In New Zealand’s Breakfast studio, injured All Whites goalkeeper Oli Sail brought in his 12-week-old groodle puppy Bear to predict the team’s World Cup opener against Iran. The moment went wrong—live on air—when the puppy went to the toilet under the desk, bef
This morning, the puppy’s moment to shine lasted about as long as the first drop of live-TV chaos.
In the Breakfast studio. injured All Whites goalkeeper Oli Sail arrived with his 12-week-old groodle—golden retriever and poodle mix—named Bear. The plan was simple: bring the animal oracle in to see whether the dog could predict the outcome of New Zealand’s upcoming World Cup opening match against Iran tomorrow.
Sail didn’t hide the joy of it. “I’m embracing the new life as a puppy dad, really enjoying it,” he said, before turning to the match. When he spoke about what was coming next. his tone shifted to the kind of nerves players try to keep out of public view. “Nerves will be starting to kick in” for the All Whites in San Diego, he said. “It’s real now isn’t it?. The games are tomorrow and they have to be ready.”.
The idea of animal predictions isn’t new for World Cups. Sail pointed to earlier examples, including Puka the kea at Wellington Zoo, which in 2023 picked losing teams at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Back in the studio, Breakfast host Chris Chang made it clear he wasn’t an easy sell. He admitted he was “not easily suckered in by pets and animals unless they are genuinely cute.” Tova O’Brien quickly took the other side. “Famously hates animals,” she said. Chang conceded anyway: “Your puppy is, genuinely, possibly the cutest puppy I’ve ever seen.”.
When Bear was lowered to the floor to begin the prediction, Sail encouraged him. “Alright buddy, your moment to shine,” he said. The puppy wandered around the desk, licked the World Cup ball, and seemed to be settling in—Chang even joked that “This is going swimmingly, isn’t it?”
Then it happened. Under the desk, Bear squatted down and did its business.
For a second, the studio became a mix of surprise and damage control, all broadcast in full view. Chang framed it as a win for authenticity. “This is terrific, and exactly why we should get live animals into the studio,” he said. Even Sail reacted with a laugh, later saying he was “so glad we could share that for everyone to see.”.
Once the interruption was over, Bear finally returned to the task—and made the call. He chose New Zealand as the predicted winners of the match. Chang didn’t let the moment pass without a warning vibe. He suggested it could be “a sign of trouble in this game.”
For viewers, the headlines weren’t exactly slowing down either. The morning’s wrap included mention of the confirmed cause of death of one of NZ’s famous stowaway twins, a deadly helicopter collision in Brazil, and looming thunderstorms that could cause problems for a UFC event at the White House.
And tomorrow in San Diego, the All Whites will still face Iran—whatever happens next won’t be decided by a groodle’s desk-floor detour, but it will arrive with a story the country shared together this morning.
All Whites Oli Sail groodle puppy Bear Breakfast studio Chris Chang Tova O'Brien World Cup prediction Iran vs New Zealand San Diego TVNZ+
So the dog pooped and that ruined the prediction? That’s why I don’t trust “animal oracles” lol.
I mean… it was live TV, of course something like that would happen. But also why would you bring a puppy on set when there’s a whole World Cup match tomorrow.
If the puppy pooped under the desk then obviously Iran won, right? Like that’s just fate or whatever. Also I thought they said “All Whites” like it’s a color thing??
This is honestly the funniest sports news I’ve seen all week. Like the goalie is injured but still comes on and the puppy decides to go at the worst time. Give that dog a contract.