DSPN - Devlin Sports Podcast Network

Who should captain the All Blacks right now? It sounds simple, but once you start pulling at the thread, it gets complicated pretty quickly.

We get stuck into the big leadership debate, with Ardie Savea widely tipped as the front-runner. But is it that clear cut? Martin, Jamie and Lachlan break down the cases for Scott Barrett, Codie Taylor and even Jordie Barrett, looking at what actually matters in a modern captain.

From on-field decision making to leadership groups, media responsibilities and even the social media question, we cover the lot. There’s also a proper look at whether captaincy elevates a player or risks dragging their game down, plus why timing, form and perception all play a bigger role than we probably admit.
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Jeff McGregor joins Martin to dig into a massive weekend of Super Rugby officiating. We’re looking at why those head clashes in the Moana Pasifika v Highlanders game didn't trigger mandatory HIAs and how the refs managed that bizarre power outage at North Harbour. Jeff also explains why officials are turning a blind eye to hands in the ruck and the drama behind that Ruben Love shot clock call.
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It’s vibe rankings time and things are starting to split. At the top, it’s pretty clear. The Hurricanes and Blues have separated themselves from the rest. But behind them? Absolute chaos.

We break down where every team sits after seven rounds, from the Canes flying to the logjam in the middle where the Crusaders, Chiefs, Brumbies and Reds are all taking turns beating each other. No one’s quite sure who belongs third and who belongs sixth, and that’s kind of the point.

Down the bottom, it’s a tougher conversation. Moana Pasifika, the Drua and the Force are all battling, but results just aren’t coming. We get into what they need, whether their seasons are already gone, and why it’s hard not to want these teams to succeed anyway.
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The Hurricanes are humming, and we mean properly humming. Today on DSPN, Marty and Tony Johnson get stuck into a massive Super Rugby round, starting with a Canes side that’s putting up points for fun and looking every bit like the team to beat.

We get into why Wellington’s attack looks so sharp, why their defence deserves more love, and what the next stretch of games will tell us about whether this run is the real deal. There’s also plenty on the Waratahs’ big win over the Brumbies, the Chiefs doing what they had to do in Perth, and a Blues side that keeps finding its way home late.

Then the chat shifts to bigger selection questions. Who’s the best left wing in the comp right now? Who should be the next All Blacks captain? And is Caleb Clarke the man to wear 11 in black? Plenty to get stuck into.
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Round seven gave us a bit of everything, and then chucked in a proper sideline meltdown from England for good measure. We get stuck into the Hurricanes flattening the Reds, the Blues finally waking up after halftime, and the Chiefs doing what good teams do by getting the job done when it was messy.

We also look at Moana Pasifika’s season going sideways, the Waratahs keeping theirs alive with a big win over the Brumbies, and the growing debate around who should be steering the Chiefs at 10 and 15. There’s some love for Peyton Spencer, some appreciation for afternoon rugby, and a fair bit of disbelief at a coach losing the plot over a pre-match kick.

It’s a proper round-up episode with winners, worries, and plenty to chew on.
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