REX hosts Dominic George and Hamish McKay caught up for their regular Friday sports chat and both agreed that Saturday's afternoon test between the All Blacks and the Wallabies at Forsyth-Barr Stadium in Dunedin is likely to be the highlight of their weekends.
"A magnificent ground and a rugby ground that is deserving of an afternoon test, I tip my hat to the fine folk of Dunedin and the wider Otago-Highlanders area," McKay said.
"They're coming from everywhere," George agreed.
"I've had messages from people in Christchurch, the West Coast, they're all coming in for this one, so it'll be a sell-out which is wonderful."
The biggest talking point the boys touched on ahead of Saturday's trans-Tasman showdown was the Barretts, or lack thereof, named in this weekends 23 man squad.
McKay told George there is a lot of trial and error in this team and expects this weekend to be the last chance for some squad players to impress before the World Cup in just over a month's time.
"I think bringing Stevenson in from outside the squad is a one-off, you either play your pants off and you're in the World Cup, you don't, there's no room. Same with Finau on the flank.
"You gotta test the waters a bit and I think this is it though, from here on we only see our best 15 every week."
George said he is keen to see some players trialled in slightly different roles or positions than they normally play in the black jersey.
"I'm really looking forward to seeing McKenzie at ten, Stevenson out on the wing and Will Jordan at full-back, it's really exciting."
Touching on the Netball World Cup in South Africa, the Silver Ferns are lining up a semi-final clash against England, whose confidence is high off the back of a victory over favourites Australia in their final pool match.
McKay noted how the Silver Ferns appear to have struggled since losing key shooter Grace Nweke to a knee injury, failing to beat South Africa in a dramatic 48-48 draw and losing to Jamaica by 11 goals.
"We snuck into the semi-final despite that loss. We've got England, it might be a bit challenging but hey, we're still in with a chance."
The Football Ferns, of course, were unfortunately knocked out of the Women's FIFA World Cup in pool play finishing third, the problem for New Zealand, George identified, was the lack of goals in the end.
"The perennial problem with New Zealand football, we just cannot score goals, that is the problem.
"It's dogged men's and women's football in this country for a very long time."
George and McKay wrapped up their chat with a recap on Terrance Crawford's emphatic ninth-round TKO win against Errol Spence, as well as a nail-biting drawn Ashes test after a rained-out fourth test denied either side the chance to secure one of cricket's greatest trophies.
Listen to the full chat between REX hosts Hamish McKay and Dominic George above.
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