Longtime Sky Sport rugby commentator Tony Johnson joins Marty Devlin on the DSPN, looking ahead to the start of the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season. The Crusaders host the Hurricanes in Christchurch on Friday to open this year’s tournament. The highlight match of the weekend is arguably the defending-champion Blues playing the Chiefs in Auckland, in a repeat of last year’s decider. Tony and Marty work through the favourites for the competition this year, with a focus on last year’s two finalists. They question whether or not the Crusaders can bounce back, how much success the Highlanders will have under returning coach Jamie Joseph, and they list players to watch out for and potential All Blacks bolters.
00:00 Introduction & opening Super Rugby round
01:15 Added features to 2025 season – Fantasy Rugby and Player of the Season
02:43 Ineos pulling out of sponsorship deal with NZ Rugby
04:57 Can Blues go back-to-back?
07:30 Is 2025 finally the Chiefs’ year?
11:04 Crusaders will bounce back!
12:34 James O’Connor’s opportunity at Crusaders
14:58 Hurricanes’ 2025 Super Rugby chances
16:58 Harry Godfrey the first-five of the future?
17:26 A tough year ahead for the Highlanders
21:21 ‘Ardie Savea & Moana Pasifika need to take a step forward’
23:40 Tony Jonson’s long, successful career calling rugby games
Website: https://www.rova.nz/podcasts/dspn
Instagram: @martindevlin_dspn
TikTok: @martindevlin_dspn
YouTube: @DevlinSportsPodcastNetwork
1 Comment
Marty how could you give up on the canes so easily! Everyone keeps talking about about the players we've lost particularly ardie, we are stacked with young loosies and were better last year than in any previous years WITH him! And to talk about the canes and not mention roigaard, one of the best players in the country let alone wellington is insane. Do better