Northern | US
38 - 24
FT
21 - 19
FT
14 - 19
FT
36 - 44
FT
55 - 31
FT
17 - 38
FT
35 - 28
FT
33 - 45
FT
5 - 36
FT
15 - 20
FT
20 - 25
FT
24 - 53
FT
78 - 15
FT
43 - 15
FT
Tomorrow
05:00
Tomorrow
07:10
InternationalBluesChiefsCrusadersHighlandersHurricanes

The Short Ball - s04e18 - Australian rugby's one-man problem, and Ali's application for NZR boss


Comments
Comment

Scotty and Ali are back to yarn all things NZ rugby, this week: Who has a chance at winning Super Rugby gold? What would Ali do if he was made NZR CEO? And a sad farewell to producer Tina, who has a final message for The Short Ball fans.

ADVERTISEMENT

Listen in to the entire episode below or watch on RPTV plus subscribe on iTunes here so you never miss a thing.

Jaguares will go all the way to the final:

Video Spacer

Save 20% on tickets to the Emirates Dubai 7s with HSBC

We’d like to offer our customers 20% off the first 800 tickets on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Activate the offer via the Special Offers section of the Emirates Dubai 7s app and complete your purchase with your HSBC Card or debit card.

Buy Tickets
Terms & Conditions apply.
ADVERTISEMENT
Play Video
LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

1

Du'Plessis Kirifi issues statement after meme posted on All Blacks account after loss

1
2

Wales player ratings vs All Blacks | Nations Championship 2026

19
3

England player ratings vs Japan | Nations Championship 2026

9
4

Wales cling on to end 73-year wait to beat the All Blacks

44
5

Erasmus explains another last-minute change to Springboks' front row

30
6

Antoine Dupont's frank admission after historic France win over Springboks

52
7

Springboks player ratings vs France | Nations Championship 2026

114
8

France player ratings vs South Africa | Nations Championship 2026

50

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Long Reads

LONG READ

'We will never go back to where we were': Rodrigo Fernandez and the 'unthinkable' rise of Chile

Los Condores are one of rugby's biggest success stories of recent times and their playmaker is determined to continue their trajectory.

2
LONG READ

How Nations Championship is changing shape of the game - but let’s keep a fair maul contest

The competition has more ball-in-play time, more points and more tries, but the ease of scoring from close-range lineout drives may be exerting undue influence on games.

135
LONG READ

The Springboks are rightly favourites for the World Cup but don't bet against the resurgent All Blacks

New Zealand may have been bested in the RGR Series, but Dave Rennie is building a side who will push the Springboks all the way.

52

Comments on RugbyPass

E
Elmovator 8 minutes ago
Erasmus explains another last-minute change to Springboks' front row

The ball don’t lie.

27 Go to comments
R
RD 8 minutes ago
Dave Rennie's short response on Richie Mo'unga's performance against Wales

What! DMac has been outstanding this year while Mo’ was pants and has been average, at best, at two WCups.

13 Go to comments
J
JW 9 minutes ago
All Blacks player ratings vs Wales | Nations Championship 2026



Until DP broke his jaw, Segner couldn’t get a go playing at 7 for the Blues.

Obviously because of seniority, not form or ability.



...

130 Go to comments
Z
Zac 10 minutes ago
Dave Rennie's short response on Richie Mo'unga's performance against Wales

No regrets..he should have..he didn't show the Welsh enough respect and they made him.pay for it..good for them..

Rennies blind loyalty is a major weakness…BB ,Mounga , ALB,Reiko Ratima etc didn't repay his faith in them..that backline was appalling..no playmaker..no leadership



...

13 Go to comments
G
GS 12 minutes ago
All Blacks player ratings vs Wales | Nations Championship 2026

“DP was still good this year but no I think Segner clearly surpassed his”

Until DP broke his jaw, Segner couldn’t get a go playing at 7 for the Blues. Blues were unbeaten whilst DP was playing but as soon as he broke his jaw, they fell apart - even though Segner was available throughout the season.



...

130 Go to comments
R
RD 12 minutes ago
Dave Rennie's short response on Richie Mo'unga's performance against Wales

Jacomb starting or on the bench and moving into 10 at halftime in hindsight would have been a smarter selection. How has Mo'unga been given the W Cup keys with DMac sitting in the stand?

England will be super hyped after that result but Wales were outstanding, especially their goaline defense. How many help-ups over the line?



...

13 Go to comments
G
GS 16 minutes ago
All Blacks player ratings vs Wales | Nations Championship 2026

Since the 2023 WC, Wales have played circa 30 odd tests and only beaten Italy, Fiji and Japan.

They are ranked 10th in the world for a reason.



...

130 Go to comments
J
JW 25 minutes ago
All Blacks player ratings vs Wales | Nations Championship 2026

DP was still good this year but no I think Segner clearly surpassed his (I thought Rennie would install DP as his first choice 7 this year but unfortunately he’s still injured, as he was most of Razors tenure) performances/level.

As far as your point about seniority I wouldn’t have mind DP still continuing to prove he can be the top dog (you don’t always go by form).



...

130 Go to comments
K
K F 29 minutes ago
Jake White points to Springboks example after Fiji fall to Ireland

Since Jake White has taken over I have been impressed by his stated vision for the team. The following quote however, gives me much pause:

“We’re not there yet, we took a tap penalty. Having been a South African coach, it would be nothing better than to say take the scrum, put them under pressure, get a yellow card against them and then we’ve got 10 minutes against 14 men.



...

1 Go to comments
J
JW 30 minutes ago
All Blacks player ratings vs Wales | Nations Championship 2026

The ones who haven’t been playing much in NZ recently you mean or am I still supposed to be responding about Super Rugby? LOL

130 Go to comments
J
JW 33 minutes ago
'One-dimensional': Rennie weighs in on attacking performance against Wales

You think they should have overridden the coaching team?

Do you think Beauden was chosen as captain because he would think for himself or follow orders?



...

20 Go to comments
J
JW 45 minutes ago
All Blacks player ratings vs Wales | Nations Championship 2026

They’re bounce back for sure. This game was the coaching team regressing into the same sort of pattern Razor n Co found themselves doing.

They’ll spot that and it will be back to full bore next weekend.



...

130 Go to comments
J
JW 47 minutes ago
All Blacks player ratings vs Wales | Nations Championship 2026

Thankfully the won’t be needed?

130 Go to comments
B
B 48 minutes ago
Wales cling on to end 73-year wait to beat the All Blacks

I’ve seen 320 tackles with 27 missed. On 35% possession and 43% territory

It's seems to be ripped from the Opta stats. If it's true, then it's ridiculous



...

44 Go to comments
J
JW 50 minutes ago
All Blacks player ratings vs Wales | Nations Championship 2026

The won some big moments in the last 10 for sure. And the reverse was always expected of players like Moung and Leicester, they’ve got to try to be match winners but it’s far too much to ask of them not coming through Super Rugby (and being injured).

130 Go to comments
C
ColinK 51 minutes ago
Wales cling on to end 73-year wait to beat the All Blacks

Congrats to Wales, hopefully my boys will be better for this. Incredibly courageous defense from Wales and also France yesterday. Wales deserved to win, hats off to them. For my beloved ABs a sad day, but we will judge if its a blip or something more serious next week against a resurgent England. It’s been a long injury-riddled season but no excuse, as all teams face this now days. At least it’s nice to know that there will be many people so, so happy in Wales. Hopefully they will rise again now.

44 Go to comments
J
JW 53 minutes ago
All Blacks player ratings vs Wales | Nations Championship 2026

Not at all, three times (really only twice looked like scoring though) they held players up over the line, that was the luck they needed.

Also if they hadn’t of stopped those tries they could just have scored again themselves. It was great work don’t get us wrong, but it doesn’t invalid or making it more important than the prio 60min of good threatening rugby. One would even call your take disrespectul of Wales and more anit AB than anything else.



...

130 Go to comments
J
JW 57 minutes ago
All Blacks player ratings vs Wales | Nations Championship 2026

That Bok side went on to demolish France in the same fashion using one less player. It certainly wasn’t as bad a performance as this one.

130 Go to comments
B
B 1 hour ago
Spooked Ireland fumble their way to win over Fiji as Boks loom large

After the majesty of Friday nights battle, then the history making Cardiff epic, comes the main event…

Game of the decade!!!



...

1 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
All Blacks player ratings vs Wales | Nations Championship 2026

Even Argentina at home was worse than that following one.

You’d like to call it a D team but the reality is that the coaches consider some of those players as their A team.



...

130 Go to comments
Close Panel
Close Panel

Edition & Time Zone

{{current.name}}
Set time zone automatically
{{selectedTimezoneTitle}} (auto)
Choose a different time zone
Close Panel

Editions

Close Panel

Change Time Zone

Search Timezones
Close
ADVERTISEMENT

Download the RugbyPass app to follow {{title}}

Follow your favourite teams, tournaments and players in the app and get quick access to their latest matches, news and updates

Download the App now

Copied to clipboard

Share Article close