Weekend Sport with Jason Pine

Martin Devlin chats to former Warriors coach and our Rugby League expert Tony Kemp, reviewingSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The DRS, with Martin Devlin on Newstalk ZB on Saturday's and Sundays between 12pm and 3pm, compacted into a podcast for Saturday the 10th of April. Brought to you by Access Solutions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elliott Smith, standing in for Martin Devlin chats to Gold AM Rugby commentator Paul Allison, who's celebrating a win that no one saw coming, as the Highlanders beat the Champion Crusaders 33-12 in Christchurch on Friday night.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elliott Smith, standing in for Martin Devlin chats to former Sharks Grand Final winning coach Shane Flanagan. Now part of the 2GB Continuous Call Team out of Sydney, they talk the latest round of the NRL as they look ahead to the Warriors game against the Roosters on Easter Sunday.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elliott Smith, standing in for Martin Devlin on Newstalk ZB chats to the Vice President of Athletic Performance and Sports Medicine Chelsea Lane. They chat her role at the Hawks, how she ended up working in the NBA and what its like working alonside some of the best athletes in America.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elliott Smith, standing in for Martin Devlin on Newstalk ZB chats to Matt McIlraith, the author of a book recently released called Crusade on, which looks back on 25 years of Crusaders Rugby.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Elliott Smith, standing in for Martin Devlin chats to Black Caps coach Gary Stead, as he reflects on a successful summer which saw the Caps win all 7 series they were part of, while looking ahead to a potential side to take on India in the World Test Championship later on this year.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The DRS, with Martin Devlin on NewstalK ZB on Monday night's from 7pm until 8pm, compacted into a podcast for Monday 29th of November.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ask the Question, a new segment on the DRS whereby listeners send audio messages on Whats App to the Devlin Radio Show phone number which will play on Saturday's and Sunday's - 0274843377. 0274THEDRSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The DRS, with Martin Devlin on Newstalk ZB on Saturday's and Sunday's from 12pm until 3pm, compacted into a podcast for Sunday 28th of March. Brought to you by Access Solutions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Former England rugby coach Sir Clive Woodward believes Scott Robertson has all the credentials to take the helm of the national team, should Eddie Jones move on.A poor showing in the Six Nations and criticism around his coaching methods has made Jones' future uncertain.UK media has touted Robertson as the perfect replacement.Woodward - who led England to their 2003 World Cup victory - told Martin Devlin what makes the current Crusaders coach special."Clearly, he's a winner, he's successful, he's very good with people."He says that Robertson would "love it" if he got the job."I just get a really good feeling about him. Even though I'm kind of old now, would I like to play for him? Yes, without even knowing him, just from seeing the way his team plays."LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin chats to Welsh Rugby coach, New Zealander Wayne Pivac, fresh off the back of winning of winning his first Six Nations title when France failed to beat Scotland in their final game.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ask the Question, a new segment on the DRS whereby listeners send audio messages on Whats App to the Devlin Radio Show phone number which will play on Saturday's and Sunday's - 0274843377. 0274THEDRSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin chats to former Rugby League great Wayne Pearce, about his impressions of Nathan Brown as coach of the Warriors as well as what its like working with Peter V'landy's in his role as one of the commissioners for Australian Rugby League.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The DRS, with Martin Devlin on Newstalk ZB on Saturday's and Sunday's from 12pm until 3pm, compacted into a podcast for Saturday 27th of March. Brought to you by Access Solutions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin chats to former Black Caps great and current spin bowling coach for Bangladesh, Daniel Vettori - about the struggles of the Bangladesh side in this ODI series as well as what he makes of this current Black Caps side.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The DRS, with Martin Devlin on Newstalk ZB on Saturday's, Sunday's and Mondays - compacted into a podcast for Monday 22nd of March.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin of Newstalk ZB chats to Black Caps bastman Martin Guptill, the day after an impressive win against Bangladesh in the opening ODI in Dunedin.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin chats to Chiefs coach Clayton McMillan, fresh off the back of their first win of Super Rugby Aotearoa 2021, and their first win in 12 games in Super Rugby.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The DRS, with Martin Devlin on Newstalk ZB on Saturday's and Sunday's from 12pm until 3pm, compacted into a podcast for Sunday the 21st of March. Brought to you by Access Solutions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin chats to former Warriors coach Tony Kemp, reviewing the Warriors 2nd round loss against the Newcastle Knights on the Central Coast, 20-16.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin chats to Team New Zealand sailors Andy Maloney and Josh Junior, a few days on from retaining the 36th America's Cup against Team Luna Rossa of Italy.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ask the Question, a new segment on the DRS whereby listeners send audio messages on Whats App to the Devlin Radio Show phone number which will play on Saturday's and Sunday's - 0274843377. 0274THEDRSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The DRS, with Martin Devlin on Newstalk ZB on Saturday's and Sunday's from 12pm until 3pm, compacted into a podcast for Saturday 20th of March. Brought to you by Access Solutions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin chats to Peter Montgomery and Chris Steele of the Gold AM and Newstalk ZB Americas Cup commentary team reflecting on a surreal day's racing on the Hauraki Gulf which saw Team New Zealand go up 5-3 in the first to 7 races of the 36th America's Cup.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The DRS, with Martin Devlin on Newstalk ZB on Saturday's and Sunday's from 12pm until 3pm, compacted into a podcast for Sunday the 14th of March. Brought to you by Access Solutions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin chats to former Kangaroos and Balmain great Steve 'Blocker' Roach about the upcoming NRL season and how he sees the Warriors going under the tutelage of new coach Nathan Brown.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin chats to former World Number One and Open Championship winner David Duval, reflecting on the world of golf and some of his memories of winning the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass back in 1999.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Legendary Formula 1 commentator Murray Walker has died at the age of 97.The former BBC commentator's first call was the 1949 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, the year before F1 began.He then became the voice of Formula One with the BBC and ITV before retiring in 2001."His passion and love of the sport inspired millions of fans around the world," F1 tweeted. "He will forever be a part of our history, and will be dearly missed."Walker was a World War II veteran who commanded a Sherman tank and fought in the Battle of the Reichswald with the Fourth Armoured Brigade."I was in a tank regiment during the war and when I came out I started racing bikes for excitement," he told the Herald in 2011.His love of motorsport came from his father who was a winner of the famous Isle of Man time trial."I was reasonably good at club standard but I was never going to be the superstar I wanted to be. You know what they say - those that can do it do, and those that can't talk about it. So I started talking about racing,'' Walker said.That led to a remarkable career of more than 50 years behind the mic. Though it did see a few Walker-isms as he often took replay shots for live action."... and here comes Damon Hill in the Williams. This car is absolutely unique - except for the one behind it, which is exactly the same ...''"... he's on four grooved front tyres ...''"You can see the cooling elements coming out of his balaclava.'' To which Martin Brundle replied, "That's his hair.''"What's that? There's a body on the track!'' To which James Hunt replied, "Um, I think that that is a piece of bodywork from someone's car.''"So Bernie [Ecclestone], in the 17 years since you bought McLaren, which of your many achievements do you think was the most memorable?''"Well I don't remember buying McLaren,'' said Ecclestone.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's far too premature for the "this is our year" chants to start circulating with any genuine intent but the first match of Nathan Brown's tenure offered hope the Warriors will be a different beast in 2021.Central Coast Stadium in Gosford, the Warriors' adopted home for the foreseeable future, turned on sweltering conditions on Saturday afternoon. Temperatures soared past 31 degrees which made drink breaks mandatory and left the big men in the middle battling for breath.By the finish, there was only one team hacking the heat.Tries to Bayley Sironen, one of eight new signings this season, Leeson Ah Mau and Kodi Nikorima propelled the Warriors to an impressive 19-6 opening round victory over the Gold Coast Titans, widely tipped to provide much sterner tests after luring Origin stars David Fifita and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui during the offseason.Brown, taking the reins of his third NRL club, was expected to improve the Warriors attack by bringing back the offload and significantly bolstering the forward pack after acquiring the likes of Addin Fonua-Blake and Ben Murdoch-Masila.Fonua-Blake impressed on club debut by carrying for 192 metres - his late footwork at the line, offloads and leg drive proving difficult to handle.Yet this win, in the energy-sapping heat, revealed a committed defensive attitude not seen from the Warriors for some time, with constant pressure forcing frequent mistakes from the Titans, who scored their only try through Corey Thompson with six minutes remaining.Bunty Afoa's impact off the bench and Tohu Harris' consistent efforts in the middle of the park helped lay the platform as the Warriors completed a remarkable 91 per cent of their sets (39-43) - that control merely one positive sign.The Warriors' kicking game struggled at times but Nikorima recovered from second-half cramp to assume responsibility and steadily build on the Warriors' 6-0 halftime advantage.The Warriors also had to battle on after losing hooker Wayde Egan and Sironen to head knocks in the second half.While attacking highlights were few and far between in the first spell, the Warriors defence stood out.Roger Tuivasa-Sheck pulled off two try-saving tackles, Peta Hiku and new signing Sironen put on big shots. But the most impressive stand came to close out the first half, with the Warriors repelling three repeat sets on their own line.Former Souths back-rower Sironen made an early impression with his shot forcing an error and he then scored the Warriors' first try of the season with a simple hit and spin to expose tiring Titans defence.The Warriors could have applied more pressure in the first half but several Chanel Harris-Tavita bombs to the corner lacked height to hand over possession without a contest.Led, as always, by Ken Maumalo, the Warriors backline did a solid job of helping their pack bring the ball out of their half.As far as starts go, Brown could not have asked for much more, not least given the Warriors have lost 17 round-one matches in their history.Now for the consistency Brown has demanded since taking charge.Warriors 19 (Bayley Sironen, Leeson Ah Mau, Kodi Nikorima tries; Nikorima 3 cons, Chanel Harris-Tavita field goal)Titans 6 (Corey Thompson try; Ashley Taylor con)HT: 6-0text by Liam Napier, NZ HeraldSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The DRS, with Martin Devlin on Newstalk ZB on Saturday's and Sunday's from 12pm until 3pm, compacted into a podcast for Saturday 13th March. Brought to you by Access Solutions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ask the Question, a new segment on the DRS whereby listeners send audio messages on Whats App to the Devlin Radio Show phone number which will play on Saturday's and Sunday's - 0274843377. 0274THEDRSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin chats to Josh Junior, on board on of Team New Zealand and ready to go for the 36th America's Cup, starting Wednesday against Luna Rossa Prada.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin chats to Phil Murphy out of ESPN Australasia, reflecting on Israel Adesanya's first loss as an MMA fighter, losing in the Light Heavyweight division to Polish fighter Jan Blachowicz in Las Vegas.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ask the Question, a new segment on the DRS whereby listeners send audio messages on Whats App to the Devlin Radio Show phone number which will play on Saturday's and Sunday's - 0274843377. 0274THEDRSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Warriors have hatched a plan to flood New Zealand with their NRL games in 2022, and some Australian clubs are backing the move.Warriors chief executive Cameron George plans to buy home games off their NRL opponents and play them around the country.The club is marooned in Australia for a second season because of Covid-19 travel restrictions. Their 2021 campaign won't return to Mt Smart Stadium until June 21 at earliest, having played all their games in Australia in 2020.They will seek compensation from the NRL but are being proactive about kick-starting the game here in 2022, planning to spend over $2.5m to acquire home game rights from opponents.George indicated to the Herald-Sun that some opponents were willing to play ball, and he has reached out to investors to back the scheme. NRL clubs reportedly make about $250,000 per home game."I've already started discussing with certain NRL clubs whether they would consider selling us their home game to come to New Zealand next year," he said."I'm trying to build a portfolio of games to play in New Zealand next year and get as many as we can to play over there."For example, instead of playing the likes of the Raiders in Canberra,I'd buy that game off them and bring them to Wellington or Christchurch."We play 10 home games next year, plus the Magic Round in Brisbane. I'd love to buy as many away games from the Australian-based clubs and play a minimum 16 NRL games here. We'd love up to 20 games."He is also asking the NRL to schedule as many games as possible in the prime 8pm Friday kickoff spot."(That) gives the game a really good launch pad - it's about relaunching the game in New Zealand, not just the Warriors," George said."The way to do that is to play as many games as we can in New Zealand."Under the scheme, the NRL would pay for the Australian teams' travel, instead of what would have been the Warriors' costs.George said that because the Warriors had paid such a high price to keep the NRL afloat during the pandemic, rival clubs had indicated a willingness to be part of the scheme to "spread the gospel"...at the right price.The club is down about $300,000 per lost home game, and George said it had affected membership."We will be knocking on the NRL's door at some stage," he said."It has really impacted on our financial position in the short, mid and long term."See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The DRS, with Martin Devlin on Newstalk ZB on Saturday's and Sunday's from 12pm until 3pm, compacted into a podcast for Sunday 7th of March. Brought to you by Access Solutions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin chats to Chiefs Assistant coach David Hill,reflecting on the back of the Chiefs opening game loss at home to the Highlanders 39 23.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin chats to former Australian netballer Sharelle McMahon about the Constellation Cup thats underway between New Zealand and Australia in Christchurch, as well as some of her memories of breaking kiwi hearts at the World Championships final back in 1999.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The DRS is also on What's App, and we are taking your recorded Voice Message Questions whenever, and wherever you want. The number is 0274THEDRS (0274843377). If you send through a question for Martin as an audio message to that number, we'll play it out on the show on "Ask the Question" - Saturday 6th MarchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The DRS, with Martin Devlin on Newstalk ZB on Saturday's and Sunday's from 12pm until 3pm, compacted into a podcast for Saturday 6th March. Brought to you by Access Solutions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin chats to Australian cricketer Ashton Agar, ahead of the 3rd T20 match of the series against the Black Caps in Wellington. The series will continue without fans for the time being, so we get Ashton's thoughts on all of that.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ask the Question, a new segment on the DRS whereby listeners send audio messages on Whats App to the Devlin Radio Show phone number which will play on Saturday's and Sunday's - 0274843377. 0274THEDRSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The DRS, with Martin Devlin on Newstalk ZB on Saturday's and Sunday's from 12pm until 3pm, compacted into a podcast for Saturday 28th February. Brought to you by Access Solutions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you were gathering evidence that the Blues could be the real deal in 2021, their 31-16 season-opening victory over the Hurricanes would make a strong start to the prosecution's case.A conviction may still be ways away, but by toppling the hosts in Wellington, and doing so with a dominant set-piece performance, savvy discipline and strong defence, there are promising signs for the Blues' second Super Rugby Aotearoa campaign.A counter-argument could be formed that their sloppy opposition provided a few helpful gifts that won't be as forthcoming on future travels. The Hurricanes, as has seemingly been their style since Covid-19 brought Super Rugby Aotearoa into existence, had problems with their discipline, giving away two deserved yellow cards, and their inexperienced halves combination struggled to give space to the likes of Ngani Laumape and promising returnee Julian Savea.Yet, away wins in this competition are extremely valuable, and by joining the Crusaders in nabbing one in the opening week, the Blues have made an early indication that they deserve the status of the second-best team in the competition.For years, the Blues were heavily criticised for not being able to do the little things that conventional rugby wisdom correlates with winning. But by closing out a tight game, winning the clichéd "battle up front", and managing to grind through a significant period of ugly play, the signs are good that Leon MacDonald's men have the substance to build on last season's breakout.That ugly play consisted of a large chunk of the first half, after an electric start which saw a trio of confused Hurricanes forwards attempt to string passes together near their own goaline, Dalton Papalii pouncing on the mistake and scoring – before the Blues decided to try their own Keystone Cops routine, managing to dive over, near and underneath Asafo Aumua as he barged through five defenders and caterpillared his way to the line.Six minutes in, and the game was alive, but the next 34 minutes were bogged down with endless penalties, scrums, and everyone's favourite – scrum penalties. The Hurricanes were the biggest culprits, with the Blues' All Blacks-laden pack dominating the scrum, and after five penalties in six minutes, James Blackwell was sent to the bin after straying offside.Julian Savea's return – showing glimpses of his old self when given space, and even clearer flashbacks when forced to barge over defenders in no space – briefly saw him shifted to the side of the scrum, but against the odds, the Hurricanes held on, and two booming Jordie Barrett penalties gave them an 11-7 halftime lead.It was against the run of play, but more fitting was the start to the second half, where smooth interplay led to a break from Akira Ioane, who went where few have gone before by fending off Ardie Savea. A penalty advantage followed, and a crosskick from Otere Black bounced kindly for Caleb Clarke who dotted down.The whistle continued to favour the Blues five minutes later, as Du'Plessis Kirifi – on for the poor Vaea Fifita - was carded for what busy but communicative referee Paul Williams deemed a "cynical" breakdown infringement on his own line.By then, the well-performed propping duo of James Lay and Nepo Laulala had been replaced by Karl Tu'inukuafe and Ofa Tuungafasi, but their supremacy was just as obvious, as the resulting scrum led to a three-on-one overlap which Stephen Perofeta – impressive on return from injury – finished off.Down by 10, Aumua's second try – firing out of a stalled lineout drive like a bullet – gave the Hurricanes a chance, but their discipline continued to let them down, with an Otere Black penalty making the buffer a safe eight, before Rieko Ioane pounced on a knock-on from a crosskick and raced 65 metres to seal a victory that should be one of many for the Blues in 2021.Blues 31 (Dalton Papalii, Caleb Clarke, Stephen Perofeta, Rieko Ioane tries;...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand boxing heavyweight Joseph Parker has claimed a unanimous points victory over countryman Junior Fa but the boxing world has erupted over crazy scores.The former WBO titleholder was expected to claim the victory over the undefeated Fa but amid countless clinches and a largely even match, many believed it would head right down to the wire if it went to the cards.But it wouldn't be boxing without an insane scorecard with Parker claiming the victory with a 119-109, 115-113 and 117-111 win.One of the commentators said "Sorry, 119-109, one of those judges needs a new prescription".The Athletic's boxing insider Mike Coppinger called the 119-109 card "outrageous" adding "seemed like a close fight. Certainly not a memorable one".US boxing producer Mark Ortega called it "One of the worst meaningful heavyweight fights I've seen in a while but it might just be because it's 3 AM."Before the fight even happened, Parker was eyeing off Derek Chisora and the winner of the Oleksandr Usyk and Joe Joyce WBO interim title fight believed to be scheduled later this year."I'm open to fighting anyone," Parker told Sky Sports News. "But with the talks from my promoter, Eddie Hearn and Matchroom and with [manager] David Higgins, they've got a clear pathway for me this year."Take care of Junior, then fighting Chisora, then fighting the winner of Usyk and Joyce."Despite only two losses in his boxing career against Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte, some fans felt Parker didn't show anywhere near enough to give any of the top fighters an issue.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joseph Parker remains king of the New Zealand heavyweights and on track to push towards the best fighters in the world division after securing a unanimous decision victory over Junior Fa.Fa, a 6-1 underdog, defied predictions of a knockout by lasting the distance with former amateur foe Parker, more than holding his own over the course of the 12 rounds in the headline event at Spark Arena on Saturday night.Not even a gaping cut above his right eye could deter Fa from having a crack at a major upset in the biggest New Zealand heavyweight fight since David Tua floored Shane Cameron in 2009.Hours after Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern plunged Auckland back into Level 3 lockdown for seven days, the three judges all favoured Parker with cards of 109-119, 113-115, 111-117.This was far from the statement performance Parker sought but it keeps his hopes alive of mounting another charge for a title, with Dereck Chisora expected to be next in line.Crucially the victory, in-front of a near capacity crowd, preserves Parker's third ranking with the WBO and sets up bigger fights to come.Fa, following the first defeat of his career, in his 20th professional fight, will need to regroup and assess where to next. The 31-year-old proved his durability but probably needs to come forward more and let his hands go to challenge elite opponents.There was no evidence of ring rust despite both boxers being out of the ring for over one year.From the opening bell urgency was evident with a fast pace set. Fa used his significant height and reach advantage to try control the distance with his jab, but also landed some decent shots on Parker.Parker came forward, regularly getting on the inside, to successfully target Fa's body and string combinations together while attempting to load up his right hand.Rounds two and three continued the theme of Parker the aggressor as he staked Fa around the ring. Fa was largely content to sit back and counter and, in doing so, copped some heavy blows. He did, however, regain poise to return fire on occasions.In perhaps a way of sending a message Fa did not sit between rounds, preferring to catch his breath on his feet while Parker used the stool to take in instructions from trainer Kevin Barry.Fatigue started to show in the fifth round with both fighters taking time to gather themselves.Fa began round six by catching Parker with a strong shot that sparked a burst on confidence within the underdog challenger. Suddenly Fa was more aggressive, pressing forward and connecting several more times to deliver easily his best round of the contest.Rounds seven and eight were even affairs as Parker regained his come forward approach to land some heavy shots but Fa's movement made him difficult to pin down.A big overhand right from Parker in round nine grazed Fa but the elbow that followed the punch opened up a gaping cut above Fa's left eye. Despite the best efforts of his corner blood poured from Fa's eye through the remaining rounds.Sensing he may be in strife, Fa emerged with intent in round 10 to land several telling shots on Parker - one straight right in particular an impressive blow.Chants of "Junior, Junior" rang out during the 11th round as sections of the crowd warmed to the heart Fa portrayed as he bit down on his mouthguard and Parker struggled to land clean shots, especially with his favoured right hand.The final round featured a flurry of punches, with neither fighter getting the upper hand.Earlier in the night on the all-Kiwi undercard heavyweights Hemi Ahio and Julius Long put on an entertaining slugfest that, while could not be called a highly skilled battle, did not lack heavy hands.Detroit native Long, who was knocked out in the second round by British Olympic champion Audley Harrison in 2002, dropped Ahio with an upper cut in the fourth round.Ahio was not down for long, though. The pair...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin chats to heavyweight boxer Junior Fa, ahead of his own Fight of the Century against fellow kiwi Joseph Parker.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin chats to Highlanders coach Tony Brown, fresh off the back of their opening round loss Super Rugby Aotearoa to the Crusaders at Forsyth Barr stadium in Dunedin.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ask the Question, a new segment on the DRS whereby listeners send audio messages on Whats App to the Devlin Radio Show phone number which will play on Saturday's and Sunday's - 0274843377. 0274THEDRSSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.