Category: Sport

Source: Radio New Zealand

All Whites v Ecuador

Kickoff 2.30pm, Wednesday, 19 November

Sports Illustrated Stadium, New Jersey.

Live blog updates on RNZ Sport

The All Whites will play their final game of 2025 against unfamiliar opposition in an unfamiliar venue.

World No. 85 New Zealand have never played the world No. 23 Ecuador.

While the South Americans will feel at home in Sports Illustrated Stadium, after playing there 11 times before, the NZ squad will played for the first time at the venue that hosts Major League Soccer side New York Red Bulls.

Both teams have already qualified for next year’s Football World Cup and come into this game after playing friendlies last week – the All Whites faced Colombia and Ecuador took on Canada.

Form

Ecuador are on a hot streak of form.

Unbeaten in their last 14 games, Ecuador’s defence has been largely impenetrable. The South Americans regularly record scoreless draws, with seven during that run, including against Canada.

The All Whites kicked off the year with a 7-0 win over Fiji, followed by a 3-0 win over New Caledonia in March that booked their World Cup berth, but since then have not scored more than one goal in a game.

After three wins to begin 2025, including victory over the Ivory Coast in June, the All Whites then lost four in row and drew against Norway, before Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Colombia.

What they are saying

All Whites coach Darren Bazeley said his understrength squad were feeling the effects of the first game in the November international window before the Ecuador clash.

“Everybody’s got little bit of fatigue and a few knocks, but nothing too serious that would rule them out of the game,” he said. “We’ll make a couple of changes to freshen it up, and give ourselves some extra energy and legs, but we’ll balance that with consistency as well.”

Bazeley was looking for an improvement on the Colombia game.

“The challenge is that we go again and we become consistent, while improving as well in an attacking sense and defending, and keep building.

“Every game we’ve played in the last three windows, we’ve created chances. It’s something we’ve been trying to work on through the year… I think, at some stage, we are going to get three or four in a game.”

Attacking player Sarpreet Singh has returned to play regularly for the All Whites, after a long time out injured, and helped set up New Zealand’s goal on Sunday, but he has high standards for himself and the team.

“I’m pleased with how it’s going on the pitch. I still know that I can give a lot more and do a lot better.”

Squads

All Whites: Max Crocombe, Kees Sims, Nik Tzanev, Tyler Bindon, Michael Boxall, Francis de Vries, James McGarry, Storm Roux, Tommy Smith, George Stanger, Finn Surman, Bill Tuiloma, Joe Bell, Matt Garbett, Ben Old, Owen Parker-Price, Alex Rufer, Sarpreet Singh, Marko Stamenić, Kosta Barbarouses, Andre de Jong, Eli Just, Jesse Randall, Ben Waine.

Ecuador: Hernan Galindez, Moises Ramirez, Cristhian Loor, Angelo Preciado, Piero Hincapie, Felix Torres, Willian Pacho, Cristian Ramirez, Joel Ordonez, Jhoanner Chavez, Leonardo Realpe, Moises Caicedo, Alan Franco, Gonzalo Plata, Kendry Paez, Alan Minda, John Yeboah, Pedro Vite, Jordy Alcivar, Yaimar Medina, Denil Castillo, Patrik Mercado, Enner Valencia, Kevin Rodriguez, Leonardo Campana, Nilson Angulo, John Mercado, Jeremy Arevalo.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Four leading Kiwi golfers have announced they’ll play in the New Zealand Open at Millbrook Resort in February.

World-class talents Daniel Hillier and Kazuma Kobori, PGA Tour Champions star Steven Alker, and Ben Campbell, who has come close to lifting the trophy, are returning.

Local favourite Ben Campbell returns with unfinished business, having recorded multiple podium finishes at the New Zealand Open.

“The New Zealand Open is the one we all want to win,” said Campbell. “I’ve had a few really good runs at it, and I’d love nothing more than to get across the line. Millbrook Resort is my home course, and the team always delivers a world-class event. Playing in front of the home crowd gives me that extra bit of drive.”

This week Alker, a standout on the PGA TOUR Champions circuit, only just missed out on a third Charles Schwab Cup title in four years.

He is once again making the journey back home to chase the championship.

“It’s always a privilege to come home and play in the New Zealand Open,” said Alker. “This event means a lot to all of us who’ve represented New Zealand around the world. It would mean the world to me to lift that trophy in front of my friends and family.”

Hillier returns to Queenstown following another outstanding season on the DP World Tour, highlighted by his runner-up finish at the Dubai Desert Classic, and a top-five in Abu Dhabi.

His consistency across the year saw him finish 18th on the Race to Dubai rankings. A DP World Tour winner and Olympian, Hillier is currently New Zealand’s No.2-ranked male golfer.

“The New Zealand Open is always a highlight of the season. No matter where we are in the world or how busy the schedule gets, I always make time to come home and play this event. Competing in front of a home crowd, with family and friends around, is something you just can’t replicate. Winning the New Zealand Open is a massive goal for me,” Hillier said.

Kobori, who also competes on the DP World Tour, has confirmed his return after a rapid rise through the professional ranks.

Kobori won three times in the 2024/25 season to claim the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit, and then delivered a superb rookie campaign on the DP World Tour that earned him a place at the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.

“Coming back to play the New Zealand Open is always special. I love being home, playing in front of our supporters, and competing alongside so many of New Zealand’s best golfers. It’s a tournament I’ve dreamed of winning for a long time, and I can’t wait to be back at Millbrook,” Kabori said.

Tournament Director Michael Glading said while the NZ Open was an internationally recognised event, having New Zealand’s best players on display was exciting.

The 105th New Zealand Open in Queenstown starts on the 26th February 2026.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Racing Bulls boss Alan Permane says it is likely a decision on their 2026 driver line-up won’t be made until this season ends.

In September, Red Bull indicated that a decision on the line-up for both teams for next season would be made after the Mexico Grand Prix (26 October).

They then announced that the decision would be delayed.

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen is the only driver in the Red Bull stable contracted through until 2028, however the other three seats (in Red Bull and Racing Bulls) are unconfirmed for 2026.

Commentators have said that Frenchman Isack Hadjar is likely to be promoted to Red Bull, while current Red Bull driver Yuki Tsunoda, New Zealand’s Liam Lawson, and Red Bulls F2 driver Arvid Lindblad are the contenders for the two Racing Bulls seats.

It had also been suggested that the delay might be because of the new regulations coming in next year. The team has to decide which drivers would be best suited to adapt quickly to the new cars. But Permane told Motorsport.com that was not the issue.

“We are in a very tight battle ourselves [for sixth], but also, Red Bull are in a very tight battle in their constructors’ championship [battle for second],” Permane said.

“We just want to have some stability, and that may well go on right until the end of the season. So you may not find out until Monday morning after Abu Dhabi (the final round).

“I don’t know exactly when it’ll be, but that’s the reason. It’s nothing to do with next year’s rules.”

The regulation changes for 2026 may count against Lindblad, who is currently seventh in the 2025 F2 standings.

Lawson and Hadjar have so far scored 82 points for Racing Bulls in 2025, with the team sixth in the Constructors’ Championship.

Continuity as teams go through extensive simulation work in the off season is likely to be key.

“You always want the experienced driver. We see with James [Vowles at Williams] and his two super-experienced drivers, they hit the ground running pretty much every weekend,” Permane told Motorsport.com.

“And that’s not to take anything away from our guys, but experience always counts. Nothing beats pace, obviously. So you have to have that pace there. It will undoubtedly help for next year.

“On the other hand, you could look at it and say, well, everyone’s starting from a clean sheet of paper.”

Formula 1 heads to Las Vegas this week. The last two rounds are in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

Lawson is 14th in the driver standings, seven points behind Hadjar and eight points ahead of Tsunoda.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Former New Zealand Rugby chief executive David Moffett believes World Rugby’s new Nations Championship will be a flop.

The 12 team tournament will be held every two years, with teams competing for points during the existing July and November windows.

There will be a finals weekend in London in late November, culminating in a title decider between the top ranked Northern Hemisphere team and the top ranked Southern Hemisphere team.

Next year, the All Blacks will host France, Italy and Ireland in July, before away tests against Wales, Scotland and England in November.

The venues for the All Blacks home tests are yet to be confirmed.

Moffett told RNZ it would not be the financial boon World Rugby hopes it would be.

“I’m not overly blown away by it,” Moffett said.

“It’s just another dressed-up competition that World Rugby has come up with. Let’s not kid ourselves that this is going to be the solution to all of rugby’s ills.

“I’m not so sure that too many people are going to care about it. International rugby today I liken to the Melbourne Cup. The Melbourne Cup is a carnival that comes around once a year and a whole lot of people go and watch with no real interest in racing.

“That’s what we’re seeing happening around the world with rugby events.”

Moffett believes the Nations Championship could lose money and used the Sevens World Series as an example.

“Look at Sevens, we don’t have a (international) Sevens tournament in this country anymore because they (World Rugby) decided there was going to be nine rounds and they’re going to be played in these great venues all around the world and everybody’s going to race out and want to play Sevens.

“Well none of that’s happened, the only thing that really happened is I think they’ve lost about 40 million euros this year on the Sevens tournament alone.”

However, New Zealand Rugby’s Cameron Good is confident fans will get behind the concept.

“I think it just means that every game in July and November matters,” Good said.

“We’re creating a competition that’s played outside of World Cup and Lions years. It creates that real jeopardy around every fixture, building up to what will be a new final series at the end of November.

“New Zealand rugby, if you look at what we’ve built for the next five years, we’re trying to introduce really fan-centric (games), what the fans want.

“We have the Greatest Rivalry Tour (2026 All Blacks tour of South Africa) and the Nations Championship, meaning there’s no talk now of friendlies. Every single game in July and November will matter. You’ll see it on a table. You’ll be following your team and seeing who they’ll match up against in that finals weekend.

“The All Blacks are now going to play every six-nations team, either home or away, in these Nations Championship years and then the final series is something completely new. So we’ve added a weekend to the international calendar.”

And Good is confident it will be a financial success.

“The fact that you’ve got all Six Nations teams, all Sanzaar teams, and we’ve invited Japan and Fiji in, we think this will resonate with fans, but also with broadcasters and commercial partners.

“We’re already pretty advanced with a lot of those conversations. It’s something new and different, but we think it’ll heighten what happens in those July and November windows and then give us something completely new with that finals weekend.”

He believes the Northern and Southern hemisphere rivalry is something fans want more of.

“You will find out who the best team in the world was in that year and you’ll also get to definitively decide or know which hemisphere is the better hemisphere,” Good said.

“There’s always a lot of speculation about North vs South in rugby. This will actually allow us to say who came through as the hemisphere in that year.”

Moffett believes the Nations Championship could detract from the four yearly World Cup, but Good isn’t concerned.

“Ultimately, in a World Cup, you’ve got to go through a round of 16, a quarter, a semi and a final, so there’s a uniqueness about prevailing at a World Cup.

“This (Nations Championship) is quite a different format, obviously less teams involved. Certainly in those World Cup years, that will be the pinnacle event. There is no Nations Championship in those years.”

One of the criticisms of the Nations Championship is that it only serves the world’s top teams and isn’t doing a lot to help grow the game or help tier two nations improve.

Good said a second competition which mirrored the Nations Championship was in the pipeline for the lower ranked sides.

“We’re working with World Rugby to help them create, I guess, the second tier of the Nations Championship. That will include the next 12 ranked teams in the world and will run in the same July and November windows.”

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Black Ferns co-captain Ruahei Demant is heading to Britain to help develop her game.

Demant will play for the Bristol Bears on a four month deal starting later this month.

A former World Player of the Year, Demant is one of just three players to have won 50 caps for the Black Ferns

Bristol head coach Scott Lawson said Ruahei was a “genuinely world-class player”.

“Her vision, leadership and ability to influence games at the highest level set her apart and we can’t wait to welcome her into our group later this month.

“You don’t become World Player of the Year without being something truly special, and her experience with the Black Ferns will bring immense value to our environment both on and off the pitch.

Lawson said Demant’s arrival would help ease a number of injuries they were dealing with.

The 30-year-old heads to Britain with the full blessing of New Zealand Rugby.

“This is a great development opportunity for Ruahei to spend time in a different environment and experience a different competition and style of play,” NZR Head of Women’s High Performance Hannah Porter said.

“We believe it will be highly beneficial to her both as a player and person and look forward to seeing those benefits when she returns to New Zealand for international duty with the Black Ferns in April’s Pacific Four tournament, and the upcoming Super Rugby Aupiki season in June.”

Demant was named World Player of the Year in 2022 after helping the Black Ferns to the 2021 World Cup title.

She was a part of the side that finished third at this year’s World Cup in Britain.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Black Caps batter Daryl Mitchell will miss the rest of the ODI series against West Indies because of injury.

Mitchell experienced discomfort in his thigh while scoring his seventh ODI century in Sunday’s seven-run win over West Indies at Hagley Oval.

He didn’t field in the Windies innings.

Mitchell remained in Christchurch on Monday as the rest of the squad travelled to Napier for the second game on Wednesday.

The scan revealed a minor groin tear which will require two-weeks rehabilitation.

A New Zealand Cricket statement said the prognosis means that Mitchell should recover in time for the three-Test series against West Indies starting at Hagley Oval on 2 December.

Canterbury batter Henry Nicholls, who was called in as cover, will remain with the squad for the remainder of the series.

“He has been our standout performer in the ODI format so far this summer, so he’ll be missed for two important matches,” said coach Rob Walter.

“Henry has been in top form in the Ford Trophy and is an experienced international cricketer, so it’s great to welcome him back into the side.”

The third game is in Hamilton on Saturday.

West Indies then play a tour match against a selection side in Lincoln next week before the first Test.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Former world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua will take on YouTube star Jake Paul in a bout next month.

Joshua and Paul will meet in Miami on 19 December, with the fight to be broadcast on Netflix.

The 36-year-old Briton is a former two-time unified heavyweight champion, while Paul is a YouTuber-turned-boxer who beat Mike Tyson in an exhibition fight in 2024.

The professional fight will consist of eight three-minute rounds.

Joshua has a 28-4 record, with 25 of those wins via knockouts. He was knocked out by fellow-Briton Daniel Dubois in his last fight in September 2024.

Meanwhile, 28-year-old Paul has a 12-1 record with seven KOs.

The American last fought Julio Cesar Chavez Jr in June, scoring a unanimous decision victory in a 10-round cruiserweight bout.

Joshua beat New Zealander Joseph Parker in a heavyweight title fight in Cardiff in 2018.

He lost his belts to Andy Ruiz in 2019 before winning them back six months later.

He then suffered two consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk in 2021 and 2022.

Across his social media platforms, Paul has a combined 55 million followers.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Former world women’s tennis number one Naomi Osaka has withdrawn from this summer’s ASB Classic in Auckland.

Osaka cited a change of schedule for her withdrawal.

The Japanese player reached the final of the 2025 tournament, but was forced to retire, handing the title to Denmark’s Clara Tauson.

“We are disappointed with Naomi Osaka’s decision but hope to welcome her back in the near-future,” tournament director Nicolas Lamperin said.

Osaka’s departure has been offset by the tournament signing Elina Svitolina and Emma Navarro who head back to ASB Classic.

World number 14 Elina Svitolina from Ukraine and number 15 Emma Navarro from USA are the highest ranked players to contest the 2026 tournament which starts on 5 January.

Thirty-two-year-old Svitolina last played in Auckland in 2024, when she lost to Coco Gauff in the final.

Svitolina made a successful return to the game in mid-2023 following the birth of daughter Skai with husband Gael Monfils, who has already confirmed his appearance in Auckland to begin his final year on the Tour.

This year Svitolina won her 18th Tour title in Rouen.

Navarro was the most improved female player on the Tour last year, beginning with the semi-finals in Auckland. She rose 30 spots to finish 2024 at number 8.

The 24-year-old American enjoyed a win in Hobart, along with the semi-finals in nine tournaments including the US Open, Monterrey, Toronto, Bad Homburg, and San Diego. She also made the quarterfinals at Wimbledon and Indian Wells to complete a meteoric 2024 season.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand triathlete Hayden Wilde is sure there will be more robust technical involvement in future T100 events following a farcical finish to the latest round in Dubai.

Wilde and a number of other athletes rode an extra lap on the bike leg of the Dubai race last weekend which resulted in him slipping from the lead and finishing eighth.

“They call themselves a professional race organisation,” Wilde said at the time.

The result ended Wilde’s winning streak on the T100 world circuit, after he unknowingly added eight kilometres to the cycle section.

The 28-year-old knew he must have been nearing the end of the bike leg but said there was confusion with no official call for them to go into the transition area.

He said the crowd encouraged them that they still had one lap to go.

Later on in the run leg, Wilde and others were told by officials to pull into the finish despite still having a lap to go. Because of the error on the bike leg, officials decided to finish the race a lap earlier on the run leg.

“It’s frustrating, but as athletes we know, [so] I take accountability for doing an extra lap,” Wilde told RNZ.

“On the athletics track there is always a lap counter and in other cycling events you have the bell lap and a lap counter but unfortunately in our sport we don’t have that.”

However, Wilde, an Olympic silver and bronze medallist, is sure it won’t happen again.

“I think from now on there will be a lap counter at races,” Wilde said.

“These are relatively new courses and courses where they’re quite technical where you do lose track of time and places.”

Wilde said the frustrating thing was that there was a technical official with them on a motorbike the whole last lap, but he didn’t say anything.

“Hopefully we can work together and do better next time,” Wilde said.

The result didn’t affect his overall standing as he heads into the season finale in Doha next month.

“The body is performing at such a late part of the season and I’m really happy with the position I’m in.”

A top-four finish in the grand final will confirm the title for Wilde.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

The Silver Ferns are determined to finish an intense three months of netball, which will be remembered against the backdrop of a turbulent coaching saga, on a high.

The England Roses bounced back to beat the Silver Ferns 61-58 in London on Monday, after New Zealand took the first game by three goals 24 hours earlier.

Thursday’s final test in Manchester to decide the series will be the Silver Ferns 12th test in the space of two months.

The Silver Fern’s international window started with a three-nil series sweep over South Africa in September, just days after Netball New Zealand announced that coach Dame Noeline Taurua was being stood down due to issues in the environment.

They then met the world champion Diamonds, and after suffering two big losses on Australian soil, they looked like a different team during the second leg of the Constellation Cup series in New Zealand.

The Silver Ferns won the next two tests and only narrowly lost the Cup after a one goal loss in series decider time.

A few days later, the squad flew to Scotland where they beat the Thistles twice, before heading to London to meet the Roses.

With nothing much separating the two teams, the series against England is ideal preparation before next year’s Commonwealth Games. It’s quite possibly the Silver Ferns last hit-out before the pinnacle event next July, with no other tests scheduled.

While Dame Noeline was reinstated last month, she was not returned for the remainder of the international season to “minimise disruption” to the Ferns camp. Yvette McCausland-Durie has been at the helm as interim coach for the entire 2025 international season.

Grace Nweke, who shot 53 and 51 in the opening two matches against the Roses, said they want to come home with the trophy.

“The ability to win under pressure is something that we have shown in Constellation Cup but we weren’t able to take that trophy out and so we’re trophy hungry, we want that successful moment,” Nweke said.

“England are a very confident, proud team and that showed in their win and to beat them at home would be huge for us and huge in preparation for what it will be like playing away at Comm Games.

“It’s been a really challenging season for us and I think above all for the group of girls, the 14 who have had to live through it …it’s been huge and to finish on a high would mean a lot for our group for the people who have been a part of it from day one.”

Nweke said it had been a tough period but the team had shown a lot of resilience.

“To still be here …still connected, still showing up for each other, looking out for each other …proud of the group and to get that win would be a nice way, I guess a silver lining for our group in what’s been a really big year.”

Recovery will be key for the Silver Ferns as they prepare for their final test of the year after two games in two days. The two sides are at opposite ends of their seasons, with this series marking the start of the Roses international window.

Nweke said the fatigue of a long season was creeping in but the 23-year-old said they have to be able to play through that.

“The girls have put in a power of work to be able to play, be fit and strong. It’s been a long season and both physically, emotionally and mentally the girls are feeling it. So one more game where we are equally excited to win that game as we are to see the season through.”

The through court attack was laboured at times during the second test and the New Zealand defenders weren’t able to win much ball particularly in the second half.

The third quarter has proved problematic in both tests and Nweke said they needed to address on-court lapses faster.

“I think our CPAs (centre pass attack conversion rate) are a key issue for us at the moment and just not being able to get that depth, or that first and second [phase] has been a big issue …there needs to be a bit more direction and urgency around how to fix that and just the confidence to take it on.”

Nweke credited Kate Heffernan for another strong game at wing defence. “The intent from Kate back there to will us through the game to turn over ball out of nothing, some individual strong performances from her.”

McCausland-Durie said they had opportunities in the second test but didn’t make the most of them. She also credited the England shooters, who were prepared to shoot from range.

Star goal attack Helen Housby shot 23 goals at 96 percent and Liv Tchine shot 38 at goal shoot. In contrast, Nweke scored 51 of the Silver Fern’s 58 goals.

McCausland-Durie said England put them in uncomfortable feeding positions.

“We got caught quite wide and then made us pass some of the things we didn’t really need to put in and put ourselves under a lot of pressure with a few turnovers that I felt we were a little untidy at times and we got a little bit stressed and pressured and they created that as well.”

She said better execution and finesse were needed.

“And continuing to build our resilience and our ability to perform under pressure, as what that looks like in terms of playing it to circle edge and taking really good care of ball.”

The final test on Thursday starts at 8am.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand