Weekend Sport with Jason Pine

Significant changes are coming to New Zealand’s rugby game. NZ Rugby’s governance vote took place on Thursday, and the Provincial Union's Proposal Two has won out. Peter Winchester is the chair of Canterbury Rugby and spokesperson for the Provincial Unions, and joined Piney to discuss what this vote means for rugby going forward. He told him that they believe that provincial involvement on a governance level is needed to keep the community game strong. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Buller rugby legend James Lash joins Piney to talk about being called up as an emergency fill-in for Suburbs rugby. This move took them from a 27-0 deficit to a 27-28 win to win the Best of the West Cup in Auckland premier rugby. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Oxford United have managed to snag themselves a spot in the EFL Championship, after beating out the Bolton Wanderers. Coach Des Buckingham joined Piney to discuss the team's progress. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James McOnie of The Crowd Goes Wild joined Piney to discuss this weekend's Super Rugby, the A-League grand final, Luka Doncic in the NBA playoffs and James Preston's new record. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ahead of Monday's highly-anticipated IndyCar event, one motorsport reporter joined Piney to speculate. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Hesson, former Black Caps coach and newly appointed Te Korowai board member, joins Piney to discuss how the organisation aims to provide support for coaches. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former Olympic boardsailor Barbara Kendall has managed to maintain a solid athletic legacy. Kendall was the first New Zealand woman to win an Olympic boardsailing medal, at Barcelona in 1992. She followed it up with silver and bronze medals at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics - and was later inducted into the International Sailing Hall of Fame in 2007. She joined Piney to discuss her accomplishments ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's a banner day for Kiwi athletics. The late Sir Peter Snell's 62-year-old 800m national record has been broken by James Preston at a meet in Germany - by point two six (0.26) of a second. It's an Olympic qualifying mark - pending selection by the national committee. Preston says he's incredibly proud. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Crusaders have kept their Super Rugby playoff hopes alive with the upset of the season, beating the Blues 29-27 in Christchurch.If the Highlanders beat the Drua and deny the Fijians a bonus point in Dunedin this afternoon, the Crusaders will be just two points off the top-eight playoff zone, going into the last round. Crusaders assistant coach James Marshall joined Piney to discuss the good news. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our number one Timbersport athlete Jack Jordan is in Italy as he attempts a three-peat in the World Timbersport Trophy. He caught up with Piney before the event gets underway. Jordan told him that you can’t take anyone lightly in this competition because you never know when you might slip up. “You’ve just got to go flat out.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Blues are looking to continue their winning streak. They’re taking on the Crusaders tonight in Christchurch, aiming to retake the top spot from the Hurricanes with just one round left to play. Harry Plummer, Blues Playmaker, joined Jason Pine to preview the match. He told him that although they’re only two rounds out from the playoffs and there’s really exciting things brewing, they’re focused on making sure they get things right in the next two weeks. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Phoenix's most successful season came to a tough end last week. Their chances at the Premiers Plate were cut down by the Melbourne Victory, losing 1-2. Piney caught up with head coach Giancarlo Italiano to reflect on how the season went. He told him that it’s still hard to come to terms with their loss. “In a couple of months, I think the players and staff will be thinking back at, you know, we we’re that close. Even though we created history for the club, I think we, you know, we had the ability to go that one step further.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the Warriors star players has been put in timeout. Addin Fonua-Blake has been stood down for this week's game by Coach Andrew Webster. Our Australian correspondent Adam Peacock joined Piney to discuss what the reaction to that news has been like across the ditch. He told him that Webster has done the right thing, as if to say well no, I’m bigger than this, so have a spell. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a historic loss to Canada last week, the Black Ferns are looking to bounce back against Australia. Piney caught up with fullback Renee Holmes ahead of that match to see how their preparations are going. She told him that when they have these losses, they just have to make sure they learn from them. "I can't wait for this Black Ferns group to unleash themselves on Saturday." LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After spending 4 years away from the Australian Test team, Mitchell Marsh was recalled ahead of last year's Ashes. He became an indispensable performer for the baggy greens during the series. He joined Piney to discuss his return, the upcoming T20 World Cup, and season three of The Test- available now on Prime Video. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hurricanes and Chiefs were vying for a top of the table spot Friday night, the Canes walking away with the coveted position. Brett Cameron, Hurricanes first five, became a hero for his side after kicking the match-winning penalty. He caught up with Jason Pine to review the match. Cameron told him that although it's a pressure filled situation, you have to treat it like it’s just another kick. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Seven months, more than 100 hours of interviews and 133 pages. That was what former Port of Tauranga chair David Pilkington undertook when he was appointed panel chair of an independent review of the constitution, governance structure and processes of New Zealand Rugby Union Incorporated. That review, dubbed the “New Zealand Rugby Governance Review” or “Pilkington Review” and its recommendations, published in August of last year, found that the current governance structure was “not fit for purpose” and that changes must be made for the good of rugby in this country. It has since had a counter-proposal put forward by a group of provincial union boards, in conjunction with other key stakeholders, known as Proposal Two. A Special General Meeting has been called for May 30 for those with voting power to decide between adopting the Pilkington Review’s recommendations or Proposal Two. Pilkington told Newstalk ZB’s Jason Pine that he and his other panel members always knew there would be pushback on their recommendations. “Any significant change was going to be challenging to the provincial unions, but we made it very clear to the two commissioning parties, the [New Zealand] Players Association and the New Zealand Rugby board, that we would come forward with what we considered to be what the game needed and what represented best practice and not something that would pass by way of vote.” The fact that the recommendations he and the panel had put forward had not been adopted, 10 months later, only justified the conclusions they came to, Pilkington said. “That is the inability of the current structure to provide single, clear leadership to rugby across the wider ecosystem [which] is evidence of the chaos over the last 10 months,” he said. Pilkington made it clear to Pine that he disagreed with the notion that Proposal Two differed only slightly from the review’s recommendations. “That I think is totally wrong because the PU [provincial unions] proposal will in our view simply reinforce the status quo.” He said that after speaking with every major stakeholder within rugby in New Zealand over the course of the review process, there were no assertions made that the current structure was working in the best interests of rugby. “There was widespread recognition that significant change was needed.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James McOnie from The Crowd Goes Wild host joined ZB's Elliott Smith to discuss the Wellington Phoenix loss, the ongoing Super Rugby season, the Warriors, the Auckland stadium debate and Scottie Scheffler. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nick Sautner, Jim Doyle and Richard Dellabarca join ZB's Elliott Smith to outline their pitches for Auckland's new national stadium. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Round 5 of netball's ANZ Premiership is expected to begin this evening. Accomplished defender Kelly Jackson joined Piney ahead of the event. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. The Herald understands 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.” LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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'. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.