New Zealand SVNS star's cold reply to Aussie coach’s loser talk comment
Black Ferns Sevens ace Shiray Kaka has hit back at comments from a rival coach that the New Zealand men’s team were embracing loser talk after a run of uncharacteristically poor results.
Only a few days before SVNS Vancouver, Australia women’s coach Tim Walsh spoke with RugbyPass about a variety of topics – including being the best and staying there.
Walsh was asked about comments from New Zealand players Leroy Carter and Sam Dickson, with the pair telling this outlet during the season that the Kiwis were prioritising the Olympic Games.
Carter in Cape Town said the New Zealanders were “not trying to be the best at the moment” while Dickson in Perth revealed, “The Olympics is our main goal.”
But the sentiment of those comments surprised Walsh who told RugbyPass that “that’s what you’re saying when you’re losing, to be honest.
“I can’t imagine any New Zealand team saying that.
“I think that’s one of the things around New Zealand is that they always try and be the best they can be at the time.”
Well, towards the end of Day One at SVNS Vancouver, another New Zealander described the upcoming Paris Games as “the pinnacle event” for the year.
Black Ferns Sevens ace Shiray Kaka, who returned to the SVNS Series this week after missing out on the squad for Perth, was at her best during an all-time hilarious interview.
Kaka, 28, didn’t shy away from the fact that this year hasn’t gone to plan for the New Zealanders. With no Cup final triumphs in 2023/24, they’ll be eager to turn that around in Canada.
“Not the greatest, you can say it, you can say it. We’ve lost every tournament. That’s what’s happened,” Kaka told RugbyPass.
“We just go back to playing rugby for fun and remembering your ‘why’ and all that kind of thing. Just coming together, recuperating and just remembering the pinnacle event is the Olympics.
“We keep grinding.”
That response about the Olympics led to a question about Tim Walsh’s comments.
Kaka, who had referred to the coach as “Uncle Timmy” only moments before, was surprised by Walsh’s view on the topic. But the Kiwi laid down a marker with a cold reply.
“All I’ll say is we’ll see. We’ll see.”
Back in black during the event at BC Place Stadium, Kaka has led the way with three tries in two games for the Black Ferns Sevens.
Kaka scored a double during the big win over Brazil in their first match of the event and added another runaway try to her tally later in the day against South Africa.
“Feeling good. The turf makes you feel faster as well so I’ve got no complaints.
“I don’t want to say I don’t have any grazes yet because I’ll probably jinx it so we’ll just go with that.
“It feels like a playground out there and because the area is so loud, I feel like the speaker’s right in the middle of the field too so that’s kind of distracting having ADHD but it’s fine.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
1 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
3 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
3 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
3 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to commentsUnfortunately when you lose by far the two form players this season in Roigard and Aumua, you're left replacing two game changing Tanks with a couple of pea-shooters. Which is also about the speed of TJs pass.
4 Go to commentsBit rich coming from the guy with zero loyalty to anyone or any team, including happily taking a players place in a league world cup squad because well, SBW wanted to play in it and thus an already named player got told he was no longer going. And airing stuff like this, which may or may not be true, doesn't exactly say you're a stand up guy either SBW. Just looking to keep his name in lights as usual.
38 Go to commentsTamati Tua. …the Taniwha NPC midfielder. Ollie Sapsford, Hawkes Bay NPC midfielder…doing well
4 Go to commentsFiji deserve to be in the rugby championship, fans love seeing the Fijian national team play, the Fijian Drua is a wonderful idea but the players can still be stolen to play for NZ and AUS…
2 Go to commentsThe first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to comments