Category: Sport

Source: Radio New Zealand

The former mayor of Upper Hutt says the appointment of new All Blacks coach Dave Rennie is a moment of immense pride for the community that helped shape him.

On Wednesday, Rennie was named the new All Blacks head coach through to the 2027 Rugby World Cup, seeing off Jamie Joseph in the two-man race to replace Scott Robertson.

The 62-year-old former Chiefs coach and coach of the Wallabies, will take up the role in June, when the Japanese Rugby League One season ends.

For Wayne Guppy, the news was personal.

Guppy, who served as Upper Hutt mayor for 24 years until 2025 and is a life member of the Upper Hutt Rugby Club, has known Rennie since his teenage years.

He coached him, coached alongside him, and watched him grow from a promising young Heretaunga College player into a leader whose influence was felt well beyond the clubrooms.

Both born and bred in Upper Hutt, Guppy coached Rennie as a player and also coached alongside him when they looked after the Upper Hutt Colts three decades ago.

They later reunited in the early 2000s with the Wellington B team.

“I coached him, played with him, his wife worked for us in the pharmacy, we go a long way back … I knew his parents really well,” Guppy said.

Guppy believes the man he calls ‘Rens’ will be successful with the All Blacks.

“He was always a star, he was always a stand-out as a young man, he was always a leader and he was a good person from day one when he came out of Heretaunga College and then came into the club as a young man with a reputation because he’d played very good rugby at college and came into the premier side at Upper Hutt.

“Rens just fitted in and very quickly became one of the stars and leaders within that squad, he’s had that leadership quality all his life.”

Guppy said Rennie, who also taught at an intermediate in Upper Hutt many years ago, was an icon in the community.

“He’s Upper Hutt’s most famous son and I know that all of Upper Hutt and the Wellington region are excited for him and proud. It’s a proud moment for the city to have him get arguable the toughest job in the country and he’ll do it proud.”

Guppy said he was impressed with him as a young man.

“He was one of those young men that grew up and knew what was right and what was wrong and not many do that … he treated everyone the same and respected people.”

The former mayor said Rennie had a knack of creating a winning culture that people wanted to be a part of and his attention to detail was exemplary. Guppy expects to see players excel Rennie’s his guidance.

“You will see All Black teams are respected around the world again because Rens will create that culture, everyone’s important in his team,” said Guppy.

“There will be no player in that All Black side that goes out and doesn’t know what they have to do, what’s expected of them.”

Guppy hoped that after nine years coaching overseas, that Rennie might consider settling back in Upper Hutt.

“I’ll give him a ring him this morning and tell him that this is where home is mate, you better come home to Upper Hutt,” Guppy laughed.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

NRL: NZ Warriors v Sydney Roosters

Kickoff: 8pm Friday, 6 March

Go Media Stadium, Auckland

Live blog updates on RNZ website

NZ Warriors kick off their 2025 NRL campaign on Friday night against Sydney Roosters at Auckland’s Go Media Stadium.

The home side haven’t enjoyed much success against their rivals in recent times and they will find another old enemy lurking in the Roosters line-up.

Here’s how the game shapes up:

History

Over 48 previous meetings, Sydney Roosters hold a 24-23 head-to-head advantage, with one draw – a 31-31 deadlock at Allianz Stadium that remained unresolved through ‘Golden Point’ in 2007.

That superiority is far more pronounced over the last 10 encounters, where the Roosters enjoy an 8-2 advantage. The first of those defeats came in 2017 at Mt Smart Stadium and the most recent was their last game at the same venue 12 months ago.

Centre Ali Leiataua scored two tries in the 14-6 victory, after the home team trailed 6-4 at halftime, kept their opponents scoreless over the second 40 minutes.

Sydney’s biggest winning margin was 58-6 in 2004, when centre Justin Hodges scored three tries for a home team coached by Ricky Stuart and captained by Brad Fittler. The Roosters would win the minor premiership, but lost to Canterbury Bulldogs in the grand final.

The Warriors’ biggest win was 42-16 in 2006, with Jerome Ropati scoring four tries. The result was part of an impressive finish that saw them win eight of their last 12 games, but a four-point penalty for violating the salary cap ultimately cost them a spot in the playoffs.

Form

Neither team managed to win during the pre-season, with the Warriors falling 33-18 to Manly Sea Eagles and 38-34 to the Dolphins.

Missing seven players to the Māori v Indigenous All Stars game, they were forced to field a very inexperienced team against the Sea Eagles, but performed much better seven days later at Sydney’s Leichhardt Oval, where they led 34-20, before coach Andrew Webster gave his bench a run late.

The Dolphins scored three converted tries in the last 10 minutes – Tevita Naufahu, John Fineanganofo and Brian Pouniu were all born in Auckland – to snatch victory.

Sydney also fielded a makeshift line-up in their 42-26 loss to Wests Tigers, but were closer to full strength for a 28-22 defeat against Parramatta Eels, when they led 22-12 at halftime.

Teams

Warriors: 1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3. Ali Leiataua, 4. Adam Pompey, 5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7. Tanah Boyd, 8. James Fisher-Harris, 9. Wayde Egan, 10. Jackson Ford, 11. Kurt Capewell, 12. Jacob Laban, 13. Erin Clark

Interchange: 14. Sam Healey, 15. Demitric Vaimauga, 16. Leka Halasima, 17. Tanner Stowers-Smith, 18. Taine Tuaupiki, 20. Morgan Gannon

Reserves: 21. Alofiana Khan-Pereira, 22. Luke Hanson, 23. Eddie Ieremia-Toeava

Co-captain Mitch Barnett hasn’t recovered from last year’s season-ending knee injury enough to return for the opening round. He was due for testing in Sydney last week and hopes are high he will be available next week.

Front-rower Jackson Ford will start in his place, Chanel Harris-Tevita has recovered from his pre-season calf niggle to line up outside Tanah Boyd in the halves, while winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has bounced back from his hamstring twinge.

Marata Niukore is still nursing a calf strain and Jacob Laban will take his place in the second row. Englishman Morgan Gannon is poised for an NRL debut from the interchange.

Roosters: 1. James Tedesco, 2. Daniel Tupou, 3. Billy Smith, 4. Robert Toia, 5. Mark Nawaqanitawase, 6. Daly Cherry-Evans, 7. Sam Walker, 8. Naufahu Whyte, 9. Benaiah Ioelu, 10. Lindsay Collins, 11. Angus Crichton, 12, Nat Butcher, 13. Blake Steep

Interchange: 14. Conor Watson, 15. Siua Wong, 16. Egan Butcher, 17. Spencer Leniu, 18. Cody Ramsey, 19. Fetalaiga Pauga

Reserves: 20. Salesi Foketi, 21. Tommy Talau, 22. Toby Rodwell

Veteran half Daly Cherry-Evans will make his first-game debut for the Roosters, after spending the first 15 years of his career at Manly.

Last time he faced the Warriors, he provided the gamewinning field goal in his Sea Eagles farewell.

With off-season recruit Reece Robson sidelined by a broken thumb, Auckland-born Benaiah Ioelu will line up at hooker, while Victor ‘the Inflictor’ Radley will begin the new season serving a 10-game suspension for his part in the drugs scandal also involving Kiwi Brandon Smith.

Winger Mark Nawaqanitawase was the competition’s top tryscorer last year, while centre Robert Toia was Dally M Rookie of the Year.

Player to watch

When fullback James Tedesco lost his NSW Origin spot in 2024, after 22 consecutive appearances, many probably assumed he was entering the twilight of his career.

Instead, he produced one of his best seasons in 2025, winning the Dally M Medal for the second time and taking Captain of the Year honours for good measure.

“We’ve got a world class fullback that we’re coming up against on the weekend,” Warriors counterpart Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad said. “It’s a really good challenge, a really good individual challenge… he can do whatever he wants, but if we get the ‘W’, I’ll be happy with that.”

Kiwi player to watch

Since the departure of Kiwi hardman Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, young countryman Naufahu Whyte has elevated his game to fill the void, logging 23 games in each of the last two seasons and bringing up his 50th appearance for the Roosters last year.

His progress has made him an automatic selection for the national team and he will come up against NZ captain James Fisher-Harris this week.

“I’ve admired the bro for a long time now, ever since he was first in the Kiwis,” Fisher-Harris acknowledged. “Just the way he holds himself on and off the field.

“He’s developed into a good player now and last year he was killing it. He’s my bro and I’m keen to go at it.”

What they say

“It’s surprised me how well he trains for a guy who’s 37 years old. He doesn’t miss a session, he’s out there doing extras and looks after himself really well.”

Tedesco on new recruit Cherry-Evans

“A bit like us, I’m sure they’re not going to be perfect round one, but they will be experienced enough through those three [Cheery-Evans, Tedesco and Walker] to come with plenty of options. They’re a dangerous spine and Cherry’s going to add a lot.”

Webster on what to expect from Cherry-Evans

New rules

The NRL has brought in some new regulations that will challenge coaches’ adbility to adjust through the early rounds.

• Trainers won’t be able to run onto the field during play, a move designed to prioritise player safety, while also reducing messages being carried onto the field from coaches.
• Interchange benches will now consists of six players, but only four can be used up to eight times per game. This will allow coaches to carry specialist replacements among their subs.
• Defensive teams will no longer have a seven-tackle set, if the attacking team knocks on in goal.
• Infringements beyond the 20-metre line will be punished with a six-again call, replacing the previous 40-metres threshold.
• A proposal to give teams the option of kicking off or receiving the kickoff after a try was shelved for now.

What will happen

Too early in the season to make any informed predictions. This is a talented Roosters roster, but the result will come down to whoever can find some early-season cohesion quickest.

Cherry-Evans and Tedesco certainly know how to beat the Warriors, and their combination is scary.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Corey Peters has spent most of the past decade chasing winters.

For 12 straight years, the New Zealand sit-skier went season to season without a break, building a career that has delivered four Paralympic medals, including downhill gold at Beijing in 2022. But the road to Milan has looked nothing like the ones that came before it.

Instead of relentless travel and northern hemisphere campaigns, Peters stepped away after the birth of his first child, Valentina, in 2023. He wanted to be present for her first year – and for his partner – and said the decision was one of the best he has made.

“I wanted to build that connection and bond with my daughter,” Peters told RNZ.

“Up until then, it had been 12 years of back-to-back winters without a season off. So it was a perfect excuse to have a break from the first year of an Olympic cycle. I wanted to support my partner and just be there for Valentina as much as I could.”

He had barely begun his return when a setback followed. A dislocated shoulder in training wiped out much of the next season, meaning Peters effectively spent the first two years of his daughter’s life largely at home.

“In hindsight, it was kind of a blessing in disguise really,” he said. “We’re really close and have a good relationship.”

That closeness has made this campaign different in more ways than one. Valentina, now three, struggles with his time away.

“She’s always saying how much she misses daddy and asks when I’m coming home. That goes to show the bond that we’ve created.”

It has also shifted his motivation.

“Up until then, I guess I’d been doing it for myself and now I feel like I am doing it for them as well.”

But fatherhood brought doubt too – particularly in a discipline as unforgiving as downhill sit-skiing.

“One of the biggest things that I did struggle with was how much risk you wanted to put into it,” he said. “You’re aware of your body and not wanting to crash.”

Working with a sports psychologist and logging more time in the start gate gradually restored his belief. Now, on the eve of his fourth Paralympics, he feels competitive again.

The Milan Games, which officially begin on Friday, will likely be Peters’ last at this level. At 42, he acknowledges another four-year cycle may be a stretch, though a world championships campaign next year remains a possibility.

He arrives in Italy as the defending downhill sitting champion after his breakthrough gold at the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympics, where he also claimed silver in the Super-G. His first Paralympic medal came at the Sochi 2014 Winter Paralympics with silver in the giant slalom, followed by downhill bronze at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Paralympics.

He has never left a Games empty-handed – a record he is keenly aware of.

“I’d be lying if I didn’t say I want to get one,” he said. “To have that 100 percent success rate at each Games that I’ve participated in – that’s kind of in the back of my mind.”

This time, though, he knows the challenge will be steeper. The Cortina course is more technical than the one in China, with rolling terrain and blind breakovers that punish hesitation. The field has also deepened, as the sport continues to grow.

“It’s certainly not going to be an easy task. You’ve got a bit of a target on your back. Every four years, the competition improves.”

Peters will contest the downhill, Super-G and giant slalom in Milan and says a multi-medal haul would be “the icing on the cake” of his career.

His path to the top of the sport was anything but conventional. A former Taranaki age-group and development squad rugby representative, Peters’ life changed in 2009 when he suffered a crushed spinal cord in a motocross accident. After four months in a spinal unit learning to navigate life in a wheelchair, he discovered sit-skiing in 2011 – a sport that would reshape his future.

“It’s been massive for overcoming the spinal cord injury,” he said. “It completely changed my life.”

Whatever happens in Milan, Peters expects skiing to remain part of it. Even if this is his final Paralympics, he plans to continue recreationally, frequenting his local fields at Cardrona and Treble Cone.

“It’s the sense of freedom that it gives you,” he said. “Your disability kind of disappears when you’re in the sit-ski. You don’t have the same limitations on you as you do in the wheelchair on a day-to-day basis.”

For now, though, his focus is firmly on one more push at the highest level – balancing the pursuit of another medal with the perspective he has gained away from the slopes.

The downhill sitting event is scheduled for late Saturday night (NZT), with the Super-G and giant slalom later in the programme.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Dave Rennie has been tasked with leading the All Blacks through to the 2027 Rugby World Cup.

Rennie was named as the new head coach on Wednesday, replacing Scott Robertson after just two years at the helm.

The former Chiefs and Wallabies coach will take up the role in June, when the Japanese Rugby League One season ends, where he coaches Kobelco Kobe Steelers.

Rennie will then take charge ahead of the July home series against France, Italy and Ireland.

As a former coach of Australia, and with the World Cup also taking place there next year, his appointment as All Blacks coach didn’t go unnoticed across the Tasman.

The Sydney Morning Herald said Rennie was still very popular amongst the Wallabies’ players, with BBC Sport also touching on his popular tenure in Scotland.

Meanwhile, with the All Blacks set to tackle the Springboks in four-test tour in August, South African journalists have drawn parallels between Rennie’s appointment and Rassie Erasmus.

Rugby365

By Jon Cardinelli

A few parallels can be drawn between the appointment of Rennie at the All Blacks and that of Rassie Erasmus at the Boks in 2018.

Like Erasmus, Rennie has the technical knowledge to improve the team as well as the emotional intelligence to connect with the players.

What he doesn’t have, of course, is a lot of time.

There’s plenty of optimism in New Zealand at present, but Rennie himself summed the situation up when he said, “We’ve got a lot of work to do”.

BBC Sport

By Simon Armstrong

Certainly, Rennie’s record aged well. Eddie Jones, who replaced him for the 2023 Rugby World Cup, was divisive off the pitch and then disastrous on it, with the Wallabies losing to Fiji and Wales and failing to get out of their pool for the first time in tournament history.

Rennie was also highly respected during his three years at Glasgow Warriors, where he took the team to the Pro14 final in 2019, and went about his business in a calm, considered way.

He will need that composure in a high-pressure job that seemed to ruffle predecessor Scott Robertson. But Rennie is due another crack at the Test stage.

RugbyPass

By Nick Bishop

There is no question the newly-crowned All Black coaching king will reverse many of the stylistic and tactical trends of the Robertson era.

There will be more kick and turnover returns and more counters from deep with ball in hand. Forwards will be selected for intensity and skills rather than pure mass, and the prophylactic thumb blocking overseas selections may finally be pulled out of the dyke, allowing the water to flow from outside the country and back into New Zealand.

Brutality in and around the all-important tackle area will also make a welcome comeback, though whether it is accompanied by the requisite discipline may depend on the reassuring, steadying hand of Smith on the tiller. Not the first time in his coaching career, ‘Smithy’ may be the vital oil that allows the wheels of the almighty All Blacks machine to roll again.

Sydney Morning Herald

By Iain Payten

Strong references from former Wallabies stars played a part in New Zealand Rugby’s decision to appoint Dave Rennie as the new All Blacks coach.

Rennie remains a hugely popular figure among Australian rugby stars. An onlooker said Rennie was surrounded by Wallabies players when he visited the team hotel in Tokyo last year after a Test against Japan.

In a congratulatory post on X, former Wallabies five-eighth Quade Cooper sprayed RA.

Planet Rugby

By Jared Wright

The parallels with Erasmus are unavoidable whenever a nation makes a big coaching change so close to a Rugby World Cup. So the question is how much of SA Rugby’s playbook will New Zealand follow?

Erasmus signed an unheard-of eight-year deal in 2018; Rennie’s contract doesn’t compare.

But will the new NZ Rugby board move with the times and at least give Rennie some leeway in selecting overseas players? It’s an issue that Robertson raised almost immediately when he took over the reins, as he pushed to get his serial winning fly-half Richie Mo’unga in his squad. He was unsuccessful with his pleas.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Follow all the action as the White Ferns take on Zimbabwe in their first of three ODIs.

First ball at University Oval in Dunedin is at 11am.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

Black Caps hero Finn Allen has developed a calmness about his role as an opener that is paying dividends at the T20 World Cup, the team’s batting coach Luke Ronchi says.

Allen turned New Zealand’s semifinal today into a fireworks display, hitting an unbeaten century in just 33 balls, a T20 World Cup record, as they crushed South Africa by nine wickets in Kolkata.

They will play the winner of tomorrow’s semifinal between England and India in the final in Ahmedabad on Monday NZT.

Allen and fellow opener Tim Seifert blazed away, turning South Africa’s total of 169 for eight into an easy-get, achieving the win in just 12.5 overs for the loss of Seifert’s wicket.

Seifert took on the dominant role to start with, his 58 coming in 33 balls, but Allen gradually increased his pace, finishing with a blitz of four sixes and four fours and a solitary single off the last nine balls he faced, bringing up his century and the victory with a boundary.

“The start Finn and Seif gave us chasing that total was just phenomenal,” Ronchi told Morning Report.

“To see Finn keep going on and play the shots he played the way he did in the moment was just amazing.”

Allen’s form at the World Cup has followed an imperious Big Bash campaign in Australia, where he was [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/sport/584964/finn-allen-s-perth-scorchers-power-to-sixth-big-bash-title the leading scorer with 466 runs for the Perth Scorchers, who won the title in January.

“There is a calmness in situations that he is understanding now,” Ronchi said.

“He can grasp situations of a game or an innings and … if there’s an impactful over or an impactful bowler coming on, he knows trying to get through and play certain shots can be massive in that moment and he’s been doing that beautifully.”

Allen’s combination with Seifert had been “awesome” at the World Cup, Ronchi said.

“They give you impetus starting off an innings like that and the guys behind them can play their way and everyone is complementing each other nicely and hopefully we can do it one more time.”

Ronchi paid tribute to the bowlers, who had pinned down South Africa’s batters.

“The bowlers in general did a fantastic job to restrict South Africa to what we did.”

He said the preparation leading up to the tournament had been vital in helping the players understand the different styles of cricket needed on differing surfaces.

“We’ve been here now for two months, we’ve played some cricket in Sri Lanka, we’ve played in India, we’ve played on lots of differing grounds.

“That’s always going to help you, because you understand the style of cricket you want to play.”

Ronchi said the team were unconcerned about who their opponents in the final might be.

“Everyone is prepared to face whoever it’s going to be,” he said, adding they knew they had to adapt to the opposition and whatever the surface and conditions in Ahmedabad might be.

It was important the Black Caps grasp all the excitement and lead up to the final.

“You need to embrace it and own it,” Ronchi said.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Finn Allen has hit the fastest century in T20 World Cup history as the Black Caps cruised into the 2026 final, with a crushing nine wicket win over South Africa in Kolkata.

Chasing South Africa’s 169 for eight, the Black Caps adopted a hell-for-leather approach, with a 117-run partnership between Allen and Tim Seifert, who hit 58 off 33 balls.

When Seifert was out, Allen took over the mantle as chief attacker, smacking his unbeaten 100 not out in just 33 balls, while Rachin Ravindra was on 13, a mere spectator to Allen’s batting pyrotechnics.

The Black Caps took just 12.5 overs to achieve the stunning win.

Allen hit eight sixes and ten boundaries, causing brief concern when he cramped up hitting one of the sixes, before recovering to continue his assault on the hapless Proteas bowlers.

It was easily the fastest century in T20 World Cup history, his 33-ball innings surpassing former West Indies opener Chris Gayle’s 47-ball effort against England in 2016. He also relegated former Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum to fifth place, for his 51-ball effort against Bangladesh in 2012.

Allen, who had a strike rate of 303, said his innings was “pretty up there” with his best efforts.

“We wanted to start looking straight and put them on the back foot early,” he told the Sky Sport broadcast.

With Seifert blazing away early, Allen took a back seat early before stepping up his own attack.

“It’s easy for me when Timmy is going like that, I can just watch it and hit it when it’s in my area and just try to give him the strike,” Allen said.

“He got us away to an absolute flyer.”

‘Pretty pleasing’

Black Caps captain Mitchell Santner said he was pleased with restricting the South Africans in their innings, and the efforts of Allen and Seifert.

“We were happy with 170 (to chase) but you never know,” he said on Sky Sport.

The batting of his openers was ”cool to see,” he said.

The team had learnt from their defeat against South Africa in the group stages, and had introduced spin early this time.

“To put on a performance like that is pretty pleasing.”

It was a shattering experience for South Africa, who had won seven in a row leading into the semifinal, including an easy seven-wicket win over the Black Caps in the group stages.

South Africa captain Aiden Markram rued “an unfortunate evening” and said he was “hugely disappointed.”

“It’s a big, not slap in the face, but it feels like it. But because of that, ultimately, we’ll have to come out stronger and be better as a team moving forward.”

Santner was rewarded for his gamble of asking spinner Cole McConchie in the second over, with the quick wickets of Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickleton.

Fellow spinner Ravindra took two key wickets, and when Jimmy Neesham dismissed the threatening Dewald Brevis (34 off 27), South Africa were 77 for five.

Marco Jansen turned their innings around with a brilliant 55 off 30, combining with Tristan Stubbs (29) to give them what looked at the time a competitive total.

Allen said the Black Caps would celebrate the win before focusing on the final on Sunday (2.30am Monday NZ time).

Their opponents in the final will be decided by tomorrow morning’s semifinal between India and England.

-RNZ

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Source: Radio New Zealand

He will likely be one of the first names penned on Dave Rennie’s team-sheet, but Cam Roigard is happy to earn his All Black jersey through form, not reputation.

The new All Black coach said today that under his rule, he will have no loyalties to incumbents, but will instead reward recent performance.

Roigard, regarded as one of the best number nines on the planet, welcomes the approach.

“That’s great for the players you need a bit of edge, picking based on performance, I wouldn’t expect anything different. Nothing is guaranteed in professional sport, I’m going to be doing anything I can to hopefully get an opportunity later in the year.”

The 25-year-old said having no player inked on the sheet would only drive competition.

“There are obviously particular players that are expected to be in the All Black side but I think from a fresh perspective, it’s great that there are no agendas, you want the All Blacks players playing their best footy.”

Roigard is still coming to terms with his status as a world elite, and in no way expects his selection to be set in stone.

“That opinion of me being the first picked is very fresh. My whole career I have been trying to earn my way into a team and I feel like I still have a lot to give to the game, although I’m flattered by the compliments, I don’t feel I have earnt a spot in the All Blacks. I just want to be as consistent as I can.”

Roigard said while he did his best to focus on his Super Rugby campaign with the Hurricanes, there was no doubt a feeling of unease between Robertson’s sacking and Rennie’s appointment.

“There was uncertainty. A lot of people asked me what I think and stuff like that but it was good I was involved with the Hurricanes and could trust the process that NZR went through to select the right man. While they were doing that, I was able to do what I get paid to do, I’m not a coach, I’m not a journalist, I didn’t need to speculate about what’s going on so I wasn’t too rattled by it, but it’s good to have certainty and from the reactions of the other players I can see everyone is pretty excited about it.”

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

NRL: NZ Warriors v Sydney Roosters

Kickoff: 8pm Friday, 6 March

Go Media Stadium, Auckland

Live blog updates on RNZ website

For now, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad is the NZ Warriors fullback, but he can feel the heat being applied for his No.1 jersey.

Coach Andrew Webster has stuck with the status quo for his first team of the NRL season to meet Sydney Roosters on Friday, naming Nicoll-Klokstad in the starting line-up and understudy Taine Tuaupiki on the newlook, extended interchange bench.

Tuaupiki, 26, has been so impressive in his limited opportunities in first grade that many think he will eventually supplant the veteran at the back, maybe sooner than later. The club has added further fuel to that fire by extending his contract through the 2028 season.

Among those most excited by this news is Nicoll-Klokstad himself.

“Firstly, very grateful and very stoked for Taine,” he said. “He’s done his apprenticeship and deserves his extension, he’s worked really hard at his craft and, if there’s anyone who deserves an extension, it’s him.

“Competition is healthy, it makes sure we’re both on our game and always getting better. In sports, that’s what you need or you get left behind.

“You have to evolve your game, and make sure you’re sticking to the standard that the team needs and personally you need. It’s really exciting, and I’m really pumped and happy for his little family.”

Tuaupiki has logged 25 games for the Warriors, since his 2023 debut, but most of them came last season, when Webster switched him to the wing to cover injuries to Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.

His best performance came during the 2024 ‘Magic Round’, when Nicoll-Klokstad was moved to the halves in a depleted line-up and Tuaupiki scored a late try, which he also converted, for a 22-20 win over reigning champions Penrith.

Both have made no bones about their desire to play fullback, but Nicoll-Klokstad’s versatility makes him the most likely to find employment elsewhere in the backline. He’s played on the wing for the Warriors, centre for the NZ Kiwis and halves for Māori All Stars.

Last season, when the Warriors were plagued by midfield injuries, he was eventually shifted to address a glaring need and concedes that may be necessary again.

“It’s already happened,” Nicoll-Klokstad said. “We had little goes at that last season.

“At the end of the day, it’s a team sport and you need to do what you can for the team. Webby makes those decisions and we’ll cross bridges when we need to, but I’m at the back for now.”

Nicoll-Klokstad, 30, is far from a spent force, finishing sixth across the competition in run metres with 4099 in 22 games last season, just behind Tuivasa-Sheck (4121 in 19 games).

He re-signed with the Warriors for another two years, so the rivalry with Tuaupiki promises to be ongoing.

Aside from his NRL exploits, Tuaupiki was instrumental for the Warriors reserves in their NSW Cup and NRL State Championship triumphs.

Webster seems comfortable that the pair will continue to bring the best from one another.

“He’s a team guy first,” he said of Tuaupiki. “He’s unbelievably ambitious, not just sitting there to be No.2.

“He wants to play and, when he does, he does an awesome job. He and Charnze are really good friends, and push each other and make each other better, so it’s a no-brainer.

“Lots of clubs would love Taine, and we love him at our place and wanted to keep him.”

The NRL’s decision to extend the interchange has made Tuaupiki more valuable, with Webster now able to accommodate his x-factor on the bench.

His presence and Nicoll-Klokstad’s flexibility mean any injury among the backs is covered, although Webster warns coaches are still coming to grips with the implications of this apparent luxury.

“You can go more specialist, if you get an injury in a certain position,” he agreed.

“The thing everyone doesn’t realise is, if the NRL bunker radios down to the referee to take player A off and you put player B on, and he’s an outside back, but then player A returns, that player is now activated, but only plays for 15 minutes, and that’s one less player you can put on the field.

“You might have to hold your nerve a little bit on how you do your subs, because if you put the specialist player on straight away and he plays 15 minutes, that means a forward misses out.

“It’s something that’s not that clear yet, until we get into scenarios and we know better. We’ve certainly gone through every single scenario if something happens and guys like Taine add a lot of value to your 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

By Tony Johnson, rugby commentator

Analysis – The road travelled over the last 26 years by Dave Rennie, from fledgling coach of the Upper Hutt club to the top job with the All Blacks, has been a long and winding one.

A quick promotion to the Wellington ranks in 2000 brought instant success, an NPC title that had eluded the Lions for 20 years, but since then there have been troughs to go with the peaks.

And it’s the experience gained from those most trying of times, notably his dismal 13 from 34 record with the Wallabies before being fired for Eddie Jones just months out from the Rugby World Cup, that might just prove as valuable as that gleaned from his successes.

Sir Graham Henry has often spoken about how he’d had to learn to become a better people manager after his Lions team blew up in Australia in 2001. Were it not for a run of defeats against the Springboks in 2009 that forced he and his coaching team to have a long hard think about what they were doing, would they have won the World Cup two years later?

Failure at high level was something Scott “Razor” Robertson had no real experience of, and it showed. The defeat against England last November not only cost the All Blacks a much hoped for Grand Slam, it had a profoundly deflating impact on the team, from which the rumours of player discontent emerged.

Dave Rennie knows how to handle success, but will have learned much from his failures.

One of his first tasks will be to address the oft reported, but never truly proven cracks in the group and ensure the team ethos is intact. In this regard, his credentials are compelling.

For sure, his back to back successes with the Chiefs owed plenty to an outstanding group of players and a (cliché alert) coaching “Dream Team”, but it was Rennie who realised from the get-go that they were unlikely to win anything unless they figured out just who they were as a club, and who and what they represented.

From that journey of discovery came a powerful kaupapa, He Piko He Taniwha, On Every Bend (of the Waikato River) a Chief. It established a sense of identity Liam Messam describes as “bone deep”, and the hitherto elusive success came instantly. You’ll battle to find a single player from that era with a bad word to say about Dave Rennie.

As for his playing style, one thing Rennie will not be afraid of, is to bring some abrasion. His Chiefs teams infuriated opposition with their policy of clearing out anyone or anything within coo-ee of ruck. It is a risk-reward strategy that can be devastatingly effective when managed well, but a liability if carried out recklessly.

That’s all in the future. Of immediate importance now will be the establishment of a good coaching team around him. Whilst a complete clear-out of Robertson’s group is unlikely, it is also inconceivable that they will all survive. Rennie will want people with him he can trust, who align with his thinking. It won’t work otherwise.

Whilst public opinion appears to be well in favour of the decision, not everyone is convinced. Some have been quick to point at how his methods did not bring success to the Wallabies, a notable win over the Springboks notwithstanding. In his defence, he was trying to coach a team against an impossibly unstable backdrop, and he could hardly have fared worse than the man who replaced him so abruptly.

Some of those doubts may have been allayed by Rennie’s opening press conference, which was carried out with a clarity and authority that his predecessor had always struggle to convey. It also demonstrated his trademark willingness to challenge boundaries, exemplified in his comments about Brodie Retallick.

Retallick has been in outstanding form in Japan, and could clearly be a difference maker, but that would need the NZR eligibility laws to be tweaked.

Scott Robertson tried it with Richie Mo’unga and got nowhere. The fact that Rennie made his pitch with Chair David Kirk right beside him does make you wonder what they might already have discussed.

Kirk has made it clear that whilst a huge year lies ahead in 2026, it’s next years World Cup that is the number one priority. Was Dave Rennie saying “if that’s the task, then how far are you prepared to go to give me the best chance of achieving it?”

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