Category: Sport

Source: Radio New Zealand

The SailGP professional sailing league returns to the ‘City of Sails’ for the second event of the 2026 series, performing in front of an expanded Wynyard Point grandstand.

Can New Zealand bounce back from last year’s disappointment and a hectic few weeks of repairs to their boat, or will the Aussies retain bragging rights on the Waitematā Harbour?

Follow all the action with RNZ’s live 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

First time Olympian Cam Melville Ives struggled to complete his runs in the snowboard halfpipe final and finished in 12th place at Livingo Snow Park.

The Wanaka rider qualified in eighth for the Winter Olympics final but was among the athletes that could not put down clean runs on Saturday.

Melville Ives’ first run score of 43, which included a backside double-cork alley-oop and a frontside triple cork 1440, was his best result from his three runs.

The halfpipe was the 19-year-old’s only event of the Milano Cortina Games.

Japanese athletes dominated the early runs in the halfpipe final with a trio of riders scoring in the 90s on their first attempts, before Australia’s Scotty James broke into the top positions on his second run.

Team Japan’s 24-year-old Yuto Totsuka won the gold medal in his third Olympics, secured with a 95.00 scored in his second run. James was unable to improve on his final run to finish with back-to-back silver medals in his fifth Olympic appearance.

Japan’s 19-year-old Ryusei Yamada finished with the bronze medal in his first Olympic Games.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand SailGP

4pm Saturday, 14 February

11.30am Sunday, 15 February*

Wynyard Point, Auckland

Live updates on RNZ

*Start time has been change for the weather

Amid considerable fanfare, SailGP has returned to Auckland, building on a wildly successful – not for the home team though – debut in 2025.

The wait for availability of the Wynyard Point site proved well worthwhile, when spectators crammed the giant grandstand on the waterfront to watch Australia claim honours last year – and organisers promise bigger and better this time round.

Here’s what you should know about the professional sailing event.

History

Sail Grand Prix was created in 2018 by billionaire Larry Ellison and Kiwi sailing legend Sir Russell Coutts, loosely based on the America’s Cup, where both its founders originated from.

Unlike the ‘Auld Mug’, this format was designed for high-speed racing in identical F50 catamarans around spectator-friendly courses near the shoreline.

Many of the crews are also involved in the America’s Cup, so this event enables them to remain fully professional sailors between four-year cycles, albeit in a different class of boat.

The fleet began with just six teams, but has since doubled in size, with the addition of Brazil and Italy last year, before adding Sweden as the 13th entry for 2026.

Guided by Tom Slingsby, Australia have dominated the league, winning the first three editions and finishing runners-up in the last two. Spain were 2023/24 champions, while Great Britain triumphed in 2024/25.

Another feature of the competition is known as the ‘Impact League’, which rewards teams for promoting sustainability and inclusivity within their organisations. Winning teams receive prizemoney to donate to charities and New Zealand took 2021/22 honours.

Format

Each regatta takes place over a series of tightly contested fleet races (up to seven) across two days, with teams gaining points based on their placings and the top three qualifying for the final at the end of the weekend.

Overall results from each stopover count towards season rankings, with the top three again qualifying for the series final.

Black Foils

New Zealand did not contest the inaugural SailGP series, but joined the fleet in 2020, under the leadership of America’s Cup supremo Peter Burling and sidekick Blair Tuke.

Their distinctive boat Amokura was launched the following year and has suffered several accidents since.

In 2023, its mast was struck by lightning in Singapore, as it was being towed back to base, frying its electrical systems. The NZ crew were already ashore, collecting their winners’ prize, but Danish grinder Martin Kirketerp – who was helping return the boat to port – was taken to hospital with an electric shock.

Later that same season, Amokura’s wing collapsed while racing at Saint-Tropez. No-one was hurt, but the damage was too serious to continue racing and repairs could not be carried out before the next round at Taranto, Italy.

In March 2024, the NZ team announced their ‘Black Foils’ nickname, aligning with other famous Kiwi sporting outfits.

Burling and Tuke have won Olympic and world championship gold, won and defended the America’s Cup and sailed around the world (separately), but SailGP success has eluded them. They finished second in 2022/23 and third the last two years.

Form

The 2026 series has had only one stop so far, at Perth, with the defending champion British team picking up where they left off last year, heading off Australia and France in the event final.

Sweden won two of the seven preliminary races, but finished last in the seventh to place fourth, while Canada also showed their ability with victory in the last race.

New Zealand were off to the worst-possible start to their campaign, damaging their stern in a collision with Switzerland during the opening race and, while the Swiss were able to return to the water on the second day, the Kiwis were shorebound for the rest of the weekend and faced some time pressure to repair their board for the Auckland leg.

They are now at the bottom of the table with no points, alongside Switzerland and Spain, who also suffered malfunctions off Perth.

New Zealand SailGP

New Zealand was originally included on the 2021/22 championship schedule, with Lyttelton Harbour, Christchurch, as the venue on an alternating arrangement with Auckland’s Wynyard Point.

Covid-19 delayed the NZ stopover until 2023, with Christchurch hosting the very successful event, and it returned there the following year, when the Auckland waterfront site was unavailable.

This time, racing was not possible on the opening day, due to dolphins on the course, and Coutts vowed not to use the venue again.

Instead, Auckland staged the 2025 event, fully justifying the decision to develop Wynyard Point, with a grandstand that is expected to hold more than 10,000 spectators and break the SailGP attendance record, along with unticketed viewing along the shoreline.

Kiwi Phil Robertson skippered Canada to victory at the inaugural 2023 NZ SailGP, Burling steered the Kiwis home in 2024, but the Black Foils struck electrical problems at Auckland, with the Aussies dominating the weekend.

Teams

Australia: Tom Slingsby (driver), Tash Bryant (strategist), Nina Curtis (strategist), Iain Jensen (wing trimmer), Kinley Fowler (flight controller/grinder), Sam Newton (grinder), Jason Waterhouse (flight controller/tactician), Tom Needham (reserve)

Brazil: Martine Grael (driver), Marco Grael (grinder), Mateus Isaac (grinder), Rasmus Kostner (flight controller), Pietro Sibello (wing trimmer), Paul Goodison (strategist), Richard Mason (reserve), Breno Kneipp (grinder)

Canada: Giles Scott (driver), Billy Gooderham (flight controller), Paul Campbell-James (wing trimmer), Annie Haeger (strategist), Georgia Lewin-LaFrance (strategist), Tom Ramshaw (grinder), Tim Hornsby (grinder/technical director), Alex Sinclair (grinder)

Denmark: Nicolai Sehested (driver), Tom Johnson (wing trimmer), Ed Powys (flight controller), Anee-Marie Rindom (strategist), Hans-Christian Rosendahl (grinder), Luke Payne (grinder), Kahena Kunze (strategist)

France: Quentin Delapierre (driver), Manon Audinet (strategist), Leigh McMillan (wing trimmer), Jason Saunders (flight controller), Olivier Herledant (grinder), Bruno Mourniac (grinder), Timothy Lapauw (grinder), Enzo Balanger (reserve), Amelie Riou (reserve)

Germany: Erik Kosegarten-Heil (driver), Kevin Peponnet (wing trimmer), James Wierzbowski (flight controller), Anna Barth (strategist), Will Tiller (grinder), Linov Scheel (grinder)

Great Britain: Dylan Fletcher (driver), Hannah Mills (strategist), Stuart Bithell (wing trimmer), Luke Parkinson (flight controller),, Nick Hutton (trimmer/grinder), Neil Hunter (grinder), Kai Hockley (development), Ben Cornish (reserve), Ellie Aldridge (development)

Italy: Phil Robertson (driver), Ruggero Tita (alternate driver), Kyle Langford (wing trimmer), Andrea Tesei (flight controller), Will Ryan (grinder), Enrico Voltolini (grinder), Jana Germani (strategist), Maelle Frascari (strategist), Jimmy Spithill (reserve driver)

New Zealand: Peter Burling (driver), Blair Tuke (wing trimmer), Leo Takahashi (flight controller), Liv Mackay (strategist), Louis Sinclair (grinder), Marcus Hansen (grinder)

Spain: Diego Botin (driver), Florian Trittel (wing trimmer), Joel Rodriguez (flight controller), Nicolle van der Velden (strategist), Joan Cardona (tactician/grinder), Bernard Freitas (grinder), Matthew Barber (grinder)

Sweden: Nathan Outteridge (driver), Julia Gross (strategist), Chris Draper (wing trimmer), Any Maloney (flight controller), Brad Farrand (wing trimmer), Julius Hallstrom (grinder)

Switzerland: Sebastian Schneiter (driver), Arnaud Psarofaghis (wing trimmer), Bryan Mattraux (flight controller), Stewart Dodson (grinder), Arno de Planta (reserve), Maud Jayet (strategist), Matt Gotrel (grinder)

USA: Taylor Canfield (driver), Michael Menninger (wing trimmer), Hans Henken (flight controller), Andrew Campbell (strategist), Anna Weis (grinder), Peter Kinney (grinder), Mac Agnese (grinder), Harry Melges IV (reserve)

Weather

In a case of imperfect timing, New Zealand’s North Island – including Auckland – is under storm warning this weekend, which has already forced a couple of changes to event scheduling.

Friday practice racing was cancelled, with only New Zealand, Spain and Germany allowed out on the water to test their recent modifications before racing begins in earnest.

In anticipation of worsening conditions on Sunday afternoon, the second day’s racing has been brought forward to 11.30am.

Everyone is talking glowingly of great sailing conditions, but maybe not so great for spectators.

Asked about the expected big winds, Auckland-born Italy driver Phil Robertson replied: “You wet your pants a little and you move on.”

Where to watch

Organisers have increased the size of the already impressive Wynyard Point grandstand by 30 percent to more than 10,000 seats. Boats will whistle past so close, you can almost reach out and touch them.

Other vantage points around the harbour include any of the wharves as far as Bledisloe Wharf on the city side, Westhaven Marina and Stanley Point on the North Shore.

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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 Wellington Phoenix have questions.

The Phoenix came back from 2-0 down at halftime to draw 2-2 with Western Sydney Wanderers in Sydney, thanks to a maiden A-League goal from All Whites defender Bill Tuiloma and an eighth of the season from golden boot leader Ifeanyi Eze.

However, after the final whistle the Phoenix were still perplexed by a decision head coach Giancarlo Italiano believed could have influenced the outcome.

The Phoenix feel they should have been awarded a penalty early in the second half when defender Matt Sheridan was brought down in the Wanderers box.

Despite the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) instructing referee Adam Kersey to take a closer look at his decision not to give a penalty, Kersey upheld his decision.

Italiano was left confused by the officials’ decision making.

“The fourth [official] said there was no contact so then they’re reviewing the process so there is contact, but then they said there wasn’t a foul or intention,” Italiano said post-match.

“I’m not really sure what was seen or said and that’s the frustrating part.

“If there’s no contact then obviously VAR doesn’t review but they must have seen contact. And then for me if there’s contact then it’s a foul.”

Italiano was happy with the team’s “bounce back” in the second half.

“I’m not sure how many teams are coming back from 2-nil down away from home and they’re (Wanderers) are playing for their season.

“We made some changes at halftime… and I thought the players that came on gave us the difference.

“I feel like we probably could have won that in the end.”

Italiano made three changes to the side from the Waitangi Day defeat to Melbourne Victory, with Sarpreet Singh making his first appearance for the club in the best part of seven years.

However, he was forced from the field just after halftime with a knee injury.

Fit-again club captain Alex Rufer and Sheridan also returned to the starting side.

The draw lifts Wellington up one spot on the ladder to 10th, three points outside the top six.

The Phoenix’s next game is against Auckland FC in the sixth New Zealand derby.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Blues v Chiefs

Kick-off: 7:05pm Saturday 14 February

Eden Park, Auckland

Live updates on RNZ

Can the Chiefs overcome three straight years of heartbreak and finally win a Super Rugby Pacific title? Their quest starts tonight at Eden Park, where they face another team with redemption on their minds in the Blues.

New Chiefs coach Jonno Gibbes inherited a very strong squad from Clayton McMillan, one that most people tipped to win the competition last year. They made it all the way to the final, before losing to the Crusaders in Christchurch. The reason they had given up home ground advantage for that final was because of a loss to the Blues in the first round of the playoffs, so there’s definitely still some feeling over that one you’d think.

Team lists

Blues: 1 Joshua Fusitu’a, 2 Bradley Slater, 3 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 4 Sam Darry, 5 Josh Beehre, 6 Torian Barnes, 7 Dalton Papali’I (c), 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 9 Finlay Christie, 10 Stephen Perofeta, 11 Caleb Clarke, 12 Pita Ahki, 13 AJ Lam, 14 Cole Forbes, 15 Zarn Sullivan

Bench: 16 James Mullan, 17 Mason Tupaea, 18 Marcel Renata, 19 Laghlan McWhannell, 20 Anton Segner, 21 Sam Nock, 22 Xavi Taele, 23 Codemeru Vai

Chiefs: 1 Jared Proffit, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 3 George Dyer, 4 Josh Lord, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 6 Kaylum Bosher, 7 Jahrome Brown, 8 Luke Jacobson, 9 Xavier Roe, 10 Josh Jacomb, 11 Liam Coombes-Fabling, 12 Quinn Tupaea, 13 Daniel Rona, 14 Kyren Taumoefolau, 15 Etene Nanai-Seturo

Bench: 16 Tyrone Thompson, 17 Benet Kumeroa, 18 Reuben O’Neill, 19 Seuseu Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20 Samipeni Finau, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Tepaea Cook-Savage, 23 Kyle Brown

Blues team news

Vern Cotter has sprung a bit of a surprise by selecting Torian Barnes at blindside, the Christchurch product set to make his Super Rugby Pacific debut. That moves Anton Segner to the bench, but Cotter explained that was part of a plan to negate the Chiefs’ ruck speed at the back end of the game. New signing Pita Ahki starts at second five, while Stephen Perofeta gets the first five spot for at least a month or so before Beauden Barrett becomes available.

Chiefs team news

No Damian McKenzie, so Josh Jacomb steps up for a good chance at 10. Xavier Roe is inside him as Gibbes continues McMillan’s policy of bringing All Black halfback Cortez Ratima off the bench. Kyren Taumoefolau debuts on the right wing after his shift from Moana Pasifika, Quinn Tupaea and Daniel Rona will be looking to continue their excellent form from last season too.

Key stats

The Chiefs will be aiming for consecutive wins against the Blues at Eden Park for the first time since July 2014.

This is set to be the fifth meeting between the Blues and Chiefs in round one of a Super Rugby season, the Chiefs have won the last three encounters.

Dalton Papali’i was the player to make first contact on 132 tackles in the 2025 Super Rugby Pacific season, the most of any player in the competition. His 212 tackles completed were the third most of any player across the campaign.

What they’re saying

“We’re very conscious of the Chiefs’ ability to go 60 minutes and apply pressure to have a very good 20 minutes at the end. I think the bench represents what they intend to do. So locking in for 60 and having players with experience and energy is going to be important to finish this game.” – Vern Cotter.

“I think one of the really pleasing parts is our utility factor in our backline. So we have a number of players who can play a number of positions, so that helps later on down the line, and squad health has a massive impact, there’s a lot of competition for the back three, and Kyren’s right in the middle of that.” – Jono Gibbes.

The last time they met

Blues 20 – 19 Chiefs

A try after the hooter by Josh Beehre sealed an upset win in Hamilton for the Blues, after an incredibly physical and tense match. The result meant that the Chiefs lost home ground advantage for the eventual final but also made up for the very poor start the Blues had to the 2025 season.

What’s going to happen

The Blues basically need to not be beaten at their own game like they were last season here at Eden Park. That night, the Chiefs simply rolled up their sleeves and did the dirty work, so this time around the Blues should show a bit more in the first half rather than simply relying on their heavy ball carriers. The Chiefs do have a great ability to switch up on the fly, if Jacomb can get front foot ball that will make that option far easier.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Jamie Joseph may well have a new job next by weekend, but he can enjoy a brilliant start to his unfancied Highlanders side’s season for now. They scored a thoroughly deserved 25-23 win over the defending champion Crusaders at Forsyth Barr Stadium, first five Cam Millar ice cold when he knocked over a 50m penalty goal in the 78th minute.

It was sweet redemption for Millar, who missed a similar shot the last time these sides met that would’ve sent the game to extra time. He wasn’t alone in his heroics, with the entire Highlanders squad playing their part in an outstanding defensive effort.

The first half featured some big plays from the home side, who effected crucial turnovers through Jack Taylor, Lucas Casey and Timoci Tavatavanawai to snuff out some excellent Crusaders’ chances close to the tryline.

Down the other end, the one real chance the Highlanders had was taken when Caleb Tangitau showed his pace to burn around two defenders, after a messy move in midfield saw space open up out wide.

The Crusaders’ only first half try came off a fair bit of luck, after Millar spilled the ball only for it to fall for Sevu Reece. One good pass and a quick ruck later Noah Hotham saw an empty blindside to scoot away and score in the corner.

A Rivez Reihana penalty goal on the stroke of halftime gave the Crusaders the lead, but that only lasted a few minutes after the break when the Highlanders scored back to back tries. Angus Ta’avao first found himself far too much space after a Jonah Lowe break, then Lowe got in on the act himself when he finished off a sweeping move from inside their own half.

The Crusaders hit back with a try to Will Jordan after Rob Penney elected to make six substitutions at once, but even the injections of key All Blacks couldn’t crack the resolute Highlanders defence again.

The defending champs had to settle for a Taha Kemara penalty to edge out in front, which only set up Millar’s big kick at the end to give the Highlanders a morale-boosting win. They came in with a cloud over Joseph’s future, plus the loss of All Black lock Fabian Holland for the season. It will still be an uphill battle for the traditional strugglers, but they certainly showed what they’re capable of when in the mood.

It won’t get any easier next weekend, when the Highlanders host the Chiefs. Meanwhile, the Crusaders will be licking their wounds before a meeting with the Brumbies in Christchurch.

Read how the game unfolded 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

Super Rugby Pacific opens with a southern clash under the roof, with the banged up Highlanders taking on the defending champion Crusaders. Kick-off is at 7:05pm NZT.

Follow all the action with RNZ’s live blog:

Team lists

Highlanders: 1 Ethan de Groot, 2 Jack Taylor, 3 Angus Ta’avao, 4 Oliver Haig, 5 Mitch Dunshea, 6 Te Kamaka Howden, 7 Sean Withy, 8 Lucas Casey, 9 Folau Fakatava, 10 Cameron Millar, 11 Jona Nareki, 12 Timoci Tavatavanawai, 13 Jonah Lowe, 14 Caleb Tangitau, 15 Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens

Bench: 16 Henry Bell, 17 Josh Bartlett, 18 Rohan Wingham, 19 Will Stodart, 20 Veveni Lasaqa, 21 Adam Lennox, 22 Reesjan Pasitoa, 23 Tanielu Tele’a

Crusaders: 1 Finlay Brewis, 2 George Bell, 3 Seb Calder, 4 Antonio Shalfoon, 5 Jamie Hannah, 6 Dom Gardiner, 7 Ethan Blackadder, 8 Christian Lio-Willie, 9 Noah Hotham, 10 Rivez Reihana, 11 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 12 David Havili (c), 13 Braydon Ennor, 14 Sevu Reece, 15 Chay Fihaki

Bench: 16 Codie Taylor, 17 George Bower, 18 Fletcher Newell, 19 Tahlor Cahill, 20 Corey Kellow, 21 Kyle Preston, 22 Taha Kemara, 23 Will Jordan

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

SailGP’s fastest may just have found even more speed.

Rockwool Denmark have never won the professional sailing league, but have the distinction of clocking the fastest-ever speed in the F50 boat, when they reached 103.93km/h at Sassnitz, Germany, last August.

In the process, they became the first team to top 100km/h.

As the fleet prepares for the New Zealand SailGP at Auckland this weekend, the Danish have confirmed they will join forces with American Magic in a deal reportedly worth US$60 million (NZ$99.3m), as they strive for more consistency in their racing performance.

American Magic founder Doug DeVos is one of the world’s leading investors, with ownership of the Orlando Magic NBA basketball franchise, but the organisation is perhaps best known to Kiwis as a challenger for the America’s Cup at Auckland and Barcelona.

At Auckland 2021, their boat ‘Patriot’ capsized and almost sank during round-robin stages of the Prada Cup. While they returned to competition for the challenger semi-finals, they were quickly dispatched by Italians Luna Rossa.

Four years later, they suffered an identical fate and, last October, announced they would not contest the next America’s Cup off Naples in 2027.

Instead, the organisation has created a new training facility at Pensacola, Florida, where the Danish SailGP outfit will now develop their programme.

“It’s super exciting,” driver Nicolai Sehested. “I think it’s a vote of confidence that such a cool team as American Magic believe in our team and what we’ve built over the last few years.

“It gives us the opportunity to go all the way, which we’ve dreamt of since we started.”

“We’ve been watching SailGP grow in terms of the excitement, the fans, the number of teams and incredible venues, but also the product is incredibly compelling,” said American Magic chief executive Mike Cazer.

“We’ve been rooting for it and, along the way, we said we needed to be part of this incredible league.

“We believe in this team and what Nicolai and his team have developed is a high-performance platform on the water, but also their values off the water. We’re embracing the Danish character of the team, we’re investing in it and we’re developing it.”

NEW SPEED RECORD!! 103.93KM/H@SAILGPDEN officially break both racing and overall F50 speed record!#SailGP pic.twitter.com/Y4wktdvJUX

— SailGP (@SailGP) August 16, 2025

SailGP boss Russell Coutts hinted that American Magic’s interest may accelerate the creation of a second-tier ‘minor league’ to the professional sailing competition.

“American Magic bring a lot of expertise, not just in the sailing field, but in the business field,” he said. “To have them involved in the league and driving the league forward is enormous.

“The training centre at Pensacola is a state-of-the-art facility. They have an objective to train young talent, we obviously have a need to train young talent, so those goals are aligned.

“We are looking at a smaller catamaran, probably 25-30 feet [7.5-9 metres] long.

“We think there’s a model similar to other minor leagues in professional sports. We can develop a product that allowed the top young athletes in the world to develop their skills and be drafted into the top teams.”

That’s a hugely exciting pathway going forward, he said.

Denmark joined SailGP in 2021 and won their first event at Abu Dhabi last November.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Blues v Chiefs

Kick-off: 7:05pm Saturday 14 February

Eden Park, Auckland

Live blog updates on RNZ

Cody Vai doesn’t take the slow road.

The Auckland flyer was signed straight out of school to travel the World Sevens circuit as an 18-year-old.

His rapid ascent continued at his first event in Hong Kong, opening the scoring for New Zealand in the final after just 25 seconds.

The teenager was suddenly surrounded by his idols, including one who had been on the circuit since Vai was a toddler.

“I can’t really put it into words just how amazing it was. I watched those guys as a kid and to get to play with the likes of Joe Webber, Regan Ware, Scott Curry, Tim Mikkelson, it was pretty unreal. Tim started he debuted in 2007 or something like that, and I was only three years old, which is pretty funny.”

After three years ripping it up on the sevens scene, Codemeru ‘Cody’ Vai is back in Tamaki Makaurau, and has been quickly thrust into the 23 for the Blues as they open their season against the Chiefs at Eden Park tomorrow night.

“The end goal is to be in that All Blacks jersey.”

Vai never had to look outside his family for inspiration, with his brother Kitona also an All Black Sevens member, sister Corina Nanai-Vai a former Auckland Storm player, and father Kitiona Nanai Vai, a Samoan international who played at the 1991 World Cup.

However, the biggest influence came via former Blues star Melani Nanai, who played 64 times for the franchise between 2015-19.

“My older brother came through here as well. So it’s always been a dream of mine to be here and I watched some of these guys as well. And then getting the chance to put the jersey with them is obviously going to be special as well.”

Vai recalls playing in the backyard as a teenager with Nanai and his Blues teammates such as AJ Lam, whom Vai will line up alongside this weekend.

“I always grew up watching them and they used to come over to the house and play a bit of games as well. So yeah, it was pretty cool that now that I’m getting to play with them, it’s a crazy full circle moment.”

Vai said Nanai instilled a strong work ethic in him.

“He always told me to train hard, learn as much as you can. I take a lot of things as a joke and I like to have fun, but he told me you can have fun as long as you’re still 100 percent in the mind.”

Vai admits the shoulders are still getting used to the transition.

Getting back into 15s, in preseason, that’s where you find your true self with the hard fitness and all the contact with the boys as well. The difference is the contact with tackling the big boys, but that’s another part of rugby and my favourite part of rugby is the contact part as well. So I enjoy getting some shoulders into the props, even if they can’t feel it.”

Named to wear the 23 jersey on Saturday night, Vai said his ultimate ambition is number 13.

“My end goal is probably around centre this year, but right now, I’m still learning the game.”

The Blues will be plugging a hole at centre in 2026 in the wake of Reiko Ioane’s sabbatical in ireland.

“Reiko was probably some of the players that I loved watching most, Beauden Barrett as well, so it’s actually an unreal experience coming in and just they’re really down to earth people and just so easy to talk to as well.”

Upon Ioane’s return however, Vai is excited to tussle for the start with his idol.

“This part of rugby is just that competitive side. And I love it. Obviously that’s their goal but I want to be there as well. “

Teams

Blues: 1 Joshua Fusitu’a, 2 Bradley Slater, 3 Ofa Tu’ungafasi, 4 Sam Darry, 5 Josh Beehre, 6 Torian Barnes, 7 Dalton Papali’I (c), 8 Hoskins Sotutu, 9 Finlay Christie, 10 Stephen Perofeta, 11 Caleb Clarke, 12 Pita Ahki, 13 AJ Lam, 14 Cole Forbes, 15 Zarn Sullivan

Bench: 16 James Mullan, 17 Mason Tupaea, 18 Marcel Renata, 19 Laghlan McWhannell, 20 Anton Segner, 21 Sam Nock, 22 Xavi Taele, 23 Codemeru Vai

Chiefs: 1 Jared Proffit, 2 Samisoni Taukei’aho, 3 George Dyer, 4 Josh Lord, 5 Tupou Vaa’i, 6 Kaylum Bosher, 7 Jahrome Brown, 8 Luke Jacobson, 9 Xavier Roe, 10 Josh Jacomb, 11 Liam Coombes-Fabling, 12 Quinn Tupaea, 13 Daniel Rona, 14 Kyren Taumoefolau, 15 Etene Nanai-Seturo

Bench: 16 Tyrone Thompson, 17 Benet Kumeroa, 18 Reuben O’Neill, 19 Seuseu Naitoa Ah Kuoi, 20 Samipeni Finau, 21 Cortez Ratima, 22 Tepaea Cook-Savage, 23 Kyle Brown

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

New Zealand SailGP

4pm Saturday, 14 February & Sunday, 15 February

Wynyard Point, Auckland

Live updates on RNZ

Black Foils driver Peter Burling has found himself on the wrong side of history, after the incident that sidelined his SailGP boat at Perth last month.

Early in the opening race of the new season, New Zealand and Switzerland collided at high speed, with the Swiss shearing the transom off ‘Amokura’.

While the Europeans were able to repair their F50 cataraman overnight and return to the water for the second day of competition, the Kiwis were consigned to their sheds, copping the blame for the melee and earning penalty points for causing it.

They finished the weekend with no championship points and faced a nervous process to bring their boat to full integrity before this weekend’s home event at Auckland’s Wynyard Point.

The punishment took on an even more personal note for Burling, when he became the first recipient of demerit points under the league’s new ‘Super Licence’ for drivers, similar to Formula One motor-racing requirements.

“I seem to have become the first driver with the ‘honour’ of getting demerit points on my license,” he told the official media conference. “It’s a whole new thing and I’m not even sure how many I can get in a season – I should probably work that out at some stage.

“Got the email the other day – all part of the fun.”

Burling revealed to RNZ he received three demerit points, but bore no grudges.

“To me, the demerit points and the new licensing system that SailGP has put in is a real sign of maturity in the league. It’s a really cool step to see the league putting protocols in, so people have to go through a process to get on the F50 and be responsible for one of the roles onboard.

“Everyone has to pass a minimum standard in terms of their knowledge of the boat, knowledge of how the league operates… to be responsible for that role. It’s a good step for the league and also holding people accountable with its demerit points.

“Everyone’s going to have the odd crash. If you’re not bringing the boats close together, you’re not really racing.”

Burling still didn’t agree with the decision to penalise his team, but organisers seemed happy to play up the actual or perceived rivalry between the Kiwis and the Swiss.

“On the water, we got deemed that we didn’t turn quick enough, which – for me – is in the grey zone, if you look back at a lot of other incidents,” he said. “That’s the umpire’s call.

“In sailing, there’s Rule 14 as well, which is, if you can avoid a collision, you should. For me, at some stage, you can’t just disappear and I feel like there were two parties to the incident.

“That’s all in the past now, we’ve got to live by the decision and move forward.”

At the media conference, Burling was seated at the far end of the couch to Swiss counterpart Seb Schneiter, a detail that didn’t escape the attention of NZ-born Italy driver Phil Robertson.

“Why have you sat them so far apart?” Robertson chirped.

“We obviously spoke in the protest and a little bit after sailing,” Schneiter explained. “We had a birthday party last weekend and Pete was on the invite list, but he didn’t make it unfortunately.

“I think it’s part of the nature of racing these boats at such high speeds. It’s going to happen and, as Pete said, we have to learn as a league.

“No-one wants the boats to come together. Either you’re right or wrong, and there’s certainly a lot to learn from this.”

Burling was quick to explain his absence: “Just to set the story straight, last weekend, the weather was a bit nice down at Coromandel, so we decided with the family to stay there and not make the trip back to Auckland.”

He explained to RNZ that the Black Foils had history with the Swiss, who also clipped Amokura during a start at Abu Dhabi last November.

“That’s two from two events they’ve hit that corner of the boat,” Burling chuckled. “Hopefully, we can keep apart this weekend and, hopefully as a league, we can learn from the incidents.

“The incident we had you probably see 5-10 times a weekend, where people make a tiny mistake on the timing and other boats help alleviate the problem, in terms of two boats not coming together, and both get to carry and race.

“Hopefully, the Swiss learn from that.”

Ironically, New Zealand have gained one tiny benefit from their misfortune.

With a weather bomb hovering over the North Island on Friday, SailGP teams lost their only official practice day in Auckland.

The only boats allowed on the water were the home team, Spain and Germany, which had all undergone major modifications since Perth and needed to test out repairs, before racing began on Saturday.

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