OLLY RYAN | Northland prop looking ahead to historic NPC Final against Canterbury

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

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SPEAKER_2 (0:15)

To your sport nation, Scotty & Izzy, with you through till 9am this morning, and joining us on the line out of the tunnees. Is he there? It's Olly Ryan.

SPEAKER_3 (0:22)

Oh, come on, Olly.

SPEAKER_2 (0:23)

Are you there, caller? Come on, caller.

SPEAKER_3 (0:24)

Are you there?

SPEAKER_2 (0:25)

Are you there?

Olly Ryan (0:26)

Are you there, caller?

SPEAKER_3 (0:29)

Another week, son. How good?

SPEAKER_2 (0:31)

Yeah.

Olly Ryan (0:31)

Yeah, good. Yeah, good.

SPEAKER_2 (0:35)

One of the great celebrations when Hiram I went over for a try and you were standing right there. Geez, you've really jumped into the end goal and given it some, haven't you? You've humped him like a labradoodle.

Olly Ryan (0:46)

Yeah, and I bloody got on to him before he even scored the try. He wasn't too happy about that. He had to say to me afterwards, just worry about it half of the game, mate. They humble, so.

SPEAKER_3 (0:57)

So how humble were you in that penalty from the scrum? I could see you in the background there. You were lit up like an old dog, son. How good, eh?

Olly Ryan (1:06)

Yeah, no, I was pretty stoked with that. Yeah, the ball scrummed really well on that one.

It's a pretty good pick. We come up against the target. Probably the best scrum we've come up against. So yeah, it was good to get one over them.

SPEAKER_2 (1:18)

I want to talk about your mate Daniel Bota. Obviously, he had to come in for Marcel. Came in last week for Marcel. He replaced him this week as well. Jeez, what's he like as a person? Because he looks like he's straight out of central casting from every high school football movie ever made.

Olly Ryan (1:36)

He's an absolute champion, honestly. Him and I have a lot of good banter together.

He's a good team man, and he just loves scrimmaging just like me in most props. So yeah, we've had a lot of fun together, and he's a bloody good player too. He's a great pick up there.

SPEAKER_3 (1:54)

Olly, talk to us about the week, brother. You went fishing yesterday, first and foremost. How was that? You filled the bin up, and how's the week been so far?

Olly Ryan (2:03)

Well, I don't know who started that room and saying we're going fishing, because we didn't go fishing yesterday. Oh, but yeah, I don't know who said that.

SPEAKER_3 (2:12)

Well, it's part of the routine, mate. You go out fishing last week, you put us on hold, you caught two fish, so you feed no one, and then you got to keep the routine alive this week.

SPEAKER_2 (2:21)

Well, we're starting to call you nibbles here on the show, because that's pretty much all you're getting.

Olly Ryan (2:35)

Sorry, sorry, sorry, shit. Yeah, we're going fishing this afternoon, but this morning we've got a bit of an in-store clarity run, going all over our new maps and so forth in a review, and then bits and bits over the week.

SPEAKER_2 (2:57)

Mate, it is a big week, all seriousness here, mate. You're heading back to Christchurch City. You were born in, obviously you've spent plenty of time around Canterbury teams, while your old man's been coaching down there. You're a tonny through and through now, mate. You've already been down there. You've lifted the Ranfurly Shield. You've had one of those golden moments, but to be heading back now, Olly, for a final for the first time, a wee slice of history in Cambridge Blue. I mean, give us a sense of just how you're feeling about this week.

Olly Ryan (3:27)

Oh, I can't really put it into words, to be honest.

I was saying to Marcello and Arda the other day while we were watching the game, last year we were waiting to see if we were going to even make the playoffs, and this year we get to see who were playing in the final. So, yeah, it's unbelievable. The boys are really excited, but we're taking it day by day. And, yeah, I'm sure the community in past honey far and everyone's just so proud of us, and we want to do a job for them.

SPEAKER_3 (3:57)

You know what, Olly, I'm so bloody proud of you, mate. I am. And I know you probably hate hearing that because you're one of those old chips off the old block, son. But mate, just watching you go about your mahi, really embrace the Northland culture and actually come on and make a huge impact has been really pleasing for me. And I'm no doubt your whanau as well are so bloody happy for you. But when you've reflected on the year, is there anything you've learnt about yourself? Is there anything that you'd be able to share some special moments throughout the year? Because honestly, I'm watching it and I'm just seeing the growth that you've shown throughout the year has been remarkable.