DSPN - RUGBY

Jeff McGregor joins Martin to dig into a massive weekend of Super Rugby officiating. We’re looking at why those head clashes in the Moana Pasifika v Highlanders game didn't trigger mandatory HIAs and how the refs managed that bizarre power outage at North Harbour. Jeff also explains why officials are turning a blind eye to hands in the ruck and the drama behind that Ruben Love shot clock call.

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It’s vibe rankings time and things are starting to split. At the top, it’s pretty clear. The Hurricanes and Blues have separated themselves from the rest. But behind them? Absolute chaos.

We break down where every team sits after seven rounds, from the Canes flying to the logjam in the middle where the Crusaders, Chiefs, Brumbies and Reds are all taking turns beating each other. No one’s quite sure who belongs third and who belongs sixth, and that’s kind of the point.

Down the bottom, it’s a tougher conversation. Moana Pasifika, the Drua and the Force are all battling, but results just aren’t coming. We get into what they need, whether their seasons are already gone, and why it’s hard not to want these teams to succeed anyway.

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The Hurricanes are humming, and we mean properly humming. Today on DSPN, Marty and Tony Johnson get stuck into a massive Super Rugby round, starting with a Canes side that’s putting up points for fun and looking every bit like the team to beat.

We get into why Wellington’s attack looks so sharp, why their defence deserves more love, and what the next stretch of games will tell us about whether this run is the real deal. There’s also plenty on the Waratahs’ big win over the Brumbies, the Chiefs doing what they had to do in Perth, and a Blues side that keeps finding its way home late.

Then the chat shifts to bigger selection questions. Who’s the best left wing in the comp right now? Who should be the next All Blacks captain? And is Caleb Clarke the man to wear 11 in black? Plenty to get stuck into.

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Round seven gave us a bit of everything, and then chucked in a proper sideline meltdown from England for good measure. We get stuck into the Hurricanes flattening the Reds, the Blues finally waking up after halftime, and the Chiefs doing what good teams do by getting the job done when it was messy.

We also look at Moana Pasifika’s season going sideways, the Waratahs keeping theirs alive with a big win over the Brumbies, and the growing debate around who should be steering the Chiefs at 10 and 15. There’s some love for Peyton Spencer, some appreciation for afternoon rugby, and a fair bit of disbelief at a coach losing the plot over a pre-match kick.

It’s a proper round-up episode with winners, worries, and plenty to chew on.

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The DSPN mailbag is overflowing this week. Martin and Lachlan dive into the heated debate over the All Blacks captaincy—is Ardie Savea really the right man for the job? We also address the bold claims from the Northern Hemisphere, explain why we "don't rate" the Six Nations' hype, and look at whether Dave Rennie's new "hard bastard" coaching crew can finally bring back the All Blacks' dominance.

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Greg Martin joins the show for a massive cross-code preview. We dive into the "hard bastard pie" being served up by the new All Blacks assistants, Neil Barnes and Tana Umaga. Plus, we look at the clinical Reds ahead of their clash with the Hurricanes.

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Sky Sport’s Tony Johnson joins Martin Devlin to look ahead to a massive Round 7. We break down the "battle within a battle" between the Hurricanes and the Reds, dive into the loose forward clash featuring the dangerous Harry Wilson, and ask if the Blues can stay clinical against a unpredictable Drua side. Plus, we look at the mounting injury toll at Moana Pasifika.

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Sky Sport’s Tony Johnson joins Martin Devlin to break down the newly named All Blacks coaching crew. We discuss the "relief" of the appointments, why Mike Blair is the final piece of the jigsaw, and the massive challenge facing Tana Umaga's defense. Plus, a deep dive into the first-five-eighth crisis: is it Beauden Barrett's jersey to lose, or is Ruben Love ready for the step up?

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Greg Barclay has held the top job at the ICC and now sits as a director for New Zealand Rugby and our man at World Rugby. He joins Martin Devlin to pull back the curtain on the governance of our national game. We discuss the "rigorous" All Blacks review, the influence of the BCCI in cricket, and how we fix the "overburdened" regulations that are making rugby hard to watch.

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The No. 10 jersey is the most important position in New Zealand sport, and right now, it’s entirely up for grabs. Martin Devlin breaks down the four-way battle between Beauden Barrett, Damian McKenzie, Richie Mo’unga, and the rising Ruben Love. With Dave Rennie’s tenure kicking off in July, can the All Blacks afford to experiment, or is winning the only currency that matters?

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