Weekend Sport with Jason Pine

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Piney and Bonnie review the last game of Wellington Phoenix's regular season and look ahead to finals football. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

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

ZB sports commentator Elliott Smith joined Piney to recap all the Super Rugby highs and lows from this ANZAC Day weekend. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Piney and Bonnie review the Phoenix's thrilling 1-0 win over Victory and assess their Premier's Plate chances. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ahead of this year's World Snooker Championships, commentator Alisha Singh joined Piney to discuss the event. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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