Macarthur FC players celebrate after Harry Sawyer’s winning goal against the Phoenix.Photosport
Wellington Phoenix have lost their A-League home match against Macarthur FC 1-0.
Harry Sawyer scored the winning goal in the 83rd minute.
The visitors were the sharper side, creating more scoring opportunities, while the Phoenix struggled to get their attack in order enough to threaten the Macarthur goal.
The score would have been higher, but for some daring saves by goalkeeper Josh Oluwayemi. He got a touch on Sawyer’s goal, but could not prevent it going into the net.
The result leaves the Wellington side with one win and a draw from five matches. They are eighth on the table, but that could change over the course of the weekend.
Macarthur’s second win for the season puts them two points ahead of the Phoenix in seventh place.
Auckland FC, who lead the A-League table on 10 points, play fifth-placed Brisbane Roar at Mt Smart Stadium at 3pm Sunday.
Liam Lawson landed on the second row of the starting grid at Las Vegas.AFP
Kiwi Liam Lawson will start from sixth on the grid for the Formula One Las Vegas Grand Prix, after a gutsy drive in qualifying.
In a frenetic final lap, Lawson went from the fifth-fastest lap time to third, before dropping back to sixth, as Brit Lando Norris stormed to his first Las Vegas pole with a brilliant final lap.
Norris timed 1m 47.934s, with 0.323secs back to Dutchman Max Verstappen. Spaniard Carlos Sainz was third fastest, ahead of Brit George Russell and Aussie Oscar Piastri. Lawson was next in 1m 49.062s, 1.128sec behind Norris’ time.
Fernando Alonso, Lawson’s Racing Bulls team-mate Isack Hadjar, Charles Leclerc and Pierre Gasly rounded out the top 10.
Lawson’s best qualifying position was third in the Azerbaijan GP in September.
The three qualifying sessions on the Las Vegas Strip were chaotic, with rain causing a slippery surface, although it dried out in the closing stages.
Lawson finished 10th fastest in the first qualifying stage and then sixth in the final two sessions.
He had an eventful final practice session, his Racing Bulls car almost being hit by Brit Lewis Hamilton, while earlier, pieces of carbon fibre could be seen flying from his car onto the track.
Lawson, who is fighting for a place in the Racing Bulls team next year, is 14th in the championship standings heading in to Las Vegas, with teammate Hadjar 10th.
Norris leads Piastri by 24 points in the championship, while defending champion Verstappen is 49 points off the lead.
“Boy, that was stressful, stressful as hell,” said Norris. “It’s so slippery out there.
“As soon as you hit the kerb a bit wrong, like I did, you snap one way, lose the car the other way. Close to hitting the wall.
“No-one has driven around here in the rain before, so it was difficult to know what to expect.”
Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton, who normally excels in wet conditions, will start last at a street circuit his team had hoped would favour them.
Television footage showed him hitting a bollard, which may have become stuck under the car, before the seven-time world champion failed to beat the chequered flag for a final flying lap that he aborted.
“Couldn’t get the tyres to work,” the Briton said over the radio.
Leclerc also had his hands full, his Ferrari stalling on track and then re-starting in that phase.
Alex Albon smashed his Williams’ suspension, when he hit the wall at the end of an opening phase that also left Mercedes’ Italian rookie Kimi Antonelli in 17th and Red Bull’s Yuki Tsunoda 19th.
“It was very strange, like ice,” said Tsunoda. “I don’t know what has happened specifically, but clearly something isn’t working.”
Norris made it through Q1 in 13th, with Piastri a safer sixth, while Russell set the pace, ahead of Verstappen, on the treacherous surface.
The second phase was delayed slightly for repairs to the bollard at turn 14 and to clear debris from the track, as the rain eased off and a dry line emerged.
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Arman Tsarukyan and Dan Hooker face off at UFC Fight Night.Getty Images
UFC Fight Night: Arman Tsarukyan v Dan Hooker
Main event starts approximately 7am NZT, Sunday
ABHA Arena, Doha
Live blog updates on RNZ
Dan ‘The Hangman’ Hooker is back in mixed martial arts action this Sunday morning, taking on Arman Tsarukyan in a lightweight fight that headlines UFC Fight Night in Doha.
Hooker returns to the Octagon for the first time since August last year, when he defeated Mateusz Gamrot in a split decision over five rounds.
Meanwhile, Tsarukyan’s last fight was a split-decision win of his own, although you have to go even further back for that. The Armenian’s victory over Charles Oliveira was in April last year, before he suffered a back injury that’s kept him out of action since.
Where is Hooker’s career right now
Dan Hooker is currently sixth-ranked lightweight in UFC.Photosport
Hooker, 35, arrives as the sixth-ranked fighter in the lightweight division, while Tsarukyan is No.1 among the contenders chasing Ilia Topuria’s championship belt.
It feels like the City Kickboxing stalwart is definitely on the backend of his long career, especially since most headlines about him lately have been for fights he’s organised in his backyard, rather those he’s participated in.
This match-up is the most onbrand one for Hooker though, as no-one is keen to go near the dangerous Tsarukyan right now. In the past, Hooker has jumped at the chance to face the likes of Edson Barboza, Dustin Poirier and Michael Chandler, while his most notable risk was a short-notice fight against Islam Makhachev.
Hooker lost all of those fights, but rides a three-win streak into this one.
Who is Arman Tsarukyan
Tsarukyan, 29, has been in the UFC since 2019 and his debut fight was a memorable battle with Makhachev that earned ‘Fight of the Night’ status. Since then, he’s only suffered one loss and currently has a four-fight win streak.
Tsarukyan is being positioned as a serious challenger for Topuria’s title, with this fight seen by many as a stepping stone to a co-main event at a future numbered UFC card. He is known for his wrestling and grappling skills, and being able to stifle the pace of opponents that prefer a stand-up fight.
Tale of the tape
Kiwi Dan Hooker grapples with Paul Felder in their Auckland lightweight bout in 2022.Photosport
Dan ‘The Hangman’ Hooker
Age: 35
Based in Auckland, New Zealand
UFC record: 24-12 (11 KO, 7 submissions)
Height: 1.83m
Weight: 71kg
Arman ‘Ahalkalakets’ Tsarukyan
Age: 29
Based in Yerevan, Armenia
UFC record: 22-3 (9 KO, 5 submissions)
Height: 1.70m
Weight: 70kg
What they’re saying
“He’s a good fighter. He’s dangerous on the feet, but on the ground, I think my game is way better.
“I think I’m more powerful on the striking – my hands, my legs – I kick harder, I punch harder. Maybe my technique is not that good, but on the feet, if I punch him, I can knock him out.” – Arman Tsarukyan
“I did say it would be the first decapitation in UFC history. I said I would kick his head clean off his shoulders and they will have to sew it back on afterwards.” – Dan Hooker
What will happen
While Hooker certainly has the fighting spirit, it’s difficult to see him coming out on top of this one.
The main thing in his favour is Tsarukyan’s long absence from the ring, but even then, the match-up is showing a potentially long, slow submission battle.
One thing for sure, Hooker would rather die than quit, so Tsarukyan will have to bring something extra in the arsenal to make sure the result goes his way. Expect some elbows and ground-and-pound, if he gets on top from the second round onwards.
Hooker simply needs to stay on his feet and take the fight to Tsarukyan to have any chance. It’s not impossible and he does possess very experienced kickboxing ability, so one decent shot early could change the trajectory of this fight dramatically.
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The Black Caps face the West Indies for the final one-day in their series at Seddon Park in Hamilton.
New Zealand have already sealed the three-game series, beating their rivals by five wickets with three balls to spare in a rain-curtailed second ODI at Napier on Wednesday.
First ball is scheduled for 2pm.
Devon Conway hits out against West Indies.Kerry Marshall / www.photosport.nz
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The Ruru headgear development team includes (from left) Dr George Stilwell, Emeritus Professor Keith Alexander, Professor Nick Draper, Annette Swale (PhD student), Dr Simon Blue and Dr Natalia Kabaliuk. Joe Draper (front) is wearing the prototype.Supplied/University of Canterbury
New protective headgear for junior rugby players, developed by University of Canterbury researchers, could be on sale next year, if the prototype passes World Rugby testing.
The softshell headgear, branded ‘Ruru’ after New Zealand’s native owl or morepork, is the result of 10 years of research by the health and engineering faculties, involving more than 300 players and First XV teams.
Junior players aged 8-18 make up about 80 percent of people involved in New Zealand rugby, with girls the fastest-growing group.
University of Canterbury faculty of health professor Nick Draper said researchers investigated the causes and consequences of head collisions involving rugby players.
“All of the studies we’ve done over the years on collisions and the data we’ve collected from field trials on players, particularly in the junior grades, has helped us understand what kind of headgear will make a real difference,” he said.
“As researchers and as a university, we have a responsibility to find ways to make the game safer for our children. Rugby is our national game, it’s a contact sport and the majority of our active rugby players are juniors, so the effect of concussion on kids is a significant health issue.”
Draper said the data had been integrated with cutting-edge UC engineering innovations, including advanced impact testing, machine learning-based analysis of head impacts and protective material design.
The ruru design was part of the team’s focus – “the wise owl looking after our heads, looking after our brains,” he said.
World Rugby testing would be done by an independent laboratory, likely in the United Kingdom, in early to mid-2026.
Mechanical engineering senior lecturer Dr Natalia Kabaliuk said a United States-based company was already interested in licensing the new headgear.
“It’s very exciting, so once it’s approved for use by World Rugby, we will look to launch it on the market,” she said.
The UC research project was done in collaboration with the Canterbury Rugby Football Union and Ellesmere Rugby Sub Union, with more than 300 players from Year 8 (U12/13) to First XV teams involved over the past decade.
The studies have involved MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scanning and neurocognitive testing for players before and after the rugby season, as well as any hard knocks during games or training, which were also filmed for video analysis.
Custom 3D-printed mouthguards with sensors measured changes in speed during collisions.
Draper said rules around tackle height and stand-downs after concussions were also important, as well as how the game was coached.
“We’ve recognised through our research that up to half and in some cases over half of the tackles that players are involved in are tackles from the side or from the rear, whereas most coaching technique is around a front-on tackle. If we understand that we can change coach education,” he said.
As a rugby coach and father of three rugby-playing sons, Draper said he was conscious of the cost of protective gear for families and wanted to keep the product’s price to a minimum.
“We wish to make the headgear as affordable as possible for families and really bring that price down, so it’s affordable and comparable with ordinary headgear you can buy off the shelves now,” he said.
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Australia’s Mitchell Starc celebrates his fifth wicket on day 1 of the first Ashes cricket Test match between Australia and England at Perth Stadium.AFP / Saeed Khan
By Martin Parry, AFP
Nineteen wickets fell on an opening day of carnage in the first Ashes Test on Friday, with England’s fearsome attack led by skipper Ben Stokes bowling them into a position of strength after Australia dismissed the tourists for 172.
A rampaging Mitchell Starc took 7-58 to put England on the back foot after Stokes won the toss on a fine day at a packed Perth Stadium and chose to bat.
Harry Brook (52) and Ollie Pope (46) offered the only resistance as they crumbled after lunch.
But England’s elite fast bowlers, led by an exceptional Stokes with 5-23, fought back to reduce the hosts to 123-9 at stumps, trailing by 49.
Nathan Lyon was on three with Brendan Doggett yet to score.
“What a day,” England bowler Brydon Carse, who took two wickets including Steve Smith, told broadcasters.
“I think everyone that’s come today has got their time’s worth — 19 wickets.
“Fantastic last session from everyone to put us in a strong position heading into tomorrow.”
In a brutal introduction to Test cricket, opener Jake Weatherald went for a second-ball duck, left on the floor by a Jofra Archer bullet and given out lbw.
Marnus Labuschagne fended off 41 balls for nine before he too succumbed to the sheer speed of Archer, bowled by a fuller delivery.
And when Smith fell for 17 to Carse in the next over, caught by Brook at slip, it was game on.
Usman Khawaja, who was feeling stiff so did not open, came in at four but lasted just six balls, blown away by a Carse bouncer that took a nick to wicketkeeper Jamie Smith, leaving Australia reeling at 31-4.
Cameron Green (24), Travis Head (21), Alex Carey (26) and Starc (12) all got starts, but in a reflection of the depth of England’s pace stocks, Stokes removed them when he brought himself on.
“He’s amazing. His character, his resilience is everything this team strives to be,” Carse said of the skipper.
“A game-changing spell from him in that session.”
Starc pounces
Starc had bagged three wickets in an intimidating opening spell, including Joe Root for a duck, before returning to send Stokes packing in his first over after the lunch break, then mopping up.
All five previous Tests at the Perth venue have been won by the side batting first, but England did their best to challenge that, getting off to a horror start.
Veteran strike weapon Starc delivered as he has so many times before, enticing a thick edge from Zak Crawley on his sixth ball that Khawaja did well to collect low at slip, the opener gone for nought.
Starc has now taken a wicket in the first over of an innings 24 times.
At the other end Ben Duckett settled his nerves with a textbook drive off Scott Boland to bank the first four of the series.
But just as he was getting going, Starc pounced again, trapping him lbw for 21 to leave England tottering on 33-2.
That brought Root to the crease in his latest campaign for an elusive first century in Australia.
He only lasted seven balls, edging a seaming delivery into the safe hands of Labuschagne at third slip.
Pope survived the furnace and was composed before Green came on and he was out lbw, leaving the visitors on 105-4 at lunch.
Brook hit Scott Boland for a six in the first over after the break before Starc again worked his magic, taking out Stokes’s stumps with an inswinger when the captain was on six.
A fearless Brook raced to his 14th Test half-century before feathering a short ball to Carey, earning Doggett his maiden Test wicket on debut.
Starc removed Gus Atkinson cheaply to give him the 17th five-wicket haul of his career and with Doggett they ruthlessly cleaned up the tail.
– AFP
See how the game unfolded in our liveblog:
Team lists
Australia: 1 Jake Weatherald, 2 Usman Khawaja, 3 Marnus Labuschagne, 4 Steven Smith (capt), 5 Travis Head, 6 Cameron Green, 7 Alex Carey (wk), 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Nathan Lyon, 10 Scott Boland, 11 Brendan Doggett.
England: 1 Zak Crawley, 2 Ben Duckett, 3 Ollie Pope, 4 Joe Root, 5 Harry Brook, 6 Ben Stokes (capt), 7 Jamie Smith (wk), 8 Brydon Carse, 9 Gus Atkinson, 10 Mark Wood, 11 Jofra Archer.
Australia’s Mitchell Starc celebrates his fifth wicket on day 1 of the first Ashes cricket Test match between Australia and England at Perth Stadium.AFP / Saeed Khan
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World No.1 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand is a graduate of the Women’s Asia-Pacific Championship.Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire / Photosport
Organisers of an international golf academy in Wellington next week hope it will allow women’s amateur players to realise their dreams.
The Royal Wellington Golf Club will host the eighth edition of the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific championship in February, with the region’s elite players competing for starts in three of the world’s biggest tournaments.
However, for some South Pacific players, just getting to the tournament in Wellington is their first aim.
Royal Wellington will also host the second WAAP (Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific) Academy, providing players from emerging nations access to world-class coaching.
Along with a contingent from New Zealand, invitees will come from Fiji, Guam, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Sri Lanka.
“It is a chance for the next generation of players to build some skills and develop some understandings,” said academy technical director John Crampton. “What the academy does is it gives the players experiences that they take back to their nations.”
The Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific championship has been developed by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation and the R&A, a group of companies that administers the rules of the game and helps develop the sport.
Kiwi golfer Wenyung Keh was beaten in a playoff at the inaugural 2018 tournament in Singapore.Joseph Johnson/www.photosport.co
Asia-Pacific has held a men’s academy since 2019, but this is just the second for women.
Crampton said the academy provided a helping hand for those aspiring to play at the highest level.
“We want to create heroes who young people around the region look up.”
The R&A will pay all costs for the dozen golfers attending the academy, with the players getting help from experienced coaches, while having a club fitting, thanks to a supplier.
The Asia Pacific Golf Confederation is an umbrella group for 47 national golf associations and the Women’s Asia-Pacific Championship has been a steppingstone for many of the LPGA Tour’s top players, including current world No.1 Jeeno Thitikul of Thailand.
Other participants in the tournament, which has run since 2018, have gone on to win five ‘Major’ championships.
The winner of February’s tournament earns invitations to play in three Major championships – the AIG Women’s Open, the Amundi Evian Championship and The Chevron Championship – as well as the Australian Open and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
Royal Wellington Golf Club.Marty Melville / PHOTOSPORT
New Zealand’s Wenyung Keh was beaten in a playoff at the inaugural tournament in Singapore in 2018, while Fiona Xu, who played on the LPGA Tour in 2025, was tied for third in Singapore in 2023.
“We have no reason to doubt that there are going to be players from the women’s academy who will actually become successful international players,” Crampton said.
“The academy is adding some reality to the dreams some players may have to eventually play in some of the best tournaments in the world.”
Three representatives from the New Zealand Maori Golf Association – Rebecca Blackwell-Chin, Hunter Edwards and Tania Ellis – will take part in the academy at Royal Wellington next week, along with two promising young players from the host club – 12-year-old Amy Yu and 13-year-old Elise Barber.
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The All Blacks will look to end their 2025 season with a win, after a disappointing loss to England last weekend.
That result ended the dream of delivering a Grand Slam, but the pressure to perform remains, given they are unbackable favourites for this one.
Meanwhile, Wales had only their second test win in two years last weekend, when they snuck past Japan in a controversial finish.
Team lists
Wales: 1. Rhys Carre, 2. Dewi Lake, 3. Keiron Assiratti, 4. Dafydd Jenkins, 5. Adam Beard, 6. Alex Mann, 7. Harri Deaves, 8. Aaron Wainwright, 9. Tomos Williams, 10. Dan Edwards, 11. Tom Rogers, 12. Joe Hawkins, 13. Max Llewellyn, 14. Louis Rees-Zammit, 15. Blair Murray
All Blacks: 1. Tamaiti Williams, 2. Samisoni Taukei’aho, 3. Pasilio Tosi, 4. Scott Barrett, 5. Fabian Holland, 6. Simon Parker, 7. Du’Plessis Kirifi, 8. Wallace Sititi, 9. Cortez Ratima, 10. Damian McKenzie, 11. Caleb Clarke, 12. Anton Lienert-Brown, 13. Rieko Ioane, 14. Will Jordan, 15. Ruben Love
Bench: 16. George Bell, 17. Fletcher Newell, 18. George Bower, 19. Josh Lord, 20. Christian Lio-Willie, 21. Finlay Christie, 22. Leicester Fainga’anuku, 23. Sevu Reece
Wales selections
Former Wellington player Taine Plumtree will come off the bench for Wales.PHOTOSPORT
A couple of familiar names stand out on the Welsh team sheet, with former Canterbury player Blair Murray starting at fullback. Former Wellington player Taine Plumtree, son of former All Blacks assistant coach John, will come off the bench to cover the loose forwards.
Much will ride on what sort of ball halfback Tomos Williams receives – he was one of only two Welshmen selected for this year’s British & Irish Lions tour.
All Blacks selections
Anton Lienert-Brown will form a midfield combination with Rieko Ioane.Photosport
Thirteen changes from last week, so it’s easier to say who is still there than who has come in. Lock Scott Barrett will captain the team and Simon Parker starts at blindside flanker, but all around them are new or relocated players.
Anton Lienert-Brown and Rieko Ioane form yet another midfield combo for the season, while Cortez Ratima and Damian McKenzie start in the inside backs. Ruben Love comes in at fullback, while Will Jordan moves to the wing, with Caleb Clarke returning from concussion on the other.
Key stats
The infamous lineout penalty that saved the All Blacks from defeat in 1978.Photosport
Wales have not beaten New Zealand since 1953, when they won 13-8 at the old Cardiff Arms Park. Since then, the closest they’ve come was the controversial 13-12 loss in 1978, which saw Brian McKechnie kick a late penalty goal to win the test.
The highest score the All Blacks have put on Wales is 55 and that’s happened twice. The first was back in 2003, in a test that featured Dan Carter’s debut, and the other was the last time they played in 2022.
In the 37 previous meetings, New Zealand have outscored Wales by 157 tries to 37.
What they’re saying
Coach Scott Robertson consoles captain Scott Barrett after defeat to England.www.photosport.nz
“We have a young group, which you see in the number of caps around the group. It is making sure we focus on ourselves.” – Wales coach Steve Tandy
“You’re giving guys opportunities and setting them up to perform, and the ones that have been given it have been training extremely hard and been really focused. It’s great to play the whole squad and everyone have a crack at it.” – All Blacks coach Scott Robertson
Last time they met
All Blacks 55 Wales 23
Two early tries from Codie Taylor silenced the big crowd under the roof at Principality Stadium, but Wales did fight back to only trail by nine points at halftime. Aaron Smith scored with a brilliant solo effort in the second half, as the All Blacks eventually ran away to a comfortable victory.
What will happen
Hopefully not a repeat of the last test of 2024, which was a stopstart borefest against Italy.
On the positive side, Wales have traditionally tried to have a crack at the All Blacks, knowing full well they’ll concede if they make even the slightest error, but really, they are expected to lose comfortably, so they may as well have fun doing so.
New Zealand just need to get the job done, so they can finish the season with a bit of a flourish. There will be questions around this campaign no matter what, but every little bit of positivity will help, when those reviews happen.
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Guillermo May of Auckland FC.Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
Auckland FC forward Guillermo May has yet to find the back of the net this season, but heading into the fifth round of the A-League, he remains confident Auckland will be more prolific in front of goal this season than last.
Round five last season saw May, who was Auckland’s leading scorer in their inaugural campaign, slot the first of his nine goals.
On average, the Uruguayan scored once every couple of games, after opening his A-League account, but his inability to score in three starts and one game off the bench so far this season does not concern him too much.
He admits to some “anxiety” over not converting opportunities and he needed to “train the precision” a little more, but he’s happy to play a supporting role, if Auckland can keep their unbeaten streak going.
“If the team wins and I don’t score, I prefer to be on a winning team, than be the scoring man.”
Last season, Auckland scored 50 goals and became the fastest club in 20 years of the competition to reach the milestone.
May believes there’s more to come this season, with the addition of Sam Cosgrove and Lachlan Brook to the team.
Sam Cosgrove of Auckland FC celebrates his goal with Jesse Randall.Andrew Cornaga/www.photosport.nz
“We are playing with the ball better than last season and that is helping us to create better chances.
“It’s easier this year for us to score than before. I think we’re going to score more goals this year.”
May, 27, backs his bold goalscoring call by pointing to what he sees and participates in on the training pitch, as well as on game day.
Across the competition, May says the level of competitiveness has stepped up this season, with more teams capable of pushing for a top-six playoff spot.
Auckland are atop the A-League table, a position they held most of last season, but May knows the team can not slack off or they will be in trouble.
“It’s been a good start for us, because the four teams we’ve faced, they’re going to be competitive and they’re going to be on top, if they keep doing what they are doing.
“I’m confident of our team, of our competition, of how we are training and how we are performing.”
On a personal level, May is on his way back from injury – sometimes he feels good, but others not so much.
“I’m getting back to the pace, the rhythm, the fitness.”
May sets high standards for himself.
“In my role, it’s more getting the connections between lines, trying to assist to score, create good chances.
“I push everyday to be better and I want to upgrade my stats, I want to be on top on every scoresheet.
“I’m going to be better, I’m trying to be.”
May will get another chance to get on the scoresheet, when Auckland FC host fourth-placed Brisbane Roar on Sunday.
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