The latest edition of 'The All-Star Panel' features Rugby Writer Phil Gifford and Graeme 'The Sportsfreak' Beasley. 

On this weekend's agenda:

Why can't Leon and Razor just get along? Shaun Johnson gets a royal sendoff at Mt Smart Stadium, and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck turns down the Kiwis to represent Toa Samoa. 

LISTEN ABOVE

The latest edition of 'The All-Star Panel' features Rugby Writer Phil Gifford and Graeme 'The Sportsfreak' Beasley.  
On this weekend's agenda: 
Why can't Leon and Razor just get along? Shaun Johnson gets a royal sendoff at Mt Smart Stadium, and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck turns down the Kiwis to represent Toa Samoa.  
LISTEN ABOVE

Join Newstalk ZB's D'Arcy Waldegrave as we kick start your Saturday Morning with The All Sport Breakfast.

The All Sport Breakfast

The All Star Panel with Phil Gifford and Graeme Beasley: Leon MacDonald's departure, Shaun Johnson's final game, and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck turns down the Kiwis

Auckland will be hoping to put rivalry aside ahead of their NPC clash with old foes Canterbury at Eden Park.

The hosts go into this afternoon's clash still hunting for an elusive first win of the campaign, with last week's 27-25 bonus point loss at Otago just keeping them off the bottom of the ladder.

Winger Lolagi Visinia says they're a young team and still testing a few things out, but that's not translating into victories.

LISTEN ABOVE

Auckland will be hoping to put rivalry aside ahead of their NPC clash with old foes Canterbury at Eden Park. 
The hosts go into this afternoon's clash still hunting for an elusive first win of the campaign, with last week's 27-25 bonus point loss at Otago just keeping them off the bottom of the ladder. 
Winger Lolagi Visinia says they're a young team and still testing a few things out, but that's not translating into victories. 
LISTEN ABOVE

Lolagi Visinia: Auckland Winger ahead of their NPC clash against Canterbury at Eden Park

Warriors assistant coach Stacey Jones has ranked Shaun Johnson as one of the greatest players in the club's history. 

Mt Smart was renamed to Shaun Johnson Stadium for his final home game against the Bulldogs, with the playmaker's NRL career winding down after 14 seasons.

Jones says his fellow number seven's resilience puts him among the Warriors' elite.

D'Arcy catches up with former Kiwis Captain Richie Barnett to review Johnson's last game.

LISTEN ABOVE

Warriors assistant coach Stacey Jones has ranked Shaun Johnson as one of the greatest players in the club's history.  
Mt Smart was renamed to Shaun Johnson Stadium for his final home game against the Bulldogs, with the playmaker's NRL career winding down after 14 seasons. 
Jones says his fellow number seven's resilience puts him among the Warriors' elite. 
D'Arcy catches up with former Kiwis Captain Richie Barnett to review Johnson's last game. 
LISTEN ABOVE

Richie Barnett: Former Kiwis Captain reviews Shaun Johnson's last NRL game

Kudos to NZR. 

The news of the result of the schism between Razor and Rangi was a huge surprise. What was even more surprising was that no one knew. Keeping a lid on an internal collapse like that is quite the trick. They must be pleased as punch that their process was sealed to the outside world. 

There are aspects to this top floor rupture that have been explained away, but they still leave me in an uncomfortable space.  How did this unravel so fast? This suggests the due diligence around the appointment of Leon MacDonald was lacking. History tells us that the relationship between both coaches had been uneasy at times, namely the 2017 fissure at the Crusaders when Leon bailed on Scott to move to Nelson for family etc. then in a flash, he arrived on the Blues doorstep. Nothing wrong with that, surely a flag though, albeit a pennant, not a Garrison, but a flag nonetheless. 

There was also the vacuum that was the absence of Leon not only in person, but in the press release too. It’s standard fare for the statements issued around a departing figure to include a vanilla line or two wishing the team the best and thanking NZR for the opportunity. Not this time. Read into that what you will. To me this suggests the split was acrimonious, based on more than just a differing in philosophy. 

NZR addressed these concerns and are adamant that although the relationship collapse and subsequent departure was unfortunate, there is nothing more to the story. As The Roots hip-hop group titled their 1999 banger of an album, Things Fall Apart.

I’m sure that whatever happened, the positive aspect here is that before the whole festering boil exploded, it was efficiently lanced. 

And we definitely know who wears the trousers in the coaching box.

Kudos to NZR.  
The news of the result of the schism between Razor and Rangi was a huge surprise. What was even more surprising was that no one knew. Keeping a lid on an internal collapse like that is quite the trick. They must be pleased as punch that their process was sealed to the outside world.  
There are aspects to this top floor rupture that have been explained away, but they still leave me in an uncomfortable space.  How did this unravel so fast? This suggests the due diligence around the appointment of Leon MacDonald was lacking. History tells us that the relationship between both coaches had been uneasy at times, namely the 2017 fissure at the Crusaders when Leon bailed on Scott to move to Nelson for family etc. then in a flash, he arrived on the Blues doorstep. Nothing wrong with that, surely a flag though, albeit a pennant, not a Garrison, but a flag nonetheless.  
There was also the vacuum that was the absence of Leon not only in person, but in the press release too. It’s standard fare for the statements issued around a departing figure to include a vanilla line or two wishing the team the best and thanking NZR for the opportunity. Not this time. Read into that what you will. To me this suggests the split was acrimonious, based on more than just a differing in philosophy.  
NZR addressed these concerns and are adamant that although the relationship collapse and subsequent departure was unfortunate, there is nothing more to the story. As The Roots hip-hop group titled their 1999 banger of an album, Things Fall Apart. 
I’m sure that whatever happened, the positive aspect here is that before the whole festering boil exploded, it was efficiently lanced.  
And we definitely know who wears the trousers in the coaching box.

The All Star Panel with Phil Gifford and Graeme Beasley: Leon MacDonald's departure, Shaun Johnson's final game, and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck turns down the Kiwis

In 1 playlist(s)

The All Sport Breakfast

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips