DSPN - RUGBY

Super Rugby is nearly here and we’re back where rugby feels closest to the people. DSPN heads on tour to Sacred Heart College in Auckland for a stinking hot preseason clash between the Blues and the Hurricanes.

We soak up the atmosphere on a school field, chat to fans, parents, and rugby tragics, and get a real sense of what this competition still means when the sun’s out and the season’s just around the corner. There’s excitement, optimism, and plenty of opinions on where Super Rugby and the All Blacks are heading.

We also hear from coaches post-match on what preseason actually tells you, what matters and what doesn’t, and why games like this still matter in a professional era.

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Mailbag time on DSPN, and as always, the gloves are well and truly off. We dive into your comments, questions and hot takes from across YouTube and social, and there’s no shortage of strong opinions this week.

From where Max has gone, to player interviews that challenge lazy narratives, to claims we’re “too negative” about the All Blacks, we respond to it all. We unpack the current coaching situation, the state of New Zealand rugby, and why being honest isn’t the same as being negative.

There’s debate around governance, selection processes, overseas players, potential coaching combinations and whether the All Blacks job is still the most prized role in world rugby. Plus, a few lighter moments, some unexpected gifts, and the usual DSPN chaos that keeps the mailbag a must-listen every week.

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What does real belief actually look like when it’s earned, not gifted?

Brad Thorn joins Martin Devlin for one of the most open and powerful conversations we’ve had on the DSPN. From anxiety and self-doubt to faith, discipline and mental resilience, Brad reflects on the moments that shaped him long before the trophies arrived.

They talk through Brad’s new book Champions Do Extra, the lessons passed down from his father, the pressure of World Cup finals, State of Origin, and why belief only comes after the work is done. Brad also opens up about anxiety, leadership, coaching at the Reds, and why you’re never truly defeated if you’re willing to stand and fight.

It’s honest, grounded, and full of perspective from a man who’s been to the very top and knows exactly what it costs to stay there.

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This season comes with expectations, and Glen Jackson isn’t shying away from them.

The Fijian Drua head coach joins Martin Devlin ahead of Super Rugby Pacific to talk pressure, progress, and why making the playoffs is non negotiable. From paying their own way to New Zealand, to learning how to win away from Fiji, Glen gives an honest look at what the Drua are trying to fix this year.

They also cover the emotional week in Mount Maunganui, training alongside the Chiefs, the challenge of travelling as a young squad, and why staying grounded matters just as much as winning. Glen reflects on leadership, experience, and the balance between Fijian flair and shutting games down when it counts.

It’s a candid, thoughtful chat about growth, responsibility, and what success really looks like for one of Super Rugby’s most watchable teams.

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What happens when the game gets taken away from you for the first time?

Today on the DSPN, Martin sits down with All Blacks and Chiefs forward Tupou Vaa’i as he opens up about his knee injury, a long road back to fitness, and what being sidelined taught him about rugby and life.

From lonely mornings watching the boys on tour to finding clarity through family time, Tupou reflects on a season that changed him.

We also get into confidence, imposter syndrome, and the moments that helped lift his game to another level back in 2024. Tupou talks honestly about working alongside Scott Barrett, the impact of mental skills coaching, and how becoming a father shifted his entire perspective.

It’s a grounded, thoughtful conversation with one of the All Blacks’ most quietly important players.

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On today's Rugby Roundtable, we’re covering two very different sporting flashpoints that somehow end up in the same place. Pressure, performance, and who really controls the narrative.

We kick things off with the Coco Gauff racket smash at the Australian Open, and whether elite athletes should expect privacy anywhere off the court. Is it fair game, or are we crossing a line when emotion spills over away from the spotlight?

Then it’s full noise on the All Blacks coaching situation. From Scott Robertson’s exit to the narrow pool of available replacements, we dig into whether New Zealand Rugby actually had a plan. We talk Jamie Joseph, Dave Rennie, coaching depth, culture breakdowns, player management, and why Super Rugby fans keep getting short-changed. It’s passionate, frustrated, and very Kiwi.

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Is the All Blacks coaching process really as simple as we’re being told? We’re told to trust it, respect it, and be patient. But when you strip it back, there are some uncomfortable questions that refuse to go away.

In this sermon, we dig into how New Zealand Rugby has arrived at this point, why timing matters more than people want to admit, and what the current criteria actually means for who can and cannot be considered. We look at the names fans keep raising, the ones who are unavailable, unwilling, or already committed elsewhere, and why that narrows the field far more than most realise.

This isn’t about negativity or hindsight. It’s about realism. The All Blacks are meant to be the best team in the world. So doesn’t that job deserve the best possible coach in the world, not just the best option available right now? Because history tells us that process alone won’t win anything unless everything around it is right too.

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The All Blacks coaching conversation just shifted again, and we finally have some clarity. With New Zealand Rugby publicly outlining the criteria for the next head coach, the speculation is narrowing fast, and a few big names are already out of the race.

Marty and TJ unpack Vern Cotter’s surprise decision to leave the Blues, what it means for the All Blacks shortlist, and why international coaching experience is now non-negotiable. They dig into the five-person selection panel, the mystery retired All Black still to be named, and which candidates are realistically left standing.

There’s also a deep dive into Super Rugby Pacific preseason as the competition fires back up. From disciplinary debates to high-ball tactics and what these warm-up games really tell us, it’s a wide-ranging, honest look at where the game is heading as another massive year begins.

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This one’s a proper rugby pub yarn.

Tony Johnson joins us to tackle one of the biggest debates in New Zealand sport. Who are the greatest All Blacks captains of all time? No stats spreadsheets, no definitive rankings. Just leadership, mana, and the moments that define greatness.

TJ and Marty work through names that shaped generations. From pioneers like David Gallaher, through statesmen such as Wilson Whineray and Graham Mourie, to modern-era icons including Sean Fitzpatrick and Richie McCaw.

It’s about courage under fire, thinking the game differently, and the calm heads who carried the jersey when it mattered most. We also give credit where it’s due to leaders like Wayne Shelford, whose impact went far beyond the win-loss column.

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The inbox exploded and honestly, we’re not surprised. This week’s DSPN Mailbag takes on the All Blacks coaching fallout, the Razor decision, and the sheer volume of opinions flying around New Zealand rugby right now.

Martin and Lachlan dig into everything from Wayne Smith’s reaction to Razor's departure, to the ongoing debate around player power, accountability, and whether this All Blacks group is really as weak as some fans claim.

There’s also a deep dive into the England comparison, why Baltimore is hosting a Test against South Africa, and what that actually means for travelling fans.

Along the way, we read the good, the bad, and the downright unhinged comments. Some fair. Some funny. Some that probably should’ve stayed in drafts.

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