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It'd be well up in the sky. It's a bird, it's a plane, it's old Tams Stupid, It's Sports Fix. Welcome on in to our sport podcast. Everything you need to know about the world of sport, the good, the bad, the sublime, even the ridiculous. My name is Darcy Walter Grave. It is a Tuesday, the twenty fifth of February twenty twenty five, and coming up on today's Fix podcast, I catch up with Scott Dixon, six times IndyCar champion. He's one at Indianapolis as well. Season gets underway next Monday,
New Zealand Times. We'll chat with Scott about what that means, what's changing. You've been here? How long, bro, it's been ages. I've got some opinions on the black Caps and where they go now now that they have qualify five of the semi finals of the Champions Trophy. Joining me in the chamber to juggle some of the big sports stories of the day. Rugby writer, voice of Rugby Newstalk zb sport journo Elliott Smith, Right, you know what's happening, so let's do it in other news time for some short
sports thoughts from the mouths. The news made is the black Caps and swatted the Bunglan dish. He's away with a five wicket win in the Champions Trophy to Avendra again issued a statement about his enormous ability scoring yet another One day International ton John Latham, who has turned his own form around with his third healthy scor in three games. It's another fifty. He shared a key partnership of one hundred and twenty nine with Rutchen. He had a great view the.
Way he came in with us under a little bit of pressure as well as into really wickets and I guess there for him to absorb a little bit of pressure and then and then put the pressure back on them just shows their head on his shoulders to I guess to not play for a couple of weeks and then come out and play on things like that was he was outstanding explosive.
Joseph Jurassic Parker picks the Boggie man and fight them in Saudi Arabia. But even that power laden Ko in the second round isn't enough to cement him a heavyweight title shot yet, maybe another long wait for Joe manage it day Higgins.
If dub who sick happens, there'll be a unified champion and then Joseph can have a crack about unified.
Champion towards the end of the year.
Perhaps, so I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Joseph Parker have a doll at unifying, maybe unify towards the end of the year.
And Warriors wingman Dulnwatona's leisni Ark is out for a bunch of time. Dyln, what's the skinny with your busted up wrist, bro.
Depending what the stairs is, if it's healing, or I could start progressing getting my strength back in my arm, because I'm gonna cast at the moment.
You lose a lot of muscle and a lot of your strength in man and they'bility in the rest.
If you're goes well at the bus, I've hit all that back, then I see I get back over the field.
And as you know, the sooner the better, are all concerned. So there are your daily sports short thoughts. If you will you.
Scandian it's Forcefix with Dancy Waldegrave.
And the black Caps have done it again. No, they haven't won anything yet, Bert, Let's face it. They are now in dare I say, the box seat and the champions trophy. They beat Pakistan, who are hosting the tournament first up, no mean feat. Although well prepared in the build up to that particular game. Last night they beat up Bangladesh. They did it by five wickets, reasonably comfortably. This,
of course, is after there were some struggles came. Williamson didn't score any run, will Young didn't score any runs, maybe wabbling a wee bit. But then Tom Latham, who's had a stunning last couple of One Day Internationals, and Rutchen Ravendra back from that head knock, joined together in a century plus stand save the day. And therefore the black Caps have gone straight through to semifinals. Remember they've still got India to play before that, but that game
carries no weight as the semi finalists have already been found. Yeah, it's going to come down to who they play in the semis or who they play in the finals. But quite frankly, this team has to beat them all in order to call themselves the ICC Champions Trophy champion. They've done it once before. It was a long, long time ago, a quarter of a century ago. Since then, she's been skinny, got to a number of finals of recent times, but still haven't done enough to get it over the line.
I've said a few years ago they used to get to semis and not quite get it through. Now they get to finals and don't quite get it through the way things were in stages, I'd suggest now this team is at the situation where they get into semifinals, then into finals and then win those finals. It's a new look team. It's got some new guys, but it's been held together by some seasoned professionals. It could be our time and let's face it, home away from home, that
is the sub Continent. I'd suggest New Zealand spend more time on pitchers and outfields in the subcontinent than they do here at home. Advantage US. It's getting.
Dissecting the sporting agenda. It's Sportsfix with Dancy Waldegrave.
And it's a warm welcome to the Sports Fix podcast to six times IndyCar champion in the five hundred winner mister Scott Dixon. Gooday, Scott how are you.
I'm doing good man good excited for the new season to kick off.
Good to hear, always excited. It doesn't matter how many times you do this. What is it about?
Well, I think it's the long off seasons.
But you know, luckily I'm able to do a bit and so racing as well in sports car stuff with Daytona and then prepping for for Seabring twelve hour here recently. So yeah, the off season this year was pretty quiet on the anycar front, with no real testing, kind of had one day at Seabring before we kick off this week. So yeah, last year we had quite a bit just due to the fact of the hybrid testing.
And all that kind of stuff.
So yeah, there's been a lot of drivers sitting around for a little while, so it's good to get going here.
What's new this year, if anything at all when it comes to the season and it comes to the series, when it comes to the car, when it comes to the team.
So quite a few changes, mostly on the team front. We went from five cars back down to three, which I think is a great move. They've done a new engineering alliance deal with my Shank Racing, which they previously had been with Andretti, so it's kind of five cars. You know, Armstrong is still teammate, he's you know kind of leased out or used out t Shank my shank racing. And then obviously you know, being back with an ex teammate, Felix rosen Quest, so you know, it's quite a great combo.
I think on the car side there's not too much.
I think energy levels change a little bit on the hybrid, you know, just more usage. I think per lap is kind of one of the key differences. And then some bigger differences on the tire front. I think between the you know, the the black or you know standard tire to the option tire, which I think is green or red this year will have a bigger difference, so you know, the softer tire will degrade a little bit more, but
have you know, kind of a higher peak speed. And then for the series, you know, a new new deal with the broadcaster with Fox, which has been fantastic advertising and all the stuff at the Super Bowl and you know, they've been really knocking out of the park. So you know, all of the races in America will be on live TV, which is great. Hasn't been like that for quite a few years, so that's a big push forward.
I think definitely for the sport, a bit.
More pressure on you and the team to make sure you put on a good display.
That pressure is a waste man.
Pressure is a privilege, and you know, for us it's just you know, it's always the same mindset, right, You're just going out there to try and win each race and that will still obviously with the first one this weekend, but no different on that front.
Him As far as picking up what last year if you had a big off season, we had plenty of time to think. I'm sure what was the main takeaway from twenty twenty forty I think for you and Chip Ganassi raising.
Yeah, frustration.
I think on the nine car side, you know, it was still another great year for the ten obviously going back to back championships, so you know, a championship year for the team again, which was fantastic. You know, Alex
and the ten Card group did a phenomenal job. You know for us, we led kind of the first half of the season and then you know, we just had issue after issue with tire failure and then a hybrid failure, and you know, then got crashed out a couple of races and as soon as you get knocked out of one or two man, you're really out of the running. And you know, the ten cards that are a fantastic job of having rough weekends and still turning them into two great points point stays. So, you know, for us,
I think the performance was there. We had some great races, obviously a couple of wins. The wind count for a lot of people, it was kind of spread. Last year, you know, for Alex only two race winds but still won the championship. We had two race wins, but just didn't really capitalize on the low points. But yeah, I think for us, you know, definitely a rebuilding off season and just making sure that we cover you know, all avenues and making sure that you know, we get the
most out of each session and each race. And you know, you only need to average kind of a fourth, fifth or six finishing position to win the championship, So you know, you've got to make the most out of the bad days.
What are you coming up quarter of a century racing? This has it got an hard or easier as far as what happens in the cock pit, not the racing itself. How do you think it's developed as a series.
Yeah, I think it kind of you know, it's it's a bit of a rollercoaster. I think some years are easier than others, you know, championship years where you've really been on a roll. It's not like you do anything different, it's just sometimes it kind of rolls with you. So, you know, I think the details, it's always been about
the details. But I think more teams. You know, there are no small teams now, so you know, I think you've you've really got the capability from just about everybody on the grid that's going to have a shot at winnings. So you know, the competition level is much more stout. You know, the first championship I won back in two thousand and three, you know, I think I dnf five or six races.
You know, you wouldn't even be in the play.
But that was just because reliability was you know, wasn't on, wasn't the forefront then, whereas you know, you now have some drivers completing you know, every lap of the season, which you know that's what you've got to really do to make sure that you're in the running for the championship.
What about the way skid that you have apparently minor re damage. You weren't hurt, but a bit of a shake up. Oh the tests. Yeah, the test was like the way you've completely forgotten about it already.
Yeah, you move on. The test was a bit rof.
We actually blew the engine on the first lap, which took us out of running for the first day. And that's one of your four engines that you get for the season, so at some point we'll get a penalty for that, which was definitely frustrating.
And then yeah, had a locked rear with.
The increased hybrid, you know, toll on the real axle rear axle, and then kind of got in the grass a bit and just tapped the wall which bent the upper wishbone. But you know, we were out kind of thirty minutes later. It was nothing too crazy, but yeah, you know those are those are some of the things when you're pushing hard that happened.
I suppose it gives you a distinct reminder of the extraordinarily fine lines that you guys ride every time. We're talking millimeters. At some stage that'll just I suppose of anything. Not a shakeout, but you look at this and go, yep, we're right on the edge here. I can't forget that because you're a reminder, isn't it, Scott, Yeah.
It does.
You know, you've got to maximize everything and finding the limits, you know, is definitely a big point to that. So you know, sometimes you cross over it and kind of have a bit of a reset and get after it.
But yeah, you're always pushing to the maximuman.
Unlike Formula One, very very close and I think that's part of the magic of the IndyCar series of all the vehicles all pretty similar really, and the quality of the drivers. I member a couple of years ago, she was a bit rookie thick and got a bit wee bit reckless. Do you think the closeness of the competition last year and the quality of other people on the track is improved? You think it's going to be a better season when it comes to that.
For sure.
You know, again, I think you've kind of lost you know, the seasons of you know, there might have been some years where there was really only you know, ten to fifteen really compared cars. I think at the front and the point end of the field that's never really changed, you know, It's it's always been super intense, you know, I think it's just the depth of the field now is as drastically increased. You know, a lot of the
tracks will be at capacity now. You know, some cars may have to go home if they're not part of the leader circle or you know, part of you know, the charter program. So you know, I think the series is really healthy at the moment. I think this year with the with the Fox Steel will really build on that, you know. So it's it's definitely the depth. As I keep saying, there are really no small teams anymore. Each
team functions extremely well. They're well budgeted and you know they have a great team drive a combo that you know, the depth is pretty intense.
The most important thing for you is what happens coming up this week came back to Saint Petersburg. Is there a bit of comfort around that track that you've moted on so many times?
Definitely, you know, I think it's one of the best IndyCar events we have on the on the calendar. You know, Saint Pete and that town really embraced the race, which is you know, half of the battle sometimes you know, but it's had a great longevity so far. It's one of the biggest and best races that we have much you know, similar to you know Long Beach or the Indy five hundred or you know some like that. So you know, it's it's a fun track. It's probably the
best place you can kick off the season. And you know we've had some fantastic results. I think I've been you know, second there five times and on the podium many a times, but never actually won it. So you know, trying to fight for that first one at Saint Pete.
Scott, go well, drive fast, mate, Tore. We keep it on the black stuff, keep it safe at all times and wave that New Zealand flag one of a handful and IndyCar will be written for you all the way. Mister Dixon. Let's get rid of those five brides made at Saint Pete's this weekend. We'll be there.
Thanks for your time, mate, much appreciated man. Thanks.
The chamber is now incision on Sports Fix and we swung open the chamber door and we welcome and news talk, said Bee's rugby man.
His name is Elliot Smith. Elliott, welcome on and I trust you well and I'm still amping over the weekend.
Super rugby, huh, Super rugby has been made great again.
It is back and it is compelling viewing, which is exactly what we wanted because we talked all pre season about how you know this competition is adding new things.
Well, the Rugby's delivering on the park.
Super duper Rugby you can call it. Now we're going to talk about that. We'll talk about some other stories out there. So short thoughts if you will. Elliott Smith joins us in the chamber. Now, Elliott Smith, News talk, zeb reporter, podcaster, herald writer. The list goes on, You're a very accommodating man, You're very busy, so thanks for taking a couple of minutes to join us in the chamber.
Elliott, pleasure to be here.
Right. So today this story comes out around Design, the massive streaming service predominantly known for their boxing coverage, but they are trying to spread might be in talk with in Zea to pick up the rugby coverage. Suddenly Sky going oh.
Yeah, well this is this is big look New Zealand Rugby talking to Dezonne. Sky haven't been able to come to a deal with New Zealand Rugby. We understand that they've put in less money across the table than they did in the last cycle that is about to end at the end of this year. So New Zealand Rugby have gone to Design or vice versa and having a
bit of a conversation. Now there is no bids on the table as it stands from the zone to say that we are going to make an offer here, but it does represent a conversation that they're not happy with the amount of money that Sky is putting across the table and saying this is what we're prepared to pay for the next few years. Whether it's a bargaining tactic and negotiation tactic from New Zealand Rugby to drive up Sky, yeah, or whether they are interested in having designe in the
market is fascinating design. You know, you're right that they've had a boxing foothold around the world. They have the Champions League here in New Zealand, but they don't really have much of a foothold. If they were wanting to get a foothold in New Zealand, you get the All Blacks and you get New Zealand Rugby boy so.
Globally as well, wouldn't it. It will work through. Rights coming through depend.
On the structure of the of the deal and you know, if they could do a global deal and say all the rugby there, but there are sort of fish shocks around it because Australia sales their own rights for rugby,
so they only have certain things to sell. But it would open up a relationship between the SO and to an extent, to me, it's almost surprising that this has been the first talk of a streamer having genuine interest because there are so many of them out there now, you know, you look at Disney Plus for example, Amazon Prime, others that have NFL SO and Boxing as you point out, so to an extent, it's almost surprising that this is the real first confirmation that Dezone or a streamer is
interested in having the rights. And it's almost at the eleventh hour because you look at the cricket deal which was announced last Friday that starts at the end of twenty twenty six twenty seven summer New Zealand and Rugby's current deal ends at the end of this year, so starting February twenty twenty six for the new Super ab season and beyond, they're still trying to piece it together.
Doesn't matter who approach too, I think it does.
Actually, I think if New Zealand rugby approach to dezone.
And real power players that's going.
Actually, we're not happy with the amount of money that Sky's said that they're willing to pay for our content if the zone came in ago they're probably just maybe just testing the water a little bit, but would have genuine interest. I spoke to Design's VP of Global Marketing on Weekend Sport a couple of weeks ago, and they have big plans for Australia and New Zealand. They're about to buy Foxtail and Australia, it's going through the red
tape and regulatory process over there. The question would be do you get a foothold in New Zealand by buying the all Blacks rights or do you get a foothold by doing similar to what you've done in Australia and buying Sky like they had with Foxtel. What's the easier path to taking up residents in New Zealand And that's a question that Greg has posted in this column as well.
Better Would they be better off buying Sky and having the sports rights that come and tail it, And assuming you have a New Zealand rugby rights agreement with Sky, you get that as part of the package.
Well it's out of the say satellite TV, do they put everything.
Out that's a Well in Australia, they're gonna have to figure out that because we've got foxtail boxes right across Australia that are still being used. Same situation with be in New Zealand. You've got skyboxes that are still being used here in New Zealand that people haven't moved to streaming. So it wouldn't be foreign territory necessarily that they move away from their entire streaming product, but it's something they're going to have to get their heads around.
The ever shifting sands of sport coverage. The Crickets overnight dismissed Bangladesh. They were in a bit of a dodgy situation for a while, didn't panic carried on so real deal Now after what they've been up to in the last couple of games.
Well I think they've got to be considered as real contenders for this tournament now on the basis of what we've seen. The Try series is one thing, but to come in and do it in an ICC tournament and play like they have against Pakistan and then Bangladesh overnight and.
Well it's the key against Pakistan at home and that really set it all up. So we're not backing up for anyone, Nope.
And you know performances from players.
You know Michael Brace, well he didn't have it go his way in the first game, but comes back in the second game. Okay, Kane Williamson has failed twice in a row, but that doesn't seem to have mattered. Darren Mitchell was out with sickness overnight as well. Russian Ravendra comes in at four and then scores his fourth ICC tournament century. There are players standing up and it's not the same ones every game. It's not like you're relying on Caine Williamson to do the job. You've got Russian
Revengder stand again. Michael Bracew with the ball. Tom Latham's come into a nice vein of form and recent type.
Three consecutive ducks and he hits a fitty a ton on a thirty. That's a good way to bounce back that. He loves that part of the world. When you talk about subcontinental cricket, if there's a team more adept at dealing with that outside of the subcontinental teams it's New Zealand.
Absolutely, because we travel there so often. It's a lot of cricket over there, because we tend to agree to play, you know, those games because you know, they they give us money and you know, and we're not necessary to pushover. But it's good financial sense for New Zealand to play
those games. So they're certainly helping in this tournament. And in the great position for the black Caps is that they can go into a game against India and knowing it's not a must win and you know, it used to affect the seeding in their pool and where they go to for the semi finals. But the fact of the matter is they don't need to worry about winning it, and that is a good position for the black Caps to be in.
I don't know where it stands right now until the other group games are out, but I suppose I dearly they don't want to play India in a semi final, do they? Although probably not afraid. I'd say the Indians to be more freaked out than anyone right essentially.
Yeah, and look, you know Australia has had that big run chase against England the other night as well, so they'll be contenders as well. But I think it works out that they could take India in the final. You know that's probably you know, we live in Indian Cricket's head, rent free, so bring it on.
And it's more than a monkey on the back when it comes to winning these short form tournaments. It's a troop of the boons. It's so big and that's got to affect these guys so close but so far away for so long World Test Championship to one size.
Twenty five years since the ICC knockout in Nairobi, and you know, maybe twenty five years on, there's something in the stars and it might be the new generations turned to finally lift that silverware.
Well we know how to do it in the subcontinent, no doubt. Alie Smith joining us in the chamber. So Joseph Parker is he sat for another long long wait.
This must be so frustrating for Joseph Parker. It's been a frustrating week. I mean he's done his part held up as part of the bargain. He's you know, actually entered the ring for the fight. So that's more than Daniel Dubai.
He did.
He knocked out Bikoley with absolute ease, didn't get the title fight that he was expecting to get, and now he has to sit on his chaff waiting for the world boxing power brokers to figure out exactly how it's going to play out. Now. Dubois and Usik has been talked about obviously as a as a fire that's being lined up. So the frustrating thing for Joseph Parker, and I've read some of the comments that he's made to our colleague Liam Napier and David Higgins as well as
that they've obviously got no real saying this. They just have to basically cop whatever they're served up by the people in world boxing. Hope for a title fight because that's what they were supposed to get on the weekend, but it may pan out that they may be waiting a year, eighteen months aronother one. And you know the kind of form that Parker is in, it has been a wonderful renaissance in his career because you know, he had been fading out of his career.
To that again called a journeyman, didn't he Yeah.
And that's got a sting.
But he's come back with a second wind that I don't think anyone expected I certainly didn't, you know. I was looking at them going, you know, maybe it's time just to give up the dream of being the world heavyweight champion. But the second one that he's having is superbse so you just hope he's rewarded with the chance that he deserves and that is a world title fight.
Again.
Well, Chris Ratto wrote in The Herold and of course I don't write Sir Rugby and the Herald as well, and you said, look now, wonder people are walking away from boxing because you look at the UC and the way fights are made. It's a lot more transparent, it's instant, whereas boxing is just a mess.
We can't run. In the UFC, you if there is a fight that is to be made, it will happen. And that's the thing to admire about the UFC is that it will be scheduled at some point, whether it's down the track whatever. To say what you're like about the UFC, They make those big fights happen. Boxing is not at that point, and you know, it's it's shambles to put it mildly, and you've just got you know, as is it if you jokes A Parker and David Higgins.
You've just basically got to wait for that phone called and.
You go to wait to Thesaudi Royal Familist roll and go all right like we did last time. Everyone sitting the door, here's the money. Shut up, you fight you, you fight U f time be done and on that Elliott Smith out the chamber.
You go.
How do I go?
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