Xai Taele: Blues Centre Back previews the final round robin clash against the Chiefs

Georgia Heffernan: Southern Steel Vice-Captain on their current placement, upcoming game against the Northern Mystics

The tail end of the ANZ Premiership is fast approaching, and the Southern Steel are well placed – currently sitting in second on the table.   Tomorrow afternoon will see them host the third placed Northern Mystics – a match they’ll have to win if they want to keep their spot.  Vice-captain Georgia Heffernan joined D’Arcy to discuss the situation.   LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Xai Taele: Blues Centre Back previews the final round robin clash against the Chiefs

Super Rugby Pacific has reached its final round and the playoffs are looming.  The Blues are set to take on the Chiefs in a high-stakes clash they might need to secure the third place spot in the first round of the playoffs.  With the Crusaders’ victory over the understrength Hurricanes, the Blues will also need to win tonight’s match to lock in a home qualifying final.  Blues Centre Back Xavi Taele joined D’Arcy to preview the match.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Jace Carter: Franklin Bulls Guard previews their NBL clash against the Auckland Tuatara

Halfway through the NZ NBL, the Franklin Bulls are holding onto the final playoff spot, currently sitting in sixth place.  They’re set to take on the second-ranked Auckland Tuatara at home tomorrow and will certainly be seeking an upset.  Bulls guard Jace Carter joined D’Arcy to preview the game.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

D'Arcy Waldegrave: That was not high-quality sport entertainment

I get it. Within the loose structure of Super Rugby Pacific edicts, the allowance for teams to ‘pull a Hurricane’, as it will be known from this point on, is readily available.    If a team deem it to be prudent to rest players for a fixture, they can. Tonight the Chiefs are ‘pulling a Hurricane’ against the Blues.   Finishing at the top of the table, in a position where the result of the final round robin game cannot affect the team’s final series placement, has afforded both the Hurricanes and the Chiefs the opportunity to rest key players for their final games versus the Crusaders and the Blues. Which of course both teams did.    Legal, understandable, and accepted by most. The chance to rest tired carcasses and minds, which is insane, the season is short, this is not an NRL 27-week journey. It’s 16. With byes.   Yes, this is unusual, it’s not often, if ever, that the first and second teams find themselves in a space where their final games have no bearing on their final round robin placement.   I expect that forcing teams to play their top 23 would be nigh on impossible to police, so we are stuck with abominations like last night’s pie fight. The clown. The Crusaders-Hurricanes clash should have presented the sold-out stadium with a stunning display of top rugby from some of the best players the game has to offer. The fans at home on the couch should have been treated to a high-quality exchange, celebrating the dizzying heights of our national game. But they weren’t.    We were served up a lukewarm plate of leftovers, masquerading as a restaurant quality main. Sure, some key ingredients still made their way to the plate, like Sevu Reece having a field day at Te Kaha, sorry Tahi Aotearoa Whare Hākinakina, no, um One New Zealand Stadium.   The integrity of Super Rugby Pacific was compromised last night, and I’d suggest that tonight’s Battle of the Bombays will be no different.   The ‘Canes deserved to be spanked last night, and I hope the Blues dish up the same punishment to the Chiefs this evening.    The fans should feel ripped off, the coaches ashamed. That’s not high-quality sport entertainment. That was an abomination.  See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Richard Agar: Warriors Assistant Coach previews the clash against the Penrith Panthers

The Warriors are on a hot streak as their biggest game of the season looms.  They picked up their 7th win in a row last week against the Dragons, and are set to take on the powerhouse Penrith Panthers tomorrow night in a top of the table clash.  Assistant Coach Richard Agar joined D’Arcy to preview the match.  LISTEN ABOVE  See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.