The All Sport Breakfast

The latest edition of 'The All-Star Panel' features Rugby Commentator Paul Allison and Graeme 'The Sportsfreak' Beasley. On this weekend's agenda: Was Rob Penney right to drop the C-Bomb? The Warriors don't seem to be able to control Addin Fonua-Blake, and are we forced to care about the NZR governance review? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Australian Correspondent Jim Dolan gave us the latest from the wonderful wide world of Aussie sport. On the agenda today: - The Sharks will find out if they are actually the real deal - There’s a big fixture ahead in the A-League - Yet another Australian coach in trouble... LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Expected a wounded Black Ferns outfit to come out firing against the Wallaroos this afternoon in their first Laurie O'Reilly contest in North Harbour. New Zealand suffered their first ever loss to Canada last weekend, conceding the Pacific Four Series title to boot. Lock Alana Bremner says there have been some tough conversations this week. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic believe they've amended their horror start against the Mystics ahead of this afternoon's contest against the top of the table Central Pulse in the ANZ Premiership. The Mystics blew out to a 34-16 lead by halftime last round before the Magic came right in the second half. Goal keep Erena Mikaere says they've gone back to basics. Erena joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to preview the fixture. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Chiefs are ruing their ill-discipline following their 20-17 Super Rugby loss to the Hurricanes in Hamilton. Along with losing flanker Kaylum Boshier for ten minutes in the first half, the hosts failed to capitalise on a red card to Canes hooker Raymond Tuputupu. Brett Cameron kicked the winning penalty after Chiefs captain Luke Jacobson was controversially penalised for not rolling away at the breakdown. Sky Sport Rugby Commentator Tony Johnson joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to review the fixture. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Addin Fonua-Blake packed a sad and has been sent to the naughty corner. Good. Go to your room and think about what you've done. Scuttlebutt and water cooler theorizing would have you believe that his petulance wasn’t the only driver in Andrew Webster’s decision to discipline him. There may well be truth to those musings after his departure call late last year and his imminent move to the Sharks. But as it stands, a pork chop sulking episode is more than enough of a reason to send him to bed without dinner. Team. Simple concept, easily explained, but sometimes not as easy to implement. Individuals do not win team sports. They can be enormously influential in positive results, but equally so when the wheels fall off. Addin is a highly paid, very talented figurehead of the Warriors. If he can throw his not-so-insignificant weight around, set a standard only for himself, and play fast and loose with team protocols, the only result will be a disconnect within the playing group. Webster is well aware of this. He is also cognisant of his role in the organisation. The most important individual in a team is the coach. They set the standard. They make the tough selection calls. They provide the structure and framework for success, on and off the park. It was a no brainer to stand Addin down. If this behavioural spark is allowed to smoulder then eventually reignite, the resulting bonfire has the potential to burn the Warriors whare to the ground. Coach knows this. As uncomfortable as it may be for the fans —having the exceptional talent of AFB in the stands— Webster’s flex was necessary. His team will react positively to this move, the question now is how will Addin respond? That’ll do. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest edition of 'The All-Star Panel' features Newstalk ZB Sports News Director Clay Wilson and Rugby Writer Phil Gifford. On this weekend's agenda: The betting scandal that has rocked the A-League, the Nix playing in front of a sold-out crowd in Wellington, and was Sam Cane treated poorly by New Zealand's media? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Blues are embracing the target on their back in the Super Rugby competition. Their 8-game winning streak has moved them to the top of the ladder, with three weeks in the regular season remaining. Stephen Perofeta joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to discuss his return to the squad following a shoulder injury. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Black Ferns assistant coach Tony Christie is demanding a more consistent defensive display, despite conceding just the one try in their first test of the PAC-4 Championship. New Zealand hosts Canada in Christchurch on Sunday on the back of their 57-5 win over the United States in Hamilton. Christie —who looks after the defence portfolio— says they measure success in that area beyond the score-sheet. Luka Connor joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to preview their clash against the Canadians. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Wellington Phoenix coach Giancarlo Italiano's adamant they'll stand up to the expectation of a sold-out home crowd and the biggest game in franchise history. The Phoenix will face the Melbourne Victory tonight in leg two of their A-League semi in Wellington, with aggregate locked at nil-all. Scott Wootton joined D'Arcy Waldegrave ahead of the sold-out fixture. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The battling Crusaders have been forced to make two changes to their reserves bench for their Super Rugby Pacific match against the Brumbies in Canberra. Backs replacements Rivez Reihana and Macca Springer are out for medical reasons, replaced by Taha Kemara and potential debutant Taine Robinson. Tom Christie joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to discuss their hopes of keeping their season alive. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The A-League fixing scandal has come at the worst possible time for the competition. On the eve of the two second-leg semifinal fixtures, the dirty underbelly of professional sport was exposed for all to see. Sadly, this was hardly a shock. The only surprise is that it’s taken such a long time for an unfortunate occurrence such as this to surface in this neck of the woods. The sporting world is as pure as driven silt. This we know. From spot-fixing to administrative corruption, doping to underhanded physical on-field abuse, sport is a microcosm of the frailties of the human state. There are bad eggs. Bad actors. It’s a reality we must accept. The back story in the A-League case is where the interest really lies for me. As we know from previous fixing cases, they can sometimes stem from the smallest of indiscretions, an innocuous albeit poor decision, that can quickly gain momentum and drag the player into making bigger and more damning calls. Why any professional athlete would risk flushing their career, their reputation, and their livelihood down the drain for $10,000 is beyond me. It’s beyond stupid, there must be darker forces in action. As for the implications this yellow card controversy has had on the outcomes of other fixtures, we will never know. Has this cast a shadow over the legitimacy of the league? What other untoward activities have occurred yet remain undetected? The timing of the arrests leaves little to be desired from the A-League's perspective, but the long arm of the law won’t be restrained by the scheduling of the finals, regardless of bad press at the wrong time for a league who’s struggles of recent times are well known. But really, I’m going to focus on what really matters. Lets gone Wellington! Up the Nix. That’ll do. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The latest edition of 'The All-Star Panel' features Freelance Rugby Writer Jamie Wall and Rugby Commentator Hamish McKay. On this weekend's agenda: should NZR be chasing the return of Richie Mo'unga? Who will come out on top when the Blues host the Hurricanes at Eden Park? Is it time to panic about the Warriors? LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Our Australian Correspondent Jim Dolan is back to give us the latest from the wonderful wide world of Aussie sport. On today’s agenda: - Latrell Mitchell returns to first grade this evening and there's a big surprise awaiting him. - We’re down to the business end of the A-league. - The Waratahs get to enjoy watching a winning team tonight... LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's one game at a time for the Wellington Phoenix men as they arrive in Melbourne to tackle the Victory. Nix coach Giancarlo Italiano says Sunday's A-League semifinal first leg is all that matters right now, and they won't be getting ahead of themselves. Central Coast Mariners have beaten Sydney FC 2-1 in the first leg of their A League semi-final and hold the whip hand, playing at home in the second leg. Finn Surman joined Elliott Smith out of the Phoenix camp to preview their clash. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Black Ferns are hoping to start fresh in 2024 when they take on the USA in their Pacific Four Series clash in Hamilton this afternoon. The last time the New Zealand women took the field was at the W-X-V tournament last October, where they lost to England and France. Black Ferns prop Kate Henwood joined Elliott Smith to preview their first test of the year. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hurricanes are determined to stay top of the Super Rugby table leading into the playoffs. The Canes have been on the top rung of the ladder all season, but will be toppled if they lose to the Blues at Eden Park this afternoon. Skipper Brad Shields says they don't want to drop apex status with the finals just around the corner. Blues Prop Angus Ta'avao joined Elliott Smith to preview the top of the table clash. LISTEN ABOVE Live commentary of the match on Gold Sport and iHeartRadio. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the world of retirements from international sport, Colin Munro's from international cricket was an interesting one. Because he hadn't actually played for the Black Caps since February 2020. Hadn't got a contract in 2020, so he moved abroad. Then he turned himself into a T20 globetrotter - playing for franchises around the globe and slugging runs for fun for many of them. But that wasn't enough to crack a spot back in the Black Caps. Despite him being chased by a number of teams —from the Brisbane Heat to the Toronto Nations to the St Lucia Kings— as a gun for hire, NZC were steadfast in not picking him from abroad. He hasn't got a chance and has finally decided after missing out on the T20 World Cup next month that enough is enough, and he'll pull pin on his international career. In an interview you can hear later today on Weekend Sport, and you might have caught a bit of on our news bulletins yesterday, Munro felt his card was marked by previous NZC CEO David White. This is where cricket in this country needs to make a decision fast. Because Munro was a trendsetter in many ways and didn't get picked, now we have Trent Boult choosing when to play and that trickle could become a tide. He felt like he wasn't given a fair opportunity in his best format for his country and it's hard to disagree. The ICC needs to carve out non-T20 franchise periods for cricket ASAP, but NZ Cricket needs to pick its best talent and they didn't do that with Colin. Let's hope he's the last player whose talents they fail to make the most of. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

New Zealand's top darts players return for the 'Sun City Darts' tournament as part of the DPNZ Pro Tour. Stu Irwin joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to preview the event out of Nelson. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Notoriously superstitious Phoenix coach Giancarlo doesn't even want to look at the A-League's Premier's Plate, which has arrived in Wellington. It's there in case the Nix end their regular season on top after tomorrow's home game against Macarthur F.C. Italiano says he won't be looking at the silverware and he doesn't want his players to see it either, saying it's "bad luck" and "almost like kryptonite" to him. Wellington Nix midfielder Ben Old joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to preview the clash. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.