No one was more surprised by Wallace Sititi's breakthrough rugby season than Wallace Sititi. 

After earning the World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year, Sititi also added the All Blacks Player of the Year award to his stellar 2024. 

The Chiefs number eight agrees that his stunning run-up to a starting test spot in his debut Super Rugby Pacific season was a big shock. 

He told Piney it wasn’t a sentence he could’ve imagined hearing six months ago. 

“It’s definitely unexpected, and yeah, just grateful that I was able to, you know, have the season I had.” 

LISTEN ABOVE  

No one was more surprised by Wallace Sititi's breakthrough rugby season than Wallace Sititi.&nbsp;
After earning the World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year, Sititi also added the All Blacks Player of the Year award to his stellar 2024.&nbsp;
The Chiefs number eight agrees that his stunning run-up to a starting test spot in his debut Super Rugby Pacific season was a big shock.&nbsp;
He told Piney it wasn’t a sentence he could’ve imagined hearing six months ago.&nbsp;
“It’s definitely unexpected, and yeah, just grateful that I was able to, you know, have the season I had.”&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE &nbsp;

Weekend Sport with Jason Pine on Newstalk ZB brings you all the action and reaction to the sporting weekend.

Weekend Sport with Jason Pine

Wallace Sititi: All Black on the unexpected honour of being named All Blacks Player of the Year

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/1391a9e6-da0f-43f2-9df7-b246002e7554/transcript

Kiwi football star Finn Surman is back in the country. 

He was stateside for the last half season, playing in the Major League Soccer franchise for the Portland Timbers.  

He joined Piney for a chat about what it’s been like to play in the MLS, and playing with the Timbers. 

Surman told him that MLS is a step up in intensity from A-League. 

“The intensity, the speed of what people do, whether that's thinking or just the actions that they do is, is just a little that little bit faster.” 

LISTEN ABOVE  

Kiwi football star Finn Surman is back in the country.&nbsp;
He was stateside for the last half season, playing in the Major League Soccer franchise for the Portland Timbers. &nbsp;
He joined Piney for a chat about what it’s been like to play in the MLS, and playing with the Timbers.&nbsp;
Surman told him that MLS is a step up in intensity from A-League.&nbsp;
“The intensity, the speed of what people do, whether that's thinking or just the actions that they do is, is just a little that little bit faster.”&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE &nbsp;

Finn Surman: All Whites Player on playing in Major League Soccer for the Portland Timbers

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/0a501271-3e11-4c96-a429-b2460035d573/transcript

There’s been a mixed response to the announcement that Papua New Guinea will house the newest NRL team. 

The team will be based out of the capital, Port Moresby, and will join the competition from 2028. 

It will be the first non-Australia based club since the Auckland Warriors were established in 1995. 

Australia Correspondent Adam Peacock joined Piney to discuss the fallout of the announcement.  

“You can tell that there’s an, like, above and beyond tone to it all to attract players in the sense that they’ll go up there and not have to pay tax, so that says a lot.” 

LISTEN ABOVE  

There’s been a mixed response to the announcement that Papua New Guinea will house the newest NRL team.&nbsp;
The team will be based out of the capital, Port Moresby, and will join the competition from 2028.&nbsp;
It will be the first non-Australia based club since the Auckland Warriors were established in 1995.&nbsp;
Australia Correspondent Adam Peacock joined Piney to discuss the fallout of the announcement. &nbsp;
“You can tell that there’s an, like, above and beyond tone to it all to attract players in the sense that they’ll go up there and not have to pay tax, so that says a lot.”&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE &nbsp;

Adam Peacock: Australian Correspondent on the new Papua New Guinea based NRL team

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/a082c3b1-3a02-4259-87d2-b24600316f0a/transcript

An end of an era for the Black Caps, with Tim Southee set to play in his 107th and final test.  

Southee is set to suit up against England for the dead rubber in Hamilton starting at 11am.  

Former test and Northern Districts teammate B.J. Watling says Southee will go down as one of the Black Caps' greats. 

He told Jason Pine that he was someone that always had the team at the front of his mind.  

“His work ethic, he’s someone that dragged you along as well.” 

LISTEN ABOVE  

An end of an era for the Black Caps, with Tim Southee set to play in his 107th and final test. &nbsp;
Southee is set to suit up against England for the dead rubber in Hamilton starting at 11am. &nbsp;
Former test and Northern Districts teammate B.J. Watling says Southee will go down as one of the Black Caps' greats.&nbsp;
He told Jason Pine that he was someone that always had the team at the front of his mind. &nbsp;
“His work ethic, he’s someone that dragged you along as well.”&nbsp;
LISTEN ABOVE &nbsp;

BJ Watling: Former Black Cap on Tim Southee's career and retirement

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/a943ff2a-63d3-4305-b13d-b2460029f7d9/transcript

Wallace Sititi: All Black on the unexpected honour of being named All Blacks Player of the Year

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