February 1, 2025 • 7 mins
Former All Blacks great Sir John Kirwan has revealed he'll be parting ways with Sky TV.
After his time in the black jersey came to an end, he pivoted over to a commentator role with Sky - but his time with the broadcaster has come to an end.
He joined Piney to discuss this move.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk zed B.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
And Sir John Kerwin. Leaving Sky Sport as a rugby commentator,
panelist and analyst ninety six matches for the All Black
sixty three of those test matches. He joined Sky in
twenty fifteen, but after a decade as part of their
coverage both in game and then studio, he won't be
back on our screens in twenty twenty five. JK. We've
been talking about this for the last half hour, all
sorts of texts coming in saying don't retire. What's going on?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Mate? Yeah, well, you know where the stars align. You
just got to sort of to listen to the voices
and bolly a gat. You know, my dad always said that,
you know, don't let your brain get in the way
of what your gut's trying to tell you. So I
just think, you know, a few things have lined up,
and so I just decided it was time to move on.
(00:55):
You know, I don't want to I don't want to be,
you know, ten years from now, because I'm sixty now. Pioneer,
which is which is a which is an INTERESTINGCT challenge
in it's own right. I don't want to be ten
years we're now saying, oh should I watch that? Done
that and listened and that. So but I had a
blast Pine. It's been it's been a it's been an amazing,
amazing nine years or ten years or whatever. So I'll
(01:15):
miss it for sure.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Was broadcasting something you thought about doing when you were
playing or coaching.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
It's something that I always felt, you know, I was
brought up in an era where media was sort of
viewed often as the enemy, but you know, I believe
that it was always part of the game, and we
were all teammates, so I always enjoyed the media side
of it. And you know, I remember very early in
(01:42):
the piece when I first made the when I first
made the All Blacks, and I was a bit scared
about doing interviews and Dad just said to me that,
you know, just pretend you're talking to me sitting on
the couch and the lounge, and that sort of advice
I've taken through. You know, it's it's it's a it's
a privilege to be able to commentate, to get people
in their lounges listening to sport, seeing and seeing stuff
(02:05):
that they might not necessary see by being at home.
So I've always thought that it was a really really
important pard for the success of the game. When I
first got out at that Pine, it was a bit
nerve racking, you know, like I'd had a little bit
of experience in Italy because when I was coaching the
Italian team, you know, if we got knocked out of
the World Cup, then Sky Italy would would ask me
(02:28):
to go out and do comments and all that sort
of stuff. So that was I found a whole lot
of fun. When you first start, it can be a
bit nerve racking because you know there's there's a lot
more to it than just you know, sitting here and
throwing out a theory or two.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
How din'd you go about the process of critiquing players?
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Well, when I played, I always felt that if the
person that was critiquing me was talking about talking about
the game, talking about instances where maybe a than playing well,
but it wasn't personal, then you know, while it might
have grated against me, I only had respect for that person.
(03:14):
So I've tried to keep it as honest as open,
but also not bringing the personality, but also trying to
do a little bit of re search what is going
on in that particular player or in the life of
a player, you know, because often poor performance might be
(03:34):
you know, holding a little bit of an injury or
you know, tiredness or whatever. So tried to keep the
personal stuff out of it and have as much informed
information as I could.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Did you ever get any blowback? The players or coaches
ever get in touch with you and call you out
on anything you ever said?
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Yeah, I had a few phone calls. I had a
few phone calls from a few people, you know, or
you know a little bit of a little bit of
a r they walked past me, you know, when someone's
not happy with you, when the people had pick up
the phone. That was always thought that was a good
thing because it gives both of us to voice our opinion.
(04:12):
But you know, you're in the long night. I've been
in the game for a long long time, and constructive
criticism is all part of it.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
What about in general life, because you're a pretty recognizable
person in New Zealand, do you get stopped at airport's
much and sort of drawn into rugby conversation?
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Yeah, that's what I missed the most. You know, I
have had some fantastic you know, walking to the to
the lounge or walking walking to the plane, you know,
around people throwing out their theories. And you know, I
all missed that the most because I sort of tried
to take as much of the public voice and those
conversations not only to Sky but also to the New
(04:55):
Zealand Rugby Union. So just let people, you know, let
the house to be understand what the rugby public and
the Sky surpribers are actually feeling and how they feel
about the game. So I always tried to be the
voice of the public, and that's probably what I missed
the most, you know, you know from being on Sky
(05:16):
would be you know, to give people the opportunity to
talk through me.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Can you put something to bed for us? Something I
hear a lot is the idea that Sky commentators are
told not to be critical of the sport they're covering.
Have you ever been told by your bosses at Sky
what you can and can't say?
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Nah, that I would have walked away five years ago
if that was the case. You know, I think that
we have an we have an obliquam o the game.
And where there's a fine line is when you know
I was waking the six nass, this morning. Point to
the nineteenth minute of the game against the Tilly and
(05:55):
the Italian half act puts the ball under the you know,
under the second row's foot. I mean, is that a
rugby league scram? Or is that a rugby scrum? You
know what I mean? Like what into putting fair, contest
putting it in straight? Things like that really annoy me.
So I'll have a crack at something like that, because
you know, it's not it's not right. But as far
(06:16):
as is being critical of the game, no one's ever
said to me, you know, you shouldn't say this or
you shouldn't say that.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
So what are we going to do? Well, what are
you going to do with all the gaps in your diary?
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Now, Oh, that's a beautiful thing. That's a beautiful thing.
Well put it this way. I just went for a
surf fighting, So I apologize because you were supposed to
ring at the eleven and I forgot went for a surf.
And my my wife has been incredible person in my life.
She sacrificed so much. I'm about, you know, leaving her
(06:51):
country and coming here, going to Japan and that sort
of stuff. So we promised ourselves that would spend more
time in Italy, so you know, that's one of the things,
one of the one of the stars that aligned was
you know, every Sunday every weekend from now until December.
So you know, I haven't made any decisions. I still
(07:13):
like to be a voice in the game. I don't
know what I'm doing moving forward. We'll see what comes
out of the woodwork, and but I'll be around around
the game. And the game has been incredibly good to
me and you know I love it with a passion,
so I don't think I'll be able to not have
an opinion.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
We hope to see you back on our screens well,
certainly somewhere with an ability your platform to force those opinions.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
JK.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Great tenure mate, a decade and in broadcasting is to
be congratulated. As you know, it's not the most stable
of industry. So thanks for taking the time for a
chat made and I hope you get a lot more
surf again.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Appreciate it, mate, have a good one.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
You tell you all the best. Thanks JK. So John
Kerwin joining us there.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Faine. Listen live
to News Talk ZEDB weekends from midday or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio,
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk zed B.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
And Sir John Kerwin. Leaving Sky Sport as a rugby commentator,
panelist and analyst ninety six matches for the All Black
sixty three of those test matches. He joined Sky in
twenty fifteen, but after a decade as part of their
coverage both in game and then studio, he won't be
back on our screens in twenty twenty five. JK. We've
been talking about this for the last half hour, all
sorts of texts coming in saying don't retire. What's going on?
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Mate? Yeah, well, you know where the stars align. You
just got to sort of to listen to the voices
and bolly a gat. You know, my dad always said that,
you know, don't let your brain get in the way
of what your gut's trying to tell you. So I
just think, you know, a few things have lined up,
and so I just decided it was time to move on.
(00:55):
You know, I don't want to I don't want to be,
you know, ten years from now, because I'm sixty now. Pioneer,
which is which is a which is an INTERESTINGCT challenge
in it's own right. I don't want to be ten
years we're now saying, oh should I watch that? Done
that and listened and that. So but I had a
blast Pine. It's been it's been a it's been an amazing,
amazing nine years or ten years or whatever. So I'll
(01:15):
miss it for sure.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Was broadcasting something you thought about doing when you were
playing or coaching.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
It's something that I always felt, you know, I was
brought up in an era where media was sort of
viewed often as the enemy, but you know, I believe
that it was always part of the game, and we
were all teammates, so I always enjoyed the media side
of it. And you know, I remember very early in
(01:42):
the piece when I first made the when I first
made the All Blacks, and I was a bit scared
about doing interviews and Dad just said to me that,
you know, just pretend you're talking to me sitting on
the couch and the lounge, and that sort of advice
I've taken through. You know, it's it's it's a it's
a privilege to be able to commentate, to get people
in their lounges listening to sport, seeing and seeing stuff
(02:05):
that they might not necessary see by being at home.
So I've always thought that it was a really really
important pard for the success of the game. When I
first got out at that Pine, it was a bit
nerve racking, you know, like I'd had a little bit
of experience in Italy because when I was coaching the
Italian team, you know, if we got knocked out of
the World Cup, then Sky Italy would would ask me
(02:28):
to go out and do comments and all that sort
of stuff. So that was I found a whole lot
of fun. When you first start, it can be a
bit nerve racking because you know there's there's a lot
more to it than just you know, sitting here and
throwing out a theory or two.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
How din'd you go about the process of critiquing players?
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Well, when I played, I always felt that if the
person that was critiquing me was talking about talking about
the game, talking about instances where maybe a than playing well,
but it wasn't personal, then you know, while it might
have grated against me, I only had respect for that person.
(03:14):
So I've tried to keep it as honest as open,
but also not bringing the personality, but also trying to
do a little bit of re search what is going
on in that particular player or in the life of
a player, you know, because often poor performance might be
(03:34):
you know, holding a little bit of an injury or
you know, tiredness or whatever. So tried to keep the
personal stuff out of it and have as much informed
information as I could.
Speaker 2 (03:45):
Did you ever get any blowback? The players or coaches
ever get in touch with you and call you out
on anything you ever said?
Speaker 3 (03:51):
Yeah, I had a few phone calls. I had a
few phone calls from a few people, you know, or
you know a little bit of a little bit of
a r they walked past me, you know, when someone's
not happy with you, when the people had pick up
the phone. That was always thought that was a good
thing because it gives both of us to voice our opinion.
(04:12):
But you know, you're in the long night. I've been
in the game for a long long time, and constructive
criticism is all part of it.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
What about in general life, because you're a pretty recognizable
person in New Zealand, do you get stopped at airport's
much and sort of drawn into rugby conversation?
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Yeah, that's what I missed the most. You know, I
have had some fantastic you know, walking to the to
the lounge or walking walking to the plane, you know,
around people throwing out their theories. And you know, I
all missed that the most because I sort of tried
to take as much of the public voice and those
conversations not only to Sky but also to the New
(04:55):
Zealand Rugby Union. So just let people, you know, let
the house to be understand what the rugby public and
the Sky surpribers are actually feeling and how they feel
about the game. So I always tried to be the
voice of the public, and that's probably what I missed
the most, you know, you know from being on Sky
(05:16):
would be you know, to give people the opportunity to
talk through me.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
Can you put something to bed for us? Something I
hear a lot is the idea that Sky commentators are
told not to be critical of the sport they're covering.
Have you ever been told by your bosses at Sky
what you can and can't say?
Speaker 3 (05:32):
Nah, that I would have walked away five years ago
if that was the case. You know, I think that
we have an we have an obliquam o the game.
And where there's a fine line is when you know
I was waking the six nass, this morning. Point to
the nineteenth minute of the game against the Tilly and
(05:55):
the Italian half act puts the ball under the you know,
under the second row's foot. I mean, is that a
rugby league scram? Or is that a rugby scrum? You
know what I mean? Like what into putting fair, contest
putting it in straight? Things like that really annoy me.
So I'll have a crack at something like that, because
you know, it's not it's not right. But as far
(06:16):
as is being critical of the game, no one's ever
said to me, you know, you shouldn't say this or
you shouldn't say that.
Speaker 2 (06:25):
So what are we going to do? Well, what are
you going to do with all the gaps in your diary?
Speaker 3 (06:28):
Now, Oh, that's a beautiful thing. That's a beautiful thing.
Well put it this way. I just went for a
surf fighting, So I apologize because you were supposed to
ring at the eleven and I forgot went for a surf.
And my my wife has been incredible person in my life.
She sacrificed so much. I'm about, you know, leaving her
(06:51):
country and coming here, going to Japan and that sort
of stuff. So we promised ourselves that would spend more
time in Italy, so you know, that's one of the things,
one of the one of the stars that aligned was
you know, every Sunday every weekend from now until December.
So you know, I haven't made any decisions. I still
(07:13):
like to be a voice in the game. I don't
know what I'm doing moving forward. We'll see what comes
out of the woodwork, and but I'll be around around
the game. And the game has been incredibly good to
me and you know I love it with a passion,
so I don't think I'll be able to not have
an opinion.
Speaker 2 (07:32):
We hope to see you back on our screens well,
certainly somewhere with an ability your platform to force those opinions.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
JK.
Speaker 2 (07:38):
Great tenure mate, a decade and in broadcasting is to
be congratulated. As you know, it's not the most stable
of industry. So thanks for taking the time for a
chat made and I hope you get a lot more
surf again.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
Appreciate it, mate, have a good one.
Speaker 2 (07:50):
You tell you all the best. Thanks JK. So John
Kerwin joining us there.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Faine. Listen live
to News Talk ZEDB weekends from midday or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio,
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