Weekend Sport with Jason Pine

Nick Sautner, Jim Doyle and Richard Dellabarca join ZB's Elliott Smith to outline their pitches for Auckland's new national stadium.

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The Black Ferns expect a massive challenge in set piece and up front when they tackle unbeaten Canada in rugby's Pacific Four Series this afternoon in Christchurch.

Black Ferns assistant coach Dan Cron joined Elliott Smith to discuss.

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Oleksandr Usyk  has claimed a split decision victory over Tyson Fury in their unification heavyweight title fight in Saudi Arabia.

The undefeated Ukrainian was on the brink of victory in round nine - landing a series of big punches that had Fury stumbling against the ropes and back-peddling - before he received a standing eight-count and was saved by the bell.

NZ Herald combat sport expert Christopher Reive joined Elliott Smith to discuss.

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Black Ferns sevens star Michaela Blyde is hyping herself up for the Paris Olympics - but she aims to focus on her upcoming tournaments first.

The team are gearing up for their Grand Final event in Madrid from May 31.

Listen to Michaela Blyde discuss the topic further with ZB's Elliott Smith here today.

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All eyes are on Brisbane, where the Warriors are expected to go up against the Panthers in this afternoon's NRL magic round.

Fox Sports commentator James Graham joined ZB's Elliott Smith to discuss the hype around the event.

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The Phoenix's season has drawn to a close after last night's defeat.

Wellington's dream season is over after a 2-1 extra-time defeat to Melbourne Victory in last night's second leg match in the capital.

Former Phoenix forward Paul Ifill joined ZB's Elliott Smith to discuss.

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As the Phoenix prepare for their biggest game in their history, their supporters club, Yellow Fever, are also in preparations to cheer their team to victory. 

Elliott Smith caught up with Dale Warburton of Yellow Fever to discuss the nerves and buzz around the capital. 

He told him that they’re making a march to the stadium from down near the Beehive, trying to boost the atmosphere. 

Warburton said there will be singing, chanting, and music, along with a few other secrets he’s got tucked away. 

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A kiwi cyclist is making a solo bid for a new world record. 

Joanna Sharp is cycling solo from Darwin to Melbourne via Uluru, on a 4600km journey. 

She’s aiming to complete this in the shortest time possible, setting a new world record and becoming the first person to complete this feat, as well as raising funds and awareness for Bowel Cancer NZ. 

Sharpe joined Elliott to discuss the massive journey she’s undertaking, telling him that the current unofficial record is around three or four weeks, but she’s aiming to make it to Melbourne within 13 to 16 days. 

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The Blues are flying high in Super Rugby as they prepare for their match against the Highlanders. 

The two teams are facing off, both aiming to take the Gordon Hunter Memorial trophy. 

Elliott Smith caught up Blues Lock Sam Darry whose family knew Gordon Hunter well. 

He told him that on a personal note, it’s quite awesome to be able to be a part of this and hopefully get out there and do Hunter justice. 

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For the first time since 1999 a World Heavyweight unification fight will be taking place. 

Britain's Tyson Fury is squaring off against Ukraine's Oleksander Usyk in Saudi Arabia. 

Kiwi heavyweight Joseph Parker is there to witness the fight, and he joined Elliott Smith to share what he thinks will go down. 

He told Elliott that the delay has given each fighter more time to prepare, and it’s more time for the buzz and excitement surrounding the event to grow. 

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It's been a turbulent 24 hours for the A-League. 

Not only were they preparing for the second leg of the semifinals, but they were also hit with a spot-fixing scandal involving three members of Macarthur FC, including current All White Clayton Lewis. 

Our Australian correspondent Adam Peacock joined Elliott Smith to dissect the fallout from the scandal and discuss the latest in the NRLs Magic Round. 

Peacock told Smith that it’s almost overshadowed the two semifinals coming up, which isn’t a great look for the A-League. 

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The A-League has been hit by a spot fixing scandal. 

Three current players from Macarthur FC are involved, including the current All White Clayton Lewis. 

Elliott Smith caught up with former All White David Chote to discuss the news and what it means for football in Australia and New Zealand. 

Chote told him that the scandal is really challenging for a football fan to digest. 

“And particularly if you’re passionate about the game and you’re passionate about New Zealand football, the involvement of Clayton Lewis is sort of a double blow.” 

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It's the biggest day in Wellington Phoenix history as they prepare for the second leg of their A-League semifinals. 

The Nix are facing the Melbourne Victory tonight at Wellington’s Cake Tin, the stadium set to be packed. 

Striker Kosta Barbarouses joined Elliott Smith to discuss how the team has been preparing for the upcoming match, and whether they can take the championship title. 

He told him that football is a game of fine margins, and they’ve got every chance to win.

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Peter Sloane, an All Blacks hooker, says he once bawled out his Hikurangi club flanker for allowing Sid Going, Mid-Northern’s halfback, to bump him off in the tackle in a game at Whangārei. 

Later in the match Sloane faced Going running round the front of a lineout. “When I was sitting on my butt on the deck,” says Sloane, “I realised why the loosies found it so hard to tackle him.” 

Sidney Milton Going, Super Sid to headline writers and Milt to his family, who died on Friday aged 80, was an All Blacks great, and one of the most exciting footballers to ever play the game. 

As Sloane, and international players Going faced in 29 tests from 1967 to 1977 found, Going was startlingly powerful. His strength came naturally to him. He never darkened the doorway of a gym. But I once interviewed him in a changing shed in Whangārei, and got a good idea of why he could shrug off tackles from men who towered over him. He was only wearing a pair of shorts, and his upper body would have been envied by Arnold Schwarznegger. 

Going was so old-school he wasn’t big on pre-season road running either. Just after he’d retired he said he hated road work so much he sought out every pre-season charity game he could find, and got fit by playing. 

Sid Going appears for the All Blacks against the Springboks in 1976. Photo / Photosport 

As a child growing up with four brothers in the Maromaku Valley, north of Whangārei, he learned early how to deal with rugby’s physicality. He’d say, on the family lawn “there were no beg pardons. We’d hit each other really hard”. 

As well as rugby and family, the other great love of his life was the Mormon church. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel at the end of Marlow Rd in Maromaku was central to him. 

He spent two years in Canada in the early 1960s as a Mormon missionary, switching to basketball. But on his return rugby quickly called again. 

He was soon a fixture in the Northland side, and by 1966 was challenging for an All Black position. But he faced huge competition from Chris Laidlaw, a more traditional halfback with an impeccable pass. 

When he was finally given the chance, Going could produce extraordinary moments at the highest level. In 1968 he scored two solo tries in the first 30 minutes of a test against France at Eden Park. 

Many of us lucky enough to see Sid and his brothers, Ken and Brian, play together for Northland and the New Zealand Māori side will always believe a game-changing chance was missed by the All Black selectors of the early 1970s. The Goings’ Northland coach, Ted Griffin, swore that together behind an All Black pack they would have torn the world’s best teams apart. 

Halfback Sid Going hoofs the ball during the New Zealand vs Southern Universities match during the All Blacks tour of South Africa in 1970. Photo / NZ Herald Archive 

There’s never been a magic act quite like the one the trio used to put on, with just a footy ball for a prop. “Going, Going, Going, Gone” was the headline after one dazzling triple-scissors try for Northland. 

They all had speed, skills and strength. But together they had something even more potent, a list of 30 or more carefully planned, well rehearsed moves, with every single one named. 

The best, they called “The Special”. 

This is an outline of how it worked. Sid passes wide to Brian. Ken works a scissors pass with Brian. Meanwhile Sid is tracking Ken, who would work another scissors with him. Now Sid has the ball from the final scissors pass, and scores the try. Occasionally one last defender, by luck or good management, was still in the way, so one more pass, or a step, was needed. 

“The Special” almost made Northland the only provincial team to beat the 1971 Lions. But Sid thought Brian was likely to be caught and didn’t pass, and for once he struck a fullback in JPR Williams who was able to haul him down. The Lions sneaked in 11-5. 

One of the many likeable aspects of Sid the rugby player was that, with his devout religious beliefs, he never swore, on or off the field. Talk with him when he was passionate and adjectives like “blinking” or “flipping” might appear, but never anything more vulgar. 

Sid’s startling range of skills was probably best displayed in 1972 at Eden Park for Northland, when a penalty to win the Ranfurly Shield from Auckland was awarded. 

Earlier in the game Sid had botched a tap kick and Auckland scored a try, so brother Ken, the usual kicker, was still angry. “You take the kick,” he snapped at Sid. “Okay, I blinking well will,” said Sid. From 45 metres out he kicked the winning penalty. 

Super Sid was a nickname that fairly defined the man. 

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The Wellington Phoenix fans are coming together to support the team ahead of their anticipated clash against the Victory in Melbourne.

One supporter, Christian, joined Piney ahead of the big event.

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The Harlem Globetrotters are expected to tour New Zealand this July, stopping in Auckland, Wellington, New Plymouth, Christchurch and Hamilton.

Globetrotter Wham Middleton joined Piney to discuss.

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James McOnie from The Crowd Goes Wild recaps the Blues v Hurricanes match, talks the Crusaders v Blues - and discusses the Wellington Phoenix and Richie Mo'unga's possible return to New Zealand shores.

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Expect the Tactix to talk up a storm on court against the also-unbeaten Central Pulse in the ANZ Premiership this afternoon at Palmerston North.

Tactix defender Paris Lokotui joined Piney to discuss.

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Round 5 of netball's ANZ Premiership is expected to begin this evening.

Accomplished defender Kelly Jackson joined Piney ahead of the event.

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The Wellington Phoenix are gearing up for the first leg of their A-League semi-final against the Melbourne Victory.

In their three meetings this season, the Phoenix have drawn with Melbourne twice and beaten them once, 1-nil.

Former A-League footballer Daniel McBreen joined Piney to discuss.

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The Warriors are determined to out-muscle a physical Roosters pack through the middle in this afternoon's NRL encounter in Sydney.

The Mt Smart club go in off the back of a winless month, while the hosts are riding high after thrashing the Broncos.

Australian sports journalist Phil Rothfield joined Piney to discuss.

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Ahead of the 2024 Paris Games, one of New Zealand's most accomplished Olympians is looking back at his athletic career.

Ian Ferguson won three gold medals at the 1984 Los Angeles Games and another gold in Korea four years later - one of the highest medal counts in the nation's history.

He joined Piney to reminisce on his athletic legacy.

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The Crusaders are now in 'must win' territory as they head down to Dunedin to face the Highlanders. 

Piney caught up with Highlander's assistant Dave Dillon to dig into how they’re preparing for a wounded Crusaders outfit. 

Dillon told him that although they’re coming off the back of two good wins, it’s going up another level tonight. 

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Craig Bellamy has extended his contract with Melbourne Storm. 

Piney was joined by our Australian Correspondent Adam Peacock to discuss how important that signing is for the four-time champions. 

He told him that Bellamy’s got a reputation up there with Wayne Bennett, if not exceeding him, for the consistency of the Melbourne Storm. 

They don't have bad years, Peacock said.

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The Blues are angling for the top spot. 

They’re preparing to face the Hurricanes in tonight’s match, missing their star midfielder Reiko Ioane who's sitting out with concussion protocols. 

Fellow back Mark Tele’a joined Piney to discuss the clash and dig into what Reiko’s absence means for the team. 

He told him that they’ll miss him out on the field and will try and cinch the win for him as it’s the best way they can show love in that position. 

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The Hurricanes are facing the Blues in a top of the table clash. 

Making their way to Auckland, the match is kicking off this afternoon at Eden Park. 

Piney caught up with Hurricanes utility back Josh Moorby ahead of kickoff to preview the match. 

He told Piney that it’s been a long, long few weeks since they last met the Blues, and both teams have grown stronger and stronger, so it’ll be an awesome clash. 

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Damian McKenzie and Stephen Perofeta would be in their rights to feel aggrieved at New Zealand Rugby’s attempts to bring Richie Mo’unga back from Japan, former Crusaders and Fiji utility Nemani Nadolo believes.  

Mo’unga, 29, is currently enjoying his first of three years in Japan, after signing a contract to join League One side Toshiba Brave Lupus following the 2023 World Cup in France.  

But, as Scott Robertson prepares to take the reins of the All Blacks later this year, New Zealand Rugby’s head of professional rugby Chris Lendrum revealed to the Rugby Direct Podcast the attempt to bring Mo’unga back early. 

Robertson and Mo’unga share a strong working relationship after their time with the Crusaders, notably winning seven Super Rugby titles in as many years together. 

Under current selection rules, Mo’unga would not be eligible to play for the All Blacks and reunite with Robertson, unless he returns to New Zealand. 

However, with Mo’unga’s move to Japan known from mid-2023, this season of Super Rugby Pacific has presented a chance for Kiwi-based first-fives to stake their claim. 

Based on current form, McKenzie of the Chiefs and Perofeta of the Blues stand out as the two front-runners, while Brett Cameron of the Hurricanes could also be considered a contender – if picking solely within Aotearoa. 

But with the news of the attempts to bring Mo’unga home, Nadolo, who has experienced Super Rugby and Japan’s League One, told Newstalk ZB’s Jason Pine that Kiwi-based prospects would be right to be upset by the reports. 

“Competition is good competition,” he said. “From a player’s point of view, you’re gutted that it happens. 

“But in saying that, it’s good competition for the All Blacks. It’s just going to give more headaches for Razor to pick his five-eighth. 

“Perofeta and McKenzie have been playing really well this year. For me, as a player, I’d probably be annoyed, but it is great competition. 

“New Zealand have always had that problem, over the years. They’ve always had some of the best five-eighths. 

“It’s good competition, but you’d probably be a bit deflated knowing they’re trying to get Richie back.” 

However, there are no guarantees Mo’unga will return to New Zealand, despite the national body’s attempts. 

TheHeraldunderstands his Japanese contract is worth around $2.2 million per season. That kind of money would not be available from New Zealand Rugby alone, barring outside investment. 

Instead, the main proposition would appear to be reuniting with Robertson, in the hope of repeating their Super Rugby success at the highest level. 

Having shared a changing room with Mo’unga at the Crusaders, news of his return being sought isn’t a surprise for Nadolo. 

“Richie’s been doing really well over in Japan, playing for Toshiba,” he said. “He’s a world-class five-eighth, you don’t lose that overnight. 

“With what he’s done in the game, particularly in New Zealand rugby, it’s no surprise to see that New Zealand Rugby want to try to bring him back. 

“The question is does Richie really want to come? He’s done everything in the game, particularly Super Rugby and the All Blacks. 

“Maybe another World Cup might entice him to come back. But in saying that, from what I’ve heard and what I’ve seen, he’s really enjoying his time in Japan.” 

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Ex-Black Caps batter Colin Munro believes he was “blacklisted” by New Zealand Cricket for opting to ply his trade as a Twenty20 freelancer. 

Munro, 37, has not played for the Black Caps at any level since 2020, but on Friday officially confirmed his time as an international is done. 

While he hasn’t appeared for New Zealand in more than four years, Munro has been a fixture in overseas Twenty20 leagues as one of the most prominent faces in the franchise game. 

But speaking to Newstalk ZB’s Jason Pine, Munro questioned the approach of New Zealand Cricket, and former chief executive David White, for overlooking players seeking to make the most of professional opportunities. 

“I’ve always been available,” he said. “Under David White, if you were playing franchise cricket and weren’t playing domestic cricket in New Zealand, you were sort of blacklisted, I think. 

“It was never told [like] that to me, but I think it was. There were the likes of Anton Devcich, myself, Mitchell McClenaghan, those players who all chose franchise cricket. 

“As soon as you weren’t playing in New Zealand, there was a black mark next to your name. You weren’t going to play.” 

Munro isn’t alone in that regard either. 

As one of New Zealand’s white ball greats, Martin Guptill hasn’t worn the silver fern at any level since he opted out of his central contract in late 2022.  

However, under new chief executive Scott Weenink, New Zealand Cricket appears to have relaxed its selection criteria.  

The pair of Trent Boult and Jimmy Neesham, both without central contracts to pursue franchise opportunities, were selected for last year’s 50-over World Cup in India, and the upcoming T20 World Cup in the Caribbean and US. 

As the Black Caps picked a heavily depleted squad to tour Pakistan earlier this year, Munro turned down an approach to return to the fold to spend time with his family after finishing his commitments with Islamabad United. 

And having made the initial approach to see him return, Munro also questioned why New Zealand Cricket would sound him out, only to overlook him altogether. 

Colin Munro (left) and Martin Guptill have both been consistently overlooked by New Zealand Cricket after opting to pursue franchise cricket. Photo / Photosport 

“It was my dream, I thought it was gone,” he said. “Then you get a phone call out of the blue [to ask] are you available for a World Cup? 

“You get up and about, start thinking and dreaming like a young kid. You haven’t played for four years, so you think you could probably get up to have one last hurrah in the black jersey, in conditions that I’m really familiar with in Trinidad. 

“Then the World Cup squad was announced. I’m not going to lie, I was a little bit gutted I wasn’t in there, just because I was in talks and in the frame. 

“But I can fully understand why. Those boys fully deserve it, I’ll be behind them every step of the way. 

“I just don’t know why that was put in front of me. It would have been nice to know, did I have to go on the Pakistan tour? They said I didn’t have to, that’s why I ended up choosing not to. 

“If I had gone over there and done well, I still might not have gone to the World Cup.” 

If Munro had been selected for the World Cup, the Black Caps would have gained a valuable asset. 

In the history of T20 cricket, only 11 players have appeared in more matches for the Black Caps. 

All up, Munro has 428 appearances in the shortest format, with 79 of them coming for the Trinbago Knight Riders in the Caribbean Premier League. 

Trinbago’s home ground of the Brian Lara Cricket Academy is where the Black Caps will play three matches at this year’s World Cup, against hosts West Indies, Uganda and Papua New Guinea. 

At international level, Munro played 65 T20 Internationals, and was the first man to score three centuries for his country in the shortest format. 

That number could have been higher, were it not for spending the past four years on the sidelines. 

In 2020, Munro lost his New Zealand Cricket central contract, and opted to dedicate his career to the shortest format as a T20 gun for hire. 

Since then, he’s accrued experience playing everywhere from Australia’s Big Bash League to Canada’s Global T20. 

Alex Powell is an Online Sports Editor for the NZ Herald. He has been a sports journalist since 2016, and previously worked for both Newshub and 1News. 

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James McOnie from The Crowd Goes Wild joined Piney to discuss the weekend's Super Rugby results, the NBA playoffs, the Wellington Phoenix, the EPL's two-horse race and Qatar's 'sports-washing'.

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When it comes to coaching, there's debate over whether former elite players make for better coaches.

Coaching guru Wayne Goldsmith offers his answer to these questions.

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A sports expert from Amnesty International has expressed surprise over Qatar's interest in hosting a Nations Championship event.

Reports have surfaced about the finals of the new competition being hosted in the Arab country, which has been accused of human rights violations and was heavily criticised when hosting the 2022 Football World Cup.

Amnesty International Felix Jakens joined Piney to discuss.

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The Warriors are striving for a defensive effort that reaps more control as they look to break out of a slump in league's NRL.

This afternoon's game against the Knights in Newcastle comes after a stretch of three winless weekends for the Auckland-based club.

Assistant coach Stacey Jones says a common theme of their struggles has been a lack of dominance in the ruck.

Kick-off is at 4pm.

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Former NZ Rugby chairman Brent Impey believes a Nations Championship hosted in Qatar is a smart move.

Now chair of the Fijian Drua Super Rugby side, Impey says Fiji would seize the chance to participate in a tournament held in the middle-eastern nation.

While acknowledging potential moral dilemmas Impey told Jason Pine that the undeniable financial appeal would be difficult to pass up.

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Kirk Penney is reflecting on his career following the Hall of Fame announcement. 

The Kiwi basketball legend is being inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame. He joined Piney to reflect on his career and what this honour means to him.

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Dave Heine won the first ever Rotorua marathon. 

He was hoping to compete in the 10km run at this year's event, the 60th anniversary, but illness has had him withdraw. 

Instead, he found time for a chat with Piney, reflecting on his achievement. 

He told him that he didn’t expect to win the race, as it was just meant to be a training run. 

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The Crusaders are looking to get back-to-back wins for the first time this season when they play the Reds. 

Piney caught up with captain Scott Barrett ahead of the match, and to get some insight on the team's struggles this season. 

“Hopefully we’ve turned our season around and string some wins together late in this competition.” 

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Phillip Wilson has jumped ship from singles to pairs. 

The rower took the gold in the Men’s 8s at the Tokyo Olympics, but has made the decision to compete in the pairs at Paris this year. 

He chatted with Piney about his previous success and whether he feels the pressure of Hamish Bond and Eric Murray, who were undefeated in that boat. 

“You kind of have to not compare yourself to them, but you do have it in the back of your mind.” 

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Australia has named their T20 World Cup squad, and there’s one notable omission. 

Adam Peacock, our Australian Correspondent, joined Piney to discuss the reaction to Steve Smith’s absence and whether Wayne Bennett would be able to fix the Rabbitohs. 

He told him that his absence was no big surprise, as there’s far more explosive players available. 

“That’s probably the end of him T20 wise, but certainly he’s got a bit more to give test wise.” 

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The Wellington Phoenix are finals-bound. 

They’re awaiting the confirmation of their semifinal opponents, finishing the regular season in second place on the ladder. 

Captain Alex Rufer joined Piney live in studio to look back on the season, answering the question of whether he thinks they can go all the way. 

“I don’t see why not,” he told Piney. 

“We’re a confident team, we’re positive. You know, these are the games you live for.” 

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Can you beat Dan Carter? 

The All Blacks legend has teamed up with UNICEF, setting a challenge for rugby enthusiasts with the aim to provide clean water, sanitation, and hygiene for children in the Pacific. 

In one hour Carter kicked 273 goals using one ball and one tee, and he’s challenging others to beat his score. 

He joined Piney to discuss the challenge, and give his thoughts on who could be a good option to play #10 for the upcoming All Blacks season. 

He told him that he’s pretty relaxed about the rules of the competition, instead he’s more focused on making sure people get outside, have some fun, and fundraise for a really good cause. 

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Piney and Bonnie review the last game of Wellington Phoenix's regular season and look ahead to finals football.

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James McOnie from The Crowd Goes Wild joined Piney to discuss the Warriors' struggles, the Super Rugby ANZAC Round, the Phoenix's chances of winning the A-League, NRL scouts at first XV rugby games, and the NFL draft.

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The Barmy Army's Chris Millard joined Piney to discuss the recently announced three-test English cricket tour taking place in New Zealand later this year.

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ZB sports commentator Elliott Smith joined Piney to recap all the Super Rugby highs and lows from this ANZAC Day weekend.

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Sweden made headlines after it refused to use Video Assistant Referees following a fan revolt against its introduction. 

BBC Newcastle commentator Matthew Raisbeck joined Piney to discuss the future of this technology.

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Questions are being raised as the World Anti-Doping Agency launches a review into a doping scandal at the Tokyo Olympics.

WADA has come under fire for its handling over allowing Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned heart medication to compete.

German investigative journalist Hajo Seppelt joined Piney to discuss the case.

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The Black Caps squad for the T20 World Cup in the West Indies and USA this June will be named tomorrow.

Cricket commentator and analyst Craig Cumming joined Piney to speculate ahead of the big reveal.

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One former Phoenix player is cautiously optimistic about the team's odds of winning the Premier's Plate.

The Phoenix need the Central Coast Mariners to lose their rescheduled game against Adelaide United on Wednesday.

Former goal-keeper Jacob Spoonley joined Piney to discuss.

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LIV Golf is back in Adelaide for another year. 

The Country's Jamie Mackay headed along to see what it's all about, calling in to give Piney the rundown. 

He told him that yesterday they were based at the ‘party hole’, otherwise known as the watering hole. 

“It was great seeing those golfers come through there. And once you got sick of that and sick of the booze and the noise, you could go and walk the course.” 

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From Germany to NZ, Anton Segner has become one of the best players on these shores. 

He’s starting on the blind-side for the Blues tonight, as the Reds host them at Suncorp Australia. 

Piney caught up with him to discuss his journey to New Zealand and how his game has improved since arriving. 

He told him that it’s been really cool to be around the team and be able to get feedback from them. 

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Tonight will see the Hurricanes clash against a wounded Brumbies side. 

The team has won their first eight matches, favoured to win in tonight’s game. 

Piney caught up with first five Brett Cameron to preview the match and dig into the Hurricanes form. 

He told him that they had a good feeling from the start. 

“We worked real hard throughout preseason and just sort of, yeah, changed the way we looked at preparing and challenging ourselves a bit more. Problem solving. So it’s really pleasing that yeah, that’s paying off.” 

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After a humbling loss at the hands of the Blues, the Brumbies are hosting the Hurricanes in tonight’s Super Rugby match. 

Our backup Australian Correspondent Brett McKay joined Piney to discuss the importance of this match for the ACT team and dive into the popularity of LIV Golf in Adelaide. 

He said that while he wouldn’t call tonight’s match a ‘must-win’ since there’s still plenty of time, they will need this win if they want to be deemed a serious contender for the top two slots. 

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Super Rugby has a new CEO. 

Jack Mesley is currently the CCO of A-Leagues will begin his new role when the current A-League season comes to an end. 

Chair of Super Rugby Pacific Kevin Malloy joined Piney to dive into the changes they hope will come from the appointment. 

He said that it’s quite a relief to finally get the new CEO in place. 

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Wellington Phoenix star Macey Fraser is off to the United States after Utah Royals paid the Phoenix a record transfer fee to secure her services. 

Piney catches up with her to discuss that news, and her football journey to date. 

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Marathon runner Cameron Avery is gearing up to try and qualify for the Olympic marathon, in just his second ever full marathon when he runs the Vienna Marathon. 

Piney catches up with him to talk about his journey and if he thinks it's a realistic goal.

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Kiwi Andre Heimgartner became the first person to win a Supercars race at Taupo. 

Piney caught up with Supercars legend Greg Murphy to get the wash up from day 1 in Taupo. 

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The Crusaders slumped to another defeat, this time at the hands of the Western Force in a battle for the Wooden Spoon. 

Piney discusses this with James McOnie, along with all the other big sport headlines from this week. 

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With the Olympics now less than 100 days away, Piney caught up with the Team NZ's Chef de Mission Nigel Avery to discuss how the preparations are going for the Olympic team, medal targets, and logistics around security.

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The New Zealand Warriors are flying high in the NRL – coming within one game of the Grand Final in 2023.

They’ve continued their form this season sitting firmly in the top eight – and getting plaudits on both sides of the Tasman.

So, what’s behind their recent success? How far can this club go? Will this be the Warriors' golden era?

The club’s CEO Cameron George joined Weekend Sport’s Jason Pine in studio on Sunday to answer all these questions.

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The Warriors have been one of the biggest stories across the ditch with their coup. 

Their signing of James Fisher-Harris was a well-kept secret, a thing that’s hard to pull off in Rugby League according to Adam Peacock. 

The Australian Correspondent joined Piney to dive into how it all went down. 

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The Blues and Brumbies are standing on equal ground leading into tonight’s clash. 

Each team has only lost one match, the Blues standing above the Brumbies on the board due to a points differential. 

They’re clashing at Eden Park, kicking off at 7:05pm. 

Blues coach Vern Cotter joined Piney to discuss how preparations have gone and what they expect to come from tonight. 

Cotter told him that the Brumbies will be a challenge, the team well-rounded, well-balanced, strong upfront and hard to break down if there’s no easy access points. 

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The Hurricanes are now 8 for 8 in Super Rugby. 

They picked up a win in Suva against the Fijian Drua, taking the win by 23 points. 

Assistant Coach Jamie Mackintosh joined Piney to dive into the match and break down the win. 

Mackintosh told him that while the win wasn’t perfect by any means, they got off to a good start and pushed the lead, which allowed them to hang on pretty well in the second half. 

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Supercars has made its return to New Zealand’s tracks this weekend. 

The Taupō Super400 kicked off yesterday afternoon at the Taupō International Motorsport Park for the first time, the third different NZ venue to host a championship round. 

Supercars legend Craig Lowndes is attending this weekend and joined Piney for a chat about the importance of having a NZ stop in the Supercars calendar. 

He told Piney that he loves coming here as we have some fantastic events and some absolutely beautiful places to visit. 

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The NZ Warriors have been humbled in Wollongong as they fell to a heavy defeat against the struggling Dragons. 

The Australian league steamrolled the Warriors, beating them by a full eighteen points despite the Warriors early lead. 

Michael Burgess joined Piney to discuss what went wrong for the New Zealand club. 

He said that it’s just not the kind of performance we’ve become used to in Andrew Webster’s tenure. 

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Jordie Barrett has broken the trend, heading off to Ireland for his rugby sabbatical at the end of this year as opposed to Japan. 

He’s also the first player to commit their services to NZ Rugby beyond the 2027 World Cup. 

NZR GM of Professional Rugby, Chris Lendrum, joined Jason Pine to discuss the importance of signing Jordie long-term, and what his sabbatical means. 

He told Piney that the signing operates as a signal to everybody else that they All Blacks are going to continue to mean business well into the future, and they couldn’t be happier. 

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Many All Blacks will use a sabbatical to rest the body or grow their bank balance — both reasonable priorities for high-performance athletes.  

Jordie Barrett, however, had his head turned by a different incentive when signing a short-term deal with Irish heavyweight Leinster. 

“There’s a bit of a balance,” Barrett told Newstalk ZB’s Jason Pine. “In the past, sabbaticals have been for All Blacks who have played X number of tests. It was almost time to re-energise and change the environment, just to come back and set yourself up better to add longevity to your career. 

“That was the forefront of my decision as well, but I saw it as a great opportunity to go to a place where I believe I’ll come back a better rugby player.” 

It’s difficult to dispute that a six-month spell in Ireland will have the desired effect. 

After this year’s northern tour, Barrett will remain in Europe and compete with the best the continent — and South Africa — has to offer. 

Jordie Barrett during the Rugby World Cup final against the Springboks. Photo / Photosport 

He’ll be competing for a spot, too, while facing the familiar pressure to win every game and trophy on offer. 

It’s hardly going to be a holiday and such demands are just what Barrett wanted, knocking back more lucrative offers from Japan while re-signing with New Zealand Rugby through 2028. 

“[Money] is certainly a serious component,” Barrett said. “For different individuals, that can be at the top of the tree or somewhere a little further down. 

“I put my development and my experiences, and my thinking of coming back and trying to be a better rugby player and a better All Black and a better Hurricane, right at the top of that tree. That took priority over all the other options I had. 

“My eyes were only ever heading towards Japan and having a wee stint there. But Leinster put an offer forward, and basically just the prestige of their club and what they’ve done in the past and the direction they’re heading in the future really stuck out and excited me.” 

That future, Leinster fans will demand, must involve major silverware after a couple of seasons without. With both competitions currently ongoing, the club last lifted the Champions Cup in 2018, while their last success in the United Rugby Championship came in 2021. 

If all goes well and Leinster advances to the finals of both during his spell, Barrett expects to play about 16 games, dismissing workload concerns for what will be a 28-year-old body. 

“I feel like I should be playing some of my best rugby there,” he said. “The challenge of playing Champions Cup and URC finals is something I’d love to walk towards and feel like it’d grow my game. 

“There’s a big block in February-March [during the Six Nations] where I won’t be playing any rugby. Essentially that’s going to be my big break. 

“It looks as though I’m just going rugby to rugby and there’s no break there, but I’ll be managed throughout the season.” 

That plan would likely have eased some concern Scott Robertson had over sending his star midfielder on an arduous trip. Barrett discussed the move with the All Blacks coach and emphasised his commitment to Robertson’s reign by signing on past the next World Cup. 

“Razor was really good and really understanding and saw it through my eyes,” Barrett said. “Not many players go to Europe for their sabbatical so it was a different sort of discussion, but I’m grateful Razor and NZR agreed and put a plan in place for me. 

“Carrying a little bit of hurt from the last World Cup, it’s motivating me and a lot of other boys to have a really good few years and set ourselves up to hopefully go one better in a few years’ time. 

“It’s an interesting transition with new coaches and a lot of new players but I think it’s an exciting time for New Zealand rugby, and one I wanted to be part of.” 

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Piney and Bonnie review the Phoenix's thrilling 1-0 win over Victory and assess their Premier's Plate chances.

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Ahead of this year's World Snooker Championships, commentator Alisha Singh joined Piney to discuss the event.

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James McOnie from the Crowd Goes Wild joined Piney to talk about the ongoing Super Rugby season, the Warriors' latest draw, and the Masters tournament.

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The Warriors have clawed their way to a 22-all draw with the Sea Eagles in their NRL contest at Mt Smart.

The home side overcame an 8-point deficit with a minute to play to force the game to golden point extra time - with neither side unable to take the win.

Rugby league analyst Peter Peters joined Piney to discuss.

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The Bay Oval board can't believe they've missed out on a Black Caps test match against England.

Christchurch, Wellington and Hamilton will host the three-match pre-Christmas series - the only red-ball fixtures on the international calendar.

Bay Oval Trust chairman Craig Greenlees joined Piney to discuss his shock and disappointment in missing out.

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Kiwi golfer Ryan Fox has slid down the leaderboard after a frustrating third round at golf's Masters.

Fox has signed for a five-over 77 round to be four-over for the tournament in a share of 26th.

Scottie Scheffler leads at seven-under, one clear of Collin Morikawa.

International sports reporter Graeme Agars joins Piney to discuss.

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Super Rugby Aupiki reaches its climax this afternoon as the Blues Women hosts Chiefs Manawa in the final. 

The Blues are entering the game with a five-win, one-loss campaign, aiming to continue their winning streak. 

Piney caught up with Niall Williams-Guthrie from Blues women to preview the match. 

She told him that this year has been way better than she could ever imagine. 

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The Super Rugby Aupiki final is kicking off tonight, the Chiefs Manawa facing off against the Blues for the title. 

Ahead of the game, Piney caught up with Grace Kukutai from Chiefs Manawa to preview the final and discuss her unusual journey to the 15s. 

She told him that after losing their last two games, they’ve nailed down the big things they need to fix about their play. 

In the past they’ve had a mixed success rate against the Blues with one win and one loss, and Kukutai reckons tonight's game will be a great battle. 

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It’s once again time to catch up on the biggest stories from our neighbours across the ditch, and Adam Peacock has the details. 

Champion New Zealand racemare Imperatriz retired in a shocking move on Thursday, the mare retiring with a total of 10 Group 1 victories. 

Peacock said that last spring, she was pretty much the best sprinter in the world but didn’t quite hit the heights this preparation. 

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The Warriors are looking to make it 4 wins in a row as they face off against the Sea Eagles at Mt Smart this afternoon. 

Piney caught up with Warriors second rower and off-season signing Kurt Capewell to preview the game and discuss how his move to New Zealand is going for him. 

He told Piney that they’ve definitely been improving week by week, and as long as that keeps building, they can hopefully keep stacking the wins up. 

“Winning is fun, winning’s good, at the end of the day, that’s what we’re here to do." 

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Hurricanes Halfback Richard Judd was just a week away from having voluntary surgery when Cam Roigard went down with a serious injury, and now he's been thrust into the spotlight. 

He caught up with Piney to discuss his season and the rollercoaster of a week he's been having. 

Judd said that despite the circumstances, he’s happy he’s on the bench and will hopefully get some good game time this season. 

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The second round of the golf Masters has been brutal, with the weather really putting the 'gust’ in Augusta. 

Graeme Agars, international sports reporter and avid golf fan, joined Piney to give an update on how Ryan Fox, Tiger Woods, and the rest of the big names are tracking. 

He told Piney that anything around a 72 was a fantastic score as while the wind was bad at the start of the day, it was diabolical by the end of it. 

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With news of World Athletics offering a bonus payment to gold medal winners at the Paris Olympics, some Kiwis stand to benefit. 

The organisation has set aside a total of US$2.4 million to allocate to the winners of the 48 events. 

Kiwi high jumper and gold medal hopeful Hamish Kerr joined Piney to discuss what this means for him and other athletes. 

He told Piney that while it doesn’t change his approach or motivation going into the games, it does change the tone and outlook of where they could go as a sport, as far as motivating young people to get into athletics. 

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Track and Field has become the first sport to pay athletes for their Olympic gold medals. 

World Athletics, the governing body that oversees worldwide track and field events, will be awarding $50,000 in prize money to gold medalists are the 2024 Paris Olympics. 

They’ve set aside a total of $2.4 million to go to medalists across the 48 men’s, women’s, and mixed events, with relay teams splitting the $50,000 amongst themselves. 

Long serving member and former Vice President of the IOC, Dick Pound, told Jason Pine that with a leading sport like athletics going in this direction, it’s likely other prominent sports will start to face pressure to do something similar. 

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Piney and Bonnie analyse the repercussions of the Phoenix men's loss to Central Coast and unpack the Football Ferns' 4-0 win over Thailand.

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Piney and Bonnie analyse the repercussions of the Phoenix men's loss to Central Coast and unpack the Football Ferns' 4-0 win over Thailand.

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James McOnie from the Crowd Goes Wild joins Piney to discuss the Warriors' win, Caitlin Clark at March Madness, Seilala Mapusua's sacking, the 'lop-sided' weekend for Super Rugby and Sam Whitelock's retirement- among other big sports stories of the week.

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New Zealand’s women’s basketball league has announced several new changes, including bigger salaries, revamped schedules and potential international expansion.

Former basketballer and netballer Donna Wilkins joins Piney to discuss these developments- and what they might mean for the future of women's basketball.

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TVNZ+ is set to debut a nine-part documentary series featuring a series of candidates competing for a spot in top gym City Kickboxing.

Ahead of the release of 'Relentless', City Kickboxing head coach Eugene Bareman joined Piney to discuss.

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Dame Noeline Taurua's expected to lead the Silver Ferns to more achievements for years to come.

The 56-year-old's been contracted for another two years, which is likely to be extended to the 2027 World Cup if results trend in the right direction.

Netball NZ chief executive Jennie Wyllie explains how Taurua's re-hiring will push the team in a new direction.

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Parker Jackson-Cartwright is ready to write another chapter in his Breakers career.

The guard's re-signed for another NBL season, after guiding the New Zealand club to the playoffs, where they fell short of the Illawarra Hawks.

Jackson-Cartwright joined Piney to discuss this next step.

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A third successive win for the Warriors is in the books following Saturday evening's match.

The team thrashed the South Sydney Rabbitohs 34-4 on the road.

Assistant coach Stacey Jones says the team weathered the onslaught from the Rabbitohs- especially during the all-important back half of the match.

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The Football Ferns are facing Thailand in a couple of international friendlies, the first of which kicked off at 3pm today. 

The games are taking place in Christchurch, home to forward Gabi Rennie. 

She joined Jason Pine for a chat ahead of today’s match and a look into how preparations are going for Olympic selections. 

“At this rate, our main priority is definitely get the wins,” Rennie told Piney. 

“After the World Cup we’ve, you know, haven’t had that much opportunity to play other than the Samoa Tour, so it’s going to be really good for us to get some good wins.” 

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After two losses to start the 2024 season, the Warriors are officially back up and running. 

They’ve gone back to back in the last fortnight with wins over the Raiders and the Knights and are aiming for a third against the South Sydney Rabbitohs. 

Tonight’s game kicks off at 5pm, and the teams had to shakeup it’s lineup with five players now out of the game. 

Warriors legend Kevin Campion told Piney that despite the loss, the team has enough depth and games under their belt. 

“I think it’ll be just all systems go today.” 

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The Chiefs are taking on Moana Pasifika tonight in Hamilton and Chiefs halfback Cortez Ratima is coming off the bench to face them. 

Last week saw the team lose to the Crusaders, 37-26, Ratima saying the issue was more of an attitude issue than a systemic one. 

“I think it’s more a mindset thing rather than skill set. I think the boys have the skills, but it’s just trying to apply it out on the field.” 

He joined Piney to preview tonight’s match and dig into his aspirations to make it to the All Blacks. 

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It’s been a busy week of sport across the ditch, and our Australian Correspondent Adam Peacock is back to give us the downlow. 

On the agenda today was Mike Cron’s decision to ditch the All Blacks and join up with the Wallabies, the naming of the men’s Olympic football team, and of course, the NRL match of the season between the Broncos and the Storm. 

According to Adam, Adam Reynolds injury may spell disaster for the Broncos. 

“He’s so good at setting the tempo for a young, energetic Broncos team that if he’s not there, it’s gonna make it harder for the Broncos to finish top and get an easy draw in the finals.” 

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With Cam Roigard’s injury taking him out of the game, the talents of New Zealand’s halfbacks are being tested.

Piney caught up with Sky Sport commentator Tony Johnson to discuss who the All Blacks may be considering taking Roigard’s place, and TJ Perenara seems like he might be up to the task. 

“He looks eager, we know about his playing ability,” Johnson told Piney. 

“I think he just has to prove that he’s got all his old skills, and if he can do that, then I think he comes right back into the front line of contention.” 

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Piney and Bonnie break down wins for both Phoenix sides over Easter and hand out their end-of-season awards for the women's team.

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James McOnie from The Crowd Goes Wild joined Piney to discuss Chris Woods' success in the EPL, Crusaders on the board, March Madness and the Pasifika Rugby Hall of Fame.

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Famed coaching expert Wayne Goldsmith joined Piney to examine how grassroots coaches can get ahead and work with the best teams in the business.

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Former Black Cap Shane Thomson joins Piney to look back on his playing days- and examines whether he'd do well at T20 cricket.

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Former Australian cricketer Greg Matthews is still remembered as one of the nation's sporting greats.

Matthews played 33 test matches, 59 ODIs for Australia and that earned him a legion of fans between the 1980s and the 1990s.

Matthews himself joined Piney to discuss.

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Belief remains at an all-time high ahead of the Warriors' hotly anticipated clash tonight.

Last year's preliminary finalists will look to build momentum from their first win of the campaign when they host the Newcastle Knights at Mt Smart this evening.

Warriors recruitment manager Andrew McFadden joined Piney to discuss.

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