and 10 jerseys. Will Jordan and Clarke provide speed and flair on the wings, outside Rieko Ioane and David Havili in the midfield, and Jordie Barrett at fullback. "What a great way to start this year's Rugby Championship. It's always an exciting tournament to be part of," All Blacks head coach Ian Foster said. "This year's draw means we have a massive challenge of two games here in the South Africa. "We have settled in well in Mbombela and are preparing for what is always an intense game against our old foe. "Many of our squad are here in South Africa for the first time. This gives us another opportunity to add new experiences and grow our game." All Blacks: Jordie Barrett, Will Jordan, Rieko Ioane, David Havili, Caleb Clarke, Beauden Barrett, Aaron Smith, Ardie Savea, Sam Cane, Akira Ioane, Scott Barrett, Sam Whitelock, Angus Ta'avao, Samisoni Taukei'aho, George Bower. Reserves: Dane Coles, Ethan de Groot, Tyrel Lomax, Tupou Vaa'i, Shannon Frizell, Finlay Christie, Richie Mo'unga, Quinn Tupaea. All Blacks v SpringboksMbombela Stadium, South Africa. 3.05am Sunday (NZ time).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

No change for the All Blacks so far on and off the pitch. The squad for the Rugby Championship is largely unchanged, with Cane remaining captain and Ethan de Groot and Shannon Frizell being called in from the Ireland series. Behind the scenes, Foster remains the head coach and Joe Schmidt has been left out for South Africa. Weekend Sport host Jason Pine joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is hopeless from the All Blacks, isn't it?  Hardly anything has changed in the squad. Sam Cane is still the captain. Fozzie is still the coach. The apparently hopeless assistant coaches have all kept their jobs. They're not elevating Joe Schmidt and he's not travelling to South Africa to help them with the Rugby Championship. All that talk of big changes has come to nothing. We have basically the same team heading to South Africa as the team that just had their butts whipped by the Irish.  There are only two changes: Ethan de Groot and Shannon Frizell. If this isn't locking in mediocrity, I dunno what it is: picking the same group of players and coaches who just lost and hoping they will do better. It's disappointing because if ever there was a case to make a change and have the public support, it was this week. We the fans want it. We want change. We want them to try. And yet they've decided for goodness only knows what reason to keep plugging away with their poorly performing captain and coaches. I don't understand why they've passed up the chance to affect change. The only conclusion I can come to is that there is division behind the scenes at NZR or that they're giving Fozzie one last chance. Surely he's already blown his one last chance with many fans. And now the entire All Blacks brand risks doing the same. Because if they don't care enough about the rugby championship to make the necessary changes, then why should the fans care about the rugby championship?  If they don't care enough to try to win, why should we care enough to wake up at 3 am? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Andy Barnham joins us to talk about his project, coaching changes, Neil Francis, Shannon Frizell, Swansea Women and - of course - the Lions Find our more about Andy at; https://andybarnham.com

The All Blacks will take on the Pumas in their first meeting of the Tri Nations on Saturday – the first test for the Argentineans since last year's Rugby World Cup.Argentina have been one of the hardest hit teams in world rugby by the pandemic, with several players and coach Mario Ledesma contracting the virus this year.It means the Argentineans will be a relatively unknown prospect heading into their first test of the year.Here's all you need to know about the team to face the All Blacks and everything the South Americans have gone through to get here.Argentina team to face the All BlacksLedesma has named three new faces in the side to face the All Blacks at Bankwest Stadium.Flanker Pablo Matera captains the side, while Santiago Chocobares will make his debut at centre.Santiago Grondona and Lucio Cinti are also set to make their test debuts from the bench.Argentina team: 1. Tetaz, 2. Julian Montoya, 3. Francisco Gómez-Kodela, 4. Guido Petti, 5. Matias Alemanno, 6. Pablo Matera (C), 7. Marcos Kremer, 8. Rodrigo Bruni, 9. Tomas Cubelli, 10. Nicolas Sánchez, 11. Juan Imhoff, 12. Santiago Chocobares*, 13. Matias Orlando, 14. Bautista Delguy, 15. Santiago Carreras.Reserves: 16. Facundo Bosch, 17. Mayco Vivas, 18. Santiago Medrano, 19. Santiago Grondona*, 20. Tomas Lezana, 21. Gonzalo Bertranou, 22. Lucio Cinti*, 23. Santiago Cordero.All Blacks team: 1. Joe Moody (48), 2. Dane Coles (72), 3. Tyrel Lomax (4), 4. Patrick Tuipulotu (33), 5. Samuel Whitelock (120), 6. Shannon Frizell (12), 7. Sam Cane (72) - captain, 8. Ardie Savea (47), 9. Aaron Smith (95), 10. Richie Mo'unga (20), 11. Caleb Clarke (3), 12. Jack Goodhue (16), 13. Anton Lienert-Brown (47), 14. Jordie Barrett (21), 15. Beauden Barrett (86).Reserves: 16. Codie Taylor (54), 17. Alex Hodgman (3), 18. Nepo Laulala (27), 19. Tupou Vaa'i (3), 20. Hoskins Sotutu (3), 21. Brad Weber (6), 22. Rieko Ioane (32), 23. Damian McKenzie (26). 

Martin Devlin chats to former All Black captain Murray Mexted, reflecting on that magnificent All Blacks victory against the Wallabies in Sydney, with the All Blacks winning by a record margin of 43-5. 

The two teams for the Saturday's North v South match at Sky Stadium in Wellington have been named and as expected it will see a battle between Beauden Barrett and Richie Mo'unga.The two All Blacks first five-eighths will face off while Beauden will also be up against his brother Jordie who has been named at fullback for the South.The North side features five Blues players in the pack including number eight Hoskins Sotutu who impressed early in the Super Rugby season. Former Hurricanes pairing Beauden Barrett and TJ Perenara will link up with Aaron Smith named on the bench.Barrett's Blues teammate Rieko Ioane has been named at centre alongside Anton Lienert-Brown while the side features a dynamic back three of Caleb Clarke, Sevu Reece and Damian McKenzie.The South is dominated by Crusaders with Chiefs prop Nepo Laulala the odd one out in the tight five.The South side also have pace and skill in a back three of George Bridge, Will Jordan, Jordie Barrett with Jack Goodhue and Braydon Ennor in the centres. Brad Weber has been named at halfback inside of Mo'unga.North Head Coach John Plumtree said: "It's an exciting squad that we've picked for this special match. There's a huge amount of lot of talent in the side. There's some real power in the forwards and some speed in the backs."The North has gelled together really well this week and the players are having a lot of fun. They're really excited at the challenge against the South and certainly not lacking in any motivation. There will be a real intensity to the match with two really good teams going toe to toe," Plumtree added.The Head Coach of the South team, Brad Mooar, said the South side had some strong combinations, with additional strength and pace thrown in as well."It's always hard to pick those in the 23 and all 28 in our squad could've been selected. We have a fantastic group of men who have all made the most of this week, building relationships and having fun with each other as well as learning new things and formulating our game plan. There's been lots of good-natured banter between the teams and a lot of parochial rivalry.""The only thing missing at the stadium will be the fans and we're really disappointed we can't share the experience there with them. We know there will be a huge audience watching at home so we hope they'll enjoy what's shaping up as match for the history books," Mooar said.The teams are as follows:The North teamForwards: 1. Karl Tu'inukuafe 2. Asafo Aumua, 3. Ofa Tuungafasi, 4. Patrick Tuipulotu (captain), 5. Tupou Vaa'i, 6. Akira Ioane, 7. Ardie Savea, 8. Hoskins Sotutu.Backs: 9. TJ Perenara, 10. Beauden Barrett, 11. Caleb Clarke, 12. Anton Lienert-Brown, 13. Rieko Ioane, 14. Sevu Reece, 15. Damian McKenzie.Replacements: 16. Ash Dixon, 17. Ayden Johnstone, 18. Angus Ta'avao, 19. Scott Scrafton, 20. Dalton Papalii, 21. Aaron Smith, 22. Peter Umaga-Jensen, 23. Mitchell Hunt.The South teamForwards: 1. Joe Moody, 2. Codie Taylor, 3. Nepo Laulala, 4. Samuel Whitelock (captain), 5. Mitchell Dunshea, 6. Shannon Frizell, 7. Tom Christie, 8. Tom Sanders.Backs: 9. Brad Weber, 10. Richie Mo'unga, 11. George Bridge, 12. Jack Goodhue, 13. Braydon Ennor, 14. Will Jordan, 15. Jordie BarrettReplacements: 16. Liam Coltman, 17. George Bower, 18. Tyrel Lomax, 19. Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 20. Dillon Hunt, 21. Finlay Christie, 22. Josh Ioane, 23. Leicester Faingaanuku.

Crusaders 40Highlanders 20The Highlanders waited two years for the chance to host their southern neighbours. Two years too long after this instant classic under the Dunedin roof.Southern derbies always cultivate an extra edge. This breathless match, in which the Highlanders were overrun after leading 17-14 at the break, was no different.Five years to the day since their first and only Super Rugby title, the Highlanders threw everything and more at the Crusaders.So often that is not enough, though. Just ask the Chiefs who did likewise in Christchurch last week. To take down the Crusaders opposition must reach near perfection; nail all their chances and even then hope a slice of luck and the referee is on their side.The final quarter of this game the Crusaders came into their clinical own, controlling the possession, pace and tempo to grind out their third straight Super Rugby Aotearoa victory, with Richie Mo'unga kicking 15 points.Once again the Crusaders showed all the hallmarks we've come to expect from the three-time defending champions – a level of composure that sets the bar for others to match.Highlanders wing Jona Nareki will regret his decision to throw the dummy with two men unmarked outside him midway through the second half. It was a movement that would have given the Highlanders the lead – instead the Crusaders did enough to snuff it out and the home side had to settle for three points.There were other defining moments, of course, but with the Crusaders prevailing five-tries-to-two thanks to twin Tom Christie second-half strikes, Nareki's decision was a key turning point.The other came from Crusaders halfback Mitchell Drummond, who fired a brilliant cutout pass that gave Sevu Reece just enough space to score the game's decisive try.Aaron Smith led the Highlanders out as captain and he was then their spark all night. His passing, kicking, running, organisation and defence – one bootlace tackle on Codie Taylor in particular – was a class above. On this occasion, the All Blacks halfback could do no wrong and it was a surprise to see him replaced for the closing stages. Smith had great support from former All Blacks blindside Shannon Frizell, Pari Pari Parkinson and Dillon Hunt who all carried and attacked the breakdown relentlessly.For the Crusaders, Will Jordan continues to light up the New Zealand derby competition. Despite moving from fullback to the wing Jordan was equally involved and influential as in recent weeks, popping up all over the park and finishing the match by claiming his brace with another runaway try.Taylor, the All Blacks hooker, also delivered another standout display.The brutal nature of these derby games claimed further casualties with Crusaders fullback David Havili limping off after a break, while the Highlanders lost lock Josh Dickson, who has been influential in running their lineout this season, to a serious ankle injury.The Crusaders brought more poise to the initial exchanges and they were rewarded when Jordan snuck over in the corner for the opening try. The visitors' scrum did the damage early with several huge shunts – the Highlanders not helped in this department by losing Dickson.The Highlanders needed to settle and they did just that with a double strike. Frizell stepped up with three telling carries in the same movement. With the final one, he burst through Michael Alaalatoa's tackle to power his way to the line.That try turned the tide with the Highlanders enjoying a run of possession. From their overthrown lineout Smith swooped with his speed and anticipation to break the line and the Crusaders could then not stop quick hands sending Ngane Punivai over to give the Highlanders the lead.Discipline was an issue for the Highlanders as they conceded a 13-7 penalty count – many of these infringements at the breakdown – but they had every right to take umbrage with referee Mike Fraser after he missed an obvious forward pass from Taylor in the lead up to Mo'unga's...

Blues 27Highlanders 24The Blues remain unbeaten in Super Rugby Aotearoa - but only just.Nearly everything Leon MacDonald's men touched in the first half turned to gold as the Blues powered to a 22-10 halftime lead after scoring three tries and controlling the game through precise tactical kicking.At that point, the Blues were so dominant it seemed they would canter to victory but they then went to sleep and were pushed to the brink.The second half turned into a dogfight. In the end, the Highlanders will feel desperately unfortunate not to steal an upset victory after an inspired second half performance.Highlanders first five-eighth Mitchell Hunt scored a solo second-half try to bring his team back into the game but he could not nail a 73rd minute penalty to tie the scores.On the back of two ruck penalties from referee Paul Williams, the Highlanders set up camp in the Blues 22 during the closing stages but they could not find the killer punch.The Blues defended one rolling maul that finished metres out from their line – this effort ultimately the difference between maintaining their seven game unbeaten run and suffering their first defeat in the New Zealand derby competition.Caleb Clarke can claim much of the praise for the Blues victory, having channelled an emotional evening at Eden Park.As the 27,000 strong Eden Park crowd paused pre-kickoff to honour slain Constable Matthew Hunt, who died in the line of duty in Auckland last week, Clarke was in tears.The highly-promising wing lost his grandfather earlier in the day and was clearly a swarm of emotions as he prepared to take on a spirited Highlanders side rejuvenated since lockdown.Clarke is a man of deep faith, and after scoring the opening try he pointed to the sky in tribute. After another memorable performance in which he laid on another try and showcased his talents in the air by snaffling a restart, Clarke should be comforted, somewhat, in the knowledge that his grandfather and family will be immensely proud of his efforts.Despite those efforts, the Highlanders never stopped coming.While their backline wasn't as slick, the visitors' their forward pack competed well all night – No 8 Marino Mikaele Tu'u snaffling turnovers and enjoying a quality battle with opposite Hoskins Sotutu.Blues playmakers Otere Black and Beauden Barrett orchestrated a tactical kicking masterclass, particularly in the first half, as they regularly nudged the ball in behind the inexperienced Highlanders wingers and into the corners to control much of the territory battle in wet conditions.With the Blues applying pressure through the boot, Highlanders fullback Scott Gregory had a night to forget as he shelled several kicks and gifted Dalton Papalii the first of his double after a Sotutu charge down.Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu and Papalii, who scored two tries, often put their men on the front foot but MacDonald's men far from had it all their own way.Defensively the Blues will rue their sloppy start to the second half when they dropped off several tackles and lost two lineouts which allowed the Highlanders back into the match.The Highlanders did not need a second invitation to exploit big holes in the Blues defence. First Hunt sold a dummy and waltzed through. The Highlanders then had Ngane Punivai's try scrubbed out after a Hunt error at the breakdown was belatedly spotted. From the resulting penalty Rieko Ioane was sent to the bin and Shannon Frizell crashed over to give the Highlanders the lead.The Blues, however, again found the composure to hang on when it mattered most - just as they did in previous wins over the Hurricanes and Chiefs.While they head into the bye unbeaten, the Blues received another reminder of the level they must maintain.Blues 27 (Dalton Papalii 2, Caleb Clarke, Rieko Ioane tries, Otere Black 2 cons, pen)Highlanders 24 (Ash Dixon, Mitchell Hunt, Shannon Frizell tries; Hunt 3 cons, pen)HT: 22-10- text by Liam Napier

As the build-up to the Rugby World Cup begins in earnest, All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has one particular position in mind where he'd like a star to emerge.Since Jerome Kaino played his last test, against the British and Irish Lions in 2017, the All Blacks have yet to find a long-term replacement in the number six jersey.Liam Squire has played 15 tests in that timeframe, but has struggled with injuries, while Vaea Fifita (eight tests) and Shannon Frizell (four) have also been trialled. Jackson Hemopo, Akira Ioane, and Jordan Taufua are all also in the mix, and even the likes of Scott Barrett or Ardie Savea could play there at a pinch if needed.So, lots of options, but no clearcut choice yet, and Hansen told Martin Devlin on Newstalk ZB that he is hoping that will change before September rolls around."We'd like to really establish someone in JK's old role at six. Liam Squire's done a really good job there but he's been injured. We've got Shannon, we've got Vaea, and Akira's starting to play well for the Blues after a good season with Auckland. There's people putting their hand up, but they're probably not as established as we'd like going into a World Cup."Much like in 2015, when Nehe Milner-Skudder burst into the World Cup squad with a scintillating Super Rugby campaign, Hansen says there is room for a bolter to come out of the blue and make the Japan tournament."This year, probably more than previous tournaments, there's room, because we've got some important decisions to make in certain positions, it's going to be about who puts their hands up and does it. In a couple of positions we probably don't have as many [options] as we'd like."We're still open to adding more names to [our selection discussions] as we watch Super Rugby. Most New Zealanders could pick 25 or so [of the World Cup squad], but it's getting that last six or seven players right, that's the difficult part and the art of a good selector."We've got good flexibility around what we want to select – the type of player we think we're going to need for the tournament, they've got to be good athletes and have great mental fortitude, but they've also got to be able to do their job at a really high level. There's no stone being left unturned."When looking for that potential Cup bolter, Hansen will be giving extra scrutiny to the closing rounds and playoffs of Super Rugby, to see which players can best deal with the pressure."We're looking for people who can show you, particularly in the business end of Super Rugby, that they can cope with the heat of the fire and the pressure that comes with it."That's why the latter games of the tournament are so important because that's when the pressure is really on. That will show you how they cope, but it's another level when you get to the All Blacks, you haven't just got your franchise looking at you, you've got the whole nation. For some, it can be overwhelming, and you've got to take the time with them so they can grow and learn to cope with it."LISTEN TO THE AUDIO ABOVE AS STEVE HANSEN SPEAKS TO MARTIN DEVLIN