James McOnie: The Crowd Goes Wild host on the All Black v Italy match and the return of A-League

James McOnie from The Crowd Goes Wild joined Piney to discuss the All Black v Italy match and the return of A-League.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Fine
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Jason Payin and GJ. Gunner Homes New Zealand's most trusted
home builder, News Talks, EDB.

Speaker 2 (00:23):
News Talks HEB coming up one forty five on Sunday.
That means James mconey. James, we've been doing Razors report
Card on the radio this afternoon. Do you want to
join join the fun give it a grade.

Speaker 3 (00:36):
I'd love to join the fun, but first we really
need to flush the dunny and move on to quote
Steve Hanson because that was one giant, let's say, turgid
test match this morning. But yes, I would like to
give my grade. What have you given, pony? I haven't.

Speaker 2 (00:53):
I've yet to give my grade. I've been living it
up to the to those far more learned than myself.
I can tell you that if we're talking out of ten,
Lillam Napier has given them a six, Elliott Smith of
five and a half.

Speaker 3 (01:06):
Right, I'm going to go higher. I'm giving them a be.
I'm going to go B because of the the rebuild. Yeah,
let's be honest. You know you you lose Brady Metallica,
Aaron Smith, Sam white Lock. There's a lot of ip
going out the out the door right there. So as
a as a bit of rebuilding and you know, filling

(01:27):
the leadership void, I'm going to go b and And
it's just because of that one point. You know, I
think people are marking them down because of that one point.
Lots right, because you have an unbeaten Northern tour. So
that's why I'm staying with my bee. And I actually
think if Sam Kine had played that test in Paris,
we would have won it because you noticed a couple

(01:48):
of times we weren't cleaning out and it made a
big difference, I thought, to the to the outcome.

Speaker 2 (01:54):
Yeah, it was like it was. It was a funny
old test this morning, wasn't it. And you know, Jason
Ryan was on the show and he said, look, it
was a bit wet and we've had a long season
all that sort of thing. But as you say, it
was a bit of a tough watch. Wasn't a pretty dour.

Speaker 3 (02:10):
Yeah it was. I mean, also I do need even
though the referee made a couple of good calls, like
by not binning Patrick tooperl or too. There was a
There's so many times that the Italians were lying on
the ground slapping the ball away and if that's not
a penalty or even a car then I think world
rugby you need to need to have a look because
I totally agree with you know, foul playing, dangerous play

(02:33):
being elevated to a level where you go and take
some time in the bin. But the cidical stuff is
getting to the point where there's no way they're supporting
their body weight. And I feel like the All Blacks
had to be so squeak and clean because you know
the straight away they'll find something and and yeah, that's
just that I think affected the game. It's just the

(02:54):
referee not cleaning up that rack area.

Speaker 2 (02:58):
Now, All Blacks Player of the Year I've written down
Caleb Clark, Tyrell Lomax, Wallace, a Tt, Cody Taylor, Tupulvai.
Do you think it will be one of those? Would
that would one of those five be your All Blacks
Player of the Year.

Speaker 3 (03:11):
Yeah, I know I'm a massive annoying Chiefs fan, but
I do feel that Wallace a Titi and to have
been best in show for me, and really Wallace I
would actually just say he is a Player of the Year.
I think that I know that he's young, and he's
rookie and all that sort of thing, but I mean,
who's just made every post winner. I think it's been

(03:33):
him and then two A has been an absolute revelation.
But also maybe an option at six if we end
up with another really big lock, like a Fabian Holland
coming through him, maybe too, a who was quite an
undersized lock, maybe he needs to think about it and
reinventing himself as a blindside. So you know, that's an option.
But I'll probably go for Wallace.

Speaker 2 (03:55):
I think he might. I think he might want it too,
even though he's like he's a first year All Black.
Without going back in history, I can't remember a bigger
impact by a first year All Black than his. I'm
just trying to think maybe, I don't know, maybe Aaron Smith,
I don't know.

Speaker 3 (04:12):
I think Merts in his first year that World Cup, Yeah,
it was exceptional in the Christian Collen, you know, like
those guys when they first came in, Josh Cromfeld. I
mean there three or four of them in that ninety
ninety five World Cup that were there were first years
and they were worthy of being nominated for Player of
the Year, So yeah, why not.

Speaker 2 (04:33):
Other matters around today a Test cricket. I'm enjoying watching
the Test cricket yesterday was a stark contrast to the
first day. Seventeen wickets on the first day in Perth,
but India once they got Australia eight yesterday one hundred
and seventy two without loss and their second d is
the lead of two hundred and eighteen.

Speaker 3 (04:51):
I know it's amazing, isn't it. So where does that
put in New Zealand? Are we just the best in
the world coming home?

Speaker 2 (04:56):
I think we must be. I think we must be.

Speaker 3 (04:59):
Ye. Well, look, Australia is our kryptonite, so I'm happy
for them to be taken out a few picks, but
we really need to play Australia too weeks and I
think it is coming up, isn't it, Pony. So we
will find out sooner or later whether we can put
it with them. The one thing is is that I'm
always keeping an eye on, you know, the Fab four
and of batters these days and their test averages. So

(05:24):
I'm talking about Steve Smith, Joe Ruthkin, Williamson, and bear
at Coley and Coley is in a massive slut, which
is wonderful to see. So he has down in the
forties now has averaged forty seven or something like that
and dropping. Caine is in second place behind Steve Smith.
But I noticed Steve Smith as well having a few hiccups,

(05:45):
so long may that last. I'm always keen for Cain
to finish on top. But what I really want to
see from him with the Test match coming up now
of the series against England, is he still the Caine
we remember because he has struggled with England against England
before apart from that Test match at the Base, and
he's had problems And if it is, If that is

(06:08):
the case, maybe it is time came to go. Well,
you know, the eyes aren't going to get any younger
and the team's in good stead without me.

Speaker 2 (06:18):
No, no, yeah, jee I I don't want to think
about the day he walks away, but yeah, yeah, it's
obviously coming, isn't it. It'll be, It'll happen at some point. Hey,
I just need to ask about the A League as
well oftenish here on the air at three and then
I'm just going to couch it for the Wellington Phoenix
against Melbourne victory and then Auckland f C against MacArthur.

(06:38):
Hat a text this morning from a friend of mine saying, hey,
should I back both of the New Zealand teams at
the TA B in a MALTI would you be doing that?

Speaker 3 (06:47):
No? I wouldn't, but that's just because I think we
don't know how good awkward this is. I mean that
they that the derby game was something special and you know,
crazy mistake from the keeper that of decides it right,
So MacArthur will test them. I think they see a
building something really great though. Now Wellington Phoenix, I think

(07:10):
they can be exceptional this year, so maybe they're they're
you think they might be a better bet. But the
victory that the best put together team in the A
League really they've got you know, they're probably the most
stacked team, so that is tough. And that's that replay
from the from that playoff match earlier in the year,
so tough to see. I still think gian Carlo Italiano

(07:34):
chief the coach as a genius, so we'll see if
that bears out in this year.

Speaker 2 (07:39):
Pony and you see Man City lost again this morning.
That was a shame.

Speaker 3 (07:43):
I know how good is that. I don't know if
I was always hoping for Nottingham Forrest to do it
a Leicester City, but I think it is Brighton. I
think they could do it. Let's just hope. I know,
Liverpool's your team and all that sort of thing, and
they they have got most seller and all time grants
out there. But I just want to see someone like
Brighton come up and upset the apple cart. And I
need to say one last thing about Sam Kane because

(08:04):
you know, we we you know, he did five on
from with Jim McCaw. Hardestack to follow since I think
I've seen it before. Freddie Mercury at Live Aid, but
spending his whole orbit career trying to silence the critics
and only really managing the silence them after that Ireland
World Cup quarter final last year. That's a long time.
That is a lot to you know, a big burden

(08:25):
for someone like that, and including him throwing breaking your
net halfway through, I think he's been one of the
toughest and I guess, let's put it this way, he'd
made the most of his talent. Sam Canes so nothing
but craudits and he deserves his flowers.

Speaker 2 (08:43):
Absolutely right, Thanks James, always good to chat to you mate.
Thanks indeed, James McConney huge part of our Sundays. I
hear him on the alternative commentary Collective, right across your socials,
Crag Goes Wild and of course here on News.

Speaker 1 (08:54):
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