Weekend Sport with Jason Pine

Martin Devlin chats to Boxing expert out of the United States, James Smiddy Smith. Talking the state of Heavyweight boxing heading in to 2020 and who are the top fighters in the world, in his opinion.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Devlin Radio Show DRS on Newstalk ZB as a podcast for the 15th December, 2019.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin talks to Steve Hansen about the 2019 Rugby World Cup and his tenure as the All Blacks coach. LISTEN TO THE AUDIO ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin has a good long elongated chat with new All Blacks coach Ian Foster.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin chats to New Zealand Middle Distance Olympian Nick Willis, reflecting on the incredible life and achievements of one of his heroes - Sir Peter Snell.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The DRS Devlin Radio Show on Newstalk ZB as a podcast, for the 14th December.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin chats to ASB Classic Tournament Director Karl Budge about how he goes about trying to lure some of the best tennis players in the world to Auckland year in year out.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin and the DRS on Newstalk ZB and Radio Sport, compacted into a podcast for the 8th December. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There are fears surrounding the Black Caps' Boxing Day test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground after a Sheffield Shield match at the venue was called off due to safety issues today.The first day's play of the four-day clash between Victoria and Western Australia was called off after several Western Australian batsmen were hit on a dangerous MCG pitch.Western Australian batsman Shaun Marsh was hit several times and later went for a concussion test, and was quoted by news.com as saying the pitch was "unplayable"."We saw guys getting hit on the head and it was disappointing. When Marcus [Stoinis] got hit on that last occasion it was pretty realistic that the pitch was unplayable."I probably got hit four or five times, and we saw after lunch when the wicket got a little bit harder and there was a lot of divots out there it became unplayable."The pitch will be inspected again tomorrow ahead of a potential re-start but Western Australia coach Adam Voges was unimpressed."It's about player safety," Voges said."We won't put our players on a wicket that we feel is not safe. We'll make that decision in the morning. But how can they prove to us it's all of a sudden safeThe drama occurred just 19 days out before one of the Black Caps' biggest test matches in years – and their first Boxing Day test in 32 years.However, Cricket Australia pledged to get that particular pitch – which will be a different one to the strip used today - right come Boxing Day."We will seek to better understand the issues that resulted in variable bounce at the MCG. We will also work closely with MCG groundstaff in the lead up to the Test match," said Cricket Australia head of operations Peter Roach."But we also acknowledge that there have been two previous Shield matches at the MCG this season without incident."Matt Page and the MCG groundstaff have more than two weeks to ensure the test surface, which is a different pitch strip to the one being used in this match, is of international standard."The Boxing Day test is the second of three tests the Black Caps will play in Australia, with the team having flown out today to Perth for the first test, a day-night pink-ball encounter, which starts on Thursday.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anthony Joshua jumped up and down in the ring with his massive entourage, celebrating being around US$70 million richer and having three world heavyweight belts back in his possession.For the British boxing superstar, it was well worth this controversial trip to Saudi Arabia.In the first heavyweight title fight to be held in the Middle East, Joshua toyed with an out-of-shape Andy Ruiz Jr. over 12 unspectacular rounds to win a unanimous points decision, reclaim the WBA, WBO and IBF belts, and avenge a stunning upset by his Mexican-American opponent six months ago.Joshua got his game plan spot on, using his lighter frame to outmaneuver Ruiz, relying on his longer reach to stay clear of trouble, and selecting his moments to go on the attack.In the final seconds of a bout fought in the early hours of Sunday in a relatively cool 19 Celsius (66 F) for this part of the world, Joshua was almost running around the ring and Ruiz — exhausted and outfought — was planted in the middle, urging him to come closer."Sometimes simplicity is genius. I was outclassing the champion," Joshua said."I am used to knocking people out, but last time I got hurt so I gave the man his credit. I said I would correct myself again."Two judges gave the fight to the Briton 119-110, and the other awarded it to him 119-109.Ruiz put on 15 pounds since the first fight to weigh in at 283 pounds (128 kilograms), making him the second heaviest boxer to fight for a world heavyweight title. He said he hadn't prepared hard enough for the rematch and got "boxed around.""The partying got the best of me," Ruiz said of his brief time as champion, during which he also went on talk shows, had an audience with the Mexican president and bought new cars for himself and his parents."I didn't prepare how I should have. I gained too much weight. I don't want to give excuses, he won ... If we do a third fight, you best believe I'm going to get in shape. I'll be in the best shape of my life."Whether Joshua agrees to that remains to be seen. There is no rematch clause this time round and Ruiz, short with quick hands, is an awkward opponent.Joshua proved he had another side to his boxing skills other than a big punch. His career is back on track, for sure, but his reputation might be sullied for other reasons.The fight was played out to a backdrop of concerns that Saudi Arabia was using this and other big sporting events to divert attention from its human-rights violations. They include the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi last year in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.Joshua has shrugged off concerns that he was being used in what some, like human rights organization Amnesty International, called a "sportswashing" exercise, and he thanked Saudi Arabia for hosting the fight afterward.Women who attended the fight at the outdoor, purpose-built, 15,000-capacity Diriyah Arena did not appear to be segregated, as they have been in sports stadiums in Saudi Arabia since being allowed into them for the first time last year.Indeed, it felt just like any other venue once the action got underway, with a pro-Joshua crowd chanting the usual repertoire of songs about their fighter and jeering Ruiz. To make Joshua feel even more at home, there was a rare downpour of rain in the desert just before the fight and at times during the afternoon.Ruiz knocked down Joshua four times on the way to a seventh-round win in New York in June that was regarded as one of the biggest upsets in the history of heavyweight boxing.There was none of that drama in the rematch, with Ruiz rarely connecting cleanly with Joshua. When he did, it was with punches to the back of the head that earned him a ticking-off from the referee.Ruiz finished the fight with blood across his face, having been caught with a right hook by Joshua in the first round.There were straight lefts from Joshua in the fourth and...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin and the DRS show on Newstalk ZB, compacted into a podcast form. December 7th.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin chats to Ian McKendry, Head of Turf Management for New Zealand cricket about what they are trying to achieve when they are preparing a cricket pitch.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin chats to former Black Cap captain Stephen Fleming ahead of the Test Series in Australia starting on Thursday.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin chats to former England spinner Phil Tufnell about his upcoming TV Series that he's doing with Brendan McCullum as well as his some cricketing memories from playing in this part of the world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin's DRS on Newstalk ZB and Radio Sport, compacted into a podcast. December 1st.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It has been a month since South Africa stormed to victory in the 2019 Rugby World Cup.With a dominant victory over England, the team became the second to win three tournaments. Former player Werner Swanepoel joined Martin Devlin to discuss how the players and team are looking a month on, and what New Zealand could learn from South Africa's success.LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Aussie captain Tim Paine has come under fire from across the cricket world after his stunning decision to declare Australia's innings with David Warner stranded not out on 335.Cricket legends, including Aussie test great Brett Lee, have questioned Paine's decision to put Pakistan in before the dinner break.Others have declared Paine's decision to deny Warner and viewers a chance of seeing Brian Lara's immortal 400-run milestone fall is enough for Paine to be "sacked".Warner walked off the Adelaide Oval as a history-maker, unbeaten on 335 from 418 balls.The 33-year-old looked invincible as he climbed towards 350, but Paine called the opener and Matt Wade back to the dressing rooms with the Aussies in the commanding position of 3/589 declared.It is now the fourth highest unbeaten score in the history of test cricket and the 10th highest score in test cricket.His knock of 335 is officially the second highest ever test score by an Aussie – second only to Matthew Hayden's 380, set in 2003.Australia declared at the end of the same over where Warner jumped above Mark Taylor and Sir Donald Bradman's iconic scores of 334.Warner earlier also broke Bradman's 88-year record for the highest score at the Adelaide Oval.Scoring at more than five runs an over, Lee told Fox Cricket Warner should have been given a chance by Paine to chase the record, after passing Bradman's mark with more than half an hour of play before the dinner break.While Mitchell Starc's early dismissal of Imam ul-Haq has eased the pressure on Paine, Lee said Australia should have batted on until the final session of play to force Pakistan to start its innings under the lights.He also said he didn't agree with Paine's decision on a game-management level, because he says there is not enough rain predicted to fall in Adelaide to put Australia's victory charge in doubt."It's not a lot of rain though is it? I'm just thinking, you don't often get that opportunity to go on to get a world record," Lee said."Years and years of cricket, and here's a chance to knock over 400 from the great Brian Lara."I would have preferred they start the innings under lights with the new pink ball."I just think if they went out to Warner and said here's the equation, 'You've got eight or nine overs to bat. If you can pick off another 70-odd runs, good luck'."I reckon if there's someone in world cricket that could get 60 odd runs in nine or so overs, it's David Warner."Aussie legend Shane Warne said he was surprised by the decision, but said he understood Paine's logic."I was a bit surprised. Because of the way Warner's batted today I thought he might have gone for the record," Warne said."But they wanted to have a crack at Pakistan. They're putting the team ahead of the individual. It would have been nice theatre to see David Warner go for the record."Mark Waugh also supported the declaration, while England great Michael Vaughan said Paine had "spoiled the party".Other commentators were much more scathing of Paine.Warner was also criticised in some corners of cyberspace for scoring the final single that pushed him above Taylor and Bradman's scores of 334.Warner hit just the eighth Test triple-century by an Australian, waltzing his way to the highest ever Test score at Adelaide Oval. In the most dominant innings of his career, Warner brought up the mark off just 389 balls in the pink-ball Test when he pulled Mohammad Abbas for four.He is the first Australian to do so since Michael Clarke in 2012 against India, in what was a similarly big first-innings score.With world-record holder Lara in the crowd watching his score of 400 fall under threat, Warner punished anything too full or too short from the tourists. And there was plenty of wayward deliveries to pick off.Twenty-two of his 38 boundaries came through either the covers or point, before he...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin chats to David Moffett, Brian Ashby and Corey Flynn about the Crusaders keeping their name, but changing their logo.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin chats to former Zimbabwean fast bowler Henry Olonga. He was once a pin up boy for cricket in his country, but had to flee the country on the back of death threats he received after a protest he did with Andy Flower at the Cricket World Cup in 2003. Henry now resides in Australia, and has a fascinating book released called Blood, Sweat and Treason: My Story.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin and the DRS on Newstalk ZB and Radio Sport, compacted into a podcast for the 30th November, 2019.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The DRS on Newstalk ZB and Radio Sport, compacted into podcast on the 24th November.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Martin Devlin has a good long cricketing natter with Wisden Cricketer's Almanack Editor Lawrence Booth, about the job he loves and why Test Cricket remains the absolute pinnacle.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.