The discourse surrounding the R360 League is growing increasingly heated.

The rugby unions of New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, England, Ireland, Scotland, France and Italy issued a joint statement on Wednesday (NZT) refusing to endorse the proposed Saudi-funded competition.

Sport commentator Sam Ackerman says the unions are overreacting- "that's like saying back in the day, if you had converted to, to rugby league, then you could never go back to rugby union or vice versa."

He told Ryan Bridge that the players shouldn't be blamed for taking a good opportunity.

LISTEN ABOVE 

The discourse surrounding the R360 League is growing increasingly heated.
The rugby unions of New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, England, Ireland, Scotland, France and Italy issued a joint statement on Wednesday (NZT) refusing to endorse the proposed Saudi-funded competition.
Sport commentator Sam Ackerman says the unions are overreacting- "that's like saying back in the day, if you had converted to, to rugby league, then you could never go back to rugby union or vice versa."
He told Ryan Bridge that the players shouldn't be blamed for taking a good opportunity.
LISTEN ABOVE&nbsp;

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

A fresh and intelligent start to your day - catch the very latest international and domestic news developments, sport, entertainment and business on Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, on Newstalk ZB.

Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Sam Ackerman: Sport commentator rejects international concerns over R360

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/273e2604-f11b-4fdd-8e8a-b370017d07fb/transcript

Fresh criticism of the Government's stance on the conflict in the Middle East.

Prime Minister Chris Luxon says questions over legality are matters for the United States and Israel to address.

Former Foreign Minister Phil Goff told Ryan Bridge Luxon knows the actions of Donald Trump and Israel were illegal - but he can't find the words to say that.

Fresh criticism of the Government's stance on the conflict in the Middle East.
Prime Minister Chris Luxon says questions over legality are matters for the United States and Israel to address.
Former Foreign Minister Phil Goff told Ryan Bridge Luxon knows the actions of Donald Trump and Israel were illegal - but he can't find the words to say that.

Phil Goff: Former Foreign Minister on the Government's stance on the conflict in the Middle East

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/f1e2ad55-5e4d-4f1a-97ec-b40101223e3e/transcript

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Tuesday 3rd of March 2025, New Haven University Director of International Affairs and National Security Expert Matthew Schmidt shares the reaction from the US following the latest developments with Iran. 

The captain of the Manawanui Commander Yvonne Gray, is among three navy officers being charged over its sinking in Samoa last year, Massey University Centre for Defence and Security Studies Senior Fellow John Battersby shares his thoughts. 

The PM’S signalling the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could soon be officially listed as a terrorist organisation here, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Former Minister of Defence Phil Goff tells Ryan how New Zealand should react to the ongoing situation in the Middle East.

Plus, Australia Correspondent Lesley Yeomans has the latest on a state of emergency in central Australia following torrential rain and Aussie dairy farmers want law changes to stop labelling non-dairy products as "milk". 

Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts.          

LISTEN ABOVE  

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Tuesday 3rd of March 2025, New Haven University Director of International Affairs and National Security Expert Matthew Schmidt shares the reaction from the US following the latest developments with Iran.&nbsp;
The captain of the Manawanui Commander Yvonne Gray, is among three navy officers being charged over its sinking in Samoa last year, Massey University Centre for Defence and Security Studies Senior Fellow John Battersby shares his thoughts.&nbsp;
The PM’S signalling the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps could soon be officially listed as a terrorist organisation here, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Former Minister of Defence Phil Goff tells Ryan how New Zealand should react to the ongoing situation in the Middle East.
Plus, Australia Correspondent Lesley Yeomans has the latest on a state of emergency in central Australia following torrential rain and Aussie dairy farmers want law changes to stop labelling non-dairy products as "milk".&nbsp;
Get the Early Edition Full Show Podcast every weekday on iHeartRadio, or wherever you get your podcasts. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE &nbsp;

Full Show Podcast: 03 March 2026 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/ff7fa345-3c7f-40d6-9ebb-b401011a97a8/transcript

There’s been a lot of chat about AI replacing jobs lately.

And I get it, there are signs it’s happening. For certain roles, especially more junior ones, the threat is real.

But there are some things a computer will never know and never be able to do.

Like reading somebody’s emotions.

Burger King in the US, this is a story out this week, is trialling AI software to judge how courteous and friendly its staff are.

They’ve got an aptly named AI assistant, Patty, apparently doing this task.

Party lives in their headsets, monitoring their every word.

If you’re handing out whoppers at a drive thru, Patty will apparently record how many times you say welcome, please and thank you.

Patty then delivers the Whopper crew a daily friendliness score.

Apart from sounding like a peak micro-managing pain in the ass, Patty, with respect, actually doesn’t know what she or it is talking about.  

Can Patty detect sarcasm? Does Patty know if you’re dead in the eyes while welcoming the next hungry customer?

Customer service isn’t so much about what somebody says, but how they say it. 

It’s a glint in the eye. An affectation of the face. In Japan a polite bow of the head. In New Zealand, too much talking and fake friendly could be seen as rude. We’re more of a smile and polite hand gesture-type country.

Human interaction is intricate and unique and takes even trained humans time to properly figure out. 

We humans have more than 40 facial muscles and using them in different ways can apparently 10,000 subtle emotional messages.

I went to the bank yesterday to order a Eftpos card. The bank manager came over to say hello and I can’t tell you Winston of she said, but I know she was lovely. I went home and told my partner about her. 

Is this a job AI can master, I mean really. 

Even if Patty had a camera on our eyeballs, a microphone and pulse checker, I don’t it could truly tell what we’re really thinking in a way only other humans can. 

There’s been a lot of chat about AI replacing jobs lately.
And I get it, there are signs it’s happening. For certain roles, especially more junior ones, the threat is real.
But there are some things a computer will never know and never be able to do.
Like reading somebody’s emotions.
Burger King in the US, this is a story out this week, is trialling AI software to judge how courteous and friendly its staff are.
They’ve got an aptly named AI assistant, Patty, apparently doing this task.
Party lives in their headsets, monitoring their every word.
If you’re handing out whoppers at a drive thru, Patty will apparently record how many times you say welcome, please and thank you.
Patty then delivers the Whopper crew a daily friendliness score.
Apart from sounding like a peak micro-managing pain in the ass, Patty, with respect, actually doesn’t know what she or it is talking about. &nbsp;
Can Patty detect sarcasm? Does Patty know if you’re dead in the eyes while welcoming the next hungry customer?
Customer service isn’t so much about what somebody says, but how they say it.&nbsp;
It’s a glint in the eye. An affectation of the face. In Japan a polite bow of the head. In New Zealand, too much talking and fake friendly could be seen as rude. We’re more of a smile and polite hand gesture-type country.
Human interaction is intricate and unique and takes even trained humans time to properly figure out.&nbsp;
We humans have more than 40 facial muscles and using them in different ways can apparently 10,000 subtle emotional messages.
I went to the bank yesterday to order a Eftpos card. The bank manager came over to say hello and I can’t tell you Winston of she said, but I know she was lovely. I went home and told my partner about her.&nbsp;
Is this a job AI can master, I mean really.&nbsp;
Even if Patty had a camera on our eyeballs, a microphone and pulse checker, I don’t it could truly tell what we’re really thinking in a way only other humans can.&nbsp;

Ryan Bridge: AI can't master all the jobs

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/f504aa14-0301-4da6-8dd9-b401011966c8/transcript

Sam Ackerman: Sport commentator rejects international concerns over R360

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