Category: Sport

Source: Radio New Zealand

It was billed as the most anticipated match of the northern autumn, but no one could have anticipated the flurry of cards dished out in the Springboks’ 24-13 win over Ireland.

The home side was reduced to 12 men at one stage, as referee Matthew Carley was kept extremely busy during a wild first half. In all, five Irish players were carded, including a red to lock James Ryan for a dangerous cleanout on Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx after 19 minutes.

Earlier, Damian Willimse had put the Springboks ahead with a sweetly taken try in the third minute. It was relatively even until the cards started getting dished out, ironically Sacha Feinburg-Mngomezulu was lucky not to be binned for a no-arms tackle while Ireland were hot on attack.

Cobus Reinach continued his fine season with a try after Ryan’s red, then Ireland found themselves down to 12 after Sam Prendergast and Jack Crowley went to the bin for professional fouls.

The Springboks seemed intent to punish Ireland in a highly charged atmosphere, subjecting them to a series of scrums designed more to demoralise rather than inflate the scoreboard. Prop Andrew Porter eventually cracked and was yellow carded for collapsing after halftime, however Ireland fought back and Prendergast kicked a penalty despite the numerical disadvantage.

Feinburg-Mngomezulu then showed his class with his second try in two tests, which seemingly made the game safe, especially after Paddy McCarthy decided to get in on the act and become the fifth Irishman to be binned – a test record.

By the time the game entered its final stage, it had been going for well over two hours. However, there was one last act of drama as Ireland ended the game hot on attack. There was time for one last card, however much to the big crowd’s delight it was to Springbok replacement Grant Williams.

Ireland couldn’t turn the pressure into points and the bizarre test ended as yet another Springbok victory, their 11th of the season.

Read how the game unfolded here:

Team lists

Ireland: M Hansen, T O’Brien, G Ringrose, B Aki, J Lowe, S Prendergast, J Gibson-Park, A Porter, D Sheehan, T Furlong, J Ryan, T Beirne, R Baird, J van der Flier, C Doris (capt).

Bench: R Kelleher, P McCarthy, F Bealham, C Prendergast, J Conan, C Casey, J Crowley, T Farrell.

South Africa: D Willemse, C Moodie, J Kriel, D De Allende, C Kolbe, S Feinberg-Mngomezulu, C Reinach, B Venter, M Marx, T du Toit, E Etzebeth, R Nortje, S Kolisi (capt), PS du Toit, J Wiese.

Bench: J Grobbelaar, G Steenekamp, W Louw, RG Snyman, K Smith, A Esterhuizen, G Williams, M Libbok.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Ireland take on South Africa in the Autumn Internationals at Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

Kickoff is scheduled for 6.40am NZT.

Team lists

Ireland: M Hansen, T O’Brien, G Ringrose, B Aki, J Lowe, S Prendergast, J Gibson-Park, A Porter, D Sheehan, T Furlong, J Ryan, T Beirne, R Baird, J van der Flier, C Doris (capt).

Bench: R Kelleher, P McCarthy, F Bealham, C Prendergast, J Conan, C Casey, J Crowley, T Farrell.

South Africa: D Willemse, C Moodie, J Kriel, D De Allende, C Kolbe, S Feinberg-Mngomezulu, C Reinach, B Venter, M Marx, T du Toit, E Etzebeth, R Nortje, S Kolisi (capt), PS du Toit, J Wiese.

Bench: J Grobbelaar, G Steenekamp, W Louw, RG Snyman, K Smith, A Esterhuizen, G Williams, M Libbok.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Ireland take on South Africa in the Autumn Internationals at Aviva Stadium in Dublin.

Kickoff is scheduled for 6.40am NZT.

Team lists

Ireland: M Hansen, T O’Brien, G Ringrose, B Aki, J Lowe, S Prendergast, J Gibson-Park, A Porter, D Sheehan, T Furlong, J Ryan, T Beirne, R Baird, J van der Flier, C Doris (capt).

Bench: R Kelleher, P McCarthy, F Bealham, C Prendergast, J Conan, C Casey, J Crowley, T Farrell.

South Africa: D Willemse, C Moodie, J Kriel, D De Allende, C Kolbe, S Feinberg-Mngomezulu, C Reinach, B Venter, M Marx, T du Toit, E Etzebeth, R Nortje, S Kolisi (capt), PS du Toit, J Wiese.

Bench: J Grobbelaar, G Steenekamp, W Louw, RG Snyman, K Smith, A Esterhuizen, G Williams, M Libbok.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Follow all the UFC action, as Kiwi Dan Hooker takes on Arman Tsarukyan at Ali Bin Hamad Al Attiyah Arena in Doha, Qatar.

Tsarukyan is the second-ranked lightweight in the division.

Hooker (24-12) has not fought since August 2024, a split-decision win over Mateuesz Gamrot at UFC 305.

Gamrot was also the last man to defeat Tsarukyan (22-3) in June 2022.

Main card starts approximately 7am NZT.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The All Blacks held off a brave Wales for a 52-26 win in Cardiff on Friday morning.

While the scoreline was ultimately comfortable, the home side was more than up for the challenge for long periods of the game.

Caleb Clarke showed early just how much he was missed last weekend against England, with some very strong carries and the opening try after only four minutes. Things were looking bleak for Wales, who had only won one test at their iconic home venue in the last two seasons, but they admirably threw themselves at the All Blacks off the kick-off.

Wing Tom Rogers, who was selected after a suspension to Josh Adams, then hit back with a well-constructed try only moments later. Damian McKenzie settled things down with a penalty before Ruben Love scored a brilliant try to push the All Black lead out.

However, a common theme of the test was the receiving team botching the resulting kick-off, with Wales taking advantage and sending Rogers over in the same spot as his first. Tamaiti Williams then bulldozed his way over to push the lead out to 24-14 for the All Blacks at the break.

Rogers scored his third and best try after the break to give the 70,000-strong crowd some hope, but a double to replacement Sevu Reece and another to Rieko Ioane made the game safe. Clarke and Louis Rees-Zammit traded tries in the dying stages to make the total by all the wingers to eight before the full time whistle.

Wales did make history though, Rogers joined a very select group of test players that have scored a hat trick against the All Blacks alongside Greg Cornelson, Ray Mordt and Andre Joubert. They spent an awful lot of time on defence, making 228 tackles to the All Blacks’ 85 and only had a third of the total possession.

Damian McKenzie was perfect off the tee, landing eight shots at goal.

The All Blacks can certainly take a bit out of this one, given that they only conceded four penalties in the entire match. In contrast, Wales gave up 14 and lost two men to the sin bin, which will be immensely frustrating as that effectively cost them any chance of getting close to an elusive first win over the All Blacks in seven decades.

Read how the game unfolded here:

Team lists

Wales: 1. Rhys Carre, 2. Dewi Lake, 3. Keiron Assiratti, 4. Dafydd Jenkins, 5. Adam Beard, 6. Alex Mann, 7. Harri Deaves, 8. Aaron Wainwright, 9. Tomos Williams, 10. Dan Edwards, 11. Tom Rogers, 12. Joe Hawkins, 13. Max Llewellyn, 14. Louis Rees-Zammit, 15. Blair Murray

Bench: 16. Brodie Coghlan, 17. Gareth Thomas, 18. Archie Griffin, 19. Freddie Thomas, 20. Taine Plumtree, 21. Kieran Hardy, 22. Jarrod Evans, 23. Nick Tompkins

All Blacks: 1.Tamaiti Williams, 2. Samisoni Taukei’aho, 3. Pasilio Tosi, 4. Scott Barrett, 5. Fabian Holland, 6. Simon Parker, 7. Du’Plessis Kirifi, 8. Wallace Sititi, 9. Cortez Ratima, 10. Damian McKenzie, 11. Caleb Clarke, 12. Anton Lienert-Brown, 13. Rieko Ioane, 14. Will Jordan, 15. Ruben Love

Bench: 16. George Bell, 17. Fletcher Newell, 18. George Bower, 19. Josh Lord, 20. Christian Lio-Willie, 21. Finlay Christie, 22. Leicester Fainga’anuku, 23. Sevu Reece

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

By Joel Dubber, for Reuters

Makeshift opener Travis Head scored a brilliant 83-ball 123 to lift Australia to an astonishing eight-wicket victory inside two days against England on Saturday, powering his side to 205-2 late in the final session of the Ashes opener at Perth Stadium.

The manic style of cricket, which produced the shortest Ashes test by overs-bowled to deliver a result since 1888, kept the crowd enthralled as both sides gained and relinquished the ascendancy throughout.

England had set Australia a target of 205 after being bowled out for 164 by tea on day two, losing nine second-session wickets in the wake of a Scott Boland seam masterclass of four for 33. The tourists had made 172 in their first innings.

Head, taking the place of opener Usman Khawaja, who gingerly left the field in England’s 27th over with back trouble, got Australia’s run chase off to a rollicking start, giving England a taste of their own ‘Bazball’ medicine in the third session.

The near 50,000-strong crowd came to life when Head slashed Brydon Carse (2-44) for six over third man to bring up 50 for his side, and later roared their approval when he peeled four boundaries off Ben Stokes’ second over.

Marnus Labuschagne added an impressive 49-ball 51 after debutant Jake Weatherald (23) had fallen to Carse, but the moment belonged to Head, who brought up Australia’s equal-third fastest century with a risky upper-cut and a scurried single.

The fourth innings raced to a conclusion, with Head clubbing four sixes and 16 boundaries before launching Carse to Ollie Pope at deep midwicket, hugging Labuschagne and soaking in the applause as he walked off.

Stand-in skipper Steve Smith, unbeaten on two, hit the winning run with a single punched to the off-side.

More to come …

See how it unfolded, in the play-by-play blog:

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Mark Chapman and Michael Bracewell have steadied a shaky Black Caps batting effort, guiding them to a one-day series sweep of West Indies at Hamilton.

Chasing a target of only 162 for victory, New Zealand were staggering at 70/4, but Chapman and Bracewell combined for a 75-run partnership off 48 balls that steadied the ship.

Chapman was eventually dismissed for 64 off 63 balls, including two sixes, with the home side needing only 17 runs to win. Bracewell was unbeaten on 40 off 31 balls at the end, after bowler Zak Foulkes struck the winning runs, lapping a delivery over the wicketkeeper for two runs.

Earlier, New Zealand had bundled their rivals out for 161 in the 37th over, with fast-bowler Matt Henry doing most of the damage, taking 4/43. Foulkes captured the crucial scalp of West Indies captain Shai Hope, who scored a century in a losing effort three days earlier.

This time round, Hope followed a loose delivery down legside, tickling a catch to keeper Tom Latham for only 16.

The tourists appeared dead in the water at 95/7, but their tailenders put on 66 runs for the last three wickets, anchored by allrounder Roston Chase’s 38 runs.

The international rivals now turn their attention to the red ball, with the first of three tests scheduled to begin at Christchurch on 2 December.

Follow the action here:

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The All Blacks take on Wales for their final test of the year in Cardiff.

Coach Scott Robertson has made 13 changes to the side – captain Scott Barrett and Simon Parker are the only survivors from the loss to England at Twickenham, with an entirely new backline named.

As expected, one of them is Ruben Love starting at fullback – his first appearance on the tour.

Kickoff is scheduled for 4.10am.

Team lists

Wales: 1. Rhys Carre, 2. Dewi Lake, 3. Keiron Assiratti, 4. Dafydd Jenkins, 5. Adam Beard, 6. Alex Mann, 7. Harri Deaves, 8. Aaron Wainwright, 9. Tomos Williams, 10. Dan Edwards, 11. Tom Rogers, 12. Joe Hawkins, 13. Max Llewellyn, 14. Louis Rees-Zammit, 15. Blair Murray

Bench: 16. Brodie Coghlan, 17. Gareth Thomas, 18. Archie Griffin, 19. Freddie Thomas, 20. Taine Plumtree, 21. Kieran Hardy, 22. Jarrod Evans, 23. Nick Tompkins

All Blacks: 1.Tamaiti Williams, 2. Samisoni Taukei’aho, 3. Pasilio Tosi, 4. Scott Barrett, 5. Fabian Holland, 6. Simon Parker, 7. Du’Plessis Kirifi, 8. Wallace Sititi, 9. Cortez Ratima, 10. Damian McKenzie, 11. Caleb Clarke, 12. Anton Lienert-Brown, 13. Rieko Ioane, 14. Will Jordan, 15. Ruben Love

Bench: 16. George Bell, 17. Fletcher Newell, 18. George Bower, 19. Josh Lord, 20. Christian Lio-Willie, 21. Finlay Christie, 22. Leicester Fainga’anuku, 23. Sevu Reece

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Wellington Phoenix have lost their A-League home match against Macarthur FC 1-0.

Harry Sawyer scored the winning goal in the 83rd minute.

The visitors were the sharper side, creating more scoring opportunities, while the Phoenix struggled to get their attack in order enough to threaten the Macarthur goal.

The score would have been higher, but for some daring saves by goalkeeper Josh Oluwayemi. He got a touch on Sawyer’s goal, but could not prevent it going into the net.

The result leaves the Wellington side with one win and a draw from five matches. They are eighth on the table, but that could change over the course of the weekend.

Macarthur’s second win for the season puts them two points ahead of the Phoenix in seventh place.

Auckland FC, who lead the A-League table on 10 points, play fifth-placed Brisbane Roar at Mt Smart Stadium at 3pm Sunday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Kiwi Liam Lawson will start from sixth on the grid for the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix, after a gutsy drive in qualifying.

In a frenetic final lap, Lawson went from the fifth-fastest lap time to third, before dropping back to sixth, as Brit Lando Norris stormed to his first Las Vegas pole with a brilliant final lap.

Norris timed 1m 47.934s, with 0.323secs back to Dutchman Max Verstappen. Spaniard Carlos Sainz was third fastest, ahead of Brit George Russell and Aussie Oscar Piastri. Lawson was next in 1m 49.062s, 1.128sec behind Norris’ time.

Fernando Alonso, Lawson’s Racing Bulls team-mate Isack Hadjar, Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly rounded out the top 10.

Lawson’s best qualifying position was third in the Azerbaijan GP in September.

The three qualifying sessions on the Las Vegas Strip were chaotic, with rain causing a slippery surface, although it dried out in the closing stages.

Lawson finished 10th fastest in the first qualifying stage and then sixth in the final two sessions.

He had an eventful final practice session, his Racing Bulls car almost being hit by Brit Lewis Hamilton, while earlier, pieces of carbon fibre could be seen flying from his car onto the track.

Lawson, who is fighting for a place in the Racing Bulls team next year, is 14th in the championship standings heading in to Las Vegas, with teammate Hadjar 10th.

Norris leads Piastri by 24 points in the championship, while defending champion Verstappen is 49 points off the lead.

“Boy, that was stressful, stressful as hell,” said Norris. “It’s so slippery out there.

“As soon as you hit the kerb a bit wrong, like I did, you snap one way, lose the car the other way. Close to hitting the wall.

“No-one has driven around here in the rain before, so it was difficult to know what to expect.”

Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, who normally excels in wet conditions, will start last at a street circuit his team had hoped would favour them.

Television footage showed him hitting a bollard, which may have become stuck under the car, before the seven-time world champion failed to beat the chequered flag for a final flying lap that he aborted.

“Couldn’t get the tyres to work,” the Briton said over the radio.

Leclerc also had his hands full, his Ferrari stalling on track and then re-starting in that phase.

Alex Albon smashed his Williams’ suspension, when he hit the wall at the end of an opening phase that also left Mercedes’ Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli in 17th and Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda 19th.

“It was very strange, like ice,” said Tsunoda. “I don’t know what has happened specifically, but clearly something isn’t working.”

Norris made it through Q1 in 13th, with Piastri a safer sixth, while Russell set the pace, ahead of Verstappen, on the treacherous surface.

The second phase was delayed slightly for repairs to the bollard at turn 14 and to clear debris from the track, as the rain eased off and a dry line emerged.

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