Have you seen a drop-off in Ruben Love's game in the last week or two?

No, I don't think it's a drop-off.

But Mwanga was the guy.

And I was down there for those couple of weeks.

And to be honest, man, he was impressive.

And he was impressive in Japan.

And now he's back.

Like in places where you're actually playing away from home, you're not on neutral ground.

What were the messages you were giving these players in the way that you want to play?

Oh, I think nothing.

There's nothing.

There's no secret, like, way we're trying to play.

But the first one reminds me of a bit of Top 14 where we're playing ourselves fit.

You know, after a short preseason, some of the boys turned up maybe not at the best conditioning.

So we're giving it the old Top 14 special where, you know, you just play them fit.

But what is the solution? Is there anything that you think the front row from the All Blacks could probably tinker with and maybe persisted just to get some parity there? She's pretty hard work when you're going backwards piecewise.

For those that haven't heard it, tell us the potato tattoo because it's an absolute

ripper.

It's a stolen, I think, sort of team bonding thing from the Crusaders, the old spud day.

So whatever you meant is grow a spud.

you know, even from nothing, whatever it's called.

Sprout.

Sprout, you get the sprout, start of the season, front row do it, and you grow your spud, and end of the season, you measure, and you weigh it, and whoever wins gets a tattoo, whoever loses does like a, I think they were doing like funnels and yardies and stuff like that.

When rugby is apparently dead, which I think is rubbish, we are seeing this level of engagement, which is just fantastic.

Like, they didn't play that well, I didn't think, the All Blacks, overall, and still only lost by seven points.

Well, I think it comes down to how they play the game.

And I think...

Both teams sort of showed their hands in that second game because they both wanted to win it.

All Blacks wanted to win it, to win the series.

South Africa needed to win it to keep it alive.

So I think it's just going to come down to who can sort of stop the other team, as in can All Blacks tackle those Africans, stop the momentum, take away their set piece and their more power because we know we've got the attack and we know we can beat them down the sidelines.

So do you persevere with Taylor to start for, say, a slightly less amount of time than what he has been and keep Oumuamua on the bench, or do you make that change?

Yeah.

And, um, he's still young enough.

He's got that spring.

So I think, you know, we were just talking, like he's the kind of player that we thought or were hoping that Fino would turn into, but Fino maybe not as dynamic, not as fluid in the game, and he's seen over- overseas anyway, so he didn't get a chance to show his, um, wares.

But yeah, I think long term that's a man.

We've got plenty of good locks.

Uh, I don't see him coming into the second row unless there's injuries, uh, like losing Lord.

So, um, yeah, it, it's a development race, and one that's very expensive.

Yeah.

And it's just mentally fatiguing.

You know what I mean? You're just, like, trying to ...

You're looking around trying to find a solve.

Um, it's hard work anyway, you know.

The Boks are a very good pack.

Um, and if you're not sort of there, you, you're gonna know straight away.

Yeah

How dynamic and how different is France in the way they scrummage to what our guys are going to make?

I think, you know, down here in New Zealand and Australia, we've always been very technical and we're very good with our technique and we've got good shoulder height, we've got good hip height, good angles in our ankles and our knees.

You go to France and, you know, played there myself, they're less worried about the angles.

They're more worried about the mindset and the mentality and just going as hard as you can into a spot.

And, you know, we've talked before and they have this lovely saying, you know, weight moves weight, so...

You know, there's not many competitions in the world you go to as a player and they're like, oh, you're too light, put on more weight.

It's just give you a green card.

Jim from Tamukese Staffie, please ask John, what's the key to the three-test South African series? Mate.

How dynamic and how different is France in the way they scrummage to what our guys are going to make?

I think, you know, down here in New Zealand and Australia, we've always been very technical and we're very good with our technique and we've got good shoulder height, we've got good hip height, good angles in our ankles and our knees.

You go to France and, you know, played there myself, they're less worried about the angles.

They're more worried about the mindset and the mentality and just going as hard as you can into a spot.

And, you know, we've talked before and they have this lovely saying, you know, weight moves weight.

So, You know, there's not many competitions in the world you go to as a player and they're like, oh, you're too light, put on more weight.

It's just give you a green card.

Jim from Tamukese, Staffie, please ask John, what's the key to the three-test South African series?

... is it, like what, what's that like, uh, you know, just sort of week to week being on like a long tour or something like that? Because I think that's one part of the All Blacks people maybe just don't really understand.

Yeah, and it can bounce around you.

I mean, um, touring is, is an, um, enjoyable time, but it can be a tough time depending on if you're getting named in that 22 or 23, and you're sort of, your life changes week to week, you know what I mean? You can be top of the mountain, named in the team, gonna start.

You're on the blower ringing the family, "Make sure you tune in.

I'm getting some minutes here." Or you could be named out of the team, which is always tough.

Doesn't matter if you're...

You know, people might think, "Oh, it's All Blacks." Like, why is it tough? Like you're there to play.

What a great quote.

What's the situation with Kunaloa Rugby and taking this over and

keeping this franchise going? Well, I think it just continues from our journey five years ago when we sort of put the bid in for that super franchise license and were unsuccessful.

And we sort of let them take over.

And I got the bid.

So we're like, oh, look, congrats.

You're looking now for the Pacifica Rigby.

And then, you know, we met them last year when there was issues around sort of taking over.

Just to finish with you, John, what message would you like to give to Pacific Island rugby fans, to Moana fans, to those in the Pacific Island rugby community? What do you want them to hear today?

What's the situation with Kunalawa Rugby and taking this over and keeping this franchise going?

Well, I think it just continues from our journey five years ago when we sort of put the bid in for that super franchise license and were unsuccessful.

And we sort of let them take over.

They didn't mind I got the bid.

So we're like, oh, look, congrats.

You're looking out for the Pacifica Rugby.

And then, you know, we met them last year when there was issues around sort of taking over.

Just to finish with you, John, what message would you like to give to Pacific Island rugby fans, to Moana fans, to those in the Pacific Island rugby community? What do you want them to hear today?