Category: Sport

Source: Radio New Zealand

Rowing legend Emma Twigg still loves having oars in her hands and is not about to give up as “you’re a long time retired”.

Twigg added a World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals title to her illustrious career in Turkey on Monday.

The 38-year-old is one of New Zealand’s most accomplished classic or flat water rowers having competed at five Olympics, winning gold and silver. She is also a multiple medal winner at World Championships.

However in recent years she has dabbled in coastal rowing and this year decided to make the beach sprint her focus as she contemplated her international future.

Winning the women’s solo title in Turkey was a bit of a surprise for the Hawke’s Bay athlete.

“This year was all about exploring this new discipline and where I stacked up and while I’d done it a couple of times before, as it’s now an Olympic event I thought there may be another step,” Twigg told RNZ.

Twigg will be 41 by the time Beach Sprint Rowing makes its debut at the LA 2028 Olympics, but at this stage she still has the desire.

“I guess I’m staring down the barrel of another three years (but) I’m enjoying it, I’m loving the challenge.

“I seem to be doing reasonably well in it and as long as that’s the way, then sure it’s (LA Olympics) a realistic thing.”

The change from flat water to sea rowing has a number of rowers excited with a couple of veterans included in the New Zealand team that went to the World Beach Sprint Finals in Turkey.

The event includes a beach sprint followed by an out and back row and then another beach sprint.

“It’s not for the faint-hearted, you can’t control everything, but it’s a hell of a lot of fun,” Twigg said.

The sculler first represented New Zealand in 2003 and has been competing at the highest level ever since, although she has retired twice.

She likes the difference that coastal rowing brings to the game.

“It’s apples and oranges even in the distances and the way the regatta is run (head-to-head knock-out competition).

“It’s like the the kayak cross version of white water slalom.”

So why is she still wanting to compete at the elite level as she closes in on her 40s?

“It’s a question I ask myself every day and what it comes down to is that I just love what I do.

“I love being fit and active in a rowing boat and on water.

“This presents a different challenge to what I have done for years and years so I see it as an extension of my career.”

Twigg also believes she has to give back to the sport that has dominated her life.

“I see myself as a role model and getting people into our sport and eyes on our sport.

“It’s not necessarily competing at the very top, but while I’m still there, I figure you’re a long time retired.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The veteran trainer of a New Zealand Cup front-runner says a maiden win following a string of podium results would serve as a long-awaited milestone.

Republican Party, trained by Canterbury’s Cran and Chrissie Dalgety, remained the leading homegrown contender for Tuesday’s 122nd running of the New Zealand Trotting Cup at Christchurch’s Addington Raceway.

After more than 30 years, Cran Dalgety’s run at the marquee harness racing event had been marked by a string of near things.

The West Melton trainer has finished with two second places and three thirds in previous cups.

The main prize had however continued to elude him.

“I’d like to think I’ve done my apprenticeship. I’ve been trying to win this race for 34 years,” he said.

“We’ve had 18 shots at it. A lot of seconds and thirds, but second is first beaten so it doesn’t count.

“We’re desperately due.”

Other notable results include a third place for Christen Me in 2013, an historic year in which the Graham and Paul Court-trained Terror to Love triumphed in becoming only the third horse to win the Cup for a third time.

Dalgety’s Bettor’s Strike also had to settle for a second place finish in 2009.

An integral part of the family’s hopes was 22-year-old son Carter who would be driving Republican.

The talented driver had made a gradual rise up the ranks, turning heads by securing the Junior Drivers Premiership which capped a red letter year.

“He’s making more positive results than the negative ones. It’s exciting to have him associated with the horse,” Dalgety said.

“If something really good happened and he got victory it would be quite a buzzy day.”

The Republican Party team was buoyed by a good run of recent form courtesy of three straight wins over the past month.

“Like all sport, you prepare and you try your best, and then come the day, you hope for the best,” Dalgety said.

“Everything’s fallen into place and we go in with a bit of confidence.”

New Zealand Cup day was one of the big events on the Canterbury social calendar and the Cup, with a purse of $1 million, was also one of the country’s pinnacle racing events.

“The mana that comes with this particular race is hard to explain. Everyone who can relate to racing, can remember who won the last New Zealand Cup,” Dalgety said.

Last year, Republican Party finished third at Addington, behind Don’t Stop Dreaming and Swayzee, the latter clinching a second straight NZ Trotting Cup.

They will, however, have to overcome the bookies hot pick from across the Tasman.

Leap To Fame, trained and driven by Queensland’s Grant Dixon, sat at $1.60 at the TAB on Monday to win the Cup.

Dalgety was excited by the challenge that laid ahead.

“I’m not an emotional person, but it would test the emotions if it did happen.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The fourth T20 international between the Black Caps and West Indies has been wiped out by rain in Nelson.

There were just 6.3 overs played before rain took hold at Saxton Oval and didn’t abate enough for a return to the field.

The Black Caps lead the series 2-1, with the final match due to be played in Dunedin on Thursday afternoon.

Play was first halted after five overs, with the West Indies 30 for none after Mitch Santner won the toss for the Black Caps and decided to bowl.

Drizzly weather turned to steady rain and the players retreated to the pavilion.

There was a break in the weather a short time later but they only managed 1.3 overs before the rain returned. In that time the West Indies progressed to 38 but lost the wicket of Alick Athanaze who skied a delivery from Jimmy Neesham, and Daryl Mitchell took the catch.

The players were fated not to return and the skippers shook hands with the decision to abandon the match at 4.08pm.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Partying racegoers at the New Zealand Trotting Cup meeting at Addington in Christchurch will get to see the best pacer in Australasia, the champion Leap to Fame, in action on Tuesday.

New Zealand Cup day is one of the big events on the Canterbury social calendar and the Cup, with a purse of $1 million, is also one of New Zealand racing’s pinnacle events.

Leap To Fame has dominated the pre-race discussion and the betting. On Monday he was a $1.60 favourite on the NZ TAB to win the big race.

Trained and driven by Queenslander Grant Dixon, Leap To Fame is hailed as a harness superstar, with 58 wins from 73 starts and earnings of just a tick over $5 million, an amount far in advance of any of his rivals on Tuesday. One of those wins was in his only start in New Zealand, when he won the $1 million The race by betcha, in Cambridge in April, in a track record.

Leap To Fame is also out to continue Australian and his own family’s dominance of the race in recent years. His half-brother Swayzee proved too good for his Kiwi opponents in the Cup in 2023 and did so again last year.

Swayzee suffered a setback in his preparation for this year’s Cup so isn’t running.

But another Aussie rising star, Kingman, has been a late entry after beating Leap To Fame in the Victoria Cup last month and is considered one of the main challengers.

The Kiwi challengers in the Cup

Republican Party looms as the biggest Kiwi threat to Leap To Fame.

Trained by Cran and Chrissie Dalgety in Canterbury and driven by their son Carter, Republican Party would be a popular winner. Cran Dalgety has had two seconds and three thirds in previous Cups and has joked he has served a 35-year apprenticeship for Tuesday’s Cup.

Republican Party can also surpass $1 million in stakemoney if he runs a top four placing, while Auckland pacer Merlin, who has won $1.6m, looked primed when he won the Kaikoura Cup last week.

Akuta, Don’t Stop Dreaming and We Walk By Faith are also rated solid chances.

Aussies to the fore in Dominion Trot

There are three other Group 1 races on the card, including $400,000 Dominion Trot.

Once again, the Australians have a strong hand, with mare Jilliby Ballerini the favourite and Gus and Arcee Phoenix also chances. The main Kiwi hopes in the betting are Oscar Bonavena, Muscle Mountain, Bet N Win and Mr Love.

The two other Group 1s are for three-year-olds. Race 8 is for the colts and geldings and race 9 is for fillies. Both races are over 1980m for stakes of $200,000.

World Driving Championship decided

The race meeting will also feature the final heat of the World Driving Championship, featuring 10 of the best drivers from around the globe. They have been competing around the country for the past 10 days.

Canadian James McDonald leads the series from Australian Gary Hall Junior, with New Zealand rep Blair Orange in fourth place.

The 20th heat in the series, race 3 at 12.54pm, will determine the winner.

Off the race track, but no less competitive, is the annual fashion competition, with three different categories this year – best dressed, best suited and “something blue”. The winner will be announced after race 6 at 2.30pm.

There will be ongoing entertainment at The Infield, on the grass at the centre of the track. Shapeshifter will be playing there after the race meeting finishes.

Cup day will be followed by the Show Day meeting on Friday. It features two $500,000 slot races for three-year-olds and four other Group 1 races.

Facts

New Zealand Cup

Race 12 at 5:53pm

First run in 1904

Distance: 3200 metres

Winning stake: The winner receives $540,000, second $150,000, third $85,000, fourth $47,500, fifth $27,500, while all other starters receive $15,000.

Three horses have won the Cup three times: Terror To Love (2011-12-13), False Step (1958-59-60), Indianapolis (1934-35-36).

Race record: Lazarus 2016 – 3 minutes 53.1 seconds

Most wins as driver: Ricky May 7, Mark Purdon and Cecil Devine 6

May drives American Me in this year’s Cup, while Purdon pilots Akuta.

Previous Australian winners of the NZ Cup: Steel Jaw (1983), Lightning Blue (1987), Arden Rooney (2015), and Swayzee (2023, 2024).

Kerryn Manning became the first female to drive the Cup winner when Arden Rooney triumphed.

The Dominion Trot

Race 10 at 4.37pm.

Like the Cup, it is run over 3200m, but is a race for trotters rather than pacers in the Cup (despite the Cup being called the NZ Trotting Cup).

The difference between trotters and pacers? Trotters move their legs forward in diagonal pairs (e.g., front right and back left legs hit the ground simultaneously then front left and back right), while pacers’ legs move laterally (front right and back right, then front left and and back left).

Winner receives Lyell Creek (1999-2000-2004) and Sundees Son (2020-21-22) are the only horses to have won the Dominion three times in a row.

Most driving wins in the Dominion: Anthony Butt 8.

The Dominion Trot is two races before the Cup, at 4.37pm.

Gates open at 11am with first race at 12pm.

Betting: Punters bet $7.26 on the TAB on Cup day last year, a record for that day.

General admission: $25. The Infield tickets cost $90.

Weather: MetService is forecasting a sunny afternoon, northeasterly winds and a high of 19deg.

NZ Trotting Cup field:

1 Rakero Rocket

2 Lakelsa (E2)

3 Merlin

4 Pinseeker

5 Republican Party

6 Leap To Fame (Australia)

7 Vessem

8 Sooner The Bettor

9 Wag Star (E1)

10 Akuta

11 Here’s Herbie (E3)

12 Kingman

13 We Walk By Faith

14 American Me

15 Alta Meteor

16 Mo’unga

17 Don’t Stop Dreaming

18 Better Knuckle Up

Dominion Trot field:

1 Maui

2 Jilliby Ballerini

3 Hidden Talent

4 Arcee Phoenix

5 Mystic Max (E2)

6 One Over All

7 Muscle Mountain

8 Mighty Logan

9 Mr Love

10 Oscar Bonavena

11 Love N The Port (E1)

12 Father Time

13 Parisian Artiste

14 I Dream Of Jeannie

15 Midnight Dash

16 Paris Prince (E3)

17 Gus

18 Bet N Win

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Tall Blacks’ path to the 2027 FIBA World Cup begins against familiar foes.

At the end of the month the Tall Blacks will resume their storied rivalry with the Australian Boomers in a home-away series of two World Cup qualifiers.

Coach Judd Flavell has turned to three bigs – centre Yanni Wetzell, centre Tyrell Harrison and forward Sam Mennenga – who will all pull on the black singlet for the first time in 2025, to bolster the roster.

“Two world-class centres at the top of their game, and both big pieces overall,” Flavell said.

“Not just in want we do on the court, but I also like those two (Harrison and Wetzell) and the characteristics they have as people as well, they’re going to add a lot to the culture of the Tall Blacks as well.”

Wetzell is currently plying his trade in the Japanese B-League for the Akita Northern Happinets where he averages a tick over 14 points and 7.8 rebounds per contest.

“Yanni is one of the most mobile centres you’re going to see worldwide. His ability to run the floor, that’s certainly the way the Tall Blacks have played for a while now. He’s just an unselfish guy, who leaves it all out there.”

One of the stories of the Australian NBL season has been the form of Brisbane big man Harrison, who has routinely been tallying double-doubles for the Bullets en route to averaging 16.6 points and 9.7 rebounds per game at an efficient 67 percent from the field.

“Tyrell has quickly become, certainly a guy in the NBL, who has become one of the best big men in the league. What he gives us, obviously, true size and length. He’s a presence around the basket and also someone who runs the floor as well. It’s going to be fun to have him join us again.

“We’ve got Sam Mennenga playing great basketball right now too. It’s going to be his first camp in a while, certainly his first with me.”

Mennenga will join the national team for the first time since the Tall Blacks final 2024 Olympic qualifying game against Slovenia.

The core guard rotation from August’s Asia Cup squad remains intact, with Taylor Britt, Flynn Cameron and Mojave King back from the team’s fourth place finish in Jeddah.

“Asia Cup was such an important piece for us. Not only about the tournament itself, but laying down the foundation of what this Tall Black team looks like in the next few years, and those three, great performances. Carried a lot of the weight of the team in different areas, they’re going to be big pieces for us.”

Not only will the Tall Blacks have the services of those three, but they also welcome back the Wellington Saints backcourt duo of Shea Ili and Izayah Le’afa, who between them combine for over 100 Tall Black appearances.

Ili has missed the start of the NBL season with Melbourne United with a hamstring injury but is expected to get game time this week.

“Having Shea’s presence is going to help boost everybody. We have a genuine world-class defender, and somebody that plays the Tall Blacks way, which is just all out – every single possession.”

“We welcome Izayah Le’afa back with open arms. A combo guard, somebody who can slide to the point guard. Ball-handling, also gives us defence.”

With five genuine starting level guards, minutes in the rotation will be hard to divvy out.

The squad also sees the return of Melbourne United forward, Finn Delany, who will captain the side during this opening FIBA World Cup qualifying window.

These two games will mark the fourth and fifth times the Tall Blacks and Boomers have battled this year. It was an incredibly rare occasion in the current international basketball landscape to play the same opponent five times in one calendar year.

In May’s Trans-Tasman Throwdown the Australians picked up two wins at home in Adelaide and Gold Coast, while the Tall Blacks survived a late surge to outlast their rivals in Hamilton in the Throwdown’s conclusion.

Game one of the qualifiers is in Hobart on 28 November and the return leg is in Wellington on 1 December, with the Boomers visiting the capital for the first time in 10 years.

Tall Blacks squad for the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers – Window 1

• Taylor Britt (44 games), Canterbury Rams & New Zealand Breakers
• Flynn Cameron (39 games), Franklin Bulls & Adelaide 36ers
• Max Darling (18 games), Canterbury Rams & New Zealand Breakers
• Carlin Davison (15 games), New Zealand Breakers
• Finn Delany (55 games), Melbourne United, captain
• Tyrell Harrison (11 games), Brisbane Bullets
• Shea Ili (73 games), Wellington Saints & Melbourne United
• Mojave King (9 games), Tauranga Whai & Cairns Taipans
• Izayah Le’afa (28 games), Wellington Saints & New Zealand Breakers
• Sam Mennenga (7 Games), New Zealand Breakers
• Tohi Smith-Milner (78 games), Canterbury Rams & Brisbane Bullets
• Yanni Wetzell (13 games), Akita Northern Happinets

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Black Caps and West Indies are back at Saxton Oval in Nelson for game four of the five-match series on Monday.

First ball is at 1.15pm.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Caleb Clarke’s frustrating run of injuries has continued with the All Blacks wing ruled out of this weekend’s test against England at Twickenham.

The Blues star suffered a head knock in Sunday’s win over Scotland at Murrayfield and assistant coach Jason Holland confirmed on Monday he would miss next Sunday morning’s test in London.

“He’s got the 12-day stand down, unfortunately,” Ryan said.

“Unlucky for him, but yeah, he’s out for 12 days.”

It’s a shame for Clarke who has looked good in his limited opportunities in a season hampered by injury, including against Scotland. Clarke missed two of the three July series tests against France with an ankle injury which resurfaced during the Rugby Championship ruling him out of more games.

“He’s come back in the second half of this year really fit and strong and enjoying his footy. He’s playing, he’s having a crack, he’s offloading, he’s loving the contests in the air,” Holland said.

“It’s (the concussion) just one of those footy things. It’s unfortunate, he’s been building really nicely.”

Wing Sevu Reece will rejoin the All Blacks squad from the All Blacks VX and is an option to replace Clarke.

There are no other injury concerns for New Zealand from the Scotland match, though captain Scott Barrett remains in doubt after suffering a laceration to his leg in the win over Ireland earlier this month.

It had been hoped he would be ready for the England test and Holland said they’ll make a call soon.

“He’s tracking reasonably well. I just came out of a lineout meeting with him, actually, so he’s all go. We’ll just see what happens with that. But he’s tracking nicely, so a decision will be made on that in the middle part of the week.”

The England test shapes as possibly the most difficult assignment on the All Blacks end of year tour, in which they’re hoping to achieve a Grand Slam by beating all four home nations.

The All Blacks’ discipline against Scotland left a lot to be desired with the visitors copping three yellow cards. Holland said they can’t afford to do the same against England.

“Yeah, obviously it is frustrating. It puts you under pressure, there’s no doubt about it. So there’s a personal responsibility around that,” Holland said.

“The guys are trying really hard but they’ve just got to be smart in those moments when you’re fatigued and you’re under pressure. If we can put those pressure moments away as much as possible with our rugby and our skills and our game management it will put us under less pressure there. We can’t have three yellow cards in a game.”

The All Blacks’ first half at Murrayfield was superb as they raced out to a 17-nil lead, but they stumbled in the second half again as Scotland stormed back to level the score, before Damian McKenzie’s brilliance nailed the win.

A poor second half has been a bit of a hallmark of the All Blacks this year and Holland knows they’ll need to change that pattern against England.

“I personally saw a lot of good stuff in that first half. We’ve been really looking to use the ball and hold on to the ball and put teams under pressure. And I think we did that really well in the first half and with some good discipline around it and the boys got to play a bit of footy.

“Second half, obviously, we’re under a bit of pressure. A couple of little mistakes, a couple of individual errors. Firstly, we didn’t catch the first kickoff after halftime, gave the ball straight to Scotland and they were ready to have a good crack at us from there and we found it hard to turn it around. The little skill set errors give Scotland the ball and then a couple of little individual errors from trying too hard got us the yellow cards and it sort of was a rolling effect.

“So a couple of things about skill errors first, really. Simple things, you know, a kick-off, a catch pass on an edge, a forward pass, just little things where we took the foot off the throat and Scotland were, you know, they were a good side and they were able to punish us.”

England have won their last nine games in a row and are ranked higher than Scotland.

Holland said the All Blacks will have to be better if they want to beat England at Twickenham, but he’s confident they can address any issues that stemmed from the Scotland match.

“We’ve just got to do what we did for long periods for a bit longer. We don’t want any freebies for England because we know they’ll hurt us. We know what sort of game they’ll play. We know the areas. It’ll be no secret they’ll go after us in the air. They’ve done that against most opposition and it’ll be a great challenge for us around where they go there.”

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Liam Lawson showed some racing maturity and survived a clash with his team-mate to pick up valuable points at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix in Brazil.

Lawson finished seventh after starting in the same position, but avoided some carnage on the track and for once came out on the right side of a Racing Bulls change of strategy.

Two safety cars in the first ten laps ended Ferrari’s race, while McLaren’s Oscar Piastri copped a 10 second penalty for causing a collision, ending any hope he had of challenging team-mate and championship leader Lando Norris.

However, Lawson managed to avoid the crashes and complete his third best finish of the season (fifth in Azerbaijan and sixth in Austria).

“We made the one stop work…. just,” the 23-year-old Kiwi said afterwards.

The soft compound tyres proved ineffective on the Interlagos circuit and so Racing Bulls pitted both cars early to change to mediums.

Lawson then raced the remaining 50 laps on the same set of tyres and managed to hold off Nico Hulkenberg and team-mate Isack Hadjar.

“It was very tough towards the end, the tyres were in good shape at that point, but it’s super sensitive around here,” he said.

“If you push too much in one corner, you pay the price in the next one, therefore tyre management was key.

“On top of that, I was trying to manage energy to make sure I had power down the straights. The strategy worked well for us, so a big congratulations to the team – it’s been a massive effort to have both cars in the points today.”

With Hadjar making a second pit stop, he was on fresher soft tyres at the end and he and Lawson came together at a corner on the final lap. Fortunately both still managed to finish with the Frenchman eighth.

“It’s the last lap of a race, I don’t think anyone can expect, as much as it’s the ideal thing to do, there is no way that we weren’t going to race for a position like that,” Lawson said.

“I respect it, we’re lucky that we came out of it, but it’s been a great weekend for the team.”

The result moves Lawson up one spot to 14th in the Drivers’ Championship and he is now just seven points behind ninth placed Nico Hulkenberg.

Top ten finishes for both cars also meant Racing Bulls ended a streak of three Grands Prix without points.

“It’s been a barren spell for us, so to come back here and qualify so well, to then having both cars in the points is a superb effort,” said team principal Alan Permane.

“We outscore all our rivals in the Championship and give ourselves a healthier gap to 7th in the constructors championship.

“It was very close between both Liam and Isack; we split the strategies, and they ended up racing each other, which we trusted them to do, and Liam came out on top with an excellently managed one-stop strategy.”

Norris won the race to extend his championship lead to 24 points over McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri who finished fifth.

Kimi Antonelli was second, while Max Verstappen was third after starting the race from pit lane.

The next round is in Las Vegas in a fortnight with the final two rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Pacific Championship (men) – NZ Kiwi v Toa Samoa

Kickoff: 6.05pm Sunday, 9 November

CommBank Stadium, Sydney

Live blog updates on RNZ

History

Toa Samoa have never beaten NZ Kiwis in six previous meetings.

That said, they have come very close a couple of times and probably should have won their last meeting three weeks ago, when they bombed at least two prime scoring opportunities in the final 10 minutes of a 24-18 defeat at Go Media Stadium.

In 2014, New Zealand needed a late try from centre Shaun Kenny-Dowall to scrape past 14-12 at Whangārei, en route to claiming a Four Nations crown.

There have been some big margins along the way.

In the 2023 Pacific Championships, the Kiwis inflicted a 50-0 pounding on their rivals, with wingers Jamayne Isaako and Ronaldo Mulitalo grabbing try doubles, and Isaako converting seven of the nine tries scored.

Historically, Samoa have been used as warm-up opponents before more meaningful fixtures against major rugby league powers, but the exodus of top players to their Pacific roots has brought new meaning to this rivalry.

Form

The Samoans really announced themselves as bona fide contenders on the world state, when they reached the final of the 2022 Rugby League World Cup, losing 60-6 to England in poolplay, but turning the tables 27-26 in the semis, before losing 30-10 to Australia in the final.

Like Tonga before them, their programme has undoubtedly benefited from the decision by NRL stars to pledge allegiance to their heritage, rather than New Zealand or Australia.

Strangely, Samoa’s 34-6 win over Tonga two weeks ago was their first win since that World Cup semi-final three years ago.

They were out of their depth against the Kiwis and Kangaroos in the 2023 Pacific Championships, and then lost two tests on their England tour last year.

New Zealand also looked better against Tonga last weekend than they did against Samoa in their tournament opener.

After inflicting a record defeat on Australia in the 2023 final, the Kiwis were understrength last year, under new coach Stacey Jones, losing to Australia and Tonga, and having to defend their place in the top flight against Papua New Guinea.

Some of the youngsters blooded in that campaign have continued to develop, particularly centre/winger Casey McLean and fullback Keano Kini in the backs, and Naufahu Whyte in the forwards.

They have certainly been better this year under Jones’ continued stewardship and should go into the final as favourites on the basis of their earlier win.

Teams

Kiwis: 1. Keano Kini, 2. Jamayne Isaako, 3. Matt Timoko, 4. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, 5. Casey McLean, 6. Dylan Brown, 7. Kieran Foran, 8. James Fisher-Harris (captain), 9. Phoenix Crossland, 10. Moses Leota, 11. Briton Nikora, 12. Isaiah Papali’i, 13. Joseph Tapine

Interchange: 14. Te Maire Martin, 15. Naufahu Whyte, 16. Erin Clark, 17. Xavier Willison

Reserves: 18. Scott Sorenson, 19. Zach Dockar-Clay, 20. Josiah Karapani

Jones has named the same line-up that took the field against Tonga last week, although that wasn’t the one he originally named.

Before kick-off, he lost Mulitalo and reserve forward Nelson Asofa-Solomona to injury, and had to reshuffle his backline, moving McLean to the wing, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad to centre and bringing Kini into fullback.

That configuration performed well, so it stays intact.

Veteran half Kieran Foran, 35, will make his final appearance for his country, 16 years after debuting as a teenager, after already retiring from the NRL at the end of last season.

Brisbane Broncos forward Xavier Willison made his Kiwis debut last week against Tonga and will again come off the bench.

Isaako, Erin Clark, Moses Leota and Isaiah Papali’i have all turned out for Samoa previously, while several others are eligible.

Player to watch

The injury that brought Keano Kini into last week’s starting line-up may have saved the Kiwis’ Pacific Championship hopes. Not that Nicoll-Klokstad deserves to be dropped and thankfully he is versatile enough to find a place in the centres, but Kini provides the x-factor that may make a difference, as the big Samoan forwards tire.

Samoa: 1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 2. Brian To’o, 3. Izack Tago, 4. Deine Mariner, 5. Murray Taulagi, 6. Blaize Talagi, 7. Jarome Luai (captain), 8. Francis Molo, 9. Jazz Tevaga, 10. Payne Haas, 11. Jaydn Su’A, 12. Simi Sasagi, 13. Junior Paulo

Interchange: 14. Chanel Harris-Tavita, 15. Benaiah Ioelu, 16. Terrell May, 17. Josh Papalii

Reserves: 18. Ata Mariota, 19. Ativalu Lisati, 20. Clayton Faulalo, 21. Lyhkan King-Togia

The only change from the team that beat Tonga sees Su’A replace second-rower Jeremiah Nanai, who suffered a shoulder injury in that encounter.

Coach Ben Gardiner originally named Tevaga and Papalii to start at hooker and prop for that game, but switched them back to the bench before kick-off, replaced by Ioelu and Molo. Tevaga has again been named to start at dummy half, but Papalii remains on the interchange.

Tuivasa-Sheck has previously captained the Kiwis, before switching international allegiances. Taulagi, Haas and Papali’i have all represented Australia, while several others have played State of Origin for NSW or Queensland.

Player to watch

Front-rower Payne Haas is a force of nature and one of the main reasons Brisbane Broncos took out the NRL premiership this season. The last meeting between these two teams was his Samoan debut and the Kiwis will need to neutralise him to win the forward battle.

Venue

When the Pacific Championship draw was announced, New Zealand was allocated two blockbuster games against Samoa and Tonga in Auckland, but the final was strangely scheduled for Sydney.

With the Kangaroos currently touring England, Australia would be unrepresented in the men’s showcase and, given the three teams in contention, it seemed weird that the decider shouldn’t also be held in the city with the world’s largest Polynesian population.

Brisbane hosted the Samoa v Tonga clash, with about 45,000 cramming into Suncorp Stadium. Given the patronage, commentators wondered aloud if the NRL had undersold the competition final by staging it at a venue with only 30,000 capacity.

“CommBank Stadium is one of those stadiums where you’re right on top of it and the sound doesn’t get released anywhere, it just bounces off the walls,” former NZ and Samoa international, and now Kiwis selector, Monty Betham told RNZ’s Midday Report. “The atmosphere will be unbelievable – you’ll be able to hear it at home.”

What will happen

Both teams took a step up in their respective games against Tonga, with Samoa (28) enjoying a better points difference than the Kiwis (24).

The winners will be the team that finds another gear and adjusts better from their previous meeting.

The speed of Kini and McLean in the open field could prove the difference in a Kiwis victory.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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

Source: Radio New Zealand

Former Olympic champion Emma Twigg has set herself up for yet another tilt at the games after winning the women’s title at the World Rowing Beach Sprint Finals in Turkey.

38-year-old Twigg won gold in the women’s solo event.

She beat defending champion Magdalena Lobnig of Austria to reclaim the title she won at the world championships in Wales in 2022.

Twigg can now set her sights on contesting the LA 2028 games, where coastal rowing will be included for the first time at the Olympics.

 ”My commitment is that I’m going to keep going if I keep enjoying it and I keep winning,” Twigg said.

“LA seems like a long way away to me, especially at my age, but I’m loving it. I’m loving being part of the team.  I’m loving the challenge of something different.”

Twigg has competed at five Olympics in flat water rowing, winning gold in Tokyo in 2021 and silver in Paris in 2024.

The beach sprint format of 500 metres racing, as opposed to the 2000m of flat-water, is part of the appeal.

 ”We’re just scratching the surface really, because I think physiology is so different. The skills are so different – the way you have to be able to get around buoys and use different forces – it’s all a challenge that I’m enjoying trying to master.

“I’m happy to be at the front of the pack and so long as I’m there and enjoying it, why not give it a nudge?”

Twigg came out on top in a gruelling morning session of sudden death racing, outclassing Lithuania’s Raminta Morkunaite in the quarter-final, then Great Britain’s Laura McKenzie in the semi-final before taking on Lobnig.

Her ability at the turning buoy proved decisive on the final day of the championships.

Meanwhile, Finn Hamill was eliminated in the first round of the men’s solo and Erin James and Matt Dunham were eliminated in the first round of the mixed double sculls.

Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

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