Category: Sport

Source: Radio New Zealand

World Rugby Breakthrough Player of the Year winners Fabian Holland and Braxton Sorensen-McGee have been named among the finalists for New Zealand’s top rugby awards.

Second rower Holland, who played 12 of the All Blacks 13 tests this year, is up for All Blacks Player of the Year alongside Ardie Savea, Quinn Tupaea and Cam Roigard.

Back Sorensen-McGee was a try-scoring star performer for the Black Ferns as they finished third at the Rugby World Cup. She is a finalist for Black Ferns Player of the Year along with Jorja Miller, Kaipo Olsen-Baker and Georgia Ponsonby.

The winners will be announced on 11 December.

The Kelvin R Tremain Memorial Player of the Year will be awarded to one of the winners of the major Player of the Year categories. The New Zealand Coach of the Year and New Zealand Team of the Year will be announced on the night, with all teams in black and their respective coaches eligible.

The Steinlager Salver, the most prestigious award in New Zealand rugby, will acknowledge someone who has given sustained service to the game. Previous recipients include: Sir Colin Meads, Jock Hobbs, Waka Nathan, Sir Tuifa’asisina Bryan Williams and Dr Deb Robinson.

2025 New Zealand Rugby Awards finalists:

Super Rugby Pacific Player of the Year

Will Jordan (Crusaders)

Du’Plessis Kirifi (Hurricanes)

Ardie Savea (Moana Pasifika)

Super Rugby Aupiki Player of the Year

Amy du Plessis (Matatū)

Braxton Sorensen McGee (Blues)

Portia Woodman-Wickliffe (Blues)

Richard Crawshaw Memorial All Blacks Sevens Player of the Year

Dylan Collier

Tone Ng Shiu

Frank Vaenuku

Black Ferns Sevens Player of the Year

Michaela Brake

Jorja Miller

Risi Pouri-Lane

New Zealand Rugby Age Grade Player of the Year

Oli Mathis (Waikato)

Dylan Pledger (Otago)

Braxton Sorensen-McGee (Auckland)

National Men’s Coach of the Year

Marty Bourke (Canterbury)

Mark Brown (Otago)

Rob Penney (Crusaders)

National Women’s Coach of the Year

Matt Direen (Otago)

Reuben Samuel (Waikato)

Willie Walker (Blues)

New Zealand Rugby Referee of the Year

Maggie Cogger-Orr (Auckland)

James Doleman (Otago)

Ben O’Keeffe (North Harbour)

National Women’s Team of the Year

Blues

Otago Spirit

Waikato

National Men’s Team of the Year

Canterbury

Crusaders

Mid-Canterbury

Tom French Memorial Māori Player of the Year

Kurt Eklund (Ngāti Kahu)

Quinn Tupaea (Ngaati Tiipa, Ngaati Amaru)

Portia Woodman-Wickliffe (Ngāpuhi/Ngāti Kahu ki Whaingaroa/Ngāti Porou)

All Blacks Player of the Year

Fabian Holland

Cam Roigard

Ardie Savea

Quinn Tupaea

Black Ferns Player of the Year

Jorja Miller

Kaipo Olsen-Baker

Georgia Ponsonby

Braxton Sorensen-McGee

Rugby Club of the Year

Hunterville Rugby Football Club (Whanganui)

Rangataua Sports and Cultural Club (Bay of Plenty)

Waimate Rugby Football Club (South Canterbury)

Charles Monro Volunteer of the Year

Glen Devenie (Auckland Rugby Referee Association, Auckland)

Stacey Kobus (Cambridge Junior Rugby and Community Sports Club, Waikato)

Jodi Taylor (Strath Taieri Rugby Club, Otago)

Te Hāpai Community Impact Award

Cian Byrne-Hansen (Counties Manukau)

Peter Hastings (Bay of Plenty)

Sosoli Talawadua (Whanganui)

Duane Monkley Medal (NPC Player of the Year)

Sam Darry (Canterbury)

Folau Fakatava (Hawke’s Bay)

Josh Jacomb (Taranaki)

Fiao’o Faamausili Medal (Farah Palmer Cup Player of the Year)

Taufa Bason (Auckland)

Grace Houpapa-Barrett (Waikato)

Holly Williams (North Harbour)

Ian Kirkpatrick Medal (Heartland Championship Player of the Year)

Declan McCormack (Mid Canterbury)

Keanu Taumata (Poverty Bay)

Sam Walton-Sexton (Wairarapa Bush)

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Black Foils driver Peter Burling is confident he’ll be on board for this weekend’s SailGP grand final in Abu Dhabi.

The New Zealanders are second in the standings, but Burling is in doubt after slicing a finger which required hospital attention.

Burling missed practice on Thursday (local time) as a precaution after cutting his right index finger while trying to fix an issue with a daggerboard during training on Wednesday.

Black Foils strategist Liv Mackay stepped in to drive the boat, while the team will assess Burling’s situation before deciding who will control the boat in Friday’s practice.

Burling admitted the timing was far from ideal as the Black Foils attempt to win their first SailGP title.

“We’ll just kind of monitor the situation as it goes. It’s not the ideal way to build up to the Grand Final, but we feel like the team’s in great shape and it’s now about doing everything I can to recover and make sure I’m ready to go,” he told SailGP.

Burling attended Thursday’s media conference with a heavily bandaged finger and was asked if there was a chance he could miss racing this weekend.

“It depends who you talk to, but I’m sure I’ll figure out how to be there.

“These kind of things can happen to anyone throughout the season and you’ve got to be able to deal with them, so that’s what we’re working through.”

The Black Foils lie second in the overall standings, three points behind leaders Great Britain and two points ahead of Australia.

To make the three-team Grand Final in Abu Dhabi this weekend the New Zealanders have to finish sixth or better in the fleet racing part of the Abu Dhabi Sail Grand Prix.

Meanwhile, Burling has been voted the winner of the MVP category in the 2025 SailGP Fan Awards.

Burling recently commented [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/579918/peter-burling-says-control-team-new-zealand-wanted-over-him-was-just-crazy on his departure from the Team New Zealand America’s Cup syndicate, saying the control Team New Zealand wanted over him was “just crazy”.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Matildas v Football Ferns

Friday, 28 November

Kick-off 9.30pm

Polytec Stadium, Gosford, Australia

Live blog updates on RNZ Sport

The Football Ferns will end the year against a side brimming with stars and a nation that they have not beaten in more than 30 years.

Two games against the Matildas in Australia would be a stern test for the New Zealanders as they look ahead to the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027, for which qualifying starts early next year.

Fifteenth in the FIFA rankings the Matildas were a long way ahead of the 33rd ranked Football Ferns and history is on the Australians’ side.

The Football Ferns have faced Australia 53 times, which was more than any other opponent, with the Australians winning three times as often as the New Zealanders over the years. The last time New Zealand beat the trans-Tasman rivals was in 1994 in Port Moresby.

This series would be a homecoming for one of the Matildas’ biggest names, Sam Kerr. Kerr returned to the national side in October after a lay-off with an ACL injury and the Football Ferns games will be her first games at home in two years.

Form

The last time the two sides met was in a 2022 two-match series, with the Matildas winning 2-1 and 3-1 on their home soil.

Both teams were active in the last international window last month with the Football Ferns playing Mexico, twice, and the Olympic champion United States for three losses.

New Zealand failed to score a goal and conceded nine.

The Matildas beat Wales in the last window 2-1 and then lost to England 3-0.

Bigger picture

The games against Australia would be the Football Ferns’ final hitout before the Oceania qualifiers for the Football World Cup which kick off in February and March next year.

The Football Ferns play Samoa and Solomon Islands in the early part of the qualification process.

Whereas, for the Matildas this international window was the last before next year’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup which will be hosted in Australia. For that 12-team tournament Australia were grouped with South Korea, Iran and Philippines.

What they are saying

Football Ferns coach Michael Mayne said he wanted his side to avoid the “trap” of the pressure of chasing the first win over the Matildas in many of the players’ lifetime.

“Once you start to get into that the emotion starts to play the game as opposed to sticking to what I’m wanting to see from the players.

“They hold all of the cards in terms of previous performances, you can look at their squad, look for where their coach as come from, on paper they are a very strong group and we know that but we spend very little time focusing on them because that only drives the things I don’t want to drive within this group and how they approach it.”

Matildas coach Joe Montemurro said that this was an important window for the squad.

“We have selected a squad of experienced leaders who know what it means to represent Australia, as well as younger players who will be crucial to our ongoing success.

“The goal is to create a strong and competitive environment where we can test combinations and ensure that each time we step onto the pitch, we are ready to perform at our best.”

Squads

Football Ferns: Liz Anton, CJ Bott, Kelli Brown, Claudia Bunge, Olivia Chance, Milly Clegg, Victoria Esson, Michaela Foster, Ally Green, Maya Hahn, Jacqui Hand, Betsy Hassett, Deven Jackson, Katie Kitching, Anna Leat, Annalie Longo, Meikayla Moore, Emma Pijnenburg, Gabi Rennie, Indiah-Paige Riley, Alina Santos, Kate Taylor, Lara Wall, Grace Wisnewski.

Matildas: Mackenzie Arnold, Ellie Carpenter, Steph Catley, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Caitlin Foord, Katrina Gorry, Charlotte Grant, Winonah Heatley, Michelle Heyman, Clare Hunt, Kahli Johnson, Alanna Kennedy, Sam Kerr, Chloe Lincoln, Holly McNamara, Teagan Micah, Courtney Nevin, Hayley Raso, Amy Sayer, Remy Siemsen, Kaitlyn Torpey, Emily Van Egmond, Clare Wheeler, Tameka Yallop

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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 golfers have made a solid start to the Australian PGA Championship in Brisbane, with one near the top of the leaderboard and another hitting a hole in one.

Ryan Fox is tied for third after firing an four under par 67 in his opening round at the Royal Queensland Golf Club.

Fox is three shots behind the leader Sebastien Garcia of Spain who is through 15 holes after a lightning storm forced an early end to the day.

Josh Geary is tied for ninth at 3 under par.

Meanwhile Kazuma Kobori had a hole in one at the par three 17th, known as the ‘party hole’.

“My round was getting off to a relatively slow start and then that helped me boost it a little bit,” Kobori told Golf New Zealand.

Kobori finished two under par in a tie for 22nd, the same score as Daniel Hillier.

He wasn’t the only player to hit a hole in one with local Daniel Gale acing the 11th which also won him a $250,000 car.

Gale is outright second.

Another New Zealander also featured with Tiger Woods’ former caddie Steve Williams coming out of retirement to carry the bag for local Anthony Quayle who is tied for third.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Boomers v Tall Blacks

Friday, 28 November

Tip-off 9.30pm

MyState Bank Arena, Hobart, Tasmania

Live blog updates on RNZ Sport

The road to the 2027 FIBA World Cup starts for the Tall Blacks against their closest rivals in Hobart.

Home and away games against the Australian Boomers begin a qualification process that will stretch 16 months with the end goal being the Tall Blacks attending the Basketball World Cup for the eighth time.

The games between two teams that know each other well will be the fourth and fifth times that they have played each other this year.

History

The Tall Blacks won 106-97 the last time they played Australia in May in Hamilton in the third game of the Trans-Tasman Throwdown. The Australians won the first two games of the series on their home court.

Before the revival of a Trans-Tasman series this year, it had been three years since the Tall Blacks and Boomers had played each other.

Over time, the Boomers have dominated the Tall Blacks. Wins for the New Zealanders are rare and the last time the Tall Blacks won twice in a single year against the neighbours was nearly two decades ago in 2006.

The Tall Blacks had one win in the 1970s, did not beat the Australians in the 1980s or 1990s, won again in 2001 – twice, then again in 2004, two wins from five games in 2006, once in 2007 and 2009, the Boomers were once again dominant from 2011 to 2020. A win in 2020 for the Tall Blacks was followed by losses in 2021 and 2022.

Form

The Tall Blacks were last in action four months ago at the Asia Cup where they finished fourth.

New Zealand won four games in group play, then lost the semi-final against China and the third place play-off against Lebanon.

Australia won the Asia Cup in August, going through the tournament undefeated. The one-point win over China in the final sealed the Boomers as three-time Asia Cup champions.

In the last world cup Asian qualifiers the Boomers won 11 of their 12 games.

On FIBA rankings Australia are number six in the world compared to New Zealand at number 25.

The Boomers are the top-ranked side in the Asia region and the Tall Blacks are third in the region behind Japan.

Format

A total of 80 countries are working towards qualifying for the 32 spots at the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar.

New Zealand and Australia are among the 16 teams in the Asia/Oceania group that will eventually be whittled down to seven teams from the region that qualify for the pinnacle event.

The other teams in the group are China, Chinese Taipei, Guam, India, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Lebanon, Philippines, Saudi Arabia and Syria.

Qatar automatically qualify as hosts but sit outside the seven allocated qualifying spots.

The first round of qualifying begins this week and continues in February and July next year. Twelve of the 16 teams progress to the second round of qualifying in August and November 2026 and March 2027.

The top seven teams will then compete in the world cup alongside five teams from Africa, seven from the Americas and 12 from Europe in the tournament that starts in August 2027.

What they are saying

Tall Blacks coach Judd Flavell says it’s “absolutely” important to start the qualification process strongly.

Flavell scouts the NBL players regularly as part of his current assistant coach role with the Breakers.

“There will be no secrets I’m sure but that goes both ways, [Boomers coach] Dean Vickerman sitting on the side and he was here in New Zealand for a bunch of time and we worked together for eight, nine years so there is a lot of familiarity there.

“It will bring out the best in both teams for sure”.

Tall Blacks centre Tyrell Harrison has not played for New Zealand this year yet and the Brisbane Bullets big man is clear about who will win the upcoming games against the Boomers.

“I feel like it’s going to be two very good games and I reckon we’ll come up with both – have to.”

Forward Yanni Wetzell believes the Tall Blacks have an advantage for this window they have not had before.

“We’ve got some serious height this time around, we’ve got big Tyrell who is a 7-footer and Sam Mennenga who plays the five for the Breakers he’s had a great season, Tohi [Smith-Milner] brings a lot of size it’s exciting for us. We’re usually a nation that’s up against much taller players and we have to bring different elements of our game to be able to compete, it’s kind of attests to the talent and growth of the game in New Zealand there is so many guys coming through with size and ability it’s an exciting time for New Zealand basketball.”

Rosters

Tall Blacks: Jackson Ball, Taylor Britt, Flynn Cameron, Carlin Davison, Finn Delany, Tyrell Harrison, Mojave King, Izayah Le’afa, Sam Mennenga, Taine Murray, Tohi Smith-Milner, Yanni Wetzell.

Boomers: Josh Bannan, Dash Daniels, Alex Ducas, Owen Foxwell, Jaylin Galloway, Angus Glover, Will Hickey, Jordan Hunter, Nick Kay, Elijah Pepper, Keanu Pinder, Jack White.

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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 clock is ticking for Liam Lawson to show he has what it takes to stay in Formula 1.

Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies said a decision on the driver line-ups for 2026 will be made next week.

There are two rounds remaining, Qatar this weekend and Abu Dhabi next week.

Lawson’s Racing Bulls team-mate Isack Hadjar has confirmed that he has a seat for next year, but would not say in which team, however, he is expected to join Max Verstappen at Red Bull.

That leaves Lawson, Yuki Tsunoda and F2 driver Arvid Lindblad battling for the other two seats.

“We will announce our line-up immediately after Qatar,” Mekies told Nextgen Auto. “Just one more week of patience.”

The young Kiwi needs to bounce back quickly after a disappointing Las Vegas Grand Prix last weekend.

Red Bull had originally planned to announce their line-up earlier in the championship but delayed their decision leaving Lawson fighting for his future.

Following his 14th place finish in Las Vegas, Lawson told the media that he had “no idea” about his future.

His team-mate Isack Hadjar has had an impressive rookie season and is set to step up and join Verstappen at Red Bull.

Hadjar’s news today, all but ends the speculation.

“I know I will be on the grid next year so it is a big step (in my career),” Hadjar told media on the eve of Qatar.

“I’m very happy, it finally ends all the questions (about his future).”

No comment from Lawson, however.

Lawson has had a strong season scoring points in six races with a best finish of fifth at the Azerbaijan GP. He is 14th in the team standings, just 13 points outside the top ten.

More importantly, he has scored more points than Tsunoda.

He did let a great points scoring opportunity slip last weekend, when he failed to convert a sixth place start on the grid into a top ten finish.

It is likely that Red Bull have already decided their line-up, but a good showing in Qatar this weekend would certainly help Lawson’s chances.

This weekend there is a 25 lap limit for each set of tyres after tyre suppliers Pirelli voiced concerns about driver safety. Meaning there will be at least two pit stops.

Pirelli said last year’s race, which didn’t have a lap limit, showed high levels of tyre wear, while car cars suffered punctures.

Lawson said night races are his favourite.

“I’m excited to be heading to a very high speed track here in Qatar. The mandatory pit stops this weekend make the race more interesting, meaning our strategy will be more important than ever.

“It’s the last Sprint weekend of the season too, so there’s more opportunity for points as we fight for our position in the Constructors’.

“We’ll be taking our learnings from Las Vegas to bring everything together this weekend.”

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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 Cricket boss Scott Weenink is said to be “fighting for his survival” in his role, amid a political power struggle over the future shape of the domestic game – a dispute so fraught that senior figures have warned the board is no longer functioning cohesively.

NZ Cricket denies a formal process is underway to remove Weenink as chief executive, but RNZ understands the board has signalled his position has become untenable.

Sources have indicated he faces allegations of working to “actively undermine” a bid by a private consortium to establish a new T20 franchise competition. The proposal is supported by all six major associations – Northern Districts, Auckland, Central Districts, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago – and the NZ Cricket Players’ Association (NZCPA).

External pressure is understood to be mounting on the NZ Cricket board by its member organisations, who have become frustrated at what they see as delaying tactics by Weenink.

Weenink’s supporters say the chief executive is urging the sport’s leaders to take time to do their due diligence, but his pleas for a pause have “fallen on deaf ears”.

Several senior cricket figures say that a proposed T20 franchise league, backed by Indian investors and several prominent former Black Caps, has become a defining faultline in the sport.

Depending on who you speak to, the competition has been positioned either as a “rebel league” that could jeopardise NZ Cricket’s existing commercial agreements and player development pathways, or as a necessary shake-up that would bring new investment and visibility to the domestic game, and help retain talent currently being lured to overseas T20 leagues.

The division did not emerge overnight. A leaked email from former president Lesley Murdoch, sent to fellow directors in September and seen by RNZ, shows the board has been gridlocked for months.

Murdoch wrote that recent decisions had “promoted distrust and disunity”, and warned cricket “deserves a board that operates as one team, not a collection of individuals with competing agendas”.

There are fears the internal division has come at expense of NZ Cricket’s international reputation, leading board chair Diana Puketapu-Lyndon to take the extraordinary step of writing to the sport’s international body to dismiss claims of a “hostile takeover”.

Puketapu-Lyndon’s letter, which was also signed by the chairs of the six major associations, expressed deep concern about “the origin of any messaging that has the potential to undermine the reputation of cricket and cricket governance in New Zealand”.

It is understood moves are now under way to remove Weenink from his position.

A senior cricket figure told RNZ that Puketapu-Lyndon had met with Weenink and his legal representatives on at least three separate occasions in recent weeks.

“It has become very ugly, [Weenink] is basically fighting for his survival right now,” the source said.

However, NZ Cricket insists no employment process has begun. In response to questions over whether the board had initiated steps to axe Weenink, NZ Cricket public affairs manager Richard Boock replied: “No.”

He added the board still had confidence in Weenink’s leadership, although “it’s not something that’s been formally discussed”.

Outgoing board member Sarah Beaman, who decided not to stand for re-election at last week’s AGM, said she would be disappointed if the board were making moves to replace Weenink, describing him as “an absolutely brilliant CEO”.

NZ Cricket also played down any internal rifts over the proposed new league.

Boock said the organisation was “currently considering the merits of the NZ20 proposal”, along with other options, as part of broader work looking at the future of domestic T20 cricket in New Zealand.

Among the options being considered as part of ‘Project Bigger Smash’ is exploring ways to monetise the existing Super Smash competition, or entering New Zealand teams in Australia’s men’s and women’s Big Bash competitions – an option Weenink is said to favour.

“We’re united in running a fair process, using expert independent advice to determine the best option.”

Boock added the independent assessment was expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2026.

Board dysfunction

While NZ Cricket is presenting a united front publicly, insiders fear the fractures on the board are becoming more entrenched.

Murdoch’s email to directors appears to speak, not only to philosophical disagreements over the future of the game, but to a deeper concern that board processes have become adversarial, rather than collaborative.

A significant portion of Murdoch’s message focused on the need for directors to declare potential conflicts of interest “openly and without hesitation”.

With commercial proposals circulating, and some board members holding roles in major associations or other sports entities, conflicts of interest have become an increasingly sensitive subject.

“Declaring and managing conflicts protects the reputations of everyone involved,” Murdoch wrote.

Murdoch, who finished her term as president this month, declined to comment on the concerns raised in her email, but in a statement said she had been in a “privileged position” over the past four years to attend meetings and witness the work that went on at all levels of the game.

“I have huge admiration for the massive workload, the initiatives and the outstanding care that Scott Weenink and his talented management team have given cricket and progressed it.”

NZ Cricket was asked for its response to Murdoch’s email and the issues it raises.

“We wouldn’t comment on someone’s private correspondence,” Boock said.

Asked if the board was comfortable with how conflicts of interest are managed, Boock responded: “Yes.”

Initially deeply divided over the consortium’s plans, more recently the bloc in favour of the private league has strengthened, after Beaman – a staunch supporter of Weenink’s – decided not to stand for re-election at last week’s AGM.

Beaman declined to go into the reasons for stepping aside, describing it as a “personal decision”.

“I don’t think it’s good form to talk about what has happened on a board,” she said. “For me, that’s not good practice.

“I’m more than happy to talk about how fantastic it has been working with such a great management team.”

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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 doesn’t kick off until February but you could argue the first round happened today, as the five original New Zealand teams unveiled their jersey range for next season.

2026 marks 30 years since the original Super 12 competition started, so interest was high in how the teams would mark the anniversary.

Here’s what they came up with:

Blues

The Blues have the fondest memories of the 1996 season, given that they won Super 12 and set the tone for the wildly popular first few years of professional rugby. So it’s no surprise they’ve leaned heavily on their original Auckland Blues strip for their home jersey, which will likely go down well given its association with success.

The away jersey though…let’s just say this going to split opinion. It looks far more like it’s channelling design energy from Cricket Max shirts rather than rugby, but at least it’s the right colour combination.

Chiefs

Not sure whether the Chiefs actually got the brief for a throwback redesign, because their jerseys look more or less the same as they did last year. The probable explanation is that they’ve actually already done a ’96 throwback jersey back in 2019, but this still feels pretty lazy.

Hurricanes

The cult team of the competition’s early years will get a lot of love for these throwbacks, even though the Canes had a rough introduction to Super 12 with only three wins in their first season. However, all anyone really cares about that season was Christian Cullen’s iconic try at the Sydney Football Stadium, so the original jersey has that nostalgia tied to it.

The away jersey is the same with the black and yellow reversed, the last time the Canes did that, they won their only title.

Crusaders

The one team that was dreading any sort of 1996 remembrance is the Crusaders, who came dead last in Super 12’s inaugural season. So it’s no surprise that their throwback jersey is their official third strip, although it admittedly looks very clean and is unlikely to contribute to any sort of failure given the Crusaders are the defending champions.

Their home and away jerseys are similar to recent years, with the Southern Alps motif across the front and their sponsor logo quite well integrated into the design.

Highlanders

The Highlanders haven’t had a lot to brag about since their only title win in 2015, but they may well have banked another victory here. They brought out the big guns in Jeff Wilson and Ben Smith to launch their 2026 range, which has the same design as the inaugural season and the same shade of dark blue from 2015 – and have already got the thumbs up from fans across social media.

Classy stuff from the southern men, these should sell pretty well and hopefully inspire the players in what will be another challenging season.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Former Grand Slam tennis champion Stan Wawrinka is returning to the ASB Classic this summer.

Wawrinka, who has won 16 titles including three Grand Slams, has confirmed his entry for the Auckland tournament in January.

The 40-year-old Swiss star last played in Auckland as a 21-year-old.

Wawrinka played at the ASB Classic in 2006 and 2007 before going on to win the the 2014 Australian Open, the 2015 French Open and the 2016 US Open, accounting for Novak Djokovic twice and Rafael Nadal in those finals.

Included in his 16 ATP singles titles were 11 straight wins in finals from 2014 to 2016. He rose to a career high No 3 in the world in 2014.

His injury-free years ran out when he required two left-knee surgeries in 2017 and two surgeries on his foot in 2021.

ASB Classic tournament director Nicolas Lamperin was quick to offer Wawrinka one of the remaining wildcard spots for the tournament as the Swiss star returns to the game at the highest levels.

“Of course, we have Venus Williams to play in Auckland, along with Gael Monfils, who will defend his men’s title. And now we add Stan Wawrinka to that list – three truly great players who believe that 40 is the old age of youth.

“At his best, Stan was able to better all the world’s leading players including the big four. He has always revelled in the biggest matches against the biggest names,” said Lamperin. “We are absolutely thrilled to host him back in Auckland.”

Wawrinka represented Switzerland at three Olympic Games, at Beijing in 2008 where he won the gold medal in doubles with Roger Federer; London in 2012 where he was the Swiss flagbearer, and at Paris in 2024. He had qualified for the Rio Games in 2016 but withdrew with injury.

The 2026 ASB Classic runs from January 5 to 17, with the women’s tournament in the first week.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Adventure races don’t get much tougher than the Godzone event which starts on Thursday in Marlborough.

Thirty-two teams of four are taking part, with the aim to cover 615 kilometres of often rugged terrain as quickly as possible on foot, mountain bike and even raft.

They can only use maps and compasses to navigate, and have to finish within eight days.

Hunger, fatigue, sleep deprivation and hallucinations are common. That’s music to the ears of Molly Spark who’s part of team ‘Fear Youth’.

“I just love that feeling, that sense of achievement and satisfaction when you cross that finish line” she told First Up.

“You go into almost like a feral dog, you turn into this animal, and you’ve got the things on your back, you’ve got your teammates, you’ve got the course, and you get to see some of the most amazing places in all of the world really, but this time’s going to be in Marlborough.”

Competitors don’t know where in Marlborough though – they aren’t given the exact course details until a few hours before the race starts.

They would be given some information beforehand about the distance and nature of each stage so they could pack accordingly.

“Taking the right amount of equipment is important because if it gets cold, you need your thicker jackets and warmer clothes, but then taking too much, you get more fatigued because your backpack’s heavier.

“So there’s that fine line between don’t starve to death and run out of food versus carrying way too much and having days worth of food left,” Spark said.

Despite beng just 22, Spark is already a seasoned athlete, and said this would be her eighth expedition race.

She classified an adventure race as anything over three days long.

“Most people live comfortably and they don’t push themselves outside that comfort zone. I feel when you do a race like this, just that expansion of your brain and your comfort zone, it just builds resilience really.

“Once you can get through an adventure race, I feel like you can get through challenging times because you’ve raced seven days with three hours of sleep.”

Pushing yourself to the absolute limit could have some strange side effects though. Spark said she’s prone to hallucinating during races.

“I quite enjoy it. I see lots of cool animals. I saw penguins in the middle of the New Zealand bush.

“Lots of dogs. If you’re walking on rocks, every single rock is a dog looking at you. You see huts quite a lot because you often want to sleep. So your brain imagines trees as huts.

“When we were in America, we saw lots of tree roots and I thought they were snakes. So I would be jumping up screaming at the snakes in front of me, but it’s not, it’s just a stick. “

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