The All Sport Breakfast

The Silver Ferns are returning to the court for the first time since claiming the Commonwealth Gold.  They're facing Australia in the Constellation Cup, their first game at a sold-out Spark Arena. They'll be eager to claim the series victory, as it would make them #1 in the world.  Midcourter Kimiora Poi joined Adam Cooper to preview the series.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a disappointing outing at Eden Park, a question has arisen for the Wallabies: should they just start looking at next year?  Our Australian Correspondent Jim Dolan joined Adam Cooper to ponder the question and discuss whether the Rugby League World Cup could've started off any better.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The All Blacks have locked the Bledisloe Cup away for another year, but the series isn't done yet.  They're in Sydney this weekend, hoping to make it a clean sweep against the Wallabies.  Loose forward Tupou Vaa'i joined Adam Cooper to preview the second test.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Auckland Storm roll into One New Zealand Stadium for the Farah Palmer Cup final knowing near perfection will be required to beat Canterbury.  An unbeaten red and blacks have marched into the final with a convincing 57-7 win over Manawatu, while Auckland fought out a 36-31 win over defending champions Waikato to qualify.  The Storm's Zara Papalii joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to preview the clash.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A green light for expression has Leroy Carter feeling free ahead of tonight's first Bledisloe Cup test with Australia in Auckland.   New Zealand is putting their 53 test unbeaten record at Eden Park on the line, with Carter starting on the wing.   Carter says All Blacks coach Dave Rennie has given him full confidence to be himself.  He told D'Arcy Waldegrave that everyone brings their own talents to the team, and Rennie's pretty keen on everyone going out and doing what they're good at.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Northern Kahu have had a mixed start to the Tauihi Basketball season.  They're currently sitting 1-1 after a loss to the Whai in their opening match followed by a win over the Queens on Sunday.  Tomorrow afternoon they're taking on the Southern Hoiho, with the hopes of continuing their upwards momentum.  Megan 'Mo' Mullings is a forward for the side, and joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to discuss.   LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A major snow sport event is taking place this weekend – the Cardrona Freestyle Australia New Zealand Cup.   Points are up for grabs in Halfpipe, Big Air, and Slopestyle, which contribute towards FIS World Cup and Winter Olympic Games qualification.  Kiwi Olympian Rocco Jamieson is competing in the event, and joined D'Arcy to discuss it.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week a colleague and a friend passed away. Death is a constant for us all, and as I age, existence feels more and more like a dash through sniper's alley. I accept mortality for the most part, but in some cases, the death of someone can have an unexpected effect on you. I sound cold I know, but I have a fairly calm acknowledgement of the inevitable.    Phil Gifford was a titan of sports broadcasting, of sports journalism. He also crushed commercial music radio. Phil's passing punched me on the nose when I woke up to the news. He wasn't a dear friend, a family member, or a part of my close inner circle, so the state of flux I found myself in that day was a little unexpected to say the least. I contemplated and questioned it all, all day. Why?    Phil was a constant in my life. A comfortable pair of jeans, a weathered pair of sneakers, an inviting and satisfying pint to be looked forward to and savoured. He was Loosehead Len. He was a music critic, a writer, a biographer, a warm and joyous voice on the wireless and a constantly uplifted and uplifting presence in the New Zealand media landscape.  Even as he slowed down his vast contribution across media platforms, we still spoke every couple of months, for what was invariably a healthy length of time. Giff loved a yarn. He willingly shared a bottomless pit of crazy stories from his decade's long engagement in sport. I loved those chats   He was almost paternal to me as I staggered through the vagaries of sport broadcasting. As the years passed, I came to know him as a mate and I'm grateful to know he felt the same about me.    His life was a positive force for so many people. He felt like family, as was his perpetual presence across NZ's media spectrum.    I'll always remember him as a guy who loved sport, but he loved the people in sport the most.    I'm going to doff my cap to him every year by taking up his tradition of putting 100 bucks on the Crusaders at the start of the Super Rugby season.   Rest easy big fella, you'll be missed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tauihi Basketball Aotearoa is underway, the Tauranga Whai opening the tournament with a 81-60 victory over the Northern Kahu last night.  The Tokomanawa Queens are kicking off their own campaign tomorrow afternoon, taking on the Kahu at Te Rauparaha Arena in Porirua.  Coach Tania Tapu joined D'Arcy to preview the tournament.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The National League is upon us.  The first fixtures between the country's top clubs are taking place – Auckland FC's reserve side is beginning their campaign with a clash against the Wellington Olympic, hoping to start on a high note.  Captain of the side, Jimmy Mitchell joined D'Arcy to preview the season.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The fish heads have met. And will meet again. And again, and again. Then possibly, hopefully, maybe they will arrive at conclusion that will rescue the game of rugby from itself.   On Thursday NZR met with key rugby stakeholders to start hammering out a plan which will, all things going well and good, beat some financial sense into the national game. As it stands, the game will die if the status quo remains. The key question, begging a rapid and brutal answer is this: earn more or spend less?    Based on conversations with the boss of the New Zealand Rugby Players Association Rob Nichol, the answer is simple. The game needs to stop spending money on things it can't afford, on things it doesn't need.   Bog standard budgeting really.    Disclaimer: this is plainly a very simplistic assertion, from a simple man who is not neck deep in the fiscal weeds of running an enormous and important machine.    The issue the game faces is this. Every character around the summit table needs a haircut and a shave, but no-one wants to be the first on the chair when Sweeney Todd opens for business. No one wants to face the prospect of a skinhead or a mullet or a cutthroat blade shave for the benefit of all.    The game isn't poverty stricken as it stands, but the trajectory, a favourite line in NZR board-speak, is boring in and down. Collapsed scrum, broken necks.    Like in most households, the cost-of-living crisis is real, and as tempting as it is to put it all on the plastic and worry about it later, i.e. the ill-advised but impossibly difficult to ignore Silverlake debacle, this is a short-term and fraught process, destined for failure.   I get the distinct feeling that David Kirk knows what has to happen and this current series of board room exchanges is merely lip service before the buck is forcibly stopped. Right there.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Australian NBL season has arrived.  The Breakers are set to begin their campaign tomorrow afternoon, going up against the Illawarra Hawks at Spark Arena.  Guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright joined D'Arcy to preview the season opener.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.